THe life we haue at this present, is the gifte of God, in whom we liue, moue; and are; and therefore hee is called IEHOVA, For the which life, as wée should he thankfull, so may we not in any wise vse it after our corrupt fantasies; but [Page 2]to the end for which it is giuen and lent vs, that is: to the setting forth of Gods praise and glory, by repentance, conuersion, and obedience, to his good will and holy lawes; whereunto his long suffering doth, (as it were) euen draw vs, if our hearts by impenitency were no hardened. And therefore our life in the Scripture is called a walk­ing; for that as the body daily draweth more and more néere his end, that is the earth: euen so our soule draweth daily more and more néere vnto death, that is, saluation, or damnation, hea­uen or hell.

Of which thing, in that we are most carelesse, and very fooles, (for we a­las, are the same to day, we were ye­sterday, and not better or nearer to God, but rather nearer to hell, Sa­than and perdition; being couetous, idle, carnal, secure, negligent, proud &c.) I think my labour cannot be bet­ter bestowed then with the Baptist, Christ Iesus, and his Apostles, to harpe on this string, which of al other is most necessary, and that in these [Page 3]dayes most specially. What string is that, saith one? Forsooth, brother, the string of repentance, the which Christ our Sauiour did vse, first in his Mi­nestery; and as his Minister, at this present, I will vse vnto you all:Mat. 4.17. Re­pent for the: Kingdome of heauen is at hand.

This sentence thus pronounced, and preached by our Sauiour Iesus Christ, as it doth command vs to re­pent, so to the doing of the same, it sheweth vs a sufficient cause to stirre vs vp thereunto; namely, for that, The kingdome of Heauen (which is a king­dome of all ioy, peace, riches, power and pleasure) is at hand, to all such as doe so, that is, as do repent: So that the meaning hereof is, as though our Sauiour might thus speake present­ly: Syrs, for that I see you all walk­ing the wrong way, euen to Sathan, and vnto hell fire, by following the kingdome of Sathan, which now is coloured vnder the vaine pleasures of this life, and foolishnesse of the flesh, most subtilly, to your vtter vndoing [Page 4]and destruction: behold, and marke well what I say vnto you: The King­dome of Heauen, that is, an other manner of ioy and felicitie, honour, and riches, power and pleasure, then you now perceiue of enioy; is euen at hand, and at your backes: and if you will turne againe, that is, Repent you, you shall most truly and pleasant­ly feele, see, and inherite. Turne a­gaine therefore, I say; that is Repent, for this ioy I speake of, euen, The Kingdome of Heauen is at hand.

Here we may note, first the corrup­tion of our nature, in that to this com­mandement, Repent you, he addeth a cause, For the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand: For by reason of the corrupti­on & sturdines of our nature, God vn­to all his commandements, common­ly, either addeth some promise to pro­uoke vs to obediēce, or else some such sufficiēt cause, as cannot but tickle vs vp to harty laboring for y^e doing of the same: as here to the commandement of doing penance, he addeth this Aeti­mologe or cause saying: For the king­dom of heauen is at hand.

Againe, in that hee ioineth to the Commandement the cause, saying: For the kingdom of heauen is at hand We may learne that of the kingdome of heauen, none (to whom the ministe­ry of preaching doth appertaine) can be partaker, but such as repent and do penance. Therfore, dearely beloued, if you regard the kingdome of hea­uen, in that you cannot enter therein, except you repent: I beseech you all of euery estate, as you desire you own peace of conscience, to repent and doe penance. The which thing that yee may doe, I wil indeuor my best now, to helpe you, by Gods grace.

But first, because we cannot well tell what repentance is, through ig­norance, and for lacke of knowledge, and false teaching: I will (to begin with all) shew you what Repentance is. Repentance, or penance is no eng­lish word, but wee borrow it of the Latinists, to whom Penance is a fore-thinking in English: in Greek, a being wise afterwards: in Hebrew, a conuersion or turning; the which [Page 6]conuersion or turning, in that it can­not be true and hearty, vnto God espe­cially, without some good hope or trust of pardon, for that which is already done and past: I may well in this sort define it; namely, that penance is a­sorowing or fore thinking of our sinnes past, an earnest purpose to a­mend, or turning to God with a trust of pardon.

This definition may be diuided in­to thrée parts: First a forrowing for our sinnes: Secondly, a trust of par­don, which otherwise may be called, a perswasion of Gods mercie, by the merits of Christ, for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes: And thirdly, a purpose to amend, or conuersion to a new life. The which third, or last part, cannot be called properly a part; for it is but an effect of penance, as towards the end ye shall see, by Gods grace. But lest such as seeke for occasion to speak euil, should haue any occasion, though they tarry not out the end of this Ser­mon: I therefore diuide Penance in­to the three foresayd parts:

• 1 Of sorrowing for our sinne.
• 2 Of good hope, or trust of pardon.
• 3 Of a new life.

Thus you may see what penance is: a sorrowing for sinne, a purpose to amend, with a good hope or trust of pardon.

This penance not onely differeth from that which men commonly haue taken to be penance, in saying and do­ing our enioyned Lady Psalters, se­uen Psalmes, fastings, Pilgrimages, Almes deedes, and such like things; but all from that which the more lear­ned haue declared, to consist of three parts: namely, Contrition, Confes­sion, and satisfaction.

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

Confession, they call, a numbering of all their sinnes in the eare of their ghostly father: for as (say they) a Iudge cannot absolue without know­ledge of the cause or matter; so cannot the Priest, or ghostly father, absolue [Page 8]from other sinnes, then those which he doth heare.

Satisfaction, they call amends ma­king vnto God for their sins, by their vndue workes, Opera indebita, Works more then they neede to doe, as they terme them: This is their penance which they preach, write, and allow: But how true this stuffe is, how it agreeth with Gods Word, how it is to bee allowed, taught, preached, and written, let vs a little consider. If a man repent not, vntill he haue a iust and full sorrowing for his sins (deare­ly beloued) when shall he repent? For in as much as hel fire, and the punish­ment of the diuels, is a iust punish­ment for sinne: In as much as in all sin, there is a contempt of God, which is all goodnes, and therefore there is a desert of all ilnesse: alas, who can beare for feele this iust sorrow, this ful sorrow for our sinnes, this their con­trition, which they do so discerne from their attrition? Shall not man by this doctrine, rather despaire, then come by repentance? If a man repent not vntil [Page 9]he haue made confession of all his sins in the eare of his ghostly father: if a man cannot haue absolution of his sinnes, vntil his sinnes be told by tale and number in the Priests eare (in that as Dauid sayth) none can vnder­stand much lesse then vtter al his sins: Delicta quis intelligit? Who can vnder­stand his sins? In that Dauid of him­selfe complayneth else where, how that his sinnes are ouerflowed his head, and as a heauy burthen doe op­presse him; alas, shall not a man by this doctrine, be vtterly driuen from repentance? Though they haue gone about, something to make plaister for their sorces of confession or attrition, to asswage this srruffe; bidding a man to hope well of his contrition, though it be not so full as is required, and of his confession, though hee haue not numbred all his sinnes, if so be that he doe so much as in him lyeth: deerely beloued, in that there is none, but that herein he is guilty (for who doth as much as he may) thinke yee, that this plaster is not like salt to sore eies? [Page 10]Yes vndoubtedly, when they haue done all they can, for the appeasing of consciences in these points, this is the summe, that wee yet should hope well, but yet so hope, that wee must stand in a mammering and doubting, whether our sinnes be forgiuen. For to beleeue Remissionem peecatorum, that is: To be certaine of forgiuenesse of sinnes, as our Creed teacheth vs, they count it a presumption. O obomina­tion, and that not onely herein, but in all their penance as they paint it!

As concerning satisfaction, by their Opera indebita, Vndue workes, that is: by such works as they need not to do, but of their owne voluntarinesse and wilfulnesse: (wilfulnesse in deed) who seeth not monsterous abomination, blasphemy, and euen open fighting a­gainst God? For if satisfaction can be done by man, then Christ died in vain, for him that so satisfieth, and so reig­neth he in vaine; soi s he a Bishop and a Priest in vaine. Gods lawe requi­reth loue to God with all our heart,Deut. 6.2 Mat. 22. soule, power, might and strength: to [Page 11]that there is nothing can bee done to Godward,Mar. 20. Luke 10. which is not contained in this Commandement: nothing ran be done, ouer and aboue this. Again, Christ requireth to man ward, That we should loue one another, Ioh. 3 as he lo­ued vs. And think you, Beloued, that we can doe any thing to our Neigh­bour ward, which is not herein com­prized?

Yea, let them tell mee, when they do any thing so in the loue of God, and their Neighbour, but that they had need to crie: Remitte nobis debita nostra, Forgiue vs our sinnes. Mat. 6. So far are we off from satisfying. Doth not Christ say:Luke 17 When you haue done all things that I haue commanded you, say; that you be but vnprofitable seruants? Put nothing to my word, sayth God.Apoc. 22 Deu. 4.1. Yes, works of supererogation, (yea, super­abomination) say they. Whatsoeuer things are true (saith the Apostle S. Paul) whatsoeuer things are honest, whatsoeuer things are iust, whatsoeuer things are pure, whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue, whatsoeuer things are [Page 12]of good report, if there be any vertue, or if there be any praise: haue you them in your mind, and doe them, and the God of peace shall be with you. Be­loued, this lesson wel regarded, would pull vs from popish Satisfactory works, which do deface Christs trea­sures and Satisfaction.

In heauen and in earth was there none found that could satisfie Gods anger for our sins, or get heauen for man, but only the Son of God, IESVS CHRIST, the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda, who by his bloud hath wrought the worke of Satisfaction; and he on­ly is worthy all honour, glory, and prayse; for hee hath opened the booke with the seuen Seales.

Dearely beloued, therefore abhorre this abomination, euen to thinke that there is any other satisfaction to God­ward for sin, then Christs bloud only. Blasphemy it is, and that horrible, to think otherwise. The bloud of Christ purifieth (sayth Saint Iohn) from all sinne. And therefore hee is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of [Page 13]the world, because there was neuer sinne forgiuen of God, nor shall bee from the beginning, vntill the end of the world, but onely through Christs death: Prate the Pope and his Pre­lates as please them, with their Par­dons, Purgatorie, Purgations, Pla­ceboes, Trentalles, Diriges, workes of Supererogation, Superabomina­tion &c.

I am hee (saith the Lord) which putteth away thine offences, Esay. 45. and that for mine owne sake, and will no more remember thine iniquities. Put me in remembrance (for we will reason to­gether and tell me what thou hast for thee, to make thee righteous. Thy first Father offended sore, &c. 1. Iohn. 2. And thus writeth Saint Iohn, If any man sinne, wee haue an Aduocate (sayth he) with the Father, euen Iesus Christ the righ­teous, and he is the propitiation, or sa­tisfaction for our sinnes.

As in the fourth Chapter hee saith; That God hath sent his Sonne to bee a propitiation, or satisfaction for our sinnes: According to that which Paul [Page 14]writeth, where hee calleth Christ a mercifull and faithful Priest, to purge the peoples sinnes.Heb. 2. So that blinde Bussards, and peruerse Papists they be, which yet will prate, our merits or works to satisfie for our sinnes, in part, or in whole, before Baptisme, or after.

For to omitte the testimonies I brought out of Iohn and Paul, which the blinde cannot but see: I pray you remember the text out of Esay, which euen now I rehearsed, being spoken to such as were then the people of God, and had bin a long time, but yet were fallen into grieuous sinnes, af­ter their adoption into the number of Gods children. It is for mine owne sake (saith God) that I put away thy sinnes. Where is your parting of the stake now? If it be for Gods owne sake, if Christ bee the propitiation: then recant, except you wil become I­dolaters, making your workes God and Christ. Say as Dauid teacheth: Not to vs Lord, not to vs, but to thy name be the glory.

And it is to be noted, that God doth tast in their feeth, euen the sinne of their first father, lest they should think that yet, perchance, for the righteous­nesse and goodnesse of their good fa­thers, their sinnes might bee the soo­ner pardoned, and so God accept their workes.

If they had taken Satisfaction, for that which is done to the Congregati­on publikely, by some notable punish­ment, as in the Primitiue Church was vsed to open offendors, sparkles whereof, and some traces yet re­maine, when such as haue sinned in adultery, go about the Church with a Taper in their shirts: Or if they had made Satisfaction for restitution to man ward, of such goods as wrongfully are gotten, the which true penance cannot be without: Or if by Satisfac­tion, they had meant a new life, to make amendes to the Congregation thereby, as by their euill life they did offend the Congregation; in which sence the Apostle séemeth to take that which he writeth in 2. Cor. 7 [Page 16]where the old Interpreter calleth Apologian, Satisfaction, which rather signifieth a defence or answering againe. If I say, they had taken Sa­tisfaction any of these wayes, then they had done well, so that the Satis­faction to God had béene left all onely to Christ.

Againe, If they had made Con­fession, either for that which is to God priuatly, either for that which is to the Congregation publiquely, ei­ther for that which is a frée consul­tation with some one learned in Gods booke, and appointed thereunto, as first it was vsed; and I wish were now vsed amongst vs, either for that which is a reconciliation of one to an­other, it had béene some thing: yea, if they had made it for faith, because it is a true demonstration of faith: as in Paul wée may sée, when hee calleth Christ the Captaine of our Confessi­on,Rom. 1. that is, of our faith (and so Con­fessors were called in the Primitiue Church) such as manfully did witnes their faith with the peril of their liues: [Page 17]if, I say, they had taken it thus, then had they done right well.

And so Contrition, if they had left out their subtill distinction, betwéene it and Atttirion, by this word iust or full, making it a hearty sorrow for their sinnes, then wee would neuer haue cryed out against them ther­fore. For wee say, penance hath thrée parts; Contrition, if you vnderstand it for a hearty sorrowing for sin; Con­fession, if you vnderstand it for faith, of frée pardon in Gods mercy, by Ie­sus Christ; & Satisfaction, if you vn­derstand it not to God-wards (for that onely to Christ must be left alone) but to man ward in restitution of goods wrōgfully or fraudulently gotten, of name hindred by our slaunders, and in newnesse of life: although, as I sayd before, & anon will shew more plainly by Gods grace, that this last is no part of penane in deed, but a plaine effect or fruit of true penance.

