The Highway to Heaven, Text (3 of 5)

The Highway to Heaven · Text (3 of 5)

p. 144But to proceede, This vniō is not carnall, but ſpirituall.this vnion of ours and cōmunion with Chriſt, though it muſt be certain, reall, & true, in refpect of the things to be vnited, yet in regard of the manner of vniting them, we muſt not imagine it to be any groſſe or earthly commixtion or cō iunction with him, ſuch as is with vsus, the mingling or ioyning togither of any creatures that in themſelues are diuerſe, but that it is altogither, in reſpect of the manner, ſpirituall, and ſupernaturall, and yet neuertheleſſe true and certaine, though it be both vnſearchable and vnutterable. For let a man fearch all the ſcriptures thorow, and an other communion and fellowſhip with p. 145Chriſt, whereupon ſaluation commeth, then that which is ſpirituall, he ſhall nether finde eyther promiſed, expected, or performed. In deede it was both promiſed, and thereupon expected, and performed, that Godhead and manhood ſhoulde be vnited togither in one perſon, that ſo man (who by ſinne had loſt his vnion, communion, and fellowſhip with God) might recouer the ſame againe in and by that perſon, and by that which he ſhould accompliſh in thoſe two natures for him. But as the perſonall vnion of theſe two natures in one Chriſt, (as by our Catholicke faith we are perſwaded) is reall, certaine and ſure, ſo we finde it, yet by humaine ſenſe and reaſon, incomprehenſible, and yet by the power of the eternall ſpirite, by the ſame faith, we are taught vndoubtedly to beleeue, it was ſo verily effected, for our euerlaſting good. A communicating of the merits of this Chriſt, God and man, vntounto thoſe that belezue in him, by imputation there is, we knowe: For the righteouſnes of God is on all, and vponupon all that beleene in him. Rom. 3.22. which is a righteouſnes that ſuch attaine vntounto by faith in him, not made manifeſt by the lawe (as the inherent righteouſneſſe of our owne merits, if there were any ſuch, as men knowe is) as both in that p. 146verſe, and that which goeth before, is ſhewed. But without the inhabitation of the ſpirit of God proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne (the worke whereof faith is. Iohn. 6.29. & Gal. 5.22.) we cannot attaine heereunto. Howbeit heere we talke not eyther of the vnion of the two natures in the perſon of one Chriſt, nor yet of his communicating of his merits vntounto vsus by imputation, nor of his dwelling in vsus by his ſpirit: but of his owne vniting and communicating of himſelfe both God and man vntounto vsus. For conſiſting of thoſe two natures, heere in my text he biddeth vsus to come vntounto him, and as I hauehave ſhewed, to drinke of him: which if once we duelie performe, then we withal euen thereby, are ſure of all the benefits neceſſary to our ſaluation, that by any of theſe we may looke for. Now Paule when he ſpoke moſt plainely of this, ſaying, We are members of his body, of his fleſh, & of his bones, Epheſ. 5.30. to aſſure vsus that it is reall and eſſentiall, yea and moſt certaine in reſpect of the thinges to be vnited, Chriſt & his members: yet within two verſes after he confeſſeth and ſaith, that it is a great myſtery that he ſpeaketh of, thereby alſo ſhewing, that in reſpect of the manner of vniting of them, it is ſupernaturall and vnſearchable p. 147by humaine ſen̄ſe and reaſon: howbeit this is our comfort, that though we cannot conceiue it whiles we are heere; and our knowledge is vnperfect; that yet Chriſt our ſauiour to our vnſpeakeable conſolation hath tolde vsus, that the day ſhall come when his ſhall knowe, By the ſpirit it is obtained.That he is to the father, they in him, and he in them. Io. 14.20. In the meane time thus much it hath pleaſed him to reueale vntounto vsus by the worde, that it is the holie Ghoſt the vertie ſpirit of God, without which this cannot be, and by the means whereof this vnion and communion is made betwixt Chriſt and vsus. For it is written, as vttered by Chriſt himſelfe. Io. 3.5. Except a man be borne againe of water and the ſpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. And Paule moſt plainelie ſaieth Rom. 8.9. If any man hauehave not the ſpirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his. And likewiſe Saint Iohn. 1. Epiſt. cap. 4. verſ. 13. writeth, that by this we knowe that Chriſt is in vsus, by his ſpirit that he hath giuen vsus. Paule alſo to this purpoſe verie notablie ſaith, by one ſpirite, we are all baptized into one bodie, and hauehave beene all made to drinke into one ſpirite. 1. Cor. 12.13. And therefore vponupon verie good p. 148ground hath the ancient father Irenaeus (who liued in the next age to the Apoſtles) in his third booke and 19. chapter againſt the hereſies of the Valentinians and others, written moſt ſweetely and profoundlie: Sicut de arido tritico maſſa vna fierinon poteſt, ne que vnus panis; ita nec nos multi, vnum fieri in Chriſto Ieſu poteramus, ſine aqua, qnae de coelo eſt: & ſicut arida terra, ſi non percipiat humorem non fruclificat; ſic & nos lignum aridum exiſtentes primùm, nunquam fructificaremus vitam ſine ſuperna voluntaria pluuia: that is, As of drie wheate, neyther one lumpe of dowe, nor one loafe can be made; ſo neyther we beeing many, could euer hauehave beene made one in Chriſt Ieſu, without water from heauen: and as the drie earth fructifieth not without moyſture, ſo we being firſt but dry wood, could neuer hauehave had our fruit to be eternall life without voluntarie raine from aboue. Which in the ſame place he interpreteth to be the ſpirit of God, which God beſtoweth vponupon his. Which Chriſoſiom in his Homilie at Pentecoſt of the holy ſpirit, calleth the coupling or band of the vnion betwixt Chriſt and his. Further, to proone this our vnion with Chriſt to be ſpirituall, & not any groſſe or carnal mingling or conioyning of him and vsus togither, it verie well ſerueth, p. 149that Chriſt him ſelfe in the fixt of Iohn, hath both abſolutely, and moſt confidently ſaide, verily verily I ſay vntounto you, except yee eate the fleſh of the ſonne of man, and drinke his bloode, yee hauehave noe life in you. verſ. 53. And alſo a little after, that he is the breade of life that came downe from heauen, and his fleſh is meate indeede, and his bloode is drinke indeede, whereof whoſoeuer eateth and drinketh, hath eternall life. Verſe. 51.54.55.56. For this being thus, he might wel ſay to all that would be ſaued, from the beginning of the worlde, to the ende therof, as we reade he ſaide to his. Ioh. 15.4.5.6. Abide in me, and I in you: as the branch cannot beare fruite of it ſelfe, except it abide in the vine, no more can yee, except yee abide in me. I am the vine, yee are the branches: he that abideth in mee and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth much fruit; for without me can yee doenothing. &c. For as it hath from the beginning beene a moſt certaine truth, that to the beginning of the being and life of man, and to the continuance of the ſame, his bodie and ſoule muſt be vnited togeather, ſo hath it alwayes beene, is, and euer willbee, to make whole man to hauehave any acceptable being before God, or life in his ſight, that he muſt hauehave p. 150a true vnion and communion with Chriſt both God and man. For as there is but one God, ſo the Apoſtle hath taught vsus, There is but one mediator betweene God and man, the man Chriſt Ieſus. 1. Tim. 2.5. neither is there ſaluation in any other: for amongſt men, there is giuen no other name vnderunder heauen, whereby we muſt be ſaued: as Peter moſt ſtoutly aduoucheth. Act. 4.12. Whereupon it muſt needs follow, that eyther there was none ſaued before Chriſt was God and man, which was not before the world was 4000. yeare old & more (which once to imagine were moſt abſurd, and notoriouſly iniurious to all the godly Patriarkes, Prophets and others that liued in the time of the old Teſtament) or elſe that it is moſt certaine & true that Paul hath taught (as it is indeed of ſuch) that they did all not onelyonly eat ſacramental bread, & drinke ſacramental drinke as we doe: but that they did eate the ſame ſpiritual meat & drink the ſame ſpiritual drink which was Chriſt, that we do. 1. Cor. 10.3.4. &c. Chriſt therefore than hauing no manhood really, but only in the purpoſe and promiſe of God, it could not bee, that otherwiſe then by the worke & meanes of the ſpirit of God they fed vponupon him, & were vnited vntounto him God & man, which yet then was neceſſary for their ſaluatiō. Though therfore now he be come & gone againe, in his manhood p. 151hoode out of the worlde vntounto his father, in the higheſt heauens, which alſo ſhal containe him vntounto the reſtitution of al things, as Peter hath taught vsus, Act. 3.21. yet we know alſo that he is of that almighty power, that as his hauing not then yet takē mans nature, could not then ſtop the godly Patriarkes, and Prophets from their neceſſary vnion & communion with him God & man: ſo much leſſe, he hauing taken it now, and hauing finiſhed the worke of our redemption, being riſen againe aſcended & ſet at the right hand of his father, can the diſtance of place betwixt heauen and earth, hinder or let the grouth of this vnion betwixt him & his. For we ſee the diſtance of place betwixt man and wife, or father and child, doth not looſe the knot, or impeach the vnion, that by mariage & nature was before betwixt them. And we ſee & find by experience, that though the head in ſituation and place be much aboue the feet, that yet by the means that but nature hath to vnite them togither there is ſuch an vniō betwixt them, that frō the head life is conueied down euē to the ſoales of the feet: likewiſe in the miſtical body of Chriſt, though the mēbers be neuer ſo farre diſioyned & ſeuered in place, yet that ſo little hindreth the cōmuniō of Saints, that Paul hath ſaid, we that are many, are one bread & one body, bicauſe we al are partakers of one bread, 1. Co. 10.17

p. 152Seing therefore, by that which I hauehave ſaid it ſufficiently appeareth, that it is the wil & pleaſure of God, that there ſhoulde bee a true and certaine vnion betwixt Chriſt and his Church, he being as he is almightie, and therefore perfectly able to doe whatſoeuer he will; let not the difficultie any way, or the incomprehenſiblenes of the bringing of it to paſſe, at all make vsus to doubte of the truth of the thing. For (alas) ſo ſhorte is our reach in comprehending the wonderful workes of God, that though we be neuer ſo ſure that we hauehave ſoules eueryevery one of vsus vnited to our bodies, yet the manner how, we cannot conceiue therefore it being now made clere and apparant, that Chriſt here by ſaying drinke, hath taught vsus to make him our very owne, and that this muſt bee, though moſt truly, yet after a ſpirituall manner; to proceede, it is neceſſary now to learne, how thus we may eate him and drinke him, and ſo make him our owne.To eat and drinke Chriſt, is to beleeue in him aright.

