the cup so mutilate the holy sâ—crament a horrible sacriledge in like maner yet ratified by y e decree of y e haeretical couÌ„cel of Trent Si quis dixerâ— ex dei praecepto vel de necessitate salutis esse omnes et singulos Christi fideles viramque specieÌ„ Eucharistae sumere debere Anatâ—ema sit If any man auouch that it is by Gods commaundement or vppon neceâ—sitie of our Saluation that all Christes faithfull people should receiue the Eucharist vnder both kindes let him be accuâ—sed To whome it contents at vs this time to oppose the decree of their owne Pope Gelasius Comperâ—mus quod quidâ—m sumpta tantuÌ„modo corâ—oris sacri portione a calice sacrati cruoris â—bst meant qui proculdubio quoniam nâ—soâ—o qua superstitione docentur astricti aut integra sacramenta percipiâ—nt aut ab integris â—reeantur quod diuisio vnius eiusdemque mystery sine grandi non sit sacrilegio Wee vnderstand that certaine receiuing only the portion of Christes bodye absteine from the cup of his sacred blood which men because vndoubtedlye they are trayned vp in some kinde of superstition let them be inforced either to receiue the whole sacrament or to bee restayned from the whole because this diuiding of one and the same mysterie cannot bee without great Sacriledge In this contrarietie among themselues which way I pray you shall the poore people turne them The counâ—ell curses all them who affirme this Sacrament should bee ministred with bread and wine The Pope sayes plainly it is superstition and sacriledge to giue the one without the other and commaunds that either we abstaine from both or retaine them both togither If ye follow the counsell the Pope shal condemne you if you follow the Pope the Councell shal accurse you but curse as they will the Lord shall blesse them who in faith communicate at his holy Table according to his institution and the curse of God shal not faile to cleaue vnto thâ— surer theÌ„ the leprosie of Naaman to Gâ—â—â—sa yea their part shall be taken out of the booke of life who dare presume to change the ordinance of God The Apostle hath deliuered vnto vs that which he receyued from the Lord how not only he tooke the bread blessed it and brake it and gaue it but that in like maner he tooke the cup and gaue also to his Disciples What boldnesse is it then to take from the people that which Christ by his Apostles hath deliuered vnto them and thus while they boast of antiquitie they are found fathers of Noueltie And against the third they faile who vse not this sacrament to the right endes which are especially two The first is the commemoration of Christes death and passion with thanksegiuing fâ—r the which also the Grecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is the communication of Chrâ—st to them who are his And for this the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first I take out of our Sauâ—our his words Do this in râ—membrance of me And from the Apostle So â—ft as ye eate of thiâ— bread and drinke of this cup shew fooâ—th the Lords death till his â—omming againe And in verie deede this holy Sacrament beeing vâ—ed according to Christes institution is a liuely representation of Christ crucified while as the signes of his blessed bodye and blood being sundred one of them from the other the one is broken the other poured out remâ—mbring vs how his blessed body was broken with the Crowne of Thornes the Scourge the Nailes and the Spâ—are and his blood shed for the remission of our sinnes which should worke in vs so oft as wee beholde it an inward contriâ—ion and godly sorrow for our sinnes wherewith wee pierced and wounded our blessed Sauiour vnto the death and indeâ—de if wee bee of the number of those vpon whom God hath powred out the spirit of grace and compassion so often as wee looke vpon him whom we haue pierced as heere in this sacrament we may see him crucified before our eyes as often shall wee lament for this as one mourneth for his onely Sonne or is sorrowfull for his first borne but of this we shall speake God willing hereafter Now here is also discouered the vanity of that error of concomitance wherwith the aduersaries would excuse their dismeÌ„bring of this holy SacrameÌ„t for say they by concomitance where the bodye of Christ is there is his blâ—od and therfore the breade which is his boâ—die being giuen there is no neede â—o giue the cup. But as the Lord asked the King of Tyrus in derision Art thou wiser then Daniell So â—ay wee aske of them are yee wiser then Christ will ye amend his institution This assertion takes away one of the principall ends of this Sacrament to wit the commemoration of Christes death and passion for to haue the blood within the bodie is no declaration of a crucified man nor a shewing foorth of the Lordes death whereas our blessed Sauiour ordeyned them to bee exhibited and receaued sundrie that it might not onely be preached to our eares but represented also to our eyes how his blessed body and blood were sundred for our sinnes The second end for which this Sacrament was ordeyned is that it might bee a mean of the communication of Christ to all them who are his for the sealing vp of our spiritual vnion with him ideo enâ—m Sacramentum ilâ—ud hominibuâ— datur vâ— Caput in terris