Sermons on Divinity Humanity and Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Sermon on the Resurrection
¶ The ninthe Sermon is of his reſurrection, at which time was celebrated, the holie SVPPER.
Matthew xxviii.
1 IN the latter ende of the Sabboth day, whiche dawneth the firſt day of the weeke, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to ſee the Sepulchre.
2 And beholde there was a great earthquake, for the Angell of the Lorde deſcended from Heauen, and came, and rowlled back the Stone from the Dore, and ſate vponupon it.
3 His countenaunce was like lightninge, and his rayment white as Snow.
4 And for feare of him the keepers dyd ſhake, and became as dead men.
5 The Angell aunſwered and ſayde vntounto the women, feare yee not: for, I knowe yee ſeeke Ieſus whiche was crucifyed.
6 He is not heere, hee is riſen as he ſaide, come, ſee the place where that the Lord was laide.
7 And goe quickly and tel his diſciples that hee is riſen from the dead. And beholde, he goeth before you into Galile, there ſhall you ſee him: loe, I hauehave tolde you.
8 And they departed quickly from the Sepulchre, with feare. and great ioye, and dyd runne, to bring his Diſciples worde.
9 And as they went to tell his Diſciples, beholde Ieſus met them ſaying, al hayle: And they came and helde him by the feete, and worſhipped him.
10 Then ſayd Ieſus vntounto them, bee not afraide: goe tell my Brethren that they go into Galile, and there ſhal they ſee mee.
A Man would at the firſt ſight thinke it ſtraunge, that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt woulde ſhew him ſelfe after his reſurrection, rather to women, then vntounto his Diſciples. Howbeit wee are hereby to conſider, that his meaning was to trye the baſeneſſe and lowlineſſe of our faith. Becauſe we muſt not build vponupon mans wiſdome, but obedientlye receiue what ſoeuer we know to come from him. Againe, no doubt of it, his meaning was to correct his Diſciples, whenas he ſent women to teach them, becauſe yt ye thing which hee had taught them ſerued them to no purpoſe, when it came to the pinch. For beholde all the Diſciples were ſcattered, they forſooke their maiſter, and feare ouercame them. For what learned they for thrée whole yéeres together, in the ſchoole of the Sonne of God? And therefore ſuch frewandiſe deſerued great correction, euen to hauehave al the knowledge which they had before time receiued to be cleane taken away, becauſe they had troade it vnderunder foote, & buried it. Now it was not the meaning of our Lorde Ieſus, to correct them ſharply, but to make thē amend their fault, by mild & gentle correction, in yt he appointed thē women to be their School miſtreſſes. He had before, choſen them to preach the Goſpel all the worlde ouer (for they in very déede were the firſt Doctours of the Church) But becauſe they were ſuch Trewands and ſo buſie minded, as that their faith was, as it were, laide aſoke or ſaped, it was good reaſon they ſhould vnderſtand that they were not woorthy anie more to heare our Lord Ieſus Chriſt preache. And héere we ſée the cauſe why they were ſent backe to women, vntill ſuch time as they had better acknowledged their offences, & that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt of his méere fauour & grace had ſet them againe in their eſtate and degrée. And beſides (as I hauehave already ſayd) we are all generally aduertiſed, to receiue the teſtimonie which God ſendeth vsus, and it were by the mouthes of men of