TWO TREATISES OF THE LORD HIS HOLIE SVPPER: THE ONE INSTRVCTING THE SERVANTS OF GOD HOW THEY should be prepared when they come to the holy Supper of our onely Sauiour Iesus Christ:
Whereunto is annexed a Dialogue conteining the principall points necessarie to be knowne and vnderstood of all them that are to be partakers of the holy Supper:
The other setting forth Dialoguewise the whole vse of the Supper: Whereunto also is adioyned a briefe and learned treatise of the true Sacrifice and true Priest.
Written in the French tongue by Yues Rouspeau and Iohn de l'Espine Ministers of the word of God, and latelie translated into English.
1. CORINTH. 11.28. Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup.
IOHN 6.58. This is the bread which came downe from heauen: not as your fathers haue eaten Manna, and are dead. He that eateth of this bread, shall liue for euer.
PSAL. 51.16. Thou desirest no sacrifice, though we would giue it: thou delitest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit: a contrite and broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Imprinted by Thomas Thomas Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1584.
YVES ROVSPEAV TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, FROM OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST greeting.
AMong the causes of all publique calamities, and of the scourges wherewithall diuerse realmes & countries are grieuously chastised: S. Paul maketh mention of the notable abuse & contempt of the Lord his Supper. For this cause, saith he, manie are weake & sicke among you, & many sleepe: for if we would iudge our selues, we should not be iudged. Wherupon we haue not to meruaile, that the Lord God hath so sharply punished this poore realme of France the last yeare, 1562. with plague, warre, and famine, seeing it is manifest that the contempt of the Gospel with the abusing and profaning of the holie Supper of the Lord, hath brought vpon vs the foresaid miseries & afflictions. And for this cause, both the Pope his adherents may stop their mouthes, with the which they are so readie to cast reproch vpon our God, and they that make profession of the Gospel in this lan [...] may keepe like silence, seeing the causes haue flowed from both parties indifferently, and the fault belongeth as wel to the one, as to the other. To begin with the Papists, we may boldly auouch out of the word of God, that their Masse is stuffed full of blasphemies: that it abolisheth the holy Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ: that the remembrance of his death & passion is therein suppressed & made o [...] none effect: that in the same there is no communion: & that, wheras Iesus Christ hath giuen a generall charge to all the professors o [...] [Page] his name, to take, eate, and drinke the bread and wine, in the Masse there is but one that taketh, eateth & drinketh for all the rest. Further, we see how there the creature of God, euen a morsell of breade, is worshiped in the place of God himselfe the creator: how they seeke Christ Iesus vpon the earth, whereas the word of God, the Creed of the Apostles, and the ancient Canons do teach vs to haue our hearts lifted vp on high, and to seeke him by Faith aboue in the heauens. Lastlie, in it we may behold manie other most shamefull and grieuous abuses, which for this time I thinke best to couer with silence. Now seing that manie do so stoutly and obstinately stand vpon that point, that in the defence and quarrell of a thing so vile & wicked, they haue put to death so manie godlie and honest men, so many holie personages and true martyrs of our Lord Iesus Christ, I conclude that we haue iustly beene visited of God for their offences. As for the Protestants, we see they also haue beene marked with the foule spots and blemishes of manie grosse and notable abuses. How many of them haue bin found as vnable to render reason of their Faith as verie Papists, & haue offered, like bruit beasts, their presence at the holy Supper of the Lord, some for learning as ignorant as Asses, others for life, as beastly as swyne. I ouerpasse an infinite number of hypocrites, of false brethren, of traitours, and such as haue fallen from their faith and knowledge, who being inwardly vnknowen, caried outwardly a shew & colour of great vertue and holynes. And therfore not without cause hath the wrath of God beene kindled against his people, and they haue receaued double correction, seeing that in the strength of their knowledge they haue wittingly abused the knowledge of his holy name. Now to the intent that our good God by his Sonne Iesus Christ may cast his eye of pitie and compassion vpon this poore realme that lieth so desolate and forlorne: it behooueth the one & the other henceforth to learne, how they may better performe their dutie of seruice and honor to their God according to his word, then they haue done in time passed: and chieflie that they be verie circumspect and heedfull not to defile or profane the holie Supper of our Lord in any kind of condition whatsoeuer. To this end I haue addressed this small Treatise vnto their reading, wherin they shall find that the true preparing vnto the Supper, consisteth not in the furniture of the bodie, in rich and costlie attire, in gorgious and statelie shewes, in counterfait colours, and in outward professing of the name of God: but in purenesse of heart and vprightnesse of conscience, that God which is a Spirit, may also be worshiped of his in Spirit and truth.
A TREATISE TEACHING THE SERVANTS OF GOD, HOW THEY SHOVLD BE prepared when they come to the holy Supper of our onely Redeemer Iesus Christ.
The Preface.
THat we may worthily come to the holy Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ, we must examine our selues,The examining of our selues, and wherein it consisteth. as we are aduised and counselled by the Apostle. There be fower principall pointes wherein we haue to sound our hearts and consciences at the bottome, namely Faith, Repentance, Thankesgiuing, in respect of our God, and Charitie toward our neighbours.
OF FAITH. The first Article.
FIrst it is requisit that we haue Faith, that is to say,What Faith is. a certaine and vndeceiueable assurance, & stedfast perswasion, that God, in the name of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, whom he deliuered vp to death for our behoofe, is a Father to vs of all mercie, fauour, and compassion.The causes of Faith God. This Faith commeth not from our selues, neither is it built vpon vs, or vpon any thing to be found in vs, but it commeth from God, and is built vpon God [Page 6] the Father,His word. the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, and vpon the promises made in the Gospel,The holie Ghost. which are inwardly ratified in vs by the working of the holy Ghost which crieth in our hearts Abba, that is to say, Father. And this Faith is nourished, confirmed, and increased in our hearts by the holy Sacraments.The Sacraments. For in the Supper, God, most like a louing and carefull Father, after he hath brought vs into his Church by Baptisme,The effects of God in the Supper. doth feede vs in spririte with the very substance of his Sonne Iesus Christ, applying and making proper to euerie one of vs in particular the merite of his death and passion.Why Iesus Christ giueth the bread & the wine of the Supper: and biddeth vs to take eate and drinke. Matth. 26. To which purpose it is, that Iesus Christ himselfe doth giue vs the breade and the wine: that he commaundeth vs To eate and to drinke: that he saith, the bread is his bodie which is giuen for vs, and the wine his blood which is shedde for the remission of our sinnes. In which words he giueth himselfe vnto vs whollie, he wil be our spiritual foode and life: he will remaine in vs by his holy Spirite, & will haue vs to abide in him by Faith, to the end that in beleeuing we do not perish, but may obtaine that life euerlasting whereof he is the onely inheritor and giuer.What we learne by the breaking of the bread. In like manner the breaking of the bread in the Supper serueth for the confirmation of our Faith, and ratifying of our saluation: forasmuch as it assureth vs, and causeth vs to see with our spirituall eyes, that Iesus Christ was once in the citie of Hierusalem broken with the sorrowes of death, [Page 7] for our deliuerance from euerlasting death and to purchase vnto vs euerlasting life. And wheras by the commandement of Iesus Christ we take the bread into our hands, & then the cup: and further that we eate the bread and drinke the wine which are conuerted into the food of our bodies: we are taught by the hands of Faith we should seise vpon our Lord Iesus Christ, and embrace him for our onely Sauiour and Redeemer, and that by the same Faith we should spirituallie eate his bodie, and drinke his blood, continuing in hope of euerlasting life. But the life of euery man in particular lieth in his owne Faith, according to the confession made in the Apostles Creed, wherein it is written for euery one apart to saie, I beleeue, not in generall, we beleeue. We are not in this case to busie or trouble our heads with the faith and beliefe of another, with his worthinesse or vnworthines, but wholly to rest and to stay vs vpon our own. For S. Paul doth not teach vs that we should examine other men, neither yet that other men should examine vs, but he speaketh plainly and precisely in these words,1. Cor. 11. Let euerie man examine himselfe. Wherefore let euerie one of vs in seuerall assure his conscience, That Iesus Christ, 1. Tim. 1. the true Messias, is come into the world to saue sinners, of whom he ought, following the example of S. Paul, to accompt himselfe the chiefest. Let him beleeue that Iesus Christ came down from heauē to abide vpon the earth, that he might lift him [Page 8] vp from the earth into heauen: that Christ was made the sonne of man to make him the childe of God: that he was conceaued by the holie Ghost, and was borne of the virgin Marie, to purifie and clense the sinfulnesse of his conception & birth. Let him perswade himselfe that the sonne of God hath ouercome the deuill, to free him from the crueltie of that tyrant: that he hath fulfilled the whole lawe (louing God his Father with al his hart, power, and strength, & his neighbour as himselfe) to purchase righteousnes for him: that he made his appearance before Pilate an earthly iudge, & receaued sentence of temporall condemnation as an offender, to exempt him from appearing before the dreadfull throne of God his iustice where he was to heare sentence of eternall condemnation pronounced against him for his offences committed against a God Almightie and euerlasting. Let him be assured in heart, that the same Iesus Christ descended into hell for his cause, that is to say, endured the sorrowes and terrible pangs of the second death, and the heauie wrath of God, to acquite him from that fearefull iudgement: that he died a death accursed of God in hanging on the crosse, to obteine for him both life and blessing before God: that he rose againe from death for an earnest pennie and a warrant of his resurrection: that he ascended into heauen for a certeine token of his ascension into the same kingdome: [Page 9] that he sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, to be for him an euerlasting Priest, Teacher, King, Defender, Reconciler, and Aduocate. And to be short that he shall come at his second comming, to his endlesse consolation, and perfect redemption. In like manner, it is necessarie that euerie one of vs do in particular applie vnto himselfe all those graces and treasures that are in Iesus Christ, in asmuch as in giuing himselfe vnto vs, he hath also giuen vs all his riches. And therefore, in that he is God, it is that we may be partakers of his Diuinitie: in that he is heire and Lord of the whole world, it is that we may haue part of his Lordship and inheritance: and that in him we may recouer the title of such possessions as we lost in Adam our first parent: in that he is the welbeloued of his Father, it is that we also may be acceptable in him: in that he is rich, it is to blesse vs with his riches: in that he hath all power against the Deuill, sinne, hell, Antichrist, the world, and all our enimies, it is to be our warrant and defence against them al: in that he is righteous & good, it is to iustifie vs, & to make vs good: in that he is blessed and immortall, it is to indue vs with his blessednesse and immortalitie. Thus when we shall applie vnto our selues all the actions and benefites of the Lord Iesus Christ particularlie, in like manner all his essentiall qualities, affying vs wholly in him and in his promises, and distrusting wholly our owne strength; then [Page 10] we may boldlie draw neare vnto the table of the Lord, where we shall, by the benefite of Faith, haue full fruition of Iesus Christ, God & man, and further shall feele the same Faith encrease and grow in vs exceedingly to our great comfort. And now it behooueth vs to note, that it is impossible we should be made one with Iesus Christ and enioy the rich treasures that are in him, vnlesse we do first renounce Antichrist & his kingdome: and vnlesse we haue in vtter abhomination all idolatrie, superstition, & such traditions of man as are in a direct line set against the pure seruice of God, the bounds and termes whereof are plainely set downe in his holy word. Forseeing that God is our onely creator, & that in the person of his sonne Iesus Christ the true Isaac, in whom al the nations of the earth are blessed, he giueth himselfe entirely vnto vs his creatures; it is great reason that in like maner we by Faith should giue and resigne vp our selues whollie to God our maker. And behold, for this cause doth God iustlie require his people, & command them in his Law, that They haue no other Gods before him: Exod. 20. Deut. 6. That they loue him with all their heart and soule, with all their strength, and vnderstanding: that is to saie, with all their parts, as well inward, as outward. And for this cause also, God not only reprooueth those that halte on both sides, but also commaundeth that they which sacrifice to strange Goddes, should be put to death. [Page 11] To this purpose S. Paul aduertising the Corinthians to flie Idolatrie, vseth an argument taken from the coniunction and vnion that we haue with our Lord Iesus Christ in the Supper, saying after this manner.1. Cor. 10. The cuppe of blessing which we blesse, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ? As if he would saie, that seeing the Corinthians did not come to the Supper, simplie & onely to receiue those earthlie elements, but really and in deede to receiue the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ, to the end they might be linked vnto him by Faith, and made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, it should be more then exceeding impietie and abhomination to be present at the meetings and assemblies of infidels, and to take part with them in their idolatries: and therefore the Apostle soone after addeth to his former reason, that the Corinthians Cannot drinke the cuppe of the Lord and the cuppe of the Deuils: and that they cannot be partakers of the Lord his table and of the table of Deuils. Wherein he teacheth vs to vnderstand, that it is impossible, at once to serue both God and the Deuill, and that whosoeuer hath fellowship with idolatrie, doth set vp a banner of defiance as it were against the Lord Iesus. Forasmuch as therefore, neither is darknesse more contrarie to light, nor vice to vertue, nor death to life, nor hell to heauen, then the Pope and his doctrine [Page 12] is contrarie to Christ and his holy Gospell: it is necessarie that all those that haue true faith in Iesus Christ, doe all their endeuour to fly from that poyson of papistrie, and without delay to shake of the yoke of that Antichrist of Rome, that they may entirelie offer vp themselues to the seruice of this good Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ. And if so be, that neither the fellowshippe which we haue with the Sonne of God, nor yet the promises of our heauenlie father can alure and induce vs to resigne vp our soules and bodies vnto God, to put our affiance in him alone, to serue and to worship him alone, according to his good will & pleasure, but we will neuerthelesse stick fast to Antichrist, and ioyne right handes to perpetuall alliance with him, his ministers, & vpholders: yet let vs set before our eyes, to the end they may strike deepelie into our hearts, & we thereby maie be driuen with feare from their pernitious fellowship, the greeuous threatnings, and the heauie iudgment of God denounced against vs to that purpose, as namelie when he saith,Apoc. 18.4. Depart out of Babylon my people, that yee be not partakers in her sinnes, and that yee receiue not of her plagues. Apoc. 14.9. Againe, If anie man worship the beast and his image, and receiue his marke in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, yea, of the pure wine, which is powred into the cuppe of wrath, and he shalbe tormented in fire and brimstone before the holie [Page 13] Angels, and before the Lambe, and the smoke of their torment shall ascend euermore: and they shall haue no rest day nor night, which worship the beast and his Image, and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name. And againe in another place,Apoc. 21.8. But the fearefull and vnbeleeuers, and the abhominable, and murtheres, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liers, shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Therefore let vs haue at the least this poynt well printed in our hartes, to the end we be not led out of the way, and so for euer cast away with the tymemen of this world, which suppose it is not a thing impossible at once to serue both God & the Deuill, Iesus Christ and Antichrist, and to follow the commandements of God and of men, and to fulfill the affections of the flesh and of the spirite.
OF REPENTANCE. The second Article.
