sinnes when we were in case of misery wholie trodden downe and vanquished of the Devill and lying as it were groveling in our filthines doth raise vs vp again free vs from death nourish comfort refresh and quicken our farre yea whole spent soules vnto life not temporal but eternall Q. What is the Coniunction namelie of the Signe with the Thing signified A. It is a most true and spiritual coniunction grounded on the promises of Christ and wrought by the holy Ghost Q. Is there no mutation then of the bread and wine or at least no physical copulation A. There is no change of the Elemēts in respect of their substaunce but yet there is a mutation of them in respect of the end viz. The bread wine are no more novv prophane or common meate drinke but do serue and are applied rather vnto a proper sacramentall and sacred vse and end And that learned and worthy man M. Beza Dial. 2. saith that the mystical Symbols bread and wine even after the sanctifying of them doe not leese their proper nature For S. Paule saith he euen after the giuing of thankes calleth bread stil by the name of bread 1. Cor. 11. vide locum Q. Can you instance in such a change A. Verie wel For wax which is affixed to euidēces differeth nothing in substance from that which is vnsealed but in the vse there is such a change or alteration that the one doth signifie confirme the writings whereto it is annexed whenas the other which is remoued and not applied to that vse doth not Q. If there be no physicall copulation or Consubstātiation as the Lutherās hold neither mutation of the substance of the Signes which the Papists call transubstantiation why doth St. Iohn Chap. 6. say that wee must eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood A. St. Iohn doeth by this manner of speaking set downe most perspicuouslie vnto the eies as it were of our soules the verie summe of the promise of the Gospel as namelie what faith is by which wee doe enioie those promised good things to the end we might vnderstand how the vertue thereof doth beareful sway in our hearts cheering and lifting vs vp to buckle mightelie against the frontiers of sinne the world and the Deuil Q. Then by this it seemeth that to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his blood are taken for one the selfe same thing as to beleeue in Christ A. It is so And therefore S. Austen saith plainely Crede manducasti that is beleeue and thou hast eaten Q. But can you proue that to eate and to beleeue are one thing in the Scriptures A. Easilie out of the sixt chap. of Iohn and the 40. 47. verses as verely verely I say vnto you hee that beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life Now vers 51. of the same chap. hee expresseth this another way that is by eating of his flesh As I am that living bread which came downe from heaven if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Here you maie see that both these manner of speeches though diverse in words yet al one in sense and meaning do obtaine likewise one the selfesame promise euen life eternal Moreouer hence it riseth that the Fathers oftētimes treating vpon the Supper of the Lord do cite those places out of the sixt of Ioh not that they thought the Lord to haue spoken there precisely strictlie or solelie of the Supper of the Lord but that rather because in the right lawful vse of the Supper faith of the thing promised is there sensiblie as one may say expressed by the Lorde vnder the names of eating drinking of which promise the Supper is a pledg and seale Q. Seeing there is now no physicall application doe wee receiue onlie the bare tokens of the things signified or els are they effectuallie there given vs A. For so much as Christ is the verie truth it selfe and therfore most faithful in all his promises so vndoubtedly according to his promise made at his Supper and as the Signes do represent he maketh vs partakers of his verie substance to make vs grow therby into one life with him Calu. Q. Christ is in heaven as Act. 3. cap. 21. verse sci VVhom the heaven must containe vntill the time that all things be restored besides looke all these places as Hebr. 7.26 Eph. 4.10 Act. 1.11 Act. 7.56 Act. 1.9 Ioh. 6.62 Colloss 3.1 Act. 2.33 Psal 110.1 Luk. 22.69 Luk. 24.51 Ioh. 12.8 Heb. 10.12 1. Tim. 3.16 and we are heere Pilgrims on the earth How then can this Vnion of substance bee A. This Vnion is not in respect of the place for so indeede is the body of Christ in Heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or circumscriptible but it is in respect of our faith by which we do worthily receiue this holy mysterie For Christ although he be in heaven according to his humane nature and so sitteth glorified at the right hand Iohn 17.5 of his Father both our Mediatour and Intercessour vnto God for vs yet is hee also these fiue waies present in the earth with vs. viz. 1. By his Godhead and Spirit 2. By our faith in him 3. By mutual loue 