Sermon Preached 11 December 1569

W E have (dearlye beloved in our Lord & savior Christ) we have in this portion of scripture to consider: First this petitiō or request which y ^e Jews make unto Christ in these words: Lord give us evermore of this bread. Then, the answer that our Savior Christ maketh again? I am the bread of life, &c. Theyr request riseth of certain words, spoken immediately before, where Christ saith: My Father giveth unto you from heaven the true bread. For the bread of God is he that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Through which words they break out straight into this prayer: O Lord give us always this bread. These words they do not utter with any good affection, or longing desires to be partakers of the mercies, which are offered unto all in Christ Jesu: but rather of a distēpered mind, drawn into contrary desires, seeking by all means to fil themselves with happiness, and yet to jeste and scoff at the doctrine of Christ. The thoughts of them minds are made manifest, both by these words of Christ: Ye seek me because you eat of the loaves and were filled: and also by their own words to the same effect, where they say: our fathers did eat Manna in the wilderness, likewise requiring y ^t Christ would so feed them still by miracle, and then they would follow him. And afterward also when Christ had further taught them y ^t he would in no such sort feed them deintelye on earth, but if they would eat of the bread that he would give they must renounce such fleshly concupiscence, crucify themselves unto the world, and be with a lively faith incorporate into his body, then they should eat of living bread: as soon as they had heard this, they murmured at him, showing y ^t he was not the bread that they did seek for, and then declared what was their scoffing spirit, and said openly: Is not this Jesus the sonne of Joseph, whose Father and mother we know? howe came he down from heaven? Thus dearly beloved, we learn what minds these men had y ^t would so fain have been fed with the bread of life. They would live forever • but they would live as they list. They would follow Christ: but they would neither hunger nor thirst. They would do the will of God: but they would not crucify their affections. They would come unto heaven, but they would not be led by Jesus the poor Carpenters son. Theyr carnal fancies beguyled them. Their scoffing at Jesus Christ made their hearts so blind: and their desire of happiness was nothing but the show of their own folye. Now let us beware by other men's harms. Let us not fall after the same example of disobedience. If we bring our carnal fancies to the word of God, we shall never understand it. The natural man perceyueth not the things that are of God. Such gross imaginations deceived Nicodemus, that he knew not what it was to be borne a new. Such fancies made blind the weoman of Samaria, that she knew not howe to ask for the water of life. Such carnal imaginations made the children of Zebedie to ask of our Sauyour Christ, they knew not what. Yea all the disciples of our savior Christ, by such fleshly desires oftentimes understood him not. And how much more ought we to take heed that have so barren hearts, not watered so plentifully with gods sprite? Whether shall we be led, if we bring unto God's word our sensual appetites? sure evē thither, whether these Jews are gone before us, to murmur against Christ, and despise his cross. Let us thē take heed while it is yet time, and in obedience of God's word banishe far from us our own understanding, and if we will be taught of the Lord God, let us lead into captivity all our own cogitations and seek no better estate for the Gospel of God, then he himself hath appointed by his holy wisdom. Otherwise it will surely come upon us, that came so long agone upon these carnal Jews, & we shall have so good liking of our own delight, y ^t we shall contemn the poor Galilean, & with a proud countenance we shall think much scorn, that the Carpenters son should be our master. This is the fruit y ^t groweth out of man's wisdom. Here it is plainly testified in this 6. of John. It is testified in the Scribes and Pharisees, that so often scoffed at our Savior Christ: in the Soldiours that upon the Cross had him in such derision: in the whole multitude of the Jews y ^t stroke him and spitte on him, & bid him areade, who had hurt him. Thus after that by carnal reason they would needs judge of Christ, they grew more & more in hardness of heart, till they thought it good wisdom to speak so great blasphemy. Such Gospellers there were many in the primitive Church, that thought themselves wise in making a ieste of Christ. So Julianus the Apostate when y ^e Christians asked help against all their iniuryes with mocks and scoffs he would ask why they did complain, whē the Galilean their master bad them do good for evil: if any would take away their coat, that then they should give him also their cloke. So, many wicked Magistrates spoiled the Christians of their money, and would taunt them merelye with the saying of their God: Quod Caesaris scis, Caesari da, give that unto Cesare that thou knowest is Caesars. Such Gospellers at this day, we have a great many in England, y ^t laugh smothly in their sleeves, at their madness (as they think) that follow so earnestly y ^• Gospel. So S. Peter hath borne witness generally of the wicked of all ages: that they shall think it much madness, that other will not run to like effusion of riot: but let them alone y ^t seek willingly to go so far astray. This is the time of their rejoicing. The days of repentance are not yet come. When they have done with their mocking, them selves shall be then mocked at, and for all their pleasant sporting, they shall be called to Judgment.

