was instituted to wit before his death and suffering by which it is plaine that the bread in the supper cannot be the same naturall body that was borne of the Virgin Marie crucified on the Crosse c. 3 Thirdly wherefore it was ordeined to witt for the strengthening of our faith in the trueth of Gods promises and to put vs in remembrāce of Iesus Christ absent now a remembrance of a thing it could not bee if the thing it selfe were present And all these three pointes are prooued out of 1. Corinth 11. vers 23.24 2 In the second place the consideration of these three circumstaunces following will serue much for the clearing of the question also 1 First which be the signes in the Sacrament to wit Bread and Wine which haue that nature and force in them not of themselues for then all Bread and Wine should haue the like but in respect of the Lordes institution who alone hath power to ordeine signes or Sacramentes and to giue them that effect and propertie 2 Secondly what be the things signified thereby to witt the blessed body of Christ crucified and his precious bloud shed for the benefite and good of all those that by a liuely and stedfast faith do apprehend and take hold of him and all his merites 3 Thirdly the analogie proportion and agreement which is between the signes and the things signified the Lord no doubt choosing such elements as might most aptly and fitly expresse the thinges signified and sealed by the same Which likewise may be brought into three especiall heades or pointes 1 First that as verily as that Bread is broken and the wine defused or spread abroade because many bee partakers of it so verily was Christ wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities as Isaiah saith Cap. 53.5 and his body crucified and his blood shed vpon the crosse for many for the remission of sinnes Math. 26.26.22.28 1. Corinth 11.24.25.26 2 Secondly that as Bread hath his propertie through Gods blessing giuen it to feede and strengthen our naturall bodies in this life so his body being represented effectually vnto vs by that bread hath the self-same propertie touching our soules to strengthen and to nourish them spiritually And euen as the Wine comfort and make mans heart glad as appeareth by sundry Scriptures so our full ioy and spirituall comfort is to be found in him alone And to ioyne these two togeather of which we haue spoken seuerally this wee must know and beleeue further that as our diet is then full whole and perfect as it were when it consisteth of these two thinges Bread and Wine or Drinke so wee might know that the fulnesse and prefection of all spirituall nourishment is to be found in Christ alone no where else whilest that hee is become as well the Drincke as the Meate of our soule not onely in this double signe helping our infirmitie as it were but also teaching vs to seeke the heauenly refection and nourishment of our soules fully and wholly in him and no where else Wherevnto also he him selfe in some sort alludeth Math. 11. vers 28. c. Ioh. 6 35. Ioh. 7. 37.38 3 Thirdly that as the Bread is made of many Graines and the Wine of sundry seuerall Grapes and yet all make but one Bread and one Wine so all the faythfull should be instructed thereby that though they be seuerall and distinct persons one of thē from an other as the members in the body are yet they all compacted togeather make but one body as the Apostle Paul plainely prooueth Rom. 12.4 5. but specially 1. Corinth 10.16 17. These three things then out of all that hitherto hath been spoken I would haue to be obserued and noted 1 First that though it be true that euen by the ministerie of the Gospell wee receiue Christ with all his benefites of which Saint Paul speaketh Galat. 3 1. that Christ was described in their sight and crucified among them yet that wee haue this more plainely and plentifully set foorth vnto vs in the vse of the Supper whilest that we by fayth feeding on him that is the Bread of life which came downe from heauen John 6.51 are by that means become bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 and made one in him euen as the Father and hee are one John 17.21.22 2 Secondly that this holy Sacrament doeth not onely direct vs to the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ which was performed many hundred yeares agoe as the one the onely Sacrifice for sinne neuer to be reiterated because that thereby he being the onely High priest and eternall Sacrificer hath consecrated for euer all them that are sanctified Hebr. 9.28 Heb. 10.14 but also yea chiefly and especially to the gracious fruites and effectes that we receaue thereby as the forgiuenesse of sinnes the assured pledge of eternall life and such like which are liuely set foorth and preached vnto vs in the same to the ende that wee may bee made partakers thereof 3 Thirdly that we must know and beleeue that though this Sacrament doe specially and chiefly direct vs to Christ his death merites obedience and the fruites thereof yet notwithstanding