Sermon Preached 11 December 1569, Sermon
A Sermon preached at the Tower of London, by M. Dering the xi. day of Decē ber. 1569.
Imprinted at London by John Day, dwelling ouer Aldersgate.
Cum gratia & Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium.
John 6. 34.
Then they sayd vntounto him, Lord geue vsus euermore of this bread. And Jesus sayd vntounto them. I am the bread of lyfe: hee that commeth vntounto me shall not hū ger, and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirst.
WE hauehave (dearlye beloued in our Lorde & sauyour Christ) we hauehave in this portion of scripture to consider: First this petitiō or request which ye Iewes make vntounto Christ in these words: Lorde geue vsus euermore of thys bread. Then, the answere that our Sauiour Christ maketh agayne? I am the bread of life, &c. Theyr request riseth of certayne wordes, spoken immediatly before, where Christ sayth: My Father geueth vntounto you from heauen the true bread. For the bread of God is he that cō meth downe from heauen, and geueth lyfe vntounto the world. Through whiche wordes they breake out straight into this prayer: O Lord geue vsus alwayes this bread. These wordes they doe not vtter wyth any good affection, or longing desires to be partakers of the mercies, which are offered vntounto all in Christ Jesu: but rather of a distē pered mynde, drawne into contrary desires, seeking by all meanes to fil themselues with happinesse, and yet to jeste and scoffe at the doctrine of Christ. The thoughtes of them myndes are made manyfest, both by these words of Christ:Joh. 6. 26. Ye seeke me because you eate of the loaues and were filled: and also by theyr owne wordes to the same effecte,Joh. 6. 31. where they say: our fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse, likewise requiring yt Christ would so feede them still by miracle, and then they would follow him. And afterward also when Christ had further taught them yt he woulde in no such sort feede them deintelye on earth, but if they would eate of the bread that he would geue they must renounce such fleshly concupiscence, crucify themselues vntounto the worlde, and be with a liuelye fayth incorporate into hys bodye, then they shoulde eate of liuing bread: as soone as they had heard this, they murmured at him, shewing yt he was not the bread that they did seeke for, and then declared what was theyr scoffing spirite, and sayd openly:Joh. 6. 4. Is not this Jesus the sōne of Joseph, whose Father and mother wee knowe? howe came he down from heauen? Thus dearely beloued, we learne what mindes these men had yt would so fayn hauehave bene fed with the bread of lyfe. They would liue for euer … but they woulde liue as they liste.Joh 6, 28 They would followe Christ: but they woulde neyther hunger nor thirst. They would do the will of God: but they would not crucifie theyr affectiōs. They would come vntounto heauen, but they would not be led by Jesus the poor Carpenters sonne. Theyr carnall fancies beguyled them. Their scoffing at Jesus Christ made their hartes so blinde: and their desire of happines was nothing but the shew of their owne folye. Now let vsus beware by other mens harmes.Heb. 4. 11. Let vsus not fall after the same example of disobedience. Yf we bring our carnall fancies to the worde of God,2 Cor. 2. 14. we shall neuer vnderstād it. The naturall man perceyueth not the things that are of God. Such grose imaginations deceiued Nicodemus,Joh: 3, 4. that he knew not what it was to be borne a newe.John. 4, 15 Such fancies made blinde the weoman of Samaria, that she knew not howe to aske for the water of lyfe.Mar, 16. 38. Such carnal imaginations made the children of Zebedie to aske of our Sauyour Christe, they knew not what.Luke. 18, 38. Yea all the disciples of our sauyour Christ, by such fleshly desires oftentymes vnderstoode him not. And how muche more ought we to take heede that hauehave so barren hartes, not watered so plētifully with gods sprite? Whether shall we be led, yf wee bryng vntounto Gods word our sensuall appetites? sure euē thether, whether these Jewes are gone before vsus, to murmur agaynst Christe, and despise his crosse. Let vsus thē take heede while it is yet tyme, and in obedience of Gods worde banishe farre from vsus our own vnderstā ding, and yf we will be taught of the Lord God,2. Cor, 19. let vsus leade into captiuity all our own cogitations and seeke no better estate for the Gospell of God, then he hymselfe hath appoynted by hys holy wisedome. Otherwise it will surelye come vponupon vsus, that came so long agone vponupon these carnall Iewes, & wee shall hauehave so good liking of our owne delight, yt we shall contemne the poore Galilean, & with a proude countenaunce wee shall thinke much scorne, that the Carpenters sonne should bee our mayster. This is the fruyte yt groweth out of mans wisedome. Here it is plainely testified in this 6. of John. It is testified in the Scribes and Pharisies,Mat. 27. that so often scoffed at our Sauiour Christ: in the Soldiours that vppon the Crosse had him in such derision: in the whole multitude of the Iewes yt stroke him and spitte on hym,Math. 26. 