An other thing I noted unto you in y ^e petition of these Jews, & that was a desire of happiness which they wished to come unto: and in y ^e middes of their malice, yet an inward sighing of spirit, that they might once eat of the bread of life. They pleased them selves exceedingly in fighting against Christ, and yet again in remorse of conscience, they wished to be partakers of eternal life. And this is that sparkeling of the grace of god, which is kindled in the harts of all men, of which S. John saith, that Christ lighteneth all men that come into this world. Cayne had this light, when the burden of his sin seemed so heavy unto him, that it could not be pardoned. Esau had this light, when for loss of his fathers blessing, he lifted up his voice and wepte. Pharaoh had this light, when in remembrance of all his plagues he cried at the last: The Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked. The sorcerers of Egypt, they had this light, whē God confounded their wisdom in a most vile creature, and they confessed before Pharaoh: This is the finger of God. Pilate had this light: when he washed his hands, and cried before all the Jews, that he was innocent from the blood of Christ. Simon Magus had this light when he wondered at the signs and miracles that were wrought by y ^e Apostles, & would have given money for the holy Ghost. The Gentiles themselves, they had all this light. Antiochus when he wept for all the evil that he had done at Jerusalem. Julianus whē he cried, vicisti Galilaee, O man of Galilee, thou hast got̄ the victory. Adrian at his death, whē he spake unto himself, Animula vagula, blandula, hospes comes{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 slain, he thought he saw a sprite that cried thus unto him: Ego sum tuus malus genius Brute: hodie me in Phillippis videbis, But what need I (dearly beloved) to make this longe by examples, You yourselves (I am sure) you can witness with this truth. There is none of you so far given over to uncleanness, but I am sure sometime you say with these unclean Jews: O Lord give us one day the bread of life. This is the triumph that virtue hath our vice, that whereso ever she is most hated, there she is often wished for. And this is the great punishment that God bringeth upon the wicked, even as the Poete said: Virtutem vt videant, intabescant{que} relicta, that though they love not virtue, nor cannot like to follow her, yet they should pyne away with a lōging desire after her. And this I am sure it striketh deep, & woundeth the conscience of the wicked. Though they have set their heart as an Adamant stone, and made their face like stint, yet grace perseth throughout their concupiscence & they say sometime, y ^e way of virtue is better. There was never so impure and disolute and adulterer, but he hath said sometime: y ^e chaste body is best. There was never so blasphemous nor vile a swerer, but sometime he hath treēbled at God's Majesty. There was never man so proud and ambitious, but sometime he remembereth he is but earth and ashes. There was never such an usurer, nor covetous wretch, but sometime he thinketh his Gold & silver shall canker, & the ruste of it shall be a witness against him. There was never so riotous a person, sumptuous & prodigal, but sometime he condemneth his own doing, and saith with the Prophet: The unrighteous man boroweth and payeth not again. And what should I say more? There was never so high minded nor vayneglorious a king, but he hath sontyme thought his crown would fall from his head, and the crown of righteousness was better, which was in the kingdom of Heaven. And this dearly beloved, as it is in a wicked life, so likewise it is in corrupt religion. Truth that is strongest and overcometh all, in Religion forceth the enemy oftentimes to confess her. There was never papist that so magnified merits, and talked of his works of supererogation, but oftentimes in his conscience he would surely confess, that when he had done all, yet he was unprofitable. There was never any so great an enemy to faith, but whē his conscience was touched with the grief of sin, he would cry a loud: Faith alone doth justify. There was never (I am sure) papist yet so drunken, that made so much of all his fleshly worshippings, of Organes, and singing, of altares and altareclothes, of francomesence and sweet 〈◊◊〉 savors: of banners & streamers: of goodlye tunes and melody: of silver crosses and chalices, but he hath said sometime, who required these things at our hands? the true worshippers do worship in spirit & verity. There was never Papist in so deep a sleep of pardons and of purgatory, but he hath surely said it, such weak engines can break down but