also it doeth instruct vs of the speciall dueties of Loue that in Christ and for Christ wee as the members of that bodie whereof he is the onely head ought vnfeignedly to performe one of vs towards an other not onely as profitable and necessarie for the partes to whom such duties are performed but comfortable also to our selues whilest by that as by a badge or cognizaunce we are knowne to be Christes Disciples Iohn 13.35 and haue sealed vp in our hearts the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of all our sinnes an assured pledge of our translation out of darkenesse into light see Luke 7.47 Also 1. John 3.14 In the third place for the clearing of this controuersie we must haue a watchfull eye to Sathans subtletie who laboureth in this poynt as in all other points of Christian religion by extreamities to draw vs into all corruption Now the extreamenesses that in time hertofore haue burst foorth and are yet in many places stoutly and stiffely maintained are specially three 1 First that of the Sacramentaries who holde and defende that there is nothing in the Supper left vs saue the bare and naked signes of Christes death and passion But the trueth is so farre off frō allowing this that we feare not to affirme that besides the signes wee haue the thinges them selues signified truly and effectually exhibited vnto vs because it is most certaine that our Sauiour Christ who is the trueth it selfe and can not lye doeth indeed and assuredly accomplish vnto vs all the promises which he made vnto vs and sealed vnto vs by the vse of the signes in the Sacrament making vs partakers euen of his very substaunce that we might also grow vp into one life with him And though this can not be comprehended by
blasphemous in respct of our Sauiour Christ him selfe but also more vnprofitable and vncertaine to vs as which might prouoke vs to doubt whether of his bodies were crucified for our transgressions Now as we doe iustly reiect this grosse sense so for the instruction of the ignoraunt and strengthening of the weake we wil in a few lines put downe the true meaning of these wordes For the better performaunce whereof I would haue this to be noted 1 In he first place which I am sure also no man of sounde iudgement can well denie that all wordes and therefore these of the Supper must be expounded according to the subiect argument or matter whereof they intreate and therefore their speaking particularly of the Lordes Supper must of necessitie be vnderstood of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ exhibited vnto vs in that Supper 2 Secondly I would haue this to be remembred that seeing all confessr these wordes to be spoken of the Sacrament we must not gather that the word Body is otherwise attributed to the Bread then the nature and qualitie as it were of Sacramentes will beare for then if wee should graunt that wee should easily destroy and ouerthrow all Sacramentes of the Church whatsoeuer because in this behalfe or respect there is a like proportion to be obserued in one as in all And if one be defaced in respect of a wrong sense the least can hardly or not at all stand vpright 3 Thirdly that this is the nature of all sacraments that the elementes and rites vsed in the same be true and effectuall not signes onely but testimonies and pledges of these things for the signifying and subiecting of which vnto our senses they were ordained and yet when I vse the word Signe I would not bee taken as though I meant that they are bare vaine or vnprofitable Signes such as Painters cōmonly vse to make but euen thus farre-foorth effectuall that it is no more true certaine that we see the same with our eyes touch them with our hands receiue them with our mouthes eate them then that is also as true and certaine that the Lord exhibiteth and offereth vnto vs what so euer they represent vnto vs that is the verie bodie and bloud of our Sauiour Christ These rules being thus then obserued I gather and put downe this true holie sense of these wordes This is my body that is to say This Bread which Christ tooke blessed brake gaue vnto his Disciples and appoynted to be the element of this action is sacramentally spiritually being receiued eaten by Fayth a sure signe an effectuall pledge that Christs body is become the spirituall food nourishment of our soules And I vse these words sacramentally spiritually that therby I might meete with their grosse slaunder who when they heare of a signe and a thing signified say that wee doe euacuate and make of no force the Lordes Supper No we are so farre off from holding any such conclusion that we know and beleeue that the beleeuers doe beside the outward signes and elements truely receiue by the meane of fayth after a spirituall sort that which is represented by the outward elementes to witte whole Christ with all his giftes and graces And yet we doe not imagine either transubstantiation or any such like deuise but onely thinke vpon and beleeue the sacramentall coniuction of the signe