humanitie because as Augustine saith he gaue vnto it immortalitie but tooke not from it the proper nature thereof but by distributing the gifts of the Spirit into the hearts of all the elect in what place soeuer they be To the same purpose aâ—so Iohn saith cap. 7.39 The spirit was not yet giuen because Christ was not yet glorified 3 Away was opened for vs into our heauenly countrie for till that time Paradise was kept with a flaming sword but by Christs ascension heauen was opened from which we were by Adams transgression excluded 4 Possession of our heaueÌ„ly inheritance is taken in all our behalfs so that we do not now in a bare hope only expect saluatioÌ„ but do indeed possesse it in our hart in our flâ—sh Eph. 2.6 God hath raised him vp hath made vs sit togither with him in the heaueÌ„ly places Therfore Tertullian speaketh thus Euen as he hath left vnto vs the earnest of the spirit so also he hath taken of vs the earnest of the flesh hath caried into heauen a pledge for the whole summe whith hereafter shall be receiued of him there Be ye therefore secure ye flesh and bloud for ye haue taken possession both of heaueÌ„ the kingdom therof in Christ 5 As Leuit. 16.2 The high Priest yearely entred within the veile into the most holy place not without bloud that he might stand before God in the behalfe of the people so Christ is entred into heauen to make intercession for us as it is said Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuarie but is entred into verie heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. Where he so turneth the eies of God vpon his owne righteousnes as he turneth them away from our sinnes and maketh vs a way to his throne and causeth him to become mercifull and gracious vnto vs who otherwise was very terrible to wretched sinners VVhat is the vse of this 1 That in the fear of sin death we may fly to the ascensioÌ„ of christ which is a most certain seale to vs of his coÌ„quest ouer our enemies 2 That in temptation we may assure our selues there is one for vs in heauen which maketh intercession for vs and reconcileth vnto vs the father 1. Ioh. 2.1 My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust 3 That by our hope of ascending to him hereafter we should comfort our selues in our losses 4 That seeing our bodie now liueth and reigneth in heauen and our conuersation is there we should abandon the delights of this life and aspire vnto heauenly things Coloss 3.1 If ye haue risen againe with Christ seeke the things that are aboue 5 That wee know how he seeth all things that all things are open to his eies a Heb 4.13 so that there is now no cause why we should be faint hearted VVhat is against this doctrine of Christs ascension 1 The position of the Vbiquitaries who make a doubt of the asascension who by ascending vnderstand vanishing or becomming inuisible as though in Christs ascension there were no motion of his bodie from place to place but onely a change so that he who before was visibly conuersant in the earth now being become invisible is notwithstaÌ„ding truly corporally but yet inuisibly present with vs the same Sectaries make heauen the same thing that glory is and also make heauen a certain spirituall place without body which is euerywhere But this their doing is nothing else but to confound mingle the highest thing with the lowest and the lowest with the highest to denie the truth of Christs body 2 The manners of them who fauour their wicked affections are fast bound to this earth who do follow the works of the flesh and do by their deeds testifie they haue little care of heauenly things and by their vngodlines do rather plunge themselues into hell then labour to clime vp to heauen The eight and twentieth common Place Of the sitting of Christ at the right hand of the Father Is the sitting of Christ at the right hand of his father a dâ—stinct article from that of his ascension IT is For Saint Mark in his 16 chapter and 19. verse doth manifestly distinguish them when he saith that the Lord after he had spoken vnto them was receiued into heaueÌ„ sat at the right hand of God Besides the ascension into heauen if ye respect the change of place is common to the word Incarnate to the Angels to Elias and the rest of the elect But to which of the Angels hath he said at anie time sit thou at my right hand Heb. 1.13 Therefore his sitting neither can nor ought to be confounded with his ascending What signifieth the right hand The right hand and left are proper differences of corporall positions are proper to man and not to God who is a spirit hauing no body Io. 4.24 and therfore hath neither right nor left side but is altogether vnmeasurable and infinite But because in the right hand a mans strength both most consisteth and is most perspicuous and the right hand is most fit for any action or exploit and more vsuall for the confirmation of faith therefore sometimes the right hand of a man is taken for a mans power stength hope or promise which he maketh as Psal 144.8 Their right hand is a right hand of falshood Moreouer from men by the Figure Metaphora or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is traâ—slated vnto God And then 1. It signifyeth as the hand and the arme do the verue power helpe of God as Psa 44.3 Their owne arme shall not saue them but thy right hand and thy arme and the light of thy countenance And Act. 2.33 By the right hand of God Christ is exalted· 2 It signifieth the maiestie authoritie glorie and honour of the diuinitie Psal 110.1 Christ is commaunded to sit at the right hand of the Father 3 It signifieth the place of blisse and happines which we shall enioy in the life euerlasting Psal 16.11 At thy right hand are pleasures for euermore And Ephes 1 20· and he set him at his right hand in heauenly places VVhat signifieth sitting It properly signifieth that manner of setting of the bodie that is opposite to standing or motion But by the figure Metalepsis it signifieth to dwell to abide to conuerse to rest and sitting signifieth dwelling as Luke 24.49 Tarie ye in the Citie of Ierusalem vntill ye be endued with power from on high in the originall it is sit ye After which sort we say of a man he staied in that countey three yeares or he sate there three yeares Secondly it signifieth to rule and gouerne as 1. King 1 30. Salomon my sonne shall sit vpon my throne after mee and Pro. 20.8 A king that sitteth in
Place 2. Of Christ page 13 Of his person page 14 Of Phrases page 20 Of his office page 24 Place 3. Of the Holy Ghost page 28 Of personall properties page 33 Place 4. Of the Scriptures page 37 Place 5. Of the worlds creation page 48 And the parts thereof page 54 Place 6. Of Angels in Generall page 64 Of good Angels page 67 Place 7. Of euill Angels or Deuils page 77 Place 8. Of Man page 88 Of the soule of man page 90 Place 9. Of Gods Image in man page 99 Place 10. Of Originall Righteousnesse page 104 Place 11. Of mans free will before the fall page 106 Of mans state before his fall page 110 Place 12. Of Mariage ordained by God before the fall and after confirmed againe by God page 112 Of the degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie page 120 Place 13. Of Diuorce page 129 Place 14. Of the Gouernment of the world or of Gods prouidence page 139 Place 15. Of sinne in Generall especially of Originall sinne page 154 Place 16. Of Actuall sinne page 170 Place 17. Of sinne against the holy Ghost page 175 Place 18. Of freewill after the fall page 181 of the causes of conuersion page 185 Place 19. Of the Lawe page 189 Place 20. Of the Gospell page 202 Place 21. Of the agreement disagreemēt of the Lawe and the Gospell page 209 Place 22. Of the agreement and discrepancie of the Old and New Testament page 213 Place 23. Of the Passion and death of Christ. page 224 Place 24. Of the Buriall of Christ page 238 Place 25. Of Christs descending into Hel. page 245 Of Limbus page 247 Place 26. Of the Resurrection of Christ page 253 Place 27. Of the ascension of Christ page 265 Of Heauen page 270 Place 28. Of Christs sitting at the right hand of his father page 276 Place 29. Of Faith page 287 Place 30. Of Repentance page 309 Of confession page 322 Of satisfaction page 323 Place 31. Of mans Iustification before God page 328 How Iustification and Regeneration differ page 344 Place 32. Of Good workes page 359 Of merits page 367 Place 33. Of Christian libertie page 379 Of things indifferent page 386 Of Traditions page 388 Place 34. Of Offences page 392 Place 35. Of prayers page 401 Of Inuocation of Saints page 407 Place 36. Of Predestination page 421 Of Election page 430 Of Reprobation page 439 Place 37. Of the last Resurrection page 451 Place 38. Of the last Iudgement page 466 Place 39. Of eternal life page 482 Place 40. Of eternal death page 494 Of Hell page 498 Place 41. Of the Church page 501 Place 42. Of the Ministerie and Ministers of the Church page 530 Of their calling page 548 Of imposition of hands page 553 Place 43. Of the power and authoritie of the Church page 570 Of Synods page 581 Place 44. Of the gouernmēt of the church