the body of our Lord concerning the Sacrament onely that is concerning the Elements onely Last of all they tooke it not only for the Elements but for the things signified by the Elements And after this manner Irenaeus saith that a Sacrament standeth of two things the one earthly the other heauenly The ancient Diuines then taking the word after these sorts no question all these waies they tooke it rightly But leauing the ambiguitie of the word I take the word Sacrament as it is taken and vsed this day in the Church of GOD for a holy Signe and Seale that is annexed to the preached word of God to seale vp and confirme the truth contained in the same vvord so that I call not the seale separated from the vvord a Sacrament For as there can not bee a seale but that which is the seale of an euidence and if the seale be separated from the euidence it is not a seale but looke what it is by nature it is no more So there cannot bee a Sacrament except it bee annexed to the euidence of the vvord but looke what the Sacrament was by nature it is no more Was it a common peece of bread it remaines common bread except it be ioyned to the euidence of the vvord Therefore the vvord onelie cannot be a Sacrament nor the element onely cannot be a Sacrament but the vvord and element coniunctly must make a Sacrament And so Augustine said well Let the vvord come to the element and so yee shall haue a Sacrament So then the vvord must come to the element that is the vvord preached distinctly and all the parts of it opened vp must goe before the hanging to of the sacrament and the Sacrament as a seale must follow and so be receiued accordingly Then I call a Sacrament the vvord and seale coniunctly the one hung to the other It is without all controuersie and there is no doubt in it that all Sacraments are signes Now if a Sacrament be a signe as the signe is in a relation in that Category for so wee must speake it so the Sacrament must be placed in that same Category of relation Now euery relation againe must stand of force betwixt two things for one thing cannot bee the correlatiue of it selfe but in a lawfull relation of force there must be two things which two haue euer a mutuall respect the one to the other therfore in euery Sacrament that hath a relation there must be two things which two haue euer a mutual respect the one to the other Take away one of these two things from the Sacrament ye lose the relation losing the relation ye lose the Sacrament Confound any of these two with the other make either a confusion or permixtion of them ye lose the relation and losing the relation ye lose the Sacrament Turne ouer the one into the other so that the substance of the one starts vp and vanisheth in the other yee lose the relation and so yee lose the Sacrament Then as in euery Sacrament there is a relation so to keepe the relation yee must euer keepe two things seuerally in the Sacrament Now The heads to be entreated in this Sermō for the better vnderstanding cōsideration of these two diuerse things which are relatiue to others wee shall keepe this order by Gods grace First I will let you see what is meant by a signe in the Sacrament Next I wil let you vnderstand what is meant by the thing signified Thirdly how they two are coupled by what power and vertue they are conioyned from whence this power and vertue floweth Fourthly and last of all I will let you vnderstand whether one and the selfe same instrument giues the signe and the thing signified or not whether they be giuen in one action or two whether they be offred to one instrument or two or if they be giuen after one manner or two to both the instruments Marke these diuersities the diuerse manner of the receiuing the diuersitie of the Instruments and the diuersitie of the giuers and yee shall finde little difficultie in the Sacrament Now to beginne at the signes seeing all Sacraments are signes The signes in the Sacrament what call wee the signes in the Sacrament I call the signes in the Sacrament whatsoeuer I perceiue and take vp by my outward senses by mine eye especially Now ye see in this Sacrament there are two sorts of things subiect to the outward senses to the eye especially yee see the Elements of Bread and Wine are subiect to mine eye therfore they must be signes Yee see againe that the rites and ceremonies whereby these Elements are distributed broken and giuen are subiect to mine eye also Then I must make two sorts of signes one sort of the Bread and the Wine and we call them Elementall another sort of the rites ceremonies whereby these are distributed broken and giuen and wee call them ceremoniall Be not deceiued with the vvord Ceremonie thinke not that I call the breaking of the Bread the eating of the Bread and drinking of the Wine Ceremonies thinke not that they are vaine as yee vse that word Ceremonie for a vaine thing which hath no grace nor profit following after it No although I call them Ceremonies there is neuer a Ceremonie which Christ instituted in this Supper but it is as essentiall as the Bread and Wine are and yee cannot leaue one iot of them except yee peruert the whole institution for what euer Christ commaunded to be done what euer he spake or did in that whole action it is essentiall and must be done and yee cannot leaue one iot thereof but yee vvill peruert the vvhole action The reason wherefore I call them signes Why they are called signes is this I call them not signes by that reason that men commonly call them signes because they signifie onely as the Bread signifies the body of Christ the Wine signifies the bloud of Christ I call them not signes because they represent onely but I call them signes because they haue the body and bloud of Christ conioyned with them Yea so truly is the body of Christ conioyned with that Bread and the bloud of Christ conioyned with that Wine that as soone as thou receiuest that Bread in thy mouth if thou be a faithful man or woman so soone receiuest thou the bodie of Christ in thy soule and that by faith and as soone as thou receiuest that Wine in thy mouth so soone thou receiuest the bloud of Christ in thy soule and that by faith In respect of this exhibition chiefely that they are instruments to deliuer and exhibite the things that they signifie and not in respect onely of their representation are they called signes For if they did nothing but represent or signifie a thing absent then any picture or dead Image should be a Sacrament for there is no picture as the picture of the King but at the sight of the picture the King
vvill come in your minde and it vvill signifie vnto you that that is the Kings picture So if the signe of the Sacrament did no further all pictures should bee Sacraments but in respect the Sacrament exhibites and deliuers the thing that it signifieth to the soule and hart so soone as the signe is deliuered to the mouth for this cause especially it is called a signe There is no picture of the King that will deliuer the King vnto you there is no other Image that will exhibite the thing wherof it is the Image therefore there is no Image can be a Sacrament Then in respect the Lord hath appointed the Sacraments as hands to deliuer and exhibite the thing signified for this deliuery and exhibition chiefely they are called signes As the word of the Gospel is a mighty potent instrument to our euerlasting saluation so the Sacrament is a potent instrument appointed by GOD to deliuer vs to Christ Iesus to our euerlasting saluation For this spirituall meat is dressed and giuen vp to vs in spirituall dishes that is in the ministery of the word and in the ministery of the Sacraments And suppose this ministery be externall yet the Lord is said to deliuer spirituall and heauenlie things by these externall things Why Because hee hath appointed them as instruments whereby he will deliuer his owne Sonne vnto vs. For this is certain that none hath power to deliuer Christ Iesus vnto vs except God and his holy spirit and therefore to speake properly there is none can deliuer Christ but God by his owne spirit hee is deliuered by the ministery of the holy Spirit it is the holy Spirit that seales him vp in our harts and confirmes vs more and more in him as the Apostle giues him this stile 2. Cor. 1.22 To speak properly there is none hath power to deliuer Christ but GOD the Father or himselfe There is none hath power to deliuer the Mediator but his owne spirit yet it hath pleased GOD to vse some instruments and means wherby hee will deliuer Christ Iesus vnto vs. The meanes are these the ministery of the vvord and the ministery of the Sacraments and in respect he vseth these as meanes to deliuer Christ they are said to deliuer him But heere yee haue to distinguish between the principall efficient deliuerer and the instrumentall efficient which is the word and the Sacramēts keeping this distinction both these are true GOD by his word and GOD by his spirit deliuereth Christ Iesus vnto you Then I say I cal thē signes because God hath made them potent instruments to deliuer that same thing which they signifie Now I goe to the thing signified and I call the thing signified by the signes in the Sacrament What is the thing signified in the Sacrament that which Irenaeus that old Writer calleth the heauenly spirituall thing to wit whole Christ with his whole gifts benefites and graces applyed giuen to my soule Then I call not the thing signified by the signes of Bread and Wine the benefits of Christ the graces of Christ or the vertue that floweth out of Christ onely but I call the thing signified together with the benefites and vertues flowing from him the very substance of Christ himselfe from which this vertue dooth flowe The substance with the vertues gifts and graces that flowe from the substance is the thing signified heere As for the vertue and graces that flow from Christ it is not possible that thou canst be partaker of the vertue that floweth from his substance except thou be first partaker of the substance it selfe For how is it possible that I can be partaker of the iuyce that floweth out of any substance except I be partaker of the substance it selfe first Is it possible that my stomach can bee refreshed with that meat the substance vvhereof came neuer in my mouth Is it possible my drouth can be slackned with that drinke that passed neuer downe my throat Is it possible that I can sucke any vertue out of anie thing except I gette the substance first So it is impossible that I can get the iuyce vertue that floweth out of Christ except I get the substance that is himselfe first So I call not the thing signified the grace vertue that floweth from Christ onelie nor Christ himselfe and his substance without his vertue graces onely but ioyntly the substance with the graces whole Christ God and man without separation of his natures without distinguishing of his substance from his graces I call the thing signified by the signes in the Sacrament for why if no more be signified by the Bread but the flesh and body of Christ onely and no more be signified by the Wine but the bloud of Christ onely thou canst not say that the body of Christ is Christ it is but a part of Christ thou canst not say that the blood of Christ is whole Christ it is but a part of him and a peece of thy Sauiour saued thee not a part of thy Sauiour wrought not the worke of thy saluation and so suppose thou get a peece of him in the Sacrament that part will doe thee no good To the end therefore that this Sacrament may nourish thee to life euerlasting thou must get in it thy whole Sauiour whole Christ God and man with his whole graces and benefites without separation of his substance from his graces or of the one nature from the other And how get I him Not by my mouth It is a vaine thing to think that wee will get God by our mouth but we get him by faith As hee is a spirit so I eate him by faith and belieue in my soule not by the teeth of my mouth that is a vaine thing Be it that thou mightest eate the flesh of Christ with thy teeth this were a cruel maner of doing yet thou maist not eate the God-head with thy teeth this is a gross fashion of speaking Then if euer yee get good of the Sacrament ye must get whole Christ and there is not any instrument whereby to lay hold on him but by faith onely therefore come with a faithfull hart O but yee will aske mee and by appearance the definition layd downe of the thing signified giues a ground to it If the flesh of Christ Question and the bloud of Christ bee a part of the thing signified how can I call his flesh a spirituall thing and Christ in respect of his flesh a heauenly thing Yee will not say that the substance of Christes flesh is spirituall or that the substance of his bloud is spirituall vvherefore then call ye it an heauenly and spiritual thing I wil tell you The flesh of Christ is called a spirituall thing and Christ is called spirituall in respect of his flesh not that his flesh is become a spirit or that the substance of his flesh is become spirituall No it remaineth true flesh and the substance of it is one as it
was in the wombe of the Virgin His flesh is not called spirituall in respect it is glorified in the heauens at the right hand of the Father be not deceiued with that for suppose it be glorified yet it remaineth true flesh that same verie flesh which hee tooke out of the wombe of the blessed Virgine Neither is it spirituall because thouseest it not in the Supper if thou wert where it is Answere thou mightest see it But it is called spirituall in respect of the spirituall ends wherunto it serues to my body soule because the flesh bloud of Christ serueth to nourish me not to a temporall but to a spirituall heauenly life Now in respect this flesh is a spiritual foode seruing me to a spirituall life for this cause it is called a spirituall thing if it nourish mee as the flesh of beasts doth but to a temporall life it should be called but a temporall thing but in respect it nourisheth my soule not to an earthly and temporall life but to an heauenly celestiall and spirituall end In respect of this end the flesh of Christ and Christ in respect of his flesh is called the spirituall thing in the Sacrament It is called also the spiritual thing in the Sacrament in respect of the spirituall instrument whereby it is receiued The instrument whereby the flesh of Christ is receiued is not a corporall instrument is not the teeth and mouth of the body but it is spirituall it is the mouth of the soule which is faith and in respect the instrument is spirituall therefore Christ who is receiued is also called spirituall In respect also that the manner of receiuing is a heauenly spirituall and internall manner not a naturall nor externall manner in respect that the flesh of Christ which is giuen in the Sacrament is receiued by a spiritual secret maner which is not seene to the eyes of men In all these respects I call Christ Iesus the heauenly and spirituall thing which is signified by the signes in the Sacrament Now The thing signified must be applyed I say in the end the thing signified must bee applyed to vs. What auaileth it me to see my medicine in a box standing in an Apothecaries shop what can it worke toward me if it be not applyed What auaileth it mee to see my saluation afarre of if it be not applied to mee Therefore it is not enough for vs to see Christ but he must be giuen vs or else he cannot worke health and saluation in vs. And as this saluation is giuen vs wee must haue a mouth to take it What auaileth it mee to see meat before me except I haue a mouth to take it So the thing signified in the Sacrament must be giuen vs by God by the Three persons of the Trinitie one GOD by Christ Iesus who must giue himselfe as he giues himselfe so wee must haue a mouth to take him Suppose he present and offer himselfe yet he can profit and auaile none but them who haue a mouth to receiue him Then ye see what I call the thing signified whole Christ applyed to vs and receiued by vs vvhole Christ God and man without separation of his natures vvithout distinguishing of his substance from his graces All applyed to vs. Then I say seeing we come to the Sacrament to be fed by his flesh and refreshed by his bloud to be fed to an heauenly and spirituall life and seeing there is no profit to be had at this Table without some kinde of preparation therefore let no man prease to come to this holy Table except in some measure hee be prepared Some will be prepared in a greater measure then others alwayes let no man presume to go to it except in some measure his heart be sanctified therefore my exhortation concerning the way whereby euery one of you ought to prepare your selues that yee may fit you the better to this Table is this there is not one of you that commeth to the Table of the Lord that may bring before the Lord his integritie iustice and vprightnes but whosoeuer goeth to the Table of the Lord hee ought to goe with the acknowledging confession of his misery he ought to goe with a sorrowfull hart for the sinnes wherin he hath offended God he ought to goe with a hatred of those sinnes Not to protest that hee is holy iust and vpright but to protest and confesse that he is miserable and of all creatures the most miserable and therefore hee goeth to that Table to get support for his misery to obtaine mercy at the throne of Grace to get remission and forgiuenes of his sinnes to get the gift of repentance that more more he may study to liue vprightly holily and soberly in all time to come Therfore except yee haue entred into this course and haue a purpose to continue in this course to amend your life past to repent you of your sinnes and by the grace of God to liue more vprightly and soberly then yee haue done for Gods cause goe not to the Table For where there is not a purpose to doe well and to repent of necessity there must be a purpose to doe ill and whosoeuer commeth to that Table with a purpose to doe ill and without a purpose to repent he commeth to mock Christ to scorne him to his face to eate his owne present-condemnation So let no man come to that Table that hath not in his hart a purpose to doe better that hath not a hart to sorrow for his sinnes past and thinketh not his former follie and madnesse ouer-great Let no man come to that Table without this vnder the paine of condemnation But if yee haue in your hart a purpose to doe better suppose your former life hath been dissolute and loose yet if yee be touched in your harts with any feeling or remorse of your life past goe not from the Table but come vvith a protestation of your misery and wretchednesse and come with a heart to gette grace if vvith a dissolute life I meane not of open slaunders thou haue also a purpose not to amend but to doe vvorse for Gods sake abstaine Thus farre of the thing signified Vnto this generall consideration there remaineth these things yet to bee made plaine vnto you First how the signes and the thing signified are coupled together and how they are conioyned Next it restes to be told you how the signe is deliuered and hovv the thing signified is deliuered and hovv both are receiued as vvell as they are deliuered This beeing done I shall speake briefely of the other part of the Sacrament vvhich is the vvord And last of all I shall let you see what sort of faults they are that peruert the Sacrament and make it of no effect And if time shall serue I shall enter in particular to this Sacrament which wee haue in hand Then to come back againe In the third place How the signe the