ſlender quality, & of no credit & eſtimatiō in the world, for we indéed ſée, yt whatſoeuer hée is, yt is choſē & appointed to be a regiſter or publike perſon, that the thing which he doth, is receiued for autenticall. Neither will men ſay one thing or another againſt him: becauſe al men reuerence the office which he hath. And ſhall God hauehave leſſe preheminence then earthly princes, ſhal not he ordaine ſuch as pleaſeth him, to be his witneſſes, frō whoſe mouthes wée ſhould receiue whatſoeuer they ſhal ſay without gainſaying? ſurely, furely it is good reaſō it ſhould be ſo, except we would become rebels againſt God himſelfe. Héere then we ſée, what it is that wée muſt conſider of in the firſt place. Moreouer, let vsus alſo note & marke that although our Lord Ieſus appeared to ye women, which was a very honorable thing vntounto thē yet himſelf not long after, ſufficiently teſtified his reſurrection. Inſomuch that if we cloſe not vp our eyes, ſtop our eares, and become maliciouſly hard hearted, and blockiſh,1. Cor. 15.6. wée are fully aſſured of this Article of our faith, which is of great importaunce. For when S. Paule rebuked the infidelity of thoſe that ſtoode as yet in doubt of the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, hée brought not in only women, but alſo Peter and Iames and all the twelue Apoſtles, & fiue hundreth Diſciples moe, vntounto whom our Lord Ieſus Chriſt appeared Which way then are wée able to excuſe our ſelues of our wickedneſſe & rebellion, if wée credit not aboue fiue hundreth witneſſes, whom God himſelfe hath appoynted for the ſame purpoſe. Neither did our Lord Ieſus Chriſt declare vntounto them only once,Mark. 16.14 yt hée was aliue, but euen many times. And therfore the doubt and increditlity which was in the Apoſtles ought to confirme vsus a great deale the more:Luk. 24.25. for if they at the firſt had beléeued that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt was riſen againe, it might hauehave byn ſaid that they had bene ouerlight of credit.
Howbéeit, they were ſo ſlow of beliefe, as that it was méet our Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſhould find fault with their blockiſhnes & faithleſnes, & beſides, they were ſo groſe & carnally minded, as that they could vnderſtād nothing. Since thē ye apoſtles ſo hardly could come to this article of our faith ye ſame ought ye rather cōfirm vsus: for ſeing they were brought to it, as it were by force, it is very good reaſon ye we at this preſēt ſhould follow this ſaying, Thomas,Iohn. 20.2…. bicauſe thou haſt ſéen me thou beleueſt: but bleſſed are they wt hauehave not ſéen and yet hauehave beleued. So thē, whē we héere it ſaid, yt our Lord Ieſus appeared to 2. womē, let vsus alſo cōſider of ye ſaying of S. Paul in another place: yt is to ſay, we muſt not ſtay our ſelues vpō mēs words & beleue what they ſay, as they of quality & cōditiō:1. Theſ. 2.13. But we muſt rather lift vp our eyes & minds vntounto heauē, and ſubmit our ſelues vntounto God, who is worthy of all ſuperioritie ouer vsus, and be obedient vntounto his word. For, if we be not teachable, it is out of al doubt, that we ſhall neuer profyt our ſelues by the doctrine of the Goſpell neither muſt we accompt it, for fooliſhnes, which we receiue from the mouth and teſtimony of God. And when wee ſhall learne to profyt by our obedience, in faith, and in his Schole, wee ſhall vnderſtand, that to be ſubiect to him, is the very perfection of all righteouſneſſe.