paper walls, and such could water can quench but painted fyres. There was never Pope nor general counsel so desperately bent to set up worshipping of Images, but their own hearts have often cried within them: they have mouths and speak not, they have eyes and see not, they have ears & hear not, they have noses and smell not, they have hands and touche not, they have feet and walk not: thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. There was never Papist so blinded with the great absurdity of transubstantiation, but some time seeing the wyne in the chalice, he hath been afraid to say: by this and by nothing else, let my sins be washed and seeing the cake in the Priests hands: thou alone hast redeemed me, and alone by thee I look to be saved. This doubt ye not (dearly beloved) is the working of the Lord in the hearts of all his enemies. Refuse him how ye will in life or in Religion, you shall carry day and night a witness in your breast against yourselves, & your hearts will condemn you, that cry evermore against you: y ^t way unto true happiness is neither by sin nor superstition: neither by open rebellion, nor yet by accursed idolatry. And thus far out of this petition of y ^e froward Jews I have noted unto you, what I have thought best for our common instruction. The Lord grant us that we make the like request, but with a better spyrite and pray evermore unto him: O Lord give us always the bread of life. Now let us consider the other part which (I said) is y ^e an̄swear of our Sauyour Christ. in these words: I am the bread of life, he that cometh unto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. Out of this place (dearly beloved) I will note unto you, as the text giveth me occasion, these three points. First who is the bread of life, then by what means he is eaten, and thyrdly, what fruit cometh of such sustenance. Who is this bread, Christ showeth in these words: I am the bread of life. By what means he is eaten, it is shown in these words: He that cometh unto me, he that believeth in me. What fruit cometh of it, it is shown in these words: he shall never hunger, he shall never thyrst. I am the bread of life. These words they signify thus much, that in Christ alone we have life, and all confidence of salvation must be grounded on him & on none else. Christ crucified is a continual sacrifice of reconciliation standing between God & us, so that what so ever grace, mercy, and peace is poured upon us by God the Father, it cometh down through the body of Christ upon the cross: and whatsoever joy or comfort we can have in being vesseles of mercy, thus it is made perfect: whē with a lively faith we look through Christ crucified, and so go with boldness unto the throne of grace. Thus Christ is called the bread of life: the food of our soul & nourisher up of our consciences to a perpetual quietness. This the scriptures testyfy most plentifully in all places witnessing, that whensoever we feel our selves hungrye, that is, laboring & heavy lodē with the burden of our sins, we must come unto Christ: and he will refresh us. Frō our first father Adam until the last man that shall be borne upon earth, never was nor shall be one y ^t shall find other food of life. Adam by whose sin we were all condemned, when he was cast out of Paradise, that is, out of God's favor and the place of rest, he could not feed his soul neither with the labor of his hand, nor with the sweat of his brows, but the first food of life he found in this promise, that the seed of the Woman should tread down the head of the serpent. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in all their wandryng iorneyes, they lived not by this, that their posterity should be multiplied, and enjoy a land that flowed with milk & honey, but this was the bread of life that made their heart glad, even the sight of Christ, and by this promise everyone of them lived: In thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. The law that came after and taught us true obedience, we learned nothing by it, but the knowledge of our sin, nor it wrought nothing in us but the multiplying of our iniquity. The laws and ordinances, which were in meats and drinks, and carnal rites and ceremonies, they could not feed the conscience of him that did the service: the sacrifices and offerings were not such y ^t they could give unto us the food of life: It was all: together impossible, that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins, but so far the law did feed our souls, as it shut us up in the faith that should be revealed, and led us as a scholemaster unto Christ The Prophets that came after, raised up of God to teach his people, they shown no other mark to look on, nor other hope to live by, but that child that should be borne unto them, and that son that should be given them, whose name was wonderful, coūseler, the mighty God, the everlasting Father the Prince of peace. The Apostles & Evangelists now sent in these latter days for the work of the ministry, to gather together the saints, and build up the body of Christ, they feed us not with the food of our own works or well-doing, but to make our faith strong, & the promise of God sure, they tell us: Christ is our peace, and there is no