And for this, we neede not ſeeke farre: for whereas, if Chriſt ſhould hauehave continued the manner of phraſe that he began with all, he both eaſily could, would, and ſhoulde hauehave ſaide in the next verſe, he that drinketh of mee: of purpoſe doubtleſſe to ſhewe vsus, that to drinke him or of him, is nothing p. 153elſe indeede but rightly to beleeue in him he ſaith, he that beleeueth in mee as ſaith the ſcripture, &c. And the verie ſame & like courſe, hath he taken. Verſ. 35. of the former chapter. For hauing ſaide, he that commeth vntounto me ſhall not hunger by and by in ſteade of ſaying, he that drinketh of mee, he addeth he that beleeueth in mee. And to the ſame ende it may well be noted, that in that chapter, the very ſame things, that are promiſed to the eater of his fleſh, and drinker of his blood, are alſo promiſed to the beleeuer in him: and likewiſe, ther, the ſame things that are threatned againſt the one, are threatned againſt the other, as if you compare the 45. verſe with the 39. and the 53. with the 64. yee ſhall ſoone perceiue. Yea if one marke diligently Chriſts diſcourſe in that chapter, he ſhall eaſilye finde, that there, to aſſure vsus that to eate his fleſh and to drinke his blood is to beleeue in him, he hath of ſet purpoſe ſtoode, both vponupon the propoſition, and aſſumption, whereupon neceſſarilie, by the rules of right reaſoning, that muſt follow for the concluſion. For firſt, there he dwelleth vponupon this, that to eate the breade of life, is to beleeue in him, for that he is the breade of life Verſ. 35. &c. and then he diſcendeth to this, but p. 154he that eateth the fleſh of the ſon of man & drinketh his blood, eateth the breade of life, verſ. 54. for he ſhal hauehave eternal life: wherupon what can elſe follow but this, therefore to eate the fleſh of the ſon of man & to drinke his blood, is to beleeue in him? But whom theſe things yet cānotperſwade to be of this minde, let them further remēber that Iohn hauing ſaid, as many as receiue Chriſt are made the ſons of God, cap. 1.12. that immediately, leſt we ſhould not cōceiue aright, what it is to receiue him he addeth, that is, euen they that beleeue in him. And let them alſo cōſider that Paule praying that Chriſt might dwel in the hearts of the Epheſians, addeth ſtreight, to ſhew vsus how that might bee, by ſaith. cap. 3.17. For but theſe two places well laid togither, pregnātly prooue that Chriſt is both got & kept, receiued of vsus & continued in vsus by faith. And let not any mā think, either that this is new doctrine of late deuiſed by vsus, or that true faith is too weake thus to reach Chriſt, & to make him ours. For firſt it is certaine that Tertulian, who liued within 200. yeares after Chriſts birth, in his booke de reſurrectione carnis, cap. 29. moſt plainely hath ſaid: Chriſtus eſt auditu deuorandus, & intellecturuminandus, fide digerendus: that is, Chriſt is to be deuoured by hearing, to be chewed by vnderſtanding, to be digeſted by p. 155faith. And Auguſtine, who floriſhed about the 400. yeare, is both moſt plaine & plentiful in this point. For in his 25. tract vponupon Iohn, he ſaith. Quidparas dentem & ventrē? crede & manducaſti: Why prepareſt thou thy teeth & belly? beleeue & thou haſt eaten. And in the next, he writeth much to that purpoſe; for he ſaith there, Ad Chriſtū non ambulandocurrimus ſed credendo, non motu carnis ſed voluntate cordis, that is, we runne to Chriſt, not by walking but by beleeuing, not by the motiō of the fleſh, but by the wil of the heart. Yea in plain tearms there alſo he ſaith, Credere in eū, eſt manducare panē vinū, to beleeue in him is to eat the bread of life. But in my opiniō moſt notably he writeth to this end vponupon occaſion of the Centurions cōming to Chriſt in his 33. booke againſt Fauſtus the Manichee, cap. 8. ſaying. Accedant ad Ieſum, nō carne ſed corde; non corporis praeſentia ſed fidei potentia: Let thē come to Ieſus, not with or in fleſh, but with or in heart, not by bodily preſence, but by the power of faith. Now teaching the other point alſo, that faith is not too weake thus to apprehend Chriſt, it is as plaine that he hath ſaide in his 50. tract vponupon Iohn. Quomodo in coelum manū mittam, vt ibi ſedentem teneam? fidem mitte & tenuiſti; parentes tui tenuerunt carne, tu tene corde, quoniam Chriſtus abſens etiam praeſens eſt; niſi praeſens eſſet, à nobis teneri p. 156non poſſet, &c. that is, How ſhal I ſtretch my hand into heauen, that I may holde him ſitting there? Send thy faith, and thou haſt hold of him; the fathers held him in the fleſh, hold thou him in heart: for Chriſt abſent is alſo preſent: for vnleſſe he were preſent, he could not be held of vsus. And how this ſhall be, he plainely ſheweth, ſaying, He is gone, and yet he is heere, for he caried his body into heauen, but his maieſtie he hath not taken from the worlde. Chriſoſtome alſo, an other ancient father, who liued much what about Auguſtines time, in his ſecond Homilie vponupon theſe wordes of Eſay, Vidi Dominum, I hauehave ſeene the Lord, ſheweth that though we cannot flie vp to heauen in bodie, that yet in minde and cogitation we may. For God (ſaith he) hath giuen that ſuch winges that nothing can let or ſtop it, if it will flie to heauen; & farre more pearcing eies, God hath giuen it (ſaith he) then the body. And in his 24. Homilie vponupon the firſt to the Corinthians, remembring there that ſaying of Chriſt, Mat. 24.28. Where the carion is, thither will the Eagles reſort, thereupon he inferreth, that the Lordes table is not for Iayes or Crowes, that feede belowe, but for Eagles that take their meate aloft: & he ſaith, that by hat ſpeach, Chriſthath taught them that p. 157would come vntounto his body to flie aloft, and not to creepe vponupon the earth, nor yet to hauehave any dealing therewith. It is worthy the remembring alſo, that the ſame Father noteth, touching the power and force of faith, vponupon Paules telling the Galathians, That Chriſt was euen crucified amongſt them. Cap. 3.1. For he plainely ſheweth that the Apoſtle in ſo ſaying, ſhewed them that the ſtrength of faith was ſuch, that it is able to ſee thinges though farre off, and ſo by the eies of faith in the miniſtrie of the worde and ſacraments which had beene amongſt thoſe Galathians, Chriſtes death was or might hauehave beene as clearely ſeene and more clearly, then it was of many that were preſent at it. And vntounto Bernards time, who liued aboue 1100 yeares after Chriſt, it ſeemeth that this was the currant and receiued doctrine of the Church, touching our communion to be had and attained vntounto with Chriſt by faith. For in his 28. Homilie vponupon the Canticles he moſt plainely ſheweth, that though Chriſt be aſcended, that yet he both may and will be touched, Sed affectu, non manu, voto non oculo, fide non ſenſibus, but then (ſaith he) it muſt be by affection, and not by hand, by deſire and not by eye, by faith and not by the ſenſes. And againe in p. 158his 76. ſermon vpō the Canticles, moſt notable is it that he writeth to this purpoſe, ſaying, Though Chriſt be ſet at the right hand of his Father, goe to yet, follow him, ſeeke him, and let neyther his inacceſſable brightneſſe, nor his height diſcourage thee from ſeeking, or once cauſe thee to diſpaire of finding him, if thou canſt beleeue; all things are poſſible to the beleeuer, the word is neare to my mouth and heart: Crede & inueniſti, nam credere inueniſſe eſt, that is, Beleeue and thou haſt found him, for to beleeue is to hauehave found him. This admirable power of faith doubtleſſe is excellently aduouched Heb. 11.1. whiles there it is defined to be the ground of things which are hoped for, and the euidence of things which are not ſeene. Wherefore let vsus not once doubt, but where Chriſt is ſoundly and rightly beleeued in, there by that faith the owner thereof eateth his fleſh, and drinketh his blood to his or her eternall ſaluation.Euerye kinde of faith will not ſerue heere: yea none but that which is according to the ſcriptures.

Yet then great need and care is to be taken, that this faith of ours be ſound & right. For neither can eueryevery faith, a dead faith, or an erroneous and wrong faith, ſtand vsus in anie ſteede in this caſe: and therefore marke, it followeth in my text, as ſaith the ſcripture: which wordes, if we referre (as they p. 159may well, and ſome interpreters hauehave) vntounto that which went before, then they ſerue moſt plainely, to teach vsus that it is no other faith that eyther can or will ſerue our turne in this caſe, but only that which is taught vsus, & warranted to be ſound & right in the canonicall ſcriptures. For they are the ſcriptures onelyonly without all queſtion, that heere are ſpoken of. But whether theſe words, as ſaith the ſcripture, here were added and vſed to this end, or rather as ſome others take them as referred to the wordes following, to teach vsus to vnderſtand the promiſe that followeth, moſt certaine it is that the true Chriſtiā faith, wherby we muſt feede vponupon Chriſt and make him with all his merits and graces our owne, hath theſe canonicall ſcriptures of the olde and new Teſtament for the grounde and ſufficient rule thereof. For they onelyonly are able to make a man wiſe to ſaluarion thorow the faith which is in Chriſt Ieſus, and are giuen by inſpiration of God, and are profitable to teach, to conuince, to correct and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be abſolute beeing made perfect vntounto all good workes, 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17. And therefore for the right framing and ſetling vsus in this faith, theſe are to be ſtudied and ſearched and moſt diligentlie to be muſed p. 160and meditated vponupon, and heard, red, and preached, by eueryevery one that hath any care of his ſaluation, as we may learne, Deut. 17.18.19. Ioſua. 1.8. Pſal. 1.1. Io. 5.39. Act. 17.11. 2. Tim. 3.15. in that in theſe places, we ſhall finde men of all ſorts taught, eyther by plaine precept, reaſon, or example thus to occupie themſelues heerein. And this hath beene the ancient and ſound iudgement with one conſent of the Fathers, for manie hundred yeares after Chriſt. And therefore, though Auguſtine confeſſe with the Euangeliſt, that Chriſt ſaid and did manie things which are not written, yet (ſaith he) thoſe things are choſen out to be written, which ſeemed to be ſufficient for the ſaluation of them that beleeue, Tract. 