eternall arise to such a huge number in the seueral sorts and great varietie of them that are not able to thinke of them or anie one of them according to their woorthinesse muche lesse to account or number them and thirdlie to consider our selues receiuing them to whome the Lorde freelie and of his owne goodnesse giueth these great mercies not onelie when wee had not deserued the least of them but euen then when euery one of vs had deserued eternall death and condemnation to be poured foorth vpon vs and ours 3 And lastlie in care and conscience of a most holie and christian conuersation that seeing wee are in the holie Supper made partakers by faith of Christs death and resurrection and that wee fullie perswade our selues by the truth of the word Roman 4.25 that he did not onlie die for our sinnes and rise for our righteousnesse but also performed that excellent and great worke to teach vs Roman 6.1 Coloss 3.1 by his death to die to vngodlinesse and by his resurrection to rise vp to that holinesse that may bee acceptable before God profitable to our brethren and comfortable to our selues wee hauing by that meanes and to that end our spiritual life and being from him that therefore we should liue soberlie righteouslie Titus 2.12 and godlie in this present euill world and that in the sound affections of our harts before God and in words and deeds before men that when it shall please him to finish the daies of our wearisome pilgrimage we stedfastlie looking for that blessed hope and full-fruition of eternall life may be glorified with him in eternall blessednes which thing the Lord grant vs euen for his crucified Christes sake to whom with the Father and the Holie ghost three persons and one eternall God be giuen all honor praise power glorie both of vs and of all people euen now and at all times for euer and euer So be it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO THE READER AT the motion and request of sundrie my deere friends in the Lord I haue thought good to put downe these two praiers following not thereby minding either to tie anie person to the vse of these onelie for they may according to their seuerall necessities conceiue some other of their owne or practise some better forme alredie set foorth by men of greater gifts or feeling nor yet so to busie their minds and to occupie their heads as that they should be imploied in these when the publike praiers and exercises of the church performed by the ministers are in hand for be it farre from vs when the minister Gods mouth speaketh from the Lord to vs or when he as our mouth speaketh to the Lord for vs to haue either our hearts or our mouthes occupied about any other thing than the reuerend hearing and consenting vnto of such things as hee vttereth But that aiding the infirmitie of our brethren such as haue not the gift to conceiue praier and shall thinke this fit for themselues might haue a forme to exercise themselues in both before they repaire to the publike exercises of the church and also after the celebration and partaking of these reuerend mysteries shall be finished A PRAIER TO BE SAID BEFORE a man repaire to the partaking of the Lords supper O Eternall God and most mercifull father I thy poore and vnwoorthie seruant doo humblie beseech thee in Iesus Christ thy deere sons name and for his sake gratiouslie through his death and obedience to pardon and forgiue me all my sinnes whatsoeuer which at anie time by thought word or deed I haue through negligence ignorance or knowledge committed against thy diuine maiestie or anie other And because both by reason of the curssed corruption of mine owne nature and the infinit multitude of my sinnes also I am slow dull of heart to beleeue seale vp in my soule I pray thee O Lord this great benefit of the free pardon full forgiuenesse of all my sinnes by the assured testimonie of thy blessed spirit bearing record vnto my spirit that I am thy childe and by vnfeined parddoning and forgiuing of others which anie maner of way haue offended against me Yea make the death and resurrection of thy sonne so powerfull effectuall in me that I may not onelie feele and finde in the same the forgiuenesse of all my sinnes both generall and particular and the hope of eternall saluation but also that I may be instructed thereby all the daies of my life more and more to die vnto sin and dailie more more to liue vnto righteousnes of life and holie conuersation And forasmuch as through thy goodnesse I haue purposed this day to communicat in the vse of thy blessed word and sacraments I beseech thee good father to pearse mine eares to prepare my heart yea and so to direct all the parts and powers of my body and soule that I may not onelie reuerentlie and profitablie hearken to thy voice speaking vnto me out of thy word laboring all the daies of my life to conforme my selfe to the knowledge faith and obedience of the same but also that I may assuredlie be made partaker of the frutes and effects of the death and