THe former preparing of our selues in respect of Faith, which applieth Iesus Christ to vs in particular, with all his graces and blessings, can by no meanes haue anie place in our heartes, but it speedilie begetteth in vs a true and vnfeigned repentance: that is, a true and earnest loathing of that which is euill, and an ardent loue and affection towardes that which is good: which we see for our instruction in the examples of Dauid, Peter, Paul, and other [Page 14] holy personages. We must mourne inwardlie, euen in our bowels, & sorrow vnfeignedly that we haue offended the Maiestie of God, that we haue most wickedli [...] in former times abused our creation, rede [...]on, & baptisme: that we haue prouoked G [...] anger in al the mē bers of our bodie: that we haue abused our wit, our heart, our tongue, our feete and our hands: that we haue vnchastelie laide open our bodies and soules (which are the temples, wherein our God wil haue his abyding) to al kind of infidelitie, idolatrie, filthinesse, blasphemie, whoredome, rauening, vsurie, theft, gluttonie, drunkennes, ambition, excesse, pride, and of all the other vanities of this world: which is in effect as much, as if we would haue God the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, to lodge in a base and vile backroome, full of deadly infection and filthie stinking. Wherefore we must be sorie for our wicked life forepassed, calling our selues to a true and strict accompt which may breede in our hearts an earnest greife & trembling, that we haue in former times torne in peeces, and broken in all the partes thereof the lawe of God, to followe the will of the world, of the flesh, & of the deuil. The breaking of the bread in the Supper, ought not onelie to moue vs vnto the knowledge of our wickednes, but also to an abhomination thereof, being none other then whatsoeuer is to be found in vs repugnant & contrarie to the pure and holy lawe [Page 15] of God. For whereas the bread is broken for vs, or rather we breake the bread of the supper of our Lord Iesus Christ, we are to learne, that it is we, that it is our sinnes and iniquities, which haue crucified and [...] to death the author of life, which is euen [...] the same our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. And therefore we may not do as the infidels in times past, which made great lamentation, & deuised sharpe inuectiues against the Iewes, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Iudas, and those that had executed and put to death Iesus Christ, & yet in the meane time flattered themselues, gloried in their merites, and considered not narrowlie, that Iudas, Pontius Pilate, and Herod were none other, then the executours and ministers of their impieties and offences. Let vs consider therefore in the breaking of the bread, that our sinnes, yea the sinnes of euerie one of vs in particular, haue crucified the Sonne of God, and haue broken him with the paines of the first and second death: And euen so is it preciselie witnessed in the Supper, that the bodie of Iesus Christ was broken for vs, and that his blood was shedde for the remission of our sinnes. And our heauenlie Father himselfe doth testifie the same by the mouth of his Prophet Isaiah, saying:Isa. 63. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities. Now if it be so, that our sinnes being weyed in the balance of God his iustice, are found to be of so gre [...]t consequence and importance, that [Page 16] his anger and displeasure conceiued against vs, can by no meanes be appeased, but by the death of his onelie Sonne, yea, by the cruel and shamefull death vpon the crosse, by which alone satisfaction is per [...]ed; why should we not hencefoorth abhor [...]ur sinnes & wickednesse, the cruell and bloodie murtherers of the onely Sonne of God? Behold, the Sunne & the Moone, the elements, the vaile of the Temple, the stones & rockes were mooued at the death of Iesus Christ, and shewed tokens of sorow & heauinesse; and shal not we, which beare about vs the cause of this death, abhorre so foule, euil-fauored, and vnfortunate a guest, who hath taken vp his lodging in our heartes? and shall we suffer him to abide, or rather to dwel within vs, vntill he haue brought euerlasting death into his lodging? No verely. But contrariwise we ought to esteeme him most detestable, as one that first did set vp a wall of separation between vs and God our souereigne happinesse: and as one that hath caused vs to loose that image and resemblance of God, whereunto at the first we were created. It is he that hath defiled vs within and without: it is he that hath spoyled vs of our holines and righteousnes: it is he that hath driuen & chased vs out of Paradise: it is he that hath brought vs in bondage to the tyrany of the Deuil: it is he that hath made vs subiect to pouertie and sicknesse, and finally to the first and second death: It is he, that after he had barred [Page 17] and diuided vs from God, caused vs to see our filthines, and brought vpon vs shame & blacke reproch, that caused vs to tremble at the voice of our God, which before was to our eares most sweete & amiable. It is he, by whom the wrath of God is heaped vp against al mankind, which is in cause that the earth becōmeth barren, and bringeth forth thorns and bryers, that women do labour and bring foorth children in sorowe, and that men eate their bread with the sweate of their face & trauaile of their bodies. Now seeing that sin doth bring vpon vs continually so many euils & mischiefes, it followeth that we ought to retire & withdraw our selues from it, except we will be voluntarie hinderers and enemies of our happines & saluation. And heere I call into presence al such, as wallowing in al kind of sinne and wickednesse, and giuing occasion of grieuous offence to the children of God, are neuerthelesse so shamelesse, as they dare presume to present themselues at the Lord his table. I would haue them to answere, what it is that they promised to God, & to his church in their Baptisme? They wil saie; they promised to forsake the Deuill and al his works. Euen so: but sinne is one of the cheife and principall workes of the Deuill: & why then do they not abstaine from it? why are they trayterous and disloyal to God and to his Church? why haue they conspired with the Deuil, the world, and the flesh, against their owne saluation? how [Page 18] dare they present themselues before God, to craue pardon & remission of their sinnes at his hands, seeing that from time to time they doe heape sinne vpon sinne, and outragiouslie crucifie again, as much as in them lyeth, the Sonne of God, or at the least deride the purgation of his blood, which was applyed to them in Baptisme? Let the case be of an offendor, beggerly, needy, and destitute of al helpe & succour, that he were fallen into a fowle and filthie bogge, whereout by his owne strength & wit he could not escape, and of a King his sonne passing by the said place, that he tooke the paines to draw him out of this myrie hole, that he made him cleane, and that he decked him richlie with braue and costly attire. If this miseralbe wretch shal returne againe into this pit of filth & mire, defiling therein both his bodie & his garments, and further, placing his life in extremity of danger; maie we not iustlie thinke him to be vnthankful aboue measure, and carelesse of that princelie bountie and humilitie? On the other side, maie we not boldlie affirme, that he hath wittingly & willingly taken an othe, as it were, against his owne life and safetie? and that he is worthy to come to ruine, and to perish without al helpe and succour? Like is the case betweene vs and Iesus Christ. We are al fallen into the fowle pit of sinne, in the person of Adam: we are al offendors before God, worthie of innumerable gibets: we cannot of our selues by any [Page 19] meanes possible get out of this pit of our destruction, into the which we are fallen by our owne defaulte and follie. The Sonne of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, not onelie draweth vs out of this filthy pit, but washeth vs cleane also with his pretious blood, & vouchsafeth to cloath vs with his owne garment of righteousnesse & innocencie. If we fall to tumble and to wallow againe in the pit of sinne, if we please our selues therein, if we defile and stayne the garment of innocencie, which he gaue vs in Baptisme cleane and vnspotted; do we not manifestlie contemne the loue and the benefit of Iesus Christ not able no be valued & esteemed? & are we not worthie to rot an hundred thousand times in our vncleannesse, or rather with the Deuill in hell to gnash our teeth for euer? It is out of al controuersie. Then sith it is so, that the end of our redemption, Baptisme, & iustification, requireth that we should abstaine from sinne (so farre as is possible, and the fraylenes of mans nature can permit) it behooueth vs to employ al our paine & diligence by the mightie power of the Spirit of God, to driue out of our soules & bodies al vncleannes, filthines, idolatrie, blasphemie, rebellion, hatred, murther, whoredome, stealing, vsurie, and al other things contrarie to his holy law, vnlesse we wil be vnthankefull towards Iesus Christ, and open enemies to his Church, and to our owne saluation.
[Page 20]Now, because it is not sufficient, to the end we may be endued with true repentance, that we know our sins, that we abhorre them, confesse them, & abstaine from them; but we must also know, desire, and do that which is good, as we are charged in the word of God: We are to looke narrowly to those reasons, whereby we ought to be stirred vp to sanctifie the name of God. First, whereas we are ioyned and knit to Iesus Christ in the supper; whereas we are made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone; whereas we liue by his holy Spirit: ought not these things to moue vs to fashion our selues after the image and likenes of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ? Can he dwell in vs? can he feede vs with his owne substance? can he quicken vs with his Spirit? can he ioyne vs vnto himselfe, and tye vs with the linkes of Faith, and yet neyther he, nor the holy Ghost, nor Faith shal preuaile with vs to the bringing forth of good and holy workes & actions? Further, seeing it is so, that he giueth not himself vnto vs by the halfe, neither yet voyd of his most excellent qualities and treasures, but garded with al spiritual graces and blessings, adorned with righteousnesse and perfection, hauing innocencie and holines in his traine: how is it possible we should receiue Iesus Christ enritched with al his treasures, but that the righteousnesse of our head must shine in vs which are his members? yea in euery of our parts, whither they be of the soule [Page 21] inward, or of the bodie outward. Is it meete, that the partes of our soule, which are two in number, to wit, our vnderstanding & our wil, which ought to laie hold vpon the promises of God, which ought by Faith to receiue the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ, that is to saie, Iesus Christ al and some, very God, equall in al poynts to God his Father, and verie man, compounded of humane soule and body; is it meete (I saie) that these, our vnderstanding and wil, should be applied to the meditation of worldly and wicked things, and should be void of the knowledge and loue of God, and of due charitie towards our neighbour? Is it meete, that our bodie, which is the Temple of God, should be prophaned and made vnholie? that our eares, which God created, to the end we might heare his voice, should be stopped at the sounding of the heauenlie voyce, and open at the bursting foorth of vaine and wanton talke, of vnchast songs and lewd sonnets? Is it meet, that our tongue, which is bound by the lawe of creation to sing out the praise of God, and by the law of redemption to preach the tydings of the Lords death vntil his comming; is it meet, Isaie, that this tongue, so fit an instrument to God his glorie, should be mute in al good occasions, and loose to backebyte, to slaunder, to blaspheame without ceasing, or, at the least, most slipperie to cast out idle words, for the which we shall one daie giue accompt before [Page 22] the throne of God his Maiestie? Is it meet, that our mouth, which receiueth the sacred signe of the body and blood of Iesus Christ, should suppresse the benefit of our redemption, and that the poyson of aspes should lurcke within our lippes? Is it meet, that our hands, which laye holde in the supper vpon the assured gage of God his loue, of the league which he hath entred with vs, and of our saluation, should not onely be heauy to do good, but also nimble to spoyle, to steale, to murther, to oppresse, and to vse violence? Is it meet, that our feete, which ought to runne to al good actions, should be ready and swift to runne after euil? No certeinlie: neither is it tolerable in any condition. But Euē as he which calleth vs is holy, so ought we, both inwardly and outwardly, to shine with holinesse. As he by holy Baptisme hath brought vs into his holy house, which is the holy Church, the communiō of Saincts: so we ought in the same Church to lead a godly life, and to be of an holy conuersation. As he hath washed our sinnes away by the precious blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ: so ought we to die vnto sin, and to liue vnto righteousnes. As he hath called vs to a neuer dying or decaying hope of a blessed resurrectiō & life euerlasting: so ought we to lift vp our hearts on high, & not to be buried like moales in this frayle and transitorie earth, which with al things aboue & vnder it is sure to vanish. To be short,Tit. 2.11. seeing the grace of God is offered vnto vs [Page 23] from day to day, and his holy word soundeth in our eares continually for this end onely, that the same may bring saluation vnto vs, and that we denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, should lead a sober, righteous, and godly life in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God, & of our Sauiour Iesus Christ: we must praie vnto God, that by his grace we may so carrie our selues towards him in holines, so towards our neighbour in righteousnes, and so toward our selues in sobernes, that we maie be found vnblameable at the great & terrible day of the Lord, by the meane of the same his welbeloued Sonne, our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.
OF THANKSGIVING. The third Article.
Thirdlie it is requisite, that we bee hartelie thankfull to God for the exceeding benefite of our redemption. For to the end was the holie supper called Eucharistia, that is to saie, a thanksgiuing. And surelie if our meates, and the dailie bread which God giueth vs for the foode & nourishment of our bodies, ought to be sanctified by the word, & receiued with giuing of thanks: is it not our partes, so much the rather to giue God thanks, for the heauenlie bread, and for nourishment of our soules offered and giuen effectuallie vnto vs in the holy supper? yea, that which ought to be vnto vs a notable prouocation, we see that our Sauiour himselfe hath by [Page 24] his owne example declared vnto vs our duetie in this behalfe. For when he tooke the bread, S. Mathew and S. Marke record, that he blessed it before he brake it and gaue it to his disciples which word of blessing S. Luke expoundeth to be geuing of thanks. Now seeing that Iesus Christ when he tooke the bread, gaue thanks to God his father, which he did in like manner when he tooke the cuppe, and all for the redeeming of mankind: is it not a principal & chiefe point of our duety, to render like thanks, seeing it is we onelie which receiue so great and excellent a benefite? But to the end we may be the better mooued and stirred vp to this acceptable sacrifice of thanksgiuing, it behooueth vs to thinke vpon the worthinesse of the benefite of our redemption, and vpon that most excellent present which God bestoweth vppon vs at this holy Table: which cannot be done except we enter into a deepe & due consideration of our miserable estate and condition, a signe whereof was long sithens expressed vnto vs in the tē porall captiuitie and bondage of Gods people in Egipt. We see there, how Pharoh was strong and mightie, how he knewe not the Almighty, how hee pretended to put to death the whole stock and seed of the Israelites by the suppression and cutting short of the male children. We see also how he enioyned the Hebrews to labor excessiue & vnreasonable, yea without all hope of anie wages or reward: how he would not [Page 25] suffer them to offer sacrifice vnto the Lord, nor to depart out of the land of Egipt. And this opinion continued not for one yeare or two, but by the space of fowre hundred & thirty yeares: wherein we maie clearelie behold the liuelie picture and resemblance of our most wretched and miserable estate. We were all lost in Adam, and brought to ruine & destruction. We were retayned captiues in the infernall Egypt, vnder the tyrannie of the spirituall Pharaoh, which is the Deuill. This tyrant was stong and mightie: hee would not suffer vs to serue our God: he made vs to take an endlesse and restlesse labour in the seruile and fruitlesse workes of sinne, for the establishing of his kingdome: he slew not onelie our male children, but caried vs al without anie difference into euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule. Which tyrannie had not continued and endured onelie for a short season, but had bene euen in a prooued strength and fulnes for euer, if we had not bene thence deliuered by the power and mercy of our God, through the ministrie and meane of that true Moyses, our Lord Iesus Christ, the true lambe deliuered as it were into the iawes of death, that we might bee saued and obtaine eternall life. For so it is plainely testified in the scripture, that God so loued the world, that he gaue his onelie begotten sonne, to the end that whosoeuer beleeued in him, should not perish but haue euerlasting life. Now seing that God hath bene so bountifull [Page 26] and mercifull vnto vs, that he hath set vs at libertie from the tyranie of the Deuill, of sinne, of death, and of hel: seing that his loue towards vs hath bene so wonderfull, that he hath suffered his onelie sonne to endure a cruell and shamefull death, to deliuer vs which wear seruants and bondslaues to the deuill: his welbeloued, for vs which were his enemies: the righteous and the lambe without spot, for vs which were sinfull and altogether corrupted: the onelie inheritour of heauen, for vs the true and lawfull heires of hell: ought we not to be rauished with an admiration of this wonderfull and vnutterable loue of our God towards vs? and to haue our tongues continually vnfolded and vntied to chaunt out with loud & cleare voice the praise of this benefite of our redemption? Let vs remember that Iesus Christ himselfe doth put vs in minde of our duetie in this behalfe, when he saith touching the celebrating of his holie Supper, Do this in remembrance of me. Luk. 22.19. & 1. Cor. 11.24. And S. Paul expoundeth this remembrance, where he giueth vs to vnderstand that as often as we shall eat this bread and drinke this cuppe, 1. Cor. 11.26. we shew the Lords death vntill his comming. Then sith it is so, that God requireth at our handes a true and vnfeigned acknowledging of those benefites which we receiue of his bountie and largenes, by the meane of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ; let vs be well aduised, that we be not spotted or infected with [Page 27] the vice of ingratitude, except we wil incur the wrath and heauy displeasure of God, & so finde him a sharpe & seuere iudge, whom we would not acknowledge a louing, gentle, & pitiful father: to which purpose S. Paul threatneth al vnthankful, where he saith, Whosoeuer shall eate this bread, & drink the cup of the Lord vnworthily, 1. Cor. 11.27. shalbe guiltie of the body & blood of the Lord. and soone after in the same Chap. He that eateth & drinketh vnworthily, eateth & drinketh his owne damnation. And surely it stādeth with good reason that the vengeance of God is discharged vpon al those which wickedly suppresse the glorie of God, especially in that thing which concerneth their own saluation. For if a theefe being now in the hands of the hangman for felonnie whereof he was iustly & lawfully cōdemned, reiecting the Prince his free pardon & grace, and not vouchsafing to thank him for the same, is wel worthy to be dispatched with expedition: or if a child which daylie and howerly receiueth of his father all things necessarie for his life and maintenance, and hath not once in his mouth the word of kindnesse, I thanke you father, is worthy to be beaten with many stripes: how much more are we, which for our manifold and outragious offences and trespasses haue iustly deserued to be hanged vp in hell, when we contemne and set at naught the grace and fauour of God our souereigne Prince, & make no accompt of the eternal blessings, which he giueth [Page 28] vs in Christ, offered vnto vs in the holy Supper: how much more (I saie) are we worthy to perish for our vnthankfulnesse, so fowle and odious a sinne before God and man? Now concerning this matter of thankfulnesse, these poynts following are to be diligentlie regarded & obserued. First, we must make this recognisance to God alone, by his onely Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. For euen as God by his Sonne alone hath created & redeemed vs from euerlasting death: so he would haue vs to render thankes to him alone for al his benefits, & that by his onely Sonne in whom he is well pleased. This we may learne of S. Paul in many places, & specially in his Epist. to the Ephe. where it is written in this wise.Ephes. 1.3.4. Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which hath blessed vs with all spiritual blessing in heauēly things in Christ, as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world. Then they that call vppon Saincts, that put their trust in them or to their merites: they that make them the patrones and aduocates of their causes: also they that are reposed vpon their owne strength, free will, or good works, do manifestly rob God of his glorie, and cannot truely performe the giuing of thankes for the singular benefite of their redemption. For we cannot attribute to any creature, be it neuer so little in the matter of our saluation, but we shalbe culpable of treason in the highest degree against the maiestie of our maker. And [Page 29] therefore, let vs, renouncing our selues and all the creatures of God in the whole or in part, say with the Apostle, Now vnto the king euerlasting, immortall, inuisible, vnto God onely wise, 1. Tim. 1.17. be honor and glorie for euer and euer. Amen.
Secondly, this giuing of thankes must not onely sound out of the mouth, but it must also proceed from the heart. For seeing that God is a Spirite, he requireth of vs such a kinde of seruice as is fitlie answerable to his nature, that is to say, he will be worshiped and serued of vs in Spirit and truth. And therefore when we shall be occasioned to praise God for the benefite of redemption, we must haue our hearts erected: that there may be a sweete agreement and mutuall accord betweene our affections within, and our tongue without, as we see that Dauid exhorted himselfe to this manner of seruing and praising God. My soule, saith he,Psal. 103.1. praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me, praise his holie name. My soule praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefites. And the holie Virgin singeth the same notes, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirite reioyceth in God my Sauiour. Then we may hereby vnderstand, that all hypocrites and dissemblers, and all those that sing & praise God in an vnknowen language are heere reprooued for their seruice. For without vnderstanding there can neither be affection, nor wil, nor consequently Faith, without the which what duetie so euer we performe to God, beare [Page 30] it neuer so faire a colour in appearance to the eyes of men, is sinne abhominable in the eyes of God. Then let vs take heede that we be not taken halting in this point, lest we be condemned with the people of the Iewes, which worshiped and serued God in vaine,Esay. 29.13. because They came neere vnto him onely with their tongue, and honored him with their lippes, but their hearts were farre from him.
Thirdly, this duety is at al times to be performed, that is to saie, as wel in time of aduersitie, as in time of prosperitie.Psal. 34.1. To which purpose the Prophet Dauid protesteth, that He will alwaie giue thankes vnto the Lord: and that his praise shall be in his mouth continually. 1 Thes. 5.18. And S. Paul admonisheth the Thessalonians To giue thankes in all things, with this addition, For this is the wil of god in Christ Iesus. This precept is greatly contrary to our tymemen, & to al such as court the Gospel in time of prosperitie, & are then right glad and easilie entreated to praise the Lord, whom afterward in time of aduersitie they cursse and dishonour. The cause of this mischiefe is, for that they came not to be of the Church for any true end and good purpose, as namely, to exalt the glorie of God, to procure their saluation with the saluation of their brethren: but rather to become great and mightie in possessions & honorable places, & to satisfie their owne priuate and particular humors. Whereupon it cō meth to passe, that so soone as the deuill lifteth [Page 31] vp his hornes against the church of God, and that persecution is at hand, immediatlie they melt away in affliction as wax before the fire, they are offended, they are dried vp & parched in the sunne of the crosse, they are sorie for all the good which they haue doone, and repent they haue bene caried with so hastie a swinge, to confesse the name of the lord Iesus Christ in the assemblie of the faithfull: they would they had neuer knowne either God, or his word, or his church, or his ministers: because they sett more by a messe of potage as Esau did,Gen. 25.38. then by the birthright and blessing of the heauenlie Father. But let this kind of people knowe, that it shal no more profite them, then it auailed Cain, Esau, Saul, and Iudas to haue made a good beginning, and as it were to haue lifted vp their sheild and target lustilie at the first in the Lords quarrell. For seeing the sentence is generall, Whosoeuer perseuereth and continueth to the end, he shall be saued: it followeth on the contrarie, that all such as hold not out constantlie in the confession of the sonne of God, and such as shalbe let and hindred by their worldlie goods and possessions, by offices of honour, by the loue of the world, by the ease of their bodies, from confessing and acknowledging as it were in one and the same a continual vaine, the worthie benefite of their redemption: I saie, it foloweth that such shall perish euerlastinglie.