49. vponupon Iohn. and Cap. 11. And in his 19. booke of the citie of God. cap. 18. to this purpoſe he writeth, that the citie of God beleeueth the ſcriptures both olde and new which we cal Canonical, Vnde fides ipſa concepta eſt, ex qna iuſtus viuit, From whence that faith whereby the iuſt liueth, is conceiued: yea none of vsus can bee or is plainer in this point then hee. For in his booke of chriſtian doctrine, Lib. 2. cap. 9. he ſaith there, in thoſe thinges, quae aperte poſita ſunt in ſcriptura, that is, which plainely are ſet downe in the ſcriptures, all thoſe p. 161things are found which conteineth faith, & manners of liuing, as namely hope, and charitie. And heerein he was ſo confident, that in his third booke and ſixt chapter againſt Petilean, moſt boldly and plainly he ſaith, if any either of Chriſt, or of his Church or of any other thing whatſoeuer that appertaineth to faith and life, I wil not ſay wee, but as Paule ſaid, if an Angel from heauen ſhould tell you any thing, which you hauehave not receiued in the ſcriptures of the lawe and the Goſpell, accurſed be hee. And he was not alone of this minde: for Athanaſius before him in an oration of his againſt Idolaters, had moſt plainely written, that the holy ſcriptures enſpired of God Sufficiunt ad omnem inſtructionem veritatis, that is, are ſufficient to teach all trueth. And Tertullian in his booke againſt Hermogenes ſheweth that he was ſo reſolute in this that he ſaith there, that he did euē adore the ſufficiencie of the ſcriptures. Baſilius alſo in his ſermon of the confeſſion of faith ſaith that it is a plaine falling from the faith and the verie ſin of pride, either to refuſe any thing heerein written, or to bring in ouer and aboue any thing. For Chriſts ſheepe heare his voice, & a ſtrangers they fly. And in his Morais, p. 160duplicate page p. 161duplicate page p. 162definition 72. he ſaith, that the verie hearers muſt be learned in the ſcriptures, that ſo they may try thoſe things which are deliuered thē by their teachers; that ſo they may receiue thoſe things that are conſonant to the ſcriptures, & reiect thoſe that are not: yea in the 80. definitiō, he concludeth whatſoeuer is without the ſcripture, becauſe it cānot be of faith, (which muſt come by the hearing of that which is taught in the ſcriptures, as before he had proued) muſt needs be ſinne. Cyrill, Lib. …2. in Ioannem. cap. 69. with Auguſtine ſaith, that though all things be not written that Chriſt did, yet thoſe thinges were writtē which the writers thought ſufficient both for faith and manners. Hierome alſo ſaith vppon the 23. of Mathew, that which hath not authority frō the ſcriptures, is as eaſily contemned, as allowed. And therfore Origine vponupon the third of the Romains hath verie wel noted, that the Apoſtle there giues other teachers in the Church an example that thoſe thinges which they propounde to the people, they ſhould ſtreng then and confirme, not with their owne preſumptions, but with teſtimonies of the ſcripture. For as he ſaith, if ſuch an Apoſtle thought that the authoritie of his ſayinges was not ſufficient, p. 163vnleſſe he ſhewed them to be written in the law and the Prophets, how much more ought wee to think ſo of ours? Hilarie alſo vponupon the 118. Pſalme notes it as a tricke of infidels and the irreligious, to ſay that the ſcriptures want perfection of doctrine. Seeing therefore it is moſt certaine and true, that Irenaeus writeth in his third booke and firſt chapter, that what the Apoſtles firſt preached, after by the will of God they ſet downe in their writinges to be the ground and pillar of our faith, and that in the canonicall ſcriptures of the olde and newe Teſtament we hauehave, as Chriſoſtome aduoucheth vponupon the ſecond to the Corinthes, Homilie 13. a moſt perfect and exact rule to followe, ſet downe; therefore with him and in his wordes immediately thereupon inferred, I pray you all that you leaue that which ſeemeth good to this man or that, Et de his Scripturis omma inquirite, and of theſe Scriptures enquire all things; that ſo we may all conclude with Damaſcene in this point, in his firſt booke and firſt chapter de fide orthodoxa of ſound faith, all thinges that are deliuered by the lawe, Prophets, Apoſtles, and Euangeliſtes, Cognoſcimus, veneramur, p. 164nihil vltrà perquirentes, that is, we acknowledge and reuerence, ſeeking no further. Theſe things I hauehave the rather thus largely noted vntounto you, becauſe notwithſtanding the plain euidence of this vndoubted and ancient trueth, our aduerſaries the papiſtes are ſo farre off from yealding vntounto the ſame, that to diſcourage men from making this vſe of the holy ſcriptures, (that ſo they may at their pleaſures teach vsus to build ſuch a faith, as ſeemeth good vntounto them, vponupon their vnwritten word of God, which they hold to be the traditions of their Church, yea nothing elſe in effect but their Popes pleaſures,) the beſt learned amongſt them are not aſhamed to beſtow great paines, to accuſe the ſcriptures of ſuch inſufficiencie and obſcuritie to this purpoſe, as that without the helpe of theſe their traditions, the doctrine of faith and good manners could neither certainelie nor ſufficientlie be learned at a…l. Yea herein they hauehave ſome of them, as to their perpetuall and euerlaſting ſhame it is well knowen, Andridius Ecchius: Lindan. Hoſius, Caniſius Cenſura Colon.gone ſo farre in their writings, as that they hauehave not bluſht to ſet it downe as a catholicke trueth, that the greateſt part is left to be determined by their traditions, that the ſcriptures were left rather p. 165to be vnderunder the Church, then to hauehave authoritie ouer her, that it were a pittiful thing if the Church ſhould be tied to the Canonicall ſcriptures in euerie thing to be ruled and oueruled thereby, eye that it cannot noreuer will be well with the Church as long as the lay people are ſuffered to read them, or to heare them red: for they are ſo obſcure, and their ſenſe is ſo flexible and heard to be found (ſay they) that thence all hereſies are ſuckt, and that their ſenſe is as but a leaden rule or a noſe of waxe vnleſſe it be ſtifned, ſtreighted and kept euen by the helpe of their traditions. Wherein moſt expreſly they reſemble the heretikes that Irenaeus deſcribes in his third booke and ſecond chapter, who for traditions thus defaced the ſcriptures. What greater blaſphemies can be vttered againſt the maieſtie of God the author of theſe ſcriptures? For he hauing left them vntounto his Church, in his good prouidence by his penmen for hir better direction to know his will, and then to beleeue and liue accordingly, (as out of all doubt he haith) how may we thinke without doing of him the greateſt wrong that may be, that he hath left it therein no perfecter a rule then they hold, to this end? p. 166For were not this in effect to ſay, that eyther he could not for lacke of power, skill, and wiſedome, or that elſe he would not for lacke of louelove and care towardes it, make it any ſufficienter and certamer? For what reaſon elſe can there be that he ſhould vndertake, begin & goe forward as he hath with ſuch a rule for the direction therof, and yet leaue it when he hath done, ſo maimed and ſo vnprofitable as they would make it? Now to hauehave but eyther of theſe conceites of God, were it not moſt abſurde and iniurious vntounto him? For how can we ſpoile him either of infinite wiſedome, or of infinite and moſt perfect louelove & care to wardes his Church, but withall we plainely denie him to be the true God? Wherfore let vsus, whatfoeuer theſe men ſay to the cōtrary, learne to beleeue as onelyonly the canonical ſcriptures of God teach vsus; & to that end & purpoſe, let vsus now as briefly as we cā, take a view what they do teach vsus in this reſpect & behalfe.

Concerning this point, What faith the ſcripture heere requireth.firſt it is out of doubt, whatſoeuer the Lord hath taught or told for trueth in theſe canonicall ſcriptures, we are moſt firmely by faith to aſlent vntounto, to be ſo, and therefore hereof, howſoeuer to diſcredit vsus withall the papiſtes would ſeeme to the contrary, we neither p. 167make nor moue any cōtrouerſie with them. Yea we moſt heartily wiſh and pray, that as they define faith to be a firme aſſent to the whole reuealed wil of God by his word, that once it would pleaſe God to giuegive them but this faith, to aſſent in deed without wauering to that which he hath taught in his written word in the canonicall ſcriptures: for then all the controuerſies betwixt them & vsus would ſtreight be at an end. But alas they enforce ſuch a ſenſe vpō theſe ſcriptures & ſo equal their vnwrittē word of traditions herwith, that as long as they take this courſe there is no hope that euer they either can or wil hauehave this grace: wherfore to leaue them a while, grounded farre more vpō their own vnwritten traditions, then vponupon the canonical ſcriptures for the ſubſtāce of their faith, the next thing that we are to vnderſtand touching faith is, that when it is ſpoken of, as it is here in my text, it importeth more then this general aſſent to al trueth taught in the canonical ſcriptures. For that brings one no further then credere Deo, Deum, & de Deo, that is, to beleeue or credit God, & to beleeue that he is, & what he is, wheras here in my text expreſly Chriſt ſaith, he that beleeueth in me, thereby requiring that we ſhould not thinke it inough to beleeue him as a ſpeaker alwaies of trueth, or to beleeue p. 168that he is ſuch a one in perſon & office, as I hauehave ſhewed him to be, (for both theſe he hath already ſufficiently called for at our hands in bidding of vsus come vntounto him) but that it is neceſſarie for vsus, if we would hauehave him to be our meat & drinke indeed, to goe yet further, that is, to beleue in him. Which is indeed (the former leſſons being wel taken out) therupon as vponupon a moſt ſound foundation, to ground a moſt certaine truſt & confidence, that in, for, through, and by him, whollie and ſolie, freely & ſullie we ſhalbe iuſtified heere, and ſaued heere after. To all the former degrees of faith, the reprobate and ſuch as are deſtitute fo the graces of regeneration & ſanctification yea the verie diuels may come, namely to yeald that eueryevery thing is as God hath ſaid it to be in his written word, to credit him bicauſe he is trueth it ſelf, & to beleue that he is, & that he is alſo ſuch a one as he therin ſets forth himſelf to bee, & this may therfore make them to tremble, as Iames ſaith, 2.19. But this is not the faith of Gods elect, that Paule ſpeakes of, to Titus cap. 1. nor that, which he ſaith worketh by charitie. Gal. 5.6. nor that which is ſaid, purifieth the heart. Act. 15.9. nor that whereof it is ſo often and ſo vniuerſally ſaid, Whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhall not periſh, but hane eternall p. 169life. Io. 3.15. &c. Neceſſary it is that Gods elect hauehave all theſe degrees and branches of faith, and the beleeuing thus farre is alwaies found in them before they can beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt ſo as that through him they can hauehave any aſſurance of their ſaluation: but if they will hauehave ſuch a faith whereby in Chriſt Ieſus they ſhall be iuſtied, then they muſt nor ſtay in theſe generalities, but they muſt ſet Chriſt with all his graces neceſſarie for either their iuſtification or ſaluation before them, and by imbracing and applying him particularly vntounto them, & all that euer he did for mans ſaluation, as euen done particularly & moſt certainly forthē; in him and by him ſo made theirs, they are to be aſſured that God hath freely iuſtified thē, & vndoubtedly alſo will ſaue them. For though eueryevery trueth taught by God in his word be the general obiect of faith, yet the proper obiect therof, by apprehenſiō where of it is ſo oft ſaid in the ſcriptures to iuſtifie, is onelyonly Chriſt Ieſus, whō it is not inough for faith with her inward eies to know and cōfeſſe to be as he is in perſon and office as you hauehave before heard, but as you may ſufficiently perceiue by Chriſtes ſetting of himſelfe before the faithfull as the meate and drinke of their ſoules, and p. 170by his requiring, that they ſhould hunger and thirſt after him, yea eate him & drinke him, & then by his plaine expounding that eating & drinking of him to be beleeuing in him, he is by faith to be taken & appropriated to eueryevery right beleeuer in him. And to put it out of doubt, that the iuſtifying faith or faith in Chriſt Ieſus, muſt hauehave and indeed hath this effect, Paule after he had willed the Corinthians to proue & try themſelues whether they were in the faith, hee ſtreight addeth, And examine your ſelues, know you not your own ſelues that Ieſus Chriſt is in you, vnleſſe you be reprobates? 