I might here bring in examples of their penance, how perilous it is to be embraced: but let the example of [Page 18]their graund Sire Iudas serue, in whome we sée all the parts of their pe­nnance, as they describe it; and yet notwithstanding he was damned. He was sorie enough, as the effect shew­ed: he had their contrition fully, out of the which he confessed his fault, say­ing: I haue betrayed innocent blood: and thereunto he made satisfaction, re­storing the money he had receiued. But yet all was but lost, he hanged vp himselfe, his bowels burst out, and he remained a child of perdition for euer. I would wish that this example of Iu­das, in whom ye see the parts of their penance, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, would moue them to pe­nance, and to describe it a little better, making hope or trust of Gods frée mercy a piece thereof, or else with Iu­das they will marre all.

Perchance these words, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, were v­sed as I haue expounded them at the first. But in that we sée so much daun­ger and hurt by vsing them without expositions; either let vs ioyne to [Page 19]them open expositions alwaies, or else let vs not vse them at all, but say as I write, that penance is a hearty sorrow for our sinnes, a good hope or trust of pardon through Christ, which is not without an earnest purpose to amend, or a new life. This penance is the thing, whereto all the Scripture cal­leth vs. This penance doe I now call you all vnto: this must bée continually in vs, and not for a Lent season, as we haue thought: this must increase day­ly more and more in vs: without this we cannot be saued.

Search therefore your hearts all, all swearers, blasphemers, lyers flat­terers, lewd, or idle talkers, iesters, bribers, coueteous persons, drun­kards, gluttons, whoremongers, théeues, murtherers, slanderers, idle liuers, negligent in their vocation, &c. All such, and all other as lament not their sinnes, as hope not in Gods mer­cy for pardon, and purpose not hearti­ly to amend, to leaue their swearing, drunkennes, whoredome, couetous­nesse, idlenesse, &c. All such I say shall [Page 20]not or cannot enter into Gods king­dome, but hel fire is prepared for them, wéeping, and gnashing of téeth: wher­unto, alas, I feare me, very many will needs goe, in that very many will be as they haue bin; let vs euen to the wearing of our tongue to the stumpes, preach and pray neuer so much to the contrary, and that euen in the bowels of Iesus Christ: as now I beséech you all; all, and euery mothers child, to repent and lament your sinne, to trust in Gods mercie, and to amend your liues.

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

And first concerning this part, namely, sorrow for our sinnes, and hearty lamenting of the same: For this, if you desire the hauing of it, you must beware, that you thinke not that of your selues, or of your owne free will, by any meanes you can get it. You may easily deceiue your selues, and mocke your selues, think­ing more of your selues then is séeme­ly. All good things, and not peeces of good things, but all good things, saith Saint Iames, Iam. 1. come from God the Fa­ther of light. If therefore penance be good (as it is good) then the parts of it be good.1. Reg. 2. From God therefore doe they come, and not of our free will. It is the Lord that mortifieth, that bringeth downe, that humbleth, saith the Scripture in sundry places:Ierem. 31. After thou haddest stricken my thigh (saith Ieremie) I was ashamed Loe he saith, After thou haddest stricken me: and therefore prayeth he, euen in the last words almost, he writeth, Turne vs, Lam. 5. O Lord, and we shall be turned. The which thing Dauid vsed very often.

Wherfore first of all, if thou woul­dest haue part of penance, as for the whole,Acts 22. 2. Tim. 2. because it is Gods gift; so for this part go thou vnto God, and make some little praier, as thou canst, vnto his mercy for the same, in this, or like sort.

MErciful Father of our Sauiour Ie­sus Christ, because I haue sinned and done wickedly; yet, through thy goodnesse, haue receiued a desire of re­pentance, whereto, this thy long suffe­rance doth draw my hard heart: I be­seech thee, for thy mercies sake in Christ, to worke the same repentance in me; and by thy Spirit, Power, and Grace, so to humble, mortify, and feare my conscience for my sinnes to salua­tion, that in thy good time thou maist comfort and quicken me againe, tho­rough Iesus Christ thy deerely beloued Sonne. AMEN.

After this sort, I say, or otherwise, as thou thinkest good, if thou wilt haue this first part, Contrition or sorrow for thy sins, do thou begge it of God, [Page 23]through Christ. And when thou hast asked it, as I haue laboured to driue thee from trusting in thy selfe; so now I goe about to moue thee from flatte­ring of thy selfe, from sluggishnesse, and negligence, to be diligent to vse these meanes following. Vnto pray­er, which I would thou shouldest first vse as thou canst: secondly, get thee Gods Law as a glasse to toot in: for in it, and by it, cōmeth the true know­ledge of sinne, without which know­ledge there can bee no sorrow. For how can a man sorrow for his sinnes, which knoweth not his sinnes? As when a man is sicke, the first steppe to health, is to know his sicknesse: euen so to saluation, the first steppe, is to know thy damnation due for thy ma­ny sinnes.

The Law of God therefore must be gotten, and carefully looked in; we must looke in it spiritually, and not corporally, or carnally, as the out­ward word or letter doth declare and vtter: and so our Sauiour teacheth vs in Mathew, expounding the sixt and [Page 24]seuenth Commandements, not onely after the outward déed, but also after the heart, making there the anger of the heart, a kind of murther; lusting after another mans wife, a kinde of adultery.

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

In that therefore this outward e­uill springs out of the inward corrup­tion: seeing Gods Law also is a law of liberty, as sayth Saint Iames: Iam. 2. Rom. 7. and spirituall, as saith Saint Paul: per­fectly and spiritually it is to be vnder­stood, if wee will truely come to the knowledge of our sinnes. For of this inward corruption, reason knoweth little or nothing. I had not knowen (saith Paul) that lusting (which to rea­son, and to them which are guided only by reason, is thought but a trifle:) I had not knowen (saith he) this lust­ing to haue been sinne, if the Law had not said, Non concupisces, Thou shalt not lust.

To the knowledge therefore of our sinne (without which wee cannot re­pent, or be sorrie for our sin,) let vs se­condly get vs Gods Law, as a glasse to look in: and that not only literally, outwardly, or partly; but also spiri­tually, inwardly and throughly. Let vs consider the heart, and so shall wee see the foule spots wee are stayned withall, at least inwardly, whereby [Page 26]we the rather may be moued to hearty sorrow and sighing. For, as S. Au­stine sayth, it is a glasse which feareth no body, but euen looke what a one thou art, so it painteth thee out.

In the Lawe, wee see it is a foule spot, not to loue the Lord our God, with all (I say) our heart, soule, pow­er, might and strength, and that con­tinually.

In the Law it is a foule spot, not onely to make to our selues any gra­uen Image or fimilitude, to bowe thereto, &c. but also, not to frame our selues wholly after the Image wher­to we are made, not to bowe to it, or worship it.

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

In Gods Law, we see it is a foule spot to our soules, not onely to be an open prophaner of the Sabboth day, [Page 27]but also not to rest from our owne words and workes, that the Lord might both speak and work in vs and by vs; not to heare his holy word, not to communicate his Sacraments, not to giue occasion to others to holinesse, by our example in godly workes, and reuerent esteeming of the Ministery of his Word.

In Gods Lawe, wee see it a foule spot to our soules, not onely to bee an open disobeyer of our Parents, Ma­gistrates, Masters, and such as bee in any authority ouer vs; but also not to honour such euen in our hearts, not to giue thankes to God for them, not to pray for them, to ayde, to helpe, or reliue them, to beare with their in­firmities, &c.

In Gods Law, wee sée it is a foule spot in our soules, not onely to bee a manqueller in hatred, malice, proud lookes, brags, back-biting, railing, or bodily slaughter: but also not to loue our neighbours; yea, our enemies, euen in our hearts, and to declare the same in all our gestures, words, and works.

In Gods law, wee sée sée it a foule spot to our soules, not onely to bee a whoremōger in lusting, in our harts, in wanton looking, in vncleane and wanton talking, in actuall doing vn­honestly with our neighbours wife, daughter, seruant, &c. But also not to be chaste, sober, temperate in heart, lookes, tongue, apparell, déeds, and to helpe others thereunto accordingly, &c.

In God Law, wee see it is a foule spot to our soules, not onely in heart, to couet, in looke or word to flatter, lye, colour, &c. in deed to take away any thing which pertaineth to ano­ther: but also in heart, countenance, word and deede, not to keepe, saue, and defend that which pertaineth to thy neighbour, as thou wouldest thine owne.

In Gods Law, we may see it a foule spot, not onely to lye and beare false witnes against any man; but also, not to haue as great a care ouer thy neigh­bours name, as ouer thine owne.

Sinne in Gods Law it is we may see, and a foule spot, not onely to con­sent [Page 29]to euill lust, or carnall desires, but euen the very natural or carnal lusts, and desires themselues, for so I may call them: nature it selfe, being now so corrupted, are sinne, and selfe-loue, and many such like. By reason wher­of, I thinke there is none that looketh well therein, but though he be blame­lesse to the world, & faire to the shew; yet certainly, inwardly his face is foule arrayed, and so shameful, saucy, mangy, pocky, and scabbed, that hee cannot but be sorry at the contempla­tion thereof, and that so much more, by how much hee continueth to looke in this glasse accordingly.

And thus much concerning the se­cond meane, to the stirring vp of sor­row for our sinne, that next vnto prai­er we should looke in Gods low spiri­tually. The which looking, if we vse with prayer, as I sayd, let vs not doubt, but at the length Gods Spirit wil work, as now to such as beleeue; for to the vnbeleeuers all is in vaine, (their eyes are stark blind, they can sée nothing) to such as beleeue (I say) [Page 30]I trust something is done euen alrea­dy. But if neither by prayer, nor by diligent looking into Gods lawe spi­ritually, as yet thy hard vnbeleeuing heart feeleth no sorrow, nor lamen­ting for thy sinne: Thirdly, look vp­on the tagge tyed to Gods Law: for to mans law there is a tag tyed, that is, a penalty, and that no small one, but such a one, as cannot but make vs to cast our currish tailes between our legges, if wee beleeue it; for all is in vaine, if wee be faithlesse, not to be­leeue before we feele.

This tagge, is Gods Malediction or curse. Maledictus omnis (sayth it) qui non permanet in omnibus quae seripta sunt io libro legis, vt faciat eam. Loe, ac­cursed (saith he) is all, no exception, all, sayth God, which continueth not in all things (for hee that is guilty of one, is guilty of the whole, sayth S. Iames:) in all things therefore (saith the holy Ghost) which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them. He sayth not, to heare them, to talke of them, to dispute of them, but, to do them.

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

Tell me now, good brother, why do you so lightly consider Gods curse, that for your sinnes past you are so carelesse, as though you had made a couenant with death and damnation, as the wicked did in Esays time? what is Gods curse? At the Popes curse, with booke, bell, and canlde; O! how trembled we which heard it, although the same was not directed vnto vs, but vnto others? For this Gods curse, which is incomparable, more fell and importable, and is directed to vs; yea, hanging ouer vs, all by reason of our [Page 32]sinnes: alas, how carelesse are wee? O faithlesse hard hearts! O Iezabels ghests, rocked and layd asleepe in her bed! O wicked wretches, which be­ing come into the depth of sinne doe contemne the same! O sorrowlesse sinners, and shamelesse shrinking har­lots!

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

If, dearely beloued, his face bee so terrible and intolerable for sinners, and the wicked: what thinke wee his hand is? At the face and appearing of Gods anger, the earth trembleth: but we earth, earth: yea, stones, yron, flints, tremble nothing at all. If we will not tremble in hearing, woe vn­to vs, for then shall we bee crashed in [Page 33]pieces in feeling. If a Lyon roare, the Beasts quake: but wee are worse then beasts, which quake nothing at the roaring of the Lyon, I meane the Lord of Hosts. And why? because the curse of God, hardnesse of heart, is al­ready fallen vpon vs, or else we could not but lament and tremble for our sins: If not for the shame and foule­nesse thereof; yet, at the least, for the malediction and curse of God, which hangeth ouer vs for our sins.

Lord be mercifull vnto vs for thy Christs sake, and spare vs in thine an­ger, remember thy mercy towards vs Amen.

And thus much for the third thing, to the mooning of vs to sorrow for our sinnes: that is, for the tagge tyed to Gods Law, I meane, for the male­diction and curse of God. But if our hearts be so hard, that through these, we yet feele no hearty sorrow for our sinnes: let vs fourthly set before vs, examples past and present, olde and new; thereby the holy Spirit may be effectuall, to worke in his time this [Page 32]worke of sorrowing for our sinne.

Looke vpon Gods anger for sinne in Adam and Eue, for eating a peece of an apple. Were not they, the dearest creatures of God, cast out of Para­dise? Were not they subiect to mor­tality, trauaile, labour, &c. Was not the earth accursed for their sinnes? Doe not we all, men in labour, wo­men in traueling with childe, and all in death, mortality and misery, euen in this life féele the same? And was God so angrie for their sinne, and he being the same God, will he say no­thing to vs for ours (alas) more hor­rible then the eating once, of one piece of an apple?

In the time of Noe and Lot, Gen. 6. God destroyed the whole world with wa­ter; and the Cities of Sodom and Go­morra, Sebiom and Adamah, Gen. 19. with fire and brimstone from heauen for their sinnes: namely, for their whoredomes, pride, idlenesse, vnmercifulnesse to the poore, tyranny, &c. In which wrath of God, euen the very babes, birds, fowles, fishes, hearbes, trées, and [Page 33]grasse perished: and thinke we that nothing will be spoken to vs, much woorse, and more abominable then they? For all men may sée, if they will, that y^e whoredomes, pride, vnmerciful­nesse, tyranny, &c. of England, far pas­seth in this age, any age that euer was before. Lots wife looking backe,Gen. 19. was turned into a salt stone: and will our looking backe againe, yea our turning backe a gaine, to our wickednesse, doe vs no hurt? If we were not already more then blinde Béetles, we would blush. Pharao his heart was hardned so, that no miracle could conuert him: if ours were any thing soft, we would begin to sob.

Of sixe hundred thousand men,Iosua and Caleb. only but twaine entred into the Land of promise, because they had ten times sinned against the Lord, as he himself saith: and think we,Num. 14. that God wil not sweare in his wrath, that we shall ne­uer enter into his rest, which haue sin­ned so many tenne times, as we haue toes & fingers; yea, haires on our heads and beards (I feare me) and yet wée passe not.

