the eye of mans reason and vnderstaÌ„ding yet we know that this is sensibly set foorth vnto vs by seuerall meanes and instrumentes some outward as the Elementes in the Sacrament and some inwarde as the spirituall Grace represented thereby For we are not Angels but men consisting of bodie and soule and therefore the Lord by the vse of his Word and Sacramentes hath prouided for both partes as the Word for our Eares and our Eares for hearing of the same that so Fayth might be wrought in our heartes Rom. 10.17 and the Elementes in the Sacramentes for our taste sight feeling c. and yet our soules to be nourished not with any or all of these outward thinges for how can outward and corruptible things nourish inward and immortall substaunce but onely with the spirituall graces offered vnto vs therein this also to be wrought in vs though our Sauiour be in Heauen in respect of his body and wee heere as Pilgrimes and Strangers on the Earth by the wonderfull vnsearchable working of his holy Spirite in vs and by the meanes of a liuely and assured Fayth both which being knit togeather doe easily ioyne togeather things that be as farre asunder in respect of distaunce of place as one ende of the earth is from the other and as farre asunder as heauen and earth them selues are or else how could we either beleeue the holy Catholike Church and feele the communion of Saintes seeing it commonly falleth out that the members of that holy fellowshippe are sundered one of them from an other in respect of great distance of place or be assured that Christes righteousnesse is become ours seeing he is in heauen wee on the earth if by Fayth we did not take hold of the same and apply it vnto our selues Besides if men should imbrace this sacramentarie opinioÌ„ what were it but to euert as the trueth of Christes promises so the certaintie and assurednesse of his word who in plaine tearmes calleth this holy Sacrament His bodie 2 The second extreamitie is that of consubstantiation some affirming that there is deliuered to the people and they receiue togeather with the substance of Bread the yery substance of Christes very naturall body so that there is as it were an intermingling of both the substaunces in the action of the Supper This opinion is iustly to be disliked and reproued not onely because of the absurdities which it hath common with the heresie of transubstantiation whereof wee will speake in the next place but also because it is quite and cleane contrarie to common sense and reason confounding and iumbling togeather two seuerall and distinct substances and making the lesse to witt the substance of bread to comprehende the greater that is Christs humaine body yea euen his verie Godhead which heauen and earth is not able to containe Besides it doth vtterly take away an essentiall propertie of Christes body for if Christ in respect of his humanitie be like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onely excepted and we know by the light of reason and vnderstanding that God hath bestowed vpon vs yea by verie experience that our bodies are circumscriptible and tyed to a place it must needs follow that Christ in respect of his Manhood or Christ as he is Man is and must be tyed to a place and not be in euery place as he must be if these mens assertions be true which is nothing els indeed but vtterly to destroy Christes body which I proue against them thus Whosoeuer taketh away the essentiall propertie of any thing taketh away the thing it selfe this Proposition is prooued by this Maxime in Logike If the definition of a thing which chiefly consisteth of the essentiall propertie of euerie thing be taken away then the thing defined it selfe also falleth As for example If a reasonable liuing creature which is the definition of a man be taken away what shall become of man or where shall he appeare which is the thing defined But these men take away the essentiall propertie of a thing to witte of a body which is to be circumscriptible or tyed to a place which is indeed an essentiall propertie of the body of man and therefore of Christes body as he is man If any will denie this it may easily be prooued both by the definition of a body which is a quantitie that may be deuided according to the threefold measuring receiued amongst men that is length breadth thicknesse and also by the description of a place which is defined to be a nighnesse or touching of the thing containing and the thing conteined The conclusion therefore is that in taking away place from the body of Christ which they doe whilest they place it in euerie place whereas in the nature thereof it can be but in one place at one time they doe vtterly destroy the body or humanitie of Christ or at the least confound it so with the Godhead as Eutyches did that they make a confusion whereas in all trueth and vprightnesse there should remaine a distinction of the proprieties of either nature in his blessed person But of this ynough in this place because it is somewhat philosophicall and because also in the next â—ection we shall haue occasion to deale with the like 