2. Co. 13.5. when faith thus apprehendeth Chriſt, & ſo poſſeſſeth her owner of him, as that he himſelf may know that Chriſt is in him, how cā it be then but he that hath by faith ſo found and got Chriſt, hath alſo in him & by him a ſpecial aſſurance that his ſins are forgiuen him, & that vndoubtedly he ſhall for that Chriſts ſake be ſaued? when it doth all this we denie not, but moſt willingly we confeſſe that there it bringeth forth by the power of the ſpirit of ſanctification, good works plentifully in her owner; but yet we dare not ſay that it iuſtifieth either for the worthineſſe of it ſelfe, or for the worthines of all the noble traine of good works inſeperablie p. 171alwaies in good meaſure accō panying it, but onelyonly for the worthines of Ieſus Chriſt, whom it apprehendeth. But that vndoubtedly faith findeth in Chriſt Ieſus full and ſufficient cauſe and matter, for which moſt certainely God will both iuſtifie & ſaue all thoſe that thereby hauehave put him on, as Paule ſpeaketh, Rom. 13.14. all the places of ſcripture before produced to proue him to be in, and of himſelfe, a full and moſt perfect Sauiour, moſt pregnantly and forceably ſcrue. Seeing therefore brethren (as thereby ſufficiently hath appeared) by the blood of Ieſus, We may be bold to enter into the holy place, by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vsus through the vaile that is his fleſh, and ſeeing we hauehave an high prieſt which is ouer the houſe of God, let vsus draw neere with a true heart in aſſurance of faith, & ſprinkled in our hearts frō an euill conſcience, and waſhed in our bodies with pure water, let vsus keep the profeſſiō of our hope without wauering, for he is faithful that promiſed. Heb. 10.19. For faith is the ground of things hoped for, & the euidence of things which are not ſeene. Heb. 11.1. Let vsus aske thē therfore in faith of our good & gracious God, and wauer not, as Iames coūſelleth vsus, for he that wauereth is like the waters of the ſea, toſt of p. 172the winde, and caried away, neither let that man thinke that he ſhall obtaine any thing of the Lord: Iam. 2.19. And let vsus confidently conclude with Saint Paule, that beeing iuſtified by faith, we hauehave peace with God, through Ieſus Chriſt, by whom alſo we hauehave acceſſe through faith vntounto his grace, wherein we ſtand and reioyce vnderunder the hope of the glory of God, yea with that hope, that ſhall neuer ſhame or confound vsus. Rom. 5.1. &c. For whatſoeuer our aduerſaries ſay or feele to the contrary in themſelues, we that can finde once by faith, that we hauehave put on Chriſt, that we hauehave eaten his fleſh and drunke his blood, yea that he is euen in vsus, and therefore hauehave firſt Gods promiſes often declared and made vntounto vsus, and then the ſame particularly, outwardly in the ſacraments, and inwardly in our ſoules by his ſpirit thus ſealed and applied vntounto vsus, dare boldly with Saint Iohn ſay, that we know we are tranſlated from death to life. 1. Epiſt. 3.14. and with Saint Paule, that we are perſwaded that nothing ſhall euer ſeperate vsus from the louelove of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus. For ſeeing he hath not ſpared to beſtow his owne ſonne vponupon vsus, how ſhall he not with him giuegive vsus all things elſe. Rom. 8.13.39. yea we are ſure it is no preſumption p. 173to beleeue God without any wauering, thus many waies teſtifying his effectuall mercy & louelove to appertaine euen vntounto vsus: eye we know it were wickedly to call the trueth and faithfulneſſe of God into queſtion, once to doubt when he ſo many waies hath ſought to put vsus out of al doubt. No maruel though the papiſtes can attaine vntounto no ſuch ioy and peace or aſſurance in their conſciences of ſaluation by their faith. For firſt they build as much of their faith vponupon the ſandie foundation of their owne traditions, as vponupon the rocke of the canonicall ſcriptures: ſecondly the faith that they talke on, leades them no further then to a generall aſtent to all trueth reuealed by God vntounto man in his word, whereof in particular they neyther thinke the knowledge of all that trueth neceſſary, nor yet the ſpeciall application of the promiſes to any, contenting themſelues with beleeuing in generall, that there is in the Church remiſſion of ſinnes purchaſed by Chriſt, &c. And thirdly they hold there is no ſuch faith whereby, in, & for Chriſt the owner therof can come to any ſuch aſſurāce of the mercy of God, of the forgiuenes of his ſins, and of life euerlaſting: yea that that is rather a preſumption, & a mere fiction and inuention, p. 174then any faith allowed of God, vnleſſe God giuegive a man a ſpeciall reuelation, as it were telling him by name in particular, that he ſhall hauehave theſe in deed for Chriſts ſake: and that therefore it is inough for to beleeue that their are theſe things in deede by Chriſt purchaſed. And therfore laſtly they holde that faith may be in the reprobate, and that it is ſaid to iuſtifie onelyonly bicauſe it is one of the firſt diſpoſitions to iuſtification, and that it iuſtifieth not ſo much for apprenending Chriſt the iuſtifier, as for that it obtaineth that Chriſt ſhoulde formally iuſtify her owner, by powring into him the grace of charity, whereby he may after be able more to iuſtifie himſelf, and to merite the kingdome of heauen by good works. So that in effect they hold & teach, that it iuſtifieth not for Chriſt apprehended & applied to her owner, but for charitie and other good works that Chriſt by his grace, for the worthineſſe therof, beſtoweth vponupon him quite contrary to the ſcriptures; which as we hauehave heard, ſhut workes quite out from this office of iuſtifying and purchaſing of ſaluation for man. Whereas they know further that the ſame ſcriptures put a manifeſt difference betwixt this righteouſneſſe of the law that lies in doing, and that which p. 175we hauehave to make vsus righteous by, by ſaith in Chriſt Ieſus. Rom. 10.5. &c. and Gal. 3.12. And yet euen their great Doctor Bellarmine neither is nor will be aſhamed of any of this their doctrine of faith, and in this laſt point, though he be enforced to graunt that we are firſt iuſtified freely without workes in Chriſt Ieſus, and that heauen alſo is Gods childrens by adoption and inheritance: yet the formall cauſe of our iuſtification muſt be with him the infuſed habite of charitie, and good workes after done muſt make vsus to hauehave a ſecond right vntounto the kingdome of heauen, and ſo to further degrees of glory there, by the way of wages and iuſt debt. Though for all this, when he hath done his beſt for the maintenance of this ſecond title and right thereunto, he dare not teach any with any ſpecial aſſurance & confidence that cannot deceiue them, to truſt thereunto. Nay theſe things thus being moſt certainly held and taught by thē touching the nature of faith quite contrary to the ſcriptures, I can neuer maruaile that by their faith there is bred no certainner hope or confidence in them of Gods merciemercy, or of the forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, or of anie thing elſe that appertaines to ſaluation, then as p. 174duplicate page p. 175duplicate page p. 176when they are at the beſt, may finally deceiue them, and in the meane time with much feare and doubting of their eſtate trouble them: yea I rather wonder, that in the iuſt iudgement of God they are not in continuall horrour and terrour of conſcience and as it were compaſſed about eueryevery houre with the verie tormentes of hell, for that they will not be brought to ſeeke to come to the father onelyonly by him, but by whom, as he himſelfe hath taught vsus, none can euer come vntounto him. Io. 14.6. For whiles thus they pleade and ſtand vponupon a wrong title, and would alſo beare men in hand that a ſpeciall ende and vſe of Chriſtes comming was, not to procure them ſufficient title and right to the kingdome of heauen, in, and by himſelfe and thinges done and ſuffered by and in his owne perſon, but to inable them by theſe meanes to make themſelues to hauehave a ſecond, a better & further title thereunto, they are moſt worthy to looſe al the comfort that they might hauehave, if they would ſtand to the right and onelyonly good title, by and for Ieſus Chriſtes ſake alone. And doubtleſſe as I hauehave ſhewed before, if they repent not, they will one day all the packe of them, finde, though too p. 177late that Paule hath pronounced ſentence of them, in the like caſe of the Galathians Cap. 5.4. ſaying, Yee are abolished from Chriſt, whoſoeuer are iuſtified by the lawe, yee are falne from grace. God of his merciemercy therefore, if it be his holy will, open their eies in time, that they may repent of all theſe their moſt dangerous errours, and come with vsus once, to be content to beleeue in Chriſt Ieſus, as the Scriptures indeede teach vsus. In the meane time, let this that I hauehave ſaid, be a ſufficient warning to vsus, as the adopted ſonnes of God thorow faith in Chriſt, Ioh. 1.12. to looke for heauen as an inheritance prepared for vsus by our heauenly father before the foundations of the world were made. Matt. 25.34. and now reſerued for vsus, which are kept by the power of God thorow faith vntounto ſaluation. Pet. 1.4. & 5. that ſo heauen may be to vsus as it is ſaid to be indeed, the free gift of God (Rom. 6.23.) through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. And let vsus let thes hireling and mercenarie minded men alone, that diſdaine to hauehave heauen of Gods free almes, and therefore will hauehave it eyther by their owne earninge and deſeruing of it, or elſe they will goe without it, which they are moſt like to p. 178doe, bicauſe they will hauehave it otherwiſe then God himſelfe the owner therof, hath couenanted and appointed that euer anie ſhall come by it. I know they hauehave their colours and ſophiſtical deuiſes to giuegive yet ſuch a gloſſe and faire ſhewe to this their dealing, as though for all this all were very well of their ſides: but all they can gaine therby is this, that ſo much the more they proue their religion to be aptlie and worthily tearmed by the Apoſtle, the miſtrie of iniquitie. 2. Theſſ. 