Let vsus now come to the ſtory as it is héere deliuered vntounto vsus. It is ſayd, That Mary Magdalene, and her companion, came the firſt day of the Sabboth, to ſee the ſepulchre: to wit the firſt day in the wéek. For ye Iewes kept the Sunday, which they called ye ſabboth, for the day of reſt, as indeede the worde ſo ſignifyeth, and beſides, they called all the dayes of the wéek following, the 1. day of ye Sabboth, the 2. day of the ſabboth, the 3. day of the ſabboth, &c. Now, bicauſe the day began after the Sonne ſetting, it is ſaide, yt the two Maries bought ſwéete oyntmetes, after the Sabboth was ended, and prepared themſelues to come the next day in the morning to ye Sepulchre. Howbeit they were more then two. Neuertheleſſe S. Iohn nameth Mary Magdalen only: but S. Matth. nameth two of them, and we ſée that S. Luke faith ye there were a great number of thē, & yet al this agréeeth wel together: for Mary Magdalen led the way, and the other Mary is eftſoones named, bicauſe ſhe folowed hard after Mary Magdalene. But by the way, there were many wt came to annoint ye body of our lord Ieſus: neuertheles, it is here namely ſayd, yt it was they which came to ſée whether they might enter the Sepulchre or not. We ſée then why theſe two were héere ſpecially marked. Howbeit S. Matth. ſaith that the Angel appeared vntounto thē, ſince there were two of them: but becauſe one of thē carried word, therfore it is ſo eſpecially named. In the end, as they were going thence, they met with our Lord Ieſus, who ſent them vntounto his Diſciples, that they might all méete in Galile, entending to ſhew them that he was riſen againe: for ſomuch as the Citie of Ieruſalem had bereft it ſelfe of ſo notable a teſtimonie, by reaſon of their horible impietie. And yet for all that, it, ſtill remayned the fountayne of life: for out of it was the lawe, and the worde of God taught: neuertheleſſe, our Lord Ieſus Chriſt would not ſhew him ſelfe vntounto his Diſciples in that Citie, ſéeinge the wickedneſſe of it to be as yet ſo freſh in memory: and on the other ſide his meaning was to conforme him ſelfe vntounto their groſneſſe: for they were as it were ſo amazed, as that lookes would not hauehave contēted thē, with out he had taken them aſide, and in ſuch ſort hauehave ſo ſhewed hymſelfe, as that they might hauehave bene fully ſatiſfyed. Howbeit we ſée that the women which are héere named, forgot not to reuerence our Lord Ieſus Chriſt as their maiſter, although they were greatly troubled with his death: whervpō may conſequently be iudged, that the word of God was déeply rooted in their harts: for although their faith was weake, yet ſought they for our Lorde Ieſus at the Sepulchre. And as for ignoraunce, it, could no waies excuſe them, bicauſe they ſhould hauehave lifted vp their minds into heauen, looking from thens, the reſurrection that was promiſed them ſéeing it was appointed out vntounto them by name to be the third day. Now, their mindes were ſo occupied, as yt they could not comprehend the principall matter, to wit, ye our Lord Ieſus ſhould ouercome death, yt he might therby obtaine life and ſaluation for vsus. I call it, the principall poynt, becauſe that without it (as Paul ſayeth) the Goſpell ſhould hauehave bene in vaine, & our fayth in vaine.1. Cor. 15.14 Euen ſo although theſe poore women, had a good minde vntounto the Sonne of GOD, and knew that the Goſpel whiche was preached vntounto them, was the very truth: yet were they ſo troubled, and in ſuch a maze, as that they were not able to reache vntounto the depth of his reſurrection: and therfore came vntounto the Sepulchre with their ſwéete oyntments. Now, this was a falt worthy condemnation: and yet God accepted of their miniſtery: for he excuſed that, their amazedneſſe, vntil he had brought them back to the conſideration of the matter. Héereby we ſée, that when our Lorde alloweth of any thing we do, it is ſo farre of, that we ſhoulde make an accompte, that we hauehave deſerued any thinge, as that contrarywiſe, hée of his frée mercy and goodneſſe alloweth the thing, which inveridéede was not worthy to be offered vntounto him. For God may alwayes hauehave good occaſion to condemne our workes, if hee woulde ſtraightly examine them: becauſe they ſhall neuer be founde vnſpotted. Howbeit, God ſpareth vsus, & is contented to receiue the thing which we offer vntounto him, be it neuer ſo weake and fauty: ſo that we deliuer it vp in an aſſured and pure faith, and acknowledge, that he accepteth vsus, for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake.