8. & bid hym areade, who had hurt him. Thus after that by carnall reason they woulde needes iudge of Christe, they grewe more & more in hardnes of hart, till they thought it good wisedome to speake so great blasphemye. Such Gospellers there were many in the primitiue Churche, that thought themselues wyse in makyng a ieste of Christ. So Iulianus the Apostata when ye Christians asked helpe agaynst all theyr iniuryes with mockes and scoffes hee woulde aske why they did complayne,Math 5. 49. whē the Galilean theyr mayster bad them doe good for euyll: yf any would take away theyr coate, that then they shoulde geue him also their cloke. So, many wicked Magistrates spoyled the Christians of theyr monye, and would taunt them merelye with the saying of theyr God:Prudence Quod Caesaris scis, Caesari da, geue that vntounto Cesare that thou knowest is Cesars. Such Gospellers at this day, wee hauehave a great many in Englād, yt laugh smothly in their sleeues, at theyr madnes (as they thinke) that followe so earnestly y• Gospel.…et. 44. So S. Peter hath borne witnesse generally of the wicked of all ages: that they shall thinke it much madnes, that other will not runne to like effusion of riot: but let them alone yt seeke willingly to goe so farre astray. This is the time of their reioysing. The daies of repentaunce are not yet come. When they hauehave done with their mocking, them selues shalbe then mocked at, and for all their pleasaunt sporting, they shalbe called to Judgement.
An other thing I noted vntounto you in ye petition of these Iewes, & that was a desire of happinesse which they wished to come vntounto: and in ye middes of their malice, yet an inward sighing of spirite, that they might once eate of the bread of lyfe. They pleased them selues exceedingly in fighting agaynst Christ, and yet agayne in remorse of conscience, they wished to be partakers of eternall lyfe. And this is that sparkeling of the grace of god, which is kindled in the harts of all men,John. 1. 9. of which S. John sayth, that Christ lighteneth all men that come into this worlde. Cayne had this light,Gene, 4. 13. when the burden of his sinne seemed so heauy vntounto him, that it could not be pardoned.Gene, 27. 38. Esau had this light, when for losse of his fathers blessing, he lifted vp his voyce and wepte. Pharaoh had this light, when in remembraunce of all his plagues he cried at the last:Exo. 9. 27. The Lord is righteous, Exo, 8, 19.but I and my people are wicked. The sorcerers of Egipt, they had this light, whē God confounded theyr wisedome in a most vile creature, and they confessed before Pharaoh: This is the finger of God. Math. 2… 24,Pilate had this light: when he washed his handes, and cried before all the Jewes, that he was innocent from the bloude of Christ. Act. 8. 13.Simon Magus had this light when hee wondred at the signes and miracles that were wrought by ye Apostles, & would hauehave geuen monye for the holye Ghost.Math. 6. The Gentiles themselues, they had all this light. Antiochus when he wept for all the euill that he had done at Jerusalem. Julianus whē he cried, vicisti Galilaee, O man of Galile, thou hast gottē the victory. Adrian at his death, whē he spake vntounto himselfe, Animula vagula, blandula, hospes comès que corporis, quae nunc abibis in loca, n… vt soles dabis iocos, pallidula, rigida, nudula? Brutus had this light, when the night before he was slayne, he thought he sawe a sprite that cryed thus vntounto him: Ego sum tuus malus genius Brute: hodie me in Phillippis videbis, But what neede I (dearely beloued) to make this longe by examples, You your selues (I am sure) you can witnesse with this trueth. There is none of you so far geuen ouer to vncleanes, but I am sure sometyme you say with these vncleane Iewes: O Lord geue vsus one day the bread of lyfe. This is the triumph that vertue hath our vice, that whereso euer she is most hated, there she is often wished for. And this is the great punishment that God bringeth vponupon the wicked, euen as the Poete sayde: Virtutem vt videant, intabescant que relicta, that though they louelove not vertue, nor can not like to follow her, yet they should pyne away with a lō ging desire after her. And this I am sure it striketh deepe, & woundeth the conscience of the wicked. Though they hauehave set their harte as an Adamant stone, and made their face like stint, yet grace perseth throughout their concupiscēce & they say sometime, ye way of vertue is better. There was neuer so impure and disolute and adulterer, but he hath said sometime: ye chaste body is beste. There was neuer so blasphemous nor vile a swerer, but sometyme he hath trē bled at Gods Maiestie.…a…. 5. 