The man that sware, and he that gathered sticks on the Sabboth day,Leuit. 24. Num. 15. were stoned to death: but we thinke our swearing is no sinne, our bri­bing, rioting, yea, whore-hunting on the Sabboth day, pleaseth God, or else we would something amend our manners.

Helias negligence in correcting his sonnes,1. Reg. 5 nipped his necke in two: but ours which pamper vp our children like puppets, wil put vs to no plunge? Helias sonnes for disobeying their fa­thers admonition, brought ouer them Gods vengance: and wil our stubborn­nesse doe nothing?

Sauls malice to Dauid, Acabs dis­pleasure against Naboth, 3. Reg. 21.22. brought there bloud to the ground for dogges to eat; yea, their children were hang­ed vp and slaine for this cause:4. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 10. but we continue in malice, enuie and mur­ther, as though we were able to wage warre with the Lord.

Dauids adulterie w^e Bethshabe, was visited on the childe borne; on Dauids daughter, defiled by her brother, and [Page 37]on his children, one slaying another, his wiues defiled by his owne sonne, and himselfe driuen out of his Realme in his old age; and otherwise also, although he most heartily repented his sinne: But we are more déere vnto God then Dauid, which yet was a man after Gods owne heart, or else we could not but fromble, and be­gin to repent.

The rich glutton who insatiably delighted in gluttony; what did it a­uaile him? it brought his soule to hell, and haue we any preheminence that God will doe nothing to vs.

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

Gehezi his couetousnesse, brought it not the Leprosie vpon him, and on all his séed? Iudas also hanged him­selfe. But the couetousnesse of Eng­land is of an other cloth and colour: Well, if it were so, the same Taylor will cut it accordingly.

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

The false witnes of the two Iud­ges, against Susanna, lighted on their awne heads, and so will ours do at length.

But, what goe I about to auouch ancient examples, where daily experi­ence doth teach? The Sweat the o­ther yeare, the Stormes the Winter following, will vs to weigh them in the same ballances. Men, hanging and killing themselues, which are (alas) too rife in all places, require vs to re­gister them in the same roules. At the least, in Children, Infants, and such like, which yet cannot vtter sinne by word or déed; we sée Gods anger a­gainst sin, in punishing them by sick­nesse, death, mis-hap, or otherwise, so plainly, that wee cannot but grone a­gain, in that we haue poured out these sinnes in word and déede more aboun­dantly.

And here, with me, a little look on [Page 37]Gods anger, yet so fresh, that we can­not but smell it, although we sloppe our noses neuer so much; I pray God we smell it not more fresh hereafter, I meane it forsooth (for I know you looke for it) in our deare late Soue­reigne Lord, the Kings Maiesty. You all know, he was but a child in yéeres, defiled he was not with notorious of­fences: Defiled, sayd I; nay rather, adorned with so many good gifts, and wonderful qualities, as neuer Prince was from the beginning of the world. Should I speake of his wisedome, of his ripenesse in iudgement, of his lear­ning, of his godly zeale, heroicall heart, Fatherly care for his Com­mons, Nurcely solicitude for Religi­on? &c.

Nay, so many things are to be spoken in commendation of Gods exceeding graces in this Child: that, as Salust writeth of Carthage; I had rather speake nothing, then too little, in that too much is too little.

This gift God gaue vnto vs Eng­lish men, before all nations vnder the [Page 40]Sunne, and that of his exceeding loue towards vs. But, alas, alas; for our vnthankfulnes sake, for our sins sake, for our carnality and prophane liuing, Gods anger hath touched, not only the body, b [...] also the mind of our King, by a long sicknesse, and at length hath taken him away by death; death, cru­ell death, fearefull death. O, if Gods iudgement be begun on him, which as he was the chiefest, so I thinke the ho­liest, and godlyest in the Realme of England, (alas) what will it be on vs, whose sinnes haue ouergrowen so our heads, that they are climed vp to hea­uen? I pray you (my good brethren) know, that Gods anger towards vs for our sins, cannot but be great: yea, too fell, in that we sée it was so great, that our good King could not beare it. What befell Iewry, after the death of Iosias? Lord saue England, and giue vs repentance: my heart will not suf­fer me to tarry longer herein: I hope this will cause some repentance.

If therefore the prayer for Gods feare, the looking in Gods glasse, and [Page 41]the tag thereto will not burst open the blockish heart, yet hope I, that the re­petition of these examples; especially of our late King, and this troublesom time, will moue some teares out of thine heart, if thou wilt pray for Gods Spirit accordingly. For who art thou (thinke alwaies with thy selfe) that God should spare thée, more then them whose examples thou hast heard? What friends hast thou? Were not of these Kings, Prophets, Apostles, learned, and come of holy Stockes? I deceiue my selfe (thinke thou with thy selfe) if I beléeue that God, being the same God that he was, will spare me; whose wickednesse is no lesse, but much more then some of theirs. Hee hateth sinne now as much as euer hee did. The longer he spareth, the grea­ter vengeance will fall: the deeper he draweth his Bow, the sorer will his shaft pierce.

But if yet thy heart be so harde­ned, that all this will not moue thee; then surely art thou in a very euill e­state, and remedy now I know none. [Page 40]What, sayd I, none? Know I none? Yes, there is one, which is suresby, as they say, to serue, if any thing will serue. You looke to know what this is: Forsooth, the Passion, and Death, of IESVS CHRIST. You know, the cause why CHRIST became man, and suffered as hee suffered, was the sinnes of his people, that hee might saue them from the same.

Consider the greatnesse of the sore, I meane sin, by the greatnesse of the Chyrurgion, and the salue. Who was the Chyrurgion? no Angel, no Saint, no Archangel, no power, no creature in heauen nor in earth: but onely he, by whom all things were made, all things are ruled also; euen Gods own Deareling, and only beloued Son, be­comming man.

Oh what a great thing is this, that could not be done by the Angels, Arch­angels, Potentates, Powers, or all the creatures of God, without his owne Sonne? who of necessity must come downe from heauen, to take our nature, & become man. Here haue ye [Page 41]the Shyrurgion: great was the cure, that this mighty Lord tooke in hand.

Now, what was the salue? Cer­tainly, of an inestimable valew, and of many compositions: I cannot re­cite al, but rather must leaue it to your hearty consiberations. Thirty-three yeares was he curing our sore: Hee sought it earnestly, by fasting, watch­ing, praying, &c. The same night that he was betrayed, I read how busie he was about a plaister in the Garden, when he lying flat on the ground, pray­ing with teares, and that of bloud not a few, but so many as did flow downe on the ground againe; crying on this sort: Father (sayth he) if it bee possi­ble, let this Cup depart from me. That is, If it be possible, that else the sinnes of mankind can be taken away: grant that it may be so. Thou heardest Mo­ses crying for the Idolaters: Thou heardest Lot for the Zoarites: Samu­el, Dauid, and many other for the Is­raelites: And, deere Father, I onely am thine owne Sonne, as thou hast sayd, in whom thou art well pleased: [Page 44]wilt thou not heare me? I haue by the space of thirty-three yeares, done alwaies thy Will: I haue so humbled my selfe, that I would become an abiect amongst men, to obey thee. Ther­fore (deere Father) if it be possible, grant my request, saue mankind, now without any further labour, salues, or plasters. But yet (sayth he) not as I will, but as thou wilt.

But Syr, what heard he? Though he sweat bloud and water, in making his plaister for our sore of sinne, yet it framed not. Twice he cryed with­out comfort; yea, though to comfort him God sent an Angell, wee know, that yet this plaister was not allowed for sufficient, vntill hereunto, Christ Iesus was betrayed, forsaken of all his Disciples, forsworne of his deare­ly beloued, bound like a Thiefe, be­lyed on, buffeted, whipped, scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified, rack­ed, nailed, hanged vp betweene two theeues, cursed and railed vpon, moc­ked in misery, and had giuen vp the gho [...]t: then bowed downe the head of [Page 45]Christ, that is, God the Father which is the head of Christ: then allowed he the plaister, to bee sufficient and good for the healing of our sore, which is sinne. Now would God abide our breath, because the stinke, that is; damnation or guiltinesse, was taken away, by the sweet sauor of the breath of this LAMBE, thus offered once, for all.

So that here, dearely beloued, we as in a glasse may see, to the brusing of our blockish hard hearts. Gods great iudgement and anger against sin.Gen. 6. Gen. 19. The Lord of lords, the King of kings, the brightnesse of Gods glory, the Son of God, the Deareling of his Father, in whom he is well pleased; hangeth be­tween two theeues, crying for thes & me, and for vs all: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee?

Oh hard hearts that we haue, who delight in sin. Look on this, see the ve­ry hart of Christ pierced with a speare, wherein thou maist see, & reade Gods anger for sin. Woe to thy hard heart that pierced it.

And thus much for the first part of Repentance, I meane, for the meanes of working contrition. First, vse prayer: then looke on Gods Lawe: thirdly,Gen. 19. see his curse: fourthly, set examples of his anger before thee: and last of all, set before thee: the pre­cious death of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

From this and prayer cease not, til thou feele some hearty sorrow for thy sinne. The which when thou feelest, then labour for the other part, that is, faith, on this sort.

As first, in Contrition, I willed thee not to trust to thy free will, for the attaining of it: so doe I will thee in this. Faith is so farre from the reach of mans free-will, that to reason it is plaine foolishnesse. Therefore, thou must first goe to God, whose gift it is: thou must, I say, get thee to the Father of mercy, whose worke it is, that as he hath brought thee down by Contrition, and humbled thee, so hee would giue thee faith, raise shee vp, and exalt thee.

On this manner therefore, with the Apostles, and the poore man in the Gospell that cryed: Lord encrease our faith: Lord helpe my vnbeliefe, pray thou and say: O mercifull God and deare Father, of our Lord and Saui­our Iesus Christ; in whom, as thou art well pleased, so hast thou comman­ded vs to heare him, forasmuch as he often biddeth vs to aske of thee,2. Tim. 2. and therto promiseth that thou wilt heare vs, and grant vs that which in his name we shall aske of thee: loe, gra­cious Father, I am bold to begge of thy mercy, through thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST, one sparkle of true faith and certaine perswasion of thy good­nesse and loue towards me in Christ, wherethrough, I being assured of the pardon of all my sinnes, by the mer­cies of Christ thy Son, may be thank­full to thee, loue thee, and serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life.

On this sort, I say, or otherwise, as God shall moue thee, pray thou first of al, and look for thy request at Gods [Page 44] [...] [Page 45] [...] [Page 48]hand, without any doubting, though forth-with thou féelest not the same: for oftentimes we haue things of GOD giuen vs, long before we féele them as we would doe. Now vnto this prayer, vse thou these meanes following.

After prayer for faith, which I would should be first; secondly, be­cause the same springeth out of the hearing, no of Masses, Mattins, Can­nons, Councels, Doctours, Decrées, but out of the hearing of Gods word, get thée Gods word: but, not that part which serueth specially to Contri­tion; that is, the Law: but the other part, which serueth specially to con­solation and certaine perswasions of Gods loue towards thée, that is, the Gospell or publication of Gods mer­cie in Christ, I meane the free pro­mises.

But here thou must know, that there are two kinds of promises: one, which is properly of the Lawe, ano­ther of the Gospell. In the promises of the Law, we may indeed behold [Page 49]Gods mercie, but so, that it hang­eth vpon the condition of our worthi­nesse, as, if thou loue the Lord with all thy heart, &c. thou shalt finde mer­cy. This kinde of promise, though it declare vnto vs Gods loue, which promiseth where he néedeth not: yet vnto him that féeleth not Christ, which is the end of the Law, they are so farre frnm comforting, that vtterly with the Law they bring man to great despaire: so greatly we are corrupt, for none so loueth God as he ought to doe. From these therfore get thee to the other promises of the Gos­pell, in which we may see such plenty and franke liberality of Gods goodnes, that we cannot but be much comforted though we haue very deeply sinned. For these promises of the Gospell doe not hang on the condition of our wor­thinesse, as the promises of the Law do: but they depend and hang on Gods truth, that as God is true, so they can­not but be performed to al them which lay hold on them by faith; I had almost said, which cast them not away by vn­beliefe.

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

In the 3. of Iohn saith our Sauiour: So God the Father loued the world, that he would giue his Dearling, his own only Sonne, that al that beleeue in him should not perish, but haue euer­lasting life. Loe, sir, he saith not, that some might haue life: but all, saith he. And what all? All that loue him with all their hearts? all that haue liued a godly life? Nay, all that beléeue in him [Page 51]Althogh thou hast liued a most wicked and horible life: if now thou beleeue in him, thou shalt be saued. Is not this sweet grace?

Againe, saith Christ: Come vnto me, all yee that labour and are laden, and I will refresh you. Let vs a litle looke one this letter: Come vnto me: Who should come? Lords, Priests, Holy men, Monkes, Friers? Yea, Coblers, tinkers, whores, theeues, murtherers also, if they lament their sinnes. Come vnto me (saith he) all ye that labour and are laden; that is, which are afrayd of your sinnes. And what wilt thou do, Lord? And I will refresh you (saith he.)

Oh what a thing is this: And I will refresh you? Wot you who spake this? He that neuer told lye: He is the truth, there was neuer guile found in his mouth: and now wil he be vntrue to thee (good brother) which art sorie for thy grieuous sinnes? No forsooth: heauen and earth shal passe and perish, but his word shall neuer fayle.

Saint Paul saith, God would haue [Page 52]all men saued: Loe, he excepteth none. And to Titus: The grace of God brin­geth saluation to all men. As from A­dam, all haue recieued sin to damnati­on: so by Christ, all haue grace offered to saluation, if they reiect not y^e same. I speak not now of Infants, I say: nor I neede not enter into the matter of Predestination. In preaching of re­pentance, I would gather where I could with Christ.