And this is it which wée hauehave in this place to obſerue. But in the meane while, let vsus alſo vnderſtand, that it was méete there ſhuld in the buriall of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, be another maner, and a better ſauour and of greater force, then all the ſwéete oyntmentes which are héere ſpoken of. We hauehave already ſaide, that the Iewes cuſtomably vſed to anoynt the bodies, for the confirmation of their hope in the reſurrection, and of the heauenly lyfe: which was a ſignification that the bodies did not ſo corrupt, but that they ſhoulde be preſerued vntounto the laſt day, till God had reſtored them. But the body of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt was clearly exempt from this corruption. Now, it was not the ſwéete baulmes which could doo it:Pſal. 16.10. but becauſe it was ſaid, that God would not ſuffer his holy one to ſee corruption, we ſée yt our Lorde Ieſus was by miracle preſerued frō all corruptiō. And becauſe he was exempt from corruptiō, we are at this preſent, certen & aſſured, of the glory of ye reſurrectiō which we hauehave already ſeene in his owne perſon: wherefore, wée ſée the ſwéet ſauour of the buriall & reſurrection of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, hath ſo farre ſtretched out it ſelfe, as that wee are thereby quickned. What then remaineth there to be done? forſooth, let not vsus ſéeke any longer for the Sepulchre, as theſe women did, whoſe ignoraunce and weaknes hath ſtoode vsus in ſome ſtead: but let vsus looke vp into heauen, ſince he calleth vsus thither vntounto him: and hath ſhewed vsus the way thereto, and hath beſide declared vntounto vsus, that he hath taken poſſeſſiō of his heauenly kingdom, to ye end he might make a roome & place ready for vsus,Iohn. 14.2. whē as we ſhal there ſeeke after him. Howbeit, we muſt alſo note the ſaying of S. Mat. for, the angel (ſaith he) appeared, who ſo feared the Souldiers, as that they be came like dead men. The women alſo were in the like flight, but ye Angel forthwith comforted them ſaying: feare you not, for I know yée ſéeke Ieſus which was crucified, he is riſen as he ſaide. Wée ſée héere how God, ſo accepteth, of the affection & zeale of theſe womē, as yt he correcteth notwithſtanding, the thing which he miſlyketh. I meane, hee correcteth by the mouth of the Angell whom hee appoynted there in his turne. We hauehave already ſayde that it procéedeth of the ſinguler mercy and goodneſſe of God, whenas hee receiueth our imperfect miniſtery, which he might very wel abhor. Howbeit he receueth of vsus ye thing which is of no value, euen as a father taketh of his children many things in good part, which otherwiſe were very bables and trifles, Thus we ſée how liberally God dealeth with vsus, and yet he woulde not hauehave vsus pleaſe and flatter our ſelues in our ſinnes. Let vsus therefore beholde how the Angell correcteth theſe womens imperfection: & although their drift was to a good ende, yet are they condemned of a perticuler vice whiche was in them. And loe, why S. Luke ſaith that they were moſt ſharplye rebuked: when it is ſaide,Luk. 24.5 wherfore ſéeke you the liuing among the dead? but we are héere to obſerue, that the faithleſſe & wicked ſouldiers, who had no feare either of God, or of religion, were terrefied, & became like mad men: indéede the women were alſo afeard, but they were foorthwith comforted. And thus we ſée how terrible the maieſty of God is to all thoſe vntounto whom he ſheweth himſelfe, and he doth it becauſe we ſhould féele our fraylnes, whenas God manifeſteth himſelfe vntounto vsus: and where before, we were preſumptuoſly puffed vp, and ſo imbouldned, as that we thought our ſelues too be no mortall men, whenas God ſhewed vsus any ſigne of his preſence, therfore it was méete, that of neceſſitie we ſhould be confoū ded, and be brought to acknowledge our eſtate to be but duſt & aſſhes, & al our vertues to