and the thing signified For those thinges can not stand with the truth of Christes humanitie as hath been bef re shewed neither indeed are they necessarie for saluation For that we may be made partakers of Christ it is not of necessitie required that his Body should be really present vpon the earth but it rather behooueth vs by the power of the holy Ghost through Fayth to mount vp into Heauen and there to lay hold of him that we may sit with him in the heauenly places which in this life can not be performed in any other sort then in a spirituall maner through fayth which fayth is begotten and confirmed in vs by the holy Ghost wherevnto hee vseth as instrumentes the preaching of Gods word and the administration and vse of the Sacramentes by which all our senses are euē as it were prouoked pearsed wholly to possesse Christ him selfe So that you see I doe figuratiuely expound these wordes and not grossely wherevnto I am drawne partly by these three generall Rules heretofore put downe and partly by the verie dealings of the Papistes themselues who doe not neither in the Wine of the Supper the other part of this Sacrament neither in Baptisme the other Sacrament of the Church which two alone God hath giuen vnto it acknowledge any such grosse transubstantiation or change and yet I am sure there is as great reason why that alteration should be as well in the Water of Baptisme in the Wine of the Supper as in the Bread thereof If there be not let them shew any cause to the contrary if they can There resteth now the third obiection takē frō the omnipotencie or almightie power of our sauiour Christ pressed after this manner Is not Christ God and so by that meanes omnipotent And can not hee performe the trueth of that hee hath spoken To this I answere that though we shold grant it as true that Christ as he is God can doe all thinges and be euery where yet we know that as he is Man he can not and therefore the questiō betweene the transubstantiators vs being now not of the presence of Christes deitie in the Sacrament but of the presence of his humaine body wee say that if wee should graunt this yet could it no whit at all preiudice vs neither could they gaine their cause thereby for vnlesse they can prooue Christ as hee is Man to be omnipotent and euerie where which thing they shall neuer bee able to doe they haue sayd as much as if they had sayd nothing But let vs for reasoning sake graunt that Christ as hee is Man were omnipotent euen as God the Father is doth it therefore follow that because he can doe euerie thing hee therefore either will do the same or indeed doth it I suppose no. For besides that in Scholes it is commonly said à posse ad esse the consequence or reason is not good which were sufficient aunswere to this friuolous and vaine obiection Besides this I say wee that are truely taught of God doe know that though we beleeue that the Lord can doe what so euer pleaseth him both in heauen and in earth which serueth wonderfully to magnifie his almightie power and greatly to strengthen our weake fayth yet we beleeue firmely that he will not onely doe nothing but that hee can not doe any thing in regard of vs contrarie to that will of his that he hath reuealed for vs in his word And the reason of this is not the abridgement or shortning of his power for be it
farre frō mortall men to presume in any thing though neuer so little to restraine the eternall power of the immortal God but because his will and power in respect of vs be so conioyned and knit togeather that looke whatsoeuer he will do that he can do and looke whatsoeuer hee can doe that he will doe To make this plaine by an example We all know that God in respect both of his selfe and that all thinges are possible with him can if he would saue all men and yet we feare not to say that in respect of vs he can not saue all men because wee know by his reuealed will that hee will not saue them all For some must be the vesselles ordeined for destructiō as well as others vessels of saluation and eternall life The like may we say for this matter of the Supper that though wee were perswaded that Christ as he is man might be euery where yet because he hath reuealed in his Word that he will haue his bodie to be circumscriptible and tyed to a place to witt Heauen yea which is more to a certaine place in Heauen that therefore it can be no iniurie at all to him neither any debasing of his omnipotent power to say that now he cannot be bodily in the Sacrament much lesse bodily in so many sacraments as be celebrated and ministred in so sundry and infinite places at one time And this I thinke sufficient to all these Obiections being willing heere to finish this present short Treatise sauing that I haue thought good in this place to adde euen as a challenge to the aduerse partie and as matter of necessary instruction to such as alreadie see the trueth these three poyntes following 1 FIrst that I am readie in all holy loue further to aunswere any thing that Christianly shall