page 586 Of Excommunication page 593 Of Anathematizing page 597 Of Fasting page 600 Place 45. Of Vowes page 609 615 Place 46. Of the Sacramēts in general page 615 Of circumcision page 631 Of the Passeouer page 640 Of the sacrifices of the old and New Testament page 648. and 675. Place 47. Of Baptisme page 695 Of Iohns Baptisme page 699 Of Baptizing of Infants page 715 Of Exorcisme page 729 Of imposition of names page 731 Place 48. Of the Lords Supper page 741 Of the Masse page 743 Of taking away the Cuppe page 750 Of the Sacrifice in the Supper page 764 Of miracles page 789 Of Gods Omnipotencie page 793 Of the circumscription of Christs bodie page 798 Of our Communion with Christ page 908 Place 49. Of Magistrates page 854 Of reuenge page 865 Of Iudgements page 875 Of warre page 881 Of Equitie page 891 Of Lawes page 892 Of Subiects page 893 That papists make it lawfull to murther princes page 902 Page 611. Line 16. for consent read constraint Page 860. lin 26 mens minds for mans minde The rest pardon as also that one or two short questions are omitted WHAT IS THE MAINE AND MOST principall point in sacred Diuinitie COncerning God For this is life eternall saith Christ Ioh. 17.3 that they acknowledge thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ How do you proue that there is a God 1. Out of the booke of Nature or the workes of God 2. Out of the booke of the Scripture or the word of God The booke of Nature is this vniuersall world which is so called because of the beautie furniture order and vse thereof All which do proclaime the chief-builder thereof to be most wise most mightie and most bountifull but of all the rest man being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a litle world whether you respect his soule and the faculties therof or the frame of his bodie and the manifold and worthie vse of the parts of this frame doth proue and commend the work-man as Psal 19.1 The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands Day vnto day vttereth the same and night vnto night sheweth knowledge a Psal 104.2 Rom. 1.19.20 2.15 Act. 14.15.16.17 17.23.27 Yea euery herbe declares that there is a God b Mat. 6.26.26.28 Gal. 4.8 Yet this knowledge is verie imperfect and verie weake and no wayes auailable to saluation c 1. Cor. 1.21 which notwithstanding makes men without excuse d Rom. 1.20 Whereupon Tertullian said First God sent Nature to be our schoole-dame purposing afterward to send the word that so hauing learned in the schoole of Nature we might the more easily beleeue the word of God So then as when I see an house I say there hath bin a Carpenter though I see him not so when I looke vpon the frame of this world I must say it had a builder though I behold him not Shew me the principall reasons to proue that there is a God First because there is motion in the world Now nothing can be moued but by some being which actually is 2. Because there must be a primarie cause on which all the rest depēd 3. Because all things are directed to an end Whence it must needs be that there is some one supreme Spirit which doth order all things not onely to their speciall ends but also to some one soueraigne end Prou. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himselfe 4. Because it necessarily followeth that there must be some Summum Bonum and first Being which may be the cause of goodnesse existence and perfection in the rest 5. Because no cause is worse then his effect now there are creatures which vse reason and a wise order therefore the cause of these creatures must needs be most wise 6. Because mans conscience after sin committed doth naturally stand in feare of a supreme Iudge 7. Because vpon grieuous sinnes euen in this life there are inflicted grieuous punishments Psa 37.36.38.11.8 Because al nations be they neuer so barbarous are perswaded that there is
flesh of Christ hath power to quicken because it is the flesh of that person who is God the obedience of the man Christ doth iustifie because it is the obedience of that person who is God the bloud of Christ redeemes the Church because it is the bloud of God Act. 20.28 Of the Phrases What is the communication of proprieties IT is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cannot well be englished and it is not the effusion of the proprieties of one nature into the other or a mutuall confusion of proprieties but the attributing by Synecdoche a part for the whole or an affirmation one of the other whereby because in Christ the two natures and one person is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. 3. one thing and another and not one person and another that which is proper to one nature in Christ is attributed not to the other nature but to the person taking the name of one of the natures whether it be the diuine or humane As Theodoret saith Those things which be common to the person are made proper to the natures by reason of the identitie of the person as Damascene saith and the affinitie of the natures one towards another and because there is but one person Orthod fid lib. 3. cap. 3. 4. Or else it is such a manner of predication whereby those things which be proper to the natures are indifferently attributed to the person of Christ which is but one and that because Christ in his two natures is both to wit perfect God and perfect man to whom therefore those things are truly and indeed attributed as well which are proper to God as those which be proper to man Therefore it is well and truly said God or else the Son of God was borne of the Virgin Marie suffered was crucified and God purchased vnto himselfe the Church with his owne bloud 1. Cor. 2.8 Act. 20.28 Not simply principally and by himselfe as he is God but by accident and in another respect or in regard of another thing because that which is proper to one nature namely to be conceiued borne crucified to die is not attributed to his diuinitie but to the person taking the name of one namely the diuine nature For this word the Sonne of God or God which is the subiect of the proposition is the Concrete and not the Abstract and signifieth not the diuine nature but the person who is God and man Therefore it is well said The Sonne of man or Christ man is eternall almightie al-present saueth raiseth the dead giueth eternall life And Ioh. 31.13 No man ascendeth into heauen but he that commeth downe from heauen both in respect of the vnion seeing that the selfe same person is both man and God for as God by reason of the vnitie doth account those things which belong to the humane nature proper to himselfe saith Cyril of the incarnation of the onely begotten cap. 26 so as he is man by reason of the vnion doth account those things which belong to the diuine nature to be proper to it selfe and also because the Sonne of man is a word Concrete which signifieth the person of Christ being but one consisting of the diuine and humane nature and therefore whole Christ is euery where present but not all that is in Christ Totus Christus non totum Christi est vbique On the contrarie it is wickedly said that the diuinitie of Christ was borne of the Virgin suffered and that the humanitie of Christ is eternall euery where present almightie for the diuinitie is a word abstract which simply signifieth the diuine nature in Christ which is most free from all manner of suffering Now the predication of diuerse natures by reason of the hypostaticall vnion is of no force but in those things which are signified as whole and perfect Supposita for as we do not vse to say the bodie is the soule or the man is the soule so neither do we say this God Christ is the bodie of Christ or the soule of Christ but onely God is man Is the communication of proprieties verball onely or reall It is a true and reall speech because the person of whom by the trope Synecdoche as well the diuine as the humane either names or proprieties or effects are indifferently and equally affirmed containeth all those things in it selfe truly and indeed which do agree to very God and very man those things which be diuine as he is God those also which be humane as the same is man but not in respect of both natures but according to the one and the other as in the same place Cyrill teacheth For then should be brought in the Eutychian heresie of the confounding of the natures or proprieties and it should cease to be a speech by Synecdoche But those titles which belong to the office of Redemption are they to be attributed to the natures seuerally a sunder or to the person To the person as Christ is a Mediator Pastor Priest according to both natures although each of them in that worke retaineth his owne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper efficacie or operation What is the effect of that personall vnion The bestowing of gifts whereby the humane nature in the person of Christ is adorned and whereby it excelleth all other creatures in wisedome goodnesse holinesse power maiestie and glorie which the Fathers call the Deifying of the flesh the Schoolemen Habituall grace of the communion of proprieties