4. By his vnion with humane nature that is in Coniunction of his Soule and body with ours 5. By hope of our Consummation glorification Or According to others thus the presēce of Christ now with vs is twofolde the one in respect of his person the other in respect of his office In Person hee is with vs as true God filling both heauen and earth In of fice he is with vs by his grace Spirit Math. 28.20 And loe I am with you alway vntill the end of the world Amen But Christ in his Humanity is not with vs but so hee sitteth at the right hand of the Father and of the throne of his Maiestie in Heauen Heb. 8.1 Q. So then this commeth to passe by the wonderous and vnsearchable working of Gods Spirit powring faith into vs which faith coupling vs with the Son of God causeth that wee are more neerely ioined vnto the flesh and blood of Christ then we are vnto the bread which we eat the wine which we drinke A. Iust For indeede such is the effectualnes of faith which it hath frō the powerful working of Gods holy Spirit that it doth most neerly cōioine things which are in place farthest remoued asunder Concerning this Coniunction therefore of ours with Christ it is manifest that the Fathers doe all agree with this which hath bin said for the right receiving and vnderstanding of this Sacrament and more especially for the words of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 6. cap. verse 53.56 As Then Iesus said vnto them verely verely I say vnto you Except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man drinke his bloode yee haue no life
in you He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And Corinth 10. chap. vers 16. The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we that are many are one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread So yee see heere that St. Paule saith that the bread which we breake is the Cōmuniō of the body of Christ which is it is the thing whereby we are receaved into Communion and fellowship with the body of Christ and doe growe togither into one with him Therfore al the Fathers iointly teach that the very true flesh of Christ not that which was feigned of the Heretiks to be invisible but that which is like to ours in all things except sinne is truelie eaten of vs in the Supper of the Lord is so eatē that we wholy grow into one whole Christ how great soeuer we bee being made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Eph. 5.30 See Zanchius in his treatesse of spiritual wedlocke Herevpon saith Zanchius Cyrill and other of the Fathers affirmed that Christ dwelleth corporally and naturally in vs. Which words saith he must bee vnderstoode not of the manner howe Christ dwelleth in vs as if he were in vs in any naturall and fleshly manner but they are to be vnderstood of the things whereto we are vnited For we are vnited to the true natural body of Christ and that by a true and reall vnion but yet if you respect the manner how this is wrought surely then it is accomplished and done by these two means namely by the spirit and by faith Now this is farre of I thinke from that carnall grosse and fleshlie manner which the Papists dreame of This Doctrin touching our incorporation into Christ by a spiritual māner all the Fathers taught Wherefore Augustin in his 50 tract vpō Iohn Let thē saith he meaning the Iewes heare lay hold of Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heavē They answere whom shall I lay hould on him that is absent Howe shal I lifte vp my hand into heavē to lay hold on him sitting there lift vp thy * And in the Primitiue church they vsed to say these words vnto the people Sursum cor da in tokē that they were to pearce the very heavens with St. Steven Act. 7 56. by their faith and there behold Christ as he is man and not in the earth faith and thou hast laid hold on him Thy Fathers held him in the flesh doe thou holde him in thy heart because Christ beeing absent is yet nevertheles also present vnles he were present he could not be held of vs. Augustine sheweth at large that Christ is absent in the flesh but is present with vs in Maiestie Whence it is manifest that this Vnion is essentiall and reall if we respect the thinges that are vnited and the truth of the vnion but if we cōsider the manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is how it is made it is spirituall Q. VVhat is there no Coniunction thē where faith is not A. Noe doubtles but a Sacramentall Cōiunction onely which returneth into iudgmēt to him that doth receine it Q. If it bee so vvhy doth St. Paule affirme those to become guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord vvhich doe eate this bread and drinke the Cup vnworthelie 1. Corint 11.27 1. Corint 10.16.17 A. This may easily bee answered with the like because hee that beleeveth not the word of God but heareth it vnworthely is guiltie of the word of God For why whosoever beleeveth not shal bee condemned Looke