2. There was neuer man so proud and ambitious, but sometyme he remembreth he is but earth and ashes. There was neuer such an vsurer, nor couetous wretch, but sometime he thinketh his Gold & siluer shall canker, & the ruste of it shall be a witnesse agaynst him. There was neuer so riotous a person, sumptuous & prodigall, but sometyme he condemneth hys owne doing,Psal. 37, 12 and sayth with the Prophet: The vnrighteous man boroweth and payeth not agayne. And what should I say more? There was neuer so high minded nor vayneglorious a king, but hee hath sōtyme thought his crowne would fall from his head, and the crowne of righteousnes was better, which was in the kingdome of Heauen. And this dearely beloued, as it is in a wicked lyfe, so likewise it is in corrupt religion. Truth that is strongest and ouercommeth all, in Religion forceth the enemy oftentymes to confesse her. There was neuer papist that so magnified merites, and talked of his workes of supererogation, but oftentymes in his cōscience he would surely confesse,Luc. 17, 16. that when he had done all, yet he was vnprofitable. There was neuer any so great an enemy to fayth, but whē his conscience was touched with the greife of sinne, he would cry a loude: Fayth alone doth iustifie. There was neuer (I am sure) papist yet so dronken, that made so much of all his fleshlye worshippinges, of Organes, and singing, of altares and altareclothes, of francomesence and sweet … sauours: of banners & streamers: of goodlye tunes and melody:Esa. 1. 12. of siluer crosses and chalices,Joh. 4. 23. but he hath sayd sometime, who required these things at our hands? the true worshippers do worship in spirite & veritie. There was neuer Papist in so deepe a sleepe of pardons and of purgatory, but hee hath surely sayd it, such weake engines can breake downe but paper walles, and such could water can quench but paynted fyres. There was neuer Pope nor generall counsell so desperately bent to set vp worshipping of Images, but theyr owne hartes hauehave often cryed within them: they hauehave mouthes and speake not, Psal. 115. 5they hauehave eyes and see not, they hauehave eares & heare not, they hauehave noses and smel not, they hauehave handes and touche not, they hauehave feete and walke not: thou shalt not bow downe to them, nor worshyp them. There was neuer Papist so blinded wyth the great absurditie of transubstantiation, but some tyme seyng the wyne in the chalice, he hath bene afrayde to say: by this and by nothing els, let my sinnes be washed and seing the cake in the Priestes handes: thou alone hast redemed me, and alone by thee I looke to be saued. This doubt ye not (dearly beloued) is the working of the Lord in the hartes of all his enemyes. Refuse hym how ye wyll in lyfe or in Religion, you shall cary day and night a witnesse in your brest agaynst your selues, & your hartes will condemne you, that cry euermore agaynst you: yt way vntounto true happines is neyther by sinne nor superstition: neither by open rebellion, nor yet by accursed idolatry. And thus farre out of this petition of ye frowarde Iewes I hauehave noted vntounto you, what I hauehave thought best for our common instruction. The Lorde graunt vsus that we make the like request, but with a better spyrite and pray euermore vntounto hym: O Lorde geue vsus alwayes the bread of life. Joh. 6. 34.Now let vsus consider the other part which (I sayd) is ye an̄swere of our Sauyour Christe. in these wordes: I am the bread of lyfe, he that commeth vntounto me shall neuer hunger, John. 6. 35and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirst. Out of this place (dearly beloued) I will note vntounto you, as the text geueth me occasion, these three poynts. First who is the bread of lyfe, then by what meanes he is eaten, and thyrdly, what fruite commeth of such sustenaunce. Who is thys breade, Christe sheweth in these wordes: I am the bread of lyfe. By what meanes he is eaten, it is shewed in these wordes: He that commeth vntounto me, he that beleeueth in mee. What fruyte commeth of it, it is shewed in these wordes: he shall neuer hunger, he shall neuer thyrst. I am the bread of lyfe. These words they signifie thus much, that in Christe alone we hauehave life, and all confidence of saluation must bee grounded on hym & on none els. Christ crucifyed is a continuall sacrifice of reconciliation standyng betweene God & vsus, so that what so euer grace, mercy, and peace is poured vponupon vsus by God the Father, it commeth downe through the body of Christ vponupon the crosse: and what soeuer ioy or comforte we can hauehave in beyng vesseles of mercye, thus it is made perfecte: whē with a liuely fayth wee looke through Christ crucified, and so go with boldnesse vntounto the throne of grace. Thus Christ is called the bread of lyfe: the foode of our soule & nourisher vp of our consciences to a perpetuall quietnes. This the scriptures testyfy most plentifully in all places witnessing, that when soeuer wee feele our selues hungrye,Math. 11. 