passion of thy deere sonne which it pleaseth thee in that holie sacrament to offer vnto me To this end and purpose I beseech thee to grant that I be not carried away in the contemplation and consideration of the earthly and corruptible things obiected therein to my sences but that my faith may be set vp raised to the spirituall beholding assured feeling and full fruition of these graces which it pleaseth thee by the same to offer vnto me Giue me grace good Lord to bring with me a stedfast faith in the truth of thy promises that by it as by an eie I may looke vpon and by the same as by a hand I may apprehend Iesus Christ thy sonne sitting at thy right hand to be my onelie and continuall iustifier sanctifier and redeemer Grant me grace also to bring with me as an earnest hatred of all my former euils whatsoeuer so a sincere loue of all righteousnesse and well dooing that I by the power of thy spirit crucifieng the old man with the lusts and concupiscences therof speciallie such as beare the greatest sway in me may be strengthened in the new man dailie to thinke speake and doo those things which may be acceptable and well pleasing in thy godlie presence And I beseech thee further to giue me grace to bring with me sound sincere loue towards all men yea euen towards mine enimies that I may not onelie forget and forgiue all the iniuries wrongs that they haue deuised said or doone against me but also pray earnestlie vnto thy maiestie for them and purchase and procure
impossibilitie of the thing it selfe the Lorde hath in the fourth place for the ouercomming of that temptation sette before vs sundrie of his seruaunts who beeing men like vnto vs in all respects Actes 7 6â— haue yet notwythstanding in the dayes of their flesh doone the same as we see particularlie in Stephan Fiftlie the verye Sacrament it selfe and the elements in the same leade vs thereto 1. Corinth 10.17 For wee that are manie are one bread and one bodie because wee are all partakers of one bread at the Lordes boorde euen as that bread wee eate of there is made of manie graines and yet maketh but one loafe Lastlie our owne good shoulde carrie vs forward to this because thereby wee prouide well for our selues that so wee might feele the forgiuenesse of our sinnes before GOD our Sauiour telling vs in plaine wordes Matth. 6.14 That if wee doo forgiue men their trespasses our heauenlie Father wil also forgiue vs. And though it bee true that wee can and doo greatlie aggrauate other mens sinnes against vs as for example hee hath taken away my good name he hath spoiled me of my goodes hee hath killed my father husband children and a thousand suche like and what hainous offences be these Yet if GOD woulde geue vs grace vprightlie to looke into our owne sinnes committed eyther agaynst other men or Gods owne maiestie wee shall finde that wee haue good cause offered to be ready to remitte For if men offend vs wee doo in as great points offend others And though that were not true yet wee cannot denie but that wee doo more highlie displease Almightie GOD than men can or doo displease vs and that not onelie in the notoriousnesse of our sinnes but euen in a dailie and continuall course of iniquitie and in an infinite multitude of transgressions also What a fearefull thing will this bee in our owne heartes that wee woulde gladlie haue God mercifull vnto vs in forgiuing most greeuous and innumerable transgressions and wee will not remitte small offences and sinnes seldome tymes committed By this wee doo nothing else but cast awaie the sure seale and earnest pennie as it were that our sinnes are forgiuen vs before GOD and refuse a certaine pledge that our praiers and all other good things that come from vs are in Christes obedience accepted in his sight yea and moste iniuriouslie treade vnder our filthie feete Gods worde Gods example Gods sacraments and many other tokens of his grace and lastlie pull vpon vs a fearful vengeance from God to be manifested in this life and in the life to come And therefore I beseeche all the godlie that haue care of their saluation to looke heedilie to this point Meditation which is the second thing and is to be vsed speciallie in the tyme of the celebration of the Lordes Supper consisteth chieflie in these points to wit in regarding the outwarde elementes of the Lordes Supper that is to saye the breade and the wine and in considering the rites vsed in and aboute the same as the breaking of the Breade and the pouring foorth of the Wine and so forth For though the outward things are not the matters that wee shoulde stand vppon yet because by them it pleaseth the Lorde as it were by the hand to leade vs vnto right excellent thinges namelie by them to sette foorth vnto our Soules the crucifieng of Christes bodie the sheading of his bloude and so foorth and all for our transgressions that therefore they shoulde not bee sleightlie passed ouer wythout verye deepe and due consideration of the same And then because wee must not stay