Marke 16.16 Item Iohn 12. ca. vers 47.48 Q. Yea St. Austen hath the like kinde of speech As he which eateth saith he the bodie drinketh the blood of Christ vnvvorthely eateth and drinketh his owne dānation so he that receaveth Baptisme vnvvorthelie receaveth iudgment and not salvation A. Where this learned Father speaketh sacramentally attributing vnto the Signe the name of the thing it selfe Q. Howe are the wicked then guilty of the body bloud of Christ whenas they receave but the bare Elements or Signes alone A. Because the disgrace reproach which they doe to the sacred signes and symbols doth redound even against the thinges themselues signified thereby Q. Can you make this plaine and familiar by some instance or other A. Yes surely it may be gathered frō the experiēce of affaires in this life For whosoever doth spue vpon doth teare and trample vnder foote the Image or letters-Patents of an Emperour and mightie Prince is foorthwith adiudged guiltie of hie treason againe the ill entreaty or vsage of Embassadours doth returne and fall out vnto the contempt contumely of the king that sent thē But of how much sorer punishmēt suppose yee according to the Apostles wordes Heb. 10.29 shal he be worthy which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God and counteth the bloode of the Testament as an vnholy thinge wherewith he was sanctified doth despight the Spirit of Grace Looke besides 30.31 verses of the same chap. Item Heb. 6.6 Item 1. Cor. 11.7 where you shall finde the like phrases Notwithstanding it is but absurdlie gathered out of 1. Corint 11. chap. 27. vers that the vnbeleevers cannot therfore bee guiltie of the bodie and bloode of Christ because they doe not reallie eate Christ in the Sacrament as though they could no otherwise be guiltie of it and namely by their vnbeleife whenas yet St. Paule speaketh not there of vnbeleevers but even of the verie beleevers themselues vnreverētly handling this Sacrament Thirdly Q. VVhat is the Meditation of the Supper A. This is twofold consisting 1. In the Endes 2. In the Vse Q. VVhat are those speciall Endes A. They be fiue as 1. A remēbrāce of the Lords death 2. A Sacrament of our incorporatiō 3. A Sacrament of our spiritual repast and nourishment 4. A pledge of forgivenes of sinnes 5. A bond true knotte of loue Of these in order as they lie First The Supper of the Lord is memoria mortis that is a Sacramēt ordained for a remembrance of the body of Christ delivered vp to death for vs and of his blood shedde for many for the remissiō of sinnes St. Paule 1. Cor. 11. ca. 26 v. describeth this end most perspicuouslie For as often saith he as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup yee shewe the Lords death till he come And Christ himselfe Luk. 22 cap. 19. vers Doe this saith he in remembrance of mee Iustine the Martyr Colloq cum Triphon Apolog. 2. saith that the Eucharisticall bread is committed to vs ad recordationem passionis Christi that is for a remēbrance of the passion of Christ Now marke heere how shamefully the Papistes are besides their beades in going
of worke our Adversaries do so fire our breeches and foxe vs backe so eagerlie vnto the earth of subtile invētions that we puffe and blow about it as it were melt our selues away in our grease not having an Alphabet while so much as to peere out a little our heades and fetch breath for them Moreover when we haue laboured in our celles as men for life death our laboures chaunce to light into their fistes they doe so file and refile over and over our hammer beaten stuffe that in the end it goes wel with vs if there bee found the least glimmering shine of truth in it In the mean time I deny not absolutely but that this is beneficial vnto our Papal Pontificious orders a great deale more I suppose it would be were al comparable in these feates vnto thy selfe but there are such a rabble of biffe boffe Papistes idiotical simple wherof I am one without shame bee it spoken my selfe that if any be sawcie with with vs to vnderstand our reasons wee do no more thē set this Stand a broach which is The holie Catholike Mother Church of Rome hath thus determined it therfore talke no more of necessitie it must bee so And if they vrge vs any farther no way then is lefte for vs but one namely to rush into the multitude of papists which are called omniū simplicissimi stolidissimi that is dreaming and welmeaning Papists though they cānot nor will not expresse it say with thē It is my conscience which I thinke a bare ioynd stoole had it the vse of speech would say as much or more Norwithstāding though I thus come shorte of thee in intricable sophistications yet do I beare as great good wil vnto that game as thou dost for thy guts and doe desire that I had but a quarter of thy excellēt skil herein thou shouldest perceiue that I would bristle after an other manner of sort then yet I do with these ordinarie prying Protestants