other name under Heaven given unto men, by which we shall live, save only the name of Jesus Christ. Thus Christ is our bread of life, and if we will build our selves upon Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, to be of their posterity if we will be led by the law and the Prophets, by the Apostles & Evangelists, to find the food of life: if we hear Christ himself, or will be his disciples, thē this is our Religion: Christ is the bread of life, to to wretched have the preachers been y ^t have called you from this bread, to feed you with their corrupt leaven, from this fountain and wellspring, to their own puddles that can hold no water. Thus they have all done that have led you any whether saving to Christ alone, y ^t have taught you to pray unto saints, angels, or archangeles, to be your mediators, that have told you of justification in your own works, that have sold unto you their Masses as sacrifices propitiatory for the quick and dead, that have bid you trust in pardons and indulgences for remission of sins, y ^t have brought you unto the Pope, a sick head of an ill disposed sinagoge, to hange your faith upon his sleaue, that hath told you of general Councils, they could not err, but what so ever they should decree, you should so receive it, as the holy Evangelists. Thus have these mōsters spoken, and thus they have deluded you, and yet they say still: wherein have we offended? but the Lord be praised, that hath delivered us out of the kingdom of such darkness, and brought us again into the light of his Gospel. Let us now walk in it accordingly, and confess Christ alone to be the bread of life. The second thing that I noted unto you in this answer of our Sauyour Christ, is: how we do eat of this bread, & that (I said) was shown in these words, he that cometh unto me, he that believeth in me. To come unto Christ, to believe in Christ, this is to eat Christ, so that we may well say as S. August. said: Quid paras dentes aut ventrem, creed & manducasti? It is no need to prepare tooth or belly, believe and thou hast eaten. But here (dearlye beloved) I must first admonish you that this place, nor this vi. Chapter of John. is not meant of the Sacrament, as some popish interpreters have ignorātly told you. The Sacrament was not yet instituted, nor any now present knew whether he would ever ordain any such Sacrament of his body & blood, or no: So that if he had spoken thereof, he had told them that, which they could not understand. But this Christ doth, without all consideration either of Sacrament or no Sacrament. He telleth them how and by what means his body can be eaten, whether it be in your inward faith, when secretly and with yourself you feed upon his body, or whether it be in outward sign or Sacrament, which is a help of our infirmity, the more lively to taste of his mercies. There is but one & the same way, neither to eat his flesh, nor to drink his blood: the which way plainly & expressly here is delivered us by Christ, that we need not to err except we will. And this was Christ's great mercy to prepare the harts of his children, that they should not be offended with any manner of understanding, when they should hear in the institution of the sacrament, take, eat, this is my body. They are before well instructed, and they know what to believe. The gross and carnal fancyes of transubstantiation, could not disquiete them. They knew there was no way to eat Christ, but to come unto him, nor to drink his blood, but to believe in him. And thus faith was y ^e more precyous, the further of his bodily presence was removed from them, They knew faith was the taking hold and substance of things we hoped for, and the sure apprehension & proof of things that were not seen. So that they knew howe to feed of his body with great boldness to lift up their soul, and take hold of his mercy that sitteth in heaven at the right hand of his Father. Whence undoubtedly all the merits of his passion do presentlye flow upon his poor children. His conflicts and agonies with sin and condemnation, to set us free from God's wrath & displeasure, and all his obedience shown here in flesh, from his corporal, real, and substantial body, cometh down upon us, to cloth us with righteousness, that we may be found unblameable before his father. Thns much y ^• disciples well understood, and they murmured not at these words, this is my body. Thus much let us learn out of this place against we come unto the sacrament, that to come unto Christ & to believe in Christ, that is truly to eat Christ. Thys being proved true unto you, you well soon set yourselves free frō all popish idolatry. And how true it is, mark well, I beseech you, what are the words. I am saith Christ, the bread of life. He that cometh unto me shall not hunger. If Christ had spoken still properly, according to y ^e metaphor, he had said thus: I am the bread of life, he that eateth me, shall not hunger. Now he himself hath said: he that cometh, instead of this, he that eateth, if you will believe him you must needs confess it. To eat Christ, is to come unto him. So in this other sentence. He that believeth in me, shall not thyrst. If he had kept y ^e property of speech, he had said thus: he that drinketh of me