which is mutuall one of another and the reciprocation of the names altogether distinct How manifold is the state of Christ Twofold one of humiliation whereby he willingly vndergoing the burdens reproches and punishments of our nature did humble himselfe to the death of the crosse the Diuinitie in the meane while according to Irenaeus resting or hiding it selfe that he might be crucified and die The other of exaltation whereby after his death his humane nature did lay aside all the infirmities of his humane nature but not the essentiall properties and was wonderfully exalted aboue all creatures vnto most great honor yet not in any case matched and equalled to the diuine nature of Christ a Phil. 2.7.9 What are the doctrines contrary to this The 1. heresie of Macedonius and Valentinus who affirmed that Christ brought with him a celestiall body from heauen as also of Apelles who said his bodie was ayrie his flesh starlike and that he passed from the virgin as water from a pipe 2. Of the Manichees who fained vnto him an imaginarie bodie 3. Of Apollinaris who denied that Christ did assume a reasonanable soule but that his Diuinitie was vnto him in stead of his mind 4. Of Eunomius who affirmed Christ to be a meere man and that he was called the sonne of God by adoption and of Ebion who said that Christ was borne by humane generation 5. Of Nestorius who taught that as there be two natures in Christ so there are two persons and that
Sonne but by adoption and grace or discretiuely to the end they might be distinguished from the sonnes of men Of their office they are called Angels For their dignitie and power they are called gods and Satan is called the god of this world b 2. Cor. 4.4 so also they are called principalities and powers in heauenly places c Eph. 3.10 By the effect they are called Seraphim whom Dionysius calleth * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fierie because they burne with the loue of God and in loue towards godly men They are called a flame of fire Hebr. 1.7 not as though they were of a fierie nature and substance but because they be the auengers of Gods anger which do like fire consume the wicked as often as need requires From the manner of appearing they be called Cherubin of this word Cherub which signifieth any figure that hath wings whether it be of a man or of a beast d Heb. 12.19 also men e Gen. 3.24 Exod. 25.18 and the men of God f Psal 18.11 Zac. 1.5.6 From their ministerie they be called Watchmen and the keepers of the world a Dan. 4.14 How many wayes haue Angels appeared vnto men 1. In sleepe or in dreames as Mat. 1.20 it is said that the Angell appeared to Ioseph the husband of Marie in a dreame b Mat. 2.13 2. In vision as namely to the Prophets and that either without a true bodie but yet not without some bodily forme or else taking vnto them manifestly true bodies c Gen. 18.2 Tertul. de carne Christi and these either created by God of nothing or else then first formed not borne of some matter that was before for they came not to die therefore not to be borne or else in some other natural bodies which had bene before either of men as in Zacharie the Prophet the Angell spake Zac. 2.3 As Augustine vnderstands it Enchir. to Laurent chap. 59. or else of other liuing creatures as when the Angell spake in Balaams asse as Zanchius vnderstands it no otherwise then the euill Angel in the Serpent spake in old time to Eua d Gen. 3.1 And diuels haue entred into certaine men and by Christ were cast out againe yea also into hogges e Mat. 8.28 They tooke not bodies from the starres or the heauens as Apelles thought nor had they proper bodies making an aâ—gelicall substance but their bodies were earthly as appeareth by the feeding feeling and washing of them as Tertul. proueth Whether might Angels when they assume vnto them true humane bodies be called men No because they did not ioyne the humane nature hypostatically vnited vnto them but they tooke vnto them and put from them those bodies as Augustine saith euen as it were a garment What became of those bodies after their ascension to heauen They being made of nothing returned to nothing or made of earth returned to earth or into nothing for it is all one with God to create of nothing and to bring into nothing Do Angels moue out of their places and dispatch their businesse within the space of time Yes indeed because they be finite spirits though not circumscribed because they are not measured by their place but limited because they are so in one place as they cannot be in another And Luk. 1.26 The Angell Gabriel was sent of God into a citie of Galile and Heb. 2.14 they are called ministring spirits sent for the seruice of the elect They are said to descend from heauen and to ascend into heauen as in Iacobs ladder Gen. 28.12 and whatsouer is done is measured with time But they be so nimble and so swift that they are moued in an vnconceaueable time and dispatch their businesse speedily And for that cause they are said to flie and to haue wings b Esa 6.2 Reu. 14.6 How many Angels be there Dan. 7.10 Daniel is said to haue seene million millions of Angels and ten thousand hundred thousands Heb. 12.22 You haue come to the innumerable companie of Angels innumerable indeed to men but easily numbred of God c Mat. 26.53 Iude 15. All which notwithstanding were created of God so many in number at the beginning and not multiplied by procreation one of another Are there orders and degrees of Angels No man that is conuersant in the Scriptures can deny but that there is some order among the Angels because order and distinction in all things is an excellent and diuine thing for some are called Cherubins other Seraphims some Angels other Archangels But this order is not from the dignitie and excellencie of the nature of the Angels as though some were more excellent then others by nature but rather from their diuerse kinds of offices Hereupon Paule Colos 1.16 calleth them thrones seates dominations principalities which is an Hebrue kind of putting the Abstract for the Concrete the substantiue for the adiectiue because God vseth their ministerie in the administration of Empires kingdoms and commonweals But that there be Hierarchies and degrees of Hierarchies among the Angels as the Papists imagine it cannot be proued by any testimonie of Scripture For he is called the Archangell not who is more excellent in nature or superior by affectation of gouernment because there as Basill saith all ambition ceasseth but he who is designed of God for the execution of some speciall hard and difficult seruice or else he that is set apart of God for a time with many other Angels for the executing of Gods commandement So those names thrones dominations powers principalities are borrowed by a similitude from mens affaires to signifie the excellencie of the Angels and their offices and how many and diuers and great workes God doth bring to passe by them d Psal 18.11 Hath each of them his proper name Those names are not proper but appellatiues or common names which are imposed vpon them for a time according to the offices which are giuen them in charge or else according to those diuerse meanes in respect of vs whereby they do execute the will of God mightily performe it and appeare vnto men As Dan. 8.16 9.21 Luk. 1.19 mention is made of Gabriel which name doth signifie the Might of God because by him the Lord did shew foorth his power Againe Dan. 10.13 mention is made of Michael which is Who is like vnto the strong God Tob. 3.19 is mention made of Raphael which name is taken from Curing or healing for he came to heale Sara and Tobie as also of Vriel 4. Esdr 4.1 Deriued of the light because he came to illuminate and to instruct Esdras Haue the Angels any knowledge of things They haue 1. natural which God put into them in the creation for they be vnderstanding spirits Whereupon Christ saith Ioh. 8.44 that some of theÌ„ did continue in the truth or in the knowledge of the truth but others did not Besides they haue reuealed knowledge or by the reuelation of God as Dan. 8.16 and