28. that is, laboring & heauy lodē with the burden of our sinnes, we must come vntounto Christe: and he will refresh vsus. Frō our first father Adam vntil the last man that shal be borne vponupon earth, neuer was nor shall be one yt shall finde other foode of life. Adam by whose sinne we were all condemned, when hee was cast out of Paradise, that is, out of Gods fauour and the place of rest, he could not feede his soule neither with the labour of hys hand, nor with the sweate of his browes, but the first foode of life he found in this promise, that the seede of the Woman shoulde tread down the head of the serpent. Gene. 3. 15.Abraham, Isaak, and Iacob, in al theyr wandryng iorneyes, they liued not by this, that theyr posteritie should be multiplied, and enioy a land that flowed with milke & hony, but this was the breade of lyfe that made theyr harte glad, euen the sight of Christe, and by thys promyse eueryevery one of them liued:Gene. 12. 3 and 26. 4. and 28. 14. In thy seede all the nations of the earth shalbe blessed. The law that came after and taught vsus true obedience,Rom. 7. 7. we learned nothing by it,Rom 5. 20 but the knowledge of our sinne, nor it wrought nothyng in vsus but the multiplying of our iniquitie. The lawes and ordinaunces,Heb. 9. 9. which were in meates and drinkes,Heb. 10. 4. aud carnall rites and ceremonies, they could not feede the conscience of him that did the seruice: the sacrifices and offeringes were not such yt they coulde geue vntounto vsus the foode of lyfe:Gal. 3. 24. It was al: together vnpossible, that the bloud of Bulles and Goates shoulde take away sinnes, but so farre the law did feede our soules, as it shutte vsus vp in the faith that should be reueled, and led vsus as a scholemaster vntounto Christ The Prophetes that came after, raysed vp of God to teach his people, they shewed no other marke to looke on, nor other hope to liue by, but that child that shoulde bee borne vntounto them, and that sonne that should be geuen them, Esa. 9, 6whose name was wonderfull, coūseler, the mighty God, the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace. Ephe, 4, 11The Apostles & Euangelistes now sent in these latter dayes for the worke of the ministery, to gather together the saintes, and buyld vp the bodye of Christ, they feede vsus not with the foode of our owne workes or weldoing, but to make our fayth strong, & the promise of God sure, they tell vsus: Christ is our peace, and there is no other name vnderunder Heauen geuen vntounto men, Rom, 4. 16by which wee shall liue, Ephe. 2. 14saue onelyonly the name of Iesus Christ. Act. 4. 22Thus Christe is our bread of lyfe, and if we will builde our selues vponupon Abraham, Isaak, or Jacob, to be of theyr posterity if we will be led by the lawe and the Prophetes, by the Apostles & Euangelistes, to finde the foode of life: if we heare Christ himselfe, or wilbe his disciples, thē this is our Religion: Christ is the bread of life, to to wretched hauehave the preachers bene yt hauehave called you from this bread, to feed you with theyr corrupt leauen, from this fountayne and welspring, to theyr owne puddles that can hold no water. Thus they hauehave all done that hauehave ledde you any whether sauing to Christe alone, yt hauehave taught you to praye vntounto sayntes, aungels, or archangeles, to be your mediatours, that hauehave tolde you of iustification in your owne workes, that hauehave sold vntounto you their Masses as sacrifices propitiatory for the quicke and dead, that hauehave bid you truste in pardons and indulgences for remission of sinnes, yt hauehave broughte you vntounto the Pope, a sicke head of an ill disposed sinagoge, to hange your fayth vppon his sleaue, that hath told you of generall Coūcels, they coulde not erre, but what so euer they shoulde decree, you shoulde so receaue it, as the holy Euāgelists. Thus hauehave these mō sters spoken, and thus they hauehave deluded you, and yet they say still: wherein hauehave we offended? but the Lord be praysed, that hath deliuered vsus out of the kingdome of such darknesse, and brought vsus againe into the light of hys Gospel. Let vsus nowe walke in it accordingly, and confesse Christe alone to be the bread of lyfe. The second thing that I noted vntounto you in this aunsweare of our Sauyour Christ, is: how we do eate of this bread, & that (I said) was shewed in these wordes, he that commeth vntounto me, he that beleeueth in mee. To come vntounto Christ, to beleue in Christ, this is to eat Christ, so that we may wel say as S. August. August. tract 25said: Quid paras dentes aut ventrem, crede & manducasti? Upon the … of John.It is no neede to prepare tooth or belly, beleue and thou hast eaten. But here (dearlye beloued) I must first admonish you that thys place, nor this vi. Chapter of John. is not ment of the Sacrament, as some popish interpreters hauehave ignorātly told you. The Sacramēt was not yet instituted, nor any nowe present knewe