below on the earth nor be busied in beholding of earthlie things onelie but must by faith rise vp to heauen as it were there to behold the abundant riches of Gods spirituall graces offered and giuen to the faithfull in with by the outward elements we are throghlie to wey what great mercies the Lord setteth before vs in that holie and spirituall banket which though partlie for the woorthinesse of the giuer and partlie also for the excellencie of themselues as also by the want and weakenesse of our blinde and dull vnderstanding they cannot be sufficiently conceiued much lesse vttered may yet in my mind be brought into these foure points following as most materiall and principall 1 God setteth before our eies in that holie action first Christes death and passion togither with the benefits effects which we reape thereby and namelie the remission and full forgiuenesse of all our sinnes togither with the imputation of Christes righteousnesse vnto vs and the assured possession of eternall life for we doo no more verilie behold the bread broken and the wine poured foorth in our bodily sight and presence than wee do or ought by the eie of our faith to beholde the bodie of Christ crucified and his bloud shead vppon the crosse for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes neither are wee more fullie or particularlie put in possession of the bread and wine when wee haue eaten and druncke the same than wee are of Christ and all his merits then when by a liuelie and stedfast faith we lay hold of him and the most excellent graces that in him are offered vnto vs applieng them all particularly to our own souls which yet that they might be more effectually pledged vppe in vs it pleased the Lord to appoint not onlie that the bread should be broken and the wine poured foorth but that euery one of vs should seuerallie by him selfe and for him selfe take it eate it and drincke it c that so wee might bee in the more full and assured possession of hym and his graces 2 Secondlie the Lorde pledgeth out vnto vs therby that ful and spirituall nourishement that through Christ we haue both in the outward and inward man euen to the hope and fruition of eternall life for euen as verilie as that bread and wine dooth seeme to strengthen our out-ward manne so euen as verilie yea more verilye by much dooth Christe and is graces nourishe our soules yea I saye more verilie because that though some part of the bread and wine wee receiue bee turned into our healthfull and profitable nourishment and is become as it were part of our substaunce yet some of it also passeth thorowe the panch into the priuie but Christe remaineth alwaies a most holie and sound nutriment vnto our soules no parte of him vanishing awaye but hauing rather this effecte in vs that hee is not onely turned into our substance as the bodilie elements are in respect of our outward man but rather wholie turning vs as a man would say into his most holie and blessed substance he being not onelye a plentifull but a pleasaunt nourishment also bringing alwaies with him that effect to our soules that the outwarde elements doo to our bodies namelie giuing them all spirituall strength and inwarde comfort Iohn 15.5 because without him we haue nothing nor can doo anie thing 3
the party baptized and in the Lords supper bread wine with the rites and orders that christ himselfe ordained And this againe by a double manner of speech for sometimes vnder this worde there are meant onely the outward signes as when Augustine affirmeth August that the wicked do eate Christ as in respect of the sacrament And somtimes it is vsed for the signes ioyned with the very thing it selfe signified as when Irenaeus saith Irenaeus that the sacrament consisteth of two things one heauenlie and the other earthlie for hee calleth the heauenlie thing the body and bloud of christ and the earthlie the bread and the wine and all that together hee nameth the sacrament And this much concerning the word it selfe or the name sacrament Let vs now at the length come to the matter Sith nowe therefore that euerie sacrament is a signe wee must needes put the word Sacrament in the predicament of relation or relatiues as the logicians call them that is amongst such things as haue mutuall respectes one of them to an other And sith relation must needes be amongest sundrie thinges which haue mutuall respect one of them to an other wee must therefore of necessitie confesse that in the sacraments there is a signe and the thing signified Neyther when I deliuer these 2 parts which indeed do meete or wherof in truth al sacraments do consist do I shut out the word August Let the worde saith Augustine come vnto the element and it shal become a sacrament I do not therefore exclude or shut out the worde which is as it were the life soule of either of the parts and to which the sacraments themselues as wee haue saide before are adioyned as seales And thus farre foorth euen they agree with vs which otherwise doo most of