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

Loe, now by mee, the Lord calleth thee, thou man, thou woman, that art [Page 53]very farre off. The promise therefore pertaineth to thee: needs must thou be saued, except thou with Sathan say, God is false: And if thou do so, God is faithful, & cannot deny himselfe: as thou shalt feele by his plagues in hell, for so dishonouring God, to think that he is not true. Will he be found false now? The matter hangeth not on thy worthinesse, but it hangeth on Gods truth. Clap hold on it, and I warrant thee, CHRIST is the propitiation for our sins; yea for the sins of the whole world: beleeue this, man: I know thou beleeuest it: say therefore in thy heart still: Domine audage mihi fidem: Lord encrease my faith: Lord help my vnbeliefe. Blessed are they which see not (by reason) this but yet beleeue: Beloued, wee must hope aboue hope, as Abraham did.

And thus much for a taste of the pro­mises, which are euery where, not on­ly in the new Testament, but also in the Old. Reade the last end of Leui­ticus 26. The Prophet Esay 30. Where he saith: God tarrieth looking [Page 54]for thee to shew thee mercy. Also the 40. and so forth to the 60. Reade also 2. Kings 24. Psal. 33. Ioel 2. &c.

Howbeit, if all this will not serue, if yet thou féelest no faith, no certaine perswasion of Gods loue: then pre­pare thy selfe vnto praier, and diligent considering of the frée and vniuersall promises of the Gospell: Thirdly, set before thée those blessings which here­tofore, and at that present, God hath giuen thée. Consider, how hee hath made thée a man or a woman, which might haue made thée a Toade, or a Dog. And why did he this? Verily, because he loued thée: And thinkest thou, if hee loued thée when thou wast not, to make thée such a one, as he most graciously hath: will he not now loue thee, being his handy worke? Doth he hate any thing that he made? Is there vnablenesse with him? Doth he loue for a day, and so farewell? No, belo­ued, God loueth to the end, his mercy endureth for euer. Say therfore with Iob. Operi manuum tuarum, porrige dex­teram, that is: To the worke of thy [Page 55]hands, put thy helping hand.

Againe, hath hee not made thee a Christian man or woman, where if he would, hee might haue made thee a Turke or Pagan? This thou know'st he did of loue. And doost thou thinke his loue is lessened, if thou lament thy sin? Is his hand shortned for helping thee? Can a woman forget the child of her wombe? and though she should, yet will not I forget thee, saith the Lord. Hee hath giuen thee limbes, to see, heare, go, &c. He hath giuen thee wit, reason, discretion, &c. Hee hath long spared thee, and born with thee, when thou neuer purposedst to repent: and now thou repenting, will he not giue thee mercy? Wherfore doth he grant thee to liue at this present, to heare him to speake this, and mee to speake this but of loue to vs all? Oh, there­fore let vs pray him, that he would add to this, that wee might beleeue these loue tokens, that he loueth vs, and in­deed he will do it. Lord open our eies in thy gifts, to see thy gracious good­nesse. Amen.

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

I will now go about to shew you a fourth meane to confirme your faith in this, euen by examples. Of these there are in the Scriptures very ma­ny; as also daily experience doth di­uersly teach the same, if we were dili­gent to obserue things accordingly: wherfore, I will be more briefe here­in hauing respect to time, which stea­leth fast away.

Adam in Paradise transgressed grieuously, as the painefull punish­ment, which we all as yet féele, proo­ueth, if nothing else. Though by rea­son of his sin, he displeased God sore, and ran away frō God, (for he would haue hid himselfe; yea, he would haue made God the causer of his sin, in that he gaue him such a Mate, so far was he from asking mercy): yet all this [Page 57]notwithstanding, GOD turned his fierce wrath, neither vpon him nor Eue, which also required not mercy; but vpon the Serpent Sathan: pro­mising vnto them a séed, Iesus Christ; by whom, they at the length should be deliuered. In token whereof, though they were cast out of Paradise for their nurture, to serue in sorrow, which would not serue in ioy; yet hée made them apparell to couer their na­kednes: a visible Sacrament, and to­ken of his inuisible loue and grace, concerning their soules. If God was so mercifull to Adam, which so sore brake his commandement, and rather blamed God then asked mercy: thin­kest thou, O man, that he will not bee mercifull to thée, which blamest thy selfe, and desirest pardon?

To Cain hee offered mercy, if hee would haue asked it. What hast thou done, saith God? The voice of thy bro­thers bloud, cryeth vnto me out of the earth. O merciful Lord (should Cain haue sayd) I confesse it: But alas, he did not so, and therefore, said God: [Page 58] Now, that is, In that thou desirest not mercy: Now: I say, be thou accursed, &c. Loe, to the reprobate he offered mercy, and will he deny it thee, which art his child?

Noah, did he not sin and was drunk? Good Lot also, both in Sodome dissem­bled a little with the Angels, prolong­ing the time: and out of Sodome, he fel very foule: as did Iudas, and the Pa­triarks against Ioseph; but yet I ween they found mercy. Moses, Myriam, Aa­ron, though they stumbled a little, yet receiued they mercy: yea, the people in the wildernes often sinned and dis­pleased God, so that he was purposed to haue destroyed them. Let me alone (saith he to Moses) that I may destroy them. But Moses did not let him a­lone, for he prayed still for them, and therfore God spared them. If the peo­ple were spared, through Moses pray­er, they not praying with him, but ra­ther worshipping their golden Calfe, eating, drinking, and making iolly good cheere: Beloued, why shouldest thou doubt whether GOD will bee [Page 59]mercifull to thee? hauing, as indeede thou hast, one much better then Moses to pray for thee, and with thee; euen Iesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of his Father, and prayeth for vs, being no lesse faithfull in his fa­thers house, the Church, then Moses was in the Synagogue. Dauid, that good King, had a foule foile, when hee committed whoredom with his faith­full seruants wife, Bethsheba: wher­unto he added also a mischieuous mur­ther, causing her husband, his most faithfull Souldier Vria to bee slaine, with an honest company of his most valiant men of warre, and that with the sword of the vncircumcised.

In this sinne, though a great while he lay asleep (as many do now a dayes, God giue them good waking) think­ing, that by the Sacrifices he offered, all was well, God was content: yet at length, when the Prophet, by a Pa­rable, opened the offence, and brought Dauid in remembrance of his owne sin, & in such sort, that he gaue iudge­ment against himselfe: then quaked [Page 60]he, his Sacrifices had no more taken away his sinnes, then our Sir Iohns Trentals, and wagging of his fingers ouer the heads of such as lye asleep in their sinnes (out of the which when they are awaked, they will see, that it is neither Masse nor Mattins, blessing nor cursing will serue) then, I say, he cryed out, saying: Peccaui Domine: I haue sinned, sayth hee, against my Lord and good God, which hath done so much for me. I caused indeed Vri­ah to be killed, I haue sinned, I haue sinned. What shall I do? I haue sin­ned, and am worthy of eternall dam­nation. But what sayth God, by his Prophet: Dominus (sayth he) transtu­lit peccatum tuū, non morieris: The Lord hath taken away thy sinnes, thou shalt not dye. Oh good God, hee sayd, but Peccaui, I haue sinned: but yet frō his heart, and not from the lips only, as Pharaoh & Saul did, and incontinently he heareth: Thou shalt not dye, the Lord hath taken away thy sinnes: Or rather, hath layd them vpon an other; yea, translated them vpon the backe of [Page 61]his Sonne Iesus Christ, who bare them, and not onely them, but thine and mine also, if that we will now cry but from our hearts, Peccauimus: We haue sinned, good Lord, we haue done wickedly; enter not into iudgement with vs, but be merciful vnto vs after thy great mercie, and according to the multitude of thy compassions, do away our iniquities, &c. For indeede, God is not the God of Dauid onely: Idem Deus omnium, Hee is the God of all: So that, Quicunque inuocauerit nomen Domini, salus erit. He or shee, whoso­euer they bee that call vpon the name of the Lord, shall be saued. In confir­mation whereof, this History is writ­ten, as are also the other wich I haue recited, and many mo which I might recite. As of Manasses the wicked King, which slew Esay the Prophet, and wrought very much wickednesse; yet the Lord shewed mercy vpon him being in prison, as his Prayer doth teach vs. Nebuchadnezzar, though for a time he bare Gods anger, yet at the length he found mercy.

The City of Niniuie also found fa­uour with God, as did many other, which for breuity I will omit, and wil bring forth one or two out of the new Testament, that we may see God to be the same God in the new Testa­ment, that he was in the old.

I might tell you of many, if I should speak of the Lunatike, such as were possessed with Diuels, Lame, Blind, Dumbe, Deafe, Lepers, &c. But time wil not suffer me; therfore, one or two shall serue. Mary Magda­len had seuen diuels, but yet they were cast out of her: and of all others, shee was the first that Christ appeared vn­to, after his resurrection. Thomas would not beleeue Christs resurrecti­on, though many told him, which had seene and felt him: by reason wherof, a man might haue thought that his sinnes would haue cast him away. Ex­cept I should see and feele (saith hee) I will not beleeue. Ah wilfull Thomas: I wil not, saith he. But Christ appea­red vnto him, and would not leese him, neither will he thee, beloued, if [Page 63]with Thomas, thou wilt keep compa­ny with the Disciples, as Thomas did. Peters fall was vgly, he accursed him­selfe, if euer he knew Christ, and that for feare of a Mayden, and this not once, but three seueral times, and that in the hearing of Christ his Master: but yet the third time Christ loo­ked backe, and cast on him his eye of grace, so that hee went out and wept bitterly. And after Christs resurrec­tion, not only did the Angels will the woman to tell Peter, that Christ was risen, but Christ himselfe appeared vnto him seuerally: such a good Lord is he.

The Thief hanging on the Crosse, sayd but this: Lord, when thou com­mest into thy Kingdome, remember me: And what answere had he? This day (sayth Christ) thou shalt be with me in Paradise. What a comfort is this, in that he is now the same Christ to thee and me, and to vs all, if wee will runne vnto him? for hee is the same Christ to day and to morrow, vntill he come to iudgement. Then [Page 62] [...] [Page 63] [...] [Page 64]indeed, he will be inexorable: but now is he more ready to giue then to aske. If thou crie, he heareth thee, yea be­fore thou crie.

Crie therefore,Esai. 31. Mat. 7. be bold, man, he is not partiall. Call, saith he, and I wil heare thée: Aske, and thou shalt haue: Séeke, and thou shalt finde though not at the first, yet at the length. If he ta­rie a while, it is but to try thée. Nam veniens veniet, Heb. 10. & non tardabit: Hee is comming, and will not be long.

Thus haue you foure meanes, which you must vse to the attayning of faith, or certaine perswasion of Gods mer­cy towards you, which is the second part of penance; namely, prayer, the free and vniuersall promises of Gods graces, the recordation of the benefits of God, past and present, the examples of Gods mercie. Which although they might suffice, yet will I put one more to them, which all onely of it selfe, is full sufficient: I meane, the death of the Son of God, Iesus Christ: which if thou set before the eys of thy minde, it will confirm thy assurance: for it is [Page 65]the great Seale of England, as they say; yea, of all the world, for the con­firmation of al Patents and perpetui­ties of the euerlasting life, whereunto we are all called.

If I thought these, which I haue before recited, were not sufficient to confirme your faith of Gods loue to­wards such as do repent, I would ta­rie longer herein. But because I haue béene both long, and also I trust, you haue some exercise of concience in this daily (or els you are to bsame) I wil but touch and goe, Consider with your selues what we are misers, wret­ches, and enimies to God. Consider what God is, euen he, which hath all power, maiestie, might glory, riches &c. perfectly of himselfe, and needeth nothing, but hath all things. Consider what Christ is: concerning his God­head, coequal with his Father, euen he by whom all things were made; he, I say, by whome all things are ruled and gouerned: Concerning his Manhood, the onely Dearling of his Father, in whome is all his ioy. [Page 66]Now Sir, what a loue is this? that this God which néedeth nothing, would giue wholy his owne selfe to thée, his enemy, wreaking his wrath vpō himself, in this his Son: as a man may say, to spare thee, to saue thée, to win thée, to buye thee, to haue thee, to enioy thee for euer. Because thy sin hath seperated thee from him, to the end thou mightest come eftsoones into his company again, & therin remain; hee himselfe became, as a man would say, a sinner: or rather sinne it selfe, euen a malediction or curse: that wee sinners, wee accursed by our sinne, might by his oblation or suffering for our sinnes, by his curse, be deliuered from sinne and from malediction. For by sinne, he destroyed sinne, killing Death, Sathan, and Sinne, by their owne weapons; and that for thee and mee (man) if wee cast it not away bp vnbeleefe. Oh wonderfull loue of God. Who euer heard of such a loue? the Father of Heauen for vs his enemies, to giue his owne dearely beloued Sonne, Iesus Christ, and [Page 67]that not onely to be our Brother, to dwell among vs: but also, to the death of the Crosse for vs? Oh won­derfull loue of Christ to vs all, that was content and willing to worke this deede for vs. Was there any loue like to this loue?

God indeede hath commanded his charitie and loue to vs herein, that when wee were very enemies vnto him, he would giue his owne Sonne for vs. That wee being men, might become, as you would say, Gods; God would become man. That we being mortall, might become immor­tall, the immortall God would be­come mortall man. That we earthly weretches might be Citizens of Hea­uen, the Lord of Heauen would be­come as a man would say, earthly. That we being accursed, might be blessed, God would be accursed. That we, by our father Adam, being broght out of Paradise, into the puddle of al pain, might be redeemed, and brought into Paradise againe, God would be our Father and an Adam, thereunto.

That wée hauing nothing, might haue al things; God hauing al things, would haue nothing. That we being vassailes, and slaues to all, euen to Sathan the Fiend, might be Lords of all, and of Sathan: the Lord of all would become a vassaile, and a slaue to vs all, and in danger of Sathan. Oh loue incomprehensible. Who can o­therwise thinke now, but if the gra­cious good Lord disdained not to giue his owne Sonne, his owne hearts ioy for vs his very enemies, before wée thought to begge any such thing at his hands; yea, before we were? who, I say, can thinke otherwise, but that with him, hee will giue vs all good things? If when we hated him, and fled away from him, hee sent his Son to séek vs: who can thinke otherwise, then that now we louing him, and la­menting, because wee loue him no more, but that he wil foreuer loue vs? Hee that giueth the more to his ene­mies, will not he giue the lesse to his friends? God hath giuen his owne Sonne, then which nothing is grea­ter; [Page 69]euen to vs his enemies: and wée now being become his friends, wil ne deny vs faith and pardon of our sins? which though they be great, yet in comparison they are nothing at all. Christ Iesus would giue his owne selfe for vs, when we willed if not: and will he now deny vs faith, if wee will it? This will is his earnest, that he hath giuen vs truly to looke indeed, for the thing willed. And looke thou for it in deed: for as he hath giuen thée to will, so will he giue thee to doe.

