to receive it.  But I require you in God’s behalf; leave your wickedness, that ye may receive it worthily, according to his institution.  For this supper is ordained, as I told you before, for our sake, to our profits and commodities:  for if we were perfect, we should not need this outward sacrament; but our Saviour, knowing our weakness and forgetfulness, ordained this supper to the augmentation of our faith, and to put us in remembrance of his benefits.  But we will not come:  there come no more at once, but such as give the holy loaves from house to house; which follow rather the custom than any thing else.  Our Saviour Christ saith in the gospel of St. John, Ego sum panis virus, qui de coelo descendi; “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.”  Therefore whosoever feedeth of our Saviour Christ, he shall not perish; death shall not prevail against him:  his soul shall depart out of his body, yet death shall not get the victory over him; he shall not be damned.  He that cometh to that marriage, to that banquet, death shall be unto him but an entrance or a door to everlasting life. Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est; “The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”  As many as will feed upon him, shall attain to everlasting life:  they shall never die; they shall prevail against death; death shall not hurt them, because he hath lost his strength.  If we would consider this, no doubt we would be more desirous to come to the communion than we be; we would not be so cold; we would be content to leave our naughty living, and come to the Lord’s table.

Now ye have heard what shall be the chiefest dish at this marriage, namely, the body and blood of Christ.  But now there be other dishes, which be sequels or hangings-on, wherewith the chief dish is powdered:  that is, remission of sins; also the Holy Ghost, which ruleth and governeth our hearts; also the merits of Christ, which are made ours.  For when we feed upon this dish worthily, then we shall have remission of our sins; we shall receive the Holy Ghost.  Moreover, all the merits of Christ are ours; his fulfilling of the law is ours; and so we be justified before God, and finally attain to everlasting life.  As many, therefore, as feed worthily of this dish, shall have all these things with it, and in the end everlasting life.  St. Paul saith, Qui proprio Filio suo non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum, quomodo non etiam cum illo omnia nobis donabit?  “He which spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things also?” Therefore they that be in Christ are partakers of all his merits and benefits; of everlasting life, and of all felicity.  He that hath Christ hath all things that are Christ’s.  He is our preservation from damnation; he is our comfort; he is our help, our remedy.  When we feed upon him, then we shall have remission of our sins:  the same remission of sins is the greatest and most