shall not thyrst. Instead of, drinketh, he saith, believeth, and therefore it is moste certain, to drink of Christ, is to believe in Christ. So that this is now an undoubted truth, to eat Christ, to drink Christ, to come unto Christ, to believe in Christ, these are all one. And who hath ears to hear and heareth not this? or whose judgment is so blind that he cannot perceive it? Compare the sayings of Christ in this chapter: you cannot (if you will not) be deceived. He that believeth in me hath everlasting life. And after. He that eateth of this bread, hath everlasting life. Exceptye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He that believeth on him that sent me, hath life everlasting. You will not come unto me that you may live. Who seeth it not here, to eat, to come, to believe, is all one, Again: He that believeth in me, I will raise him at the last day. And he that eateth my flesh, & drinketh my blood, I will raise him up at the last day. After all those sayings of eating his flesh in deed, and drinking his blood in deed, at which the Capharnaites were offended, & diverse of his disciples forsook him, Christ saith then unto his Apostles, will you also go away? As if he should have said, are these words so strange that you also will be driven a way? Unto which Peter answered: Lord to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life, & we believe and know, that thou art Christ the son of the living Lord. Loe here, how Saint Peter himself, of whose name the Pope braggeth so much, and yet utterly renounceth his faith. S. Peter (I say) understandeth, all these words of life, of the eating and drinking of Christ's flesh and his blood, he expoundeth them thus: to believe in Christ, and to know him to be the son of the living God, even as Christ him self had before taught him: The words that I speak are spirit and life, it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. If all this be not plain enough, look yet, & let S. John expound him self. Here Christ saith: he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him. The same S. John that wrote this, saith thus again: Who so confesseth that Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Whereby it is plain, he that confesseth thus of Christ, he eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood. This (dearly beloved) is no new doctrine but taught by Christ, received by his Apostles, written for all ages by his holy Evangelists, now preached to y ^e comfort of all true Christians, and in the primitive Church believed of all the holy Fathers. I would allege you their own sayings but that the time passeth, & you have thē plentifully set out unto you, you may read them when you will. These places alleged out of the Scriptures, one expoūdyng another, they are the surest witnesses, to know the meaning of the holy Ghost. And what if here I should reason out of our Christ's own words to prove, there can be no transubstantiation. He saith for proof, that his natural body is risen. See my hands and my feet, touch me and handle me, it is even I. Seyng Christ will have our senses to judge of his body, let us do so. See feel, touch, taste, is it ought but bread? this argument me thinketh is good and well warranted by Christ him self, and it seemeth not so only to me, but S. Augustine thought so now eleven hundred year agon. See, De doctrina Christian. lib. 3. cap. 16. & there yon shall find it. But the time passeth, and I will come unto that, that I think you look for, and which the Pope hath made the substance of all his masses. Christ saith thus: Take, eat, this is my body. And what then? is there any obscuritye in these words? Is it not often and plainly spoken, what it is to eat is body? are not his disciples well taught? knew they it not long before? As it is plainly said: this is my body, so is it not plainly expounded, these words are spirit and life? No man can here be offended, but he that is dull of hearing, and hath not harkened before to the wholesome doctrine of truth. But you will say, why could not Christ as well have said: this is a figure, or sign, or token of my body. I answer. Fyrste these words are without danger, that his disciples should dream of transubstantiation: they are so assuredly taught before how they should eat or drink Christ. Then I say, this our savior Christ did choose to speak, to show his great and aboundaut love to ward us, that we should be so fully persuaded that he were our head, & we his members, as if his natural and real body, were substantiallye within us, that we should know, what so ever we could wish from his mercy to comfort us, by this Sacrament or couenaunte of his mercy we should so assure our selves of it, as if we eat his very flesh, or drink his natural blood. The like phrases or speeches are plain and often in the scripture, Christ is our head, and we his members he dwelleth in us and we in him. He is the corner stone, & we are the building up. He the vine, and we the branches. His body is the meat and we the eaters. Whose heart is so dull that is not stirred up with these speeches? or who understandeth not by these speeches y ^t Christ would show the abundance of his love toward us, and the great boldness that Christ will