all dissent from vs. Wherefore lette vs nowe see which bee those signes and which bee those thinges signified for in this point we doo not all agree Wee call water the signe in Baptisme and the thing signified we call Christs bloud by the washing whereof we hauing obtained forgiuenes of sinnes and being mortified in our flesh we are saued But concerning baptisme I will not nowe say anie more In the supper certainelie there are two signes or rather signes of two sortes For some of them are certaine materiall and substantiall signes as for example the bread and wine other-some are actions and sacramentall rites which are not for all that vaine or superfluous acts but haue there certaine sacramentall consideratton and respect from the Lordes institution of whiche point wee will speake heereafter I say then that in the Lordes supper these are outward materiall visible and as you would say palpable signes that God hath annected vnto his word euen the bread and wine This the Papistes denie as who after that they haue confessed that the sacraments doo consist of a signe and a thing signified doo yet notwithstanding afterwardes take the bare accidents of bread and wine as coulour forme and such like for the signes themselues for they maintaine that in the Lords supper there remaineth not the substāce of bread and wine but that that vanisheth away that there cōmeth in the place thereof the substance of the Lords bodie and bloud Therefore in their iudgement the signes shall be the accidents And which I beseech you Forsooth whitenesse roundnes and rednesse if they consecrate red wine which accidents they doo by a new name call kind shew or forme Augustine But as Augustine rightlie teacheth Vnlesse there were a certeine analogie proportion and agreement betweene the things signified the signes themselues they could not be counted sacraments Now betweene accidents substances there is no agreement therefore the sacraments as they call them shal not be sacraments for it behooueth the signes so to agree with the things signified that they may represent to mēs minds that which they signifie I will speake somewhat more plainelie A similitude If admonishing some one I would haue him with his eies to behold and with his mind to cōceiue a man I will not set before him the image of a horsse or of an oxe to looke vpon because that outward shape or forme of an horsse or of an oxe cannot beget in his mind the conceit portrature or image of a man although all these things that is to say man horsse oxe c. are referred to one generall word or terme to wit liuing creature much lesse then shall the shape of an herbe or forme of an horsse bring to my minde and memorie the forme or shape of a man and least of all others shall those accidents which are void of all substance as whitenesse rednesse roundnesse c. call to my remembrance things that in deed are to wit the bodie bloud of Christ In that papists make the accidents of the elements the signes of the sacraments there followeth three absurdities therevpon But it was the Lords purpose in his supper to offer vnto our mindes and thoughts the verie food of our soules that is to say Christes bodie deliuered to death for vs and his bloud shed for the forgiuenes of our sinnes betweene which and those accidents there is no proportion and agreement whereas yet notwithstanding bread and wine the verie food of our bodies in deed doo most fitlie euen set before our verie eies almost that same spirituall nourishment that we must haue from him And sith no man can be fed by accidents how can such accidents then represent that same eternall food Furthermore though by the meanes of some accidents materiall things may be set before our eies yet all accidents doo not belong to or agree with euerie matter for manie both white and round things may be beheld which shall not for all that represent a bodie and who hath told them that the bread which Christ brake and gaue vnto his disciples was white or round in such sort as they bake it and make it Therefore the true signes of Christes bodie and bloud are the verie bread and the verie wine which thing the apostle declareth 1. Corinth 10.16 saieng The bread which we breake is the communion or partaking of the bodie of Christ and the cup that we blesse is the partaking of the bloud of Christ And that same consubstantiation or transubstantiation is a filthie forgerie and deuise of satan Now let vs come to the thing signified and first wee will declare Enemies to truth are of two sorts that is ignorant and malicious what manner and kinde of signification this is that wee speake of For this is obiected against vs partlie by some that know not what is deliuered and taught in our churches and partlie by other some that doo maliciouslie slander vs that wee saie wee set out to be beheld in the sacraments as it were a vaine picture or a certeine dead image that maie stir vp in vs the remembraunce of Christ when yet notwithstanding