2.7. and that the proud and pompeous whore of Babylon ſhoulde hauehave that worde Myſterie, ſet for her very brand and marke in her forehead, and that ſhe ſhould yet carie al her abhominations and fornications, wherewith ſhe ſhoulde make the inhabitantes of the world drunken, in a golden cup, the ſooner to entiſe them to drinke deepely thereof. For indeede and trueth as I hauehave ſhewed before and elſewhere, they can ſtand them in no better ſteede eyther before God or before any that are wiſe, than Adam and Eues fig leaues did them to hide their nakednes from the eies of God. For how can they be ſo ſillie and ſimple, as to imagine indeede that in this great light any can & wil be ſo p. 179fooliſh as hearing what they doe, ſo plainelie and plentifully ſet downe euerie where in the doctrine of the goſpell, that Chriſt went thorow effectually in his owne perſon with the worke of our redemption and ſaluation, as once to be drawne by their ſophiſticall perſwaſions, that yet what he hath done, ſerueth eſpecially but to merit that chantie firſt ſhould be beſtowed vponupon vsus: and then that thereunto, & to our good workes proceeding therefrom, ſhould be conuaied from his merits a dignitie and power, firſt formally to iuſtifie vsus by the one, which we could not bee by the application of him and his merites vntounto vsus thorow faith, and then after to earne and merite more ſurelie for vsus by the other, the kingdom of heauen, then he had done? For they may prate and brag, that whiles they thus ſay and teach, they attribute more to the merits of Chriſt than we doe, that both for our iuſtification and ſaluation truſt onelie thereunto; but euerie man for all that, vnderunder theſe fayre wordes may plainely ſee, that in verie deede they heereby moſt groſſelie woulde make him, as I ſaide before, the verie principall in the robbing of himſelfe of that ſpeciall honor that is his, to be p. 180a full and a perfect Sauiour in and by himſelfe. This faith is wrought by the ſpirite.But inoug his ſaid of this point Howbeit this further touching this faith, whereby we eate and drinke Chriſt and make him our owne (welbeloued) I would hauehave you to vnderſtand, that it is not to be attained vntounto by any power or ſtrength of fleſh and blood, but it is the ſpeciall worke and fruite of the Spirit of God. For immediately after Iohn had tolde vsus, that they that beleeue in Chriſt at they that receiue him, whereby they are made the ſonnes of God, he ſaith that ſuch are borne not of bloode, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God, Iohn 1.12. & 13. And Chriſt hath moſt plainely ſaid, Iohn. 3.5.6. Verely verely I ſay vntounto thee, except a man be borne of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God that which is borne of the flesh is flesh, and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit. And yet more plainely to aſſure vsus of the trueth of this point, Paule in expreſſe words hath taught vsus, that faith is the fruite of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Ordinarily the worde preached.But yet we muſt not thinke, though the Spirit can extraordinarily worke this faith without meanes immediately where, when, and in whom it liſteth, that yet notwithſtanding, ordinarily it doth it by the p. 181miniſtrie of the word, and that preached: For ſo Paule concludeth, ſaying, Rom. 10.17. Then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the worde of God. And therefore accordingly, 1. Cor. 1.17. he writeth, That ſeeing the world by wiſedome knew not God, in the wiſedome of God it pleaſe him, by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſaue thoſe that beleeue. And therefore alſo he notes, it is an eſpecial fruit and effect of Chriſtes aſcenſion. Epheſ. 4.10.11. &c. that he gaue and beſtowed ſundrie miniſtries there mentioned, vponupon his Church for the repairing of the Saintes, for the worke of the miniſtrie and for the edification of the bodie of Chriſt. Till we all meete togither, in the vnitie of faith and the acknowledging of the ſonne of God, vntounto a perfect man, and vntounto the meaſure of the age of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, that we henceforth be no more, children, wauering and caried away with euerie winde of doctrine by the deceit of men, and craftineſſe whereby they lay in waite to deceiue. Saint Peter alſo agreable heereunto in his firſt Epiſtle, Cap. 1.22.23. &c. noteth that our ſouls are purified in obeying the truth, thorow the ſpirit, being borre again not of mortall ſeed but of immortal, by the word of God, which after there he ſaith endureth for euer, p. 182and is that which is preached amongſt them. Whereupon therefore in the next chapter he exhorteth them to lay aſide all malitiouſnes, all guile, diſſunulation, enuie, and euill ſpeaking, and as new borne babes to deſire the ſincere milke of the worde, that they may grow vp thereby, if it be ſo they had taſted how bountifull the Lord was. Verſ. 1.2.3. Whereunto we had as much neede to liſt…n as euer they had. For theſe are the daies wherein we liue, wherin that prophecie of Chriſt is fulfilled, Mat. 34. touching the danger that ſhould be by falſe prophets and teachers, able if it were poſſible to ſeduce the verie elect. Verſe 24. and wherein he may behold multitudes for lacke of foode and faithfull preachers and teachers, as ſheepe hauing no ſheepheard diſperſed and ſcattered; and therefor in reſpect wherof he may alſo ſay, Surely the harueſt is great, but the labourers are few. And by the adminiſtration of Sacraments.I woulde to God therefore we coulde and woulde euerie one of vsus according to his counſell there, Praie the Lord of the harueſt to thruſt out labourers into his harueſt, Matth. 9.3.6. &c. Beſides the bare preaching of the worde as it is well knowne and confeſſed of all, for the better both breading and nouriſhing p. 183of this our faith as an outward good meanes, for the ſpirite to worke that effect in vsus by, our moſt gratious and louing GOD, knowing howe ſlowe to beleeue we woulde bee, hath left and giuen vntounto vsus viſible and palpable Sacramentes, thereby as it were to ſeale and more particularly to apply vntounto vsus all the good promiſes of ſaluation in Chriſt Ieſus: as namelie nowe, baptiſme and the ſupper of the Lorde to vsus of the newe Teſtament. The firſt whereof offereth vntounto vsus and ſealeth the deliuerie to the right receiuer thereof, of his regeneration, teaching him to looke for it at the handes of God the Father, through God the Sonne, by the mightie working of the holie Ghoſt onelie, in that onelie he is baptized in water in their names. And the other is a Sacrament of his continuall nouriſhment to eternall life, in and by the broken bodie, and bloodeſhed of Chriſt Ieſus. And therefore as to be a man, it is neceſſarie but once to be borne, but yet after often to bee ſedde: ſo is it moſt neceſſarie for thoſe that woulde euer growe to bee perfect men in Chriſt Ieſus but once to bee baptized, p. 184but often to receiue the other Sacrament. And it muſt be remembred alwaies that both theſe offer and ſet before vsus one and ſelfe ſame Chriſt: the one, that he may by his blood waſh vsus cleane from our ſinnes, and regenerate vsus that we may beginne to lead a newe and a holy life: the other, that by his body broken and his bloode ſhed for vsus, he may be both meate and drinke and ſufficient ſpirituall foode and nouriſhment vntounto our hungrie and thirſtie ſoules but then withall we may vnderſtand, that the ſame Chriſte to the ſame endes is offered ſtill vntounto vsus when his Goſpell is preached vntounto vsus: onelyonly this is the difference, as I ſaid before, that the worde offers and ſets him before vsus in generall, and theſe in particuler and ſpeciall manner leade vsus vntounto him. And whereas the word to breede or nouriſh faith in vsus, ſtricketh onelyonly the ſenſe of our hearing; theſe duely miniſtred doe not onelyonly the better to prouoke and ſtrengthen the ſame, mooue and ſtrike that, but alſo our ſight, ſmelling, taſt and feeling. And therefore as it was noted by Paule. He…. 2. that the cauſe why the worde which the Iewes heard in the wilderneſſe profited them not, becauſe it was not mixed with faith in thoſe that p. 185heard it: ſo is it moſt certaine that theſe ſhall not profit vsus, though outwardly we be partakers thereof neu…r ſo much, if we hauehave not faith to pearſe further than to the outward elementes: and if it be a fault ſo to harden our heartes, when the worde is but preached, that we take not occaſion thereby to beleeue, it muſt needes be a farre greater fault, if theſe added therunto we be ſtill vnfaithfull. And therefore, as in reſpect of hearing of the word the Apoſtle ſaid, Heb. 3.5. So long as it is ſaid, to day harden not your heartes, as in the prouocation: for ſome when they heard, prouoked him to anger, ſo ſay I vntounto you, in reſpect of both much more. To this ende neuer forget the examples of Simon Magus and of Iudas, whereof though the one was baptized, as we read he was, Act. 8.18. and the other was with Chriſt at the inſtitution of the other Sacrament as it appeareth, Luke. 22.21. yet as it appeares in both thoſe chapters, for that they neither of them had any ſound or true faith, they were neuer the better, but the worſe, for that to their other ſinnes they added in the receiuing of theſe, the prophaning, as much as lay in them of both thes. If when the word is preached, therwith the Spirit p. 186of God ſo to worke in your heartes, that the eies of your ſoules be opened aright to ſee and knowe Chriſt, and your hearts framed accordingly to beleeue in him, vndoubtedly euen then according to Chriſts commaundement heere in my text you come vntounto him and drinke him, yea you eate his fleſh and drinke his bloode to eternall life. Wherefore (deare brethren) when you come but to heare, I ſay vntounto euerie one of you with the wiſe man, Eccleſiaſtes 4.17. Take heede to thy foote when thou entreſt into the houſe of God, that ſo thou maiſt follow his counſel in that which followeth, that is, to be more neare to heare, thā to offer the ſacrifice of fooles. And according to the aduiſe of Ieremy, (by the ſtrong plow of repentance & faith) breake vp the fallow ground of your hearts when you come to heare, that we ſow not the good ſeede of the worde amongſt thornes. Cap. 4.4. For as you may moſt plainly learne by the parable, Mat. 13.4. &c. though the Lord ſend neuer ſo good ſeedſmē amongſt you, & they ſow the good ſeed neuer ſo faithfully, yet if your hearts be either like the high way, or like thornie or ſtony ground, you ſhal neuer bring forth any good harueſt to the Lord. For onelyonly the good & honeſt heart furniſhed with patiēce p. 187ſhall doe that, as there we are taught: and therefore labour to bring ſuch hearts. But alas when all comes to all, moſt true it is that Chriſt ſaith, none can come vntounto him, but whom the father draweth, Io. 6.44. Paul may plant, and Apollo water, and yet all to no purpoſe, vnleſſe God giuegive the increaſe, 1. Cor. 3.3. And yet I ſay for all this, deſpiſe not prophecying, if you woulde take out the former leſſon quench not the ſpirit. 1. Theſ. 5.19.20. For by the outwarde miniſtrie of men, the Lord inwardlie by his ſpirite worketh in you a knowledge and louelove of Chriſt, and ſo draweth you vntounto him. And that hath Chriſt himſelfe taught immediatly ſaying, Ioh. 6.45. It is written in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God. Euerie man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the father commeth vntounto me. Whereupon very well Auguſtine in his 26. tract vponupon Iohn noteth ſaying, videte quomodo trahit pater, docendo delectat, non neceſſitatem imponendo: that is, behold how the father draweth, by teaching he delighteth, not by impoſing neceſſitie or enforcing. And to the ſame purpoſe vponupon the foreſaide wordes hee moſte ſweetely obſerueth that it being founde true in theſe earthly delightes, that p. 188euerie one is drawne or caried with his delight, that much rather Chriſt by teaching beeing manifeſted vntounto vsus, by his Father will draw vsus vntounto him. Yet moſt certaine it is, that onelyonly God it is that firſt openeth and enlightneth our mindes to ſee Chriſt, by his miniſtrie ſet before vsus; and who then creates in vsus a newe, a will to delight in him and to imbrace him, which the ſame Father acknowledgeth alſo ſaying; that we will well, he worketh of himſelfe without vsus, and when we ſo will that we doe, he worketh togither with vsus: De gratia & libero arbitrto, Cap. 17.