have us to put in his mercy? As for transubstantiation, it is so strange from the sense of the scripture, that if the Pope had not been, I think it never had been thought of. And if the Council of Lateranne had not been, it had never been named. But let us way the words a little, and confer thē with these late popish follies. Christ saith, take, eat, this ys my body. But the Pope saith, take not, eat not, site a far of, and took on, fall down and worship. This is my body. Was not this their manner of preaching? How else could this have bine your manner of practice, when you came to the Sacrament, or as you rather called it, the sacringe of your Mass? Christ saith: Drink you all of this: this is my blood. The Pope utterly denieth it, & proveth it by good reason. His body (saith he) cannot be with his blood: there is concomitantia, the one followeth the other, and therefore you shall not drink it, yet it is his blood. Christ saith, as often as you do this, preach forth the death of the Lord until he come. The Pope saith, that is not necessary. If you say Mass daily, it skilleth little, though you preach not once in a year. What manner of vicar call you this man, that dispenseth his masters doctrine thus deceitfully? or what hope can you have of transubstantiation, whē it hāgeth upon his credit, y ^e dealeth thus unfaithfully? O (dearly beloved) be not deceived. These things be to plain to be dissembled. It is his own mouth that speaketh these things, which (saith he) cannot err. We know that there is no truth in him, and whatsoever he doth, it is against Christ, and his eternal Gospel. For the words, this is my body (I trust) I have proved it, they be not words of error, to make you believe the thing that is not: the meaning is plain. The bread is a warrant, & pledge unto you, that as sure as you eat it, which is the sign? so sure your faith feedeth on all the fruits of his Passion, and the righteousness and true holiness of his human body covereth all your sins before God his Father, and clotheth you round about with joy and gladness. These are the riches of God's abundant graces, which make the poor penitent sinner to seem more glorious, then all y ^e worldly treasure. This is the secret Manna with which God fedeth his elect, y ^t maketh the hungry heart more glad & joyful, then all the bread of Princes. These riches they have spoiled you of, that have sold unto you so dear their transubstantiation. This food they have taken from you, y ^t have fed you so long with a fancy of Christ's natural body. For the words, this is my body, are not strange. Such phrases in y ^e scripture are ever used upon like occasiō. In y ^e 33 chapter of Gene. Jacob calleth his altar the mighty God of Israel: yet y ^e altar was not God, but set up in memory howe mightily God had preserved him. In the 12. of Exod. God said to Moses of y ^e Paschal Lābe. This is the Lord's passover, & yet it was not the passover, but the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, when in killing the first borne in the lande of Egypt, he passed over the houses of the children of Israel. In y ^• 7. chapter of Leuitieus, where God giveth to Aaron, y ^e shoulder and breast of the sacrifices for his portion, he saith thus: this is the anointing of Aaron, yet the breste and shoulder of the beasts, were not the oil wherewith Aaron was annointed, but a sign or token of his anointing. In the 6. of Numery, when God setteth forth the law of the Nazarites, he forbiddeth them to defile them selves at the death of their father, mother brother, sister, & added this clause: Because the consecratiō of his God is upon his head. Yet the hear upon his head was not his consecration, but the sign of his consecration. In the 5, of Numery, where God setteth forth the law of gelousie, the water whereby the woman is tried, is called often the cursed water, and yet the water was not cursed, but shown the woman to be accursed & detestable. In the 19. of Deuteronomye, speaking of a false witness, both parties are bid to stand before the Lord. Yet he meaneth before the Priest, in whose breast was Urim and Thummin, a lively representation of the Lord. In the 26. of Deuteronomye, teaching what they shall do that offer their first fruits, it is written: Thou shalt say this before the Lord: Yet he meaneth before the altar, a present sign of the Lord. Oftentymes in the law, the Ark is called the Lord God. Yet the Ark was not God but a lively representation of the Lord God. In the 17. of Genesis, God speaketh of circumcision: this is my covenant: Which yet God him self expoundeth in the verse following, this is the token of my covenant. And what can be more plain thē this? so S. Paul saith: the rock was Christ. Yet Christ was not the rock that was in Horeb: but the water of the rock was the sign of Christ's blood, which quencheth the thirst of all his elect and chosē. So S. Paul calleth Baptism, Lauacrū regenerationis, the washing of the new birth: yet y ^e water doth not regenerate but the holy Ghost. An hundredth such speeches you have in the scripture, where the sign hath the name of the thing signified. And how are you so bewitched, that in this one Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, you cannot