that promise The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 belongeth to Christ and to all his members But they haue greater power against the reprobate therefore the Apostle saith Ephes 2.2 that the diuel doth finish his worke in the children of disobedience In what sense is Satan said 2. Cor. 11.14 to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light Not in regard of his substance but in regard of his counterfeting whereby with strange delusions appearances and superstitions he doth faine himselfe to be an Angell of light sent of God from heauen that so his counsels might be listened vnto Can they worke true miracles that is such as do agree with the very things themselues or onely counterfet Christ saith Mat. 24.24 There shall arise false christs and shal shew great signes and wonders And therefore sometimes they shew true signes that is such in truth as they seeme to be c Exod. 7.12 8.7 not by their owne power but vsing certaine hidden causes of nature and yet but lies because they are vsed to deceiue and to confirme a lie d Deut. 13.12 2. Thess 2.9 and indeed not worthy the name of miracles yet the most of them be meere illusions and deceits and legerdemaines like to those of Simon Magus Act. 8.9.10.11 For it is God alone that doth great wonders e Psal 72.18 136.4 to wit such as be done in truth and be wonders indeed whose cause is knowne to no mortall man and such as are done without deceit beyond the course of nature and without meanes and such as can by no meanes be effected by the course of nature and which are appointed especially to set foorth the glorie of God and to further mans saluation Wherefore doth God permit them 1. 2. Thes 2.10 That they who will not embrace the loue of the truth might beleeue lies 2. That the faith and patience of the elect might be proued Deut. 13.3 What be the effects and indeuors of wicked Angels What man is able to recken them all He is the enemie of God of Christ and of men and therefore doth take vnto himselfe the glorie of God whether it be by himselfe a Math. 4.9 or whether it be by his instruments to wit Antichrist and such men as challenge to themselues the honor of God b 2. Thes 2 4. He is the author of sinne for it sprang from him and he doth daily stirre vs vp to sinne that he might plunge vs with himselfe into the gulfe of eternall death c Ioh. 8.44 Heb. 2.14 he worketh effectually in the wicked d Eph. 2.2 2. Thes 2.9 he doth corrupt the word of God e Mat. 4.6 he soweth tares in the Lords field f Mat. 13.25 he raiseth vp heresies he prouoketh men to sundrie kinds of idolatrie he raiseth persecutions against the godly In commonweales he troubleth all with tumults and warres In the familie and priuatly he laboureth to trouble annoy and destroy particular men by sundrie meanes he vrgeth men to commit mischiefs and hainous sinnes He studieth as much as he can to hurt mens bodies he doth infect the elements and troubleth them for mans ruine and especially in this age wherin he knoweth the generall iudgement to approch he doth shew his rage more cruelly then euer before by lies and murthers and confoundeth heauen and earth together Do they take vnto them true bodies sometimes Sometimes they take vnto them counterfeit bodies as it is gathered out of the storie of the Witch who raised vp a spirit in stead of true Samuel g 1. Sam. 28.12 And sometimes true bodies as may be gathered out of the former Treatise touching good Angels For if good Angels haue taken vnto them true bodies there is no doubt but euill Angels are able also by Gods permission to take vnto them true bodies and appeare in them and speake to men and performe actions like vnto mens actions Whether are euill spirits besides that inward torment of mind wherewith they are tormented for euer punished also with that bodily fire of hell Christ saith plainely Mat. 25.41 that he will say to the wicked Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Out of which place it is concluded that euill Angels besides that torment of mind wherewith they are vexed are also tormented with that infernall fire as though they were bound vnto it no otherwise then the soule being bound to the bodie suffers of the bodie but we must iudge that to be done after a wonderfull but yet after a true manner as Augustine saith For what purpose did almightie God ordaine them 1. To the end that by meanes of their temptations the godly might be exercised in humilitie and patience and so their saluation might be furthered a 2. Cor. 12.7 2. That by them as it were certaine tormenters he might punish the wicked as well with spirituall as bodily punishments In one word that God might vse their boldnesse to the enlarging of his owne glorie Whether do some men truly collect out of the Col. 1.20 where it is said that God doth reconcile all things to himself thorough Christ both which are in earth as also which are in heauen that therefore the diuels and the damned shall one day be saued Rather most falsly For by this word all we must vnderstand the whole bodie of the Church which is as it were diuided into two parts namely those which are in heaven by whom are simply vnderstood the faithfull that died before the comming of Christ and into those which are in earth by whom are vnderstood those whom Christ found liuing at his first coming or those which followed and liued since his coming as also Eph. 1.10 What is the vse of the doctrine concerning diuels 1. That we might be confirmed in the faith touching good Angels the kingdome of heauen and the blessed spirits because seeing the effects of contraries is contrarie if there be diuels and euill Angels then certainely there be good Angels and if there be an hell then certainely there is a kingdome of heauen 2. That we should be so much the more affraid to offend God because as Peter saith 2.2.4 If God spared not the Angels when they sinned but cast them bound in chaines into hell assuredly he knoweth how to reserue the vnrighteous against the day of iudgement to be punished 3. That we might be so much the more watchfull and stand vpon our guard and therefore should fight euen as it were for life and death with our spirituall weapons but especially with continuall prayers vnto Christ against so many enemies and spirituall wickednesses and that we should put on the whole armor of God that is that complete spirituall armour which the Apostle prescribeth Eph. 6.11.13 and 1. Pet. 5.9 What comfort haue we in that battell That we haue Christ not onely a conqueror and triumpher ouer the powers of hell
Adam sinned in him did iustly spoile all of his gifts Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 1. Sect. 7. This contagion hath his cause neither in the substance of flesh nor of the soule but because it was so ordained of God that those gifts which he had bestowed vpon the first man he should both haue them and also loose them as well for himselfe as for others that come after him Further the soules are infected in the bodies being corrupted with sinne not by physicall and naturall touching as wine put into a sower vessell but by the most iust appointment of God For so soone as the soule being pure in it selfe is vnited to the bodie which is conceiued in sinne that disobedience of our first father is imputed vnto man as if it were his owne Whereupon the Apostle saith that all of vs sinned in Adam as in the stocke the meaning is that all of vs were guiltie of sinne to wit being in his loines Rom. 5.12 After which maner also Leuie is said to pay tithes to Abraham before he was borne Heb. 7.9.10 Now this disobedience of Adam imputed by the iust appointment of God there followes presently in the soule also contagion or corruption and an inclination to euill as a punishment of that first sinne which punishment it selfe is also sin euen as the obedience of Christ imputed to vs is properly our righteousnesse whereby we are iustified and regeneration is the consequent of this righteousnesse But as it is better to quench a fire then aske how it begun so is it better to quench originall sin then aske how it came How do you proue the immortalitie of the soule 1. By sundrie testimonies of Scripture a Psal 49.21 Eccles 12.7 Mat. 10.28 22.32 Phil. 1.23 1. Pet 3.19 Reu. 6.9 7.9 Againe by arguments taken first from the forme of creation for the soule of man was created by diuine inspiration and therefore both diuine and immortall 2. From that very knowledge which God hath put into the soule because such a vigor as doth soone vanish away is neuer able to aspire to immortalitie and the fountain of life for all things corporall feare to transcend and so consequently to search by admirable sharpnes things celestiall diuine and eternall 3. By the testimonie of conscience which by the guiltinesse of sinnes doth conceiue horrible terrors now if the soule were not immortall what need such terrors of future feare 4. By the effects or the excellent gifts of the soule wherwith it doth excell as that it vieweth the heauens and sheweth her force in deuising sundry and very admirable things 5. From the nature thereof not only that it is simple in it owne essence and void of contrarietie and all bodily accidents but because it is the image of God Gen. 1.26.27 but no mortall thing can be the image of the immortall God Yea the meate of mans soule is immortall b Ioh. 6.51 1. Pet. 1.23 And vnlesse the soule be immortall our faith and al our religion is in vaine 1. Cor. 15.14 the godly are miserable the vngodly happy and blessed the beasts be more happie then men God is not affected with any regard of the iust or vniust To al these adde in the last place the common consent of all nations How do soules differ from Angels Not in regard of the essence but because Angels haue not any bodily coniunction but the soules of men are capable of that coniunction or else because they are not the forme of any body but these are For what end was man made For the knowledge of God againe for his worship as well spirituall and internall as corporall and externall in the earth