3. The third extreamitie is that of transubstantiation maintained altogether by the Romish Catholikes which hold that the Bread and Wine the substance thereof vanishing away and nothing being left but the accidentes or qualities thereof as roundnes whitenesse rednesse moysture c. are changed and that by the power of certaine wordes spoken by the Priest as they cal him ouer the Elements they are turned into the verie naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Concerning this point and the branches thereof I will speake particularly and first for the name Transubstantiation I fear not to affirme that it is verie new and neuer heard of before the dayes of Pope Innocent the third who was about the yeare of our Lord 1205. much lesse was it confirmed as an article of faith before the Councell of Constance a Citie so named in Germanie in the dayes of Pope John the xxiii which was about the yeare of our Lord 1415. and therefore by the Popish reason of reiecting new thinges easily ynough reiected for the noueltie thereof 2 That there is a change I doe not deny but this is not in respect of the nature of the thinges themselues but in respect of the vse and ende whereunto they are applyed because that they are by the Lordes institution separated from the common vse yea and from common Bread and Wine and applyed not onely to a holy vse but dedicated also to a holy ende that is to be sure seales and pledges of holy things to witt of Christs body and bloud and of the effectes that by his death and passion we receiue But that this change should be wrought by any wordes I am so farre off froÌ„ allowing it as true that I am verily perswaded
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
a continuall threed of speach as it were in the metaphor of Bread or Meates mentioned vers 26.27 vsing sundrie borowed speaches agreeing well to the circumstaunce of the matter wherein he was to deale and partly because he speaketh so often not of eating onely but also of beleeuing as vers 23.40 c. Which cannot be properly attributed to any outward or materiall thing as may be gathered Rom. 8.24 Also 2. Corinth 5.7 But let vs graunt that it were to be vnderstood of the holy Supper yet it doth not for all that establish any grosse and carnall eating of the naturall flesh or body of our Sauiour Christ for if it were so then had not our Sauiour sufficiently aunswered the Capernaites who did grossely dreame and doate of such a carnal manducation or eating but rather had yeelded vnto the same Besides if that should be allowed in what a miserable estate should we leaue the holy Fathers who were long before the time of Christes taking our flesh vpon him and therefore could not eate it And yet our Sauiour affirmeth Mat. 8.11 that they were in the kingdome of Heauen and Saint Paul saith 1. Corinth 10.3.4 that they did all eate the same spirituall meate that we doe and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke that we doe there being no difference at all in respect of substaunce and effect betwixt their Sacraments and ours but onely in time and in outward Elementes yet in what a miserable estate were Infantes that should die before they could communicate or partake in that holy Sacrament One of these two must needes be graunted either that they must haue the Communion ministred vnto them which thing indeed Augustine did once fantastically imagine but S. Paul is flatly against it 1. Corinth 11.28 who will haue none admitted thereto but such as can examine and trie themselues whether they be in the Fayth or no which Infantes can not doe or else that without it they are all condemned alreadie Both which are verie absurde and beastly So that you see for the auoyding of these absurdities it can at no hande bee vnderstoode either of the Sacramentes of the grosse and carnall eating of Christes body in the same but of the apprehension or laying hold of him togeather with the particular application of him to our selues by the hand or instrument Faith propounded and set foorth vnto vs by the ministerie of his Word and Gospell or if you wil for reasoning sake offered vnto vs in the vse of the Supper because there is in that respect but one meane giuen vs to take hold of him by and that is the great grace and gift of Fayth which we must vse in the Word Sacraments as men doe in the opprehending of Christes righteousnesse which though it be not essentially dwelling in vs yet it is effectually made ours whilest wee apprehend and lay hold of the same by a sounde and sure Fayth And euen in like sort is Christ God Man togeather with all his merites not onely offered but laide hold of in the Word and Sacramentes For of like things there is alwayes a like consideration The seconde place is that sentence reported by the three Euangelistes Matthew Marke and Luke and S. Paul himselfe also reciting the institution of the Supper which our Sauiour Christ vsed saying This is my body which they vrge in the letter after this sorte Hath not Christ said it in plaine tearmes and shal I not beleeue it though that my carnall vnderstanding