whether hee would euer ordaine any such Sacramēt of his body & bloud, or no: So that yf he had spoken thereof, he had tolde them that, whiche they coulde not vnderstand. But this Christ doth, without all consideration eyther of Sacrament or no Sacramēt. He telleth them how and by what meanes his body can be eaten, whether it be in your inward fayth, when secretly and with your selfe you feede vppon his body, or whether it be in outward signe or Sacramente, which is a helpe of our infirmity, the more liuelye to tast of his mercies. There is but one & the same way, neyther to eate his flesh, nor to drinke his bloude: the whiche way playnely & expressely here is deliuered vsus by Christe, that wee neede not to erre except wee will. And this was Christs great mercy to prepare the harts of his children, that they shoulde not bee offended with any manner of vnderstandyng, when they should heare in the institution of the sacrament, take, eate, this is my body. They are before well instructed, and they knowe what to beleeue. The grosse and carnall fancyes of transubstantiation, coulde not disquiete them. They knew there was no way to eate Christe, but to come vntounto hym, nor to drinke his bloud, but to beleeue in him. And thus fayth was ye more precyous, the further of his bodely presence was remoued from them,Heb, 13. They knew faith was the taking hold and substaunce of things we hoped for, and the sure apprehension & profe of thinges that were not seene. So that they knewe howe to feede of hys bodye with great boldnesse to lift vp theyr soule, and take holde of his mercy that sitteth in heauen at the right hande of hys Father. Whence vndoubtedly all the merites of his passion doe presentlye flow vponupon hys poore children. His conflictes and agonies with sinne and condemnation, to set vsus free from Gods wrath & displeasure, and all his obedience shewed here in flesh, from his corporall, reall, and substantiall bodye, commeth downe vponupon vsus, to cloth vsus wyth righteousnesse, that wee may bee found vnblamable before hys father. Thns much y• disciples well vnderstoode, and they murmured not at these wordes, this is my body. Thus muche let vsus learne out of this place against we come vntounto the sacrament, that to come vntounto Christ & to beleeue in Christ, that is truely to eate Christ. Thys beyng proued true vntounto you, you well soone set your selues free frō all popish idolatry. And how true it is, marke well, I beseech you, what are the wordes. I am sayth Christ, the bread of lyfe. He that cō meth vntounto me shall not hunger. Yf Christe had spoken still properly, accordyng to ye metaphore, he had sayd thus: I am the bread of lyfe, he that eateth me, shall not hunger. Now he himself hath said: he that commeth, in stead of this, he that eateth, if you will beleue him you must needes confesse it. To eate Christe, is to come vntounto him. So in this other sentence. He that beleueth in me, shall not thyrst. If he had kepte ye property of speach, he had sayd thus: he that drinketh of me shall not thyrst. In stead of, drinketh, he sayth, beleeueth, and therefore it is moste certayne, to drinke of Christe, is to beleeue in Christe. So that this is now an vndoubted truth, to eate Christe, to drinke Christe, to come vntounto Christe, to beleue in Christ, these are all one. And who hath eares to heare and heareth not this? or whose iudgement is so blind that he can not perceyue it?John. 5 …; Compare the sayings of Christ in this chapter: you can not (if you wil not) be deceyued. He that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life. And after. He that eateth of this bread, hath euerlasting life. Exceptye eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you hauehave no lyfe in you. He that beleueth on him that sent mee, John. …hath lyfe euerlasting. Joh. …You will not come vntounto me that you may lyue. Who seeth it not here, to eate, to come, to beleeue, is all one, Againe: He that beleeueth in me, I will rayse him at the last day. And he that eateth my flesh, & drinketh my bloud, Joh, 6. 54.I will rayse him vp at the last day. After all those sayinges of eating his flesh in deede, and drinking his bloud in deede, at which the Capharnaites were offended, & diuerse of his disciples forsooke him, Christe sayth then vntounto hys Apostles, will you also go away? As if he should hauehave sayde, are these wordes so strange that you also will be driuen a way? Unto which Peter aunswered: Lorde to whom shall we go, thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe, & we beleue and know, that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing Lord. Loe here, how Saint Peter himselfe, of whose name the Pope braggeth so much, and yet vtterly renounceth hys fayth. S. Peter (I say) vnderstandeth, all these wordes of life, of the eating and drinking of Christes flesh and hys bloud, he expoundeth them thus: to beleue in Christe, and to knowe him to bee