Last of all for his glorie Whereupon should follow the felicitie and blessednesse of the whole man in heauen hence Christ saith This is life eternall that they know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17.3 What vse make you of this common place concerning man That we may first acknowledge with thankes Gods power and bountie manifested in our creation and birth 2. To comfort vs in all troubles Psal 22.18 What speciall vse make you of the soules immortalitie I am taught first to giue all possible thankes to God my Creator for such a benefite 2. That I do not like the brute beasts set mine hart vpon these transitorie things but that I often meditate of those things which concerne the eternall felicitie of my soule What is contrarie to the doctrine of the creation of man 1. The Rabbins error who thought that in the creation of man the Angels were coworkers with God 2. Aristotles error who thought that as the world had no beginning so also man had none to which adde the fables of Poets and prophane Writers 3. The false opinions of the Epicures and Sadduces who make a mocke of the immortalitie of the soule Isa 22.14 1. Corinth 15.32 4. Of the Manichees Priscillianists Platonists who affirmed the soule to be of the substance of God 5. Of the Pythagoreans who thought they went from one bodie to another bodie and the Aegyptians who thought the number of soules was a set number and that when one was dead his former soule went into another bodie 6. Of Themistius and also of Auerroes who dreamed that there was but one soule of all men 7. The madnesse of many who so inwrap their selues in the things of this life that they neglect the eternall felicitie and saluation of the soule Mat. 16.26 The ninth common Place Of the image of God in man What is an Image IT is the pourtraiture or representation of some thing and that both in the soule of man to wit in the mind or facultie of knowledge and it is called of the Philosophers an Idea namely a forme of something conceaued in the mind also out of the mind and it is a similitude and fashion either reall of the substance and qualities together as when Adam is said to beget men after his owne image Gen. 5.3 or else of certaine adiuncts alone as Luk. 20.24 A penie hath Cesars image or else it is some vaine shadow and figure What difference is there betweene an image and a similitude A similitude hath a larger signification then an image for where there is an image there is also a similitude but not of the contrarie For one egge is said to be like another egge and yet one egge is not the image of another egge But in this disputation of the image of God in man this word of similitude or likenes is added to the word image in way of exposition as Philip. 2.7 Was man made after the image of God He was for Gen. 1.17 God created man after his owne image and Paule saith 1. Cor. 11.7 The man ought not to couer his head because he is the image of God and Col. 3.10 â—s man onely the image of God or made after his image 1. Christ is the naturall true and
dying What then should haue become of man in the conclusion if he had not sinned should he haue euer liued vpon earth No but he should in the end haue remoued into heauen indeed without death which is the dissolution of the soule from the body but yet not without some change such as the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 15.51 shall be in the bodies of the elect who shall be then liuing in the comming of the Lord they shall remoue hence into heauen What things be contrary to this doctrine The errour of the Pelagians who affirmed that man should haue died although he had neuer sinned against those speeches Gen. 2.17 and 3.3 Rom. 5.12 and 1. Cor. 15.21 The twelfth common Place of Mariage What thinke you of Mariage is it a diuine humane or politike constitution IT is diuine 1. because it was instituted by God in Paradise a Gen. 1.27 2.15 betwixt Adam and Eue in their innocencie they then bearing the true image of God 2. Because it was a type of that truly diuine and spirituall mariage which was to be betwixt Christ and his Church b Ephes 5.23 3. Because it was ordained for the propagation of the Church and for the further helping forwards the saluation of man It is also humane or politike or as I may say of humane constitution 1. because it was instituted for the propagation of mankind and ciuill societie vpon earth for in heauen they marry not but are like the Angels of God Mat. 22.30 2. Because for the most part it dependeth vpon the honest constitutions made by man for that purpose How proue you that mariage was instituted by God Gen. 2.18 God said that is in his most wise counsel decreed and ordained it is not good for man to be alone let vs make an helper or companion of his life like vnto him and when he could finde none for Adam before him God brought vpon him a dead sleepe and whilest he was asleepe and so being brought as it were into an extasie voide of griefe and was naturally ignorant what was done took one of his ribs and thereof made woman whom he brought vnto Adam who being led by the spirit of God did prophesie saying This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Ischa that is Vira Mannesse because she was taken out of man being as it were alter-ipse a second self For this cause shall man leaue his father and mother and cleaue vnto his wife and they shall be one flesh And after the deluge God confirmed mariage and blessed it saying Increase and multiply b Gen 9.1 At length the Sonne of God himselfe restored it being somewhat decaid c Math. 19.4.5.6 honoring the same both with his presence and miraculous gift d Ioh. 2.11 c. To conclude God not onely instituted mariage but also stirreth vp mutuall loue betweene the bride and the bridegroome and furdereth mariage e Genes 24.14 50 51. Whence it followeth first that mariages are not by chance or depending on mans arbiterment onely but are fatall and gouerned by Gods prouidence Secondly that mariage is a good and a holy thing Thirdly that it is to be vndertaken in the feare of God and inuocation for his direction But are not Moses and Paul contrary one to another where it is said Gen. 2.18 It is not good for man to be alone and 1. Cor. 7.1 g Gen. 2.18 It is good for man not to touch a woman h 1. Cor. 7.1 No for that Paul speaketh first of good which is profitable and not of honestie and he doth not oppose good vnto vice or sinne but vnto inconuenient Secondly because that in Genesis is vnderstood of the species or greatest part of mankind which wold decay if it were not continued and increased by mariage neither can a man liue chastly without mariage but Paul speaketh of certaine indiuidua or persons hauing the gift so as they can liue chastly without mariage for of others he saith It is better to marrie then to burne i 1. Cor. 7.9 But tell me whether Paul speaking of a virgin 1. Cor. 7.38 k 1. Cor. 7.38 and saying He that bestoweth her not in mariage doth better do meane that virginitie deserueth more the fauour of God then mariage He speaketh onely of some outward commodities of the single life for the present necessitie that is imminent persecutions l verse 26. and for that the vnmaried is more expedite and fit to teach to serue the Church to vndergo the dangers of his profession and the duties of piety with a better and freer mind m verse 32.34 and insinuateth more difficulty to be in mariage then in the single life as he speaketh concerning the maried Such shall haue trouble in the flesh n verse 28 and more distraction of thoughts and care for the things of this world o vers 33.34 and therfore that the single life is more profitable vnto him that hath the gift of continencie and lesse subiect to distractions and troubles and in this respect more blessed then mariage p verse 40. Notwithstanding the godly maried may also care for those things which belong vnto the Lord as Abraham Isaac Iacob Zacharias Iohn Baptists father and the like What is contrary to this doctrine concerning the efficient cause of Matrimonie The heresie of Montanus the Tatians Saturnians Manichees Marcionites Priscillianists Encratites who condemned mariage as the doctrine and worke of the diuell Pope Syricius differed not much from this heresie who called matrimonie vncleannesse of the flesh in which no man might please God Vnto all whom that saying of S. Paul is to be opposed 1. Tim. 4. 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3.4 Of the matter of Mariage Of how many and of what manner of persons ought Mariage to consist Of two onely one man and one woman for so saith the Lord Two shal be one flesh a Gen. 1.27 2.24 Mat. 19.5 and so many suffice for procreation of offspring But whenas the maried couples giue themselues mutually one to another they are both the second causes efficient and they also the matter of mariage What is contrary to this Polygamie not of hauing many wiues successiuely when one succeedeth another but of enioying more then one at one and the same time Gen. 4.19 which corruptiō of lawful mariage begun in Lamech of Cains race and was afterwards permitted vnto the Fathers not for wantonnesse but for increase of an holy seed both for that politick customes were at that time as also that God might thereby manifest his promise of an innumerable seede to spring of a few But Christ condemned it afterwards Mat. 19.8 5.32 saying It was not so from the beginning and declaring that who so putteth away his wife and taketh another committeth adulterie For that God being about to giue Adam a wife tooke not two or more but one ribbe out of