be further obiected concerning this Question I say Christianly obiected for if any shall either curiously or captiously propound any thing I thinke it most conuenient rather to leaue such in their owne folly for a season till it please God at some one time or other euen extraordinarily as it were to make them to see the same if it shall so please him then to spend time and to trauaile in satisfying of their vaine curiositie 2 Secondly that though this point of Transubstantiation brought in by Papistes be great and grosse concerning the matter of the Supper yet that they faile not alone herein in that behalfe but hold many mo errours concerning that point some of them as palpable if not more grosse and blasphemous then this and some of them lesse A few I will rehearse desiring others to consider of the rest 1 First in that they make it a sacrifice Propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead vtterly euacuating by that meanes and making of no force the eternall Priesthood of our Sauiour Christ which consisteth in this that he hath once for all vpon the Alter of the Crosse offered vp himselfe vnto God the Father a full and sufficient Sacrifice for the sinnes of the people as the Apostle plainely prooueth in the 7.8.9 and 10. Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrewes But no maruell that they should annihilate his Offices which destroy his person as these men doe by confounding the proprieties of either nature as hath been before decreed 2 Secondly there is but a little lesse Leuen in that matter that they holde of Concountancie by which they haue spoyled the people of the vse of the Cuppe which both by Christes owne institution and by his expresse Commaundement saying Drinke yee all of this doth in all trueth and vprightnesse belong vnto them and all this they haue done vnder this shadow that because no body is without blood and they haue before presupposing that the Bread is turned into the Bodie as indeede if men will presuppose either vnpossible or vntrue things euery thing will follow of it eaten the bodie therefore must it needes follow that they haue drunke also his blood But I know not whether I shold blame them for their beastlinesse or reprooue them for their pride that dare thus presūptuously alter the Lordes very Ordinaunce and Institution 3 Thirdly their Adoration is as corrupt and filthie while they make men to cōmit grosse palpable Idolatrie in falling downe before a peece of Bread what doe I say I know not whether I may call it by that name or no for it may be disputed of whether their Masse-cake be Bread and worshipping a Wafer-cake the worke of mens hands But suppose it were Christes body as they say yet I affirme that they may not adore Christes body alone yea and that they cannot worship the same of it selfe without horrible idolatrie because it is a creature For though it be true that Christ as he is God is to be worshipped as his Father yea and Christ God and Man in one person is to be adored yet we cannot without great sinne and grieuous offence against God and his word worship the humanitie or manhood of our Sauiour Christ onely 4 To speake of the reseruation circumgestation or carrying of it about with many other odde toyes of their owne inuention and largely to lay out the inconueniences thereof would require some proper and fit discourse for that purpose but I will reserue it till another time making haste now to that which shal be as the last so in my iudgement not the least profitable part of this Treatie And that is how a man should draw neere vnto such reuerent mysteries wherein such excellent graces are offered vnto him and how he may best come to reape and receiue fruite and comfort by the same All that a man is to deale in concerning this last point may be well reduced into three short heades or Titles 1 First what he is to doe before communicating or receiuing of this Sacrament and this I will call in one terme Preparation 2 Secondly what hee is to doe or thinke vpon in the time and at the very instant of receiuing and this I will name Meditation 3 Thirdly what he is to doe after the time of receiuing and this I will call Action or Practise 1 Preparation which is the first respecteth either God or man Now that which concerneth God is comprehended vnder true Fayth and vnfeigned Repentaunce as that which concerneth man is comprised vnder sounde loue And I call them sound true and vnfeigned and yet not perfect because perfection properly signifying that vnto which nothing can be added cannot be founde in man during this life And this I speake partly to stop the mouthes of such as dreame of a perfection in this life and partly to teach vs that our imperfections should not hinder vs from drawing nigh thereto so that we doe not foster and foode our selues in them seeing that otherwise the Sacrament should stand vs in stead if we were not vnperfect for it is a helpe and succour ordeined by God against our naturall infirmitie and weakenesse By Fayth