Lastlie, it is to be noted, that we maie not [Page 32] onely acknowledge Gods benefites when we are alone, but also when we are assembled in publike places, euen in the face and presence of the whole congregation. And therefore saith Dauid,Psal. 116.12 What shal I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of saluation, and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will paie my vowes vnto the Lord, euen now in the presence of all his people. Also in another place. I haue declared thy righteousnes in the great congregation: Psal. 40.9. loe, I will not refraine my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. I haue not hid thy righteousnes within mine hart, but I haue declared thy truth and thy saluation: I haue not concealed thy mercie and thy truth from the great congregation. This is a thing to be deeply imprinted in the hearts of al such as are yet but weak, and of al those that are ashamed to confesse and to praise our Lord Iesus Christ in open & publique meetings. For seeing that God doth openly aduouch vs for his people, & giueth himself freely to vs & to our children in the person of his welbeloued Son our Lord Iesus Christ, we can do no lesse then aduouch him publiquely for our God and Sauiour, in the person of the same his deare sonne our Lord Iesus Christ?
OF CHARITIE. The fourth Article.
FAith, Repentance, & Thanksgiuing to God, can haue no place in our hearts and consciences, and it is to no purpose that we are called Christians, or that we brag & vaunt of the practise [Page 33] of the commandements conteined in the first Table cōcerning the seruice of God aboue mentioned, except we shew the effects & fruits thereof in keeping the commandements of the second Table, which touch our charitable affection towards our neighbour, without the which we cannot come worthily to the holie Supper. To this end and purpose, Iesus Christ in that Sermon of the Supper, which he made to his Apostles that verie night when he was betraied & deliuered vp to death for vs, diligently put them in remembrance of this lesson. By this shal all men knowe, saith he, that you are my Disciples, if yee haue loue one to another. Also,Iohn 13.35. Iohn 15.12. This is my commaundement, that yee loue one another, as I haue loued you. To the same ende also tendeth that action of our Sauiour, when he washed his Apostles feete the same night: after which washing hee saide vnto them▪ Know ye what I haue done to you? ye call me master, and Lord, and ye say well: for so am I. If I then, Iohn 3.12. your Lord and Master, haue washed your feete: ye also ought to wash one anothers feete. for I haue giuen you an example, that ye should do, euen as I haue done to you. We must therefore according to the commandement and example of the sonne of God; haue a careful regard that we be furnished with a true & an ardent affection towards our neighbour, if we will come worthely to the holy Table of our Lord. And if any man aske a description of this Charitie, to know the better what [Page 34] it is, he may go to S. Paul, who hath painted it out in verie liuely & beautifull colours, writing to the Corinthians, after this manner. Loue suffereth long: it is bountifull: loue enuyeth not: loue doth not boast it selfe: it is not puffed vp: it disdaineth not: it seeketh not her owne things: it is not prouoked to anger: it thinketh not euill: it reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the truth: it suffereth all things: it beleeueth al things: it hopeth al things: it endureth all things: This is the charitie which we ought to haue, & to vse towards our neighbour: the seuerall parts whereof we must diligently prouide that we can be able to fetch out of our owne bosoms. And to this we are diuerse & sundrie waies exhorted in the Supper of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.
First, whereas it is our dutie to stay one for another, and it is not lawfull for euery one of vs to receiue the Supper single, but when the whole congregation is assembled, al the faithful together do take▪ & eate, and drinke, the bread & the wine of the Supper, according to the commandement of Iesus Christ, saying, Take, eate, drinke ye al of this: it is a certeine token & witnesse that we ought to be all vnited & knit together. Further, whereas we being all met in one and the selfe same house of God, which is his Church, we all do there together call vpon one and the selfe same father which is in heauen, we haue al one and the selfe same head, aduocate, & intercessour which is Iesus Christ: whereas we do al [Page 35] heare one & the selfsame word of God, whereas we do all eate one and the selfe same spiritual meate, & do al drink one and the selfe same spiritual drinke: and whereas we all as brethren lay claime to one and the selfe same inheritāce, which is the kingdome of heauen: ought we not to be stirred vp and inflamed hereby to carrie an vnfeigned & an earnest affection one towards another? Lastly, the very making of that bread & wine which is vsed in the Supper, doth teach vs what vnion & concord of hearts and minds there ought to be betweene vs the children of one and the same heauenly father. For euen as we see that the bread is made of diuerse cornes, which neuerthelesse is but one loafe: & as the wine is made of many grapes, which neuerthelesse, when it is made, is but one wine: so ought all Christians which in themselues are manie, to be vnited by loue in one body, which is the Church, whereof Iesus Christ is to be the sole head, & captaine. Then we must note that this loue, wherunto we are exhorted in the supper by so many arguments, is absent where men are infected with hatred, strife, rancor, debate, factions, & with hote sutes to the hinderance of their brethren. and therfore before we come to this Supper, which is a witnesse of our vniting as well with Iesus Christ, as with his Church, if there be any strife or quarrel betweene vs & our brethren, we must in all good and amiable sort be reconciled: if we haue bin offended, we must [Page 36] freely & frankly forgiue our brethren, yea our enemies: as we would haue God to forgiue vs, and as we see that our Lord Iesus Christ left vs an example of this loue and charitie, when he prayed to God his father for his enemies which put him to a cruel death: whereof Sainct Steuen also giueth vs a godly example. Also it is to be noted, that this loue is to be practised of all estates: as wel of kings who are to loue their subiects, to be nources for the church of God, to be louers of the publique peace of the land, to intreat their subiects gently & moderately: as also of the people whose part is to honour the king, to pay their tributes truly & faithfully, to obey all his Liuetenāts & his officers. It is the sheapherds dutie to loue his flock, to watch, to labor, and to pray for it without ceasing. Also it is the part of the sheepe to loue their sheepeherd: of fathers to loue their children, of childrē to loue their fathers & mothers: of the wife to loue her husband, & of the husband to loue his wife: of masters to loue their seruants, and of seruants to loue their masters: and lastly it behooueth euery one of vs for his particular part, to exercise charitie in that vocation wherin God hath placed him in his eternall prouidence and wisedome. For otherwise we shall neuer be able faithfully to acquite vs of our duetie as well towards God as towards men, except we be guided and gouerned by the rule of charitie, in all our affaires and businesse whatsoeuer.
Necessarie obseruations for all those that desire to come to the Lord his Table.
THus we haue vnderstood, wherin the examining & proouing of our selues cōsisteth: wherunto is to be added a good aduisement & due consideration of the points & obseruations following. First we must take good heede, that we be not ouer busie in making a curious search of the life of another: following the steppes of many, which sift so narrowly the imperfections of their brethren, that in the meane while their owne infirmities are vtterly forgottē. Wel may we pray, yea we ought to procure with all our power & ability, that the church may be preserued & kept in puritie, & altogether without appearāce or shew of any offence. But forsomuch as in this world, the corne shalbe always mingled with the chaffe, the good fish with the bad, Iudas with the true Apostles, the foolish virgins with the wise: it is not meet that any of vs shold hastely take offence thereat, but contrariwise that he endeuor to find that perfection in himselfe, which he seeketh to bring into another.
Secondly, we may not thinke that Faith, repentance, thankesgiuing, & loue, and the other vertues, which God requireth at our hands, can be perfect in vs during this mortal life. For there wil be alwaies to be found in vs, be we neuer so thorowlie and perfectlie renued, some reliques of sinne, of vnbeliefe, of impenitencie, of vnthankfulnesse, and of selfeloue: which al are directly [Page 38] contrarie and manifestlie opposed to the loue of our neighbour. So long as we liue, there is a law in our members, which rebelleth against the lawe of our minde: the Deuill and the world will rise vp against vs in battaile, as we may sufficientlie be instructed by the liues of the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles: yea, euen vntill our last breathing we shal haue need to praie vnto God, that it may please him to forgiue our hourelie sinnes thorough his Sonne, our onelie Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. But yet, the imperfections and iniquities abyding in vs, ought to preuayle so litle to the withdrawing of our seues from God, that if we be heartely sory and grieued for the same, they should rather cause vs to draw neere vnto him, & to this holy banquet, to the end that, like miserable starued creatures, we might receiue Iesus Christ with the more greedinesse, who is the true and onelie foode and nourishment of our soules.
Thirdlie, albeit a perfect Faith, repentance, giuing of thankes, and loue, is not necessary to the end we may come worthilie to the Supper: yet they must be al true, & not counterfeit; they must come from the heart, and from the spirit. Our Faith may not be feigned, our repentance may not be dissembled, as is the manner of the hypocites: the thankes which we giue to God, may not proceede onely out of the mouth: neither must we loue our brethren onelie in word, & not in deed: but the whole profession of our [Page 39] Faith & Christian life, must aboue all things be farre remooued from vayne boasting and dissembling, that we may take more care & paines to be effectualy & before God, then to be esteemed & taken for good Christians before men.
Against those that wittingly and willingly absteine from the Lord his Supper.
AS they are many which faulte in comming vnworthily to the Supper: so there are manie which offend of the contrarie, namelie, in not comming at al, nor presenting themselues to the said holy banquet: fearing (as they saie) to be partakers of the same vnworthilie, and so consequently, to be culpable and guiltie of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ. But let them knowe, which absteine of set purpose from the table of the Lord, that it is no lesse a vice, thorough vnthankfulnes and contempt of the holy meates, which God setteth before vs in the Supper, to abstaine, then it is to receiue it vnworthily: euen as the patient which is daungerously sicke, if he make no accompt of the Physition his receipt and order, deserueth no lesse blame then he that abuseth the same receipt & dyet, and doth not vse it with discretion & moderation according as it was ordered by the Physition. And let them not therefore abuse & flatter themselues, as if hereby they might escape vnblameable before God and men, seing it is a case most cleare, & a thing most certeine, that so grosse vnthankfulnesse cannot be currant [Page 40] nor by any meanes possible beare excuse. For first, they wittingly despise the commandement of Iesus Christ, who saith to al that be his, Doe this, take, and eate. Secondly, they set light by the happie memory of the death and passion of the Sonne of God, who saith to the faithfull, that they shal celebrate and keepe solemne the supper in remembrance of him. Thirdly, they contemne the price of their redemption, to wit, the precious bodie & blood of Iesus Christ, which are giuen and parted to al true Christians in the Supper, as it is written: This is my body, which is giuen for you, this is my blood which is shed for the remission of your sinnes. Lastly, they despise the Church, and the vnion thereof, & of their owne accord excommunicate themselues from the fellowship that the faithful haue in the Supper, as well with Iesus Christ, as one with another. Thus we see, that these contemners of the Lord his Supper, do grossely falt and grieuously sinne in this behalfe, and are altogether void and vnworthy of excuse. Let vs therefore take heede that we follow not their example, except we wil run into the like danger with them that for their oxen, fermes, wiues, and trafficke of merchandise refused to come to the mariage in the Gospel.
Of them that come vnworthily to the holie Supper of the Lord, and ought not to be admitted.
Of them that sinne against the first Article of the first preparation, which consisteth in true faith.
[Page 41]AL Atheists, vnbeleeuers, & ignorāt of God & of his word, al heretickes, and false prophets, all magitians, idolaters, and superstitious persons which are partakers of the table of deuils: Furthermore, al such as haue but an historical faith: al the adherents & ministers of the antichrist of Rome, & al such as any way establish his kingdome, or depend thereupon: all such as are not yet brought to be of the number of the church of God, & haue not made profession of their faith: finally al such as make it but an ordinary & cōmon matter to sweare by the name of God, or by their faith, & apply the same to vaine & fruteles matters: al such, I say, may not presume to touch the holy table of the Lord, because they haue not true affiance and trust in God, without the which we can not be members of Iesus Christ, & so consequently can not be fit & able to receiue life of him, who is the onelie head and cheife of al the faithfull.
Of those that sinne against the second article of the second preparation, which consisteth of Repentance.
AL such as lead an odious, an impudent, & a loose life, all the contemners of God, of his word, & of his holy congregation: all they that deny and blaspheme the name of God: all such as contemne the correction & discipline of the church: againe, they that ordinarely frequent & haunt euill company: they that walke in the councell of the vngodly, that stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the cheare of the scorneful: [Page 42] finally that giue no hope of amendment of life, or of renewing of their minds: that cōmit outragious, grosse, infamous, & monsterous sinnes, such as are punishable by the ciuil magistrates, al these, I say, being knowen to be of so fowle a race, may not be admitted to this supper: and if they offer themselues, they are to be refused, least that which is holy be giuē to dogs, and to swine, to the great dishonor of God, and offence to the Church and Congregation.
Of those that sinne against the third article of the third preparation which consisteth in thankesgiuing.
WIthout true faith & vnfeigned repentance, we cānot be meet to publish the praises of God, which wil not be praised out of the mouth of the wicked & vngodly: wherfore all they that are voyd and destitute of faith, of knowledg & of repentance, do also sin against this article, and ought not to be receiued at the Lords table. They also that are bereft of their wittes, & foolish by nature, or by accident: they that being vnder age, as litle children, can not shew forth the Lords death vntil his comming; are al vncapable of his supper. Finally they that through weakenesse, vnthankfulnes, & want of taking knowledge of Gods benefits, haue in the troublesome and heauy times of aduersitie forsaken Gods cause & quarrell, and haue renounced the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, ought not to haue accesse vnto his holy table, before they haue made confession of their fault [Page 43] in publique, and be reconciled to the Church of God.
Of those that sinne against the fourth article of the fourth preparation, which consisteth in Charitie towardes our neighbour.
AL such as are disobedient to fathers, & mothers, to the magistrate, & to al superiours: also all seditious persons, fighters, murtheres, & such as beare hatred or malice against their neighbour: they that are possessed & carried with a spirit of reuenging: whoremongers, adulteres, vnchast, geuen to vnnaturall lust & vncleanes, drunkards, gluttones, ful of deceit, of couetousnes, of theft, of vsury: backebiters, skorners, false witnesses, lyars, men conuicted of common periurie, and generaly all such as make a trade & occupation of abusing the loue of our neighbour, cōteined in the second table of the lawe of God, are to be excluded out of the nomber of the faithful to whome it belongeth to be present at this holy & spiritual feast. For seing the Scriptures pronounce & testifie that such haue no felowship with the Lorde, that they are shut out of the kingdom of heauen, & that they shal not rest vpon the holy hill of the Lorde: they ought by great reason to be barred from those holy singes, by the whiche the faithfull are ioyned to Christ, & made possessours of euerlasting life.
A DIALOGVE WHEREIN WE are taught how we should come to the holy Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ.
HOw must we be prepared, when we come to the Lord his table, that we may be worthy receiuers of his holy Supper?
We must examine our selues diligently, as we are warned by S. Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians.
In how many points lyeth this triall & examination of our selues?
Verily in two points. First, that we carrie our selues towards God, who calleth & biddeth vs to this holy banquet, as he hath ordeined in his commandements, and as we are bound by our obedience: Secondly, that we haue regard of our behauiour & bearing towardes our brethren, which are no lesse bidden nor welcome guests, then we, to this holy Banquet.
What is required in regard of our duetie towards God?
There be three points, which are principal and heads to many other, wherein this our duetie towards God is founded.
Rehearse those three points wherein principally this duetie standeth.
The first is Faith: the next Repentance: and the last Thankesgiuing.
What is Faith?
It is a firme & fast perswasion, or a certeine assurance, that God is our Father and Sauiour, in [Page 45] the name of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ.
Doth this Faith spring out of our hearts as out of the founteine?
we are not the authors thereof:Iohn 1.13. but it is the gift of God, for the faithfull are not borne of flesh nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God.
What be the meanes which God vseth to beget vs vnto him, and to endue vs with Faith?
None other then his holy and heauenly worde,Iohn. 17. Rom. 10. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. established and confirmed in vs by the mightie working of his holy Spirite, which crieth in our hearts, Abba, that is to say Father.
Is not this Faith made firme and warrantable in vs by the Lords Supper?
It must needes be so▪ first our Faith is signed & sealed in the Supper in this respect, that therein Iesus Christ giueth himselfe vnto vs,Matth. 26. Mark. 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 21. assuring vs that his body was giuen for vs, and his blood was shed for the redemption of our sinnes: and secondly, because the bread and the wine, which we take, eate, & drinke according to Gods ordinance and institutiō, teacheth vs that by faith we take, eate, and drinke the body and blood of Iesus Christ, as the onely foode and norishment of our soules.
How say you by all the faithlesse and vnbeleeuing members of mankind? can they eate the bodie of Iesus Christ and drinke his blood?
By no meanes: because they want true faith, without the which we cannot be members of Christ, & so consequently cānot receiue any life of him who is the onely head of al the faithfull.
Then what benefite receiueth the Infidell if [Page 46] he communicate with the faithfull in this sacrament?
He is so farre from receiuing an earnest or pledge of his saluation,1. Cor. 11. that he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation.
In what place is Iesus Christ to be sought for of the faithful, minding to lay hold on him, & to possesse him?
Coloss. 3.In heauen. For if we be risen with Christ, we must seeke those thinges which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God his Father.
Is not that the reason, why the Priests in old time, when they ministred the Supper, vsed to saie to the people: Sursum corda, Lift vp your hearts?
It is the very true reason of that manner: and to the same purpose the people answeared, Habemus ad Dominum, we lift them vp vnto the Lord.
Then how can we be coupled, or rather be made one with Iesus Christ, who resteth in the heauens, we remaining vpon the earth?
By Faith, and by the mightie working of the holie Ghost, to whom it is an easie matter to knitte and to ioyne together whatsoeuer thinges be diuided and seuered by distance of place.
What is your mind, or what shall we saie to those that seeke Christ Iesus in the elements of the Supper, namelie in the bread and the wine, affirming that the very substance of the bread & wine is chainged into the substantiall bodie and [Page 47] blood of Iesus Christ?
We may boldlie affirme, that they are out of the way, for diuerse causes. First, in that directlie they gainesay three seuerall Articles of our Faith, namelie, those that import the ascension of Christ vp into the heauens: his sitting at the right hand of God: and his continuall abiding there vntill he come to iudge the quicke and the dead. And secondlie, by their vayne and ridiculous changing of substances, they abolish and take away the signe of the Sacrament, to wit, the breade and the wine, and so consequentlie they take away the supper it selfe, which cannot remaine, if the signe thereof be taken awaie.
Are not other grosse & vnreasonable points to be founde, in this straunge doctrine of their changing of substances?
There are yet more: as these by name: that it giueth that which is holie to filthie swine, and no lesse then the faithfull, maketh the Infidel and vnbeleeuer partaker of this holie banquet, wherein Iesus Christ is giuen to be eaten, and onelie of the faithfull: againe it causeth men to become idolators, and to worship the Sacrament: also it maketh the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ subiect to putrifying and to become no better then the filthie dung of mans bodie: and lastlie it abolisheth the true humanitie of the Sonne of God, because it would haue his bodie to be infinite, and to be at once in all places.