into our doings but I fear me these Elenches are so abstruse hard as they wil never whilst the world stands enter within my clockhouse of conceipte to consider of them Well Brother quoth the other I haue hitherto with patiēce willingly heard thy tale because I see thy willingnesse great to vie with mee though thine abilitie is but smale Concerning those afterfetches and recanvassing of our doeings by the Protestantes thou hast hitte the naile right vpon the head in so sensiblie portraiting them out before me Wherfore as I began this fraternal communication with thee so do I conclude the same that seeing we are thus extreamely firkt besert vext and counterchardged by our enimies we must necessarily like true Catholikes if wee intend to vphold the glittering pride of our Mother Church at Rome toile night daie like packehorses take intollerable paines aswel directlie in smothering of the truth by wreasting Loc. Com. Musc 161. the right sense of it cleane camme from the drifte and purpose of the writer as also indirectly what we can in reobscuring the same with doubte vpon doubte by our scholastical and questionizing altercations Lastly forasmuch as thou hast made knowen vnto me thy studiouse minde to congratifie with mee and the rest of our societie the catholike mother Church of St. Peter and our holy Papal Father of St. Angelo in Rome who is the head therof as thou knowest wel ynough in such like manner knowledge of depraving and inverting the Scriptures in falsly syllogizing therevpon heere is my hand vse me anie night thou wilt assure thy selfe I wil both indoctorate and Papistifie thee with that superexcellent qualitie as also for thy fidelity vnto my selfe and for thy true hearted Catholiknes vnto the Church will performe vnto thee anie other good else what I can And thus my Brother Papist I bidd thee till our nexte meeting in some such like blacke darckesome mistie rotten weather hartelie adewe I haue purposely vsed prolixity because I could no way better then vvith some delight both laugh at their wilfull selfe-pleasing allurements vnto folly ekewise display the accustomed detestable pranks of al superstitiously sworn and vnreturnable vowed Papistes Two or three at last Vbiquitary arguments and so an end Vbiquities of the true naturall bodie of Christ 1 The body of Christ is inuisible because it hath the grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of dispensation Confutation Nay that is false because that the body of Christ is not by nature invisible no not after his resurrection as Ioh. 20. cap. 20.28.29 verses Luk. 24. cap. 39. v. Secondly the Vbiquitaries doe most groslie forge a new signification of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dispensation which for sooth very trimly they vse for the feighned maiestie of the flesh of Christ that is for the vbiquitie of it when notwithstanding the Fathers haue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dispensation euen the whole incarnation and administration of the office of Christ by taking of flesh Theodoret Dial. 2. 2 The Vbiquitaries for the true communication idiomatum of the proprieties of both natures of Christ into one Person wil by and by haue signified vnder this forme of speech proprietatum tranfusionem that is a transfusion of Proprieties out of one nature of Christ into an other as may bee out of the divine into his humane nature so that they wil haue the Proprieties of his Deity or godhead to be communicated vnto his Humanitie But this axiome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 overthrowes it selfe For if once they be proprieties then are they not cōmunicated and if they bee communicated then are they not proprieties 3 The like quaint and passing euil improper speech before this neuer hearde of haue they counterfeited in these two voices Abstract and Concret teaching that the humane nature of Christ is not every where in the Abstract that is abstracted and separated from his diuinitie but it is euery where in the Concret that is concreted and vnited vnto the Deity Is not this I pray trecherously to corrupte the vsuall speaking of the church They know I am sure that an Abstract is the name of a nature or form whatsoeuer which is in some other either essentially or accidentally as are these deitie Humanitie VVisdome Iustice but the Concret doth signifie the thing it selfe or the Subiect which hath that nature and forme as God Man VVise Iust Now how true this is which they goe about al men know right well For the Cōcret of Christs diuine nature is to be God himselfe the abstract hereof is his Deitie Likewise the Concret of his humane nature is to be Man the Abstract hereof is his Humanity Apply these tearmes of Art according as they wil haue them and it is al one as if they had said that the humane nature of Christ is every where as hee is Man which is the Concret but he is not euery where in his Humanity which is