Diuortium Diuorce IT is called Repudium of refusall for a shamefull thing Diuortium of diuerting and going into diuers parts or as some thinke of the diuersity of minde because he that is the cause of Diuorce is of another minde now than when he married the Hebrews call it Cheritot or cutting off the Greekes dissolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 departing cutting off as Mat. 19.8 for it was not lawfull for the wife to depart from her husband or giue him a bill of Diuorce but for an husband separating himselfe from his wife it was lawfull to giue such a Bill ſ Mat. 5.31 19.8 Deut. 24.1.2 Mal. 2.16 Is there any difference betweene Repudium and Diuortium None at all in the Scriptures Yet Modestinus saith that Repudium is betweene the bridegroome and bride but diuorce between the husband and wife after that marriage is consummated Which distinction we will obserue and first of the first Whether is mariage to be broken off by mutuall consent as it is by consent contracted No because it is not done by humane consent onely as other contracts of humane societie but by the diuine authoritie and what God hath conioyned let no man separate t Mat. 1◠6 In what cases is Repudium vsed or spousals dissolued There are seauen such cases recorded 1 If either of them fall into infamie after the betroathing for some crime 2 If either of both fall into any grieuous infirmitie of bodie or minde such as should cause the vse of mariage to be loathsome or contagious as leprosie epilepsie palsie frensie c. And indeed it were very expedient to forbid such to marie by the Laws seeing that they doe seeme to haue single life imposed vpon them from Heauen and are depriued of power to vse mariage for who can marie with a good conscience that by mariage must needes vndoe himselfe and others and beget children to perpetuall miserie and the generall hurt of the weale publike 3 If the bridegroome commit filthinesse with any of his brides kindred that mariage shall be dissolued though the party innocent be vnwilling and the incestuous person punished 4 Malitious and daily absence but yet he that is absent against his will whilst the three publishings are performed in the Church is no forsaker 5 Apostacie from the true religion and worshippe of God 6 So great offence of the mindes of the bride bridegroome as that they cannot by any meanes be reconciled and they haue not lyen together least some hainous thing might follow of such constrained mariages yet so as that they be punished for their breaking of couenant 7 If such a maime happen in the meane time as whereby the person is become loathsome prouided that they haue not lyen together Hereunto adde adultery which dissolueth the bonde both of contract of matrimonie Also contracts betweene those that are vnder age or done without parents or friends authoritie or error of person or quality as Lea for Rachel or a seruant for a freeborne or by force or feare or els vnder condition onely all which may be dissolued so that there haue beene no voluntarie coupling or consent How many waies is consummated mariage broken Two 1 When that which of it selfe and by right is none is counted for none or else is ipso iure declared to be none 2 When that which was confirmed is for lawful causes broken For whas causes is mariage declared ipso iure to be none 1 When the fault is in the contract of mariage 2 When it is in the persons contracting When is the fault in the consent or contract of mariage When the contract is either filthy or vnlawful or vniust VVhen is the consent filthy 1 When it is contrarie to the lawe of God and nature and is contracted vnder the degrees of God forbidden 2 Vnlawfull when it repugneth the edicts of Godly Magistrats But yet this difference is to be noted that wicked contracts within the degrees forbidden by Gods lawe neither can nor ought to be confirmed either by humane dispensation or Ecclesiasticall benediction or carnall copulation But contracts within degrees forbidden by the Magistrate may be permitted by some dispensation where necessitie and reason requireth it VVhat contract is vniust That which is done by children that are vnder the gouernment of their Parents against their consent and authoritie iudging well and rightly which if the Parents will by no means ratifie Mat. 19.6 it ought to be none for as Christ saith That which God hath ioyned together let no man set asunder so that which man conioyneth against or besides Gods word God will haue separated What fault is that betweene the persons which maketh mariage ipso iure to be none Wheras she that was maried for a maid is found by certain testimonies to haue bin defiled for such a one ought by the law of god to be stoned to death as an adulteresse b Deut. 22.29 Caus 29. quest 1. Can 1. Wheras the Canonists say notwithstāding that fornication following mariage only hurteth 2 If either of thē hauing som natural impotēcy be vnfit for mariage or if either of thē haue concealed some defect or incurable disease which was not knowne before mariage as to be an Eunuch either by nature or other casualty Mat. 19.12 such a defect forbiddeth mariage when one erreth the other deceiueth according to that rule Errantis voluntas nulla an erring will is no will and that contract of good faith where craft hath beene cause is ipso iure none And forasmuch as God reprooueth deceipt fraud and errour he is not to be called the author of such mariages How many waies is mariage made said to be dissolued By two 1 By death as the Apostle reasoneth a 1. Cor. 7.39 Rom. 7.2.3 Mat. 22.30 against Tertullian Montanus and Hierom. And Christ teacheth that in heauen they neither marie nor giue in mariage 2 Mariage is dissolued by Diuorcement Doth it agree with Gods Lawe for a man to put away his wife Not simply for it is neither simply commaunded nor forbidden but permitted by giuing of a bill of Diuorce for hereof Moses hath a politike but not a morall law b Deut. 24.1 But the reason of this Lawe seemeth not so much to be necessary as of rash leuitie and hardnesse of heart There was indeede some reason of necessitie in respect of the wiues for it was fitter for them to be once dimitted than to be alwaies in ill handling or els in danger of life Therefore the Lord appointed for such as would not be perswaded to keepe their wiues not Diuorcement but a manner of Diuorcing to wit to giue a bill of Diuorce for the wiues safety against her husbands crueltie and that not without his owne infamie But the rashnesse of husbands exceeded which for euerie occasion sought to be diuorced and this rashnesse was to be bridled Whereupon Christ saith Moses suffered you to put away your
Ghost is lost which being lost man cannot choose but fall into other sinnes 2. When God punishing sinne with sinne deliuereth him that hath sinned into the hand of Sathan who worketh further in him effectually c Rom 1.26 Ephes. 2.2 2 Thess 2.11.22 3. In as much as it is easie falling from one sinne into the like for by the acts of things are caused and wrought dispositions and habits inciting a man to the like actions So prodigality is cause of theft drunkennesse of lust and one sinne draweth on another 4. Because one sinne cannot be committed without many other sinnes In which sense the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 6.10 That couetousnesse is the roote of all euill And Iames 2 10. Hee that offendeth in one is guiltie of all Ephes 5.18 Bee not drunken with wine wherein is ryot 5. In regard of the end Because often one sin is committed because of another as Iudas for the loue of money betraied Christ a Iohn 12 6 Mat. 26.14 15.15 Is sinne any Positiue and Priuatiue thing Sinne is not a thing positiue that is which hath a beeing and is created of God neither is it simply nothing and a meere priuation as death is the priuation of life and darknesse of light but it is a defect and destroying of a thing positiue namely of the diuine worke and order in a subiect who suffereth the punishment of his deprauation and reuolting from God And Paule calleth it a defect or priuation when he saith All are depriued of the glorie of God Rom. 3.23 Although in sinne there be indeede inward and outward motions which are things positiue but such as haue in them errour and confusion as in Cains murder of his brother the motion or lifting vp of his hands is a positiue thing b Gen. 4.8 But sinne it selfe is a reuolting from the Law of God a wandring and straying from the will of god a disorder and confusion of gods order In this sense