Why? hath not Iesus Christ witnessed, saying, [Page 48] And lo, I am with you alway vntill the end of the world? Actes 3.21. & againe, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
So it is: but these places import the presence of his diuinitie, not the presence of his humanity. And this I proue by the testimony of Iesus Christ himselfe, who saith in the Gospell: The poore ye shal haue alwaies with you, but me ye shal not haue alwaies: also by that which S. Peter witnesseth in the Actes, saying in these wordes concerning Christ, Whom the heauen must conteine, vntill the time that all things be restored.
Then you conclude, that Iesus Christ, albeit he is among vs by his diuinitie & his holy spirite, in respect of his humanity can be in no more then in one, & that one a certaine place, and namelie in heauen.
That is my meaning, & so ment S. Augustine saing, Till heauen & earth shalbe destroyed, the Lord shal continually remaine aboue in the heauens. The Truth of the Lord also remaineth with vs: for it must needs be, that the body wherein he rose vp, should be in one, & that a certaine place: but his Truth is spread ouer the face of the whole earth.
What is the sum of this true faith, which seeketh Iesus Christ, not vpon the earth, but in the heauens?
Math. 28. Math. 18.20This is the summe: I beleeue in God the father, who hath created me: I beleeue in Iesus Christ, who hath redeemed me from sinne, from Satan, from hel▪ & from death: I beleeue in the holie ghost, who sanctifieth me.
Why say you so in particular, I beleeue, and say not in generall, we beleeue?
Because Euery man must examine himselfe, Habac. 2. Rom. 1. Gal. 3. Heb. 10. and liue by his owne faith, not by the faith of other.
And how may this be done?
If we shal applie to euery of vs in particular, Iesus Christ himselfe with all his blessings and rich treasures.
What are the rich treasures to be found in Iesus Christ?
There is saluation for them that are lost, life for them that are dead, truth for them that are lyars, wisedome for them that are ignorant, righteousnesse for sinners, holynesse and sanctification for the vngodly, and redemption for captiues, & them that are in bondage.
Must we not then by faith applie all those things vnto our selues, seeing we are all by nature lost, dead, lyars, ignorant, sinful, defiled, vngodly, and captiues.
Yes verely. For Iesus Christ hath taken vpon him al our neede & miserie, to make vs partakers of al his blessings & rich treasures which in verie deede, are distributed vnto vs in his holy Supper.
Now let vs speake of the second part of our dutie towards God, which consisteth in Repentance: and first, what is Repentance?
It is a disliking of that is euill, and a loue of that is good.
To the end we may haue our sins in disliking & hatred, is it not necessary, that we know them?
It is necessarie.
How come we to haue knowledge of the euill that dwelleth in vs?
Iohan 3.First we know by our original birth. For that which is borne of the flesh, is flesh. Secondly because we transgresse the law of God, the rule of al perfection and righteousnes. And thirdly, by the ordinary afflictions & calamities that God sendeth vpon vs for our sinnes and iniquities.
May we not also behold in the Sacraments a mirrour of our sinnes and offences?
We may. For if we were no sinners we shold not stand in need of that forgiuenes of thē which is signified in Baptisme. And againe, except we were dead, it should be in vaine that we come to the Supper to seek life & saluation in Iesus Christ.
When we know our sinnes, are we there to rest, and not to proceede further, namely to make confession of the same?
Psal. 31. & 51. Luke 18.We must also confesse our sinnes after the example of Dauid and of the Publican, if we will obtaine righteousnesse before God.
Why should it be necessarie for vs to know and to confesse our sinnes before God?
To the end we may obteine forgiuenes, and a ful and absolute remission, according as God is iust and faithfull to performe his promises.
Why doth God forgiue vs our sinnes?
Math. 5. & 18.To three especial and principal ends & purposes. First that we should be reconciled to our enemies: secondly, to the end we should freelie forgiue them, & thirdly, to the end we should absteine from sinne and liue after righteousnesse.
Is there ought in the Supper which putteth vs in mind to flie from sinne, and to abhor it?
There is▪ for euen the verie breaking of the bread in the Supper, doth teach vs that our sinnes haue broken and brused the sonne of God with the sorrowes of death.
What is hereupon to be gathered?
That we ought to condemne our sinnes and to haue them in abhomination, as the causes of the death of the sonne of God.
Is it sufficient to absteine from euil, without further proceeding in doing of good?
No forsooth.Math. 3. & 7 for Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.
And therefore is the euill and foolish seruant cast into vtter darknes, Math. 25. not because he had vnthriftilie spent his masters talent, but because by his diligence and painefulnesse he had done no good therewithall, ne had raised any commodity therby vnto his master.
Then be like it is requisite that euery one according to the talent which he hath receiued of God, should glorifie him in that vocation wherein he is placed and appointed.
Surely so it is, if we desire to enter with the good seruant into the ioy of his master.
To the end we may do the thing that is good, ought we not to seeke the knowledge thereof?
We ought: and namely by these meanes, by the law of God and generally by all the parts of the holy scripture, which teacheth vs plainelie what those good workes are which God requireth [Page 54] vs to performe.
Whether doth the Supper, or any part thereof exhort vs to a godly life, or no?
It doth: for whereas we are vnited to Iesus Christ, made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone: also, whereas we are made partakers of his holynesse and righteousnesse, we are taught that we should be holy as he is holy.
What else?
Whereas we meete and assemble together in his holy Church, which is the communion of sancts: wheras by the working of the holy ghost, we call vpon one father, who is most holy: lastlie whereas we heare his holy and heauenly word, and also haue part of his holy sacraments: we are exhorted, I say, by all these reasons to an holines and purenesse of life.
Is this holinesse, which God requireth of vs, perfect in this world or no?
It is not: for so we vnderstand euen by the examples of the sancts themselues during their life of mortality. And contrariwise, euen vntil the very last gaspe, we shall continually haue neede to be humble suters to God for the remission of our sinnes in Iesus Christ.
Can this holinesse being vnperfect be pleasant and acceptable to God which is pefect?
Yea verily: so farre as we endeuour by the assistance of his holy spirite & by Faith, to obey the commandements of God, by Iesus Christ, who with the cloke & mātle of his own righteousnes, couereth all our defalts, wants, & imperfections.
Now let vs come to the third point of our dutie towards God. Wherein said you ere while it did consist?
In acknowledging the benefits we haue receiued and daylie receiue of God, and chiefelie the benefite of our redemption by Iesus Christ.
Is it not therefore, that the auncient fathers called the holy Supper, Eucharistia, that is to say, a Thankesgiuing?
It is: and I say further, that this acknowledging of Gods benefites is necessary for all those that communicate at the Lords table: as Iesus Christ himself hath taught vs by his owne example: & hath commaunded vs beside, to celebrate the Supper in remembrance of him.
How many conditions are to be regarded of vs in this acknowledging of Gods benefites?
There are fower principall poynts: of which the first is, that this recognisance is to be made to one God, by his only son Iesus Christ: the second, that it proceede not onely out of our mouthes, but also out of the verie bottome and secreat corners of our hearts.
Doth it not follow hereupon, that all those that cal vpon sancts, & render not thanks to God alone by his son Iesus Christ, are gretly deceiued?
Yes verily: & on the other side, all hypocrites praying in an vnknowen & strāge lāguage, are no les out of the way, because they honor & worship God with their lips only, & not with their hearts.
What be the two other conditions annexed to this recognisance, to the end it may be acceptable [Page 56] and agreeable to God our heauenly father?
The one is, that it ought to be vsed at al times, to wit, as wel in aduersitie as in prosperitie: the other that it be practised priuatly & also in publike & in the midst of the cōgregation of the faithful.
Now, seeing we haue sufficiently spoken of our dutie towards God: let vs speake of our duty towards our neighbour.
I say, it consisteth in true loue & brotherly vnion, which of necessitie attendeth and waiteth vpon Faith and vpon the pure seruing and worshipping of God.
What is the true rule of loue and charitie towards our neighbour?
That we loue our neighbour as our selues: or that we loue one another, as Christ hath loued vs.
How hath Iesus Christ loued vs?
He loued vs whē we were his enimies, wicked, vngracious & abhominable in the sight of God.
Are not we taught by his example, to loue our enemies, though they be wicked and vngodlie persons?
We are: for in that point we must also be framed and fashioned after the image of our head, Iesus Christ.
Was the loue of Christ Iesus, wherewith he loued vs, a feined loue, or hath it continued onely for a season?
No truely: for he hath loued vs, not onely in word, but also in deed▪ he hath not loued vs only for a short time, but also euen to the end, to the death, and to the shedding of his precious blood [Page 25] for our ransome.
And ought we not herein to follow his example?
Yea that we ought, for the auoyding of all dissembling and inconstancie, so often as there is occasion to loue our brethren, and to declare this our loue vnto them by our deeds.
Besides the example of Iesus Christ, are we not exhorted to this true loue, by certeine reasons and arguments in the Supper?
We are: and first in that we communicate all together in one companie, that we eate the same meate, that we call vpon the same father, that we haue all of vs one head Iesus Christ, that we are al quickned by his holy spirit, in these respects I say, we ought to be stirred vp to true loue & brotherly Charitie one towards another. Secondly the making of the bread & the wine which we receiue in the supper, ought to exhort vs to the same charity.
How so?
Because, that, euen as the bread is made of many cornes, which afterward are ioyned together to the making of one loafe▪ & euē as the wine is made of many grapes, which afterwards are pressed together to the making of one liquour: so ought al the professors of Christ, which are many being cōsidered single & seueral, to be made one by loue in one body, which is the church of God.
Can this loue whereunto we are exhorted in the Supper by so many reasons, abide and dwell in them whose hearts are full of hatred and malice towards their brethren?
It cannot: & therfore we must put all wrongs and iniuries out of our minds, we must be reconciled to those with whom we haue bin offended, we must forgiue and pardon them freely, euen so as we pray vnto God that he would forgiue and pardon vs.
Then we may wel conclude vpon the whole that hath bin hitherto spokē, that all those, which do not their duty as wel towards God as towards their neighbour, ought not to be admitted to the holy Supper.
We may indeed and therefore the true minister of Christ, ought to be very circumspect & wel aduised, that he Giue not that which is holy to those that are commonly knowen, & as it were pointed at of al men with the finger, for Dogs and swine.
The God of al mercy & loue so garnish & furnish our hearts with faith, & repētance, that with a pure & syncere affection we may both publish & shew forth his praises, and also loue our neighbors as Iesus Christ hath loued vs, to the end we come not to his holy table as infidels and impenitent wretches do, to our owne damnation, but rather to our euerlasting saluation: being well assured and certeinly perswaded, that so truely we shal enioy the life, the benefits, and the rich treasours of Iesus Christ, as we vse the elements which he hath appointed & ordeined to be most certeyne and vnfallible tokens of life euerlasting, in the same his welbeloued Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.
Amen.
A DIALOGVE ENTREATING OF THE LORD HIS SVPPER. Made by I. de l'Espine, Minister of the word of God.
YOu know my brethren, that Iesus Christ when hee instituted his holie supper commaunded vs to prooue our selues before we doe eate of the breade and drinke of the cuppe which are offered vnto vs therein; threatning and fearing vs with our own condemnation if we presume contrarie to his commandement to eate and to drinke not discerning the Lord his bodie. And forasmuch as by reason of my duetie, I haue to accompt before his maiestie, not onelie for my selfe, but also for you which haue beene committed to my charge: I purpose to examine you all one after another, touching this point, before I do admit you, or any of you to this holie table: that I may vnderstand whether you haue sufficient instruction in these matters, and haue rightlie conceiued and kept in memorie such [Page 2] points as I haue of late times handled for your better preparing thereunto. Wherefore I praie you Eusebius answere me, and tell me what is the chiefest thing and most requisite to be knowen for the sufficient vnderstanding of this whole mysterie.
The chiefest point wherein you said wee ought to be perfectlie informed and instructed, was to my vnderstanding and remembrance, touching the Author, by whom the Supper was ordeined: and that it was not to be taken for some dreame, or thing onelie imagined & conceiued in the braine & fancie of man, but for an holie & an inuiolable ordināce of our God; which, without great impietie & preiudice to our owne saluation, we can neither breake in the whole, nor neglect in any part or parcell.
What was my reason for this first and principall point?
It was to this effect, that except we haue a certeine knowledge and assurance, that this ceremonie is one of God his owne ordinances, we cannot be perswaded in our consciences, that in keeping the same we do please his maiestie: and further, that except this point haue taken deepe roote in our hearts by the power of his worde, we are prone and readie continuallie to take away the honor and estimation thereunto belonging: and by reputing it either a vaine and needelesse matter, or at the [Page 3] most a thing indifferētly to be receiued or refused, we are euer at the point to set light by it & to deride it: For euen therefore despise we the whole rable of Turkish & Iewish ceremonies, because they are grounded onely vpon the wil of such as ordeined them, and vpon the superstitious ignorance and blindnesse of the common people which keepe and worship them.
Shew me now by whom it was appointed: to the end we may vnderstand what we do, when we come to the Lord his table. For as you haue verie well said, it is not onelie requisite for the assuring & staying of our consciences that our faith be builded vpon his promises, but also that our obedience be squared & ruled by his commandements: to the end that our inward intention & meaning in all things may be guided and gouerned by the light of his word: and as we do acknowledge him to be our father by the trust that we repose vpon his goodnesse, so we may in like manner confesse him to be our souereigne Lorde, by the feare and reuerence which we shall carrie towards his heauenlie maiestie, & by the careful minds which we shal shew to be in vs towards the keeping of his ordināces: protesting hereby that we will hope to receiue nothing but at his hands, and that we will commit nothing which shall not be agreeable to his holie will and pleasure.
This holie supper was ordeined and [Page 4] appointed by our Lord & master Iesus Christ, as it appeareth by that which is written by his holy Euangelists,Matth. 26. Mark. 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. sainct Mathew, Marke, and Luke, in their seueral writings, and by his Apostle S. Paul in his first to the Corinthians: in which places after he had distributed the bread and wine to his disciples he commanded them to do the like in the remembrance of him, and thereby to declare his death, and to preach the same vntill his comming.
Then it is out of all doubt that the supper is a ceremonie ordeined and appointed by God, and that all the faithfull thereof capeable, are bounde to celebrate the same by his commandement. But forasmuch as that duetie ought to be most reuerently performed, and for the better and more holie vse thereof it is needefull to vnderstand to what end and purpose it was ordeined, I would haue you to shew me for the second point, what is the end of the Lord his supper.
The supper was instituted to this end and purpose, that we might thereby be edified and instructed, which thing Iesus Christ did alwaies set as a marke before his eyes in all that he either taught or appointed to be done in his Church.
How and wherein are we taught & edified by celebrating the supper?
We are instructed in Faith and Charitie, the onely points wherein the saluation & [Page 5] dutie of al Christians, and in general the whole body of the religion of our sauiour Iesus Christ is conteined.
How I pray you is our faith hereby edified?
Our faith is edified,1. Cor. 15. as the Apostle saith, when we are instructed, comforted, exhorted, and assured by the worde of God, and when as by his spirite the power thereof is engrauen in our hearts. Nowe both the Sacraments, that is to wit, of Baptisme and of the Lord his Supper, are nothing else (as it is notably said of Sainct Augustine) but visible words, wherein, as it were in goodly and faire Tables, God setteth out before our eyes, his loue, his fauour, his benefits and graces drawen in liuelie and naturall colours: to the end that we beholding the same therein, and setting our eies firmelie vpon the gratious goodnesse that hee sheweth to vs therein expressed, might be well assured and comforted in our consciences & be euen so affected, as we are when we doe either reade the gratious letters or behold the liuelie pictures of our louing friends.
What be those graces and benefits which we are principallie to consider in the Supper?
That Iesus Christ, who is there represented, is our life; that is the heauenlie breade sent downe from his father vpon the earth for the nourishment & sustentation of our soules: [Page 6] that in taking the bread and wine, we are receiued into the communion of his bodie, and so consequently, assured to be partakers of his righteousnesse and obedience, which are imputed to all them that are knit together and vnited in one with him: further, that he hath redeemed vs, and made eternall satisfaction for al our sinnes: that he hath purged and cleansed our filthie spots and blemishes with his blood: that the sentence of condemnation pronounced against him, is our absolution: that the paiment, which he hath made, is a full and perfect acquittance and warrant for all our debts: that he is the sacrifice, by the which the wrath of God against vs hath beene appeased and pacified: and that his death is the meane, whereby we are reconciled to him, and receiued into his fauour; without the which we can hope neither for life nor saluation.
You say, Eusebius, that the principal point, that is taught vs in the mysterie of the supper, and that we are to learne therein and to cal to remembrance so often as we come to the table to celebrate the same, is that Iesus Christ is our life: neuerthelesse it seemeth that this is contrarie to that which you lately saide, speaking of the fruites of Faith and attributing thereunto our saluation: and further repugnant to that which is written in the Psalmes, where Dauid magnifying the graces of God,Psal. 36. saieth, That in him is the wel of life; and that our light [Page 7] proceedeth onelie from his brightnes. Fo if the humanitie of Iesus Christ crucified and offered vp vnto God for our redemption, is the cause of our life, how can it be that God & our Faith are the causes and occasions thereof?