admonished to refer all that they doo to the glory of their head and capteine Christ and to the mutuall comfort and sustentation one of another Out of all that hitherto hath beene spoken or said I would pray the godlie and well affected reader diligently to obserue and note these three things following 1 First that though it be most true that euen by the ministerie of the Gospell preached we haue Christ with all his benefits offered vnto vs and doo by faith wrought in our harts by the ministerie of the same word and working of his spirit take hold of him all his graces of which also S. Paule speaketh to the Galachians saieng Galath 3.1 that Christ was described in their sight and crucified amongst them that yet all this notwithstanding we haue him more plainelie and plentifullie set foorth vnto vs in the vse of the supper whilest that we by faith feeding on him that is the bread of life which came downe from heauen Iohn 6.51 are by that meanes become bone of his bones Ephes 5.30 and flesh of his flesh and after a sort made one with him Iohn 17.21.22 euen as the father and he are one which I speake not to the debasing of the word as though the sacraments were more woorthie and excellent or to the diuiding of Christ for as in respect of his substance he is but one both in the word and the sacraments but as in respect of vs and for our weakenesse sake we hauing more of our sences satisfied in and by the vse of the elements of the Lords supper as for example our sight our tast our feeling yea and our hearing also whilest that in the deliuerie and partaking thereof Christes death is preached vnto vs than we haue in the word which is directed onelie to the eare or hearing 2 Secondlie that this holie sacrament dooth not onelie direct our faith to the death and passion of our sauiour Christ which was performed for vs and all the faithfull manie hundered yeeres agone as the one Hebr. 9.28 Hebr. 10.14 and the onelie sacrifice for sinne neuer to be reiterated because that thereby he being the onelie high priest and eternall sacrificer hath consecrated for euer all them that are sanctified but also yea cheeflie and especiallie to the gracious frutes and effectes that wee receiue thereby as the forgiuenesse of sinnes our reconciliation to GOD the death of iniquitie in vs the assured pledge of eternall life and such like all which are liuelie set foorth and preached vnto vs in the same to the ende that wee maye by faith in a strong persuasion of Gods goodnesse towards vs in Christ be made partakers thereof For otherwise if we had but Christes death onelie and nothing else it would be little auailable to vs for what would it haue profited vs that he had died if by his death he had not brought life and immortality to light 2. Tim. 1.10 but for asmuch as his death and the effects and frutes following the same and flowing from it can not be sundered we therefore stedfastlie beleeue that the faithfull are neuer partakers of the one alone but that also they are partakers of the other likewise 3 Thirdlie that wee must certeinelie know and stedfastlie beleeue that though this holie sacrament doo speciallie and cheeflie direct vs to Christ his death merits obedience and the frutes thereof yet notwithstanding also it doth sensiblie and plainelie instruct vs in the speciall duties of that sound and sincere loue which in Christ and for Christ we as the members of that bodie whereof he is the only head Ephes 1.22 5.23 ought vnfeinedlie to carrie and accomplish one of vs towardes another not onelie as profitable and necessarie for the parties to whome such dueties are performed whilest in the daies of their distresse we releeue them by our wealth or comfort and councell them by our wit which are things that God hath giuen vs euen to the same end but comfortable also to our selues whilest by that as by a bage or cognizance we are knowne both to others and our selues to be Christes disciples in deed Iohn 13.35 and haue sealed vp in our hearts the free pardon and full forgiuenes of all our sinnes Luke 7.47 Iohn 3.14 and an assured pledge also that we are translated out of darknesse into light without the which all we haue in this life and therefore the sacraments also could tend but to our greater condemnation In the third place for the cleering of this controuersie or question of the Lords supper we must haue a watchfull eie to Satans subtleties who painfully laboureth in this point as in all other pointes of Christian religion also by extremities to drawe vs into all corruption Nowe the extremities that in time heeretofore haue burst foorth and are yet euen to this day in manie places stoutlie and stiflie mainteined are especiallie three 1 The first is that of the sacramentaries who hold and defend that Christ in his supper hath left vs nothing saue the bare and naked signes of his death and passion But the trueth is that we are so farre off from allowing this conceit and opinion whatsoeuer our aduersaries babble and prate to the contrarie that wee feare