these three or doe it in the name of any one of the three persons onely ye lose the essentiall form of Baptisme In the Lords Supper if yee leaue out the least ceremonie ye lose the essential form and so it is not a Sacrament I speak of the essentiall forme in respect of the Papists who keepe the essentiall forme in Baptisme though they haue brought in trifles of their owne and mixt with it yet in respect they keepe the substantiall forme it is not necessary that they who were baptized vnder them be rebaptized Indeed if the vertue of regeneration flowed from the person it were something but in respect Christ hath this to giue to whom when he pleaseth the essentiall forme being kept it is not necessary that this Sacrament be reiterated Now what are the faults in the person that peruerts the Sacrament The fault may be either in the person of the giuer or in the person of the receiuer I speake not of those common faults which are common to all but of such faultes as disable the person of the giuer to be a distributer of the Sacrament taketh the office from him so when the person of the giuer is this way disabled no question it is not a Sacrament Then again in the person of the Receiuer the faults may be if their childreÌ„ be not in the couenant but out of it they get not the SacrameÌ„t Indeed if the Parents afterward com to the couenant the children thogh they be gotteÌ„ out of the couenant may be receiued Euen so in the L. Supper if a man be laden with any burthen of sin without any purpose to repent hee ought not to receiue it So then if ye come without a purpose to repent ye lose the vse of the Sacrament it is onely this purpose to repent that maketh me who receiue the Sacrament to get the fruit effect therof therefore euery one who goeth to that Sacrament must looke what purpose he hath in his hart Hast thou a purpose to murder to continue in adultery or to commit any other vile sin that is in thy hart and art not resolued to repent In shewing thee to be without repentance thou shewest thy selfe to be without faith and consequently thou commest vnto thy condemnation not to thy saluation take heed then what your purpose is for if with a dissolute life yee haue a dissolute purpose yee come vnto your euerlasting perdition I had thought to haue entred particularly into the handling of this Sacrament CoÌ„clusion with an exhortation but because the time is past and some of you I doubt not are to communicate onely this Remember that yee addresse not your selues to that Table except ye finde your harts in some sort prepared The first degree of preparation standeth in contrition in sorowing for sinne in a feeling of your sins wherein ye haue â—ffended so gracious a God If ye be able as that woman was by the tears of a contrite hart to wash the feete of Christ humbly to kiss his feete and to get hold of the foote of Christ though yee dare not presume so high as to get him whole ye are in a good case but if thou want all these and hast them not in some measure thou wantest all the degrees of preparation therefore let none come to this Table except hee haue these in some measure But vvhere there is a displeasure for sinne a purpose to doe better an earnest sobbing and sighing to get the thing that thou wantest in that soule where God hath placed this desire of Christ it is the vvorke of Gods spirit Christ will enter there And therfore though that soule be farre from the thing that it should be at let him not refuse to goe to the Lords Table but let him go with a profession of his owne infirmitie weakenesse and with a desire of the thing that he wants Euery one of you that findeth himselfe this way disposed let him goe in Gods name to the Lords Table and the Lord worke this in euery one of your harts that this ministerie may be effectuall in euery one of you at this time and that in the righteous merits of Iesus Christ To whom with the Father the holy Ghost be all honour praise glorie both now and for euer Amen THE SECOND Sermon vpon the Lords Supper in particular 1. Cor. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to vvit that the Lord Iesus in the night that hee vvas betrayed tooke bread c. WE ended the consideration of the Sacraments in generall in our last Exercise welbeloued in Christ Iesus now it remaines that we proceed to the consideration of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper in particular Of the Supper of the Lord in particular And that yee may the better attaine vnto the knowledge and consideration of the great varietie of matter that is coÌ„tained in this Sacrament of the Lods Supper I shall endeuour Heads to be intreated of as God shall giue me grace to set downe certaine things for the easier vnderstanding of it And first of all I vvill let you see what names are giuen vnto this Sacrament in the Bible and I will shew you some names that are giuen to this Sacrament by the Ancients Next I will let you vnderstand for what chiefe ends respects this Sacrament was instituted and appointed by Christ Iesus Thirdly I will come to the things that are contained in the Sacrament how these things are coupled how they are deliuered and how they are receiued And last of all I will answere certaine obiections which may be obiected to the contrary of this doctrine and as God shall giue me grace I will refute them and so end this present exercise Now First head generall we finde sundry names giuen vnto the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the booke of God and euery name carries a speciall reason with it Of the names giueÌ„ vnto this Sacrament both in the Bible and by the ancients Wee finde this Sacrament called the body and bloud of Christ This name is giuen vnto it no doubt because it is a heauenly spiritual nouriture it containes a nouriture of the soule that is able to nourish and traine vp the soule to a life spiritual to that life euerlasting for this cause it is called the body bloud of Christ It is called also the Supper of the Lord to put a difference betwixt it a profane supper for this is the Lords Supper a holy supper not a profane or common supper a supper appointed for the increase of holiness for the food of the soule in holiness to feede the soule vnto life euerlasting Not a supper appointed for the belly for he had ended that Supper that was appointed for the belly or euer he began this supper which was appointed for the soule A supper no doubt hauing respect to the circuÌ„stance of
time by reason it was instituted in the article of that time when they vsed to suppe It is called also in the Bible The Table of the Lord. It is not called the Altar of the Lord but the Apostle calleth it a Table to sit at and not an Altar to stand at a Table to take and receiue at not an Altar to offer at It is called also the Communion and participation of the body and bloud of Christ we haue these names giuen vnto it beside some others in the Scriptures of God The Ancients of the Latine of the Greeke Churches gaue it sundry names for sundry respects They called it a publique action and this vvas a very generall name Some-times they called it a Thanksgiuing Some-times they called it a banquet of loue and sometimes they gaue it one name and sometimes another And at the last in the declining estate of the Latine Church in the falling estate of the Romane Church this Sacrament began to be peruerted and with this decay there came in a peruerse name and they called it the Masse They trouble themselues much concerning the deriuation of this name sometime they seeke it from an Hebrew original sometime from a Greeke and sometime from a Latine originall but it is plaine that the vvord is deriued from the Latine and it is a word which might haue been tollerable when it was first instituted for no doubt the Sacrament at the first institution of this word was not then wholly peruerted but now in processe of time corruption hath preuatied so farre that it hath turned the Sacrament into a sacrifice and where we should take from the hand of GOD in Christ they make vs to giue This is plaine Idolatry and therefore vvhereas the vvord vvas tollerable before now it ought not to be tollerable any way it ought not to be suffered And certainly if wee had eaten and drunke as oft the body bloud of Christ in our soules as wee haue eaten that bread and drunke that wine which are the signes of his body and bloud we would not haue suffered this word of the Masse much lesse the very action of it to be so rise in this Countrey But because we haue but played the counterfaits and defrauded our soules of the body and bloud of Christ and tooke onely the outward Sacrament therefore it is that our zeale decayeth therfore it is that our knowledge and light decayeth and for want of zeale loue and knowledge the word of the Masse is becom customable vnto you and not onely the word but the very action I will not runne out heerin I onely tell you what commeth of the abuse of the hearing of the vvord vvhat iudgements follow vpon the abuse of the receiuing of the Sacraments Now Secōd head generall Of the ends why this Sacrament was instituted I come to the ends wherefore the Sacrament was appointed This Sacrament was instituted in the signes of Bread and Wine and was appointed chiefely for this end to represent our spirituall nouriture the full and perfect nouriture of our soules that as he who hath Bread Wine lacketh nothing for the full nourishment of his body so hee or that soule vvhich hath the participation of the body and bloud of Christ wanteth nothing for the full and perfect nourishment of the soule To represent this full and perfect nourishment the signes of bread and vvine in the Sacrament were set downe and instituted The second end wherfore this Sacrament was instituted is this That we might testifie to the world and to the Princes of the world who are enemies to our profession that we might openly avow and testifie vnto them our Religion and our manner of worshipping in the which we avow and worship Christ and that wee might also testifie our loue towards his members our bretheren this is the second end vvherefore it was instituted The third end wherfore it was instituted is this to serue for our speciall comfort and consolation to serue as a soueraine medicine for all our spirituall diseases as wee finde our selues either readie to fall or prouoked to fall by the diuell the flesh or the world or after that we haue fallen and are put to flight by the diuell and would faine flee away from God GOD of his mercie and of his infinite pitie and bottomlesse compassion hath set vp this Sacrament as a signe on an high hill whereby it may be seene on euery side farre and neere to call all them againe that haue run shamefully away and hee clucks to them as a Henne doth to her chickens to gather them vnder the wings of his infinite mercie The fourth end vvherefore this Sacrament was instituted is this that in this action wee might thanke him for his benefites and render to him hartie thanks that he hath come downe so familiarly to vs bowed the heauens as it were and giuen vs the body and bloud of his owne Sonne that wee might render vnto him harty thanks and so sanctifie his benefits vnto vs for this thanksgiuing this Sacrament was also instituted Thus far concerning the ends briefely Now Third head generall I come to the things contayned in this Sacrament Yee see with your eyes there are corporall things visible things as the Bread and Wine There are againe hid from the eye of your body but present to the eye of your minde spirituall things heauenly and invvard things both these are in the Sacrament The corporal visible outward things are the things which are appointed Of the things contained in this Sacrament outward and inward wherin sundry heads are intreated to signifie the spirituall heauenly and inward things And why Nothing without a reason These corporall signes are appointed to signifie the spirituall things because we are corporall we are earthly bodies we haue our soule lodging within a carnal body in a tabernacle of clay a grosse tabernacle which cannot be wakened nor moued except by the things that are like to it selfe It cannot be induced to the consideration of heauenly things except by gross temporall and corporall things If we had been of the nature of the thing signified that as the thing signified is spirituall and heauenly so wee had been spirituall and heauenly we had not needed a corporall thing so if the thing signified had been as wee are corporall earthly and visible we had not needed a signe to lead vs to cōsider of it But because the thing signified is spirituall and we are corporall therfore to bring vs vnto the sight of these spirituall things he vseth a corporall means and an outward signe This is the reason wherefore these corporall signes are appointed to signifie the spirituall thing The spirituall thing in both the Sacraments is one and the selfe same Christ Iesus signified in both the Sacraments yet in diuerse respects he is the thing signified in Baptisme and hee is the thing signified in the Lords Supper This Christ Iesus in his
yee must bee borne in the bodie of Christ his spirit must quicken you This is called the quickning and liuing spirit of Christ by Iohn And so soone as this spirit cometh what doth it It chaseth away darknesse out of the vnderstanding whereas before I knewe not God now I see him not onely generally that he is a God but that he is my God in Christ what more doth the holy spirit It opneth the heart as well as the minde and what doth it there Those things whereon I bestowed the affection of my heart and imployed the loue of my soule are by the working of the holy spirit made gall to mee he makes then venome to mee and to bee as deadly hated of mee as poyson Hee worketh such an inward disposition in my soule that hee makes mee to turne and flie from those things whereon I imployed my loue before and to imploy it vpon God This is a great perfection Alwayes in some measure he makes mee to loue God better then anie other thing Hee changeth the affections and inclinations of my soule he changeth the faculties and qualities of my soule And though our hearts minde be made new yet the substance of them is not changed but onely the faculties and qualities are changed in respect of the which change wee are called new creatures except you be found newe creatures Conclusion with an exhortation yee are not in Christ Now to come to the poynt This secret Coniunction is brought to passe by faith and by the holy spirit by faith wee lay hold on the bodie and bloud of Christ And though wee bee as farre distant as heauen and earth are the spirit serues vs as a ladder to conioyne vs with Christ As the ladder of Iacob which reached from the ground to the heauen to the selfe same vse serueth the spirit of God to conioyne the bodie of Christ with my soule Then obserue the whole in a word what makes you to haue anie right or title to Christ Nothing but the spirit Nothing but faith What should bee your studie then Seeke by all meanes possible to gett faith That as Peter Acts the 15.9 sayeth your hearts and consciences may be sanctified by faith And if you endeuour not as well to get faith in your hearts as in your mindes your faith auaileth not What auaileth the faith that fleeteth in the fantasie and brings a naked knowledge without the opening of the heart and consent of the will So there must be an opening of thy hart and consent of thy will to doe that thing that God commandeth or else thy faith availeth not Then striue to get faith in your hearts and mindes and doing so yee doe the duties of Christians This is not done without the diligent hearing of the word and diligent receiuing of the Sacrament Then be diligent in these exercises and be diligent in prayer Praying in the holy Ghost that hee would nourish your soules inwardlie with the body and bloud of Christ That hee would increase faith in your hearts and mindes and make it to grow vp more and more daily vntill you come to the full fruition of that blessed immortality Vnto the which the Lord of his mercie bring vs and that for the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour praise and glorie both now and euer Amen THE THIRD Sermon vpon the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that hee was betraied tooke bread c. WE haue heard wel-beloued in Christ Iesus in our last exercise what names were giuen to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well in the Scriptures as by the Auncientes of the Latine and East Churches wee hearde the chiefe ends wherefore and wherevnto this holy Sacrament was at first instituted wee heard the things that were contained in this Sacrament what they were how they are coupled how they are deliuered and how they are receiued wee heard also some obiections that might bee obiected to the contrarie of this doctrine wee heard them propounded and as God gaue the grace refuted wee heard how the faythfull soule is said to eate Christs bodie and drinke Christs blood Wee heard the manner how Christ is or canne bee receiued of vs And we concluded in this poynt That Christ Iesus the Sauiour of mankinde our Sauiour cannot bee perceiued nor yet receiued but by a spirituall way apprehension Neyther the flesh of Christ nor the bloud of Christ nor Christ himselfe can bee perceiued but by the eye of fayth can bee receiued but by the mouth of faith nor can be layd hold on but by the hand of fayth Now faith is a spiritual thing for fayth is the gift of God poured downe into the heartes and mindes of men and women wrought in the soule of euery one and that by the mightie working and operation of the holy spirit So the onely waie to laie holde on Christ being by faith and faith of it owne nature beeing spiritual it followeth therefore that there is no waie to lay hold on Christ but a spirituall way there is not a hand to fasten on Christ but aspirituall hand there is not a mouth to digest Christ but a spirituall mouth The Scriptures samiliarly by all these tearmes describe the nature and efficacie of faith How we are said to eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ Wee are said to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drink his bloud by faith in this Sacrament chiefely in doing of two things First in calling to our remembrance the bitter death and passiof Christ the blood that hee shedde vpon the crosse the Supper which he instituted in remembrance of him before he went to the Crosse The commandement which hee gaue Doe this in remembrance of me I say wee eate his flesh and drinke his bloode spiritually First in this poynt in recording and remembring faithfully how hee died for vs how his blood was shedde vpon the crosse This is the first poynt a point that cannot be remembred truly except it be wrought by the mightie power of the holy spirit The second poynt of the spirituall eating standeth in this That I and euerie one of you beleeue firmly that he died for mee in particular That his bloud was shedde on the crosse for a full remission and redemption of me and my sinnes The cheefe and principall poynt of the eating of Christ his flesh and drinking of his blood standeth in beleeuing firmely that that flesh was deliuered to death for my sinnes that that blood of his was shedde for the remission of my sinnes and except euerie soule come neere to himselfe and firmely consent and agree and bee perswaded that Christ died for him that soule can not be saued that soule cannot eate the flesh nor drinke the blood of Christ Then the