corporicoaduneâ—ur And this as I said I take out of the words of the Apostle The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the bodye of Christ And in this respect this holye bread and wine are not onely signes representing Christ crucified nor seales confirming our faith in him but also effectuall instruments of exhibition wherby the holy spirit makes an inward applycation of Christ crucified to all that are his And heerein standes our greatest comfort for if wee had no more a doe in the celebration of this holye Sacrament but to remember Christes death and passion then certainel ye looking to it onely were sufficient to put vs in remembrance therof but when we heare and see that this bread which is his body is giuen vs and we are commaunded to take and eate it what shall wee thinke but that weâ— are called to this high mercy as to bee partakers of Christ and all the benefits that flowe from his death The Lord doth neither deceiue vs with wordes to bid vs take when he giues nothing neither calleth he vs only to a coÌ„munion of naked bread and wine farre be it from vs to thinke so baselye of this holy Sacrament Certainly he that with any measure of light and grace wil ponder these wordes of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my body Shall perceiue that there is here a real and effâ—ctual exbition made of the Lord Iesus to the penitent and beleuing receauer
shaken with the wind as the point of the Mariners compasse so long as it is not direct to the North trembles continually so the spirit of the wicked not set vpon the Lord is neuer quiet but tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations which in a part presently he feeles but shall better perceiue it when he goeth out of the body For tribulation and anguish shal be on the soule of euerie man that doth wickedlye this is the portion of them that forsake God and wander after vanitie It is good therefore for vs to draw nere vnto God saying with Dauid whome haue I in the heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with thee The Lord worke this heauenly disposition in vs. And now to helpe forward our earthly mindes vnto it wee haue to consider both the time and place when and where our Sauiour did institute this sacrament The place is recorded by Saint Luke to haue beene an vpper Parlour the consideration of the place saith Nazâ—aÌ„zin doth some waie warne vs that wee should celebrate this holy sacrament with high heauenly affections When God gaue the lawe he came downe from heauen to the top of Sinai and Moyses went vp from the plaine to it and so saieth he had familiar conuersation with the Lord and heere as the Lord cometh downe as lowe as he can in this Sacrament for our capacitie it becommeth vs to mount vp as high as possible we can in our affections if so be we be desirous to meete the Lord otherwise if the Lord shall abide in his glorie and in accesâ—ible light and if man shall lye still in the darke dungeon of hiâ— base and earthly minde what familiar meeting can there be betweene God and man And as to the time Saint Iohn witnesseth that our Sauiour ordeined this sacrament when he was to go out of the world to his father wherin said Augustine Spes membris in Capiâ—e data quod essent in illo transeunte sine dubiâ— seqâ—â—tura Yea not onlie should it nourish our hope that where he is there once we shal be but should waken our affection and desire to goe after him we should eat and drinke at this holie table not as if we were here to remayne but shold celebrate this supper like a passeouer standing as pilgrimes and our loynes girded vp hauing our staues in our hand readie to follow our Lord who is gone into heauen before vs and euerie day of our communion should be a new departing of our hearts out of this world vnto our heauenly Father yea we should receiue this meate from the Lord with that warning which the Angell gaue to Eliah in the wildernesse vp and eate for thou hast yet a great iourney to goe This bread is giuen vs that in the strength thereof wee may walke forward in the way which is before vs not that we should lie downe and rest vs in this wildernesse as if we had now attained to the end of our iourney The Angell wakened Eliah twice sleeping vnder the Iuniper twice he touched him and twice he bad him vp eate and walke at length hee arose and walked in the strength of that bread fortie dayes But alasse our securitie is greater then his Many a time hath the Lord warned vs of the iourney that is before vs many a time hath he proposed heauenly food vnto vs and now against this day the Lord reneweth his mercy towards vs. The Lord waken vs and graunt at the length that we may rise and walke following the Lord till we appeare before the face of our God in Sâ—on But of all other meanes the moste forceable to rauish our hearts afteâ— y e Lord is a deep meditatioÌ„ of the loue of god towards vs. The apostle protesteth it is a loue that passeth knowledge the height and breadth the length depth wherof none is able to comprehend he that at one time cryed out Come and I will tell you what God hath done to my soule is compelled another time to confesse O Lord my God thou hast made thy wonderful works so many that none can couÌ„â— in order to thee