And yet though all this be moſt true, Of Sacramentes in generall.are not the ſacramentes and the vſe and meditation thereof needleſſe and ſuperfluous vntounto vsus to this purpoſe. For as the worde written in the canouical Scriptures is as the written will of our heauenly Father, which we publiſh vntounto you when we read them, and by preaching open them vntounto you: ſo the Sacramentes are as the great and auten tike ſeales of the Lord annexed thereunto, for the more and better aſſuring vsus of the certainetie of thoſe heauenly legaces that therein are bequeathed vsus. Indeed God for his part is ſo ſtedfaſt, conſtant and true in all his ſayings, that though onelie p. 189by bare ſpeech he ſhould reueale his will vntounto vsus, it were our dueties moſt ſtedfaſtly to beleeueit. But he that made vsus, knoweth what is in vsus, and by experience we finde how neceſſarie ſo euer it be for vsus to beleeue the word of God, that yet though we hauehave it (as in the goodneſſe of God towardes vsus we hauehave) both written, and thus ſealed and confirmed by his Sacraments, that all this is little inough to make vsus beleeue it as we ſhould. Wherefore ſeeing it hath pleaſed God to ſtoupe ſo lowe vntounto vsus, & thus to apply himſelf to our capacity, let vsus in the name of God praiſe him therfore, and moſt thankfully take vſe of all the meanes that he hath left vsus to get vntounto his ſonne by. And therefore giuegive me leaue heere to enlarge my ſelfe a little vntounto you, that there be nothing wanting in mee to ſhew you, or to helpe you forward, by the helpe of theſe Sacramentes, that I ſpeake of, through the working of Gods ſpirite in your heartes withall, more and more to come vntounto Chriſt, and to be vnited vntounto him to your euerlaſting ſaluation. And the rather becauſe I know as the right vnderſtanding of the nature thereof may by Gods bleſſing mightilie helpe you or ward therein; ſo eyther the ignorance p. 190thereof, or an erroneous conceite of them may verie much hinder you in the ſame. Sacraments I call them, according to the ancient vſe, and phraſe of the Church: which name I take was at the firſt borrowed from an ancient faſhion of making a ſolemne vow and couenant betwixt the Emperour and his ſouldiers, whereby he was bound to them to goe in and out before them as an Emperour, & they bound themſelves vntounto him againe to be faithfull and obedient ſouldiers. And therefore becauſe in theſe ſacred rites it was obſerued, that likewiſe there paſſeth a ſolemne couenant betwixt God and the worthie receiuers thereof, it was thought that not vnfitly they might be called Sacraments. And in verie deede, whether we conſider Baptiſme or that other of the bodie and blood of Chriſt, we ſhall eaſily finde that thereby this is done. For in Baptiſme, the miniſter in the name of GOD offereth by baptiſing in water, in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt, vntounto the partie baptized not onelie a figure & repreſentation of the waſhing away of his ſinnes and of his regeneration in the bloode of Chriſt, but alſo a viſible and ſenſible ſeale thereof, p. 191whereby God bindeth himſelfe to doe all this for the partie, if the let and ſtoppe thereof be not in himſelfe: and he likewiſe by receiuing this Sacrament maketh open profeſſion, that he will liue and beleeue accordingly. And in the other when breade and wine, called as they be, are deliuered vntounto the communicant, in like maner then God offereth to feede that partie to eternall life, with the bodie broken and blood ſhed of his ſon: and he, by taking of them, makes open confeſſion that he ſo beleeueth and therefore will ſo ſhew it in his life therafter: and of this mutuall couenant the ſacrament deliuered and receiued is a moſt certaine pledge and ſeale betwixt them. It ſtandes therefore eueryevery one in hand, that receiue theſe Sacraments to hauehave a greate care, not onelie to beleeue that GOD for his parte will performe that which thereby he bindeth himſelfe vntounto: but alſo for their partes to fulfill that, whereunto they tie themſelues: otherwiſe ſure they are no better than diſſemblers before men, and hypocrites before GOD. If the Etimologie of this worde Sacrament, be but conſidered, it might teach vsus in an…e caſe to deale with theſe alwayes, Sacra mente, p. 192that is, with a ſacred and a holy minde. The worde is taken and vſëd ſo generally often, that eueryevery outward thing by Gods ordinance ſignifying a further grace or benefite, hath beene called a Sacrament. And therfore Iohn Chapp…s in his Cōmentary vponupon Raymunds ſumme of the Sacraments tract. 1. thought he had found in Hugo de ſancto victore in his ſixt booke of Sacraments, a verie perfect definition of a Sacrament, when he found that he defined it to be, Naturale elementum extrinſecùs oculis ſuppoſitum, ex inſtitutione figurans, ex ſimilitudine repraeſentans, & ex ſanctificatione aliquam gratiam inuiſibilem conferens: that is, A naturall element ſet outwardly before the eyes, by inſtitution figuring, by ſimilitude repreſenting, and by ſanctification conferring ſome inuiſible grace. And in verie deede, it ſomewhat well reſtraineth the ouerlarge vſe of the word: and there is nothinge therein but it is true of Sacraments properly taken as I take them now. But to make it fully to expreſſe the nature of a ſacrament thus taken, and noe more, I woulde thereunto adde, (and I am ſure it ought to be ſo) that the inſtitutor muſt bee God himſelfe; that ſometime the outward partis not onelyonly one element p. 193to be ſeene with the eies, but more then one: and that it is not enough that by ſanctification it conferre any viſible grace whatſoeuer, but that that grace be euen Chriſt himſelfe with ſuch graces as in him re prouided for our ſaluation. And therfore I define a Sacrament, as nowe I ſpeake thereof, to be A viſible ſigne or ſignes, ordained by Chriſt, to be miniſtred in his Church to thē that be his, not only to figure & repreſent himſelfe and what he hath done for their ſaluation; but alſo whereby to offer himſelfe with grace neceſſarie to ſaluation, and to deliuer himſelfe with the ſame, and to ſeale the communication and deliuerie thereof, to eueryevery worthy receiuer of the outward element or elementes, according to his inſtitution. And ſuch we finde no more now in the newe Teſtament, but Baptiſme and the Lordes Supper. The other fiue vrged as Sacrament by the Romaniſts of our daies, howſoeuer in ſome generall & improper ſenſe they maybe ſo called, in this they cannot. For ſome one or other neceſſary thing mentioned in this definition is wanting in eueryevery one of them. And yet there is nothing in this definition that can be omitted, if we minde ſo to define or deſcribe a Sacrament as that indeed truely, and fully, we meane p. 194to expreſſe the nature thereof as it is common but to theſe two, Baptiſme and the Supper. To the conſtitution therefore of a Sacrament by this we may ſee that it is firſt neceſſarie, that Chrſt be the author and inſtitutor thereof. Secondly, that there hauehave a commandement paſſed from him to adminiſter it in his Church. Thirdlie, that it conſiſt of ſuch outward viſible element or elementes, as he hath choſen and appointed for that purpoſe. And fourthly, that according to his ordinance they be taken as meanes to put him on by, and to make him ours, with all ſuch graces as in him are prouided for our ſaluation. So that asto the making of a perfect mā there muſt concurre bodie and ſoule in one; and to the being of our Chriſt to be a fit perſon to be our Meſſias and Sauiour, Godhead & manhood: ſo to the full beeing of a Sacrament according to Chriſts ordinance, an outward element or elements, and Chriſt himſelfe and his grace fit and needfull for our ſaluation are neceſſary. And therefore as neither bodie & ſoule in man, nor Godhead & manhood in Chriſt without falling into a groſſe errour there about, can or may be ſaid or thought to be eyther confounded with the other, or annihilated or abſorpted p. 195ſorpted of the other: ſo neyther may we ſay or thinke of theſe two partes in a Sacrament. When therefore we come to receiue any Sacrament; as outwardly we receiue the outward element, ſo inwardly we muſt ſeeke to receiue alſo the heauenly thing thereby offered vntounto vsus: or elſe by our default we ſeuere thoſe thinges which we ſhould coupple, and as much as lyeth in vsus, ouerthrowe the nature and vſe of the Sacrament.

Nowe to deſcend from the conſideration of a Sacrament thus in generall, Of Baptiſme.to theſe two particuler Sacramentes: In Baptiſme which is the firſt, we hauehave Chriſtes ordinance for it, and commaundement alſo for the miniſtring of it. Math. 28.19. where Chriſt ſaid vntounto his diſciples; Goe and teach all nations, baptiſing them in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt. And thereby alſo the worde baptiſe ſignifying, as it doth, to dippe in water or therewith to ſprinkle, we may ſee the outward element to be water. Which is alſo cōfirmed by al the practiſe of the Churches in the Apoſtles times: as appeares both in the ſtorie of their Actes written by Saint Luke, and elſewhere. And that the thing therby ſignified, offered, & deliuered p. 196is Chriſt himſelfe, and ſo in him remiſſion of ſinnes, regeneration and dying to ſinne, and liuing againe vntounto righteouſpeſſe, it ſufficiently appeareth in theſe places of the Scriptures. Knowe ye not that all we which hauehave beene baptiſed into Chriſt, hauehave beene baptiſed into his death? we are then buried with him by Baptiſme into his death, that like as Chriſt was rayſed vp from the dead to the glory of the Father, ſo we alſo ſhould walke in newnes of life. Rom. 6.3.4. All ye that are baptiſed into Chriſt hauehave put on Chriſt. Gal. 3.27. Be baptiſed eueryevery one of you in the name of Ieſus Chriſt for the remiſſion of ſinnes, Act. 2.38. Chriſt loued the Church, and gaue himſelfe for it, that he might ſanctifie it and cleanſe it, by the waſhing of water through the word &c. Ephe. 5.25.26. According to his merciemercy he ſaued vsus, by the waſhing of the new birth, and renewing of the holy Ghoſt, Tit. 3.5. Baptiſme that now is, ſaueth vsus by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt. 1. Pet. 3.21. They therefore that are deſirous not onelyonly to be accounted baptiſed with the outward Baptiſme of water, muſt as you ſee according to Paules counſell, Rom. 13.14. put on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, and take no thought for the fleſh to fulfill the luſtes of it. p. 197For if they be partakers of the other part thereof, in the blood of Chriſt, they are waſhed and cleansed: and ſo muſt, and are bound to liue as men dead to ſinne and aliue to righteouſneſſe. Baptiſme therfore Is a Sacrament of the new Teſtament, wherein by beeing dipped in, or ſprinkled vponupon with water, in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, we are aſſured that God the Father can and will in the blood, and by the blood of his Sonne, by the mighty working of the holy Ghoſt, waſh away our ſins, and ſo receiue vsus and incorporate vsus into his Church, that we ſhal be his new borne children and inabled to be holy, becauſe he is holy. We adminiſter it to infants becauſe it ſucceedeth Circumciſion: which was by Gods ordinance appointed to be miniſtred to the infants of the Iewes, when they were but eight daies old, Ge. 17.12. becauſe Chriſt ſaid, Suffer little children to come vntounto me, for of ſuch is the kingdom of heauen. Mat. 19.13. becauſe we read that the Apoſtles baptiſed whole houſeholds, as Act. 16.33. amongeſt which ſometimes it is moſt likelie there were ſome infantes: and laſtly, becauſe we finde that God promiſed not onelie to be the God of Abraham, but alſo of his feede after him. Gen. 17.7. and that p. 198Saint Paule moſt plainely teacheth, that if one of the parents be beleeuing, then is the ſeede holy. 1. Cor. 7.14. And therefore it beeing adminiſtred to ſuch, and in water, and in that manner that it is by Chriſts ordinance, the nature of water beeing as we knowe it to bee; we may and ought to learne all theſe leſſons, that we are all borne and conceiued in ſinne, and therewith ſo defiled that we ſtand need of waſhing: that this waſhing and cleanſeing is to be had at God the Fathers hands, through Ieſus Chriſt, by the working of the holie Ghoſt, and no where elſe: that God both can and will thus waſh and cleanſe vsus, and that therefore this Trinitie in vnitie is onelyonly to be beleeued in and truſted vntounto for the matter of our ſaluation, and to be honoured in all thankfulneſſe for the ſame, by our ceaſing from ſinne and doing of that which is good. Whereupon we ſee, that they that would lead vsus after we hauehave once beene thus baptiſed, to put our faith and confidence for any part of our forgiuenes of ſinnes or ſaluation eyther in any other perſon or thing as the cōmon faſhion is amongſt papiſtes, doubtleſſe they would hauehave vsus to reuolt from that faith wherein we were baptiſed, and whereunto therby p. 199we hauehave moſt ſolemnly bound our ſelues. Heereby alſo we may perceiue that though Baptiſme it ſelfe be but once to be miniſtred for the reaſon before ſhewed: yet as oft as euer eyther we finde our ſinnes readie to ſhake our faith, or otherwiſe to trouble vsus, by meditation thereof we are thus to hauehave our recourſe againe vntounto it, to the ſtrengthening both of our faith, and to the weakning of the power of ſinne, (howſoeuer the papiſtes would perſwade vsus, that it ſerueth onelyonly to aſſure vsus of remiſſion of ſinnes before;) becauſe we may be ſure that God is alwaies readie, if we can beleeue in him, to performe vntounto vsus whatſoeuer he hath offered vntounto vsus therein. Which doubtleſſe is the remiſſion of all our ſinnes before or after, we beleeuing and repenting thereof. Or elſe if onelyonly thereby were offered forgiueneſſe of ſinnes before it; then ſurely the Church would hauehave deferred it to the laſt, or later then eyther it hath or yet doth.