and said Depart in peace thy faith hath saued thee Thy faith hath drawn out a vertue power from me that hath made both thy soule body whole So that this touching of Christ hath euer been profitable is and shall be profitable like as the touching of Christ with the corporall hand hath neuer beene is not nor euer shall be profitable And why Christ is not appointed to be a carnall head to be set vpon the necks of our bodies that he may doe the office of a carnall head therunto to furnish naturall motion senses to our bodies No the Scriptures call not Christ a natural head but the Scriptures call him a spirituall head to be set on the neck of our soules that is to be cōioyned with our soules that out of him into our soules may distill holy motions heauenly senses and that there may flowe out of him to vs a spiritual heauenly life Then the Scriptures call him a spiritu-head as they call vs a spirituall body and as the life which wee get from him is spirituall so all our coniunction with him is spirituall And in respect he worketh that same operation in my soule vvhich the carnall head doth in my body therefore hee is called a spirituall head therefore hee is called the head of his Church because hee furnisheth her vvith spirituall motion and senses vvhich is the life of the Church So to be short there is nothing in this coniunction carnall there is nothing grosse in it there is nothing that may be compassed by our naturall iudgement vnderstanding And therefore whosoeuer would attaine to any small in-sight of this spiritual coniunction between Christ and vs of necessity hee must humble himselfe and earnestly pray for the spirit otherwise it is not possible to get any vnderstanding no not the least perseuerance how the flesh of Christ and vve are conioyned except we haue some light giuen vs by the spirit that is except our harts be wakened by the mighty working of the spirit of Christ this shall remaine as a dead and closed letter vnto vs. So Exhortation yee are to craue that the Lord in his mercie would waken you illuminate your vnderstandings and make you to haue a spirituall light to discerne of these spirituall things Next ye must study and be carefull to remoue all vaine cogitations and earthly fantasies when yee come to heare so high a matter yee must cast off all filthy thoughts ill motions and cares of the world and yee must shake off all things that clogge your harts Thirdly yee must come with a purpose to heare the vvord to giue diligent care to the word and with a sanctified hart to receiue it vvith a purpose to growe and increase in holiness as well in body as in soule all the dayes of your life And comming with this purpose no question the holy Spirit shall reueale those things to you which yee want And though this word passe and bring no great commodity for the present yet the holy Spirit heereafter shall reueale to thee the truth of that which thou hast now heard Then this is the end of all Bee present in your harts and mindes and let your soules be emptied of all the cares of the vvorld that they may receiue that comfort which is offered in the hearing of the word Now I come to the defining of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I call this Sacrament A holy Seale annexed to the couenant of grace and mercy in Christ A seale to be ministred publiquely alwaies according to the holy institution of Christ Iesus that by the lawful ministery therof the Sacramentall vnion betweene the signes and the thing signified may stand and this vnion standing Christ Iesus who is the thing signified is as truely deliuered to the increase of our spirituall nourishment as the signes are giuen deliuered to the body for our temporall nourishment Now let vs examine the words parts of this definition Why this Sacrament is called a Seale First of all I call this Sacrament a Seale because this Sacrament serueth to the same vse to our soules that a common seale doth to a common Euidence As the seale which is annexed to the Euidence confirmes and seales vp the truth contained in the Euidence so this Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ confirmeth and sealeth vp the truth of mercy and grace contayned in the couenant of mercy and grace for this respect it is called a seale It is called A holy Seale Why Why it is called a holy Seale Because it is taken from the profane vse whereunto that bread serued before and that bread is applyed to a holy vse There is a power giuen to that bread to signifie the precious body of Christ Iesus to represent the nourishing and feeding of our soules And in respect it serueth now in the Sacrament to so holy an vse therefore I call it an holie seale This is not my word it is the Apostles Rom. 4.11 where hee giueth the Sacrament the same name and calleth it a seale And further if the wisdom of Christ in his Apostle had been followed and if men had not inuented new names of their own for this Sacrament but contented satisfied themselues with the names which God hath giuen by his Apostle that Chr. himself hath giuen to this Sacramēt I am assured none of these controuersies debares which neuer will cease had fallen out but where men wil go about to be wiser thē God go beyond God in deuising names which he neuer gaue vpon mens own inuentions such debates haue faln out A lesson by the vvay that no flesh presume to be wiser then GOD but let them stoupe and keepe the names which God hath giuen to this Sacrament Thirdly Why the seale is said to be annexed to the couenant I say annexed to the Couenant annexed and hung to the Charter because it cannot be called a seale properly except it be hung to an Euidence What it is by nature the same it remaineth and no more if it be not annexed to some Euidence it is onely the hanging of it to the Euidence that maketh men account it a seale not beeing esteemed except it be hanged to the Euidence Euen so it is heere if this Sacrament be not ministred and ioyned to the preached vvord to the preaching of the couenant of mercie and grace it cannot be a seale but what it is by nature it is no more As by nature it is but a common peece of bread so it is no more if it be not annexed to the preaching of the word and ministred therewith as Christ hath commaunded Therfore I say the seale must be annexed and hanged to the Euidence to the preaching of the word for the confirming of the Euidence otherwise it is not a seale But it is not so with the Euidence vvhich is the word of
GOD for yee knowe any Euidence will make faith though it vvant a seale and it will serue to make a right if it be subscribed without a seale but the seale without the Euidence auaileth nothing Euen so it is with the word of God though the Sacraments bee not annexed to the word yet the word will serue the turne it serueth vs to get Christ it serueth to ingender and beget faith in vs and maketh vs to growe vp in faith But the seale without the word can serue vs to no holievse therefore I say the seale must be annexed to the word preached to the couenant of mercy and grace Now it followeth in the definition Why the Sacrament should be ministred publiquely that this seale must bee ministred publiquely Wherefore say I publiquely To exclude all priuat administration of this Sacramēt For if this Sacrament be administred to any priuately it is not a Sacrament Why First reason Because the Apostle calleth this Sacrament a Communion If ye administer it to one yee lose the Communion therefore if yee administer it priuatly yee lose the Sacrament For this Sacrament is a Communion of the body and bloud of Christ therefore of necessity it must be by way of communication and so the action must be publiquely ministred Secondly this Sacrament must be publiquely ministred Second reason because Christ Iesus vvho is the thing signified in this Sacrament is no such thing as pertaineth but to one man only if this were so he might be priuatly giuen and ministred But seeing Christ which is the thing signified in the Sacrament is a common thing belonging to euery faithfull man and vvoman therefore hee ought to be commonly giuen to all in a common action in a societie and congregation of the faithfull Thirdly this Sacrament is a Thanksgiuing to God the Father for his benefits Now it appertaineth not to one or tvvo to thanke God onely but as we are all partakers of his temporall and spirituall benefits so we ought all of vs publiquely to giue him thanks for the same Therefore I say in the definition this seale ought to be publiquely and not priuatly ministred as the Papists doe in their priuat Masses This Seale must bee publiquely ministred according to Christ his institution Wherfore say I Christ his institution more then mans institution or Angels institution Why keepe I to Christ his institution Why this Seale must be ministred according to Chr. his institution Because man hath not power to institute or make a Sacrament because an Angel hath not power to make or institute a Sacrament For none hath power to make or institute a Sacrament but he that hath power to giue Christ vvho is the thing signified in the Sacrament None hath power to institute a Sacrament but God onely But so it is that none hath power to giue Christ but either the Father or himselfe therefore none hath power to make or institute a Sacrament but either the Father or the Sonne onely God must make a Sacrament Secondly this Sacrament is a part of Gods seruice and worship but so it is that none hath power to appoint any part of his seruice or prescribe any part of his worship but onely God himselfe therefore none can make a Sacrament but God himselfe There is no Prince will be contented to be serued after another mans fantasie but he will prescribe his seruice according vnto his own pleasure how much more is it meet that God should appoint his owne seruice and worship Therefore there is neither man nor Angel hath power to institute any part of the seruice of GOD. The Sacraments are a part of his seruice therefore there is no Angel nor man hath power to institute a Sacrament The greatest stile that any man can haue in the ministery of the word and Sacraments is that stile which the Apostle giues them 1. Cor. 4.1 There we are called Stewards and Dispensers of the graces of God Ministers of those mysteries and holy things It followeth then that we are not Authors Creators and makers of them but onely Ministers and dispensers of the Sacraments So it is euident that no man nor creature hath power to make a Sacrament Then it must bee according to the institution of Christ his institution must be kept looke what he said what he did what hee commanded thee to doe all that must be said done and obeyed If thou leauest one iote of that vndone which he commaunded thee to doe thou peruertest the institution for there is nothing left in register of that institution but it is essentiall So in the celebration of Christs institution wee must take heede to whatsoeuer he said did or commaunded to bee done Thou must first say whatsoeuer hee said then do whatsoeuer he did For the Ministerie of the Sacrament must follow after the word First thou must say that which Christ commanded thee to say and thou must teach that which he commanded thee to teach and then minister the Sacrament Then to keepe this institution wee must beginne at the saying We call the word in the Sacrament the whole Institution and say whatsoeuer Christ commanded vs then after faythfully to doe all that which he commanded to be done Then I call the word the whole institution of Christ Iesus preached and proclaimed denounced distinctly cleerely and sensiblie to the people in such sort that if wee leaue anie kinde of circumstance or ceremonie of this institution vndone wee peruert the whole action It is agreed vpon Word and element must concurre in the constitution of a Sacrament and condescended vnto betweene vs who celebrate this institution and all the sectes in the world who haue separated themselues from this institution That two things are necessarie and must concurre in the nature and constitution of a Sacrament To wit there must be a word and there must bee an element concurring There is not a sect that granteth not this That the word must concur with the element before there can be a Sacrament Though they easily admit this generall wherein wee agree well with them yet when it comes to the speciall that wee enter into particular in the handling and treating of the word how well soeuer wee agree in the generall yet in the particular wee are as farre asunder For when wee come to dispute and reason on these particulars First what wee meane by the word Secondly how this word ought to be intreated Thirdly what vertue this word hath Fourthly how farre the vertue of this word doth extend it selfe And last of all to whom the word ought to be directed and pronounced In all these particulars wee are as farre asunder as euer wee seemed to agree in the generall I leaue to meddle with any other sect What wee meane by the word in the Sacrament but will deale with the Papists onely because we haue most to do with them And first of all we are to vnderstand what
figure as Genes 17.10 Circumcision is called the Couenant and Exod. 12.11 the Lamb is called the Passouer and Math. 20.22 the Cup is called his Bloud and Luke 22.20 the Cup is called the new Testament and 1. Cor. 10.4 the Rock is called Christ All these speeches are sacramentall and receiue a kinde of interpretation yet they maliciously prease to deny vs this in these words Hoc est corpus meū which they are compelled to grant in the rest as especially where Paul calleth the rock Christ Now when they are driuen out of this Fortresse they flie as vnhappily to the second namely That God by his omnipotencie may make the body of Christ both to be in heauen in the bread both at one time Ergo say they It is so If I denyed their consequent they would bee much troubled to prooue it But the question standeth not heere Whether God may do it or not but the question is Whether God will it or not or may will it or not And we say reuerently that his Maiestie may not will it for though it be true that hee may many things which hee will not yet it is as true that there are many things vvhich hee may not will of the which sort this is and these are reduced to two sorts First hee may not will those things vvhich are contrarie to his nature as to be changeable as to decay and such others for if hee might will these things they should not be arguments of any puissance or of any power but rather certaine arguments of his impotencie and infirmitie And therefore though hee may not will these things hee ceaseth not to be omnipotent but so much the rather his constant and inuincible power is knowen Secondly GOD may not vvill some things by reason of a presupposed condition as such things whereof hee hath concluded the contrarie before of the vvhich sort is this which is now controuerted For seeing that GOD hath concluded that a humane bodie should consist of instrumentall parts and therefore to be comprehended and circumscribed within one the owne proper place and also seeing hee hath appointed Christ Iesus to haue the like bodie and that not for a time but eternally in respect of this determined will I say God may not will the contrarie now either to abolish this bodie which he hath appointed to be eternal or yet to make it at one time in respect of one thing a body not a body quantified not quantified finite and infinite locall not locall for to wil these things which are plaine contrary in themselues he may not no more thē it is possible for him to will a lye So it may be seene of all men that wee preserue the omnipotencie of God with reuerence from our harts acknowledge him onely to be onely omnipotent and we desire all men to esteem them as Calumniators who abuse the eares of the simple ones to perswade them the contrary of vs. They are not content with this but they say That God may will a contradiction make both the parts to be true at one time And to proue this they wold bring in the Miracles which God works as if they wold say Euery Miracle includes a contradiction As for example God made a Virgine to beare a sonne they thinke this vvorke brings with it a contradiction To beare a sonne say they is the one part of the contradiction and to be a virgine is the other part of the contradiction This worke is a miracle but it implieth no contradiction for concerning the holy virgins conception therein is no contradiction There was a miracle indeed that a virgine should beare a son contrary to the course of nature for to be a virgine and yet to haue a child are not contradictory if shee haue conceiued and brought forth by miracle as did the blessed virgin But to be a virgine and not a virgine at one time this is the contradiction So Christ his body to be visible and inuisible locall and not locall at one time is in euery respect the like contradiction and therefore impossible to be true Their other example of Christ his entering in the doores beeing closed and shut vvhat appearance of contradiction hath it Can they proue that hee entred through the doores And if he did then was there an alteration of qualities that by miracle either in Christ his body or in the doores but no contradiction in nature vnlesse you knowe not what a contradiction is Their third and last example of the fire in Nabuchadnezzers Ouen which consumed the ministers but hurt not them that were in the midst of it appeares to be of no weight by that which hath already beene answered They imagine as appeareth that in euery miracle a contradiction is implyed vvhich is absurd If they can proue that this fire was both hot cold then they say something to the purpose but that it burnes vp some and hurts not others is no contradiction because by miracle the force therof was repressed So this second ground is sure God may not will that thing which implyeth a contradiction But so it is that the reall presence of the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament implyeth a contradiction for it makes the body of Christ visible and inuisible compast and not compast at one time therefore GOD may not will such a thing VVhen they are driuen from this they make their last refuge a peremptorie defence in their owne opinion Their last refuge for they say Christ his bodie is freed from physicall rules for Theologie is not subiect to physicall rules It is a very ill gathered consequence to say that vvee subiect Theologie to Physick because that vvee first according to Theologie vvhich is the law of GOD and next according to Physicke vvhich is the law of Nature defend the naturall properties of the true and naturall bodie of Christ Iefus Then I grant this that Theologie is not subiect vnto Physick vvhat of this Ergo Christ his body is freed from physicall rules How followes that I pray you By vvhat law may yee free or can yee free the bodie of Christ By the law of Nature yee cannot for hee was made of the seede of Dauid and tooke on him true flesh of the vvombe of the Virgine And farre lesse by the law of GOD which is Theologie for yee knowe that Christ was appointed from all eternitie to take on him our nature to becom true man Indeed it is true that the law of GOD cannot be subiect to the law of Nature for the law of Nature floweth from the law of GOD as out of the owne spring but it is as true that if yee take Christ his body from the law of Nature yee shall free it also from the law of God For I affirme that the Scripture so consents with the law of Nature that if yee denie the one yee shall denie the other and if yee admit the one yee shall