the thoghts towards vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse And yet although we be lesse able then the Elephant at one draught to drinke vp the riuer of Iordane let vs be content with the wearied passenger willinglie to take in so much as may refresh vs wee cannot measure the waters of the sea in our fist nor number the starres of heauen and how then shall we number his mercies which are aboue all his workes shall we therefore not looke to them nor beholde that glorie of God which shineth in them Though we cannot comprehend his incomprehensible loue yea blessed are we if it shall comprepend vs let vs notwithstanding earnestlie and frequentlie meditate vppon it not by starts and vanishing motions for as A Candle dooth not at the first receiue light from the fire were it neuer so bold but if for a time it be holden constantlie to the fire it is at the length enlightened so is it not vanishing meditations that wil warm our harts with the loue of God but if we shal continue without wearying to exercise our thoughts vpon this great loue that the Lord hath borne towards vs it shal happilie fall out at length that the powers of our soule shall bee inflamed with his loue and we shall finde the sauour of death in euerie thing that smelleth not of his loue No greater loue then this saith our Sauiour can be shewed among men then that a man should bestowe his life for his friendes but that which maÌ„ is not able to shew our Lord Iesuâ— God man hath shewed to the Children his good will for the loue he bore to vs he gaue himself in a sacrifice for our sins on the Crosse eueÌ„ when wee were his enemies and hath here in this SacrameÌ„t giuen himselfe a food and nourishment vnto vs for so that disciple belooued of him doth testifie When Iesus knew that his houre was come that hee should goe out of the world vnto his Father forasmuch as he loued his owne vnto the end he loued them therefore did he institute this sacrament that therein he might communicate himselfe to them O wonderfull loue stronger then the loue of Ionathan to Dauid When Ionathan and Dauid behooued to part companie because of Saules tyrannie Ionathan gaue Dauid his Garment his Girdle and his Armour he had no better and could giue no better so with many teares and mutuall imbracings departed from him but our blessed Sauiour before he remoued his corporall presence from vs gaue his life to redeem our life froÌ„ the death he sent out bloody sweat abouÌ„dantly as the witnesses of his burning loue towards vs hee prowred out an euerlasting prayer
them in so farre as it is a meane of this Vnion 1 Inexcusable then are they who neglect this holy sacrament sect 2 How shall it be thought they will suffer with him on mount Caluarie who refuse to banquet with him in his Parlour 2 Penitent sinners should waite for this Table with such affection as these sicke persons waited on the wate rs of Bethesda sect 3 At Siloam poole onely he was healed who first stepped downe not so at Shiloh his Table 3 Yet there is great danger in comming without preparation sect 4. Two parts of the precept fiâ—st that we trie secondly that wee eate last part fiâ—st handled and why sect 5 We are bound by the Lords commaund to communicate sect 6 But an apostate man will eate where God forbids him and will not eate where God commands him sect 7 Beleeuing the Seducer and not the sauiour 7 Ignorance is the mother of all recusancie to communicate sect 8 Some refuse because they know not the excellencie of this Sacrament sect 9 These are foolish like Naaman reckoning the Riuers of Damascus better then the waters of Israell 9 Worldlings refuse not a good gift although giuen by small meanes sect 10 Farre lesse should Christians refuse this heauenly gift because it is propined by earthly meanes 10 The lesse we see in this Table the more we are bound to beleeue sect 10 Others refuse vpon pretended reasons sect 11 Their reasons refuted first if it bee want of preparation the fault is their owne 11 Secondly if it be variance with their neighbour they excuse one sinne by an other 11 Better excuses theÌ„ these reiected by christ sect 12 They who excuse their recusancie because of variance are yet further conuinced sect 13 In effect they preferre Barrabas to christ sect 14 who wil rather renounce their communion with christ then renounce their wicked will 14 They consent not to the marriage of the Lambe who refuse the smallest token of his loue 14 They loue not christ who refuse to communicate sect 15. Ignorance of both the sortes of Recusants discouered sect 16 They refuse to eate of that bread which christ calleth his body 16 In this sacrament are thinges of sundrie kindes which must be distinguished sect 17 Yet are they so to be distinguished that we destroy not their Vnion sect 18 Three rules to bee obserued in the right discerning of the Lords bodie sect 19 First rule is that euerie thing in this sacrament be taken vp in the owne kinde sect 20 Against this rule faile Papists and how 20 Against it faile also bastard professors sect 21 Not considering that here the bread and wine are changed 21 The second rule is that this sacrament be vsed according to Christes institution sect 22 Papists faile against this rule also 22 