cannot conceiue the same To all this I answere First that the question is not of the wordes for wee as well as they confesse the same but of the sense of which wee will speake anone Secondly that wee are bounde to beleeue all such thinges as are comprehended in Gods Worde though indeed our sensuall reason can not comprehend them yet in such sort must we beleeue the same and to such endes as the Lord himselfe hath appointed not yet stretching them further then the Lorde would haue vs nor restraining them to narrow or purposes then the Lord hath appoynted neither yet fayling in the allegation of them either in the matter manner or end for if we doe wee doe nothing else thereby but heape vp iust condemnation against our owne soules Concerning the wordes and the plainenes of them I say that other words are as plaine as they both in the old and new testament which must yet notwithstanding be otherwise interpreted then the words themselues seeme to import For example in the 17 of Genesis 10. Circumcision is called the Couenaunt betwixt GOD and his people whereas it was but the signe of the Couenaunt For the Couenaunt it selfe was that hee would be the God of Abraham and in him of all the Faythfull and of their seed after them So in the new Testament Christ sayth of him selfe Iohn 15.5 I am the Vine whereas wee know and beleeue that Christ was no Vine but that hee calleth him selfe so in a certaine resemblance because looke what propertie the fruite of the Vine hath in respect of our bodies to witt to comfort men and ro make them glad heartes the same hath Christ and the fruites of his grace receiued by Fryth in respect af our soules and as the Branches of the Vine haue nothing of them selues but all that they haue they haue it from the Vine it selfe so none of his members can bring foorth fruite but by abyding in him and being made fruitfull through his grace In like manner is the Bread of the Lords Supper called his Body because as we haue sayd before looke what proper and peculiar office the Bread hath or yeeldeth to our naturall bodies the selfe same doth Iesus Christes body broken taken hold of by Faith spiritually communicate vnto our soules And this speach is vsuall in the Scriptures to attribute that to the signe which is proper and peculiar to the thing signified by reason of the stre ght analogie proportion and agreement which is betweene the signe and the thing signified and not in any other respect of consubstantiatiō transubstantiation or any other such like fantasticall dotage Beside the verie circumstances of time place person and manner of doing doe sufficiently prooue the vanitie and vntruth of this grosse interpretation For this Sacrament being instituted by Christ him selfe a little before his death in the presence of the Apostles who had all their senses satisfied in the beholding hearing and feeling of the naturall body of our Sauiour Christ he him selfe sitting at the Table with them and speaking these words in their presence and hearing it could not bee that that bread offered vnto them as the pledge of his body should be his naturall bodie or bodie of flesh vnlesse you will say that Christ had two bodies one sitting at the table instituting the action of the Supper and an other borne in his handes and deliuered vnto his Apostles then the which what can be not onely more absurde and
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
I meane not onely a generall beliefe of all the Canonicall books of the old and new Testament or a grounded knowledge alone of the poyntes and principles of Christian religion but an assured perswasion that whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his Word as hee hath done the same for others so he hath done it particularly for mee So that this Fayth is necessarie to him that shall communicate both because that otherwise hee being on the earth cannot take hold of Christ in heauen for faith is it by which he may apply vnto himselfe particularly Christ Iesus and all his merites to the assured feeling of the free pardone and full forgiuenesse of all his sinnes of the one side and the imputation of Christes righteousnesse on the other side and also that thereby he may be assured that that which hee doeth either in the administration or participation of that holy action is acceptable before God for without Fayth it is impossible to please him Which properties indeed or effectes rather if a man onely haue them shall make his Fayth to differ from all the vaine imaginations of Diuels and wicked men whatsoeuer By Repentance I vnderstand a syncere hatred of all our former sinnes and iniquities whatsoeuer and a sound loue of all righteousnesse and well doing proceeding from the right reuerence and louing feare of the maiestie of God in our heartes which holy affection doth euery day by little and little worke in vs the forsaking of our selues and the subduing of the sinfull lustes and affections of our owne flesh to the end that wee may wholly resigne our selues to be guided and gouerned by the spirit of God in the syncere seruice worship