signified will come into your mind So this comming of the thing signified into the hart and minde maketh it plaine vnto you that there is a coniunction betweene the word and the thing signified by the word To tell you of this sort of coniunction it is not so easie because the thing signified is not present vnto the eye as the word is to the eare If euery thing signified were as present vnto your eye as the word is to your eare it were easie to see the coniunction but novv seeing the coniunction is mysticall secret and spirituall therefore it is hard to make you to vnderstand it euer obserue What coniunction is between the simple word and the thing signified by the word the same kinde of coniunction is between the Sacrament and the thing signified by the Sacrament for the Sacrament is no other thing but a visible word I call it a visible word why because it conueyes the signification of it by the eye to the minde as this is an audible word because it conueyeth the signification of it by the eare to the minde In the Sacrament so often as yee looke on it ye shall no sooner see that Bread with your eye but the body of Christ shal come into your mind ye shal no sooner see that Wine but after the preaching and opening vp of the parts of the Sacrament the bloud of Christ shall come into your mind Now this coniunction betweene the signe and the thing signified in the Sacrament standeth chiefely as yee may perceiue in two things First in a relation betweene the signe and the thing signified which ariseth from a likenes and proportion betwixt them two for if there vvere no proportion analogie betweene the signe and the thing signified by the signe there could not be a Sacrament or a relation So the first part of this coniunction standeth in a relation which ariseth from a certaine similitude and likenes which the one hath with the other And this likenes may be easily perceiued for looke how able the bread is to nourish thy body to this life earthly temporall the flesh of Christ signified by the bread is as able to nourish both body soule to life euerlasting so ye may perceiue some kinde of proportion between the signe and the thing signified The second point of the coniunction standeth in a continuall mutuall concurring the one with the other in such sort that the signe and the thing signified are offered both together receiued together at one time and in one action the one outwardly the other inwardly if so bee that thou hast a mouth in thy soule which is faith to receiue it Then the second point of the coniunction standeth in a ioynt offering and in a ioynt receiuing and this I call a concurrence Then would you knowe what manner of coniunction is between the signe the thing signified I say it is a relatiue coniunction a secret and a mystical coniunction which standeth in a mutuall relation There is no more to be obserued heerein but this onely that if yee conioyne these two yee be carefull not to confound them beware that ye turne not the one into the other but keepe either of them in his owne integritie without confusion or permixtion of the one with the other and so ye shall haue the lawfull coniunction that should be in the Sacrament There is not a lesson that can be learned out of this at the least that I can marke or gather except only the lesson of the kindnesse and goodnes of the euerliuing God who hath inuented so many wonderfull sorts of coniunction and all to this purpose that wee might be conioyned to aduance this great mysticall coniunction betwixt the God of glory and vs In the which coniunction our weale felicity and happinesse in this life and in the life to come doth onely stand That he is so carefull to conioyne himselfe with his word and Sacraments that we in his word and Sacraments might be conioyned vvith him If wee were mooued with the care and loue of God expressed in these coniunctions though it were neuer so little on our parts assuredly we would neuer defraude our selues of the fruit of that happy coniunction nor bring it in such a loathing disdaine as we doe this day for we by following and preferring of our pleasures to Christ his counsell haue made the stomacks of our soules so foule and ill disposed that either they receiue him not at all or if he be receiued hee is not able to tary And why because a foule stomack is not able to keepe him for incontinent vvee choke him so either with the lusts of the flesh or with the cares of this world that he is compelled to depart And if Christ be not both deuoured and digested hee can doe vs no good and this digestion cannot be where there is not a greedy appetite to the receit of him for if thou be not hungry for him he is not ready for thee And I am assured if all the men in the Countrey were examined by this rule that there were none that receiue Christ but he that hath a stomack and is hungry for him I doubt that few should be found to receiue him I feare that vvee haue taken such a lothing and disdaine of that heauenly foode that there is not such a thing as any kinde of hunger or appetite of it in our soules And vvhat is the cause of this I will tell you Suppose wee haue renounced the corporall and grosse Idolatry wherein our Fathers were plunged and drowned which men in some parts goe about to erect now yet as the maners of this Countrey and the behauiour of euery one of vs doth testifie there is not a man that hath renounced that damnable Idoll that hee hath in his ovvne soule nor the inuisible Idolatry that hee hath in his owne hart and mind There is not a man but to that same Idoll wherewith hee was conceiued borne whereunto he addicted himselfe and was a slaue before but to that Idoll he giueth his seruice yet And therefore maruaile not when thou hast addicted thy seruice set thy affection and poured out thy hart vpon that pleasure of thine owne vpon that Idoll of thine owne vpon that lust and mischiefe of thine owne maruaile not if thou haue no appetite to Christ nor to that heauenly foode When thou hast thy soule poured forth on some villanie and vvickednesse and hast sent it farre afield how is it possible for thee to retire it draw it home againe to imploy it where thou shouldest on Christ Iesus Then let euery one in his owne ranke take heed to his owne domestick Idoll that lodgeth vvithin his owne hart and prease to cleare himselfe of it or otherwise yee cannot see the face of Christ nor be partakers of his kingdome There is not another lesson in Christianitie but this this is the first the last lesson to
shake off your lusts affections peece and peece and so by little and little renounce thy selfe that thou maist embrace Christ I grant there is a greater progresse in this poynt in some then in others some lesse some more profit in this but except in some measure yee cast off your selues whatsoeuer in your own eyes yee account most precious to come by Christ yee are not worthy of him And this is very hard to be done It is very easie for a man to speake it to bid a man renounce his owne Idol which I call his affections but it is not so soone done assuredly a stronger must come in to cast out the affections yea a stronger then the diuell must come in to driue out the diuell who maketh residence in the affection or else he will remaine there for euer Therefore there are not many that haue renounced themselues and examine thine heart when thou wilt if there be any thing in the world that thou louest better then Christ If thou be not content to leaue father and mother to leaue wife children or whatsoeuer is dearest vnto thee in this world for Christ thou art not worthy of him If thou be not content to cast off whatsoeuer maketh thee a stranger to Christ thou art not worthy of him And is this a small matter seeing there is no part or power of our soules but it is enemy to this and repines against this heauenly coniunction Is this an easie thing to cast off and renounce ourselues that wee may come vnto Christ There is no greater thing then this it hath not entred into euery hart to consider of this for this worke of our new creation is tenne thousand times greater then the worke of our first creation and therefore it is most necessary that euerie man take heede vnto himselfe for the diuell is so crafty in this point that hee erecteth euer one I doll or other in our soules and sometimes vnder the shew of vertue which of all is most dangerous And in euery worke that wee take in hand be it neuer so holy hee is at our right hand and maketh himself to haue interest in it and hee contents himselfe not with this vnder the shew of vertue to corrupt vs but hee is so watchfull that euen in the best actions and when yee are best occupied in your most vertuous actions hee mixeth them with sinnes and so doth all that lyeth in him to make you lose your profit and lose your rewards For when yee are best occupied he goeth about to engender in you an opinion of your selues and so defraude God of his glory Or otherwise in dooing of good deedes he maketh you so slack and negligent that if ye do them ye doe them coldly or so indiscreetly that he makes you begin at the last first and makes it that should be first last and so as Martha was to be occupied and ouer-busie in those things which are not so necessary as the things wherin Mary was occupied for she should haue preferred first the hearing of the word to the preparing of Christs Supper This is but to giue you an in-sight and to let you see that the diuell is so craftie that either he casteth in a false conceit of our selues in dooing any good deed or else makes vs to doe that last which should be first or then makes vs altogether so sluggish and so negligent that wee do the worke of the Lord coldly so one way or other he holdeth vs euer in a continuall business so that we cannot be halfe watchful enough For we haue to do with principalities powers with spiritual wickednesses which are aboue vs and within vs also for there is not that man that hath corruption within him but Sathan is in him we cannot therfore be halfe watchfull or studious enough to cast out the diuel to renounce our selues to submit vs vnto the obedience of Christ Thus farre concerning the coniunction Now seeing that the signe How the signe the thing signified are giuē receiued Considerations thereof the thing signified are diuerse it resteth to be considered how the signe is deliuered and how the thing signified is deliuered and after what manner they are receiued And therfore concerning this ye haue these things to marke First to consider whether the signe and the thing signified be deliuered vnto you by one man or not Secondly to consider whether the signe and the thing signified be deliuered vnto you in in one action or not Thirdly vvhether both these things be giuen by one instrument or not And fourthly ye are to consider whether the sign the thing signified be offered receiued after one maner or not Now after that ye haue considered all these in the end yee shall find that the signe the thing signified are not giuen by one person Yee shall finde next that they are not giuen in one sort of action Thirdly yee shall finde that they are not both offered giuen by one instrument And fourthly ye shal find that they are not both giuen and receiued after one manner So finding this diuersitie yee haue this to doe marke the diuersity of the offerers and giuers marke the diuersitie of the actions marke thirdly the diuersitie of the instruments and fourthly the diuerse manner of receiuing Marke all these diligently and ye shall finde little difficultie in the Sacrament And first to make it cleare vnto you I say that the signe the thing signified by the signe are not both giuen by one and this ye see plainly For as for the signe that Bread that Wine yee see your selues that the Minister offers vnto you the signe he giues you that Sacrament as that signe is an earthly and corporall thing so it is an earthly and corporall man that giues it Now the thing signified is of another nature for it is an heauenly and spirituall thing therefore this heauenly thing is not giuen by an earthly man this incorruptible thing is not giuen by a naturall and corruptible man But Christ Iesus hath locked vp and reserued the ministerie of this heauenlie thing to himselfe onely therefore there are two giuers in this Sacrament the Minister giueth the earthly thing Christ Iesus the Mediator giues you the heauenly thing in this Sacrament For Christ in giuing the earthly thing will not vse his own ministery immediatly nor the ministerie of an Angell but onely the ministerie of an earthly man And as for the dispensation of his owne body and bloud he will not giue it either to heauenly creature or earthly man but he keepeth this ministerie to himselfe and he dispenseth his own body and bloud to whom and when hee pleaseth And vvhy If any man in the world had power to giue Christes body and bloud no question this man should haue power to clense the hart and conscience for the bloud of Christ hath this power with it and consequently should haue power to
forgiue sinnes Now it is onely GOD that may forgiue sinnes and therfore it is not possible that the ministery of the heauenly thing can be in the power of any man Example we haue in Iohn the Baptist Math. 3.11 Saith he not The ministery that I haue is of the element I am commaunded to minister the element of water onely but as for the ministerie of the fire and of the spirit Christ hath reserued it vnto himself Therefore looke not to get the spirit at mans hands but at the hands of Christ himselfe onely and without this inward ministery the outward ministery is not worth a straw For my outward ministerie yea suppose it were the ministerie of an Angell and suppose Christ were present in the flesh to minister vnto you these outward things except hee conioyne the inward ministerie of his spirit therewith it availes nothing it may well be as a process against you against the day of that generall assembly but to your saluation it will neuer profit you Therefore this yee ought alwaies to pray for that the Lord would water your harts by his holy spirit as he watereth your eares by the hearing of his vvord Then there are two offerers the Minister offers the signe Christ Iesus offers himselfe the thing signified The three persons one GOD offers the Mediatour or the Mediatour offers himselfe and that by the power and vertue of his owne Spirit As there are two offerers The sign the thing signified are offered in two actions by two instruments after two manners two persons that offer and giue the Sacrament and thing signified by the Sacrament so these two are offered and giuen in two actions Christ vvho is the heauenly thing is offered and giuen vnto you by an inward secret and spirituall action which is not subiect to the outward eye The signe againe is offered and giuen in an outward action after a corporall and visible manner As there are two sorts of actions so there are two sorts of instruments vvhere-unto the signe and the thing signified are offered for the thing singified that is Christ is neuer offered to the mouth of my body the bloud of Christ the flesh of Christ whole Christ or the spirit of Christ is not offered neither in the word nor in the Sacrament to the mouth of my body Let the Aduersaries finde me that in any part of the Bible that there is any other manner of receiuing Christ then by faith and let them haue the victorie So there is not an instrument as I told you neither hand not mouth to receiue Christ but faith onely As Christ vvho is the thing signified is receiued by the hand mouth of faith so the signe which signifieth Christ is receiued by our ovvne naturall mouth hand ye haue a mouth in your heads and in your bodies as proper to receiue the signe as faith is to receiue Christ So the signe and the thing signified are offered and giuen not to one instrument but to two the one to the mouth of the body the other to the mouth of the soule Now marke by what way these things are offered and giuen by the same vvay they are receiued as the signe is corporal and naturally offered to a corporall instrument so is it receiued after a corporall naturall manner for thou must take the Bread Wine either by thy hand or by thy mouth The thing signified is not takē after a corporall manner but after a secret and spirituall manner and as it is offered so it is taken There can be nothing cleerer then this the one is taken after a naturall manner the other after a secret spirituall manner So in this last part ye haue these things to marke to distinguish betweene the outward action and the inward between the signe and the thing signified and to keepe a proportion and analogie between the inward and the outward actions ye may surely perswade your selues that if ye be faithfull Christ is as busie working inwardly in your soules as the Minister is working outwardly towards your bodies looke how busie the Minister is in breaking that Bread in pouring out that Wine in giuing that Bread and Wine vnto thee as busie is Christ in breaking his owne body to thee and in giuing thee iuyce of his owne body after a spirituall and an inuisible manner So keepe this distinction and yee may assure your selues that by faith Christ is as well occupied towards your soules to nourish them as the Minister is outwardly towards your bodies Keepe this and yee haue the whole Sacrament Then from this discourse and deduction you may learn a double matter wherof the Sacrament consisteth It standeth on two sorts of materials that is of an earthly matter and of an heauenly matter the signe and the thing signified And as there is a double matter in the Sacrament so the Sacrament must be handled after a double manner by an outward action and an inward action keep the distinction in these things betweene the signe and the thing signified and ye shall not easily slip in the vnderstanding of the Sacrament This beeing said concerning the generall consideration of the Elements for all this yet appertaineth vnto the Elements it resteth that we speake some-what concerning the vvord Of the other part of the Sacrament which is the word which I call the other part of the Sacrament I meane vnderstand by the vvord where-unto the clements are annexed that thing vvhich quickneth this whole action which serueth as it were a soule and giueth life vnto the whole action For by the word and appointment of Christ in the vvord the Minister knoweth vvhat is his part the hearer knoweth what is his part and euery one is prepared how to deliuer and how to receiue the Minister how hee should deliuer and the hearer how hee shold receiue So the Institution of Christ is the quickning of the whole action for all the action is warranted from the institution set downe in his word In the institutiō of Christ there are two things chiefly to be considered a Commaund and a Promise The Commaund is this where he saith Take eate The Commaund requireth obedience There is a Promise also in the institution and it is contained in these words This is my body The Promise craueth faith as the Commaund craueth obedience so the Promise craueth beliefe Therefore come not vnto the Sacrament except ye bring both faith and obedience with you If thou come not with a heart minding to obey Christ at the least more then thou wast wont to doe thou commest vnto thine ovvne damnation And if thou bringest a hart voyd of faith thou commest vnto thine owne damnation So let euery one that commeth vnto the Sacrament bring with him a hart minding to doe better that is to obey belieue Christ better then he did in time past Except ye bring these two in some measure come not vnto the Sacrament for whatsoeuer
bloud chiefely is the thing signified in the Sacrament of Baptisme and why because that by his bloud hee washeth away the filth of our soules because that by the vertue of his bloud he quickneth vs in our soules with a heauenly life because that by the power of his bloud hee ingrafteth and incorporateth vs in his owne body For that Sacrament is a testimonie of the remission of our sinnes that is of the cleanenesse of our consciences that our consciences by that bloud are washed inwardly It testifieth also our new birth that wee are begotten spiritually to a heauenly life It testifieth also the ioyning of vs in the body of Christ As it is a testimony so it is a seale it not onely testifieth but sealeth it vp in our harts and maketh vs in our harts to feele the taste of that heauenly life begun in vs that wee are translated from death in the which wee were conceiued and ingrafted in the body of Christ Marke then Christ in his bloud as hee is the washing of our regeneration is the thing signified in Baptisme In this Sacrament of the Lords Supper againe this same Christ is the thing signified in another respect to wit in this respect that his body and bloud serue to nourish my soule to life euerlasting for this Sacrament is no other thing but the image of our spirituall nourishment GOD testifying how our foules are fed nourished to that heauenly life by the image of a corporal nourishmeÌ„t So in diuerse respects the same thing that is Chr. Iesus is signified in Baptisme and is signified in the Lords Supper In this Sacrament the fruits of Christes death whereof I spake the vertue of his sacrifice the vertue of his passion I call not these fruits vertues only the thing signified in the Sacrament of the L Supper but rather I call the thing signified that substance that person out of the which substance this vertue these fruits do flow and proceed I grant and it is most certain that by the lawfull vse participation of the Sacrament thou art partaker of all these fruites yet these fruites are not the first and chiefe thing whereof thou art partaker in this Sacrament but of force thou must get another thing first It is true that no man can be partaker of the substance of Christ but the same soule must be also partaker of the fruites that flowe from his substance yet notwithstanding thou must discerne betwixt the substance and the fruites that flowe from the substance and thou must be partaker of the substance in the first roome then in the next place thou must bee partaker of the fruites that flowe from his substance To make this cleere in Baptisme the fruites of Baptisme are remission of our sinnes mortification the killing of sinne and the sealing vp of our adoption to life euerlasting The substance out of the which these fruite doe flowe is the bloud of Christ Ye must heere of force discerne between the bloud vvhich is the substance and betweene remission of sinnes washing and regeneration which are the fruites that flow from this bloud so in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the fruits of that Sacrament are the growth