The one of these is no hinderance to the other, as you declared vnto vs at large in one of your sermons. It is most certeine, and of al men confessed, that God is the author of our life: and that in him we haue our being, feeling, mouing, and vnderstanding. Further, that in beholding his shining countenance, consisteth the full contentment of all our desires, and our most perfect and blessed estate: because it is the chiefest & most souereigne good, which comprehending vnder it all other particular good things, hath sufficient in that respect to content and satisfie all our appetites and desires, when we haue obteined & do enioie the same. But the meane to haue fruition and possession thereof, and to drawe neere vnto him, is Iesus Christ his son. For euen as without God there is no life; so without Iesus Christ there is no God, as S. Iohn doth witnesse, sayeng:1. Ioh 2. whosoeuer denieth the Sonne, the same hath not the Father: and, whosoeuer confesseth the Sonne, the same hath the Father also. And Sainct Paul in his Epistles written to the Galathians and Ephesians; to whom hee sheweth that in the time of their ignorance, and when they knewe not Iesus Christ, they were without [Page 8] God in the world. And this is the cause why he was called by the Angel and by the Prophet, Emanuel, which in Hebrewe is as much to say, as, God is with vs: to shew vnto vs that there is no other meane to ioyne and knit vs together with him, then that meane of his sonne; which may also be prooued by this reason. It is not possible for vs to haue anie fellowshippe with God, who is righteous and a most cleare and perfect light, so long as wee continue in our sinnes and darknesse: in as much as two things so fully and directlie contrarie, cannot meete together, ne endure ech other. Wherefore it must needes be that before any agreement or league can be entreated of betwene him & vs, we are to be freed & deliucred from the causes of our separation from God, which can by no other meane be compassed and obtained then by Iesus Christ. For he is the true light which enlighteneth euerie man th [...] commeth into the world:Ihon 1. he is the Lamb that taketh awaie our sinnes. Whereupon it foloweth of necessity, that if we wil be reconciled and ioyned vnto God, wee must bee made partakers of the righteousnesse of his sonne and must be lightened by his spirit: to the end that he couering our filthynesse & imperfections with the one, and driuing away by litle and litle the darkenesse that dwelleth in vs with the other, may hereby take away the lettes and hinderances, by the which this happie league and agreement [Page 9] is broken and turned aside from our benifite. And forasmuch as he is the way by the which we are to come to this agreement, and so consequently to the life and felicitie that dependeth thereon. For this cause he is called life as well as his Father.Iohn. 6. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh (saith he) & drincketh my blood, hath eternal life: for my flesh is meate in deed, & my blood is drinke in deed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the liuing Father hath sent me, so liue I by the Father: and he that eateth me, euen he shal liue by me. Al which places do serue to no other end & purpose, then to giue vs to vnderstand, that his humanitie, crucified for our sinnes hath the power to bring vs to life, & to quicken vs, by reconciling vs vnto God, when we eate thereof: that is to saie, when we by a true and liuelie Faith do, as it were, get a propriety in the sa [...]e vnto our selues, and being vnited & ingrafted into it, do lie there as it were at a sure anker, by a firme and stedfast trust and confidence. For by this meane we are ioyned vnto the diuinitie, which is the wel of life & of al blessednesse. For this cause Tertullian saieth that our flesh is fedde with the flesh of Iesus Christ, to the end that our soule maie be refreshed & filled with God. To which purpose we may refer two notable places of S. Augustine, the one in his commentaries vppon S. lohn: where he saieth (speaking of the faithful man) [Page 10] By Christ thou commest to Christ: by Christ man, to Christ God. By the word which was made flesh, to the worde which was in the beginning with GOD: by the breade which is eaten of men, to that which is eaten of Angels. The other place is in one of his Homilies vppon the Psalmes, where he setteth foorth a most excellent comparison taken from the Nource and her young childe. The nource and the childe (saieth hee) doe eate one selfe and the same meate, but after a diuerse manner: for the milke which the childe sucketh out of her brestes, is the breade that his nource before had eaten: but for the better preparing and ordering of it in such sort as the childe might let it downe, and thereby receiue his nourishment, it was needefull that first i [...] should be incarnate in her, and that it should be tourned into blood in her lyuer, to the ende it might become the more sweete and delicate for the childe his drinking, and being carried from the lyuer to the brests, that it shoulde be there chaunged into milke, and euen there should receiue a straunge kinde of whitenesse, least the childe seeing it in the former colour should haue beene afraide of it and abhorre it. Euen so (saith he) soone after applying his comparison, the Angels and we do liue and are fedde with one and the same foode: for neither they nor we haue anie strength or life, or liuelinesse, but by the onelie euerlasting [Page 11] and almightie worde of God: neither is there anie other difference, but that the foode that they receiue in meate, wee receiue in milke: for by reason of our infirmitie and weakenesse, it was needefull that this word should be made flesh, and by that meane should be applied to the capacity and strength of our stomacke, that we might be able to digest it, and to be nourished and susteined by it.
I perceiue Eusebius, that you were not in sleepe at my sermon, who doe so faithfullie rehearse what you haue heard. O that it might please God that all the rest of my auditours woulde bee so attentiue and had so great and singular desire to make profite by the worde, as I verilie beleeue you haue. But the further I proceede in my excercise, I haue the better experience, that for the most part they are so cold and carelesse, that I am constrained to complaine of them, and to shew you my griefe in that behalfe.
If I be diligent to learne the worde of God, and in anie small measure capable of the knowledge thereof, I am bounde to render vnto him all praise and thankes, and to confesse that without his Spirite of my owne nature I shoulde haue as litle taste and feeling thereof, as the most carnall and earthlie manne in the worlde. But to the ende [Page 12] we do not discontinue and breake off our former matter, if memorie faile not, for a further and more full declaration of the mysterie whereof we do now intreate, to the former similitude of sainct Augustine you ioyned another taken from the bodie of man, the members whereof cannot by any meanes haue part of the life which springeth & proceedeth from the soule remaining in the bodie, except they be vnited and ioyned with it: no more is it possible for vs to be quickened by this fulnesse of the Godheade which (as sainct Paul saieth) dwelleth bodily in Iesus Christ,Coloss. 2. and giueth life to the whole Church, except we be members of his bodie, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone.
You haue sufficientlie declared how the humanitie and flesh of Iesus Christ is the meane of our life. But as concerning Faith, whereof the Prophet and Apostle haue written,Abac. 2. Rom. 1. that the iust shall liue by it, how are we to vnderstand this point?
I said at the first that there is no life without God, and next, that there is no God without Iesus Christ: nowe I saie following the like course, that there is no Iesus Christ without Faith▪ for by Faith we rcceiue him, as Sainct Iohn witnesseth:Iohn. 1. and he commeth to dwell in our hearts, as Sainct Paul writeth to the Ephesians,Ephes. 3. by Faith: which he confirmeth by his owne mouth, saying. If anie man loue [Page 13] me he wil keepe my word, and my Father will loue him, and we will come vnto him, and will dwell with him. For the vnion which we haue with him is spirituall and like to that which is betweene the husbande and the wife. For euen as they be ioyned and coupled together for euer by mutuall promises and by that faith and truth wherin those promises are mutuallie accepted, notwithstanding that their bodies do change neither the outward shape & forme, ne yet their natural kind and sexe; and that for this coupling and knitting of man and wife it is not required or meant that both of thē shold visibly become one body, like as wine and water being mingled together in one cuppe or vessel: so to marrie and to ioyne vs to Iesus Christ, it is not needeful that our bodies shold be bound in one with his bodie, as we see the members of one bodie are bound together by the muscles, cordes, sinewes and gristles of the same: which happening it would be the most monstrous thing that a man could imagine to be in nature. But the chiefe and onelie matter is, that those promises which he maketh vnto vs, namely, to comfort vs, if we wil come vnto him, to defend vs, to saue, to quicken vs, to redeeme vs, to raise vs vp from the dead, to pardon vs, and such like, that his promises (I saie) be beleeued of vs and firmelie perswaded, that wee like and accept of them, and haue assurance in them, promisinge vnto him in like [Page 14] manner on our behalfes, that we acknowledge none other then him alone for our King and Priest, our sheppard and our Prophet: that we wil heare no other voice or doctrine but his: that for our satisfaction, remission, and saluation we wil vse no other sacrifice thē that, which is once offered for vs: that we wil chuse none other Aduocate or Attornie then him, when we would be recommended in anie of our necessities to the good grace and fauor and ayde of his Father: that for our defence and safegard against the euil spirit and against al other our enemies we wil haue recourse, and put our whol affiance in his powre and strength: and to be breife, that we wil not hold our life and our whole felicitie of any other then of him. In these promises giuen, taken, and kept of both parties, consisteth the alliance and league, that we haue with Iesus Christ. And euen as a woman, that is lawfullie married to an husband misdoubteth not, albeit her husband abide at Constantinople and she at Paris, that notwithstanding the sundring of their bodies, and greate distance betweene the places, where they abide, they are neuerthelesse one flesh, and that there is a perfect coniunction betweene them, and such a bonde and knot of friendship as is not to be loosed: so albeit that Christ Iesus be in heauen and we vpon the earth, we ought certeinely to be perswaded that after the marriage made betweene him [Page 15] and vs by the meane of Faith, wherein we haue accepted his foresaide promises, we are one with him, and that this vnion is nothing impeached by the difference of places, where we abide and continue.
Then your meaning is, that Faith is not the cause of our life, but inasmuch as it doth marrie vs to Iesus Christ, by whom we are afterwarde ledde and conducted euen to God, with whom we finde all the happinesse that we can aske and desire. This is verie well meant and vnderstoode of you: But what will you say to that which Sainct Paul hath written touching the word of the Gospel,Rom. 1. that it is the power of God vnto saluation to all beleeuers?
Sainct Paul saieth so, because there is no Faith without the worde, no more then there is Iesus Christ without Faith:Rom. 10. for Faith commeth by hearing, & hearing by the word of God. And to this purpose is the preaching of the Gospel, and the administration of the sacraments. By the one the Spirite of God inspireth and planteth Faith in our hearts, & by the other he confirmeth and establisheth the same: to the end that by this meane being made the members of Iesus Christ, we might draw nearer vnto God, and liue in him.
Then the sum of al that you haue hitherto discoursed is, that our blessed estate & eternal life, is to possesse God; and to possesse [Page 16] him, to be members of Iesus Christ: and to be his members, to haue Faith; and to haue Faith, that the Gospell be preached and the Sacraments administred vnto vs: in as much as Faith is engendred by the word, and after confirmed nourished, and encreased in vs, by the Sacraments thereunto annexed.
You propounded vnto vs a similitude of the lampe which seemed vnto me a verie fitte and proper waie to declare vnto vs in some good manner, the properties and vse as well of Faith, as of the Sacraments: you said that Faith was like vnto the fire, in as much as by the light thereof it bringeth vs to the sight and knowledge of God, of Iesus Christ our sauing health, and of our selues: that the cotton, about the which the fire is lighted, did resemble the word & the gracious promises, whereon the said Faith is built and founded: and that the sacraments are as the oyle, that serueth to keepe in the fire, so as it neither be diminished, nor put out altogether.
Can you remeber the matter, which I drew out of this similitude, & the end wherefore I brought it into my discourse?
I take it that it was to shew vnto vs, that the Supper can serue vs to small purpose, vnlesse that first we be furnished with Faith in our hearts, & that is it of no more vse then oyle is in a lampe when no fire is lighted, or then a seale to a letter wherein is nothing written.
Then you may perceaue, Eusebius, and vnderstande, that it is not without great reason that the ancient fathers haue called these two ceremonies of Baptisme, and of the Supper, mysteries and sacraments, the deepe, diuine, and hidden sense and meaning of them considered: and that S. Augustine hath not amisse applied that vnto them, which is written of God by Dauid in the Psalmes:Psal. 18. that He made darkenesse his secret place, and his pauilion round about him, euen darkenesse of waters, ana cloudes of the ayre. For who woulde thinke at the first assaie, that the gracious fauour of God, the benefite of Iesus Christ, the forgiuenesse of sinnes, and generally all the partes of our saluation, and redemption, were so excellentlie set out in a little water, breade and wine, as you haue [...]eclared vnto vs in particularitie? Dauid called the ancient ceremonies & the order that was kept in the Church in his daies, The face of God, Psal. 24. because the faithfull did therin see and behold, as in a glasse, his promises, his fauour, and his gracious goodnesse. But this name may be more properlie giuen to our ceremonies, because they are more significant, and doe beare the markes and tokens of his fauour towardes vs, more liuelie and perfectlie set out, and more deepelie imprinted in them, then the other. But I suppose you haue nowe sufficientlie declared how our faith is edified by the Sacramentes: [Page 18] proceede to the rest, and shewe me by what meane our charitie is instructed.
1. Cor. 10.Sainct Paul saieth, that we that are manie are one breade, and one bodie, because we all are partakers of one bread. Euen as therefore in the supper we are taught that there is no other meane to obtaine saluation then by Iesus Christ, deade and crucified for vs: so wee doe protest by the bread and wine that we receiue, that, if we wil be partakers of this saluation, we must be vnited and made one with him, and in him al of vs together one with another. Wherunto is required a charitie, not of the tongue, the outward gesture or speach, not common or ordinarie, not cold and remisse: but an ardent and heartie affection, holding vs also fast, and locking vs, at it were, so sure and so close together in one bodie, that if it were a thing possible a man might no sooner sunder & deuide vs one from an other, then the grains of corne after the bread is baken, or the grapes can be deuided when the wine is tunned.
Yea, but can it be that when wee come to the table we should so perfectlie loue each other, as that there be not in the whole body of the Church more then one heart, one soule, one spirite, and one minde?
In this case we doe not speake of that Faith and Charitie, which we haue, or can haue when we celebrate the supper: but of that onely which is taught vs therin: for I haue [Page 19] heard you say, and rehearse often, that their is great difference betwene the power of man, and the duetie of man, betweene his practise, and his precepts, and that we are alwaies more indebted then we vse to pay, euen as we are euer better taught and instructed, then we can learne or followe. For the wisdome of God being perfect and infinite, it cannot be but the law (as Dauid saieth) proceeding from him,Psal. 19. must needs be verie entire and perfect. But if our power and habilitie to keepe the lawe be either none at all, or so weake, as it can verie hardlie stirre ad remooue it selfe: how is it possible that our obedience should not be vnperfect? in like manner our faith, our charitie, and in generall whatsoeuer we doe, or whatsoeuer proceedeth from vs?
You saie well, Eusebius, we maie not confound or trouble the order that is to be kept in handling of this matter: and it suffiseth that you haue now shewed vs what is taught and signified vnto vs in the Supper: for you shall more fitlie and more conuenientlie shew forth the propertie of Faith & Charitie which we are to bring with vs to this Supper, when we shall entreate what course and meane we ought to follow, to come vnto it worthilie. Now to continue the veine of your discourse, you shall giue vs to vnderstande, who they be that are inuited and bidden to this supper, and whither that all manner of persons indifferentlie [Page 20] are fit to celebrate the same?
As they did eate (saith S. Mathew) Iesus tooke the breade, and after hee had giuen thankes, hee brake it, and gaue it to his disciples. He noteth plainely, that the bread which he did take and breake in the supper was giuen onelie to his disciples and scholers, to signifie vnto vs, that we doe eate it vnworthilie, if we know not Iesus Christ, & be not in some good measure instructed in his gospel. And so by this reason are excluded & barred from this feast al ignorant persons, all Infidels, contemners, and blasphemers. For if the Sacrament was not ordeined to any other purpose, as was said before, then for the confirming, exercising, and increasing of our faith: what benefite would it be vnto vs if there were no faith to be found in our heartes? Furthermore, is the end whereunto it was deputed, be to shadow foorth and to set before our eyes Iesus Christ crucified, how can this end be attained and compassed, if our eyes be out and we remaine in blindenes? For the light is for none other then for such as haue eyes to see it. Againe if we be dead, as in truth we are no better being vtterly voide of knowledge and beleife, the breade that is ordeined onely to shape and to strengthen the life of him that eateth, cannot be profitable vnto vs, except we be first reuiued and raised vp againe from death. And yet further, for what reason willeth S. Paul,1. Cor. 11. that we should Examine [Page 21] and prooue our selues before wee come to the table, But onelie to geue vs knowledge, that we are vtterlie vnworthie of that benefite, being vnfurnished of Faith, which is so necessarie for the good and lawful vse therof? for if al thinges be polluted and defiled to the vnbeleeuers, yea if our daylie & ordinarie meates are not sanctified but by the word and by praier: if whatsoeuer is done without Faith, be sinne: howe should not this holie misterie be prophaned and made vnholie, when we, either plainelie ignorant, or not sufficientlie taught, are so hardie as to set vs downe at the king his table, and to goe to the mariage of his sonne without our wedding garment? Further why is it that Iesus Christ so straightlie forbiddeth his Apostles, To giue that which is holy vnto doggs, and to cast pearles before swine, but onlie to admonish them that they become wise, and well aduised to dispense the word & the misteries of God? Againe, the commandement of God, wherin we are charged, that We take not his name in vaine, is plainly & generally giuen to al men: neither yet may we suppose, as you did teach vs verie well, that onely false oathes are in that commandemēt forbidden: for euery vnlawful vsing as wel of his name, as of his word, and of his ordinances is in like manner therin contained. Wherefore it remaineth that we conclude vpon the former reasons, that the faithful onlie are capeable to celebrate the Lord his Supper. And by [Page 22] the faithfull I do vnderstand those that haue a liuelie and actuall faith, begotten of the word of God, and grounded vpon his promises.
I take great pleasure and contentment in you, Eusebius, in that you are so diligent & paineful to gather such textes and reasons, as are alleaged to prooue & to perswade that which a man shall vndertake. For it is not possible that by anie other meane the faith of anie man in the world could be fast, & firme, and well assured, and that he could render a reason of his beliefe, to those that require him to make an accompt thereof: which thing is easilie experimented in diuers, that haue some knowledge & opinion of the trueth; but because the same is not wel groūded nor fensed with scripture, it cannot be sound and perfect, ne yet of anie great edifying, which I thought good to touch beside the matter, whereof we do principallie entreat, to the end that hereafter you be yet more curious to follow the same course & custome. And now to come again to our chiefe matter; hauing shewed what is the mysterie of the supper, and who they be that God biddeth to the same; it is time that you proceede and go forward, and that you tell vs how we ought to draw neere, and to present our selues vnto it.
1. Cor. 11.The Apostle saieth: Let euerie man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of that bread, and drinke of that cuppe. Wherein he warneth vs diligentlie to examin our consciences, so often [Page 23] as we are minded & purposed to celebrate the same.
Wherein ought we to examin our selues?
In two points: to wit, whither we haue both Faith and Charitie.
What maner of Faith is required?
The whole Christian Faith is in a sum conteined in the Apostles Creed: wherefore we are to consider, not onely whither we do vnderstād the history of those things, which are briefelie set forth therin by articles; as, That Iesus Christ hath taken our nature, that he died, rose again, & ascended into heauen, where he sitteth at the right hande of his Father, and from thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead: but it is further requisite, that we search and sound the bottome of our hearts, to know whither they be setled and reposed vpon that which we confesse, as vpon the onely meane of our saluation, and whither we be resolued to perseuer and continue constantlie in this affiance and trust onelie, euen to the ende of our naturall life, renouncing all other as most vaine and pernitious to our saluation. And aboue all things wee ought to beware that we be not deceiued by hypocrisie or simplicitie, which may bring vs in a conceipt, that a bare opinion and credulitie or lightnesse of beliefe, is true Faith: for there is nothing that can make so greeuous a fault excusable, [Page 24] but rather it is damnable before the maiestie of God.
Whereby may we learne and iudge that we haue a true and syncere faith, and such a Faith as is required to the worthie eating of the breade at the Lord his table?
When we do perfectlie vnderstand the things that are deliuered in the articles of the Apostles Creed, with the end of Christ his comming into the world: when we are well and surelie perswaded of the truth and certeintie of them, and this perswasion doth comfort and assure our consciences of the remission of our sinnes, in such manner as it taketh awaie the horror and the dreadfull conceipt that we haue apprehended of God his eternall iudgement; Lastlie, when this is so deepely engrauen and imprinted in our hearts, that notwithstanding anie temptation or affliction that may happen vnto vs, we do alwaies holde a stedfast hope of his gratious fauor, & of the life eternall that dependeth vpon the same: then we may assure our selues that we haue a Christian Faith allowed and approoued of him, in the vse and receiuing or vnderstanding of his mysteries.