of his Maiestie So that hee which feeleth himselfe truely and vnfeignedly sorrowfull for his former iniquities not onely loathing his sinnes but euen himselfe for his sinnes sake and caryeth with him this holy purpose neuer through Gods assistaunce to commit the same or any such like may not onely be assured of his vnfeined repentaunce and so by consequent of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes but also with boldnesse yet not withstanding with reuerence in respect of God and with humblenesse of minde in respect of himselfe draw neere to the partaking of these holy mysteries By Loue which is the thing that concerneth men I doe not onely vnderstand the vnfeigned pardoning and forgiuing of others that haue any maner of way trespassed against vs which is a sure seale and earnest pennie as it were that our sinnes are forgiuen vs before God but also sound reconciliation after offences committed one of vs towardes another which is a certaine pledge that our prayers and all other good thinges that come from vs are in Christes obedience accepted before God yea I meane further by Loue which is an inward affection of the heart the sincere and outwarde testifying of the same by wordes deeds countenaunces and other meanes as the Lord shall giue occasion and our abilitie will serue to expresse the same and that not to our friendes onely or to our enimies also which is somewhat more but generally to all men though to some in greater measure as to the Household of fayth our Wiues Children and Parentes c. and to some in lesse measure as to those that be yet without and be somwhat further off by nature and kindred Meditation which is the second thing and is to be vsed specially in the time of the celebration of the Lords Supper consisteth chiefely in these poyntes In regarding the outward elements and the rites vsed in the same as the breaking of the Bread c. by which is set foorth vnto our soules the crucifying of Christs body the shedding of his bloud c. and all for our transgressions And then because wee must not stay below but must by Fayth rise vp to Heauen as it were we are deeply to consider what great graces the Lord offereth vnto vs in that holy and spirituall Banquet which in my minde may be brought into these few pointes 1 God setteth before the eyes of our Faith in that holy action first Christes death and passion togeather with the benefites and effectes which wee reape thereby and namely the remission and forgiuenesse of our sinnes 2 Secondly the full and spirituall nourishment that thorow Christ wee haue both in the outward and inwarde man euen to the hope of eternall life 3 Thirdly the mysticall vnion that is betwixt Christ and his Church hee dwelling in our heartes by faith and we thereby being made members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones 4 Fourthly and lastly the holy vnitie and agreement that is ought to be continued amongst all the members of his Church whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer they be The third and last thing which I call Action and is to be performed after the receiuing of the Lords Supper consisteth 1 First in earnest Prayer vnto God not onely for the liuely feeling of these graces exhibited but also for the fructifying of the word of God and his Sacraments in our heartes and that not for the time present alone but euen for the whole rase and course of our life Secondly in humble thankes-giuing for the vnestimable riches and treasures of grace and of goodnesse which it pleaseth him in his Church and namely by the vse of his Worde and Sacramentes not onely to offer but also to bestow vpon his people the particulars whereof are before recited And hereunto wee may be prouoked by consideration of this that the Lord freely and of his owne goodnesse giueth vs those merites not onely when we had not deserued the least of them but euen then when euerie one of vs had deserued eternall death and condemnation to be powred foorth vpon vs and ours 3 And lastly in care and conscience of a holy conuersation that seeing Christ dwelleth in our heartes by fayth and we haue our spirituall life and beeing from him that therefore wee should so liue as wee may not onely glorifie him in this life but that when the dayes of our wearisome pilgrimage shall be ended we may be glorified with him in eternall blessednesse which thing the Lord graunt vs euen for his crucified Christes sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God be giuen all honour prayse power and glorie both of vs and of all people euen now and at all times for euer and euer So be it A Prayer to be said before a man repaire to the partaking of the Lords Supper O Eternall GOD and most mercifull Father I thy poore vnworthy seruant doe must humbly beseech thee in Iesus Christ thy deare Sonnes name and for his sake gratiously in his death and obedience to pardone and forgiue mee all my sinnes what so euer which at any time or by any manner of meane I haue committed against thy Maiestie or any other Seale vp in my heart O Lord this great benefite of the free pardon