oâ— faith the increase in holiness The thing signified is the substance that is the body bloud of Christ is the substance out of which this growth in faith and holinesse doth proceed Now see ye not this That you must discerne betweene the substance and the fruites and must place the substance in the first place So that the substance of Christ that is Christ himselfe is the thing signified in this Sacrament For your owne experience will make this plaine vnto you Before your stomack be filled with any foode yee must eate the substance of the food first before you be filled with bread yee must eate the substance of the bread first before your drouth bee quenched with any drinke yee must of necessitie drinke the substance of the drinke first Euen so after this maner before the hunger of your soules be satisfied the thirst thereof quenched yee must eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud first and that by faith So consider the one by the other looke to what vse bread and vvine serue to thy body to the same vse the body and bloud of Christ serue to thy soule and he that appointed the one to serue for thy body the same God appointed the other to serue for thy soule So looke how impossible it is for thee to be fedde with that foode that neuer commeth into thy mouth or to recouer health by those drugges which neuer were applyed it is as impossible for thee to be fed by the body of Christ to get thy health by the bloud of Christ except thou first eate his bodie and drinke his bloud Then yee see that the thing signified in the Lords Supper is not the fruites so much as the body and bloud and Christ Iesus which is the fountaine and substance from which these fruites doe flowe and proceed Then I say suppose Christ The thing signified in both the SacrameÌ„ts is one the signes are not one who is the thing signified remaine alwaies one and the same in both the Sacraments yet the signes whereby this one Christ is signified in the Sacraments are not one nor of an â—quall number For in Baptisme the thing that representeth Christ is Water In the Lords Supper the things that represent Christ are Bread and Wine Water is appointed to represent Christ in Baptisme because it is meetest to represent our vvashing with the bloud of Christ for what is fitter to wash with then water so there is nothing meeter to wash the soule then the bloud of Christ In this Sacrament he hath appointed Bread and Wine why Because there is nothing more meet to nourish the body then bread and vvine so the Lord hath not chosen these signes without a reason As the signes in the Sacrament are not alwaies one so the same in both are not of one number for in Baptisme wee haue but one element in this Sacrament wee haue two elements Now what is the reason of this diuersitie that the Lord in the one Sacrament Why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two hath appointed two signes and in the other but one signe I will shew you the reason He hath appointed onely one signe in Baptisme to wit Water because Water is sufficient enough for the whole If Water had not been sufficient to represent the thing signified hee would haue appointed another signe but in respect that water doâ—â— the turne and representeth fully the washing of our soules by the bloud of Christ what need then haue we of any other sign Now in this Sacrament one signe will not suffice but there must be two And vvhy Wine cannot be sufficient alone neyther can Bread be sufficient alone for he that hath Bread onely and
Wine onely hath not a perfect corporall nourishment therefore that they might represent and let vs see a perfect nourishment hee hath giuen vs both Bread Wine for the perfect corporall nourishment standeth in meat and drinke to represent the full and perfect nourishment of the soule Marke how full and perfect a nourishment hee hath to his body that hath store of Bread and Wine So he that hath Christ lacketh nothing of a full and perfect nourishment for his soule Then you see the reason wherfore there are two signes appointed in this Sacrament and onely one signe in Baptisme There remaineth yet concerning these signes two things to be inquired First Two questions What power the bread hath to be a signe in this Sacrament And how long that power indureth what power hath that bread in this Sacrament to be a signe more then the bread which is vsed in common houses from whence commeth that power Next if it haue a power how long indureth and remaineth that power with the bread For the first concerning the power which that bread hath more then any other bread I will tell you That bread hath a power giuē vnto it by Christ by his institutiō Answer 1 by the which institution it is appointed to signifie his body to represent his body to deliuer his body That bread hath a power flowing frō Christ That bread hath that power from Christs institution and his institution vvhich other common bread hath not so that if any of you would ask whē the Minister in this action is breaking or distributing that Bread pouring out and distributing that Wine if you would I say aske what sort of creatures those are this is the answere They are holy things Yee must giue this name to the signes and seales of the body and bloud of Christ That bread of the Sacrament is a holy bread and that vvine is an holy vvine Why Because the blessed institution of Christ hath seuerd them from that vse wherevnto they serued before and hath applied them vnto an holy vse not to feed the body but to feede the soule Thus farre concerning the power of that bread it hath a power flowing frō Christ and his institution Answer 2 Now the second thing is how long this power continueth vvith that bread how long that bread hath this office That power continues during the seruice of the Table In a word I say this power continueth with that bread during the time of the action during the seruice of the Table Look how long that action continues and that the seruice of the Table lasteth so long it continueth holy bread so long continueth the power with that bread but looke how soone the action is ended so soone endeth the holinesse of it looke how soon the seruice of the Table is ended so soon that bread becomes cōmon bread againe the holinesse of it ceaseth Then this power continueth not for euer but it continues onely during the time of the action and seruice of the Table Thus far concerning the Elements There is besides the Elements an other sort of signes in the Sacrament there is not a ceremonie in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but is a signe and hath it owne spirituall signification with it as namely looking to the breaking of that bread it representeth vnto thee the breaking of the body bloud of Christ Not that his body and bones were broken but that it was broken with dolour with anguish and distresse of hart with the weight of the indignation and furie of God that he sustained for our sinnes which he took vpon him Then the breaking is an essentiall ceremonie the pouring out of the wine also is an essentiall ceremonie For as yee see cleerly that by the wine is signified the bloud of Christ so by the pouring out of the wine is signified that his bloud was seuered from his flesh and the seuering of those two maketh death for in bloud is the life and consequently it testifieth his death The pouring out of the wine then tells thee that he dyed for thee that his bloud was shed for thee so this is an essentiall ceremonie which must not be left out Likewise the distribution giuing and eating of that bread are essentiall ceremonies And what doth the eating testifie vnto thee The applying of the body bloud of Christ vnto thy soule So that there is none of these rites but haue their own signification and there cannot one of them be left out but ye shal peruert the whole action Thus farre concerning the signes Now An obseruation what profit can ye make of all this discourse Learne this lesson and yee shal make profit by these things In respect that euery signe and ceremonie hath it owne spirituall signification so that there is not a ceremonie in this whole action that wants it owne spirituall signification consider this and thinke with your selues at that time especially when yee are at the Lords Table in the sight of that action that looke vvhat thou seest the Minister dooing outwardly what euer it be Is he breaking that Bread is hee dealing that bread is he pouring out and distributing that vvine Thinke assuredly vvith thy selfe that Christ is as busie dooing all these things spiritually vnto thy soule hee is as busie giuing vnto thee his ovvne bodie vvith his owne hand hee is as busie giuing to thee his owne bloud with the vertue and efficacie of it So in this action if thou be a faithfull Communicant looke vvhat the mouth doth and hovv the mouth of the body is occupied outwardlie so is the hand and mouth of the soule vvhich is faith occupied invvardly As the mouth taketh that Bread and that Wine so the mouth of thy soule taketh the body and bloud of Christ and that by faith For by faith and a constant perswasion is the onelie vvay to eate the bodie and drinke the bloud of Christ invvardly and dooing this there cannot but follow a fruitefull eating Thus farre for the consideration of the signes Now commeth in the matter wherein greatest difficulty standeth wherof I spake the last day How the signes and the thing signified are conioyned in the Sacrament as God gaue me the grace yet in the particular I must speak as wel as in the generall but somewhat more shortly Then ye haue to vnderstand for the better information of your consciences and for the better preparation of your soules yee haue to vnderstand how that bread and that vvine which are the signes are coupled with the body and bloud of Christ which are signified thereby What sort of coniunction this is and from whence this coniunction floweth I shall be briefe because I haue already in my last Lecture spoken of it at large Take heede for if ye giue not good attention it is not possible that ye can conceiue this coniunction Concerning this coniunction would you knowe how these two are coupled Then must
you first marke the nature of the signes and the nature of the thing signified yee must obserue both their natures And why Because nothing can be coupled nor conioyned with other but so farre as the nature of it will suffer if the nature of it will not suffer a coniunction they cannot be conioyned or will the nature of it suffer a coniunction looke how farre it will suffer a coniunction so farre are they conioyned Seeing then ye must obserue the nature of the things that are conioyned first marke the thing signified what the nature thereof is marking that ye shall see that the thing signified is of a spirituall nature of a heauenly and mysticall nature then may ye conclude that this spiritual thing will suffer a spirituall coniunction a mysticall and secret coniunction Againe obserue the signe The signe of his nature as I haue told you hath a relation vnto the thing signified the thing signified of his nature hath a relation vnto the signe So then the signe the thing signified will suffer to be conioyned by a mutuall relation both the signe and the thing signified in respect they haue a mutuall relation the one vnto the other they will suffer themselues to be conioyned by a relatiue coniunction Now if ye ask me what sort of coniunction is betweene that bread and that wine and the body and bloud of Christ To tell you in a word I say it is a secret and spirituall coniunction such a coniunction as standeth in a mutuall respect betwixt the bread and the body of Christ and betwixt the wine and the bloud of Christ then I say it is a secret a spirituall coniunction Ye would not be so inquisitiue of this coniunction if it were corporall visible or locall if you saw them both before your eyes you would not aske how they are conioyned or if thou didst see them both in one place But because you see but the one with your eyes and the other is hid this maketh the coniunction the more difficult to be vttered and vnderstood And how is it possible that ye can conceiue this secret and hid coniunction except you haue the eyes of your minde illuminated by the spirit whereby ye may come to the right vnderstanding But if yee haue any insight into these spirituall matters that come by faith this coniunction will appeare as cleerely by the eye of your faith as the physicall coniunction dooth to the eye of your body Novv to haue this matter made more plain there is another coniunction which serueth to make this coniunction very cleere namely the coniunction betwixt the vvord which I speake and the thing signified by that same word As if I speake to you of things in this language which yee vnderstand bee it of things past though neuer so long since of things to come though neuer so far off of things absent though neuer so farre distant yet so soone as I speake the vvord vvhether it be of things past or to come the thing it selfe will come into your minde The vvord is heard no sooner by your eare but the thing signified by the same vvord commeth into your minde What maketh the thing signified though absent to come into my mind This could not be except there were a coniunction betweene the word and the thing signified by the word As for example If I speak of the King who is now a great way distant from vs I pray God blesse him yee will no sooner heare the word but the King vvho is the thing signified by the word will come into your minde If I speake of things past though they be already expired yet the thing signified vvill presently come into your minde so there is a coniunction yee see between the word and the thing signified by the word Marke this coniunction and yee shall gette the nature of the coniunction and coupling of the signe which is the thing signified in the Sacrament For obserue what sort of coniunction is between the vvord and the thing signified by the word the same sort of coniunction is between the Sacrament which is seene to the eye of your body the thing signified by the Sacrament which is seene to the eye of your soule onely As for example so soone as thou seest that bread taken in the hand of the Minister thou seest it not so soone but incontinent the body of Christ must come into thy mind these two are so conioyned that they com both together the one to the outward senses the other to the inward senses This is not enough now because in the institution ye are commanded to goe further not onely to looke to that bread and that wine but to take that bread and that wine incontinent as your hand takes the one so your hart takes the other as your teeth eates the one so the teeth of your soule which is faith eates the other that is applyeth Christ vnto your soule So yee see there is a coniunction heere secret and mysticall and therefore Christ cannot be conioyned but by a secret and mysticall coniunction The coniunction betweene Christ and vs is a secret and mysticall coniunction which the Apostle in the fift of the Ephes calleth that spirituall coniunction ful of an high mysterie this coniunction cannot be taken vp at the first So seeing the coniunction is secret and spirituall and not perceiued but by the spirit of God all is as nothing except ye haue some portion and measure of his spirit All that is taught in the word and Sacraments will neuer doe you good will neuer carry your soules to heauen except the spirit of God illuminate your mindes and make you to finde in your soules the thing that ye hear in the word Then learn this seeing the word cānot be vnderstood but by the spirit of GOD craue that the Lord would illuminate the eyes of your mindes by his spirit and be you as careful to get the spirit as yee are carefull now in the hearing of the word Thus farre concerning the coniunction Now ye haue heard how the signe is cōioyned with the thing signified what remaineth for you to knowe This rests yet to knowe how the signe is receiued How the signe the thing signified is receiued and how the thing signified is receiued vvhether they bee both receiued with one mouth or not whether the signe and the thing signified be receiued after one fashion and manner or not And marking the diuerse manner of receiuing and the diuersity of the instruments yee shall not easily erre in the Sacrament The signe and the thing signified are receiued by two mouthes for ye see the signes that is that bread and wine wherunto they are giuen they are giuen to the mouth of the body Then the mouth of the body is the instrument that receiueth that bread and that vvine which are the signes As that bread and that wine are visible and corporall so the mouth and instrument
that wine but hee that vvanteth faith may not eate drink of the body bloud of Christ signified by that bread by that wine So this is the groūd no faithlesse people can perceiue Christ nor eate the body of Christ in the Sacrament Against this ground they bring their Argument out of the same words of the Apostle which I haue read the words are these Hee that eateth of this Bread vnvvorthily saith the Apostle and drinketh of this Cuppe vnworthily is guilty of the body and blood of Christ There is their ground Second incōuenience So that their Argument will suffer this forme No man can be guiltie of that thing vvhich hee hath not receiued they haue not receiued the body and bloud of Christ therefore they cannot be guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ but so it is that the Apostle saith they are guilty therefore they haue receiued the body and bloud of Christ I answere vnto the Proposition Refutation of the second inconueniēce obiected wher in are sundry reasons giuen why the wicked are counted guilty of the body and bloud of Christ and I say it is very false They could not bee guiltie of that body and bloud except they had receiued it for they may be guilty of that same body of that same bloud suppose they neuer receiued it But marke the Text The Text saith not that they eate the body of Christ vnworthily but it saith that they eate that bread and drinke that wine vnworthily And yet because they eate that bread and drinke that wine vnworthily they are counted before God guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ Now wherefore is this Not because they receiue him for if they receiued him they could not but receiue him vvorthily for Christ cannot be receiued of any man but woorthily but they are accounted guiltie of the body and bloud of the Son of GOD because they refused him For vvhen they did eate that Bread and drink that wine they might if they had had faith haue eaten and drunke the flesh and bloud of Christ lesus Now because thou refusest the body of Christ offered to thee thou contemnest his body offered vnto thee if thou haue not an eye to discerne and indge of this body that is offered For if they had had faith they might haue seen his body offered with the bread by faith they might haue taken that same body by faith they might haue eaten that same body Therefore lacking their wedding garment wanting faith whereby they should eate the bodie and drink the bloud of Christ wanting faith which is the eye of the soule to perceiue and the mouth of the soule to receiue that body which is spirituallie offered they are counted guiltie of that same body bloud Now let vs make this more cleere by a similitude Ye see among worldly Princes their custome is not to suffer their maiestie to be impeached in the smallest thing that they haue VVhat meaner thing is there that concerneth the maiestie of a Prince then a seale for the substance of it is but wax yet if thou disdainfullie vse that seale and contemne it and stampe it vnder thy feet thou shalt be esteemed as guilty of his body and bloud as hee that laid violent hands on him thou shalt be punished accordingly Much more if thou come as a swine or as a dog to handle the seales of the bodie and bloud of Christ much more maiest thou bee rockoned guilty of his body and of his bloud Thus farre of the eating of the body of Christ The vvicked cannot eate the bodie of Christ but they may bee guiltie of it The Apostle maketh this more plaine yet by another speech vvhich I haue sometimes handled out of this place In Hebr. 6.6 it is said that Apostates they that fall away they crucifie the Son of God againe and their falling away maketh thē as guilty as they were who crucified him He is now in heauen they cannot fetch him frō thence to crucify him yet the Apostle saith they crucifie him Why Because their malice is as great as theirs that crucified him because they match in malice with thē that crucified him so that if they had him on the earth they vvould doe the like therefore they are said to crucifie the Sonne of GOD. So in Heb. 10.29 there is another speech the wicked are said to stampe the bloud of Christ vnder their feet Why Because their malice is as great as theirs that stamped his bloud Now they are accounted for this reason to be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ not because they eate his body but because they refused it vvhen they might haue had it Now the time remaines yet wherein we may haue the body Exhortation and bloud of Christ This time is very precious and the dispensation of times is very secret and hath it owne bounds if yee take not this time now it will away This time of Grace and of that heauenly foode hath been dispensed vnto you very long but how ye haue profited your liues and behauiours testifie Remember therefore your selues in time and in time make vse of it for yee knowe not how long it will last craue a mouth to receiue as well the food of your soules that is offered as ye doe the food of your bodies and take this time while yee may haue it or assuredly the time shall come when yee shall cry for it but shall not get it but in place of Grace and mercie shall come iudgement vengeance the dispensation of vvrath They will not leaue this matter so but they insist yet and they bring more Arguments to prooue that the vvicked are partakers of the bodie Third incōuenience and bloud of Christ That Bread say they yee vvill grant vvhich the vvicked man eates is not naked bread but is that bread vvhich is the Sacrament Thus then they make their Argument The Sacrament hath euer conioyned vvith it the thing signified But the Sacrament is giuen to all therefore the thing signified is giuen to all What if I grant to them all this Argument Refutation of the third inconuenience There should no inconuenience follow For the thing signified may be giuen to all that is offered to all as it is offered to all men and yet not receiued of all Giuen to all therefore receiued of all it followeth not I may offer you tvvo things yet it is in your owne will whether you will take them or no but ye may take the one and refuse the other and yet hee that offers offered you the thing that ye refused as truely as the thing which ye tooke So GOD deceiueth no man but with the word and Sacraments assuredly hee giueth two things if they would take them By his vvord hee offers the word to the eare hee offers Christ Iesus to the soule By his Sacraments hee offers the Sacraments to the eye hee offers Christ Iesus