not openlie and in the sunne light to affirme that besides the signes themselues yea and euen togither with the signes wee and all true christians haue the thinges themselues signified not onelie truelie and effectuallie exhibited vnto vs but giuen vs also and bestowed vpon vs because it is most certeine that our Sauiour Christ Iohn 14.6 who is the trueth it selfe and cannot lie dooth in deede and assuredlie accomplish vnto vs all the promises which hee made vs and meant to seale vnto vs by the vse of the signes in the sacrament that so we might become partakers euen of his verie substance and grow vp also with him into one life and being And though this cannot be comprehended by the eie of mans reason and vnderstanding no more than manie other things in our christian religion yet we cannot choose but know and confesse that this is sensiblie set foorth vnto vs in the vse and participation of the supper by seuerall meanes and instruments some of them being outward as the elements in the sacrament and some inward as the spirituall grace represented thereby for we are not angels but men Eccle. 12.7 consisting as the scripture teacheth vs of bodie and soule and therefore the Lord by the vse of his word and sacraments hath prouided for both parts as the word for our eares Rom. 10.17 and our eares for hearing of the same that so faith might be wrought in our hearts and the elements in the sacrament for our tast sight feeling c and yet our soules to be nourished and fed not with anie or all of these outward things for how cā outward corruptible things nourish inward immortall substances but onelie with
and soule of the church it selfe The veritie and certeintie wherof though it lie in Christ 1. Cor. 1.20 because in him al Gods promises are yea and amen yet the particular applications of the same to our owne harts must come from the powerfull working of the holie spirit But how shall we come to the effectuall feeling of these if the force of the spirit be not shed abrode into our hearts or how can the holie spirit be called the pledge of Gods promises Ephes 1.13 and the earnest penie of our adoption and saluation if that promise of our sauior Christ be not accomplished or how can we find comfort against the feare of death or peace in our consciences against the sight of sinne and iudgement due vnto vs for the same without this Of a truth the remembrance of our dissolution and departure hense this being remooued shall be greeuous and the horrour of hell the iust punishment of our iniquitie will be readie euery houre to ouerwhelme vs. Wee need not stand long vpon this point either this must be true that wee haue the Holie ghost in most abundant measure by the bodilie absence of our sauior Christ giuen to the church as before is said and proued and so a spirituall supplie bestowed vpon vs for a bodiely want that being more excellent than this because the apostle saith that hensefoorth we know no man after the flesh 2. Corinth 5.16 yea though we had knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henseforth know we him no more or else if Christ be heere bodilie present the Holy ghost is not yet come nor the apostles indued with miraculous graces nor the fulnesse of the Gentils gathered in nor the comfort and peace of the church prouided for all which are fearefull to thinke vpon but much more horrible to feele and in deed are quite cleane contrarie to the truth of the word and if we had no more but onlie the second chapter of the Acts of the apostles it were sufficient to ouerthrow the same 6 Sixtlie this assertion dooth not onelie closelie but openlie accuse Christ himselfe of manifest lieng vntrueth who as both the prophets and apostles doo beare witnesse did no sinne Isaiah 53.9 1. Peter 2.22 neither was there any guile found in his mouth He himselfe hath plainlie told vs The poore ye haue alwaies with you Marke 14.7 and when yee will ye may doo them good but me yee shall not haue alwaies And againe elswhere Iohn 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you If this be not blasphemie to doo what we can to taint him with falshood that is both truth it selfe and the author of all truth I know not what is blasphemie And yet this iniquitie staieth not heere for it depriueth vs first of the comfort of the forgiuenesse of sinnes because if our sauiour haue beene tainted with anie manner of iniquitie though neuer so small he cannot be a price and ransome for sin because he that must recommit sinners to God must of necessitie be free from transgression Secondlie it dooth as it were violentlie take and pull from vs the hope that we haue of the heauenlie inheritance For why hath our sauior Christ sundred himselfe for a space from vs as in respect of his bodilie presence not yet leauing vs comfortlesse for he hath giuen vs his spirit to supplie as it were his absence but to the end that we might heereafter in time to come most comfortablie enioye him bothe in bodie and soule for euermore Dooth not