Iesus Christ gaue his life for our euils, and by his death hee deliuered vs. O then, in that hee liueth now, and cannot dye, will hee forsake vs? his heart bloud was not too deare for vs, when we asked it not: what can then be now too deare for vs, asking it? Is he a changeling? Is he muta­ble as man is? Can he repent him of his gifts? Did he not foresée our falls? Payd not he therefore the price? Be­cause hee sawe wee should fall sore, therefore would he suffer sore. Yea, if his suffering had not béene enough, [Page 70]he would yet once more come againe. God the Father, I am sure, if the death of his Sonne incarnate, would not serue, would himselfe and the ho­ly Ghost also become incarnate, and dye for vs.

This death of Christ therefore look on, as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thee, whosoeuer thou art, how déep soeuer thou hast sinned. Sée, Gods hands are nayled, they cannot strike thee: his féete also, hée cannot run from thée: his armes are wide o­pen to embrace thee: his head hangs downe to kisse thée: his very heart is open, so that therin look; nay euen spy, and thou shalt sée nothing therein, but loue, loue, loue, loue to thee: hide thee therefore, lay thy head there with the Euangelist.

This is the clift of the Rock, wher­in Helias stood. This is for all aking heads a pillow of downe.

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

Tarry thou on this firme Rocke, [Page 71]and Ile warrant thee. Say with Paul, What can separate me from the loue of God? Can death, can pouertie, can sicknesse, hunger, or any misery, per­swade thee now that God loueth thee not? Nay, nothing can separate thee from the loue, wherwith God hath lo­ued thee in CHRIST IESVS: whom he loueth, he loueth to the end. So that now where abundance of sin hath bin in thee, the more is the aboundance of grace. But to what end? Certainly, that as sinne hath reigned to death, as thou seest, to the killing of Gods Son: so now Grace must reigne to Life, to the honouring of Gods Son, who is now aliue, and cannot dye any more.

So that they which by faith feele this, cannot any more dye to God, but to sin whereto they are dead and buri­ed with CHRIST.

As Christ therefore liueth, so doe they, and that to God, to righteous­nesse and holinesse. The life which they liue, is, In fide Filij Dei: In the faith of the Sonne of God. Whereby you see that now I am slipt into that, [Page 72]which I made the third part of pe­nance: namely, newnesse of life, which I could not so haue done, if that it were a part of it selfe indeed, as it is an effect or fruit of the second part; that is, of faith, or trust in Gods mer­cy. For he that beléeueth, that is, is certainely perswaded, sin to be such a thing, that is the cause of all miserie, and of it selfe so greatly angreth God, that in heauen nor in earth, nothing could appease his wrath; saue alone­ly the death and precious bloud-shed­ding of the Sonne of God, in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the Fa­ther: hee, I say, that is perswaded thus of his sin; the same cannot but in heart abhorre and quake, to doe or say; yea, to thinke any thing willing­ly, which Gods Lawe teacheth him to be sinne.

Againe, he that beleeueth, that is, is certainly perswaded, Gods loue to be so much towards him, that where through sinne he was lost, and made a fire brand of hell; the eternall Father of mercy, which is the omni sufficient [Page 73]God, and néedeth nothing to vs, or of any thing that we can do, to deliuer vs out of hell, and to bring vs into hea­uen; did send euen his owne most deer Sonne out of his bosome, out of hea­uen into hell (as a man would say) to bring vs, as I sayd, from thence into his own bosome and mercy, we being his very enemies: hee I say, that is thus perswaded of Gods loue toward him, and of the price of his redemp­tion, by the deare bloud of the Lamb immaculate, IESVS CHRIST, the same man cannot but loue God again; and of loue doe that, and heartily de­sire to doe better, the which might please God.

Thinke you, that such a one, know­ing these things by faith, wil willing­ly insist & wallow in his wilfull lusts, pleasures, and fantasies? Will such a one, as knoweth by faith, Christ Ie­sus to haue giuen his bloud to wash him from his sins, play the Sow to nuzle in his puddle of filthy sin and vice againe? Nay, rather then hee will bee defiled againe by his wilfull [Page 74]sinning, he will wash often the feet of his affections, watching ouer the vice stil sticking in him; which as a spring, continually sendeth out poison enogh, to drowne and defile him, if the sweet water of CHRISTS passion in Gods sight, did not wash it, and his bloud sa­tisfie the rigor of Gods iustice due for the same.

This bloud of Christ shed for our sinnes, is so deare in the sight of him that beleeueth, that he will abhorre in his heart, to stamp it, and tread it vn­der his feet. He knoweth now, by his beliefe, that it is too much, that hither­to he hath set too little by it, and is a­shamed thereof. Therefore for the re­sidue of his life, he purposeth to take better heed to himselfe, then before he did. Because he seeth by his faith, the grieuousnes of Gods anger, the foul­nesse of sinne, the greatnesse of Gods mercy, and of Christs loue towards him, hee will now bee heedy to pray vnto God to giue him his grace ac­cordingly; that as with his eyes, and tongue, hands, & feet, &c. hee hath dis­pleased [Page 75]God, doing his own wil: euen so now with the same eyes, tong, &c. he may displease his owne selfe, and doe Gods will: Willingly, will hee not doe that which might renew the death of the Son of God. He knoweth he hath too much sinne, vnwillingly in him, so that thereto he will not adde willing offences.

This willing & witting, offending and sinning, whosoeuer doth flatter himselfe therein; doth euidently de­monstrate and shew, that he neuer yet indeed, tasted of Christ truly. He was neuer truely perswaded, or beleeued, how foul a thing sin is, how grieuous a thing Gods anger is, how ioyfull and precious a thing, Gods mercie in Christ is, how exceeding broad, wide, high and deep Christs loue is: Per­chance he can talk and preach of faith, but yet truly in part he neuer felt it.

For if he did once feel this rauishing Consolation indeed, then would he be so far from continuing in sin, willing­ly and wittingly, that wholly & hear­tily hee would giue ouer himselfe to [Page 74] [...] [Page 75] [...] [Page 76]that which is contrary, I meane, to a new life, renewing his youth, euen as the Eagle doth.

For as we, being in the seruitude of sin, demonstrate our seruice, by gi­uing ouer our members to the obey­ing of sin, from iniquity to iniquity: euen so, we being made free from sin, by faith in Iesus Christ, and endued with Gods Spirit, a Spirit of liberty, must needes demonstrate this free­dome and libertie, by giuing ouer our members to the obedience of the Spirit: by the which we are lead and guided from vertue to vertue, and all kind of holinesse. As the vnbeleeuers declare their vnbelief, by the working of the euill spirit in them, outwardly the fruits of the flesh: euen so the be­leeuers declare their faith, by the wor­king of Gods Spirit in thē outward­ly the fruits of the spirit. For as the Diuell is not dead in those which are his, but worketh still to their dam­nation: so is not God dead in them which be his, but worketh still to their saluation. The which working is not [Page 77]the cause of the one or the other being in any; but onely a demonstration, a signe, a fruit of the same: As the Ap­ple is not the cause of the Apple tree, out a fruit of it.

Thus then you see briefly, that newnesse of life, is not in deed a part of penance, but a fruit of it, a demon­stration of the iustifying faith, a signe of Gods good Spirit possessing the heart of the penitent: as the old life is a fruit of impenitency, a demonstrati­on of a lip-faith, or vnbeliefe, a signe of Sathans spirit, possessing the heart of the impenitent, which al those be, that be not penitent.

For meane I know none: He that is not penitent, the same is impeni­tent: he that is not gouerned by Gods Spirit, the same is gouerned by Sa­thans spirit. For all that be Christi­ans are gouerned with the Spirit of Christ, which spirit hath his fruites. All other that be not Christs, are the Diuels. He that gathereth not with Christ, scattereth abroad.

Therefore, my dearely beloued, [Page 78]I beseech you to consider this, and de­ceiue not your selues. If you bee not Christs, then pertain you to the diuel: of which things the fruits of the flesh doth assure you, as whoredome, adul­tery, vncleannesse, wantonnesse, Ido­latry, witchcraft, enuy, strife, conten­tion, wrath, sedition, murther, drun­kennesse, gluttony, blasphemy, sloth­fulnesse, idlenesse, vaine talking, slan­dering, &c. If such like fruite as these grow out of the trees of your hearts; surely, surely, the Diuell is at Inne with you, you are his birds: whom when he hath well fed, he will broach you, and eat you, chaw you and champ you, world without end, in eternall woe and misery. But I am otherwise perswaded of you all. I trust you bee all CHRIST IESVS his people, and his children; yea, and his brethren by faith.

As ye see your sins in Gods Law, and tremble, and sigh, sorrow and sob for the same: euen so you see his great mercies in his Gospell and free pro­mises, & therfore are glad, merry and [Page 79]ioyfull, for that you are accepted into Gods fauour, haue your sins pardo­ned, and are endued with the good spi­rit of God, euen the Seale and signe, MANVEL of your election in Christ Iesus, euen before the beginning of the World.

The which Spirit, for that hee is the Spirit of life, giuen to you, to worke in you, with you, and by you here in this life satisfaction, and holi­nesse, whereunto you are called, that yee might bee holy, euen as your hea­uenly Father is holy: I beseech you al by admonition and warning of you, that you would stirre vp the giftes of God, giuen to you generally & parti­cularly, to the edifying of his Church, that is: I pray you, that you would not molest the good Spirit of God, by rebelling against it, when it prouo­keth and calleth you to goe on for­wards, that the which is holy, might yet be more holy, he which is righte­ous, might be more righteous; as the euill spirit moueth and stirreth vp the filthy to be yet more filthy, the coue­tous, [Page 80]to be more couetous, the wic­ked, to be more wicked.

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

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

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

For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men, hath appeared, and teacheth vs, that we should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, and that we should liue soberly, righteous­ly, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope and glori­ous appearing of the mighty God, and of our Sauiour, Iesus Christ, which gaue himselfe for vs, to redeeme vs from all vnrighteousnesse, and to [Page 81]purge vs a peculiar people vnto him­self, feruently giuen vnto good works.

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

Dearely beloued, repent your sins: that is, bee sorrie for that which is past, beleeue in Gods mercy for par­don, how deepely soeuer you haue sinned, and both purpose and earnest­peruse a new life, bringing forth wor­thy and true fruites of Repentance. [Page 82]As you haue giuen ouer your mem­bers from sin to sin, to serue the diuel; your tongues to sweare, to lye, to flat­ter, to scold, to iest, to scoffe, to beast­ly talk, to vaine iangling, to boasting, &c. Your hands to picking, groping, idlenesse, fighting, &c. Your féete to skipping, going to euil, to dancing, &c. Your eares to heare fables, lyes, va­nities, and euill things, &c. So now, giue ouer your members to godlines, your tongues to speak, your eares to heare, your eyes to sée, your mouthes to taste, your hands to work, your féet to go about such things as may make to Gods glory, sobriety of life, and loue to your brethren, and that daily more & more, diligently: for in a stay to stand you cannot, eyther better or worse you are to day, then you were yesterday. But better I trust you be, and will be if you mark my Theame; that is; Repent you. The which thing that you wold, as before I haue hum­bly besought you: euen so now, yet once more I do again beseech you, and that for the mercies of God in Iesus [Page 83]Christ our Lord: Repent you, repent you, for the kingdome of heauen (that is, a kingdome full of all riches, plea­sures, mirth, beauty, swéetnesse, and eternall felicity) is athand. The eye hath not séene the like, the eare hath not heard the like, the heart of man cannot conceiue the treasures & plea­sures of this kingdome, which is now at hand to such as repent; that is, to such as are sorry for their sinnes, be­léeue Gods mercy, through Christ, and earnestly purpose to leade a new life.

The God of mercy, through Christ his Sonne, grant vs his holy Spirit, and worke in our hearts this sorrow, faith, and new life; which through his grace I haue spoken of, both now and for euer. Amen.

THere are two Sacra­ments in CHRISTS Church: the one of i­mitatiō, that is wher­with we be enrolled, as it were in the hous­hold & family of God, which Sacrament, we call Baptism: the other, wherwith we be conserued. fed, kept, and nourished, to continue in the same family, which is called the Lords Supper, or the body & bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ, broken for our sins, and shed for our transgressi­ons.

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

But to come againe: Of the Lords Supper, I am purposed presently to to speake, through the helpe of God, [Page 87]because we are assembled in Christ (I hope) to celebrate the same.

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

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

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

Who did institute this Sacra­ment.For the first, Who did institute this Sacrament and Supper. You all doe know, that things are more estée­med sometime for the dignitie and authority of the person, sometime for the wisedome of the person, sometime for the power and magnifi­cence of the person, & sometime for the [Page 88]tender loue & kindnes of the person. If néed were, I could by examples set forth euery one of these, but I hope it is not necessary. Now then how can the thing which we be about to cele­brate, but be esteemed of euery one highly, in that the author of it doth want no dignity, no authority, no wis­dome, no power, no magnificence, no holinesse, no tender loue & kindnesse? but hath all dignity, authoritie, wise­dome, power, magnificence, &c. and all that can be absolutely wished.

He is God eternall, coequall, and substantiall, with the Father, and with the holy Ghost, the Image of the substance of God, the wisedome of the Father, the brightnesse of his glo­ry, by whom all things were made, are ruled and gouerned. Hee is the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords. He is the Messias of the world, our most deare and louing Brother, Sauiour, Mediatour, Aduocate, In­tercessour, Husband, Priest. So that the thing which commeth from him, cannot but bee esteemed, loued, and [Page 89]embraced, if dignity, authority, wis­dome power, glory, goodnesse, and mercy like vs. Yea, if any thing that can bee wished, like vs, then cannot this which our Lord did institute, but like vs; and that so much the more, by how much it is one of the last things which he did institute and conmaund. God open our eies, to see these things accordingly: so shall wee come with more reuerence to this Table of the Lord: which thing hee grant for his mercies sake. Amen.