And as for the other Sacrament, Of the other Sacrament.if we doe with any diligence but conſider that which we finde ſet downe thereof. Mat. 26.26. &c. Mar. 14.22. &c. Luk. 22.19. &c. 1. Cor. 11.23. &c. we ſhall there finde, whatſoeuer appertaineth eyther generally to a p. 200Sacrament, or particularly vntounto it moſt plainely and effectually expreſſed. For there it is euident that Chriſt inſtituted it, and commanded his miniſters to adminiſter it vntill his comming againe: that he ordained very bread and wine to be the outward viſible elements: and his bodie broken for his, and his blood ſhed for the remiſſion of their ſinnes, to be the things by the other figured, ſignified and repreſented; yea, thereby both offered and truely deliuered and communicated to the right and worthy receiuer: And therefore to aſſure thē of as much, he called the bread broken & diſtributed, his body broken: & the wine powred forth & giuen thē in the cup, his blood of the new Teſtament, ſhed for many to the remiſſion of their ſins. We therefore by warrant from hence do define this: To be a Sacrament of the new Teſtament, inſtituted by Chriſt, and to adminiſtred by his ordinance, and to be receiued according to the ſame of his faithfull people, conſiſting not onelyonly of bread broken & wine powred out into the cup, to be diſtributed & receiued of al worthy commers thereunto in remembrance of his death and paſſion; and as vndoubted tokens by his inſtitution (though not of their own nature) both that his body was broken, and his p. 201blood ſhed for all his in general, and alſo particularly for the full redemption and ſaluation of eueryevery right receiuer hereof: but alſo of the very broken body and bloodſhed of Chriſt, for our ſaluation therewith all as certainely offred to be fed on to eternall life, and fed on indeed by eueryevery worthy communicant (though by ſpirituall meanes) as the other are offered vntounto them, taken and fed on by the inſtruments of the bodie. Whereupon moſt earneſtly we exhort eueryevery one that would worthily come vntounto this table, and ſo be partakers indeed to their comfort of this Sacrament, with Saint Paule in any caſe to trie and examine themſelues firſt, and to iudge themſelues, leaſt for want of ſo doing they be heere iudged of the Lord by eating of this breade and drinking of this cup vnworthily to hauehave made themſelues guiltie of his bodie and bloode, and ſo to eate and drinke their own damnation. For though we holde breade and wine heerein ſtill to retaine their former ſubſtance and eſſence; becauſe euen by the expreſſe wordes of the inſtitution in the places before quoated ſo much is euident, and the common nature of a Sacrament requireth the continuance of the outwarde element in his former nature that p. 202ſo it may carrie the better and apterreſemblance of the thing whoſe name it beareth: yet we know and moſt willingly confeſſe with all antiquitie, that thereof heere by vertue of Chriſtes inſtitution, (which doth and ſhal remaine in force ſtil to the worlds end alwaies to effect the ſame in bread and wine according to his ordinance ſet aſide and vſed to this purpoſe) there is a verie great change and alteration. But that is but in name, vſe, and eſtimation. For whereas before they were but called bread and wine, and ſerued but to the common vſe of the nouriſhing and cheering of the bodie, and therefore ſo onelyonly were to be eſteemed: heerein they beare the names of the verie bodie and bloode of Chriſt, and they ſerue as the Lordes good meanes to lead and ſtrengthen our faith to feede therupon indeed to our ſaluation: The vſe thereof.and therefore we eſteeme of them herein, not as they are of their owne nature, but as they are by his inſtitution, ſacred ſignes, ſimbols, repreſentations, ſimilitudes, pledges, and ſeales of thoſe thinges whoſe names they beare. And therefore we call vponupon you moſt earneſtly, whenſoeuer you receiue, in the feare of God reuerently ſo to take them: and ſo by marking what is ſaid p. 203of them and done with them, to take occaſion, firſt to call effectually to your remembrance how Chriſts body was broken with ſorrowes and tormentes, and his pretious blood ſhed and ſeuered in his paſſion from his body to ſatisfie the iuſtice of God his heauenly father for mans ſinnes, yea euen for eueryevery one of your ſinnes; and therefore withall heartily to ſorrowe for your ſinnes that put him to al theſe paines, and yet vnſainedlie alſo with thankefull heartes to reioyce, that he woulde take ſuch paines for them that were ſo vnworthy thereof. Which you are notably occaſioned to doe, when in the adminiſtration of this Sacrament you firſt ſee the bread broken and the wine powred forth, and both particularly offered vntounto euerie one of you, ſeuered and apart the one after the other, yet bearing the names of his bodie broken, and bloode ſhed for you. Secondly, knowing the natures of bread and wine as you doe, and to what vſe they ſetue touching this life; they bearing heere the names of the bodie broken, and blood ſhed of Chriſt as they doe, we aſſure you that thereby moſt iuſtlie we are occaſioned to beleue, that in the bodie broken and blood ſhed of Chriſt, both p. 204the breade and drinke, that is, all the foode that is neceſſary for the maintenance of our ſpirituall life for euer before God, lieth; and that therfore there it is only to be ſought. And in that theſe further thus called and vſed, are giuen vntounto eueryevery one of you that come vntounto the Lordes boarde, and you take them, thereby the Lord by vsus his miniſters particularly offers his bodie broken and his blood ſhedde vntounto cuery one of you, to feede and nouriſh you to euerlaſting life: and you by taking of them in outward ſhew, anſwere both him and vsus, that you doe moſt firmly and ſtedfaſtly eueryevery one of you particularly beleue, that he will doe ſo indeede. Wherefore in any caſe when you ſtreach forth your hands and open your mouthes to take breade and wine, thus called, at our hands; take Chriſtes ſo calling of them to be a moſt follemne promiſe to his, to aſſure you that if indeede then you beleeue that his body was once broken for you, and his blood ſhedde for the remiſſion of your ſins, as the ſtory of his paſſion and this Sacrament, which is a viſible commemoration therof; ſhewe, that then vndoubtedly without all queſtion, you doe not, nor cannot more ceratinly by thoſe inſtrumentes of your p. 205bodies, take the breade and wine & feede thereof then by this faith of yours, the very mouth of your ſoule in this caſe, you feede vponupon his broken bodie and bloode ſhedde: But then I ſay once againe, faile not but when your hands and mouthes are occupied about the taking & feeding vponupon the outward elements, let this faith of yours, which is in ſteede of both to your ſoule, be feruently occupied in beleeuing that by the broken body & bloodſhed of Chriſt Ieſus your ſaluation was & is fully purchaſed. Theſe three vſes thus made & taken in the receite of this Sacrament; in that you finde by experience, & knowe it to be moſt certaine, that by the force & ordinary worke of nature, bread and wine receiued in, & diſgeſted are conuerted to fit foode for our nature, & ſo there growes an vnion betwixt our nature and them: ſo this Sacrament thus receiued is and ought to be vntounto vsus, as a ſealed couenant of Chriſt Ieſus by the mightie working of his Spirite, to aſſure vsus that he will finde the means moſt certainlye to vnite himſelfe vntounto vsus, to nouriſh and to feed vsus ſo with himſelfe, that in him we ſhall growe to be perfect men in his houſe. And laſtly, as this Sacrament ſerues firſt to theſe ends, & ſo notably p. 206to ſtrengthen our faith in Ieſus Chriſt crucified: ſo ſerues it alſo as a moſt notable meane, outwardly both before God and men, to make confeſſion of the ſame our faith by; to diſtinguiſh vsus as by our recogniſance from others that are not of that fayth; to prouoke vsus continually to offer vntounto God the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing for this moſt ſweete ſacrifice of his ſonne heerein brought freſh ſtill to our remembrance, and ſo beleeued in and vponupon; and to be a bond of louelove and vnitie amongeſt all the receiuers thereof. For as Paule ſaith, We that are many are one bread and one bodie, becauſe we are all partakers of one bread. 1. Cor. 10.17. So that by the receite heereof as firſt, our vnion and communion with Chriſt is ſealed vntounto vsus; ſo alſo is it the ſeale and bond of the communion that the Saintes of God hauehave amongſt themſelues. Wherefore as it ſtraitely bindeth vsus hauing receiued it, vnleſſe we would hauehave it appeare that we receiued it vnworthily, afterwardes to liue as they that liue in, and by Chriſt: ſo it bindeth vsus alſo all that receiue, as members knit together in one bodie vnderunder one head to liue together in perfect peace and vnity. Worthilie therefore, all theſe thinges conſidered, may p. 207we ſay of it as Auguſtine did in his time: O Sacramentum pietatis! ô ſignum vnitatis! ô vinculum charitatis! that is, O Sacrament of pietie! O ſigne of vnitie! O bond of charitie! tract. 26. vponupon Iohn. Who ſhould come vntounto it, & how.And if theſe thinges were well remembred as they ought, neyther ſhould miniſters, as they doe in moſt places without any due preparation of their people before, admit them tag and rag one and other to this ſacred table: neyther would the people ſo rudely, ignorantly, and prophanely preſſe thereunto for a faſhion onelyonly as to too commonly they doe. For if at any time that commaundement of Chriſt binde vsus miniſters, as doubtleſſe it doth or elſe Chriſt woulde neuer hauehave giuen it vsus, GiueGive ye not that which is holie vntounto dogges, neyther caſt ye your pearles before ſwine. Math. 7.6. it moſt directly bindeth vsus heere, to doe what lyeth in vsus to know that they be neyther dogges nor ſwine to whome we offer this bleſſed ſacrament, before we ſo doe. For heerein we ſee Chriſt Ieſus that is the true bread of life, whoſe fleſh is meate indeede and whoſe bloode is drinke indeede; as he himſelfe hath aſſured vsus Iohn. 6.35.51.55. is offered to the right commers thereunto, & therefore here that p. 208ſaying of Chriſt is moſt true, it is not good to take the childrens breade, and to caſt it to whelpes, Math, 15.16. In the ould Teſtament the Lord hath ſet downe an expreſſe Lawe, that none that were vncircumciſed ſhould be admitted to the eating of the Paſouer, Exod. 12.48. Yea, Numb. 9.6. &c. we reade that God by his expreſſe Oracle ſhewed Moſes, that they that were but ceremonially vncleane were worthily kept backe; and that all ſuch alwayes after, ſhould a monethmonth after the reſt eate the Paſſcouer, and not before, that in the mean time they might purifie themſelues. Likewiſe, Leuit. 