hee himselfe say Iohn 16.16 Yet a little while and yee shall not see me and againe a little while and ye shall see me for I go to my father And in another place Though I go to prepare a place for you Iohn 14 3. yet will I come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may yee be also And yet all this notwithstanding superstitious and brainesicke people dare with open mouth affirme that we haue him continuallie with vs here vpon earth and that not in respect of his spirituall power and presence onelie wherevnto we our selues most gladlie yeeld as a verie principall comfort vnto vs in the daies of all our distresses because in that respect as God eternall with his father we beleeue that he filleth all places both in heauen and in earth and is said to be with the beleeuers euen vnto the end of the world Matth. â—3 20 but as in respect of his corporall and bodilie presence also than the which nothing vndoubtedlie can be more false and absurd as hath beene sufficientlie shewed alreadie and plainelie prooued before Now hauing waded thus farre in the trueth and certeinetie of the matter it selfe wee might safelie shut vp and conclude this point but that there remaine sundrie of the aduersaries obiections to be answered wherin I cannot but let the godlie reader vnderstand that I minde not to answer either all of them or manie of them because the most in trueth be friuolous and vaine and it would be ouer tedious to wade into such idle and vnprofitable matter Three there are in deede which because they seeme to be of speciall strength and ordinarie vse I can not let passe Two of them are taken from the words of the text of holie scripture and the third from the omnipotencie and almightie power of our sauiour Christ which though they be common things in deed and such as might as easilie be reiected as obiected because the controuersie is not touching the plaine wordes of the text and the almightie power of Christ as God for be it far from vs to be so absurd as to draw things of such euidency and excellencie into question but we striue rather as for the true sence naturall meaning of the wordes so for the veritie of Christes person and the essentiall properties of either his distincted natures yet we cannot but both for the strengthening of them that be weake and ignorant in the same as also for the discharge of our conscience before God and man but in a word or two as it were make a short but withal a sound sufficient and true answer I hope to euery one of these three seuerallie and by themselues 1 The first place obiected is these words of our sauiour in the gospell after Iohn Except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man Iohn 6.13 and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Weerevnto I answer first that neither these words neither the rest of the chapter can in anie probabilitie or shew of reason properlie be vnderstood of the Lords supper And if we had no more for it but this yet were this sufficient because at that time the supper it selfe was not instituted and ordeined but a long while after as in the euangelists writings dooth plainelie appeare but must rather be referred to our spirituall communicating or partaking with Christ by the meanes of a liuelie
Thirdlie by this meanes the Lorde propoundeth vnto vs the mysticall vnion that is betwixt Christ and his church we and hee making but one bodie of his holie congregation hee being the head thereof and we the particular members by which also as we are instructed in our holie dueties towardes him we attempting nothing that may tend to the preiudice hurte or griefe of our holie head but endeuouring euerye thing that maye be good and acceptable before him so we comfortablie conceiue the great and continuall care hee hath for vs hee performing more effectuallie by much the duety of headship vnto his spirituall bodie the church than a naturall head dooth or can to a naturall bodie namelie not onelie in deuising for the good thereof both in generall and in particular but also in yeeldyng sence and moouyng vnto the whole bodie and euerie seuerall member thereof yea quickening the same and geuing together wyth the vnderstanding of heauenlie care and conscience yea some measure of strength and power to walke therein Ephes 3.12 so that He dwellyng in oure heartes by Fayth wee are therby not onelie become members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bloud but also he maketh vs zealous prepared and frutefull in euerie good worke both towards the Lord and one of vs towards an other 4 Fourthlie and lastlie the Lord deliuereth vnto vs in the vse of his supper that holie vnitie and agreement both outward and inward of bodie and mind that is and ought to be knowne felt and continued amongst all the members of his church whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer they be For euen as the bread that we are partakers of is made of many graines yet maketh but one loafe as we see as the wine that we drinke