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

Now to the second. What the Sa­crament is. If we shall aske our eyes,2 our nose, our mouth, our taste,What the Sacramēt is. our hands, and the reason of man: they will all make a consonant answere, that it is bread and wine. And verily, herein they speake the truth, and lye not; as by many things may be pro­ued, although the Papists prate their pleasure to the contrary.

And here, my dearely beloued, I thinke I shall not bee either tedious [Page 90]or vnprofitable vnto you, if I tarry a little in shewing this verity, that the substance of bread and wine remaine in the Sacrament, after the words of consecration (as they cal them) be spo­ken. Whereby wee may learne what shamelesse beasts they be, which wuld enforce men to beleeue Transubstan­tiation, which is an errour: whereup­on in a maner,Vpō trans­substanti­ation, all popery al­most is builded. dependeth all Popery; for it is the stay of their Priest-hood, which is neither after the order of Aa­ron, nor after the order of Melchise­dech: but after the order of Baal, which thing is something séen by their number. For the false Prophets and Priests of Baal were alwaies many mo in number, when the wicked were in authority, then the true Priests and Prophets of the Lord, as the holy Hi­stories of the Bible doe teach. Reade 3. Kings chap. 18.

The Sa­crament of the po­pish Masse not the Sacrament of Christs body.That in the Supper of the Lord, or in the Sacrament of Christs body (which the Papists call the Sacra­ment of the Altar) as though that were Christs Sacrament, which [Page 91]thing they can neuer proue: for it be­ing peruerted, and vsed to a contrary end, as of sacrificing propitiatorily, for the sinnes of the quicke and of the dead; of idolatrie, by adoring or wor­shipping it by godly honour, &c. is no more Christs Sacrament, but an horrible prophanation of it; and there­fore, as Christ called Gods Temple, which was called an house of prayer; for the abusing and prophaning of it by the Priests, a den of Theeues: so this which the Papists cal the Sacra­ment of the Altar, full truely may we call an abominable Idoll: And there­fore, I would all men should know, that the Sacrament of the Altar, as the Papists now do abuse it, omitting certaine substantiall points of the Lords institution, and putting in the stead thereof, their owne dregges and dreames, is not the Sacrament of Christs body nor the Lords Supper: whereof when we speake reuerently, as our duty is, wee would not that men should thinke we speake it of the popish Masse: (that I say) in the Sup­per [Page 92]of the Lord, or in the Sacra­ment of Christs body, there remai­neth the substance of Bread and Wine, as our senses and reasons do teach, these many things also doe teach the same.

The first reason a­gainst Transsub­stantiati­on.First, the holy Ghost doth plainely tell vs, by call it often bread, after the words of Consecration, as 1. Corin­thians 10. Is not the bread which we breake, a pertaking of the body of Christ, saith Paul?

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

As in the 11. Chapter fonre times he plainly calleth it: He that eateth of this bread: He that receiueth this bread, &c. And in the Acts of the Apostels wee reade, how that in speaking of the Communion They [Page 93]met together to breake bread, &c. So that it is plaine, that the substance of Bread and Wine doe remaine in the Supper, after the words of Conse­cration: As also may appeare plaine­ly by CHRISTS owne words, which calleth that which he gaue them in the cuppe, Wine, or the fruit of the Vine; as both Mathew, and Marke do write. Whereby wee fee, that there is no Transsubstantiation of the Wine: and therefore may wee also see, that there is no Transsubstantiation of the bread.

An answer to the Pa­pists ca­uill for the foresayd reason. Mat. 26 Exod. 7.As for the Papists cauilling, how that it hath the name of bread, because it was bread: as Simon the Leper, was called still leprous, though hee was healed: or as Moses Rodde, be­ing turned into a Serpent, was called a Rodde still, it proueth nothing. For there was in the one a plaine sight, and the senses certified that Simon was no Leper: and in the other, a plaine mention, that the Rod was turned into a Serpent. Contrariwise, concerning the Sacrament, neither [Page 94]the senses see any other thing then bread, neither is there any mention made of turning. And therefore their cauill is plainly seene to be but a ca­uill, and of no force. But to come a­gaine, to bring mee reasons of trans­substantiation.

The se­cond rea­son against Transsub­stantiatiō. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11.Secondly, that the substance of bread remaineth still, the very text doth teach. For the Euangelists, and the Apostle Saint Paul doe witnesse, that Christ gaue that to his Disciples, and called it his body which he tooke, on which he gaue thanks, and which hee brake: but he took bread, gaue thanks on bread, and broke bread; Ergo, hee gaue bread, and called bread his body, as he callled the Cuppe the new Te­stament.

So that it followeth by this, that there is no Transsubstantiation. And this reason I my selfe haue promised in writing, to proue by the authority of the Fathers: namely, Ireneus, Tertullian, Origine, Cyprian, Epipha­nius, Hieronimus, Augustinus, Theo­dorete, Bede, if so be I may haue the vse of my bookes.

The third reason a­gainst Transsub­stantiatiō.Thirdly, that in the Sacrament, there is no Transsubstantiation of the bread, by this reason I doe proue: Like as by our Sauiour Christ, the Spirit of truth spake of the bread, This is my body: So saith the same Spirit of trueth, of the same bread, That we many, are one body, 1. Cor. 10 and one bread &c.

So that as it appeareth, the Sacra­ment not to be in y^e Church, by Trans­substantiation, euen so is it not Christs naturall body, by Transsub­stantiation.

The forth reason a­gainst Transsub­stantiatiō.Fourthly, I proue that there is no Transsubstantiation by Luke and Pauls words spoken ouer the Cuppe. For no lesse are they effectual to trans­substatiate the Cup: then their words spoken of the bread, are opeartorious and mighty to transsubstantiate the bread. For as they say of bread, This is my body, so say they of the cuppe, This Cup is the new Testament: which thing is absurd to bee spoken or thought; either of the cuppe, or of the thing in the cup by Transsubstantia­tion. [Page 96]Yea, rather in saying these words, This Cup is the new Testa­ment: we are taught by their coupling this word, Cup, to the demonstra­tiue, This, how we should in these words, This is my body, know that this word, This, doeth their demon­strate bread.

The fift reason.Fiftly, that the substance of bread remaineth in the Sacrament, as the reasons before brought forth do proue, so doth the infinition of a Sacrament. For the Fathers do affirme it, to con­sist of an earthly thing,Ireneus Augustinus. Chrysosto­mus. and of an hea­uenly thing, of the word and of the element, of sensible things, and of things which be perceiued by the minde. But Transubstantiation ta­keth clean away that earthly thing, the keement, the sensible thing, and so ma­keth it no Sacrament. And therefore the definition of a Sacrament ful wel teacheth. that bread which is the earth­ly thing, the sensible thing, and the e­lement remaineth still, as saint Au­gustine saith: the word commeth to the element, (he saith not, taketh a­way [Page 97]the element,) and so it is made a Sacrament.

The sixt reason a­gainst Transsub­stantiati­on.Sixtly, the nature and property of a Sacrament, teacheth this also which I haue affirmed. for as Cyprian wri­eth, that Sacraments beare the names of the things which they signifie: so doeth Saint Augustine teach,Cyprian, in Sermone de Chrismat. Augustinus ad Bonifa­cium. that if Sacraments haue not some signifi­cation with the things whereof they be Sacraments; then are they no Sa­craments.

Now in the Lords Supper this si­militude is first in nourishing, that as bread nourisheth the body; so Christs body broken, féedeth the soule. Se­condly, in bringing together many into one, that as in the Sacrament, many graines of Corn are made one bread: many Grapes are made one ly­quour and Wine: so the multitude which worthily receiue the Sacra­ment, are made one body with Christ, and his Church. Last of all, in one vn­likely likelinesse or similitude, that as bread eaten, turneth into our na­ture: so we rightly, eating the Sacra­ment [Page 98]by faith, turne into the nature of Christ.

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

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

The se­uenth rea­son a­gainst transub­stantiati­on.The Sacrament of Baptisme doth also teach vs, that as the substanae of the water remaineth there: so in the Lords Supper, remaineth the sub­stance of bread after consecration. For as by Baptisme we are engrafted into CHRIST; so by the Supper we are fedde with Christ. These two Sacra­ments, the Apostle gladly coupleth together, 1. Cor. 10. and 1. Cor 12. We are baptized into one body (saith he) and haue drunke all of one spirit, meaning it by the Cup: as Chryso­stome and other great learned men doe well interpret it. As therefore in Baptisme, is giuen vnto vs the holy Ghost, and pardone of our sinnes, which yet lie not lurking in the wa­ter: so in the Lords Supper, is giuen vnto vs the Communion of Christs body and bloud, that is, grace, for­giuenesse of sins, innocencie, life, im­mortality, without any Transubstan­tiation, or including of the same in the bread. By Baptisme,Gal. 3. the old man is put off, and the new man put on, yea, Christ is put on, but without Tran­substantiating [Page 98] [...] [Page 99] [...] [Page 100]the water. And euen so it is in the Lords Supper. We by faith spiritually in our soules do féed on Christs body broken, do eate his flesh and drinke his blood: doe dwell in him, and he in vs but without Transubstantiation.

An answer to the Pa­pists ca­uill for the foresayd reason.As for the cauill they make, that wee are baptized into one bodie, meaning thereby the mysticall body, and not the naturall body of Christ, whereby they would enforce that we are fed with the naturall body of Christ; but we are not ingrafted into it, but into the mysticall body, and so put away the reason aforesaid. As for this cauill, I say, we may soone a­uoyde it, if so be that we will consider how that Christ which is the head of the mysticall body; is not seperate from the body, and therefore to be in­grafted to the mysticall body, is to be ingrafted into the naturall body of Christ, to be amember of his flesh, and bones of his bones: as Pope Leo full well doeth witnesse, in saying: that Corpus regenerati fit caro crucifixi: The [Page 101]body (saith he) of the regenerate, is made the flesh of Christ crucified. And hereto I could adde some reasons for the excellency of Baptisme. I thinke it be more to be gotten, then to be nou­rished. As for the excellent miracle of the patefaction of the Trinity, and the descending of the holy Ghost in Baptisme in a visible forme, the like whereto was no seene in the Lords Supper: I will omit to speake of further, then that I would you should know how it were no mastery, to set forth the excellency of this Sacra­ment, as well as of the Supper.

The eight reason.It is a plaine signe of Antichrist, to deny the substance of bread and wine to bee in the Lords Supper after consecration: for in so dooing and granting Transubstantiation, the propertie of the humane nature of Christ is denied. For it is not of the humane nature, but of the diuine na­ture, to bee in many places at once. As Dydimus, De spiritu sancto, doeth proue thereby the diuinity of the holy Ghost.

Now grant Transsubstantiation, and then Christs naturall body must néeds be in many places, which is no­thing els but to confound the two na­tures in Christ; or to deny Christs hu­mane nature, which is the selfe same that S. Iohn saith, to deny Christ to be come in the flesh. And this who so do­eth, by the testimony of. S Iohn, is an Antichrist in his so doing, whatsoeuer otherwise he do prate.

Reade S. Augustine, in his Epistle to Dardanus, & his 50. and 30. Trea­tise vpon Saint Iohn, and easily you shall see how that Christs body must needes be in one place. Oportet in v­no loco esse: But his Trueth is in all pla­ces.

The ninth reason.If there be no substance of bread in the Sacrament, but Transsubstanti­ation, then Christs body is receiued of the vngodly, and eaten with their téeth, which is not onely against S. Augustine (calling this spéech, Except you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man, &c. A figuratiue speech:) but also a­gainst the plaine Scriptures, which [Page 103]affirme them to dwell in Christ, and Christ in them, and they to haue euer­lasting life that eate him; which the wicked haue not, although they eate the Sacrament. He that eateth of this bread, (saith Christ) shall liue for e­uermore. Therefore, they eate not Christs body, but (as Paul saith) they eate in iudgement and damnation, which, beléeue it, is an other manner of thing then Christs body.

This doth S. Augustine affirm, saying: None do eate Christs body, which is not in the body of Christ, that is (as hée expoundeth it) in whom Christ dwelleth not, and he in Christ. Which thing the wicked doe not, be­cause they want faith and the holy Spirit, which be the meanes where­by Christ is receiued.

To the things which I haue brought hereforth, to improue trans­substantiation, I could bring in the Fathers to confirme the same, which succeeded contnually many hundred yeares after Christ. Also I could shew that Transsubstantiation is but a [Page 104]new doctrine, not established, before Sathan (which was tyed for a thou­sand yeeres) was letten loose. Also I could shew, that euer hitherto, since it was established, in all times it hath been resisted and spoken against. Yea, before this doctrine, the Church was nothing so endowed with goods, lands, and possessions as it hath béen since. It hath brought no small gaine, no small honour no small ease to the Cleargie: and therefore no maruaile though they striue and fight for it.

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

If time would serue, I could and would here tell you of the absurdities which come by this doctrine: but for times sake I must omit it. Onely, for Gods sake see this, that this their do­ctrine of Transsubstantiation is an vntrueth, already I haue proued; and forget not, that it is the whole stay of all Popery, and the pillar of their Priesthood: whereby Christs Priest­hood, [Page 105]Sacrifice, Ministery, and Truth is letted, yea peruerted, and vtterly o­uerthrowne.

God our Father, in the bloud of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST, open the eyes and mindes of all our Magi­strates, all other that beare the name of CHRIST, to see to it in time, to Gods glory, and their owne saluati­on. Amen.

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

But here, lest we should make it no Sacrament, for a Sacrament consi­steth of two things: and least a man should by this gather, that we make it none other thing but bare bread, and a naked signe, and so rayle at their pleasure on vs saying: How can a man be guilty of the body & bloud of Christ, by vnworthy receiuing it, if it [Page 106]bee but bare bread, and so forth? For this purpose, I will now speake a lit­tle more hereabout, by Gods grace, to stop your mouthes, and so to stirre vp your good hearts, more to the worthy estimation and preception of this holy mystery.