be, but as ſlitting & vaniſhing ſmoke. And this falleth out, both to good & bad. Moreouer, when God terrifieth the faithles, he leueth them as reprobats, becauſe they are no way worthy to taſt of his goodnes. Wee alſo ſée, why they flye his preſence, why they ſet them ſelues againſt him, & gnaſh their téethe, & become ſo furious as that they are without all wit & reaſon, & doo become euen very brutiſh. But the faithfull although they bee terrified, yet ar they reléeued, and take good courage, becauſe that God comforteth and gladdeth them. And therfore, the feare wherewt the preſence of the maieſtie of God terrifieth the faithfull, is but a preparatiue to humble them, to the ende they might reuerence and obey him as he is worthy, and confeſſe themſelues to be nothinge, that they might looke for al their bleſſednes in him alone. Héere then we ſée why the Angell ſaide, feare not. Now, this ſayinge, is worthy the noting: for it is as muche as if hee had ſaide, I wyll clearely giuegive ouer theſe faithleſſe and ſcombe of the world, for they are not worthy of any mercye, and I direct my ſpeache vntounto you, and bring you glad tidinges. Be not you therfore afeard, becauſe yée come to ſéeke Ieſus Chriſt. Nowe, when wee ſée this, let vsus learne to ſéeke our Lorde Ieſus, but not (as I hauehave ſayde) thus groſely as theſe women of whom we hauehave ſpoken, did (as indéede there is now no occaſiō to ſéeke the ſepulchre) but let vsus go directly & without hipocyiſie vntounto him by faith. And let vsus vnderſtand, that this meſſage appertaineth to vsus, and is ſpoken to vsus, that wée might bouldly, and without feare come vntounto him, and not in contemptuous maner (for we ought to worſhip the maieſty of GOD in feare and trembling) but how euer it is, let vsus not be ſo ſauadge, as though diſtruſt had oppreſſed vsus. And therfore let vsus vnderſtād that the ſonne of God will conforme him ſelfe like vntounto vsus, whenas we come vntounto him by faith, yea and wee ſhall bee ſure to finde wherwith to comfort and glad our ſelues, becauſe he hath purchaſed the kingdome and principalytie of euerlaſting life, for our profit and welfare. And yet notwithſtandinge, the women departed quicklye with feare, and great ioy. Loe, how the weakneſſe of their faith appeared. I hauehave ſaide that the thing which they went about was to a good ende, but they kept not the right courſe: as may be ſéene by their feare, for they were not fully reſolued and aſſured of the reſurrection. And yet they had hearde it many times ſpoken of: but their mindes were not ſo ſetled as to conclude for a truth, that there was no looking for our lord Ieſus in the ſepulchre. We ſée then from whence this feare came. And hereby wee may perceiue that this is a ſinful affection. Indéede, wee muſt (as I hauehave ſaide) feare GOD, reuerence his maieſtie, obey him, and wholy be humbled, to ye end he might be gloriouſly exalted, and all mouthes be ſtopped, & he therby be known, to be ye only iuſt, wiſe, & omnipotēt god. But this feare wherof mentiō is made in ye 2. place is wicked & dānable: for it turned to the ſhame of theſe ſéely womē, bicauſe yt although they both ſée & heard the Angel ſpeake, yet they thought it to be but a dreame as it were. Now, by this we are aduertiſed, ye god oftētimes ſo worketh in vsus, as yt we do not perceue, as a man would ſay, whether we hauehave profited any whit or not: for we ar ſo ignorant & ſo fantaſtical, as yt we are ouerſhadowed as wt clouds, wherby we are not able to behold the clere light, to be ſhort, all the doctrine of God ſéemeth to vsus very vnprofitable: & yet wée find ſome taſt amongſt, which maketh vsus féele yt god hath wrought in our harts. For although ther be but a ſpark of grace in vsus, let vsus not be diſcouraged: but beſéeche the Lord to encreaſe yt litle that he hath begun, vntil ſuch time as we be brought to a ful perfection, frō the which we are as yet very far of.