at the Lords table is made of manie grapes and yet maketh but one wine so all the faithfull people not onlie of one place parish but dispersed through out the whole earth notwithstanding that some through the riches of Gods mercies haue atteined more graces than other some make in deed but one holie bodie of the church Neither doth our being of seuerall members one of vs to another anie more hinder our growth in this same spirituall fellowship than the varietie of mēbers in a naturall body hindereth the constituting and making of the whole bodie it selfe nay rather as we may well perceiue it furthereth the same for as the whole cannot be said to be whole but in respect of all the parts whereof it consisteth no more can this whole or holie bodie of the church euerie particular congregation throughout the world concurring to the establishing thereof and yet so notwithstanding that the name church may as rightlie be attributed to euerie seuerall societie of the faithfull as the word earth to euerie part of the earth or to speake of the elements of the supper the word bread and the word wine to euerie part of the bread wine vsed in the same The third and last thing is that which I called before action and is to be performed as generallie all the daies of our life so particularlie and speciallie after the receiuing of the Lords supper And though this come in the last place yet is it not a matter of the least importance nay rather it is of such great weight that the former without it be little auailable for euen as in all humane sciences knowlege though it be neuer so exquisit is without action practise commonlie counted but a vaine conceit so in spirituall vnderstanding that is muche more true because if a man knowe neuer so muche of Gods mercies and meditate neuer so deeply in the same yet if that by the same he be not lead as it were by the hand both humbly to praise God for them and hartily praie vnto him for the continuance and increase of them with grace to embrace them and to vse them well it is to himselfe and others as if it were nothing Now this matter that we call action consisteth 1 First in earnest praier vnto God not onelie for a cleare sight of the graces offered bicause we are blind to perceue them but also for a liuely and continuall feeling of the same because we doo easilie choake and smother them vp yea for the plentiful fructifieng of the word of God and his sacraments in our heartes because wee our selues bee barren and ill ground and can hardlie bring foorth good fruit though we haue haue very much cost and labor bestowed vpon vs. And this duetie must be performed not for the time present alone as whilest we are in the publike exercises or for the day of communicating onelie returning afterwards as filthie swine to our former wallow or vncleane dogges to our vomite againe for alas what will that auaile vs but to a more fearefull iudgement and iust condemnation because wee continue in sin abuse the meanes of our sanctification and purging but euen for the whole race and course of our liues that as there is no day nor houre of a day going ouer our heades wherein wee stand not in neede of some blessing from the Lorde so there should few times escape vs wherein we would not do to God this duty that we beleeue to be acceptable to him bicause he hath commanded it and so profitable vnto our selues bicause it reacheth vnto euerie part and period or state of our whole life 2 Secondly in humble thankesgiuing as for all the vnestimable riches and treasures of grace and goodnesse generallie which it pleaseth him in his Church and namelie by the vse of his word and sacraments not onelie to offer but also to bestow vpon his people so specially for the death and obedience of hys Sonne the blessing of all blessings that is to saye the most excellent blessing the Lord bestowing thereby vppon vs all graces both bodilie spirituallie bodilie as the sanctification of all his creatures vnto vs which otherwise we continuing in our sinnes as we must needs haue doone if Christ had not died for vs should haue bin vncleane vnto vs and spirituall as the forgiuenesse of our sins the imputation of Christes righteousnesse which we must of necessitie beleeue because otherwise God may as well-condemne vs for want of righteousnesse as for our notorious transgressions and manie such other particulars before recited And that we may be the better prouoked to this great dutie of thankfulnes it shall be good for vs not onelie to alot vnto our selues sometime in euerie day wherin we will take a view so far foorth as we can of all the graces of God both generall and particular bestowed vpon our selues others but also deeplie to consider first the person that giueth the same who is the Lord of heauen and earth mercifull no doubt euen vnto thousands of generations to them that loue him and keepe his commandements secondlie the excellencie of the things bestowed which besides that they are bodily and spirituall temporal and