Sacrilegiouslie they abstract the vse of the cup from the people sect 23 The Pope and Councell contrarie 23 The third rule is that this sacrament be vsed to the right endes sect 24 The first ende of this sacrament is a thankefull commemoration of Christes death sect 24 Error of Concomitance disprooued sect 25 Concomitance destroyeth the first ende of this sacrament 25 The second end of this sacrament is the communication of Christ to them who are his sect 26 In this sacrament christ is truely exhibited giuen sect 27 Yet is not he receiued of euerie one who receiueth the bread sect 28 For there is a dâ—fference betweene exhibition and acceptation 28 The wicked eat not Christ in the sacrament 28 Conclusion of the first part of the praecept is they refuse a greate gift who refuse to communicate sect 29 The second part of the precept commaundes tryall before communion sect 30 For the Lord will not that this table bee a snare to vs as was Absaloms to Ammon 30 Yet many so make it not considering who they are themselues sect 31 Banquetters at this Table sâ—ould bee holy persons sect 32 Vnreuerent handling of holy thinges hath neuer beene left vnpunished 32 Neither will the Lord shew vs his presence without our preparation 32 Excellencie of this sacrament sect 33 An exhortation to come vnto it with reuerence sect 34 That we putnot new wine into olde vessels 34 Comfort for the tender conscience caste downe with the sight of sinne after tryall sect 35 Two sorts of tryal one of things perfect another of thinges imperfect 35 The tryall here commaunded is a searching out of our imperfections 35 And therefore should wee not be discouraged although after tryall wee finde them to bee many sect 36. This comfort confirmed by consideriâ—g those who were bidden to the banquet sect 37 Banquetters there were the poore the maymed the hault and the blinde· 37 This tryall is not that dayly and ordinarie tryall required in all our actions sect 38 Dayly tryall moste necessarie 38 Miserable is their state who liue without daylye tryall they die like Achitophel putting their house in order not their soule in order sect 39 But a singuler and extraordinarie tryall is required before communion sect 40 Euerie new sight of our selfe discouereth a newe corruption 40 What a lâ—borious worke is inioyned to man when he is commaunded to trye himselfe sect 41 Man being well tryed shall appeare a new found world of wickednes sect 42 Foure bands of cogitations which oppresse the minde 42 Two thinges necessarie for this tryall sect 43 First the spirit of God 43 Next the word of God sect 44 For euerie iâ—perfect thing must be tryed by an other then it selfe 44 Many trie themselues by wrong rules and are deceaued 44 How we may profit by comparing our selues with others sect 45 It is not enough that Pastors and Elders tâ—y vs we must trie our selues sect 46 For others cannot know whether thou come to the Table as a Iohn or as a Iudas 46 Let euerie man therfore aske for himselfe is it I Lord 46 We shold trie our selues not other men sect 47 This reprooueth them who before communion tryeth faults done to them more then sinnes done by them 47 But it taketh not away brotherlie admonition s. 48 The chiefe pointes of preparation before communion are two sect 49 First that we lay aside our olde sinnes 49 Otherwaies no communion with the Lord. 49 How Esther was purified ereshe was presented to Ahasuerus 49 Without diuorcementfrom our olde sinnes no mariage with the Lambe sect 50 Not a generall confession but a particular inquisition should be made of our sinnes sect 51 The second point ofpreparation is that wee put on the new christian disposition consisting in these three sect 52 First that toward God we be holy and heauenly minded sect 53 So that we become wearie of our earthlye pilgrimage 53 And neuer rest til we return to the Lord sect 54 For our soules cannot rest but in him 54 Two thinges profitable to helpe vs to this heauenly disposition sect 55 Consideration of the place wherin this SacrameÌ„t was instituted 55 Consideration
house of Abraham then testifie your consent by receiuing these hâ—lye tokens of his loue which in his name we exh bit vnto you but if yee will not then shall we stand vp as witnesses against you that we haue called you and ye refused to come O man what wilt thou doe for thy Christ that wilt not come and banquet with him at his Table how canst thou say thou louest him when so small an impediment keepâ—s thee back from going vnto him hast thou not cause to hang downe thy head for shame when thou art conuinced to haue lesse loue to thy Sauiour then Esau had to Iacobs pottage for loue of them he solde his birth-right which hee should haue kept but thou for loue of Christ wilt not forsake thy corrupted will which thou art bouÌ„d to abandon Abraham for the loue of God was content with his own hands to slay his onely lawful Son and thou for the loue of God wilt not slay thy vnlawful bastard affections nor do the holy wil of God except thy wicked will be first fulfilled This euidently proues that â—hou hast not AbrahaÌ„ for thy father but art of the race of wicked Cain that hated his Brother vnto the death Assuredly except thou repent that merciles iudgement abides thee