And although the feare and ioy which theſe women had, be accomted and condemned for a falt, yet we ſée that God continually gouerned them by his holy ſpirit, and that the meſſage which the Angel deliuered vntounto them, was not altogether vnprofitable. We are now to looke farder into the matter: and that is this, that Lord Ieſus appeared in the way vntounto them, and ſaid, feare ye not but goe and tell my Brethren, that they meete altogether in Galile, and there they ſhall ſee mee. We ſee héere in this place, a great deale more, how that the ſonne of God draweth vsus vntounto him by degrées, vntill ſuch time as we be throughly confirmed, whereof wee hauehave great néede. Now, this was ſufficient enough that the women had hard the meſſage deliuered by the mouth of the Angel, & the ſignes and tokens wer ſuch as that they could not chuſe but think that he was ſent from God, for his face did ſhine, as it were. In very déede, the whit garment and ſuch like, was not, liuely to expreſſe ye maieſtie of God, howbeit the women had an aſſured teſtimony that it was not a mortall man which ſpake, but an Angell from heauen. And therfore, this was a ſufficiēt teſtimony vntounto thē, but yet they were a great deale the more aſſured, whenas they had ſéene our Lord Ieſus, whom they before knew to be the ſonne of God, & his vnchaungable truth. And this more fully ratified the thing, which they had before heard by the mouth of the Angel. And thus wee ſée how we may encreaſe in faith: for at the firſt, we ſhal not be able to vnderſtand, what power and effect is in the worde of God, but if we be taught well, ſomthing we learne by it, and yet is this litle or nothing God wat: howbeit, God by litle and litle toucheth vsus wt his holy ſpirit, & in the end ſheweth vsus that it is he himſelfe which ſpeaketh. And then are we fully reſolued, inſomuch as we hauehave not only ſome knowledge, but we are alſo ſo perſwaded, as yt when the deuill ſhall go about to deuiſe whatſoeuer he can poſſibly, yet ſhall he neuer be able to ſhake our faith, becauſe we hold this principle, that the ſonne of God is our teacher, vponupon whom we ſtay, becauſe we know him to hauehave all maſterſhip ouer vsus, & is worthy of moſt excellent authority. And this we ſée was in theſe women. Indéede, God worketh not alike, in al men. For God wil ſo cal ſome, euen at the firſt, as yt we ſhall perceue yt he hath powred vponupon thē wonderful extraordinary power, & yet we ſhal be oftentimes ſo taught, as yt we may plainly ſée our groſſenes and weaknes, to the end we might therby ſo much the more gloryfy our God, & acknowledge, yt whatſoeuer we hauehave, commeth al from him Let vsus now come to ye ſaying, which hath bene already ſpoken of, Go & tel my Brethrē, that they meete all together in Galile. We ſee then héere, that ye ſon of God appeared not to Mary, and to the company which were wt her only, as to ſhow himſelf to ſeuen or eight perſons, but his meaning was yt this meſſage ſhould be publiſhed vntounto the Apoſtles, & ye it ſhould be at this preſent deliuered vntounto vsus, that we might be partakers therof. And to ſay the truth, if it were not ſo, what ſhoulde the ſtory of the reſurrection availe vsus? but when it is ſaid, yt ye Son of God was ſo manifeſted, & would hauehave the benefit therof to be cō municated vntounto al the world, we may now the better taſt of it. So then, let vsus vnderſtand, that our Lord Ieſus his meaning was, yt we ſhould be certified of his reſurrectiō, bicauſe that whē we know in truth, that our Lord Ieſus is riſen againe, that therin conſiſteth all the hope of our ſaluation, & rightuouſneſſe. Not that he hath not cleanſed al our filthines by his death & paſſiō: but becauſe it ſhould not remaine & continue ſtil weak. And therfore, it behoued that hée ſhould poure abrod the vertu of his holy ſpirit, that he might by his reſurrection,Rom. 1.4. be declared to bee the ſonne of God: as S. Paul in the Epiſtle to the Romaines, and in diuers other places, ſufficiently declareth.