to the soule Now it may be that where two things are truly conioyntlie offred a man may receiue the one and refuse the other Hee receiueth the one because he hath an instrument to take it he refuseth the other because he wanteth an instrument I heare the word because I haue an eare to heare it with I receiue the Sacrament because I haue a mouth to receiue it with but as for the thing which the word and Sacraments represent I may refuse it because I haue not a mouth to take it nor an eye to perceiue it and therefore the fault is not on Gods part but on our part The wicked get the body and bloud of Christ offered to them conioyntly with the word Sacraments but the fault is on their part that they haue not a mouth to receiue him and God is not bound to giue them a mouth Mark this That if it were not of Gods speciall grace and mercie that he giueth mee an eye to perceiue him and a mouth to receiue him I would refuse him as well as they So this Argument holdeth not Christ is offered to all Ergo hee is receiued of all Happy were they if they could receiue him Thus far for the 3. Argument What resteth now for the ful vnderstanding of the Sacrament These things remain That we vnderstand the Sacramentall speeches that are vsed in the Sacrament for we vse to speake of them God vseth to speake of them and the Ancients vse to speake of them Wee vse to say that the soule eateth the body of Christ and drinketh the bloud of Christ How the soule is said to eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ These speeches wold be opened to you how the soule is said to eate the body drink the bloud of Christ these speeches are Sacramental yet yee are not the wiser but I will make it plaine by Gods grace They are Sacramentall what is that Ye knowe it is proper to the bodie to eate and drink they are the proper actions of the body only Now they are ascribed to the soule by a translation by a figuratiue maner of speaking That which is proper to the body is ascribed to the soule and it is said that the soule eateth drinketh The eating of the soule doth resemble the eating of the bodie then the eating of the soule is no other thing but the applying of Christ to the soule to belieue that he hath shed his bloud for mee that he hath purchased remissiō of sins for me Wherfore then cal you this an eating what call you the eating of the body They body eateth when thou appliest the meat to thy mouth If then the eating of the body be no other thing but the applying of meat to the mouth the eating of the soule is no other thing but the applying of the nourishment to the soule Then yee see what is meant by the eating and drinking of the soule no other thing but the applying of Christ to my soule and the applying of his death passion to my soule and this is onely done by faith therefore he that lacketh faith cannot eate Christ Thus farre for the eating and drinking of the soule vvhich are Sacramentall speeches There remaineth now of all these great things Obseruation and of all this doctrine which hath bin taught but this one lesson That thou learne to apply Christ rightly to thy soule Thou art a great Diuine if thou hast learned this wel for in the right applicatiō of Christ to the sick soule to the wounded conscience and diseased heart heere beginnes the fountaine of all our felicitie the wel-spring of all our ioy And I wil tell you what this application worketh Obserue what the presence of thy soule within thee suppose thou want Christ in thy soule doth to this earthly body to this lump of clay as by the presence of the soule it liueth it mooueth it feeleth as the soule giueth to the body life mouing and senses that same very thing dooth Christ vnto thy soule Hast thou once laid hold of and applyed him to thee As the soule quickens thy body so hee quickens thy soule not with an earthly or temporal life but with the life which hee liueth in heauē he makes thee to liue that same life which the Angels liue in heauen hee maketh thee to moue not with worldly motions but with heauenly spirituall celestiall motions Againe he inspires in thee not outward senses but heauenly senses he worketh in thee a spiritual feeling that in thine own hart conscience thou mayst find the effect of this word So by the coniunction of Christ with my soule I get a thousand times greater benefits then the body doth by the soule for the bodie by the presence of the soule getteth onely an earthly temporall life subiect to continual misery but by the presence of Christ in my soule I see a blessed life I feele a blessed life that same life takes daily more more increase in me Then the ground of all our perfection blessednes standeth in this coniunction suppose thou mightest liue Methushelaes yeeres and wert euer seking yet if in the last houre thou get this coniunction thou maist thinke thy trauel well bestowed thou hast gotten enough for if we haue obtained Christ wee haue gotten all with him Then the applying of Christ to my soule is the foūtaine of all my ioy felicitie Now let vs see how we get this coniunction This is a spirituall coniunction a coniunction hard difficult to be purchased obtained gotten of vs How then is this coniunction brought about which are the means of this cōiunction on Gods part which are the means on our part to get Christ to put Christ in our soules to make Christ one with vs There is one means on Gods part that helpeth vs vnto Christ there is another on our part On Gods part there is the holie spirit which offereth the body bloud of Chr. to vs and on our part there must be a means or else though he offer we will not receiue Therefore of necessity there must be faith in our soules to receiue that which the holy spirit offers to receiue that heauēly food of the body bloud of Chr. which she holy spirit offers Thē faith the holy spirit are the two means of this spiritual heauenly coniunction By these 2. means by faith by the holy spirit I get the body of Chr. the body of Chr. is mine he is giuen to my soule Now heer comes in the question How canst thou say that the body of Christ is giuen or deliuered to thee seeing the body of Christ is sitting at the right hand of God the Father look how great distance is betwixt heauen and earth as great distance is there betwixt the body of Christ and thy body how then say yee that the body of Christ is giuen to you The Papists
vnderstand not this therefore they imagin a gross carnal coniunction Except the spirit of God reueale these things they cannot be vnderstood The spirit of God must illuminate our mindes and be planted in all our harts before wee can come to the vnderstanding of this Then wouldest thou vnderstand hovv Christ is giuen thee This ground is true that the bodie of Christ is at the right hand of the Father the bloud of Christ is at the right hand of the Father yet notwithstanding though there be as great distance betwixt my body and the bodie of Christ as is betwixt heauen and earth yet Christes body is giuen to me because I haue a title to his body giuen to mee the right and title which is giuen to me of his body and bloud makes me to possesse his body and bloud The distance of the place hurteth not my title nor my right for if any of you haue a peece of Land lying in the farthest part of England if ye haue a good title to it the distance of the place cannot hurt your title so I say the distance of place hurts not my title and my right that I haue to Christ But though he be sitting at the right hand of the Father yet the title and right that I haue to him makes him mine so that I may say trulie this Christ is my property Then Christ is not made mine because I fetch him out of the heauens but he is mine because I haue a sure title right to him hauing a sure title and iust right to him the distance of place how farre soeuer it be can no wayes hurt my title nor right but where-euer he be he is mine because I haue a right title to him Yea not onely haue I a title to him but this title is confirmed to mee For as I gette a title to him in the vvord and if I got not that title to him in the word I durst not come to the Sacrament so in the Sacrament I get the confirmation of my title I get the Seale which confirmes my title Then to come to the point Christs bodie is sitting at the right hand of the Father and yet he is mine and is deliuered to me because I haue right to his bodie be it where it will hee was borne for mee giuen to mee and deliuered to mee So distance of place hurts not the suretie of my title as propinquitie of place helpes not the suretie of the same Though Christ would bow the heauens and touch thee with his bodie as he did Iudas yet this could not helpe thee for if thou hast not a title to him thou darest not call him thine So it is not the neernesse nor proximity of place that makes Christ mine It is onely the right that I haue to him I haue right to him only by faith So by faith only Chr. is made mine But they thinke they haue gotten a great vantage of vs if we be so farre from Chr. as the heauen is frō the earth but this shal be answered by Gods grace I haue a title to his body his body is distant frō my body yet his body is not distant from me that is from my soule I say his bodie and my soule are conioyned It is a strange ladder that will reach from the earth to the heauens yet let me tell you there is a corde that extendeth from the earth to the heauens Faith is that which couples vs and Christ and coupleth mee and Christ together and this is onely true fayth By true faith Christ though he be in the heauens is coupled and conioyned with me who am heere on earth I will shewe you this by a similitude Similitude taken from the sunne Is not the bodie of the sunne in the firmament It is impossible for you to touch the bodie of the sun yet the bodie of the sunne and yee are conioyned How By those beames that shine on you by that light that shineth vpon you Why may not the bodie of Christ then though it be in the heauens be conioyned with mee that am on the earth namelie by the beames by the light and gladnes that floweth from his bodie My bodie Christs body are conioined by the vertue and power flowing from his bodie which vertue and power quickneth my dead soule maketh me to liue the life of Christ to beginne to die to my selfe and euer the more I die to my selfe the more I liue to Christ This coniunction nowe is the ground as I told you of all our felicitie and happinesse and I haue made it cleere to you at this time so farre as God hath giuen me insight Alwaies yee see this coniunction is brought to passe by two speciall meanes by the holy spirit and by faith If there bee no other meanes but these two what needest thou a carnall or a visible coniunction Faith is invisible and the spirit is inuisible therefore thou canst not see it nor take it vp with the eye of thy bodie The power of the holy spirit is so subtile secret and inuisible that thou canst not perceiue it nor take it vppe with the eye of thy bodie and it will worke great effects in thy soule or euer thou perceiuest his working In respect therefore that the meanes of this coniunction are so subtill secret and spirituall why thinkest thou to get a sight of this coniunction with the eye of thy bodie why imaginest thou such a carnall coniunction as this which would doe thee no good if thou hadst it knowst thou not that the spirit that coupleth vs and Christ is infinite so that it is as easie for the spirit to couplevs and Christ how farre distant soeuer wee bee as it is easie for our soules to couple our head and the feete of our bodies though they be distant Then seeing this coniunction is the ground fountaine of all our happinesse And seeing this ground of happinesse is so subtil and so spirituall What is your part Remoue all your outward senses remoue al your naturall motions remoue your naturall discourses and your naturall reason and follow the sight and information of the spirit of God Craue that it would please him to illuminate your vnderstanding that by the light of his spirit yee may see cleerely the spirituall coniunction Except the eye of the spirit be giuen you to perceiue this spirituall coniunction It is not possible that yee can get any insight in it But if the Lord of his mercy will bestowe some measure of his holy spirit vpon you out of question yee shall soone come to the vnderstanding of it and yee shall thinke the time happie that euer yee heard this word Except yee haue some part of this spirit it is not possible that yee canne bee spirituall That which is borne of flesh and bloode will remaine flesh and bloud except the spirit come in and make it spirituall Therefore yee must bee borne againe of the spirit
eating of the flesh and drinking of the blood of Christ standeth in a faithfull memorie in a firme beleefe and in a true applying of the merits of the death and passion of Christ to my owne conscience in particular Ther were sundry things obiected against this kind of receiuing I wil not insist to repeat them But beside all the obiections which ye heard obiected against this kind of spiritual receiuing by faith They say If Christ his flesh nor his blood be not perceiued nor receiued but by the spirit by fayth in the spirit Then say they yee receiue him but by an imagination If hee bee not receiued carnally nor corporally but onely by the spirit and by faith Then is hee not receiued but by way of imagination conceite and fantasie So they account faith an imagination of the minde a fantasie and opinion fleeting in the hearts of men I cannot blame them to think so of faith For as none can iudge of the sweetnesse of honnie but they that haue tasted of it So there is none can discerne nor iudge of the nature of faith but they that haue felt it and rasted in their hearts what it is And if they had tasted and felt in their soules what faith brings with it alas they would not call that spirituall Iewell and onely iewell of the soule an imagination They call it an imagination and the Apostle describing it Heb. 11.1 calleth it a substance and a substantiall ground Marke how well these two agree An Imagination and a substantiall ground They call it an vncertaine opinion fleeting in the braine and fantasie of man Hee callâ—th it an euidence and demonstration in the same definition See how directly contrarie the Apostle and they are in the nature of faith Vpon this they inferre that as it is true in generall hee can not be deliuered nor giuen but that same way that hee is receiued and looke what way any thing is receiued the same way it is giuen and deliuered So as they say hee being receiued by way of Imagination hee is also in their fantasie giuen and deliuered by way of Imagination For if hee bee not giuen say they to thy hand to thy mouth nor to thy stomach corporally hee cannot be giuen but by an imagination and fantasticall opinion The reason that moueth them to thinke that Christ cannot bee theirs nor giuen to them truly in effect and really except he be giuen carnally is this That thing which is so far absent and distant from vs as the heauen is from the earth cannot be said to bee giuen to vs nor to bee ours But by your owne confession say they to vs Christ his bodie is as farre absent from vs as the heauen is from the earth Therefore Christ his bodie nor his flesh cannot be giuen vnto vs except by way of imagination and so not truely nor in effect This argument framed in this sorte would at the first sight seeme to be of some force But let vs examine the proposition of it The proposition is this That thing which is so farre absent from vs as the beauen is from the earth cannot be said to be deliuered to vs to be giuen to vs or any waies to be ours Now whether is this proposition true or false I say this proposition is vntrue and the contrarie most true A thing may be giuen to vs may become ours though the thing in person it selfe be as far distant from vs as the heauen is from the earth And how proue I this What maketh any thing to be ours What maketh any of you esteeme a thing to be giuen vnto you Is it not a Title Is it not a iust right to that thing If yee haue iust right giuen vnto you by him who hath power to giue it and a sure title confirmed to you by him who hath the power though the thing that he giueth vnto you be not deliuered into your handes yet by the right and title which hee granteth to you is not the thing yours There is no doubt of it for it is not the neerenesse of the thing to my bodie and to my hand that maketh the thing mine for it may bee in my hand and yet not belong to mee Neyther is it the distance nor absence of the thing that makes it not to be mine but it may be farre absent from mee and yet be mine because the title is mine because I haue gotten a right to it from him who hath the power to giue it So then this ground is true It is a sure title and a iust right that maketh a thing though it be farre distant from vs to bee ours But so it is that a liuely and trew faith in the blood and death of Christ maketh vs to haue a sure title and a good right to the flesh and blood of Christ and to his merits look what he merited by his death and shedding of his bloud vpon the crosse all that together with himselfe also appertaineth to mee and that by a title and a right which I haue gotten to him of God which is faith And the surer that my title is the more sure am I of the thing that is giuen mee by the Title Now this Sacrament of the Lords Supper was instituted to confirme our title to seal vp our right which wee haue to the bodie and blood to the death and passion of Christ and so the bodie of Christ is said to be giuen to vs The blood of Christ is said to be deliuered to vs when our title which we haue of him of his death of his bodie blood is confirmed in our hearts For this Sacrament was instituted for the grouth and encrease of our faith for the increase of our holinesse and sanctification which fayth the greater that it is in our hearts the more sure are wee that Christ his death appertaineth to vs. I grant as I haue said that the flesh of Christ is not deliuered into my hands his flesh is not put into my mouth nor entreth into my stomacke Yet God forbidde that thou shouldest say Hee is not truly giuen although Christs flesh bee not put into thy hand nor mouth of thy bodie and wherefore should it Hath hee not appointed breade and wine for the nourishment of the bodie and may not that content you Are they not sufficient to nourish you to this earthly and temporall life Hath he not appointed Christ to bee deliuered to the inward mouth of thy soule to be giuen into the hand of thy soule that thy soule may feede on him and be quickned with that life wherewith the Angels liue wherewith the sonne of God and God himselfe liue So the flesh of Christ is not appointed to nourish thy body but to nourish thy soule in the hope yea in the growth of that immortall life and therfore I say though the flesh of Christ bee not deliuered into the hand of thy body yet it is deliuered to that part that it should