And would you require in a man perfect knowledge of the Creed, in the which the whole sum of the scriptures is in a manner conteined? and further, perfect trust and affiance in all the promises of God, the accomplishment and fulfilling of the which is procured [Page 25] vnto vs by the intercession and fauour of his sonne? and thirdlie a constancie in all this so perfect, that no temptation should shake vs and make vs to stagger therein, or otherwise exclude it and cast it out from the Supper?
No: for the Apostles themselues, to whom Iesus Christ did first distribute the same, were vnperfect in all this matter, as experience shewed in the temptation that happened vnto them soone after. Further, if we should not be fit to receiue it except our Faith were fully perfect; then it is euident it should haue beene instituted and ordeined in vaine, for so long as we continue in this mortal life, we are no more able to beleeue in God perfectlie, then we are able to know or to loue him perfectlie. Againe, the end for which it was ordeined, is it not to vphold and to vnderset our Faith? If then our Faith had beene sufficientlie strong and able of it selfe, what vse should there be of the sacraments? These reasons are sufficient to prooue, that we are not vncapeable of the Lord his supper, by the imperfection and weakenesse of our Faith: prouided allwaies, that the same be vnfeined, and that we acknowledging the basenesse and weakenesse thereof, do praie vnto God to haue it augmented and increased by the working of his holie Spirite: and also that to this end we vse the meanes that he hath left to be vsed.
It is sufficient that we beleeue that Iesus Christ by his obedience hath purchased vnto vs the grace of God, and in this grace and fauour hath gotten vs righteousnesse and life: and that by his crosse, he making satisfaction for our sinnes hath appeased his wrath, and hath freed vs from the danger of death, and of the cursse?
No syr; but when we haue beleeued thus much, we must be well assured that we are receiued into the communion of this obedience & satisfaction, when we receiue the bread and the wine which are presented vnto vs in the supper. And for the last and most principall point, we must beleeue that we are made one, and incorporate with Iesus Christ, and allowed of him & of his Father, not onely for his flocke, his disciples, his brethren and friends, but also for members of his bodie, and flesh of his flesh. Out of which point we may drawe matter of singular and manifold comforts and consolations. For by this meane we are sure, that so long as we continue in this vnion, we cannot be condemned ne kept & holden in the bands of death, no more then he himselfe: and that the prince of this world hath no more part in vs, or power ouer vs, then he hath in or ouer him: and that righteousnes and life are as well inseparable from vs, as from him: and that we are coheires with him of all the honor of his kingdome: & that where he is, there we shalbe [Page 27] of necessitie, not impeacheable by al the power and practises of the Deuill.
I haue two questions to aske you, touching that you said euen now of the participation, that we haue in the humanitie of Iesus Christ, when we do take and eate the bread in the supper. The first is, whither that before the bread is giuen vnto vs, we be not already vnited vnto him; and if we be, what profit we can receaue by the supper?
It is necessarie that by Faith we be ioyned vnto him, before we come vnto the table: otherwise we should be wholie vnworthy: and yet we come, that we maie be yet more neerelie knit in one with him. For euen as two diuers things, when they be tyed & bound together with a corde, maie be yet tied with another; and if a man would vse an hundred cordes to that purpose, it might be verie well saied, that they are still tied together more and more: so albeit that we by baptisme and Faith, wherein we heare and obey the word of God, are allied vnto him, and ingrafted in the bodie of Iesus Christ, yet that is no hinderance, but that by the supper, when we do celebrate it, this alliance is renued, and more & more confirmed.
What needeth it, that we haue so manie assurances of pledges & tokens, to confirme the agreement that he hath made with vs? for it might be gathered hereupon, that he should be a deceiuer or inconstant, & that we [Page 28] therefore could not be to sure and to warie in our dealing with him.
The word of God is eternall, and the effect thereof most sure and certeine: euen as he being the speaker, is euerlasting and vnchangeable, his gifts and his callings without repentance, neither is our vnbeliefe able to make the Faith or truth of God of no effect. Yea (as S. Paull saieth) the veritie of God is more aboundant, through our lying, vnto his glorie. Therefore the reason why he sweareth, and sealeth his promises with a double seale, after they be made, is not, for that they are, of theire nature, doubtful & vncerteine, but because our hearts are so full of suspicion and wicked distrust, that we will neuer take his bare word for sufficient assurance: yea, we will hardlie trust him with all the solemnities of swearing, signes, and sealing, that are vsed of him for our warrant in this behalfe.
Herein the frowardnes and wretchednesse of our nature is the more apparant. For we can be content to rest our selues wholie vpon the dreames and conceipt of our owne vaine and foolish wisdome, or vpon the bare word of a mortall man, by nature a lyar, and euerie moment changeable: yea, diuerse times not proouing and seeing vpon what ground, what reason and apparance it is either conceiued or deliuered. Nay, we go further then so: for all the errors, lyes, fooleries, illusions, [Page 29] dreames, and vaine visions that the Deuill can forge to destroy and seduce from God, we receiue both without anie difference or difficultie, and also without anie reasoning or debating of their nature, or of their end. I will saie more, that if God were on the one side telling vs one thing, and Satan on the other affirming the contrarie, this Father of lies and prince of darknesse will finde more credit and faith with vs, then God shall finde with all his truth and light. And hereof we haue long agone seene and knowne the wofull experience of our first parents, who being wiser and better then all their children that came after them, onelie Iesus Christ excepted, were soone and easely perswaded the verie contrarie to that which God had spoken, yea by the serpent being but a beast, and vsing no great and long discourse or manie words to confirme his sayings. And that which maketh me to marueile, & to detest the more our malice herein, is that we are so readie to receiue and beleeue whatsoeuer this wicked abuser and deceiuer of mankinde is able to put into our eares to our destructiō, though he haue no reason or argument to proue his purpose: & that on the cōtrary we are so slow to allow that which God doth tel vs, & confirmeth by so many oathes, signes, witnesses, & miracles that we might be saued. But I will leaue that matter to ask you another doubt, to wit, whither the vniō, whereof you haue spoken, which we haue with [Page 30] Iesus Christ be of our bodies, or of our soules and minds onelie: and whither we are to go vp into heauen from the earth where we abide, or he is to come downe from heauen where he remaineth, that we may be ioyned and coupled together.
You propound a question vnto me, which in these dayes much troubleth and exerciseth the heads of manie men: yet me thinketh, that a man of a modest and sober minde, that seeketh not to be contentious, might satisfie himselfe with so much as you haue taught vs in that point: that is to wit, that the vnion is corporall and of the bodies, but the meane is spirituall: euen as the vniting together of man and wife, which is the fittest comparison that can in this case be vsed and alledged. Their bodies are vnited and coupled together, not corporallie, or so as their vnion may be discerned and iudged by the outward senses (for we see that they are diuerse times sundred by distance and difference of places) but by the Faith of wedlocke which they haue mutuallie giuen.
It is not sufficient to saie or to doe any thing, but the same must be with reason, to the edifying of them that see our workes, or heare our words. Wherefore Eusebius, you shal rehearse, if it please you, such reasons as you take to be the fittest for the proouing of that which you haue said.
Ephes. 5.The first is, that S. Paul, after he had [Page 31] taught that we are members of his bodie, of his flesh and of his bones, alledgeth not onelie the resemblance, but also the first institution of marriage, saying: For this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother, and shall cleaue to his wife, and they twaine shalbe one flesh. This is a great secret, but I speake concerning Christ, and concerning the Church: To the ende he might shewe vs the meane wherby this cōiunction is made; and for our better and more readie conceiuing of the same, that we might set before our eyes the vnion and coniunction that is betweene the husband and the wife.
The second is, that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is spiritual: whereupon it followeth that the order, the gouernement, the lawes, the promises, the power, the glorie, & all other things that apperteine to the honor and renowne of a kingdome, are in the kingdome of Iesus Christ spirituall. Therefore when we do speake of the coniunction of the members with the head, which is one of the principall members, we maie not thinke, that the meane to atteine vnto it, is other then heauenly and spirituall.
The third is, that Iesus Christ entreating of this matter couertlie vnder the figure and shadow of eating of his flesh; & seeing that some of his disciples had forsaken his company, and were offended at his talke, because they had not well vnderstoode them, and had interpreted them carnallie: said for the better & more [Page 32] ample expounding of them, as followeth: It is the Spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speake vnto you are spirit & life. Can there be anie thing more cleare to shew that the eating of his flesh, that is to saie, that the vnion which we haue with his humanitie, is made and brought to passe spirituallie? Euen as therfore the ignorance and bluntnesse of Nicodemus deserued to be blamed, and to be controuled of Iesus Christ, because he did carnally expound and construe the reasoning of Iesus Christ, touching the new birth of the faithfull: so if anie man hearing speach of the eating of his flesh, or of the drinking of his blood, made simplie and according to the letter, vnderstand the same without all figuratiue speach and spirituall meaning; his ignorance were not onelie to be derided as a vaine and foolish thing, but also to bee contemned as impious and tending to the diminishing of our faith and of the glorie of God.
The fourth is, that Our Fathers (as Sainct Paul saith) did all eate of the same spirituall meate, and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke: for they drank of the spirituall Rocke that followed them, & that Rocke was Christ. Now certeine it is, that they could not eate that rock corporallie, as we do eat our bread made of corne: because Christ Iesus was not yet incarnate and made flesh. wherefore it must needs follow, that as their eating is spiritual, so is our eating spiritual, being [Page 33] wholie like vnto theirs, if we will beleeue the Apostle.
The fift is,Act. 3. That the heauen (as Sainct Peter saith) must conteine Iesus Christ, vntill the time that all things be restored, which God had spoken by the mouthe of all his Prophets since the world began. And this is one of the articles that we protest, that we hold, when we rehearse the Creede. Therefore it is a great follie, yea an impietie, to thinke that it is requisite for the eating of his flesh, and the drinking of his blood, that he should come downe from heauē, & that corporallie, and in person, he shoud deliuer the same vnto vs to that end and purpose.
The sixt is, that Iesus Christ speaking to his disciples, said vnto them,Iohn 16. That it was expedient for them, that he should leaue the world, and go his waie. Whereupon it followeth, that it should be a thing not onelie vnprofitable, but also hurtfull and dangerous to the Church, that he should returne hither in his owne bodilie shape before the time prefixed and purposed.
The seuenth is, that the supper must be celebrated in the remēbrance of him, as it is plainelie shewed in the cōmaundement that he gaue when he did institute the same: nowe the remembrance that we haue of anie matter, pre-supposeth the same to be absent corporally: for otherwise if it be present, there is no more a remembrance, but a sight and enioying: wherevpon it followeth, that because the Supper is [Page 34] ordained to exercise vs in the remembrance of Iesus Christ, he is absent from vs in bodie.
The eight is, that we are not commaunded to celebrate and to declare his death, but vntill the time of his comming: and therfore if he should come among vs in bodie when we are assembled for that purpose, we ought to cease and to leaue of this whole ceremonie.
The ninth is, that as a glorious and spirituall bodie doth not eate: so it cannot be eaten corporally: for otherwise we might saie that it might bee disgested in the stomake as other meates may be, and consequentlie might be subiect to corruption: which is a thing contrarie to the condition of bodies glorified, which are not onelie immortall, but also free from all corruption.
The tenth is, that the thing that is not ordained for the life of our bodies, is not to be eaten corporallie. But the flesh of Iesus Christ crucified, and his bloud shed for our redemption, are not ordained for the life of the bodie, which maie be and is preserued and kept by other meanes: therefore we must needes conclude that we neither eate the one, nor drinke the other corporallie.
The eleuenth is, that Sainct Paul saith, that Meates are ordained for the bellie, 1. Cor. 6. and the bellie for meates: but God shall destroy both it and them. Teaching vs, that as this life is fraile and subiect to corruption, so are also all those bodily meats [Page 35] that are ordeined for the nourishment of the same: so then, if the flesh of Christ were bodilie eaten, it should follow that it should be subiect to corruption: a thing cleerely & meerely contrarie to that whole discourse of S. Iohn vpon this matter: whosoeuer eateth my flesh, Iohn 6. hath eternall life. Where he further maketh a difference betweene it & Manna, giuen to our Fathers in the wildernesse; saying, that the one is corruptible, the other is voide and free from all corruption.
The twelfth is, that if Iesus Christ were bodilie eaten, there were no necessitie to prooue & to examin our Faith or our conscience, when we would prepare our selues to the eating of his supper; but onelie our teeth, to wit, whither they were sharpe, and able enough to chew it: and the stomach, to see whither it were apt to digest it: as we do in all other corporall meats.
The thirteenth is, that we eate the flesh, and drinke the blood of Iesus Christ, euen in the selfe & same maner, as the Apostles haue done long before vs. But they did not eate the same corporallie: for so men might haue seene the Apostles eating his bodie with their bodilie eies, euen as wel, as they did see his body before them, when he ministred the same vnto them. Now we must inferre, that no more do we eate his flesh corporallie. If anie will saie, that God by a miracle prouideth that this eating be not discerned with bodilie eies, to the end it should [Page 36] not be abhorred; I answeare, that in this case the onelie conceipte and inward imagination were sufficient: as we reade of S. Peter, who in a vision abhorred the eating of those creatures,Act. 10. that were in the law forbidden to be eaten.
The fourteenth is, that it is plainelie forbidden in Genesis,Gen. 6. To eate flesh with the life thereof, that is, with the blood thereof. Whereupon it may be inferred, that Iesus Christ, who is not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law, hath not enioyned vs a thing so strictlie forbidden, & euen more abhominable then murther. And the reason alleaged by S. Augustine, to shew, that al the places, wherin Iesus Christ doth exhort his disciples to eate his flesh, and to drinke his blood, are vsed by waie of figured and shadowed speaches. I wil turne the place of S. Augustine in his booke of Christian doctrine, to the end that the readers maie vnderstand his iudgement in this matter. If there be anie sentence, or anie manner of speach in the Scripture (saith he) that seemeth to commaund anie outrage or wickednesse, or contrarily, to forbid any bountifull and liberall action, the same is spoken by waie of a figure. But this sentence following, Ioh. 9. Except you eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his blood, ye haue no life in you; seemeth to commaund an horrible and detestable case: wherefore it followeth, that this is a figure, by the which he commaundeth vs to be partakers, and to haue communion in the death and passion of the Lord: and for the profit and comfort [Page 37] of our consciences, to enclose this point within the most secret corners of our memorie, that his humanitie was crucified and wounded for our cause. This is S. Augustine his iudgement, which I haue turned word for word.
The fifteenth is, that we cannot receiue the corporal eating of the flesh of Iesus Christ, but we must admit & alow his bodie to be infinite: which thing entirely derogateth from the truth of his nature, and by the same meanes vtterly ouerthroweth the chiefest grounds & most principall foundations of our Faith. For except we beleeue him to haue bin man, and the sonne of man in al things (our sinnes and imperfections onely reserued) like vnto vs: whereupon shall we build our assurance and persuasion, that he hath redeemed and ransomed our nature, and that he is our high priest, which hath compassion vpon all our infirmities? Further it maie be alleadged, that we cannot deuise to speake any thing more fauourable and auaileable for the herises of Marcion and Apollinaris: the one of whom maintained that the body of Iesus Christ was a fantastique bodie, and the other said, that it was an heauenlie bodie, as the foresaid corporall eating of the flesh of Iesus Christ is heauenlie.
The sixteenth is, that if we eate the flesh of Iesus Christ bodilie, the substance of our bodies must of necessitie be augmented therebie, and nourished, euen as it is by other corporall [Page 38] meates that we receaue: a thing wholie and altogether contrarie to experience, for the bodies of the faithfull, notwithstanding the eating onely of his flesh, & drinking of his blood, must of necessitie perish and wither awaie, except they be nourished and preserued by some other food or else by some other meane.
The seuenteenth is, that as we doe not eate corporall meates spirituallie: euen so we can not eate according to this proportion, things spirituall carnallie.
The eighteenth is, That if we eate the flesh of Iesus Christ corporallie, so little a bodie as his was, being so broken in peices and parted, should not suffice so manie, as by eating were made partakers thereof.
Wherefore we may safely inferre vpon all these reasons, that the meane whereby we are ioyned to Iesus Christ is spirituall, and that by Faith wrought in vs by the power of the Spirite we do eate his flesh and drinke his blood, that is to say, that we are vnited and ingrafted in his bodie, and more and more lincked and allied vnto him. And so saith Sainct Augustine verie plainelie, writing vpon the 26. Psalme: Behold (saith that holie father) our pledge and our assurance: that we by Faith, Hope, and Charitie are for euer ioyned to our head in heauē: as he by diuinitie, bountie, & vnion is with vs vpon the earth euen vnto the worlds end. And vpon the 30. Psa. Whole Christ is the head with the bodie, the heade is the [Page 39] sauiour of the bodie, the head (I say) which is already ascended vp into heauen: and the body is the church, which yet doth labour and is sore troubled heere vpon the earth. Now if the bodie had not bin ioyned and bounde to the head with a chaine of Charitie, that of the head & bodie there might be made but one, he would neuer haue spoken from heauen in this manner rebuking that persecutour Saul: Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? Act. 22.
Then this ioyning is not after the manner of things natural, or conteined and circunscribed and enclosed in any place, as the ioyning together of two stones in one place with lime and sand, or of two peeces of wood the one to the other with glew; but it is a diuine and mysticall ioyning as you haue sufficientlie declared, and what maner of faith we ought to bring with vs when we come to celebrate the Supper. Now if it please you I would haue you to proceede, & to shew me in like manner what manner of Charitie is required.
We maie carrie no hatred ne anie euill affection in our heart against our neighbour, but forget and pardon one another all such iniuries and offences as being remembred might breake or otherwise offende that mutuall friendship which ought to compasse in and enclose the whole bodie of the Church. And yet thus much is not sufficient: but we must moreouer, reknowledge our selues to bee brethren and the sonnes of one father, and [Page 40] members not only of one bodie but also of another, haue but one heart, one soule and one minde. And as we haue but one Baptisme, one Faith, one Law, one spirit, one sauiour, one heritage, one hope, and one table: so we maie not be but one bodie in our God being euermore prest and readie to helpe one another both with such blessings as God hath outwardlie bestowed vpon vs, and also with councell, with carefulnesse, with painfulnesse, with our friends, and generallie with our whole strength and power, whereof our neighbors may stand in neede. And forasmuch as we are all of vs vnperfect in this charitie, as well as we are in Faith: when we come to the supper, we must remember to cal vpon God that it would please him to increase the same in vs by his spirit, and to forgiue vs our manifold infirmities and imperfections.