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

And so of this bread, thinke I, that if thou doe not rather consider the minde of thy louer Christ, then the thing which thou seest: yea, if thou do not altogether consider Christs mind, thou dealest vnhonestly, and Strum­petlike with him. For it is the pro­perty of Strumpets, to consider the things giuen and sent them, rather then the loue and mind of the giuer and sender: whereas the true louers [Page 107]doe not consider, in any point, the things giuen or sent, but the minde of the party.

So we, if we be true louers of Christ, must not consider harely the outward thing which we sée, and our senses perceiue; but rather altogether, wee must and should sée and consider the minde of Christ, and hereafter and ac­cordingly to it, to esteeme the Sa­crament.

But how shall we know the minde of Christ? Surely, as a mans minde is best knowne by his word: so by Christs word shal we know his mind.

Now his words be manifest, and most plaine: This (saith he) is my body: therefore, accordingly should wee e­steeme, take, and receiue it. If hee had spoken nothing, or if hee had spo­ken doubtfully, then might wee haue been in some doubt. But in that hee speaketh so plainly, saying: This is my body: Who can, may, or dare bee so bolde as to doubt of it? Hee is the trueth and cannot lye; he is omnipo­tent and can do all things: therefore it [Page 108]is his body. This I beléeue, this I confesse, and pray you all heartily to beware of these and such like words, that it is but a signe or figure of his body: Except ye will discerne betwixt signes which signifie only, and signes which also do represent, confirme, and seale vp (or as a man may say) giue with their signification. As for an example: An Iuy bush, is a signe of Wine to be sold: the budding of Aa­rons Rodde, did signifie Aarons Priest­hood, allowed of the Lord: the reserua­tion of Moses Rod, did signifie the re­bellion of the children of Israel: the stones taken out of Iordan, Gedeons fléece of woole, &c. Such as these, be signes significatiue, and shew no gift. But in the other signs, which some cal exhibitiue, is there not only a signifi­cation of the thing, but also a declara­tion of a gift is, in a certaine manner, a giuing also: As Baptisme not one­ly signifieth the cleansing of the con­science from sinne, by the merits of CHRISTS bloud, but also is a very cleansing from sinne. And therefore [Page 109]it was sayd to Paul, that he should a­rise and wash away his sins, and not that he should arise and take onely a signe of washing away his sinnes. In the Lords Supper, the bread is called a partaking of the Lords body, and not only a bare signe of the Lords body. This I speak not, as though the elements of these Sacraments (were Transsubstantiate) which I haue al­ready impugned eyther, as though Christs body were in bread or wine, or that they were tyed to the elements otherwise then Sacramentally, and spiritually, either that the bread and wine may not, and must not be called Sacramentall, and externall signes: but that they might be discerned from significatiue and bare signes only, and he taken for signes exhibitiue; and re­presentiue. By this meanes a Chri­stian conscience will call and estéeme the bread of the Lord, as the body of Christ. For it will neuer estéeme the Sacraments of Christ, after their ex­terior apearance, but after the words of Christ.

Whereof it commeth, that the Fa­thers, as Chrysostome and others, doe speake with so ful a mouth, when they speake of the Sacrament: for their re­spect was to Christs words. If the Schoole-men which followed had the same spirit which they had, then wold they neuer haue consented to Trans­substantiation. For with great admi­ration some of the Fathers doe say; that the bread is changed or turned into the body of Christ, and the wine into his bloud: meaning it of a muta­tion or change, not corporall, but spi­rituall, figuratine, Sacramentall, or mysticall. For now it is no common bread, nor common wine, beeing or­dained to serue for the food of the soul. The Schoole-men haue vnderstood it, as the Papists now speake of a sub­stantiall changing, as though it were no great miracle, that common bread should now be assumed into that dig­nity, that it should bee called Christs body, and serue for a celestiall foode, and be made a Sacrament of his body and bloud.

As before therefore I haue spoken,Christs presence in the Supper. I would wish that this Sacrament should bee esteemed, and called of vs Christian men, after Christs words: namely, the bread Christs body, and the wine Christs bloud, rather then o­therwise. Not that I meane any other presence of Christs body, then a pre­sence of grace, a preseruer to Faith, a presence spiritually: and not corporal­ly, really, naturally, and carnally, as the Papists doe meane. For in such sort Christs body is onely in heauen, on the right hand of God the Father almighty, whether our faith in the vse of the Sacrament, ascendeth and receiueth whole Christ accordingly.

Yea, but one will say, that to cal the Sacrament on that sort,An obie­ction. is to giue an occasion of Idolatry to the people, which wil take the Sacrament which they see simply for Christs body, as by experience wee are well taught: and therefore it were better to cal it bread, and so lesse harme should be, especially in this age.

To this obiection I answere,An answer. that [Page 112]indéed great Idolatry is committed to, and about this Sacrament; and therefore men ought, as much as they can, to avoyd from occasion or confirming it.

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

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

Therefore, Woe vnto them that preach not.

There be two euils about the Sa­craments, which to auoyde, the holy Ghost hath taught vs. For least we should with the Papists, think Christs body present in, or with the bread re­ally, naturally, and corporally, to be receiued w^c our bodily mouth (where [Page 113]there is no other presence of Christs body then spirituall, and to the faith) in many places he kéepeth still the name of bread, as in the Epistle to the Corinthians, the tenth and eleuenth Chapters. And least we shold make to light of it, making it but a bare signe and no better then common bread, the holy Ghost calleth it Christs body; whose spéech I wish we would follow and that not onely as well to auoyde the euill, which is now a dayes most to be feared, concerning the Sacra­ment, I meane, of contemning it: as also for that no faithfull man com­meth to the Sacrament to receiue bread simply, but rather, yea, altoge­ther to communicate with Christs bo­dy and bloud. For else to eate & drink (as Paul saith) they haue houses of their owne.

The contempt of the Sacrament, in the dayes of King Edward, hath caused these plagues vpon vs present­ly, the Lord bee mercifull vnto vs. A­men. And thus much for the obiection, of calling the Sacrament by y^e name of Christs body.

Another obiection of Christs presence in the Sa­crament,What (saith one?) to call the Sacra­ment Christs body, and to make none other presence then by grace, or spiri­tually to faith, which is of things ho­ped for, and of things which to the bo­dily senses do not appeare, is to make no presence at all, or to make him none otherwise present, then he is in his word when it is preached: and therefore what néede we to receiue the Sacrament, in as much as by this doctrine, a man may receiue him day­ly in the fielde, as well, and as much as in the Church, in the celebration and vse of the Sacrament?

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

For it is in Heauen, and the Hea­uens must haue it (as saith Peter) till Christs comming to iudgment, except wee would denie the humanity of Christ, and the verity of mans nature [Page 115]in him. The presence therefore which we beléeue and confesse, is such a pre­sence, as reason knoweth not, and the world cannot learne, nor any that loo­keth in this matter with other eyes, or heareth with other eares, then with the eares and eyes of the Spirit and of Faith.

Which Faith, though it be of things hoped for, and so of things absent to the corporall senses, yet this absence, is not an absence, indéede, but to rea­son, and the old man; the nature of Faith, being a possession of things ho­ped for. Therefore, to grant a presence to Faith, is not to make no presence at all, but to such as know not Faith: And this the Fathers taught, affirm­ing Christ to be present by grace, and therefore, not only a signification; but also an exhibition and giuing of the Grace of CHRISTS body; that is, of life, and of the seede of immortality, as Cyprian writeth. Wae eate Life, and drinke Life, faith Saint AVGV­STINE.

We féele a presence of the Lord by Grace, or in Grace, saith Chrystome: We receiue the celestiall foode, that commeth from aboue, saith Athanasi­us. We receiue the propertie of the naturall coniunction,Athanasius Hylarius. and knitting to­gether, saith Hillarius. We receiue the nature of the flesh the blessing that giueth life in bread and Wine, saith Cyrillus. Cyrillus. And else where he sayth, that with the bread and Wine, we eate the vertue of Christs proper flesh, life, grace, and the propertie of the body of the onely begotten sonne of God; which thing he himselfe expoundeth to be life.Basilius. Basilius saith, that we by the Sacrament receiue the mysticall Ad­uent of Christs, grace, and the very vertue of his very nature.Ambrosius. Ambrose saith, that we receiue the Sacra­ment of the true body.Epiphanius. Epiphanius saith, we receiue the body or grace. And Hierome saith, that we receiue spirituall flesh,Hieronimu which he calleth other flesh, then that which was crucifi­ed. Chrisostome saith,Chrisosto­mus. that wee receiue influence of grace and the [Page 117]Grace of the holy Ghost. Saint Augustine saith, that we receiue grace and veritie, the inuisible grace and holinesse of the members of Christs body. All the which sayings of the Fathers, doe confirme this our faith and doctrine of the Sacrament, wee granting in all things héerein vnto them, and they in like manner vnto vs. And therefore, the lying lippes, which both belye y^e Doctors, as thogh they granted a carnall and reall pre­sence of Christs body, naturally and corporally after the Papists declarati­on and meaning: and which belie vs also, as though we denied all presence of Christ, and so made it but a bare signe.

These lying lips the Lord will de­stroy, if they repent not, and with vs beleeue, and teach the truth, that the Sacrament is the foode of the Soule a matter of faith, and therefore spiri­tually and by faith to be talked of and vnderstanded: which faith they want, and therfore they erre so grossely, in that they would haue such a presence [Page 118]of Christ, as is contrary to all the Scriptures, and to our Christian Re­ligion: whereby commeth no such commodity to the receiuer, as by the Spirituall presence which wee teach, and according to Gods word doe af­firme.

For wee teach these benefits to be had by the worthy receiuing the Sa­crament; namely, that wee abide in Christ, and Christ in vs. Againe, that we obtaine by it a celestiall life, or a life with God: moreouer, that by Faith and in Spirit, wee receiue not onely Christs body and blood, but al­so whole Christ, God and man. Be­sides these, we grant, that by the wor­thy receiuing of this Sacrament, we receiue remission of our sinnes, and confirmation of the new Testament. Last of all, by worthy receiuing, wee get all increase of incorporation with Christ, and amongst our selues, which be his members: then which things what more can be desired? Alas, that men consider nothing at all, how that the coupling of CHRISTS bo­dy [Page 119]and blood to the Sacrament, is a spirituall thing; and therefore there néeds no such carnall presence as the Papists imagine. Who will deny a mans Wife, to be with her Husband, one body and one flesh, although he be at London, and shee at Yorke? But the Papists are carnall men, guided by carnall reason onely, or else would they know how that the holy Ghost, because of our infirmitie, vseth meta­phorically the words of abiding, dwel­ling, eating and drinking of Christ, that the vnspeakeable coniunction of Christ with vs, might something bee knowne. God open their eyes to see it.

And thus much for this.

Now to that part of the obiecti­on, which sayth, that wee teach CHRIST to bee no otherwise present in the Sacrament, then in his word: I would that the Ob­iectors would well consider, what a presence of CHRIST is in his word. I remember that Saint [Page 120] Augustine writeth, how that Christs body is receiued sometime visible, and sometime inuisible.

The visible receit, he calleth that which is by the Sacrament: the in­uisible receite hee calleth that which by the exercise of our faith, with our selues, we receiue. And saint Hierom in the third booke vpon Ecclesiastes, affirmeth, that we are fed with the bo­dy of Christ, and we drinke his blood, not only in mystery, but also in know­ledg of Scripture. Wherin he plainly sheweth, that the same meat is offered in the words of y^e Scriptures, which is offered in the Sacrament; so that no lesse is Christs body and bloud offered by the Scriptures, then by the Sacra­ments. Vpon the 147. Psalme, hee writeth also, that though these words: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood: may bee vnderstood in mysterie, yet he saith, it is more true to take Christs body and his blood, for the word of the Scriptures, and the doctrine of God. Yea, vpon the same Psalme he saith plainely, that Christs [Page 121]flesh and bloud is powred into our eares, by hearing the word: and ther­fore great is the perill, if we yeeld to other cogitations whilst we heare it. And therefore, I thinke, Saint Au­gustine saith, that it is no lesse perill to heare Gods word negligently, then so to vse the Sacrament. But here­of may no man gather, that therefore it néedeth not to receiue the Sacra­ment, or to affirme that a man may as much by himselfe, meditating the word in the field, receiue Christs bo­dy, as in the Church, in the right vse of the Sacrament. For Christ ordai­nth nothing in vaine, or superstiti­ously, hee ordaineth nothing whereof wee haue not neede: Although his authority is such, that without any questioning, his ordinances are to be obeyed.

Againe, though in the field a man may receiue Christs body by Faith, in the meditation of the word, yet deny I that a man doth ordinarily receiue Christs body, by the only meditation of Christs death, or hearing of his [Page 122]word, with so much sight, and by such sensible assurance (whereof God knoweth our infirmitie hath no small need) as by the receit of the Sacra­ment, not that Christ is not so much present in his word preached, as hee is in, or with his Sacrament: but because there are in the perception of the Sacrament, more windowes open for Christ to enter into vs, then by his word preached or heard. For there, I meane in the word, he hath an en­trance into our hearts, but onely by the eares, through the voice and sound of the words: but heerein the Sacra­ment, he hath an entrance by all our senses, by our eyes, by our nose, by our taste, and by our handling also.

And therefore the Sacrament full well may be called, seeable, sensible, tasteable, and touchable words. As therefore, when many windowes be opened in an house, the more light may come in then when there is but one opened: euen so, by the percepti­on of the Sacraments, a Christian mans conscience hath more helpe to [Page 123]receiue Christ, then simply by the word preached, heard, or meditated.

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

Now to returne from whence wee came; namely, to the consideration of the second thing, what the Sacra­ment is: I haue told you, that it is not simply Bread and Wine, but ra­ther Christs body, so called of Christ, and so to be called and esteemed of vs. But heere let vs marke what body, and what blood Christ called it.

Christs presence in the Supper.The Papists still babble: This is my body, This is my blood. But what body it is, what blood it is, they shew not.

Looke therefore, my dearely belo­ued, on Christs owne words, and you shall see, that CHRIST calleth it his body broken, and his blood shedde. Marke, I say, tha [Page 124]Christ calleth it his body which is broken, his blood which is shed pre­sently, and not which was broken, or shall be broken, which was shed, or shall be shed, as the Greeke Texts do plainely shew: thereby teaching vs, that as God would haue the Passeo­uer called, not which was the Passe­ouer, or shall be the Passeouer, but plainely the Passeouer; to the end that in the vse of it, the passing ouer of the striking Angell, should be set before their eyes as present: so in the cele­bration of the Lords Supper, the very Passion of Christ should be as present, beholden with the eyes of Faith.