bear y ^t phrase which is so usual in the scriptures? But so it is, S. Paul's prayer hath taken effect in the Popish kingdom: he that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still. But I hope (dearly beloved) better of you. God I trust hath lightened you, and you do understand his holy scriptures. You will come inspirite and truth to these holy mysteries, and you have forsaken your old leaven of all Romish Idolatry. Now a word or two of the fruit of eating and drinking Christ, & so I will make an ende. To eat and drink Christ, is as I have said, to come unto Christ, to believe in Christ, and the fruit of this is: he that cometh unto him, he shall not hunger. Again, and he that believeth in him, shall not thirst anymore. This (dearly beloved) is that great fruyt, that vnspeaable benefit, y ^t endless mercy, which they taste and eat of that labor and are loden and come unto Christ: My tongue cannot express it: your ears cannot hear it: our hearts cannot imagine it, what is y ^e fullness of joy that springeth out of this fountain. To thirst no more, to be no more an hungered, is to see God as he is and to contemn the world, to have all tears wiped away frō our eyes, and be no more sorrowful, to have the glory of God to shine upon us, & no more to regard the light of Sun or Moon. This shall be then perfect, when Christ shall appear in glory and majesty, and we shall be clothed with righteousness and immortality. Now in this body of sin, this happiness is tasted of, when we feel the spirit of adoption to cry unto our spirit, Abba Father. When the mercies of Jesus Christ do so cōpass the inner man, that we see & feel the kingdom of Heaven pictured in our consciences, when with a great and longing desire, even as the heart longeth after the water brooks, we cry with saint Paul: Cupio dissolui. When we be touched inwardly, and say with the saints in y ^e revelation: Come Lord Jesu, come quickly. These are y ^t beginnings of those everlasting joys, that can never be madefull till this mortality have put on immortality, and this corruptible, incorruption, and we have given into our mouths, the songs of our triūphe: O death where is thy styng? O hell where is thy victory? The songs of our joy, such as none can understand, save the hundred & four and forty thousand, that are bought from the earth. He that eateth of Christ to this purpose, he is nourished, and he that drinketh of Christ to this hope, he is quickened. With this meat and drink, Abraham was filled, when he forsook his fathers house, his kindred, his country, to go into a lande that God would show him. With this meat and drink Moses was filled, when he rather chose to be a miserable servant among his brethren of Israel, then to be a mighty Prince in the court of Pharaoh. With this meat and drink was David filled, when he wished rather to be a door keeper in the house of God, then to dwell in the Palaces of Princes. With this meat and drink was Paul filled, when he said, he accounted all the world as dung that he might win Christ. With this meat & drink who so ever is filled, he will forsake father and mother, brother and sister, wife and children, house and lands, yea even his own soul, & take up his cross and follow Christ. The remembrance of immortality that Christ shall give unto him, will make him heartily to confess, y ^t this life is but a moment. The length of his days that liveth forever, will make him behold his own body, and say: all flesh is grass. The glory of his majesty that shineth world without end, will prove the glory of man to be but as a flower in the field. It will make his heart to cry often within him: Lord feed us ever with this bread. And sure (dearelye beloved) the cause is soon espied, why the world is so droncken, with these transitorye vanities: they never felt what the things are, that abide forever. He never tasted of Christ that hungereth & thirsteth after vain glory, to become honorable in this world. He never tasted of Christ, y ^t heapeth up silver and gold, and cannot tell for whom he gathereth it. He never tasted of Christ, that spendeth his days in wantonness, and hearkeneth not to the sentence that shall be spoken unto him: Come, give account of thy stewardshipe. He never tasted of Christ y ^t hath his eyes open to behold vanity, & seeth not Christ crucified for his sins. He never tasted of Christ, that hath his ears open to all ungodly 〈◊〉 and heareth not the Trumpet that one day shall blow a loud: Arise ye dead, and come unto judgment. To be short he never tasted of Christ, that is not crucified unto the world, and the world unto him, so far that sin reign not in his mortal body. The Prince never tasted of Christ, y ^t putteth the glory of his court in concupiscence, in pride, in blasphemy. The noble mā never tasted of Christ, that braggeth & boasteth of his parentage, and knoweth not y ^t he is but dust. The magistrate never tasted of Christ that sufferth this great carding & dising, that leaveth sin unpunished, & virtue unrewarded. The Man or Woman never tasted of Christ, that crieth not in spirit: O Lord thou art mine inheritance. The Father of all mercy, and God of all consolation, strengthen us with his grace, that we may taste of Christ 〈…〉