Thomas saith that sinne is not a meere priuation that is onely an absence of a good thing but a certaine corrupt habit or an act voide of all due order that is a renting asunder and a troubling of that order whereby all our strength and inclinations ought to haue beene ruled VVhat is the subiect of sinne The reasonable creature because it is only incident to such because this creature onely vnderstandeth the Law will of God and his actions are by election and choise of the thing to be done but to bruite beasts this cannot befall How many parts of sinne are there Two the materiall and the formall part of Sinne or the euill of the fault and the euill of the guilt The first which is malum culpae and is the materiall part of sin is a disorder or transgressing of Lawe a defect a corruption an inclination or action opposing the Lawe of God which disease cleaueth vnto vs of it selfe but the guilt or formall part of sinne is a binding vnto temporarie and eternall punishment according to the order of Gods will and Iustice c Rom. 5.12 Ephe. 2.4 A remedie of this is the obedience or righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith The other is remedied both by the heauenly power and vertue which springeth from Christs resurrection which wee call Regeneration commonly Inherent righteousnesse and also that most perfect sanctification of mans nature in Christ What is the fruit of sinne Death and that of three sorts 1. The first a spirituall death of the soule by which it commeth to passe that the wicked beeing depriued of the presence of the holie Ghost which is the soule of the soule can doe none of those things which are of God and so being dead vnto God do liue vnto Sathan 2. The second of the bodie by which death also are signified the miseries which bring vs to this death 3. Euerlasting death of bodie and soule vnlesse in this life we turne vnto Christ These things are confirmed by testimonies Gen. 2.17 Thou shalt die the death Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen vpon all vngodlinesse Rom. 6.23 The wage of sinne is death Iames 1.5 Sinne when it is accomplished bringeth forth death Whence are we to value and esteeme the grieuousnesse of sinne 1. By the greatnesse of the disloyalty against Gods Maiestie 2. By the punishment which followed Adams fall the calamities and sorrowes which ensued as sicknesse warre famine pestilence and other priuate or publike euils wherewith wee are at this day cumbred and inwrapped 3. By the value of that price wherewith wee were redeemed from sinne namely by the death of the sonne of God whom it behoued to become a sacrifice to make attonement satisfie the iustice of God 4. By the horrors of conscience wherby mens harts are tormented with the feeling of Gods anger 5. By temporall death 6. By the threatnings of eternall punishment which God seriously threatneth to those that be not conuerted How many kinds then are there of sinne Two kinds to wit The first fal of certain Angels our first parēts 2. That corruption and deprauation of mens nature before it being good and which followed vpon mans fall VVhat a fall was Adams fall which kindled the horrible vengeance of God against all mankinde It was a voluntarie transgression of the a Gen. 2.17 first commandement or law and of the order appointed by God proceeding from the suggestion and instigation of the Diuell b Gen. 3.4 VVhence came it to passe that man wittingly and willingly suffered himselfe to be driuen to such a horrible fall Not by intemperance in appetite seeing hee abounded on all sides with whatsoeuer delicates could be desired but by Infidelitie whereby first calling into question the truth of God then contemning it he turned to embrace a lye From whence issued Ingratitude Ambition Pride to which was annexed contumelie and stubbornesse against God seeing that Adam beeing not content with his own estate did vnworthilie despise so great liberality of God and sought to become equall to God whereby also he subscribed consented to those calūniations of Sathan by which he accused God of lying enuie and malice and hee gaue more credite to Sathan who in lying promised him great benefits by sinne then to God himselfe who threatned him destruction And to conclude he broke the commandement of God his Creator his King and Lord and shooke off his gouernment lewdly wilfully and obstinately By which meanes it came to passe that he reuolting from God by a cursed Apostasie fled into the campe of the Diuell the most cursed enemie of God and became the Diuels bond-slaue What is that corruption or deprauing of mans nature which before was good and to which Adam was created ensuing that Transgression It is a depriuation of the heauenly image to which Adam was created that is of wisdome vertue holinesse trueth righteousnesse wherewith he was before in his creation adorned and a succeding of Sathans
ignominiously punished that hence it may appeare he was despised of men and full of sorrowes according to Esais Prophecie cha 53.3 3. He is crucified Gal. 3.13 then which punishment there was at that time none more grieuous ignominious for as it is to be gatherd out of Ps 22.17 the words of Thomas Iohn 20.25 they being strongly stretched vpon the crosse were fastned vnto it with nailes driueÌ„ through their haÌ„ds feet afterwards being set vpright on high they ended their life in the horrible torments of all their nerues whole body also the death of the crosse was most abhominable pronounced accursed by gods own mouth b Deut 21 23. This curse would the son of god vndergo therby to free vs froÌ„ the curse we had deserued that it might appeaer that sin was most abhominable for which god would haue his son vndergo such punishment that euen as death by a tree entred into the world eueÌ„ so by a tree of the crosse it might be takeÌ„ out of the world To conclud that the truth might bee answerable to the figure for euen as the sacrifice was lifted vpon the Altar and offered c Lev. 1.9.13 Deut 2-27 so Christ was lifted vp from the earth into the ayre being hanged and killed vpon the Crosse because he must ouercome the powers of the aire Ephes 2.2 Also Iohn 3. 14. And as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the son of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but liue for euer He suffereth betwixt two the eues as a captaine of theeues that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Esa 53.13 He was committed among the transgressors and praied for sinners that he might suffer the punishment which we had deserued and might the second time make vs equall with the Angels in the kingdome of his father by the merit of which punishment hee also sanctified the infamous places appointed for punishment of malefactors as also the punishmeÌ„ts themselues of malefactors least any man should think that the infamie of them should be any hindrance before God to them which beleeue in him or that they could bee any impediment to mans saluation He was crucified with his hands spread abroad that with the one he might call and inuite the Iewes with the other the Gentiles vnto him offering them his merit and likewise as one that should become iudged of all men should set some on his right hand some on the left 6. He hangeth aliue vpon the crosse three whole houres namely from the sixt houre to the ninth that is froÌ„ twelue of the clock after our count til three in the afternoone Which great ignominy of Christ is the reward of our arrogancie and also our greatest glory prize before God by which all our iniquitie is put away Therfore Paul Gal. 6.4 saith God forbid that I should glory in anie thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ 7. He hangeth naked that he might make satisfaction for the sin of our first parents who were disrobed spoyled of the garment of innocency also that he might cloath vs with his innocency glory immortality that he might enrich vs by his pouerty to conclude that such as the first man was dwelling in Paradise such might be the second man at his entrance into Paradise Also lots were cast vpon his garments which thing was also foretold Psal 22.19 that we might beleeue the euents of things shewing vs that this was he which should come 8. He feeleth thirst corporally coÌ„ming through the anguish and bitternesse of his griefe through the sense of Gods wrath as also spiritually through a most ardent desire of our saluation 9 In steed of Hippocras or some pretious wine that was wont to be giuen to them who were condemned to die that thereby they might be comforted Prouerb 31 6.7 he is made to drinke a most bitter drinke of vineger and gall mixed together that in him might be fulfilled that which long before was foretold by Dauid Psal 69.22 And that the second Adam might suffer punishment for that sweete iuyce which the first Adam sucked out of the forbidden apple 10 Men of all conditions reuile him the common people the Priests and Scribes the theefe vpon the crosse the souldiers scoffe at his prayers and wrest them to a verie wicked sense as though forsaking God he asked