Then it is not sufficient that we haue this Faith and this Charitie, which you haue handled, to come to the supper: but it is further required that we humble our selues before God, and pray vnto him, that notwithstanding our vnworthines it would please him to receiue & to admit vs thereunto of his bountifull, gratious, and free fauor.
It is euen so, syr, as you saie.
May it please you, Eusebius, to rehearse the forme both of your praier and of the confession that you vse when you come to the [Page 41] Supper? might it not be ouermuch trouble vnto you, I would gladlie heare it in those selfe & same termes, wherein it is your wont and manner to vtter it.
I ioyne them both together, and falling downe before God, I saie vnto him in this manner following.
O Lord, who and what am I, that I should receiue so manie graces & fauors at thy hands? to be inuited, receiued and intreated so honorablie in thy house? to sit at thy table and there to be fedde and refreshed with the flesh and blood of thy sonne, to be lincked and ioyned with him in such sort as we shall neuer be sundered, to be called to take part of all the benifits and blessings, and to be adopted by thee into a certeine hope to be thine heire, and to enioy the glory of resting and abiding for euer in that life and true blessednesse which thou hast promised, and keepest to the benefit and behoofe of thy children? Was it not sufficient, my vnthankfulnesse and vnkindnesse towards thee considered, and the spoile and wast of all thy good blessings bestowed vpon me remembred, that when I came home againe to thee, thou wouldest forgiue my trespasses and offences, and taking pitie of me thy poore creature lost and vtterlie cast away, thou wouldest make me as one of thy hired seruants?Luke 15. & yet Thou didst embrace me in thine armes, and kisse me, and yet thou diddest cause the best robe to be brought forth and to [Page 42] be put vppon me, thou diddest put a ring vppon my hand, thou diddest kill the fatte calfe that I might eate and be merie in so great ioy, and so good companie of my friends. Was it not sufficient, this being regarded that my condition was no better, and it may be, wel worse then the condition of a dogge, that thou wouldest suffer me, onelie to gather the croomes that fell from thy table, Matth. 15. as the poore Cannanite besought thee? but thou gauest me the whole loafe, which belongeth onelie to thy children, or that thou wouldest onely speak the word? & yet thou diddest come vnder my roofe, & euen into my house to heale me. Am I more worthy, is my faith greater then the faith of the Centuriō, who accounted himself vnworthy of so great fauor? was it not sufficient, that as thou didst passe by, thou wouldest vouchsafe onelie to speake vnto me, & to looke towards me? & yet thou didst come home with me euen into my house, Luke. 19. and thou didst feast me at thy proper costs & charges, was it not sufficiēt, that thou wouldst cal me after the mariage to break my fast with the leauings at thy table? and yet thou didst bid me to the feast, & receiue me to the cheifest of the banquet, wherein thine oxen & thy fatlings were prepared & serued. Is it not meruailous much,Matth. 22. that in things which proceede only of thy gracious liberality, thou hast added an oath & signes & seales, yea & hast left thy holy spirite for a gage & pledge of thy promises, to the end we shold in no case doubt but [Page 43] that it will please thee to performe them, & hauing thy bond vnder so many assurances, that we might go with boldnes & cōfidence to thy throne of thy mercy, to be helped of thee in due time, & there to obtaine both pardon and life? Is it not wonderfull, that with al thy creatures thou wouldst giue thy selfe vnto vs, & after we haue iustlie deserued manie afflictions and calamities, we haue contrarily receiued of thee so great blessinges as we are not able to value nor to number them, not to comprehend them, nor sufficiently to consider them? And what meaneth this, O Lord, that to make satisfaction for our sinnes & to redeeme a company of robbers, murtherers, theeues, adulterers, blasphemers, proud, couetous, traitours, faithles, liers, idolators, thākles, & such roges, & beggars, as weare, thou thy selfe hast deliuered thy only son to the death, not only in hostage for our deliuerance, but also in pledge that he might abide in the same in our place, if happely he had not bin of sufficient righteousnes to rāsome vs, & of sufficient power to fight with death, & of sufficient life to swallow him vp & to confound so deadlie an aduersarie. What meaneth this, O Lord, that thou hast contrarie to thy iustice, thy nature, thy custome, & thy promises not acknowledged him for a season, notwithstāding he was thy son? refused & cast him off, notwithstāding he entreated thee? forsaken and let him passe, notwithstanding that in thee he had reposed al [Page 44] his hope: looked vpon him without all pitie & compassion, notwithstanding that he endured great extremities, and that his soule as he himselfe witnessed was heauie and sorrowfull euen vnto the death. And further, what is this, that as if thou haddest beene the most cruel tyrant that euer was heard of, thou hast condemned him being innocent and guiltles: and curssed him being the blessed seed, and hauing perfectly accomplished the whole Law: and lastlie deliuered him into the hands of many executioners to be put to death betweene two theeues, the most shamefull death that euer man died: notwithstanding he was righteous, faithfull, & the author of life vnto all creatures. Who could beleeue, if thou hadst not spoken it, if it were not written in thy word, if thy signes and tokens did not shew it, and lastlie if thy holie spirit did not assure it vnto our consciences, that a God, merciful, patient, and slow to anger, that a God of all comfort and consolation, and a louing Father, as thou art, the staie and refuge of all afflicted and forlorne persons, the hauen and sunnie seate of all those that are tossed and wearied, the freedome and safetie of all sinners when they are chased and pursued: who would beleeue (I saie) that such a God had locked vp as it were, al his pitie and compassion from his owne sonne, and that he had now no more either eies to behold and to looke vpon him in his distressed estate, nor eares to hearken vnto [Page 45] his praiers and complaints. Was it not sufficient, that he should come into the world, but he must liue heere in so great miserie as he did? or if he must needs liue here; that he might not haue died? or if he must needs die; that he might not haue died on the crosse? or if vpon the crosse; it might haue beene without shame? or if with shame; it might haue beene without the cursse? or if with cursing, at the least it might not haue beene without some pitie on thy part? If thou be forced, after we haue infinitelie and grosselie sinned, to take vp thy rods and scourges to giue vs due correction, thou art grieued: if thou see that we are stiffnecked, thou art well contented for the first to let vs see thy rods in redinesse: if we be not the better after that sight, thou liftest thy arme, thou shakest it long before thou strikest, thou stretchest it out, and then soddenlie pullest it in againe and withholdest thy stroke: and thou shewest plainly by thy countenance what griefe and paine it is vnto thee to smite vs: if thou smite vs, thou doest it sparingly, and often feelest the hurte that thou doest vs sooner then we our selues: if we crie out vnto thee, by and by thou ceasest thy correction and repentest: yea we can no sooner open our mouth to shew our sorrow and to confesse our sinnes vnto thee, but thou openest thine also at the same instant to forgiue the same, and to comfort vs in our distresse. Wherefore then being so gentle and [Page 46] easie towards vs who are no other then wolfes and verie Deuils in the shape of men hast thou helde so hard and so sharpe an hand ouer this Lambe, who is so much more mightie, vnspotted, and innocent then all his Angels, as they cannot haue the like preheminence and aduantage ouer vs? what had he deserued to be so little spared? or we, to be so greatlie forborne? if he haue not offended, in That he made himselfe of no value and tooke on him the forme of a seruant, Phil. 2. when as he, being in the forme of God, thought it no robberie to be equall with God his Father, and in that he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death, euen the death of the crosse. Wherein hath he so greatlie offended, that he should deserue so strange and rigorous punishment? If Satan himselfe, as Sainct Matthew saide, could place his hope in thee, and call vpon thee, he should finde place also in thy grace and mercie: and yet thy sonne who felt in his soule an horrible distresse, and was oppressed with the anguishes and panges of death, notwithstanding his often cryings & humble requests and praiers, yea the bloodie sweate that dropped downe his face, euen vnto the earth for verie anguish & paine that he endured in bearing that huge and heauie burthen which thou didst laie vpon his shoulders, could not in the extremitie of this his miserie prouoke one drop of pitie & compassion in thy bowels. What meaneth all this I saie? alas! O Lord, I [Page 47] may not enquire, nor reason long with thee to seeke the cause thereof and to vnderstande it. For it is nothing else but a singular and souereigne mercie which it pleased thee to shew vs that we might be saued: and on the other side, the like iustice which thou hast executed against thy sonne, in him to punish our trespasses and transgressions. It is we that haue sinned, and it was thy pleasure that he should receiue the shame, the condemnation and the tormēts: he was righteous, and the onelie innocent and guiltlesse before thee in all the world, yet his innocencie did profite him nothing to escape thy iudgement. For we haue gathered the fruite, & by thy grace haue receaued the glorie, the life, the recōpence, & generally al the good things that he had deserued: he was made a sinner in vs, & we are made righteous in him: he became poore, to make vs rich: sicke, to make vs whole: low & humble, that we might be exalted & set aloft: and receaued nothing of vs but a mortall miserie, giuing vs in counterexchange a blessed life, so certein, as it cannot be changed, so great, as it cannot be encreased, so lasting, as it can neuer be ended. Before, by our sinnes & euil deserts, we were lost, but now, by thy gracious fauour, and by the merites of thy Sonne we are found againe: before, we were deade, but now we are raised vp againe: we were banished out of thy presence and out of thy realme, but now we are called backe againe, & our banishment [Page 48] is repealed: we were the seruants and slaues of Satan, in continual feare of death: but now we are made thy friends and children, to whom by promise thou hast giuen a certeine hope of life. Out of hel in a momēt thou hast raised & lifted vs vp into heauen, & of earth and doung (as we were) thou hast made vs pretious vessels vnto thy golrie. The very depth of darknes remained in vs and in our nature: but by the power of thy word & of thy Spirit, thou hast caused the day to shine continuallie in thy church, and that some of the members of the same do glyster as the starres of heauen, other more bright then the Sunne it selfe. This is our second creation, thus hast thou of nothing renued vs the second time, and made vs of nothing new creatures. S. Peter perceiuing that he was escaped out of the hands of Herod, and out of the prison, wherein he was so streightlie kept and locked, thought for a season that he dreamed of his deliuerance. And is not this a dreame, O Lord? or is it true? I meane that which I thinke and speake of thy innumerable graces toward vs, & of this most blessed freedome, wherein thou hast set vs by the death of thy Sonne. No, no, it is no dreame by any meanes. For there is nothing so certeine as thy graces & blessings vpon al those, that wil receiue them with cōfidence in thy promises. I cannot speake in the honor of them so much as I conceiue, nor conceiue so much as I beleeue, nor beleeue so much as is in truth. For they are [Page 49] so great, that my tongue, my cogitations, and my Faith cannot reach & atteine, nor measure the greatnesse and height thereof. Dauid considering the infinite vncōceiuable malice & wickednesse of mankind, asked this question, whither there were any that could reckon and vnderstand their faultes? But contrarilie,Psal. 19.12. I aske this question: who is he that can number, or speake, or thinke of al thy benefits? For albeit that our sin aboundeth, yet thy grace aboundeth more: without the which, O Lord, what should become of me? whither should I go? what hope should remaine for me? vpon the earth there is nothing but thy cursse: from heauen thy wrath is reueiled vpon my wickednes and vnbeliefe: in al things that are vnder the sun, there is nothing but vanitie. Therefore when I looke to see from whence my helpe shall come, after I haue cast mine eies euery way round about me, I must of force confesse with thy Prophet, that from thy goodnesse onely I am to looke and to wayte for my help: and,Psal. 52. that among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen, whereby we must be saued, then the name of thy sonne. I am wicked and wretched more then I can expresse: but thou art good and mercifull, more then I can thinke or conceiue, when I looke vpon my selfe, al my hope of saluation departeth: but as soone as thou turnest thy face towards me, by & by my hope returneth, namelie, when thou shewest in thy countenance the compassion that thou [Page 50] takest of my miserie, to defend me against the fansies and illusions of my carnal vnderstanding, and to vphold me in the dreadfull and terrible skirmishes, wherewith my poore and weake conscience is often assailed & sore amased, to repel and to driue backe al the temptations of the wicked Spirit, & to giue me courage and an assured hardinesse against those horrible threatnings layd out in thy law agaynst all the transgressors of the same: and in briefe, to keepe me from falling, and to lift me vp when I am downe, I haue no other meane but thy mercie, and the grace that thou hast promised me by the merits of thy sonne. This is my forte & castle, when I am beseiged by the enimie of my saluation, & my place of refuge and rescue, when thy wrath and iudgements do follow & pursue me. This is the staffe and the proppe, not onelie of my age, but also of my whole life: for there is no parte or age of my life, wherein I am not so weake, that without it I cannot be able to stand. O most excellēt & perfect receipt, which neuer man yet prooued, but was cured of his sicknesse, and redilie found remedy of al his diseases. Am not I greatlie bound to the, that thou hast taught me this receipte? and further, that thou hast made it for my vse, & applied it to my infirmitie, and healed me by it? O good God! O how great and how wonderfull is thy goodnesse? There is nothing so great, as I suppose, as are the benefits that thou hast bestowed [Page 51] vpon me, & doest continue vpon me day by day. And yet I must beleeue and confesse, that they are small, & almost of no price, in respect of those, which thou keepest in store for me, & I looke for and hope for at thy hands. But this seemeth a verie pitiful case, that they should be so great; and on the contrarie, that my Faith should be so litle and so weake to receiue them, and my spirit so rude & ignorant to vnderstand them, and my tongue so vnsmooth to expresse them, and that which is worst of al, my affection so cold to acknowledge & to esteeme them at their price and value. And yet this cursed and damnable vnthankfulnesse of mine doth not withdraw thy goodnesse & largenesse towards me, which day by day thou dost continue more and more, yea in such sort, as the latter fauour and graces which thou shewest me, do far surmount & surpasse the former, which thou hast bestowed vpon me. It is not possible to reckon or to imagine the thankes that I owe vnto the: the let & the hinderance whereof is partlie my owne insufficiencie and weakenesse, and partlie the hugenesse and infinite number of thy benifits. But to discouer all my shame and all my nakednesse vnto the, it proceedeth from the small remembrance and feeling that I haue of thy goodnesse, what remaineth, but that I shalbe esteemed altogether vnthankfull towards thee? nothing remaineth, but onlie to pray thee that thou wouldst open my lippes by thy holie [Page 52] Spirit, to the end that I may acknowledge and confesse mine vnthankefulnesse and vnworthinesse, to be sorowfull that I can no better feele and conceiue of thy benifits in my heart, to cry out alowd, that thou art infinite in goodnesse, who hast bestowed so manie graces vpon me, and that for my part I am infinite in wickednes, who do price, esteeme, & regard them so litle: and in generall to protest in publique, that my saluation proceedeth from thee, & my destructiō from my selfe, if it were not thy good pleasure of thy singular grace & fauor to prouide for & to meete with that inconuenience. Helpe me now, ô Lord, that I may do this by the whole course of my life, and that the readines & good affection hereunto, that thou hast giuen me at this present, be not in vayne & of none effect. Suffer me not, ô God my father, to take delight & pleasure in any other thing, thē in the knowledge, meditation, speaking, & praising of thy mercy and great fauors towards me: & of the contrarie, to take no greater sorrow & displeasure, then in the crimes, offences, and lewde demeanours, that I commit against thy Maiestie. This is the praier and confession that I make, before I come to the table of my Sauiour.
Yet this is not all that I will require: for you must now let me vnderstand, what you thinke at the verie instant, when the bread and wine is ministred?
The bread and wine that I take, that [Page 53] I see and behold, and that I taste, are, as it were, certeine steps and traces, to guid, and to lift vp my spirit by litle and litle, to the regard and remembrance of that league and alliance, which God hath made with vs, of the forgiuenesse of my sinnes, of life euerlasting, of the adoption of children, of the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen, of al spiritual ioye, of perpetual rest, of glorie, of grace, of peace, and in generall, of all the great and true felicities therein conteined. After that I cal to minde Iesus Christ, the Mediatour and worker of this new league, who hath by his death found means, that it shalbe auaileable, and of full strength and vertue, and cancelling the bond & obligation wherein we were bound before, and acquitted vs, and set vs free from al the whole cursse. Thence I go farther, and I come on to behold the charitie and loue of God towards vs, not able to be conceiued; who spared not his onely Sonne, but deliuered him and gaue him ouer to the death, that he might make satisfaction for our iniquities and offences. Lastly, I doe shut vp my inward thoughts, with repeating ouer and ouer, when I arise from the table, how manie waies I am bound vnto him, and with rendring vnto him such thankes, as it pleaseth him to inspire into my heart.
You haue greatlie satisfied & contē ted me, Eusebius, in al your answers: & I thanke God for the knowledge, that he hath giuen [Page 54] you of the substance & meaning of this misterie: beseeching him, (to the end it be not prophaned & made vnholie) that by his good will and pleasure al such, as shalbe to celebrate the same mysterie, may haue like measure of vnderstanding. And now, because I haue no leisure to continue longer with you, I wil commit you to God, and leaue you to his protection, vntill our next meeting.
A TREATISE OF THE TRVE SACRIFICE AND TRVE PRIEST. Made by I. de l'Espine, Minister of the word of God.
THere be many that meruaile why we refuse and condemne the Masse with so great constancie and vehemencie, and slaunder vs grieuously in that respect: spredding & sowing rumors of vs in the eares of the common people, and also of great and mightie Princes, that we are opinatiue, arrogant, seditious, rebellious, factious, and manie other slaunderous lyes wherewith they do fill and breake continuallie the eares of the vnlearned and ignorant, and of those that take any delight in hearing them. But to shew that we are not ledde by any opinion or fond and foolish fancie, nor by seeking of any vaine glorie, nor by any other passion [Page 55] which troubleth and carieth away our wits, I wil in this smal treatise render reason, as it were in a summe, of that which we hold and mainteine, to euery one that is willing to know the same. And I doubt not, my Lord, if it wil please you to do me so much fauour as to reade and to marke my writing, but you will stoppe your eares henceforth against the lying and slanderous speaches of our aduersaries whereby they seeke to defame & to discredite vs, and in time you will take vpon you the protection and defence of our cause.
I will not spende time in expounding the name of the Masse, nor in shewing of what pieces, in what age, and by whom it was first patched together: neither will I blase the crosses and other pettie aperies and monkeries therein vsed, seruing more to moue laughter then to edifie in true pietie & godlinesse. All such trifles I will ouerpasse, and wil handle onely the chiefest and most principall points, such as are thought to be the grounds and foundations of the Masse, namely the office of the Priest, the Sacrifice, and the things that haue beene added to the one and the other.