the sonne of the liuing God, euen as Christ hym selfe had before taught hym: The wordes that I speake are spirite aad life, it is the spirite that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothyng. If all this be not playne enough, looke yet, & let S. John expound hym selfe. Here Christ sayth: he that eateth my fleshe, and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me, and I in hym. The same S. John that wrote this,1. Joh. 4, 15, sayth thus agayne: Who so confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God, God dwelleth in him, and hee in God. Wherby it is playne, he that confesseth thus of Christ, he eateth his fleshe and drinketh hys bloud. This (dearely beloued) is no newe doctrine but taught by Christe, receiued by his Apostles, written for all ages by hys holy Euangelistes, now preached to ye comfort of all true Christiās, and in the primitiue Church beleeued of all the holy Fathers. I would alledge you theyr owne sayinges but that the tyme passeth, & you hauehave thē plentifully set out vntounto you, you may reade them when you will. These places alledged out of the Scriptures, one expoū dyng an other, they are the surest witnesses, to know the meaning of the holy Ghost. And what if here I should reason out of our Christes owne wordes to proue, there can bee no transubstantiation. He sayth for proofe, that hys naturall body is rysen. See my handes and my feete, touch me and handle me, Luke 24. 33.it is euen I. Seyng Christe will hauehave our senses to iudg of his body, let vsus do so. See feele, touch, tast, is it ought but bread? this argumēt me thinketh is good and well warranted by Christ him selfe, and it semeth not so onelyonly to me, but S. Augustine thought so nowe eleuen hundred yeare agon. See, De doctrina Christian. lib. 3. cap. 16. & there yon shall finde it. But the tyme passeth, and I will come vntounto that, that I thynke you looke for, and whych the Pope hath made the substance of all his masses. Christ saith thus: Take, Math. 26. 26.eate, this is my body. And what then? is there any obscuritye in these wordes? Is it not often and playnely spoken, what it is to eate is body? are not his disciples well taught? knew they it not lōg before? As it is playnely said: this is my body, so is it not playnely expounded, these wordes are spirite and lyfe? Joh. 6. 14No man can here be offended, but he that is dull of hearyng, and hath not harkened before to the wholesome doctrine of truth. But you will say, why could not Christ as well hauehave sayd: this is a figure, or signe, or token of my body. I aunswere. Fyrste these wordes are without daūger, that his disciples should dream of trā substātiation: they are so assuredly taught before how they should eate or drinke Christ. Then I say, thys our sauiour Christ did choose to speake, to shew his great and aboundaut louelove to warde vsus, that wee should be so fully perswaded that he were our head, & wee his members, as if hys naturall and reall body, were substantiallye within vsus, that we should know, what so euer we could wish from his mercy to comfort vsus, by this Sacrament or couenaunte of his mercy wee shoulde so assure our selues of it, as yf we eate his very flesh, or drinke his natural bloud. The like phrases or speaches are plaine and often in the scripture,Eph. 5. 24 Christ is our head, and we his members hee dwelleth in vsus and wee in him. He is the corner stone, & wee are the building vp.Ephe. 2. …. Hee the vine, and we the braunches.John. 1…; His body is the meate aud wee the eaters. Whose harte is so dull that is not stirred vp with these speaches? or who vnderstandeth not by these speaches yt Christ would shew the aboūdance of his louelove toward vsus, and the great boldnes that Christ will hauehave vsus to put in his mercy? As for transubstantiation, it is so straunge from the sence of the scripture, that yf the Pope had not bene, I thinke it neuer had bene thought of. And yf the Councell of Lateranne had not bene, it had neuer bene named. But let vsus way the wordes a litle, and conferre thē with these late popish follies. Christ sayth,Math. 26. take, eate, thys ys my bodye. But the Pope sayth, take not, eate not, site a farre of, and tooke on, fall downe and worship. This is my body. Was not this theyr manner of preaching? How els could this hauehave bine your mā ner of practise, when you came to the Sacrament, or as you rather called it, the sacringe of your Masse? Christ sayth: Drink you al of this: Math. 26.this is my bloud. The Pope vtterly denieth it, & proueth it by good reason. His body (sayth he) cānot be with his bloud: there is concomitantia, the one followeth the other, and therefore you shal not drinke it, yet it is his bloud. Christ sayth, Cor. 11.as ofte as you doe this, preach forth the death of the Lorde vntill he come. The Pope sayth, that is not necessary. If you say Masse dayly, it skilleth litle, though you preache not once in a