Thus now we ſée, that we muſt aſſure our ſelues, that our Lord Ieſus is ryſen againe, & leaueth the way open vntounto vsus, that wee might come vntounto him: & looketh not that we ſhould ſéeke him, but hath prouided that we might be called by the preching of ye goſpel, & that his meſſage ſhould ſound in the mouthes of thoſe his heralts whom he had choſen. Since then it is ſo, let vsus vnderſtand, that the rightuouſnes whiche wee at that this daye hauehave for the attaining vntounto the heauenly Kingdome, wee enioy by the righteouſneſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, becauſe he will not ſeperat him ſelfe from vsus. And héere we ſée why he calleth the Diſciples his brethren. Indéede, this is an honorable name: and was reſerued for all thoſe whom he accompted as his houſhold Seruants: and this kinde of ſpeche no doubt he vſed,Iohn 20.17. to ſhew the brotherhood that hee would, ſhould betwéene him and them. And ſo alſo is it common to vsus, as Saint Iohn more plainly declareth.
Now, to ſay truly,Pſal. 22.23. we muſt hauehave recourſe vntounto that ſaying of the Pſalm, out of which this place is taken: I will declare thy name vntounto my Brethrē: which place the Apoſtle in the expoſition of the perſon of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, did not only comprehend the 12.hebr. 2.11. Apoſtles by the name of the Brethren of Ieſus Chriſt, but geueth alſo the ſame title generally to as many as follow the ſonne of god and would hauehave vsus to enioy the ſelfe ſame honor. We ſée alſo why our Lorde Ieſus ſaide, I goe vntounto my God, and to your God, vntounto my father, and vntounto your father: now this was not ment by a few but it was ſpoken to ye multitude of all the faithfull. And although our Lord Ieſus Chriſt bee our eternall God, yet is hee contented notwithſtanding euen in the perſon of a mediator, to abaſe himſelf and come néere vsus, and to hauehave all thinges common with vsus, in reſpect of his humaine nature. For although hee, bee the naturall Sonne of God, and we by adoption, and grace, yet this community remayneth, that the Father of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, is by his meane ours alſo, in diuers reſpectes. For it is not méete that wée ſhould be exalted as hie as our head and ſoueraine: and ſurely this could not but be a wonderfull confuſion, if the head of a mans bodye ſhould not be aboue all the reſt of the members, for otherwiſe it would ſéeme a very monſter, and a confuſed lump: and therefore it is alſo very good reaſon, that our Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſhould kéepe his chiefe degrée, becauſe he is by nature the only ſonne of God: and yet this letteth not but that we may be ioyned with him in Brotherhood, that we might fréely and with good aſſueraunce call vponupon God, and bee hearde, becauſe we hauehave familiar acceſſe vntounto him. We ſée then what the meaning of this ſaying is, when our Lorde Ieſus calleth his Diſciples, Brethren: to wit, he dyd it to this end, that we at this day ſhould hauehave the like priuiledge with them, by the meane of faith. And yet this is nothing derogatorye from the power and maieſtie of the Sonne of God, when he thus conioyneth himſelf with ſuch wretched creatures as we are, and be as it were one of our company. Wherfore we ought to bee ſo much the more in an admiration, with the matter, whenas we ſée him vſe ſuch his goodnes towards vsus: as yt by his reſurrection hée hath purchaſed for vsus ye heauenly glory, for the purchaſing wherof he abaſed himſelf, & became of no reputation. Since it is ſo, that our Lord Ieſus vouchſaueth to allow vsus for his Brethrē, to the end we might come vntounto God, let vsus boldly ſéeke him, and come vntounto him, whiles hée thus gently inuileth vsus: neither doth he maruellous cōſiderately, vſe his word only to draw vsus, but addeth withal a viſible ſacramēt alſo, ye we might be brought thereto according to our ſmal ability. And to ſay ye truth, let it be, that we be neuer ſo weak & blockiſhe, yet ſhall we not be able to excuſe our ſlacknes, if we come not vntounto our lord Ieſus Chriſt: behold ye table wherunto he hath called vsus: & to what end? forſooth it is not to the end to fil our bellies: although that therin, God declareth himſelf to hauehave a fatherly care ouer vsus, and our Lorde Ieſus alſo ſheweth, that he himſelfe is indéede the life of the world. Wherefore, when wée daily eate and drinke, it witneſſeth thus much vntounto vsus, that our Lord Ieſus declareth his goodnes vntounto vsus: But in this table, there is a ſpecial cōſideration to be had: for it ſheweth vsus that we are the brethrē of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: to wit,Iohn 17.21. that becauſe (as S. Iohn ſaith) he hath vnited vsus vntounto himſelf, he hath alſo vnited vsus vntounto God his father, & ſo by little & little telleth vsus, that he is our meat, & our drinke: & we are takē to be of his own ſubſtaunce, that wee might hauehave al our ſpirituall life in him. And this is more then if hée called vsus his brethren an hundered times.