Touching the office of the Preist it is an honor and an estate, the title & execution whereof cannot belong to any other then to Iesus Christ. For we beleeue, that he alone is our Christ, that is to saie; he whom God the Father hath anoynted and ordeined to be our king: [Page 56] that hee might gouerne and defende vs: and our Prophet to teach and to instruct vs in all things apperteining to our saluation, and to his honor and glorie: and our Priest to offer Sacrifice, and by his sacrifice to appease the heauie wrath and displeasure of God against vs: and further to praie and to make intercession for vs, and by his sute to entertaine and to keepe vs in his fauour. Therefore euen as it were blasphemous, to acknowledge & approoue any other king and lawmaker to rule and to gouerne our consciences then Iesus Christ, or any other master & teacher then him to traine vs vp in matters of God: so we commit blasphemie against his honor, if we admit or acknowledge anie other Priest to sacrifice for vs then him.
Further, no man may attribute vnto himselfe any honor herein Except he be called thereunto of God, as Aaron was. But there is none saue onelie Iesus Christ, whom God hath glorified by ordeining and creating him high Priest, and to whom he hath said, Thou art my Sonne, this day haue I begotten thee. Whereupon it followeth, that vnto him alone belongeth this honor and dignitie.
Heb. 7.26.Againe the qualities and conditions of the Priest of the new Testament are these, that he be holie, innocent, vnspotted, separated from sinners, and exalted far aboue the heauens. Which points cannot belong to any other thē to Iesus Christ, because al men, he only excepted, being borne [Page 57] and brought foorth of flesh, are flesh, that is to saie, defiled & sinful, as their parents were, and therefore vncapeable of the Priesthood.
Againe, the Priest must be eternall and for euer, after the order of Melchisedech: Heb. 7.3. that is to saie, as it is expounded by the Apostle, without father, without mother, without kindred, hauing neither beginning of his dayes, neither end of his life. Which cannot be applied to our Priests nor to any mortall man.
Againe,Heb. 7.22. He needeth not daylie to offer vp Sacrifice for his owne sinnes, as the Priestes of Leui did neede. From which necessitie there is none that can be freed and deliuered, but onely Iesus Christ; insomuch as by reason of sinne abiding in them, and of infirmities wherewith they are inclosed and compassed, they haue neede continuallie to pray vnto God and to aske him pardon for the same.
Again, if any other were capeable of the estate of the Priesthood then Iesus Christ, they must needs be Priests after one of these two orders: to wit, of Leui, or of Melchisedech: but they cannot be after the order of Leui, because all the ancient ceremonies, yea, and the Law it self that commanded them, are now abolished. So it should remaine that They must be after the order of Melchisedech. Psal. 110. But that is no more possible thē the other, because they should be Priests for euer, which is not incident to any mortall man.
Againe, the Priest must be more worthie & [Page 58] honorable then the sacrifice that he doth offer: for the Sacrifice of whatsoeuer it be, cannot please God, but onely in respect of him that offereth. And it is the reason alledged by the Apostle,Heb. 11. why Abel by Faith did offer vnto God a more excellent Sacrifice then Cain: meaning thereby that the price and worthinesse of the Sacrifice proceeded hence, that he which offered being faithfull, was by Faith acceptable to God. Whereupon it must needes be that if the Masse Priests were true sacrificing Priests and did offer Iesus Christ in their Masse, as they pretend, that they should be of more worthinesse and honor then he, and that he should not be in the fauor of God but by their credit and fauor.
Lastlie, whosoeuer is Priest, by the same meane is become Mediator betweene God & man, for the end of the Sacrifice is to procure the remission of sinnes, and so consequently to reconcile man vnto God. So if the Massepriests could be Sacrificing Priests they should also be Mediators, which they cannot be. For euen as there is but one God, so there is but one Mediator betweene God and man. And thus yee see by these proofes that the name, the title, and dignitie of Priesthood cannot belong to anie other then to Iesus Christ, and without great and monstrous blasphemie that we cannot attribute the same to any other.
In like manner it is he onely that can exercise the office of priesthood: for the Priest must [Page 59] appease the wrath of God, and reconcile him vnto men that are in his displeasure, And this is not possible to be done, without a most perfect obedience: euen as his wrath & heauy displeasure at the beginning was stirred vp & inflamed against vs by no other thing, then the disobedience of our first parents. But none is able, except Iesus Christ alone, to yeld such obedience to God as is required, by reason of the perfection & integritie of his nature. Therefore for this respect, no man can execute the office of the Preist but he.
Further, the Priest must satisfie the iustice of God for the iniquities and transgressions of those, in whose fauour he offereth the sacrifice, inasmuch as he appeereth and presenteth himselfe before him, as a pledge and a suretie for their debts: which no carnal and sinful man is able to performe. For how should he acquite the debts of another,Luke 7. being himselfe alwaies indebted, and vnable to pay his owne? as it appeereth by the parables of those two, that were bound to one creditor, whō they could not pay & satisfie: and of him,Marth. 18. that ought the King ten talents, which by no means he was able to discharge: and by the ordinarie confession of the Church,Matth. 6. which (I say) the Catholique Church doth make vnto God, praying for the remission and forgiuenesse of her sinnes and offences. Wherefore, there is no other, that can in this point discharge the office & dutie of the Priest.
[Page 60] Heb. 9.Again, The Priest must obteine remission of sins for those for whom he doth sacrifice, which cannot be obteined without sheading of blood:Heb. 9.22. For without sheading of blood (saith the Apostle) is no remission. And this blood may not be the blood of bulls, goates, calues, lambes, or of anie other beast, which cannot purge & purifie the conscience; but it must be the blood of the Priest himselfe, & the same without spot. Seeing then that neuer in the world there hath bin blood with that conditiō, but onely the blood of Iesus Christ, we may hereby well conclude, that it is he onely, that can execute the office of the Priest.
Heb. 9.17.Againe, the Priest must procure the confirming & ratifying of the Testament, and of the new league and alliance with God. But the Testament is yet of no force, as long as he that made it is aliue. If thē our Massepriests could be true sacrificing Priests, they ought, for the performance of their duetie & charge, to dye, & so to become testators, to the end, that by their death the Testament might be confirmed. Now they are no Testators, because they are not God; neither do they yet die: and albeit they should die yet their death would not be auailable to the confirming of the Testament, which they had not made before, wherefore it followeth, that they cānot exercise the state of the Priesthood.
Heb. 9.26.Further, The office of the Priest is to destroye sinne: as the Apostle sheweth, which is not possible [Page 61] for any mortal man to doe, being the seruant and slaue of sinne, bearing it about him in his bosome, nourishing & mainteining it continually with him, giuing it being, strength, & vigour, bringing it forth of his mothers womb, and keeping it euer after vntill his dying day; & being vnable to liue without it, so greatly vnwilling to destroy it, that if it were dead in him, he would quicken and reuiue it. Seeing then that there is none but Iesus Christ, that is come into the world, to destroy sinne, and the other workes of the Deuil (as S. Iohn saith) there is none but he that can execute the office of the Priest.1. Iohn. 3.5.
Againe, the office of a Mediator, Heb. 9. is to appeare before the face of God, continuallie to make intercession for vs, and to keepe vs in his grace & fauor. But none, saue only Iesus Christ, can performe this poynt. For Isaiah the Prophet, speaking of men, saith in this manner:Esaie 33.14. Who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire? who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings? And Dauid confirmeth the same, saying; The foolish shal not stand before thy face, nor come into thy presence: thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie. Then if no man be altogether pure and free from foolishnes, but euery one committeth often times iniquitie, we must inferre hereupon, that the Massepriests, which are like other men, haue neede them selues of one to present them vnto God, and to bring them to the presence of his Maiestie, which otherwise they were not able [Page 62] to come vnto, so much are they vnable to bring in a sinner into the presence of God, to begge his pardon, or by their own credit and fauor to inclyne and to bend the Maiestie of God to shew him fauour.
We haue shewed, that the Priest must pacifie the wrath, & appease the anger of God. Now I saie that he is to passe on farther, and namely, to charge his owne shoulders with the burthen of God his wrath, to the end that he maie discharge those, that he would reconcile vnto him. Now we are to consider what strength a mortal man can haue, to beare so great and so heauie a burthen, as the heauen, the earth, the mountains, and the whole frame of the world is not able to endure. Iesus Christ himselfe being innocent, the arme, the power, & the right hand of God, did shrinke, and sweate blood in great aboundance, for the hugenesse and heauines of this burthen, when he had taken it vpon his shoulders. For it was the verie feeling of the iudgement of God, and not of the death of the bodie, which caused him to feele such anguishes as he endured & complained of, when the houre of his crucifiing was at hand. And how then can a poore Chaplin, cloathed with al manner of iniquitie, & drinking downe vnrighteousnesse as water, be so hardie as to offer himselfe to beare so heauie a burthen, vnder which Iesus Christ, with al his strength and innocencie, remained almost ouerwhelmed?
[Page 63]Lastly, the office of the Priest is,Heb. 2. To haue compassion of the infirmities of al the elect that are in the world, to comfort them, and to sweeten the bitternesse of their euils and sorrowes. And this is not to be done of any, but onely of Iesus Christ: because there is none but he, that can vnderstand them, and prouide remedy for them. For the men of the West cannot learne the afflictions of them that dwel in the East: nor they of the South, the miseries of those that inhabit the North, by which reason, they cannot take any pitie either of other, nor prouide due remedies for them, by reason of their weakenes and insufficiencie. By this reason with the former we may conclude, that they can by no meanes execute the office and estate of the Priesthood.
We haue prooued, that our Priests cannot be true Priests for sacrifice, neither yet discharge that office. Now let vs prooue in like manner, that their sacrifice cannot be auayleable nor forceable to please or to appease God, nor any maner of way to procure or to obteine the remission of sinnes.
First, a sacrifice, to be of such a propertie, must be perfect, as Moses taught vs in the law: when as by the ordinance of God he commanded so expressely, that the beasts, which should be offered vnto him, to shadow him, should be perfect, & without blemish, & whole of al their members. But the sacrifices of men cannot be perfect, because they themselues being vnperfect, [Page 64] and al their workes vnperfect, haue not in regard of their personnes, or of their righteousnesse, any other perfection then that which is imputed vnto them by the grace of God, in the name and fauor of Iesus Christ. Therefore it followeth, that they can offer nothing vnto God, that may make him well pleased and fauorable vnto sinners.
Further, it is required, that all Sacrifices (as al other workes) should be ioyned with obedience, & so by consequent, that they should be commanded. For otherwise they should be offered without Faith, & so become abhominable before God. Yea the verie sacrifice, that Iesus Christ did make of his owne bodie, if it had not beene foreappointed of his Father, had not beene receiued nor accepted. And therefore it is, that he maketh the greatest reckoning and the greatest accompte of his obedience. For thus he saith:Psal. 40.9. Burntoffering and sinoffering hast thou not required: then said I: loe, I come. For in the roll of the booke it is written of me, that I should do thy will, o God. S. Paul in like manner doth attribute al the fruite and profite, that commeth by the death of Iesus Christ to his obedience, when he saith, That he became obedient to his father euen vntill the death, and therefore that God had highlie exalted him. Nowe let our preistes shew vs by scripture, that God hath commanded them to chaunte & to sing masse, if they wil haue vs to approue their sacrifice. If [Page 65] they cannot do it, no more can we without it auouch their sacrifice to haue power and vertue to satisfie and to please God as they doe hold, neither yet that it is acceptable nor holy before God. Againe the power of such a sacrifice must be eternall and infinite that it may surpasse and exceede the disobedience of the first Adam. And as the one hath spread abroad the poyson thereof, & a general calamity vpon all the men in the world, in what countrie, time, or age soeuer they haue liued: so the obedience of the second Adam being opposed to that of the first must bring a generall blessing & felicitie vpon al them, that are predestinate to eternal life: to the end, That where sinne hath abounded, Rom. 5. there the grace of God might more abound. But the sacrifice of a Popish Priest cannot haue this vertue and power, yea lesse then the ancient sacrifices of the Priests of Leui, which were ordeined & appointed of God, and were a type and shadow of Iesus Christ. Then let vs conclude against their opinion, that it neither is, nor can be sufficient to please God.
Also, the sacrifice, wherewith God must be pleased, and his wrath appeased, must be but one: for otherwise it should not be perfect, if it were renewed, neither the power and vertue thereof infinite, wherefore the Preists that sing so many masses, doe euidently declare by the multiplying of their Sacrifices, that they are vnperfect, and therefore they cannot be propitiatorie; [Page 66] that is to say, of nature and force to please and to satisfie God. If they saie (as commonlie they do) that they offer Iesus Christ; we answere: First, it cannot be so: because Iesus Christ can die no more: Rom. 6. Heb. 9. which must needes be, if he were sacrificed againe: because there is no Sacrifice without death.
Secondlie, this renewing of the Sacrifice should be vnprofitable and seruing to no vse, in respect of the remission of sinnes, which by Faith we do beleeue and obteine:Heb. 10. for Where no remission is, there is no more sacrifice for sinne. For if the end of the Sacrifice be, to sanctifie and to perfect him, for whom it is offered; what need we to haue anie more sacrifices, seeing that by the sacrifice,Heb. 7. that Iesus Christ did offer vnto God, of his owne body, we are already sanctified and made holie for euer.
Thirdly, it would be a great preiudice, and a notorious iniurie to him, if his Sacrifice should be renewed and offered againe by any other, then by himselfe. For if it were so, then should he be robbed and spoiled of his honor,Heb. 7. and the oblation that he made once of his body, should be reputed and taken as vnperfect and insufficient: for the renewing is a certeine reason and argument of imperfection.
And if there were other Priests to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne,Heb. 8. and Iesus Christ were yet abiding vpon the earth, he should be no Preist at all. For if he were Preist, he should be [Page 67] Priest alone, neither can he haue any fellow to be ioined and associate vnto him in the Preisthood, no more then in his other offices. So we may be resolued, that we ne haue, ne can haue other Preist to reconcile vs to God, then Iesus Christ: ne other sacrifice then that, which he hath once offered, to purchase vnto vs remission of al our sinnes. And so He is both the Priest, and also the oblation, as saith S. Augustine. For as there was neuer in the world anie perfect bodie, saue his onely, worthie to be offered vp vnto God in sacrifice: so there was neuer anie other man so perfect, as he was fit and capable to offer vp the same bodie in sacrifice.
The third point, which we haue to consider in the Masse, is touching certaine things annexed to the sacrifice and to the Priesthood: which poynt maie briefelie and in fewe words be dispatched. For they are confessions, praiers, or praises, or the reading of Epistles and Gospels, or of ceremonies. As concerning praises, such as are the orisons or confessions, made at the beginning & entrance of the Masse, they are to be reiected and refused: because they are for the most parte, against the expresse commandement of God, consecrated to creatures.Psal. 9. As concerning praiers, this is much vngodlines or impietie, and no lesse infidelitie or vnbeliefe in them, forasmuch as the intercession or merite of some Saincte is most commonlie mingled and ioyned with them.Iosue. 7. As for the reading [Page 68] of the Epistle and Gospell, in that the name of God is vsed & taken in vaine, because they be redde in a strange language, it cannot bring any edifiing to the congregation. As for the ceremonies, to the end I saie nothing more grieuous, they are al superstitious, because they are al the inuentions of men, without any sence or signification, saue onlie such, as slumbering and dreaming Monckes haue forged in their mindlesse and witlesse braines, and after haue pleased to bestowe vpon them: yea some of them are meere idolatries: as the worshiping of the bread, censing, and kneeling.
By this that hath bin discoursed, as in a summe, touching the chiefe and principall poyntes of the Masse, euerie one maie iudge what it is, and in what accompte & reckoning to be holden, and whither we haue manie and sufficient reasons to condemne, and to abhorre it, and to withdrawe all men from taking parte in so horrible blasphemies & impieties, whereof it is pieced and patched together.1. Cor. 10. For, It is impossible (as S. Paul saith) that we can be partakers of the Lord his table, & of the table of deuils. Then whosoeuer he be that goeth to the Masse, he leaueth, in so doing, the Lord his table, and forsaketh al the benefits there presented: that is to saie, he renounceth the sacrifice of Iesus Christ and al that thereupon dependeth: to witte, his righteousnes, life, the grace of God, and all the happinesse that he is to hope for, and to looke [Page 69] for one daie in his kingdome.
There be somme that saie (to cloake and to couer their forfeit and offence in this behalfe) that albeit they are present at Masse, yet notwithstanding they meane not to be partakers thereof, but in trueth it is not possible for a man to do the one, but he shal committe the other. For as S. Paul saith,2. Cor. 6. He that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifices, is he not partaker of the altar? that is to say, whosoeuer commeth to the ceremonies, maketh present profession, that he is partaker of the misteries therein vnderstood and taught, that he that goeth to the Masse, forsaketh and departeth from the table and benefites of Iesus Christ. This reason onely might be sufficent to withdraw all men from the same, and to hinder that they should not be present: and also that we haue an expresse commandement, that by no meanes we do communicate with the vnfuitefull workes of darkenes, but rather that we do blame them and reprehend them. Againe, That we do not couple our selues with infidels: that we departe out of their companie: that we seperate our selues from such, and handle nothing that is defiled or vncleane, for the reasons following: Because there is no fellowshippe betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse, betweene light and darkenesse, betweene Christ and Belial, betweene the faithfull and the infidel, lastly, betweene the temple of God and Idoles. Againe, we are commanded To depart out of Babylon, that we be not partakers of her sinnes, [Page 70] nor feele her woundes. Which testimonies of Scripture are cleare & plaine enoughe to turne aside the mindes of all men, that they haue no fellowshippe nor agreement with infidels, and chieflie in the exercise of religion, and of all things thereunto belonging.
I besech God who hath giuen you, my Lord, this willingnes and desire to be informed of this great abuse, I meane of the Masse, that it would please him to lighten your vnderstanding that you mai rightly and truely conceaue this treatise, breifely handeled and in fewe wordes: and to geue you such strength and fit occasions, as you may thereby be hable to withdrawe your selfe wholy from all these cursed abominations and horrible impieties, no doubte the cause & principall roote and spring of all the miseries and cursinges that are this day throughout the whole worlde. And surely, my Lord, there is no other waie to win and to keepe the fauour of God, from the which onelie you are to looke for all the honour, prosperitie, and increase, that you desire and promise to your selfe, then to seeke by al meanes possible the setting vp of his seruice and honour: yealding and applying your selfe with your whole hearte to his whole pleasure: & contrarilie, eschewing and auoyding whatsoeuer may offend and displease him: chiefelie and principallie, all the kindes of idolatrie, which aboue all other crimes and sinnes is most odious to him and most abhominable. I praie God to giue you the grace to seeke, and to procure vnto him this honour and seruice.