yeare. What maner of vicar call you this man, that dispenseth his masters doctrin thus deceitfully? or what hope can you hauehave of trā substātiation, whē it hāgeth vponupon his credit, ye dealeth thus vnfaithfullie? O (dearely beloued) be not deceiued. These thinges bee to playne to be dissembled. It is his owne mouth that speaketh these thinges, which (sayth he) can not erre. Wee know that there is no truth in hym, and whatsoeuer hee doth, it is against Christ, and his eternall Gospell. For the wordes, thys is my body (I trust) I hauehave proued it, they be not wordes of errour, to make you beleeue the thing that is not: the meaning is plaine. The bread is a warrant, & pledge vntounto you, that as sure as you eate it, which is the signe? so sure your fayth feedeth on all the fruytes of his Passion, and the righteousnesse and true holines of his humaine bodye couereth all your sinnes before God his Father, and clotheth you roūd about with ioy and gladnes. These are the riches of Gods aboundant graces, which make the poore penitent sinner to seeme more glorious, then all ye worldly treasure. This is the secret Manna with which God fedeth his elect, yt maketh the hungrie hart more glad & joyfull, then all the bread of Princes.… These riches they hauehave spoyled you of, that hauehave sold vntounto you so deare theyr transubstantiation. This foode they hauehave taken from you, yt hauehave fed you so long with a fancie of Christes naturall body. For the wordes, this is my body, are not straunge.… Such phrases in ye scripture are euer vsed vponupon like occasiō. In ye 33 chapter of Gene. Iacob calleth his altar the mightye God of Israell: … 24.yet ye altar was not God, but set vp in memory howe mightely God had preserued him. In the 12. of Exod. God sayd to Moses of ye Pascall Lābe. This is the Lordes passouer, & yet it was not the passeouer,… 12, 1. but the sacrifice of the Lordes passouer, when in killing the first borne in the lande of Egypte, he passed ouer the houses of the children of Israell. In y• 7. chapter of Leuitieus, where God geueth to Aaron, ye shoulder and brest of the sacrifices for hys portion,Leuit 7. 3. he sayth thus: this is the annoynting of Aaron, yet the breste and shoulder of the beastes, were not the oyle wherewith Aaron was annoynted, but a signe or token of his annoynting. In the 6. of Numery, when God setteth forth the law of the Nazarites, he forbiddeth them to defile them selues at the death of theyr father, mother brother, sister, & added this clause: Because the consecratiō of his God is vponupon his head. Num. 6.Yet the heare vppon his head was not his consecration, but the signe of his consecration. In the 5, of Numery, where God setteth forth the law of gelousie, the water whereby the woman is tried,… 5. 11 is called often the cursed water, and yet the water was not cursed, but shewed the woman to be accursed & detestable. In the 19. of Deuteronomye, speaking of a false witnesse, bothe parties are bid to stand before the Lord. …ut. 19Yet he meaneth before the Priest, in whose brest was Urim and Thummin, a liuelye representation of the Lord. In the 26. of Deuteronomye, teaching what they shall doe that offer theyr first fruytes,… 26. 5. it is written: Thou shalt say this before the Lord: Yet he meaneth before the altar, a present signe of the Lord.… 31. 11. …2 Oftentymes in the law, the Arke is called the Lord God. Yet the Arke was not God but a liuely representation of the Lord God. In the 17. of Genesis, God speaketh of circūcision: this is my couenaunt: … 17 … 11.Which yet God him selfe expoundeth in the verse following, this is the token of my couenaunt. And what can be more plaine thē this? so S. Paule saith: the rocke was Christ. 1, Cor. 19. 3.Yet Christ was not the rocke that was in Horeb: but the water of the rocke was the signe of Christes bloud, which quencheth the thirst of all his elect and chosē. So S. Paul calleth Baptisme,Tit. 3. 5. Lauacrū regenerationis, the washing of the new byrth: yet ye water doth not regenerate but the holy Ghost. An hundreth such speaches you hauehave in the scripture, where the signe hath the name of the thyng signified. And how are you so bewitched, that in this one Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ, you can not beare yt phrase which is so vsual in the scriptures? But so it is, S. Paules prayer hath taken effect in the Popish kingdome: he that is ignoraunt, 1. Cor. 14. 