nourish the soule is that part that it should nourish therefore to the soule it is deliuered Yea that bread that wine are no more really deliuered to the body to the hand of the body then the flesh of Christ is deliuered to the soule and to the hand and mouth of the soule vvhich is faith therefore craue no more a carnall deliuerie nor thinke not vpon a carnall receiuing Thou must not thinke that eyther GOD giueth the flesh of Christ to the mouth of the bodie or that thou by the mouth of thy bodie receiuest the flesh of Christ For yee must vnderstand this principle in the Scriptures of GOD our soules cannot be ioyned with the flesh of Christ nor the flesh of Christ cannot be ioyned vvith our soules but by a spirituall band Not by a carnall band of bloud and alliance not by the touching of his flesh with our flesh but hee is conioyned with vs by a spirituall band that is by the power and vertue of his holy Spirit And therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12.13 That by the meanes of his holy spirit all wee who are faithfull men and vvomen are baptized into one body of Christ That is wee are conioyned and fastened with one Christ by the meanes saith he of one spirit not by a carnall band or any grosse coniunction but onely by the band of the holy spirit That same holy spirit that is in him is in euery one of vs in some measure and in respect one spirit is in him and in vs therefore wee are accounted all to be one body and to bee members of one spirituall and mysticall body And in the same verse the Apostle saith Wee are all made to drink into one and the selfe same spirit that is we are made to drink of the bloud of Christ And this bloud is no other thing but the quickning vertue and power that floweth from Christ and from the merits of his death we are made all to drinke of that bloud when wee drinke of the liuely power and vertue that floweth out of that bloud So there is not a band that can couple my soule with the flesh of Christ but onelie a spirituall band and a spirituall vnion And therefore it is that the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.17 saith Hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit And Iohn saith That vvhich is borne of the spirit is spirit So it is onely by the participation of the holy spirit that we are conioyned with the flesh and bloud of Christ Iesus That carnall band vvhether it bee the band of bloud vvhich runnes throrough one race or the carnall touching of flesh vvith flesh that carnall band I say vvas neuer esteemed of by Christ In the time that hee was conuersant heere vpon earth hee respected nothing that band for as hee vvitnessed himselfe by his owne vvords hee neuer had that carnall band in any kinde of reuerence or estimation in respect of the spirituall band But as for the spirituall band whereby we are coupled with him by one spirit hee euer esteemed of this band in the time that he was conuersant on earth in his word he hath left the praise and commendations of the same To let you see how lightly he esteemed of the carnall band of bloud and alliance which wee esteeme so much yee may see in the eight of Luke 20.21 for there they comming to him say Master thy Mother and thy Brethren stand vvithout and vvould see thee ye shall heare his answere vnto them how little he esteemed of that carnall band in the 21. verse in a manner denying that band hee saith My Mother and my Brethren are those which heare the vvord of God and doe it As if he would haue said It is not that carnall band that I esteeme it is not that carnall coniunction that I reuerence it is the spirituall coniunction by the participation of the holie Spirit vvhereby wee are mooued to heare the word of God to giue reuerence to it and to obey it This carnall band was neuer profitable as that in the 8. of Luke doth plainly testifie for if the touching of Christes flesh had been profitable the multitude wherof mention is made in that chapter that thrusted and preased him had beene the better by their carnall touching But so it is that there was neuer any of them the better by their carnall touching therfore the carnall touching profiteth nothing Saith not Christ himselfe Iohn 6.63 to drawe them from that sinister confidence they had in his flesh onely My flesh profiteth nothing It is the spirit that quickneth To touch him by the holie Spirit and by faith in thy soule this touching by faith hath euer been profitable and wee haue a plaine example of it in the same chapter Euen so the poore vvoman that had long been diseased vvith a bloudie issue the space of twelue yeeres and had vvasted and consumed the greatest part of her substance in seeking remedie shee found no helpe by the naturall and bodily Physition at the last by vertue of the holie Spirit working faith in her heart shee vnderstands and conceiues that shee is able to recouer the health of her bodie and the health of her soule from Christ Iesus vvho came to saue both body and soule And vpon this perswasion which shee had in her hart that Christ could cure both body and soule shee came vnto him and as the Text saith shee preased thorough the multitude to come to him and when she was come it is not said that she touched his flesh with her hand in case the Papists would ascribe the vertue which came out of him to her carnall touching but it is said that she touched onely the hemme of his garment with her hand and with faith vvhich is the hand of the soule shee touched her Sauiour God and man And to let you vnderstand that shee touched him by saith hee saith to her at the last Goe thy way thy faith hath saued thee Shee touched him not so soon by faith but incontment there came a power out of him which power and vertue shee felt by the effect of it in her soule and our Sauiour felt it vvhen it went from him The effect vvhereby shee felt it was the health of her soule and the effect wherby he felt it was the going from him And so soone as hee felt it goe from him he saith Who is it that hath touched mee Peter who was euer most suddaine answereth and saith Thou art thronged and thrusted by the multitude and yet thou askest Who hath touched thee Our Sauiour answers againe It is not that touching that I speake of it is another kinde of touching There is one hath touched me who hath drawn a vertue and power out of mee the multitude takes no vertue from me The poore woman thinking she had done amisse and perceiuing that she could not be hid came trembling and said I haue done it Hee answered her at the last
wee meane by the word what they meane by it We by the word as I haue said vnderstand the whole institution of Chr. Iesus whatsoeuer he said or did or cōmanded to bee done without adding or diminishing or alteration of the meaning or sense of the word This we mean by the word in the Sacramēt Now What the Papists vnderstand by the word in the Sacrament what vnderstand the Papists by the word They preach not the institution of Christ nor take the whole institution as he left it But in place thereof they select and chuse out of his institution foure or fiue words they make the whole vertue of the institution to consist in the foure or fiue words And it were nothing if they would content themselues with these words because they are the words of the institution But they adde to the words they take from the words alter the meaning of the same words at their pleasure That yee may knowe this In their Masse which they call the Lords Supper I will let you see the substance of it I will diuide their Masse into substantiall accidentall things To the substance of the Masse there are three things required There must of necessitie be a priest .i. such a one as takes vpon him the office of our Mediator Chr. Ies to intercede between God man Secondly to the substance of the Masse is required that the Priest offer the bodie and blood of Christ We come here to receiue the same things There the priest offers them to God the father Thirdly by this worke say they they obtaine al good things by this work wrought they obtaine remission of sinnes as well to the dead as to the quicke but in speciall they obtaine remission of sinnes to the priest who is the distributer and to him to whom the priest applieth that sacrifice And as for the rest of the Church who are absent they obtaine this remission of their sinnes by this work generally These three things are necessarie to the substance of the Masse As for the accidents that must concurre to the making of a Masse They are of two sorts Some of them are alwaies necessarie without the which that action cannot bee againe some are not necessarie and the action may bee without them but not without a deadlie sinne These things that are necessarie concerne partly the priest and partly the action it selfe The accidents that are necessarie to the priest are of two sorts One sort are such as without the which hee cannot be a priest The other sort such without the which hee cannot bee free from deadly sin The things without the which he can not be a priest are these Except he haue a power giuen of his Bishop to consecrate which power is iustified by the vnction shauing of his crowne Except again he haue power to speake and that the roofe of his mouth be whole that he may speak hee cannot bee a priest These two are alwaies necessarie and concurre to the person Other things againe are not so necessarie as that the priest must be free from suspension from cursing deadly sinne and all Ecclesiasticall pain censures These things are necessarie to the person There are again two things necessary to the action One sort without the which the action cannot bee without the Lords prayer it cannot bee without the fiue words of the institution it cannot bee Other things againe are not so necessarie as the consecration of the place where the Masse is said The Altar stone The blessing of the Chalice The water The singing he that should helpe to say Masse and the rest So they and wee in no sort agree concerning the word what is meant by it The second point is how this word ought to be intreated wherein wee are as farre asunder we say the word taken as hath beene said for the whole institution ought to be intreated after this manner First there ought to be a lawfull pastor who hath his calling of God to deliuer it And this pastor ought to deliuer the word lawfully what is that hee ought to preach it to proclaime it publikely with a plaine speech to denounce it hee ought to open vp and declare all the parts of it what is the peoples part and what is his owne part how he ought to deliuer and distribute that bread and that wine how the people ought to receiue at his hands that bread and that wine to informe their faith how they ought to receiue Christs bodie and bloud signified by that bread and that wine As also hee ought to teach them how they shuld come with reuerence vnto that Table and communicate with the pretious bodie and blood of Christ This hee ought to doe in a familiar language that the people may vnderstand him that they may heare him that they may perceiue and lay vp in their hearts the things that hee speakes For what auaileth it you to heare a thing whispered and not spoken out or if it be spoken out what auaileth it you to heare it if yee vnderstand it not For except yee heare Christ in a familiar and plaine language yee cannot vnderstand and except ye vnderstand it is impossible for you to beleeue and without beleefe there is no application of Christ and except yee beleeue and apply Christ to your selues your comming to the Sacrament is in vaine So of necessitie if this Sacrament be lawfully handled The pastor must preach the institution of Christ that it may be heard and in a familiar language that it may be vnderstood in such sort that the faithfull people may be informed how to receiue and the Minister may knowe his part how to deliuer and distribute This I say should bee the right handling of the holy institution of this Sacrament Now what do they in place of a Minister pastor or Bishoppe call him as you please who is lawfully called of God they substitute a priest surrogate an hierling who hath no calling or office now in the church of God For the office of a priest as they vse their priesthoode is no other thing but the office of Christ Iesus the office of the Mediator betwixt God and vs for they make their priests dailie to offer vppe Christ Iesus to the Father Now this is the Mediator Chr. his office that he did it once for all once for euer saith the Apostle so that they haue no entrance to doe this ouer againe And in respect that their priests do this againe which Christ hath done alreadie they doe it without cōmand they haue no warrant in the word of God And if they had warrant for their calling in the word of God yet they handle the Sacrament amisse for whereas they should speake forth cleerely they whisper and they coniure the Elements by a certaine kind of whispering Wheras they should speake it in a knowen language that the people may vnderstand They speake in an vnknowen language and though they spake
visible and palpable I proue my Proposition by Christ his owne words taken out of Luke 24.39 In the which place to perswade the Apostles of the verity of his body and to proue euidently that it was not fantasticall heevseth the argument taken from these tvvo qualities and he commands his Apostles to feele and see giuing them thereby to vnderstand that as these two senses are the most certaine of all the rest so are they most able to discerne whether hee was a body or a spirit As if he would haue said If I be visible and palpable ye may be out of doubt that I haue a true body For as the Poet saith which Tertullian citeth also to this same purpose Tangere enim et tangi nisi corpus nulla potestres By these arguments it may be euidently seen how this Transubstantiation may no way stand with the verity of the bodie of Chr. Iesus And as it fights with the flesh of Christ Iesus so it repugnes directly the articles of our faith For in our Beliefe we professe Second sort of argumeÌ„t that Christ ascended out of this earth to the heauen where hee sits at the right hand of the Father vvhere hee gouerns and directs all things in heauen and earth from the which place he is to come at the last day to iudge the world This article teacheth vs that hee hath changed his dwelling vvhich hee had amongst vs on the earth and is ascended into the heauens where he sits at the right hand of his Father and shall remaine there according to the testimony of Peter which I cited out of the Acts 3.21 vntill the last day If hee sit at his Fathers right hand and be to remaine in heauen vntill the last day theÌ„ is he not corporally in the bread But the article of our Beliefe saith That he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and Peter saith in that place that the heauens must containe him vntill the last day Therefore this Transubstantiation is directly against the articles of our Beliefe the manifest place of the Scripture Thirdly it is opposite vnto the end Third sort of argumeÌ„t wherefore this Sacrament was instituted this is most euident for the end of the Sacrament is spirituall as the effect that floweth thereof is spiritual and the instrument whereby this spirituall food is applyed to vs is also spiritual But from a naturall and corporall presence a spirituall effect can neuer flowe therefore the corporall and naturall presence of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus repugnes directly the end of this Sacrament for the corporall presence must haue a corporall eating of this eating followeth a digestion in the stomacke and the thing that is digested in the stomack is neuer able to feed my soule to life eternall So this corporall presence must euer tend to a corporall end which is directly contrarie vnto the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted Further Other arguments vnto the same effect if the bread were transubstantiate it should become the thing signified if it become the thing signified this Sacrament should want a signe and so it should not be a Sacrament for euery Sacrament as yee haue heard is a signe Now to say that the accidents of true bread as the colour and the roundnesse of it that they may serue as signes that is more then folly for between the signe and the thing signified there must be a conformity but there is no conformity between the accidents and the body and bloud of Christ Iesus For if that were so the accidents behoued to nourish vs corporally as the body and bloud of Christ Iesus is appointed to nourish vs spiritually Againe if the bread become the body and bloud of Christ Iesus it should follow that he had a body without bloud for hee hath instituted another signe besides to represent his bloud Also if there had been such a wonderfull thing as they speak of in this Sacrament there would haue been plaine mention made thereof in the Scripture for God himselfe works neuer a notable worke but he declares it either openly or more secretly in the Scripture that thereby hee may be glorified in his wonderfull works As yee may read in the Euangelist â—ohn 2.8 where the vvater was changed into wine Gene. 2.22 where the rib of Adam was changed into Heua Exodus 7.10 where Aarons rodde was turned into a Serpent there ye see that changing is manifestly expressed Therefore I say if there had bin such a monstrous change in these elemeÌ„ts of the Supper as they affirm the Scripture would not haue concealed it but expressed it but in respect there is no meÌ„tion made of this change in the Script therfore there is no such change in this action Further if there were such a change as they say either it is before these words of consecration be spoken or followes after the same words be spoken If the change be before the words of the coÌ„secration be spoken the consecration is superfluous their Proposition is false if the change be after the words be spoken This bread is my body their Proposition is false also because the word bread is spoken before the last syllable of their fiue words is pronounced These and infinite moe absurdities follow of this doctrine And yet they obstinately perseuer and vrge vs with the letter affirming that the words of Christ are so plaine that they admit no figure They would haue spoken more aduisedly if they had sought counsell of Augustine to haue discerned between a figuratiue speech and a proper speech for he in his third booke and 16. chapter of Christian doctrine speakes after this sort If the speech saith hee seeme to commaund a vvickedness or mischeife on to forbid any happinesse or any vvelfare it is not proper it is then figuratiue And he adds for an example a place out of Iohn 6.53 Except saith our Sauiour ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Whereunto Augustine addeth This speech saith he sesmeth to coÌ„maund a mischiefe therefore it is a figuratiue speech vvhereby wee are commanded to coÌ„municate with the sufferings of Christ Iesus and with gladnes to keepe in perpetuall memory that the flesh of the Lord was crucified and wounded for vs. For otherwise it were more horrible as the same Augustine maketh mention in the second booke against the Aduersaries of the lavv to eate the flesh of Christ Iesus really then to murther him and more horrible to drinke his bloud then to shed his bloud Yet notwithstanding they are not ashamed still to hold maintaine that those words ought to be taken properly So that it appeareth that of very malice for contradiction sake to the end onely that they may withstand the truth they will not acknowledge this to be a sacrameÌ„tall speech For they are compelled will they nill they in other speeches of the like sort to acknowledge a
