A Goodly Heritage

Here is briefly declared in a summary, according to the holy scriptures, what opinion we Christians have of the Lord's Supper, called the sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ. First, we confess that it is a holy action, ordained of God, in the which the Lord Jesus, by earthly and visible things set before us, lifts us up unto heavenly and invisible things. And that when he had prepared his spiritual banquet, he witnessed that he himself was the lively bread wherewith our souls are fed unto everlasting life. And therefore, in setting forth bread and wine to eat and drink, he confirms and seals up to us his promise and communion (that is, that we shall be partakers with him in his kingdom); and he represents unto us, and makes plain to our senses, his heavenly gifts; and also gives unto us himself, to be received with faith, and not with mouth, nor yet by transfusion of substance; but so, through the virtue [ power ] of the Holy Ghost, that we, being fed wit...

The great Bishop of our souls shall shortly appear, to the comfort of us that now mourn (1 Pet. 2:25). When I ponder within myself, right dearly beloved brethren, what was the estate of Christ's true kirk immediately after the death and passion of our Saviour Jesus, and what were the changes and great mutations in the commonwealth of Judah, before the final desolation of the same; as I cannot but fear like plagues to strike the realm of England; and in fearing, God knows, I lament and mourn; so can I not but rejoice, knowing that God's most merciful providence is no less careful this day over his weak and feeble servants, than he was that day over his dispersed and sorely oppressed flock. What was the estate of Christ's kirk between his death and resurrection, between his resurrection and ascension, between his ascension and the sending of the Holy Ghost upon his disciples, and from that time to the final destruction of Jerusalem? The plain scriptures do witness it was ...

Not so much to instruct you, as to leave with you (dearly beloved brethren) some testimony of my love, I have thought good to communicate with you, in these few lines, my weak counsel, how I would you should behave yourselves in the midst of this wicked generation, touching the exercise of God's most holy and sacred word, without which neither shall knowledge increase, godliness appear, nor fervency continue amongst you. For as the word of God is the beginning of spiritual life, without which all flesh is dead in God's presence; and [as it is] the lantern to our feet, without the brightness whereof all the posterity of Adam does walk in darkness; and as it is the foundation of faith, without which no man understands the good will of God; so it is also the only organ and instrument which God uses to strengthen the weak, to comfort the afflicted, to reduce to mercy by repentance such as have slidden, and, finally, to preserve and keep the very life of the soul in all assaults an...

Dear brethren, if you look for a life to come, of necessity it is that you exercise yourselves in the book of the Lord your God. Let no day slip or want some comfort received from the mouth of God. Open your ears, and he will speak even pleasant things to your heart. Close not your eyes, but diligently let them behold what portion of substance is left to you within your Father’s testament. Let your tongues learn to praise the gracious goodness of him, whose mere mercy has called you from darkness to life. Neither yet may you do this so quietly that you admit no witness. No, Brethren, you are ordained of God to rule your own houses in his true fear, and according to his word. Within your houses, I say, in some cases, you are bishops and kings; your wife, children, servants, and family are your bishopric and charge. Of you it shall be required how carefully and diligently you have instructed them in God’s true knowledge, how you have studied to plant virtue in them, and [to] repress v...

It Is I, Be Not Afraid.     Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good comfort, it is I, be not afraid. The natural man that cannot understand the power of God, would have desired some other present comfort in so great a danger; as, either to have had the heavens opened, to show unto them such light in that darkness, that Christ might have been fully known by his own face; or else, that the winds and raging waves of the seas suddenly should have ceased; or some other miracle which had been subject to all their senses, whereby they might have perfectly known that they were delivered from all danger. And truly, it had been the same to Christ Jesus to have done any of these, or any greater work, as to have said, It is I, be not afraid: but willing to teach us the dignity and effectual power of his most holy word, he uses no other instrument to pacify the great and horrible fear of his disciples but his ...

Come, thou my people, enter within thy chamber, shut thy door after thee, hide thyself a very little while, until the indignation pass over. Here the prophet brings in God, lovingly, calling upon his people 056 to come to himself, and to rest with him, until such time as the fury and sharp plagues should be executed upon the wicked and disobedient. It may appear at the first sight, that all these words of the prophet, in the person of God, calling the people unto rest, are spoken in vain; for we neither find chambers, nor rest, more prepared for the dearest children of God, so far as man's judgment can discern, than for the rebellious and disobedient; for such as fell not by the edge of the sword, or died not of pestilence, or by hunger, were either carried captives unto Babylon, or else departed afterwards into Egypt, so that none of Abraham's seed had either chamber or quiet place ...

A most wholesome counsel how to behave ourselves in the midst of this wicked generation, touching the daily exercise of God's most holy and sacred word. The Comfort of the Holy Ghost, etc., for Salvation. Not so much to instruct you, as to leave with you (dearly beloved brethren) some testimony of my love, I have thought good to communicate with you, in these few lines, my weak counsel, how I would you should behave yourselves in the midst of this wicked generation, touching the exercise of God's most holy and sacred word, without which neither shall knowledge increase, godliness appear, nor fervency continue amongst you. For as the word of God is the beginning of spiritual life, without which all flesh is dead in God's presence; and [as it is] the lantern to our feet, without the brightness whereof all the posterity of Adam does walk in darkness; and as it is the foundation of faith, without which no man understands the good will of God; so it is also the only organ and...

GOD'S SENTENCE MAY BE CHANGED. And when we see the plagues of God, as hunger, pestilence, or war coming, or appearing to reign; then should we, with lamentable voices and repenting hearts, call unto God, that it would please his infinite mercies to withdraw his hand; which thing if we do unfeignedly, he will, without doubt, revoke his wrath, and in the midst of his fury think upon mercy; as we are taught in the scripture, by his infallible and eternal verity. As in Exodus, God says, "I shall destroy this nation from the face of the earth" (Ex. 32:10, 28). And when Moses addressed himself to pray for them, the Lord proceeded, saying, "Suffer me that I may utterly destroy them." And then Moses falls down upon his face, and forty days continued in prayer for the safety of the people, for whom at the last he obtained forgiveness (Deut. 9:14, 18). David in the vehement plague, lamentably called unto God (2 Sam. 24:17). And the king of Nineveh says, "Who can tel...

For that same Eternal God, and Father, who of mere mercy elected us in Christ Jesus, His Son, before the foundation of the world was laid, appointed Him to be our Head, our Brother, our Pastor, and great Bishop of our souls. But because that the enmity betwixt the justice of God and our sins was such that no flesh by itself could or might have attained unto God, it behoved that the Son of God should descend unto us, and take Himself a body of our body, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones, and so become the perfect Mediator betwixt God and man; giving power to so many as believe in Him to be the sons of God, as He Himself does witness: "I pass up to my Father and unto your Father, to my God and unto your God." By this most holy fraternity, whatsoever we have lost in Adam 346 is restored to us again. And for this cause are we not afraid to call God our Father, not so much because He hath created ...