38.let him be ignorant still. But I hope (dearly beloued) better of you. God I trust hath lightned you, and you doe vnderstand his holy scriptures. You wil come inspirite and trueth to these holy misteries, and you hauehave forsaken your olde leauen of al Romish Idolatry. Now a woord or two of the fruite of eating and drinking Christ, & so I will make an ende. To eate and drink Christ, is as I hauehave sayd, to come vntounto Christ, to beleeue in Christ, and the fruit of this is: he that commeth vntounto him, he shall not hunger. Againe, and he that beleueth in him, shall not thirst any more. This (dearly beloued) is that great fruyt, that vnspeaable benefite, yt endlesse mercye, which they taste and eate of that laboure and are loden and come vntounto Christ: My tounge can not expresse it: your eares cānot heare it: our hartes can not imagine it, what is ye fulnes of ioy that springeth out of this foūtain. To thirst no more, to be no more an hungred, is to see God as he is and to contemne the world, to hauehave al teares wiped away frō our eyes, and be no more sorowful, to hauehave the glory of God to shine vppon vsus, & no more to regard the light of Sun or Moone. This shalbe then perfect, when Christ shal appeare in glory and maiestie, and wee shalbe clothed with righteousnes and immortality. Now in this body of sinne, this happines is tasted of, when we feele the spirite of adoption to crie vntounto our spirite,Gala. 4. 6 Abba Father. When the mercies of Jesus Christ do so cō passe the inner man, that we see & feele the kingdome of Heauen pictured in our consciences, when with a great and longing desire, euen as the hart longeth after the water brookes, Psal. 12. 51we cry with saint Paule:Phil. 1. 21. Cupio dissolui. When we be touched inwardly,Apoc. 22. and say with the saintes in ye reuelation: Come Lord Jesu, come quickly. These are yt beginnings of those euerlasting ioyes, that can neuer bee madefull till this mortallitie hauehave put on immortalitie, 1. Cor. 15. 53.and this corruptible, incorruption, and wee hauehave geuen into our mouthes, the songes of our triūphe: O death where is thy styng? 1. Cor. 15. 55.O hell where is thy victorye? The songes of our joy,Apoc. 14. … such as none can vnderstand, saue the hūdreth & foure and fortie thousand, that are bought from the earth. He that eateth of Christe to this purpose, he is nourished, and he that drinketh of Christ to this hope, he is quickned. With this meate and drink, Abraham was filled,Gene. 12. 1. when he forsooke his fathers house, his kindred, his countrye, to go into a lande that God would shew hym. With thys meate and drinke Moses was filled, when he rather chose to be a miserable seruaunte among his brethren of Israel, … 11then to be a mighty Prince in the court of Pharaoh.Psa. 84. 1 With this meate and drinke was Dauid filled, when he wished rather to be a dore keeper in the house of God, then to dwell in the Pallaces of Princes. With this meate and drinke was Paule filled,Phil. 3. 8. when hee sayde, he accompted all the worlde as dunge that he myght winne Christ. With this meate & drinke who so euer is filled,Math. 19. 19. he will forsake father and mother, Luke. 14. 26,brother and sister, wyfe and children, house and landes, yea euen his owne soule, & take vp his crosse and follow Christ. The remembrance of immortalitie that Christ shal geue vntounto him, wil make him hartely to cōfesse, yt this life is but a momēt. The length of his daies that liueth for euer, will make him behold his owne body,Esay. 4. 6. and say: all flesh is grasse. The glory of hys maiestie that shineth world without end, will proue the glory of man to be but as a flower in the fielde. It will make his harte to crye often within him:Ioh. 16. 34. Lorde feede vsus euer with this bread. And sure (dearelye beloued) the cause is soone espyed, why the worlde is so droncken, with these transitorye vanities: they neuer felt what the thynges are, that abide for euer. He neuer tasted of Christ that hungreth & thirsteth after vayne glory, to become honorable in this world. He neuer tasted of Christ, yt heapeth vp siluer and gold, and cānot tell for whome he gathereth it. He neuer tasted of Christ, that spendeth his dayes in wantonnesse, and harkeneth not to the sentence that shalbe spoken vntounto him:Luk. 16. 3 Come, geue accompte of thy stewardshipe. He neuer tasted of Christ yt hath his eyes open to behold vanitie, & seeth not Christ crucifyed for hys sinnes. He neuer tasted of Christ, that hath his eares open to al vngodlye … and heareth not the Trumpet that one day shall blow a loude: Arise ye dead, and come vntounto iudgement. To be short he neuer tasted of Christ, that is not crucified vntounto the world, and the world vntounto him, so farre that synne raygne not in hys mortall body. The Prince neuer tasted of Christ, yt putteth the glory of hys court in concupiscence, in pride, in blasphemie. The noble mā neuer tasted of Christ, that braggeth & boasteth of his parentage, and knoweth not yt he is but dust. The magistrate neuer tasted of Christ that sufferth this great carding & dising, that leaueth sinne vnpunished, & vertue vnrewarded. The Man or Woman neuer tasted of Christ, that cryeth not in spirite: O Lorde thou art myne inheritaunce. The Father of all mercy, and God of all consolation, strēgthen vsus with his grace, that we may tast of Christ …
End of the text · Edward Dering, Sermon Preached 11 December 1569 (1569)