Christ which was locally present with the rest of his disciples was not glorified yet the body which hee exhibited in the bread was glorified They might as well haue held their peace and say nothing For marke the words of the text as they are written Luke 22.19 where it is said And he tooke the bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue to them saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you and Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11.24 hath these words Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you This relatiue which is relatiue to the bodie which was exhibited in the bread for according to their owne confession those words are pronounced vpon the bread directed vnto it But that same bodie was giuen and broken for vs that is to say crucified and broken with anguish and dolors Then I reason after this sort To be crucified and broken with anguish and dolors canne no waies agree and conuene with a glorified bodie But the bodie that Christ exhibited in the bread is said of the Euangelists to be crucified and broken for vs Ergo that bodie was not glorified Now last of all they are not yet content but say Christ can make the bread his bodie And therefore his bodie is really present That Christ can make the bread his bodie wee grant for Christ being God canne doe whatsoeuer hee will onely let them shewe That Christ will make of reall bread his reall flesh and then this controuersie will ende Christ indeede makes the bread his bodie not really but Sacramentally For Christ hath not a bodie made of bread his bodie was made once of the pure substance of his blessed Mother Another bodie then this or oftner made then once hath hee none wherefore all doctrine that teacheth Christs body to be made of bread is impious hereticall The Papists doctrine of reall presence teacheth That Christs bodie in the Sacrament is made of bread by changing the bread into his bodie through consecration wherefore we may boldly and and truly conclude That their doctrine of reall presence is both wicked heretical Now to cōclude this head I beseech them seeing that reason fails thē That they fight not against God for maintenance of a lie how old soeuer it bee for the diuel is olde enough yet he could neuer change his nature But let them rather glorifie God in cōfessing these speeches to be Sacramēetal Then what is the reason ground wherefore the Papists pull downe the substance of the body of Christ and the blood of Christ and make the verie substance to be corporallie The reason that moues the Papists to thinke that Chr. bodie cannot be present in the Sacrament except it be really carnally and substantially present reallie and substantially in the Sacrament The reason is this Because they cannot see by their naturall iudgement nor can vnderstand by their natural wit the truth of this to wit how Christs flesh and blood can bee present in the Sacrament except hee bee present to their corporall hand to their corporall mouth and stomacke If they had the light to informe them That Christ might bee present in the Sacrament and not to the hand to the mouth or stomack they would neuer thinke of such a monstrous presence as they imagine to be there But beeing destitute of the spirituall light they follow their naturall reasons make a natural Obseruation carnal presēce So that ye haue this lesson to note from hence There is no man that hath not the spirit of God to vnderstand this word This is my bodie but out of question hee will doe as the Papists doe that is hee will vnderstand it carnally And so they mis-knowing the right meaning of it it is no maruaile though they and we differ in this matter For will you aske of a Papist first if the true bodie of Christ be there or if the true flesh and blood of Christ be there hee will say it is there The diuerse opinions concerning the presence of the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament will you aske him wherein hee will say in and vnder the accidents of the bread wine vnder the hew and roundnes of the bread will you aske him againe by what instrument it is receiued Hee will tell you by the mouth and stomacke of the bodie So this is their grosse vnderstanding of the bodie and blood of Christ Will you aske of the Vbiquiter if the true bodie of Christ be present hee will say it is will you aske if it it be in with or vnder the bread hee will answere it is in the bread contentiuè that is the bread containes it will you aske him to what instrument it is offered hee will answere that the bodie of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie and that the blood of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie as the Papists doe Will you knowe of vs how Christ Iesus his true bodie and blood is present wee will say that they are spiritually present really present that is present in the Lords Supper and not in the bread wee will not say that his true flesh is present to the hand or to the mouth of our bodies But we say it is spiritually present that is present vnto thy spirit and faythfull soule yea euen as present inwardlie vnto thy soule as the bread and wine are present vnto thy bodie outwardly Will you aske then if the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus bee present in the Lords Supper Wee answere in a word They are present but not in the bread and wine nor in the accidents nor substance of bread and wine And wee make Christ to be present in this Sacrament because hee is present to my soule to my spirit and fayth Also we make him present in the Lords Supper because I haue him in his promise This is my bodie which promise is present to my fayth and the nature of fayth is to make things that are absent in themselues yet present And therefore seeing he is both present by fayth in his promise present by the vertue of his holy spirit who can say but that hee is present in this Sacrament But yet the word would be explained How a thing is said to be present and absent what we mean by the word present how a thing is said to be present absent And knowing this yee shall finde all the matter easie I say things are said to be present as they are perceiued by anie outward or inward sense as they are perceiued by any of the senses so are they present the further they be perceiued the further present and by what sense any thing is perceiued to that sense it is present As if it bee outwardly perceiued by an outward sense that thing is outwardly present As for example if it be perceiued by the outward sight of the eye by the outward hearing of the eare
and our mindes were sette on euill continually Then wee beginne to abhor that Idoll and to seeke to serue God only Now except the Lord of his mercie and goodnes place in vs this light vntill such time as we get some glimmering of this light wee canne neuer see our own vanitie nor yet see God This then is the first worke of the spirit hee banisheth darknesse and errors and placeth light in our mindes Now this first worke of the spirit is tearmed oftentimes in the Scripture vnder the name of fayth for the minde hath it owne assent and perswasion in the owne kinde as well as the heart hath and therefore the minde beeing illuminate seasoned with this light the assenting and knowledge in the same minde is called faith The Apostles and Euangelists giue to this knowledge the name of fayth for from the time that thou once hast an eye to see God whom he hath sent Christ Iesus when once thou gettest a sight of him and accesse to him if it were no more then in the minde it is called faith But wee must not stand still heere If faith goe no further then the minde it is not the faith that wee are seeking For the faith that iustifieth and doth vs good must open the hart as well as it openeth the minde it must banish that Idol and affection out of the hart and in steed therof place a throne for Christ Iesus So that except the good spirit of God goe further then the minde and banish this Idol as vvell out of our hearts as out of our mindes we haue not that iustifying faith wherby we may looke for mercy Yea the spirit of GOD must not onely stay at the inlightening of thy mind but it must mollifie this hart of thine and change thine affections And vvhereas thy affections were wicked and euill Gods Spirit must change thy will and he neuer can change thy will except he make the ground of thy hart good that it may be set on God and bring forth good fruit aboundantly to the owner And what teacheth this This teacheth you to seeke for an honest hart and to seeke instantly while yee obtaine it For what auaileth it any man to knowe vvhat is good or what is euill except hee haue a way shewed him how hee shall eschew the euill a meanes giuen him to make himselfe partaker of the good Is not this an idle and vnprofitable knowledge to mee to see a farre off and to knowe that this is good for me when I finde not a meanes how to be partaker of that good that it may be especially good to mee Is it not an idle knowledge also to perceiue that this is ill for mee that it vvill doe mee hurt if I doe it and yet that same verie thing I vvill doe and no other So the Spirit of GOD linketh these two together in this worke and as hee reformes the minde hee reformes also the hart and makes you to be partakers of that good which yee see and to eschew that euill which ye perceiue And this is the second worke of the Spirit Not onely to present a thing to thee but to make it thine in effect For howbeit the minde would doe his part neuer so well and let thee see that Christ is thine and present him to thee neuer so often yet if thy hart be not reformed that will and crooked affection that is in thy hart will preferre it selfe to Christ and vvill make thee to account all but folly in respect of that Idol And therefore it were an idle and a foolish thing for mee to see my saluation except I get grace to be partaker of it and what auailes it thee to see the works of the diuell to see thine owne sinnes that slay thee except thou get grace to eschew them And so the second worke of the spirit is this Hee enters into the hart hee daunteth the hart and wonderfully changeth it making the wil of it obedient hee mollifies the affection which was hard before in such sort that it is made to poure out thy affection in som measure on the liuing God wheras it was poured out on one Idol or other of thine owne before Then except the hart will do his part as the mind doth his part the whole soule is not consecrate to God for God hath not made the soule that the hart should serue thee and the mind only shold serue him but thy seruice is then only acceptable to God when thou consecratest thy hart as well as thy minde to him Now A similitude of the apprehension of the corporall foode to illustrate the spirituall this matter is so cleare that it needeth not to be illustrated by similitude yet to make it more plaine vnto you I vvill shew you by a similitude that the apprehension of the minde is not enough except yee get the apprehension of the hart also In corporall things in meat drink which serue for the vse of your bodies there must be of this meat and drinke two sorts of apprehensions and as there is two sorts of apprehension of the meat and drinke that is the foode of the body so there is two sorts of apprehension of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus which is our meate and drinke spirituall Of meat and drinke corporall there is an apprehension by the eye and by the taste that while the meate is present vnto you on the Table your eye taketh a view of that meat discerneth it and maketh choice of it and not onely the eye but also the taste discerneth the meat and the taste approouing it that is called the first apprehension Now vpon this which is the first the second apprehension followeth that is after that ye haue chewed that meat swallowed it sent it to your stomack where it digesteth and conuerteth into your nouriture then in your stomack ye get the second apprehension But if your eye like not that meat neither your taste like it the second apprehension followeth not for thou wilt spet it out againe or reiect it preferring some other meat vnto it that thou likest better That meat which thou likest not enters neuer into thy stomack and so it can neuer be conuerted into thy nourishment for it is onely the second apprehension of the meat that is the cause of the nourishment of the body in our corporall foode so that if yee chew not this meat and swallow it it feeds you not then it is onely the second apprehension that nourisheth our bodies It is euen so in spirituall things so farre as they may be compared in the foode of Christ Iesus who is the life and nouriture of our soules and consciences There must be two sorts of apprehension of Christ Iesus The first apprehension is by the eye of the minde that is by our knowledge vnderstanding for as the eye of the body discerneth by an outward light so the eye of the minde discerneth by an
whereby they are receiued is visible and corporall The thing signified by the bread and wine is not receiued by the mouth of the body no the Scripture denieth that plainly but it is receiued by the mouth of the soule Then there are two mouthes that bread and that wine which are the signes are receiued by the mouth of the body Christ vvho is the thing signified is receiued by the mouth of the soule that is by a true faith Then bring not to the Lords Table one mouth onely for if yee bring the mouth of your body onely it auaileth nothing but bring with you also the mouth of your soule a constant perswasion in the death of Christ for that is availeable Novv concerning the manner hovv the signes are receiued and the manner how the thing signified is receiued yee may easily knowe that these corporall naturall signes must be receiued after a corporall and naturall maner they must be taken with the hand or mouth of the body Againe a supernaturall thing must be receiued after a supernaturall manner A spirituall thing must be receiued after a spirituall manner So as the signes are corporall and receiued after a corporall manner with the hand or the mouth of the body In like manner the thing signified is spirituall and receiued after a spirituall manner with the hand and mouth of the soule which is true faith Thus yee haue briefely deliuered vnto you the whole preparation that is necessary for the vnderstanding of this Sacrament Now what doctrine gather I from this Of this last point vvhere I say that Christ is the thing signified and cannot be preceiued but by faith cannot be receiued nor digested but by a faithfull soule what kinde of receiuing confirme I in this Sacrament I establish no kind of receiuing of Christ What kinde of receiuing Christ is established in the Sacrament but a spiritual receiuing he can not be perceiued nor receiued but by faith and faith is spirituall Therefore in this Sacrament I establish onely a spiritual taking of Christ not a carnall or fleshly receiuing This is the ground Novv let vs see what inconuenience can follow vpon this ground Inconueniences cast in by the Papists against the spirituall receiuing of Christ in the Sacrament The Papists say that vpon this ground this inconuenience shall follow If there be no receiuing of Christ but a spirituall receiuing then say they your Sacrament is in vaine this Sacrament of the Lords Supper was instituted to no end And what is their reason If there be no way to receiue Christ say the Papists but by faith what need you then a Sacrament Yee receiue Christ by faith in the word by the naked and simple preaching of the word ye get faith So the simple word may serue the turne What need haue ye of a Sacrament if ye get not some new thing in the Sacrament which yee could not get in the word This is their Argument whereof ye see their conclusion to be this Wee get no other new thing in the Sacrament First inconuenience That the Sacrament is superfluous then we doe in the vvord if there be no receiuing but spirituall Ergo The Sacrament is superfluous VVee admit the Antecedent to bee true vvee get no other thing nor no new thing in the Sacrament but the same thing which we got in the word I would haue thee deuise and imagine vvith thy selfe what new thing thou vvouldest haue let the hart of man deuise imagine and wish he durst neuer haue thought to haue such a thing as the Sonne of GOD hee durst neuer haue presumed to haue pearced the clowdes to haue ascended so high as to haue craued the Sonne of GOD in his flesh to be the foode of his soule Hauing the Sonne of God thou hast him who is the heire of all things who is King of heauen and earth and in him thou hast all things What more then canst thou wish What better thing canst thou wish Hee is equall with the Father one in substance with the Father true GOD true man vvhat more canst thou wish Then I say vvee get no other thing in the Sacrament then wee had in the vvord content thee vvith this But suppose it be so yet the Sacrament is not superfluous But wouldest thou vnderstand what new thing thou obtainest what other thing thou gettest I will tell thee Refutation of the first Inconuenience Suppose thou get that same thing which thou haddest in the vvord yet thou gettest that same thing better What is that better Thou obtainest a greater and surer hold of that same thing in the Sacrament then thou hadst by the hearing of the vvord That same thing which thou possessedst by the hearing of the word thou doost possesse now more largely it hath larger bounds in thy soule by the receiuing of the Sacrament then other-wise it could haue by the hearing of the word onely Then wilt thou aske what new thing wee get I say wee get this new thing we get Christ better then before we get the thing which we had more fully that is with a surer apprehension then we had it before we gette a greater hold of Christ now For by the Sacrament my faith is nourished the boundes of my soule are enlarged and so whereas I had but a little hold of Christ before as it were betweene my finger and my thumbe now I get him in my whole hand and still the more that my faith groweth the better hold I get of Christ Iesus So the Sacrament is very necessary and if it were no more but to get Christ better and to get a faster apprehension of him by the Sacrament then vvee could haue before Now if it were true that the Sacrament is superfluous by the same reason it shold follow also that the repetition of the Sacrament is superfluous For when yee come to the Sacrament the second time ye get no other thing then yee did the first time vvhen ye come vnto the Sacrament the third time yet get no other thing then yee did the first time and yet no man will say that the third and second comming is a superfluous thing And vvhy Because by the second comming my faith is augmented I vnderstand better I growe in knowledge I growe in apprehension I grow in feeling and in getting the growth of all these as oft as I come there is no man will say that the oft comming to the Sacrament is superfluous if it were euerie day once So their first inconuenience auailes not Wee get no new thing in the Sacrament Ergo the Sacrament is superfluous Thus farre for the first Then there depends another thing on the same ground If Christ be not perceiued but by faith then say we no wicked body can perceiue him hee that lacketh faith cannot perceiue him He that lacketh faith may perceiue that Sacrament of that bread and that vvine and may eate of that bread and drinke of