Let vsus therfore vnderſtand and know the vnitie yt wee hauehave with our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: to wit, that he will hauehave his life to be common with vsus, and his lyfe, to be our life: yea that he wil effectually dwell in vsus, and not by imagination: and after an earthly maner, but after a ſpiritual: & how euer it is, he ſo worketh in vsus by his holy ſpirit, as that we are knit faſter & ſuerer vntounto him, then the mē bers to the body. And as the roote of a trée thruſteth out his ſubſtaunce and ſtrength into all the braunches, euen ſo receiue we our ſubſtaunce & life from our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.1. Cor. 5.7. And this alſo is the cauſe why Saint Paul ſaieth, that our paſchall Lamb was crucified, and offered vp: and that we ſhould now kéepe holyday, and bée partakers of the ſacrifice. And as in the old law, when any ſacrifice was offered, they did eat and were mery, euen ſo likewiſe muſt we now come and receiue our ſpirituall meat and foode, which is héere offered vntounto vsus in this ſacrifice, for our redemption. In veridéed wee muſt not eate Ieſus Chriſt fleſhly, for he is not betwéene our téethes, as the Papiſtes doo dreame: But wee take Breade, for a ſure & vndoubted pawne, that we féede on the body of Ieſus Chriſt ſpiritually: and we receiue a litle wine, to ſhew that we are ſpiritually ſuſtained by his precious blood. Howbeit let vsus with all note, the ſaying of Saint Paul, that becauſe vnderunder the figures of the lawe, it was not lawfull to eate leauened bread, and that wee are now no more vnderunder ſuch ſhadowes, wee muſt caſt away the leauen of maliciouſneſſe, and wickedneſſe, and of all our corruptions, and take to vsus the bread which hath no bitterneſſe but the bread of pureneſſe, and truth. And therefore, when we come vntounto this holy Table, wherein the ſonne of God ſheweth vsus, that he is our meat, and giueth him ſelfe vntounto vsus for a full and whole repaſt, and would hauehave vsus be now partakers of ye ſacrifice which he once offered for our ſaluation, we ought to looke well vntounto it, that wee come not hether ſpotted and filed with ſinne and iniquity, but vtterly to forſake them all and be altogether cleanſed of them, to the ende our Lorde Ieſus might allow vsus to bee the members of his body, and by that meanes alſo be partakers of his life. And thus we ſée how we muſt profyt our ſelues at this day by this holy ſupper which is made ready for vsus: which is this, that it may lead vsus vntounto the death and paſſion of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, and alſo vntounto his reſurrection: that therby we may truſt to hauehave life & ſaluation, becauſe that by his victorious reſurrectiō, we are made righteous, and the gates of heauen in ſuch ſort ſet open vntounto vsus, as that we may bouldly approche vntounto our God, and offer our ſelues before him, ſince wee knowe that hee wyll alwayes take vsus as his children.
Let vsus now fall downe before the maieſtie of our good God, & acknowledge our offences, beſéechinge him to hauehave mercy vponupon vsus, that we may finde fauour at his handes, although we deſerue it not. And that he will not pardon onelyonly the ſinnes whiche wee hauehave already committed, but alſo ridde vsus of all the faultes and miſeries of our fleſh, vntill ſuch time as hee hath clothed vsus with the perfection of his holyneſſe, wherevnto hee dalye exhorteth vsus. And ſo, let vsus all ſay: O almighty God and heauenly Father. &c.