7.20. the Lord ſaith, If any doe eate of the fleſh of the Peace offerings that appertaine vntounto the Lord, hauing his vncleannes vponupon him, the ſame perſon shalbe cut off from his people. And therefore the godly prieſt Iehoiada had ſuch a care that theſe lawes ſhould be obſcrued, that to his commendation for euer it is recorded of him, 2. Chro. 23.19. that he ſet Porters by the gates of the houſe of the Lord, that none that was vncleane in any thing ſhould enter in. And when this is not done the Lord complaineth ſaying, VVho is there among you that would shut the dores? &c. Mal. 10. Seing then here by it is euident p. 209that in the olde Teſtament God was thus carefull to hauehave none vnfit admitted to the Sacramentes thereof, we may be well aſſured that he hath as greate care for the Sacraments of the new. Our warrāt to admit childrē to the other, is, that they be borne and deſcended of ſuch parentes as profeſſe faith in Chriſt; and therfore to whome and their ſeede God hath made Couenant to be their God: and the other reaſons before alleadged to that purpoſe incourage vsus withall to the ſame: but in that Saint Paule, as we heard already, woulde hauehave eueryevery one before he eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup in this Sacrament, to trie, examine, and iudge himſelfe, we may plainely learne that none but ſuch as hauehave diſcretion and knowledge ſo to doe, and ſo doe indeede, are fit to be admitted to this. Moſt chriſtianly therefore it is prouided that none ſhoulde preſume heere in England, to preſent himſelfe to the Lordes table, before notice thereof giuen to his miniſter, that he may try whether he can anſwer his Catethiſme; or otherwiſe if he know him to be out of charitie, or guiltie of any notorious crime, he may put him off, vntill he can anſwere it, and vntill he hauehave ſatisfied the congregation p. 210by the teſtifying of his repentance, and be reconciled vntounto the partie whom he hath wronged. And not without great and vrgent cauſe is Chriſtoſtome ſo earneſt as we may read he was in his 83. Homilie vponupon Mathew, to perſwade the miniſters of his time in no caſe willingly to admit any wicked perſon to this table, willing them that if they durſt not or coulde not keepe backe ſuch, to tell him: for he would die rather then he woulde admit eyther Conſull, Duke, or King for any feare, that he knew to be vnfit. I would to God therfore that generally all we of the Miniſterie would take better care of this, then hitherto too many of vsus hauehave done. Otherwiſe doubtleſſe we ſhall not onelyonly before the Lord be guiltie of the monſtrous ſinne of prophaning his holy miſteries, in proſtituting of them to prophane and filthie perſons: but alſo both to the peril of our owne ſoules and our peoples, we ſhall willingly (or careleſly and negligently at the leaſt) let them runne apparantly to eate and drinke their owne damnation, whoſe ſaluation we are bounde to tender and to further what we may as our owne. And therefore that complainte of the Lordes vſed in the like caſe. Mal. 1.6.7. will p. 211he take vp and vrge againſt vsus, ſaying vntounto all ſuch careleſſe and negligent miniſters, O Prieſtes that deſpiſe my name; and ye ſay, wherein? ye offer vncleane breade vponupon mine aultar; and ye ſay, wherein hauehave we polluted thee? In that yee ſay the table of the Lorde is not to be regarded. Which after he prooues indeede and effect they did, whatſoeuer their wordes were, in that contrarie to the lawe they offered the blinde, lame, and ſicke for ſacrifice. For into this verie fault we runne when we admit, as too commonly we doe, vntounto the receiuing of this Sacrament any whome we before knowe not to be fit both for knowledge and life to receiue the ſame worthilie. Howſoeuer (welbeloued) let the nature and vſe of this Sacrament perſwade you that be the people, in no caſe to offer your ſelues vntounto this Sacrament, before you finde in your ſelues an heartie hunger and thirſt after Chriſt Ieſus therin offered vntounto you, as you hauehave heard: and ſo true repentance for your ſinnes paſt; and then a liuely faith grounded vponupon Gods promiſes in him: and laſtly both theſe teſtified vntounto your owne ſoules and conſciences by the true fruits of both, dying euerie day more and more p. 212to ſinne, and liuing to righteouſneſſe, to be without all hypocriſie and diſſimulation. For of theſe quarters and partes muſt the wedding garment be made, which he muſt bring with him and hauehave vponupon his backe that, when the maiſter of this feaſt comes in to view his gueſtes, would be approued of him. Otherwiſe let him come neuer ſo readily with the other gueſtes heerewith apparrelled indeede, and then handle the matter neuer ſo cunningly to cauſe all them to take him to be as worthy a gueſt as any of themſelues; yet when this ſuruey your comes that ſearches the hearts and reynes, he ſhall quickly be confounded and not able to anſwere one word for his defence in cōming ſo irreuerently, & ſo ſhall heare that fearfull ſentence, which, will he nill he, he muſt vndergoe, pronounced on him; Take him, and binde him hande and foote, and let him hauehave his place in vtter darkneſſe, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Math. 22.12.13. O therefore (deare brethren) before we come bither, let vsus deuoutly religiouſly and reuerently conſider who we are, who it is that hath called vsus, whither we are called, before whom we ſhall appeare, and to what end; that if not theſe ſingle, yet theſe ioyntly and together may moue vsus to come p. 213in that worthy ſort that is meete. If we had but to intertaine our Landlord, a man of worſhip, or noble man, we would hauehave a care to put on our beſt apparell, to decke cur houſes in the beſt manner, and in any caſe to prouide that no fluttiſh corner be found therein where he ſhould come to offend him, or when we are in his preſence that any irreuerent or vnſeemely worde or deede ſhould paſſe from vsus: how much more ought we to hauehave this care heere, where by our comming we make a ſhew; that we meane to intertaine and receiue in, Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe our Lorde and Sauiour for euer to dwell in vsus, that all thinges within vsus then be prepared accordingly? Saint Paule hath tolde vsus, and we may truſt him, that we may not take the mē bers of Chriſt, and make them the members of of an harlot… 1. Cor. 6.15. that we cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Deuils, be partakers of the table of the Lord and the table of De…i…, 1. Cor. 10.20. and that as righteouſneſſe hath no fellowſhip with vnrighteouſneſſe or light with darkneſſe: ſo Chriſt hath no concord with Beliall, or the vnbeleeuer, part with the beleeuer, 2. Cor. 6.14.15. And we finde by lamentable experience in Iudas, that he bringing vntounto p. 214this table, though neuer ſo much ſhew of pietie, knowledge, honeſtie, and goodnes; yet for that he came as an hollow hearted hypocrite, in a purpoſe to goe on with the treaſon that for wages he had vndertaken, the Deuill immediately vponupon his beeing there entred into him, and ſo he neuer ceaſed vntill he had accompliſhed his wicked purpoſe, and after by deſperate murdering of himſelfe had ſhewed himſelfe to be the childe of perdition, as we may read moſt plainely in the ſtorie of the Goſpell, Iohn. 13.27. &c. Howe therefore with anie reaſon may we thinke that we can come vntounto the Lordes table, there by receiuing of this Sacrament to growe in vnion and communion with Chriſt, and yet be in ſuch palpable ignorance and darkeneſſe, and in ſuch louelove with errour and iniquitie as very many that come thither both by their liues before & after ſhew themſelues to be? If the ſonne and heire of our Prince at any time, though but in his ſwathing cloathes ſhould be offered vntounto vsus to holde in our armes, whatſoeuer we had in our handes, we woulde readilie let fall to doe that ſeruice, and ſo to be honoured: how much more to put on the Lord Ieſus the onelyonly begotten Sonne p. 215of God, the King of all kinges, yea to receiue him into our verie ſelues to be one with vsus, ſhould we haſtily caſt away and lay aſide the world, the fleſh, and the deuill, and all the wicked luſtes and fruites of theſe? If Dauid therefore, Pſal. 24.9. in ſpirite foreſeeing, that the Arke, which was but a ſigne and figure of Gods preſence amongſt the Iewes, ſhoulde one day be brought in by the doores of the Temple to be placed therein, before the Temple beganne to be built did crie as he did, Lift vp your heades ye gates, and lift vp your ſelues ye euerlaſting doers, and the king of glorie ſhall come in: let me vponupon iuſter and greater occaſion cry and call vponupon euerie one that woulde that Chriſt ſhoulde enter into them receiuing this Sacrament, lift vp your heartes, and be lift vp your ſelues from all the fruites of the fleſhe, that this King of glorie may enter in indeede. Paule for the ſectes and factions, and namely for their eating and drinking in the Idoll Temples of meate ſacrificed vntounto them, howſoeuer otherwiſe they ſeemed to deteſt idolatrie, and for their lacke of louelove that they ſhewed towardes the poore in their louelove-feaſtes in not tarrying for them: p. 216gaue the Corinthians to vnderſtand, that they did ſo vnworthily eate of this bread and drinke of this cup, that they made themſelues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Chriſt, are and dranke their owne damnation, and that many ſlept and were weake amongſt them, as by conference of the tenth and eleuenth chapters together of the firſt Epiſtle written vntounto them, it appeareth. How can we then but tremble at the conſideration of Gods iudgementes due vntounto vsus for our vnworthie partaking hereof; there beeing ſuch contentions and varieties of opinions amongſt ſome of vsus as there bee; and beſides ſuch a number of other farre groſſer ſinnes amongſt vsus then theſe of the Corinthians were? Let vsus therefore take Paules remedie, that is, iudge our ſelues for this (and doe no more ſo) that ſo we may eſcape the iudgement of the Lorde, 1. Cor. 11.31.32.