presignified in that mercilesse seruaÌ„t who hauing gotten mercie from his King could shew none to his Companion Oughtest not thou to haue had pittie on thy fellow as I had pittie on thee Thy former sins shall bee imputed vnto thee and thou shalt be deliuered to the Iaylor til thou pay all that is due vnto thy Lord which thou shalt neuer be able to doe But that the pittiful ignorance of both these sortes of Recusants may the better appeare and farther light may arise to such as are willing to communicate wee are to consider what a banquet this is and what are the delicates vnto the participation whereof wee are here called The Apostle saith not let a man eate bread drink wine but let him eate of This bread drink of this Cup. The particle This tels vs it is no coÌ„mon bread wine no surely the comfort is greate that we are commaunded to eate of that bread wherof our Sauiour saith This is my body and to drinke of that Cup which he calles His blood of the New Testament shed for the remission of the sinnes of many He that eates of my bread drinks of any cup vnworâ—hily becomes guiltie of the abuse of Gods creatures but he that eates of this Bread and drinkes of this cup vnworthily becomes guiltie of the bodye and blood of the Lord and eates his own damnatioÌ„ becaâ—se he discerneth not the lords body And therefore that wee fall not into this fâ—arfull sinne wee are to know that this Sacrament is not a simple thing but a compound wherin are things of sundry kinds which must be distinguished and so the word of discerning imports that secret There are here things oâ— sundâ—ie sorts we must discerne euery thing in the owne kinde so our Sauiour taught vs and after him his Apostles and this truth from them the auncient Fathers haue deliuered vnto vs Eucharistia said Irenaeus ex â—uabus râ—buâ— constat â—errenâ— et caelesti The Eucharist coÌ„sists of two kinde of thinges the one earthly the other heauenly And Augustine calleth it vâ—sibile stâ—num inuâ—fibilis gratiae the visible signe of inuisible grace And Macarius calleth this bread wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemâ—lâ—râ—â— figurae seutâ—pâ— carnis et sauguinis Christs Resemblances figures types of the body blood of Christ Iesus Now it is â—uâ—e that a type patterne or figure must euer bee distinguished from that wherof it is a figure This sacrament then being a compound thing must bee considered not as a simple but as a compound thing If it bee asked whether a man be earthly or heaueÌ„nly because hee is a compound creature It must bee answered by a distinction If it bee asked how a Christian being on the earth the Apostle saieth that hee hath his câ—nconuersation in the Heauens it must bee answered by a distinction And if also it bee asked whether this Sacrament be an earthlye or an heauenlye thing how the signe is giuen how the thing signified how Christ Iesus is in the heauen yet present in this SacrameÌ„t All these I say must be answered by a distinction Sursum est dominus saide Augustin sedetiam hic est veritas dominus corpus enim domini in quo resurrexit vno loco esse potest veriâ—as eius vbique diffusa est Our Lord is aboue in heauen yet heere also is our Lord as he is the truth for the body of our lord in which he arose from death can bee but in one place but his truth is diffused into euerie place And againe Ibat per id quod homâ— erat manebat per id quod deus ibat per id quod vno loco erat manebat per id quod vbique erat He went hence by that which was Man hee stayed by that which was God he went away by that which was but in one place he stayed by that which was in al places And againe Ascendit super omnes coelos corpore noÌ„ recessit maiestate Hee ascended aboue all the heauens in his bodie but he departed not hence in his Maiestie And Cyrill in like maner Non enim quia nunc non adest in carne ex eo outes quoâ— spiritu medio hic noÌ„ adâ—it Think not that with his spirit he is not here amongest vs because hee is not now amongst vs with his bodie Thus ye see we must vse a distinction And yet albeit we are forced here to acknowledge the sundrie natures of things compound and consider them in their owne kinds wee must for all that take heed to the wonderfull vnion and sâ—cramentall coniunction that is betâ—eene them which is so strait that vnto the right receiuer they are inseparable for the which also the earthly thing receyues the name of the heauenly And this must also be considered least on the other hande separating those thinges which God hath conioyned we make this Bread and this Wine but naked and bare signes and so iustly incurre that blame which our aduersaries vniustly would lay vpon vs and in like manner this punishment which here the Lorde threatens against them who are euill discerners We are therefore to consider that for the right discerning of the Lords body these three rules are to be obserued First that in this Sacrament we take vp euery thing in the owne nature kind Next that we vse euerie one of theÌ„ in the maner appointed by Christ with reuerence that is due vnto them And thirdly that this SacrameÌ„t be celebrated vnto the right ends for which our Sauiour appointed it Against the first failes both Papists and bastard professors Papists are euill