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

The Supper of the Lord then, is not simply Christs body and blood, but Christs body broken, and his blood shedde. Wherefore broken? Wherefore shedde? Forsooth, that [Page 125]teacheth Christ himselfe, saying: Bro­ken for you, Shed for your sinnes, and for the sins of many. Here now then we haue occasion in the vse of the Sa­crament, to call to mind the greatnes and grieuousnesse of sinne, which could not be taken away by any other meanes, then by the shedding of the most precious bloud, and breaking of the most pure body, of the only begot­ten Sonne of GOD, Iesus Christ; by whome all things were made, all things are ruled and gouerned, &c.

Who considering this thing, shall not be touched to repent? Who in the receiuing of this Sacrament, think­ing that Christ saith to him: Take, eate, this is my body, which is broken for thee: This is my blood which is shedde for thy sinnes, can but trem­ble at the grieuousnesse of his sinnes, for the which such a price was payd? If there were no plague at all else, to admonish man of sinne, how grieuous a thing it is in Gods sight, surely that one were enough. But alas, how are our hearts bewitched, through [Page 126]Sathans subtilties, and the custome of sinne, that we make sinne a thing of nothing? God open our eyes in time, and giue vs repentance, which wee sée this Sacrament doth, as it were, enforce vs vnto, in the reue­rence and true vse of the same.

Againe, in hearing that this which we take and eate, is Christs body bro­ken for our sinnes, and his bloud shed for our iniquities, we are occasioned to call to mind the infinite greatnesse of GODS mercy and truth, and of Christs loue towards vs. For what a mercie is this, that God would for man, beeing lost through his wilfull sinnes, be content; yea, desirous to giue his owne onely Sonne, The I­mage of his substance, the brightnesse of his glorie, being in his own bosome, to be made man for vs, that we men by him, might be; as it were, made Gods? What a mercie is this, that God the Father should so tender vs, that he would make this his Sonne, being equall with him in diuinitie, a mortall man for vs, that wee might [Page 127]bee made immortall by him? What a kindnesse is this, that the Almighty Lord should send to vs his enemies, his deare Darling to bee made poore, that wee by him might bee made rich?

What bowels of compassion was this, that the omnipotent Creator of Heauen and earth, would deliuer his owne onely beloued Sonne for vs creatures, to be not onely flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones, that we might by him through the holy Ghost, be made one with him, and so with the Father, by communicating the merits of his flesh; that is, righte­ousnesse, holinesse, innocencie, and immortalitie: but also to bee a slaine Sacrifice for our sinnes, to satisfie his iustice, to conuert or turne death into life, our sinne into righteousnes, hell into Heauen, misery into felici­tie for vs? What a mercy is this, that GOD will rayse vp this his Sonne CHRIST, not onely to iustifie and regenerate vs? but also in his person, to demonstrate [Page 128]vnto vs our state, which wee shall haue: for in his comming we shall be like vnto him.

Oh wonderful mercy of God, which would assume this his Christ, euen in humane body, into the heauens, to taken and kéepe their possession for vs, to leade our captiuitie, captiue, to ap­peare before him alwaies praying for vs, to make the throne of Iustice a throne of mercy, the seat of glory a seat of grace! So that with boldnesse we may come and appeare before God, to aske and finde grace, in time conue­nient. Againe, what a verity and constant trueth in God, is this, that he would, according to his promise, made first to Adam, and so to Abra­ham, and others in his time, accom­plish it, by sending his sonne so graci­ously? Who would doubt hereafter, of anything that he hath promised?

And as for Christs loue, oh, whose heart can be able to thinke of it any thing as if deserueth? He being God would become man: He being rich would become poore: He being Lord [Page 129]of all the world, became a seruant to vs all, hee being immortall, would be­come mortall, miserable, and taste of all Gods curses; yea, euen of hell it selfe for vs. His bloud was nothing too deare, his life nothing considered, to bring vs from death to life.

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

Do euery of you surely think, when you heare these words, Take eate, this is my body, broken for your sinnes: Drinke, this is my bloud, shed for your sins: That God, y^e eternal Father, em­bracing you, Christ calleth & clippeth you must louingly, making himselfe [Page 130]one with you, and you one with him, and one with another amongst your selues.

You ought no lesse to be certaine now that God loueth you, pardoneth your sinnes, and that Christ is all yours, then if you did heare and Angell out of heauen speaking so vnto you. And therefore reioyce and be glad, and make this Supper Eutharichiam, a thankesgiuing as the Fathers named it. Be no lesse certaine, that Christ and you now are all one, then you are certaine, the bread and wine is one with your nature and substance, after you haue eaten and drunke it. How­beit, in this it differeth, that you by faith are, as it were, changed into Christ, and not Christ into you, as the bread is: for by faith he dwelleth in vs, and we in him. God giue vs faith in the vse of this Sacrament, to re­ceiue Christ as he giueth vs hands to receiue the element, simbole, and vi­sible Sacrament. God grant vs not to prepare our féeth and belly (as Saint Augustine saith) but rather of his [Page 131]mercy, he prepare and giue vs true and liuely faith, to vse this and all o­ther his ordinances to his glory and our comforts. He sweep the houses of our hearts, and make them cleane, that they may bee worthy Temples and lodgings for the Lord. Amen.

Where­fore the Sacrament was insti­tuted.Now let vs come and looke on the third and last thing; namely, where­fore the Lords did institute this Sa­crament. Our nature is very obliui­ous of GOD, and of all his benefits And againe, it is very full of dubitati­on and doubting of GODS loue, and of his kindnesse. Therefore, to the end these two things might be some­thing reformed and holpen in vs, the Lord hath instituted this Sacrament; I meane, that we might haue in me­morie the principall benefite of all be­nefits, that is, Christs death, and that we might be on all parts assured of Communinon with Christ, of al kinde­nes the greatest y^t euer God did giue vnto man. The former to be the end, wherfore Christ did institute this Sa­crament, he himselfe doeth teach vs, [Page 132]saying: Doe ye this in remembrance of me. The latter, the Apostle doeth no lesse set forth in saying: The bread which we breake, is it not the parta­king or Communion of the body of Christ? Is not the Cuppe of blessiing, which we blesse, the partaking or Communion of the bloud of Christ? So that it appeareth, the end where­fore this Sacrament was instituted, was and is, for the reformation and helpe of our obliuion, of that which we should neuer forget; and of our du­bitation of that whereof we ought to be most certaine.

Concerning the former, namely, of the memorie of Christs death, what commoditie it bringeth with it, I will purposely for times sake omit. Onely, a little will I speake of the commodi­ties comming vnto vs, by the partake­ing Communiō we haue with Christ. First it teacheth vs, that no man can communicate with Christ, but the same must néeds communicate with Gods grace and fauor, where-through sinnes are forgiuen.

Therefore, this commodity com­meth here-through; namely, that we should be certaine of the remission and pardon of our sinnes. The which thing wee may also perceiue by the Cup, in that it is called the Cuppe of the new Testament: to which Testa­ment is properly attributed, on Gods behalfe, obliuion or remission of our sinnes. First, I say, therefore; the Supper is instituted to this end, that hee which worthily receiueth, should bee certaine of the remission and par­don of his sinnes and iniquities, how many and great soeuer they be. How great a benefit this is, only they know which haue felt the burthen of sinne, which of all heauy things, is the most heauy. Againe, no man can commu­nicate with Christs body and bloud, but the same must communicate with his spirit, for Christs body is no dead carkasse. Now he y^t communicateth with Christs Spirit, cōmunicateth as with holines, righteousnes, innocen­cy, and immortality, and with all the merits of Christs body: so doth hee [Page 134]with God and all his glory, and with the Church, and all the good that euer it or any member of it had, hath, or shall haue:Note though I apply this thus: yet I would not that a­ny man should think, that Communio­nem sancto­rum, in the Creed, is not set forth there for the better ex­plication of that which pre­ceedeth it namely, what the holy Ca­tholique Church is. This is, The communi­on of Saints, which we beleeue in our Creede, which hath wayting on it, Remission of sinnes, Resurrection of the flesh, and life euerlasting.

To the end, that we should be most assured & certain of al these, Christ our Sauiour did institute this his Sup­per, and therefore would haue vs to vse it. So that there is no man; I thinke, which seeeth not great cause of giuing thanks to God, for this ho­ly Sacrament of the Lord, whereby if we worthily receiue it, wee ought to bee certaine, that all our sinnes whatsoeuer they bee, are pardoned cleerely: that we are regenerate and borne againe into a liuely hope, into an inheritance, immortall, vndefiled, and which can neuer wither away: that wee are in the fellowship of God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: that we are Gods Temples, at one with God, and GOD at one [Page 135]with vs: that wee are members of CHRISTS Church, and fellowes with the Saints in all felicitie: that wee are certaine of immortalitie, in soule and body, and so of eternall life: then which thing, what can bee more demanded? CHRIST is ours, and wee are Christs, hee dwelleth in vs, and we in him. Oh happy eyes that see these thinges! And most happy hearts that féele them. My deare brethren, let vs pray vnto the Lord, to open our eyes to see these wonderfull things, to giue vs faith to feele them. Surely wee ought no lesse to be assu­red of them, now in the worthy recei­uing of this Sacrament, then wee are assured of the exteriour symboles and Sacraments. If an Angel from Heauen should come and tel you these things, then would you reioyce and be glad. And my deare hearts in the Lord, I; euen now, though most vn­worthy, am sent of the Lord to tel you no lesse, but that you worthily recei­uing this Sacrament, shall receiue remission of all your sinnes, or rather [Page 136]certaintie that they are remitted, and that you are euen now Gods Dear­lings, Temples, and fellow inheri­tors of all the good that euer hee hath. Wherefore, sée that you giue thankes vnto the Lord for this his great good­nesse, and prayse his Name for euer.

An obiec­tion of vn­worthy re­ceiuing.Oh, saith one, I could be glad in very deed, and giue thanks from my very heart, if that I did worthily re­ceiue this Sacrament. But (alas) I am a very grieuous sinner, and I féele in my selfe very little repentance and faith; and therefore I am afeard that I am vnworthy.

The an­swere.To the answering of this obiecti­on, I think it necessary to speak some­thing of the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament, in as great breuitie and plainenesse as I can. The Apostle willeth all men to proue and examine themselues, before they eate of the Bread, and drinke of the Cup: for they that eate and drinke vnworthily, eate and drinke their owne damnati­on.

Therefore, this probation and exa­mination [Page 137]is necessary. If men will try their Gold and Siluer, whether they bee Copper or no: is it not more necessary, that men should trie their consciences? Now, how this should bée, the Papists teach amisse, in sen­ding vs to their auricular Confession, which is impossible. The true pro­bation, and tryall of a Christ an con­science, consisteth altogether in Faith and Repentance. Faith, hath respect to the Doctrine and Articles of our Beliefe: Repentance, hath respect to manners and conuersation. Concer­ning the former, I meane of Faith, wee may see the Apostle teacheth vs, 2. Corinthians 11. Concerning the lat­ter, for our conuersation, those sinnes which are commonly called mortal, or deadly, are to be remoued. These sins are discerned from other sins, by the Apostle, Rom. 6. in saying: Let not sinne raigne and beare sway in your mortall bodies. For truely, the [...] we sinne deadly, when wee giue ouer to sinne, and let it haue the bridle of his libertie, when wee striue not [Page 138]against it, but allow it, and consent to it. Howbeit, if wee striue against it, if it displease vs, then truly, thogh sinne be in vs (for wee ought to obey God without all resistance, or vnwil­lingnesse) yet our sins be not of those sinnes, which separate vs from God, but for Christs sake shall not be im­puted vnto vs beléeuing.

Therefore, my dearely beloued, if that your sinnes doe now displease you, if you purpose vnfainedly to bee enemies to sinne in your selues and in others, as you may, during your whole life, if you hope in Christ for pardon, if you beleeue, according to the holy Scriptures and Articles of the Christian Faith, set forth in your Creede: if, I say, you now trust in Gods merey, through Christs merits; if, you repent, and earnestly purpose before God to amend your life, and to giue ouer your selues to serue the Lord, in holinesse, and righteousnesse all the dayes of your life: although before this present, you haue most grieuously sinned; I publish vnto [Page 139]you, that you are worthy ghests for this Table, you shall be welcome to Christ, your sinnes shall be pardoned, you shall be endued with his Spirit, and so with Communion with him and the Father, & the whole Church of God, Christ will dwell in you, and you shall dwell in him for euermore.

Wherefore, behaue your selues accordingly, with ioyfulnes & thanks­giuing. Doe you now appeare be­fore the Lord: make cleane your hou­ses, and open the doores of your hearts by repentance and faith, that the Lord of Hostes, the King of glory, may en­ter in: and for euer hereafter beware of all such things, as might displease the eyes of his Maiestie. Flie from sinne, as from a Loade; come away from Popery, and all Antichristian Religion; be diligent in your vocati­ons, be diligent & earnest in Prayer; hearken to the voyce of God in his Word with reuerence; liue worthy your profession. Let your light in your life so shine, that men may sée your good workes, and glorifie your [Page 140]Father which is in heauen. As you haue beene darkenesse, and followed the works of darknesse, so now hence­forth bee light in the Lord, and haue societie with the works of light. Now hath God renewed his couenant with you, in Gods sight now are you as cleane, and healed from all your sores of sinnes. Goe your waies, sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen vn­to you. Sée that your houses béeing new swept, bée furnished with godli­nesse and vertue, and beware of idle­nesse, lest the Deuill come with seuen spirits worse then himselfe, and to take his lodging, and then your lat­ter end will be worse then the first.

God our Father, for the tender mercie and merits of his Sonne, bée mercifull vnto vs, forgiue vs all our sinnes, and giue vs his holy Spirit, to purge, cleanse, and sanctifie vs, that wee may bée holy in his sight through CHRIST; and that we now may bee made ready, and wor­thy to receiue this holy Sacrament, with the fruits of the same, to the [Page]full reioycing and strength [...] of our hearts in the LORD [...] to whom bée all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

To GOD be all Pra [...].