helpe of the creatures 11. He dieth else would the crucifying haue done no good vnlesse the soule had beene pulled away from the bodie because God had said In dying thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.17 12. His side is thrust through with a speare out of which ranne bloud by which the Church springeth and is quickned euen as Eua was formed out of Adams side and water wherewith the Church being new born is washed And from this wound as from a fountaine of life springeth the saluation of the Church comfort and expiation of all sins satisfaction and that washing or purifying which behooued to be done with the bloud is vnderstood to be now accomplished for without the shedding of bloud there is no remission of sinnes Heb. 9.22 Also by this wound the death of Christ was made manifest and certaine for the water which issued out of that wound of his side shewed that the weapon entered euen into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely that skinne which being full of water encloseth the hart which being wounded it is necessarie that euerie creature so wounded should forthwith die At what time was he crucified At the feast of the Passeouer that he might shew himselfe truly to be that Pascall Lambe which was slayne for the sinnes of the world As the soule of Christ was separated from his bodie for the space of three daies was the Godhead likewise separated from them both or was the Godhead ioyned with the soule and seuered fâ—om the bodie Neyther saith Damascenus For the Godhead remayned vnseparable from both de Orthod fide and that which the word once tooke vpon him neuer afterwards left But how could it be that the diuine nature should continue vnited to the soule which was in Paradise and the bodie which was in the earth The diuine nature of the Sonne because it is both infinite and present in all places remained whole and vndeuided vnited to both together that is as well to the soule of Christ which was in Paradise as to the bodie which lay liueles in the earth For seeing the nature of God is most simple and so not to be parted or diuided God is not to be said to haue one part in heauen and an other in earth but he is whole in heauen and whole in earth not at seuerall times and by succession but both together which thing no created nature can doe Hence commeth the saying of Augustine It is proper to the whole Trinitie to be whole euerie where in spaces of places not diuided
compassed me and the griefes of the graue caught mee when I found trouble and sorrow 4 According to some mens interpretation it signifieth the generall state and condition of the dead whether the good estate of the aged or the euill of the wicked 5 In others iudgement it signifieth the extreemest degree of humiliation What signifieth the word Descending 1 It properly signifieth a motion from a high place to a lower 2 By a tropicall speech it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the descending of Christ or the last degree of his humiliation â—s Ephes 4.10 He that descended that is he that made himselfe base and of no reputation and taking vpon himselfe the forme of a seruant subiected himselfe to the miserable condition of this earthly life he is euen the same that ascended aboue all heauens What therfore is the meaning of this article He descended into hell It is diuers accordingly as the simple words are taken in diuers significations What is the first The first interpretation is of them that thinke these words are added for better explanation sake against the heresie of the Valentinians and that no other thing is heereby meant then that Christ was truly dead and laid in his graue as other men who haue beene dead and buried VVhat thinke you of this exposition That it is too sleight and trifling because it is not likely that the buriall of Christ being declared in plaine words should be deliuered in a more obscure forme of speech neither doth such a repâ—tition of the same thing befit such a briefe and compendious rehearsall of the chiefe heads of our faith What is the second It is Hieromes and the Papists who thinke that Christs soule being separated from the bodie came to a certaine place which they call Limbus patrum to wit the vpper part or an vpper roome as it were of hell in which there are no punishments but onely a depriuation of a better and more perfect good In which place they say the Spirits of the faithfull fathers did remaine before Christs incarnation from whence afterwards the soule of Christ comming thither in deed did bring them with himselfe into heauen Which thing they go about to confirme out of Mathew 27.52 Many besides of the Saints rose againe either with Christ or after him and 1. Pet. 3.19 By which also he went and preached vnto the spirits which are in prison and 4.6 for vnto this purpose also was the Gospell preached vnto the dead Doe you like this opinion No 1 for such a place cannot be proued by any testimonie of Scripture 2 Because we read that not all the Saints bodies but some only rose againe with Christ to testifie the power of Christs resurrection whereby life is restored to vs. 3 The place 1. Pet. 3.16 Is manifestly to be vnderstood concerning Christs spirit which preached repeÌ„tance by the mouth of Noah to the disobedient and wicked and the place in the fourth Chapter is to be vnderstood of the Gospell which was preached to them which were dead in former times that is which were indeed aliue when they were preached vnto but were dead at what time this was spoken of them Also because this opinion doth not a little detract from the power of Christs sacrifice the price whereof is infinite and extendeth it selfe vnto all times according to that which was said Apoc. 13.8 The Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world Therefore Abraham was deliuered from hell by the merit of Christs sacrifice no lesse then Paule or any one of the godly that died after Christ was giuen for our redemption What is the third opinion The third is of them who thinke that Christ did indeed descend into the place of hell But this opinion is diuided three waies For some there are who say that the soule of Christ did go downe thither whilest his bodie lay in the graue that there it might suffer for the soules of men Which opinion is by three reasons confuted 1 Because the bloud of Christ is a most perfect expiation for all the world a Iohn 1.7 2 It is confuted by Christs saying vpon the crosse It is finished Ioh. 19.30 Therefore he had no more to suffer when as death made an end of his torments 3 Because Christ endured horrible torments in his soule whilest it was yet in his bodie as is manifest by that terrible crying My God my God c. Mat. 27.46 which shooke both heauen earth 2 Others say that the soule of Christ descended into hell not that it might suffer any thing there but that as in his bodie he had preached vpon earth the Gospell to them who were liuing so being dead he might in his spirit preach the Gospell to them in hell which opinion commeth neere to the second of those formerly repeated by vs. But to what purpose had this beene seeing after death there is no place left for preaching and repentance Moreouer he commended his spirit into the hands of his father and said vnto the theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise where vndoubtedly there is no hell Luke 23.43.46 3 The fathers for the most part of them do labour to shew that in the very earthquake momët of his resurrectioÌ„ Christ did preseâ—t himself aliue to theÌ„ in hell shewed himselfe not so much in wordes as in deede conquerour of death and of the Prince of darknesse and that Sathan had no more power ouer the elect and that hee had a name giuen him aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euerie knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in the earth and things vnder the earth Phil. 2.10 For this cause Augustine saith thus The whole Sonne was with the Father the whole Sonne in the wombe of the virgin the whole in heauen the whole in the earth the whole on the Crosse and the whole in Hell VVhat thinke you of this iudgement of the Fathers I dare not condemne it seeing it is not against the holy Scriptures and hath in it no absurditie And the consent of Fathers when as it manifestly doth not disagree with the Scriptures is not lightly to be accounted of Yea more this opinion may seeme probable to be gathered out of the Apostles words Ephes 4.9 Now that he ascended aboue all heauens what is it else but that hee had also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth For here there is a manifest opposition betwixt aboue all heauens and the lowest part of the earth But the first is taken according to the letter therefore also the second as it seemeth must be vnderstood according to the letter but there is no part of the earth lower then hell which is the place of the damned Although others by the lowest parts vnderstand simply the whole earth which is the lowest part of the world into which Christ descended and liued in it for many yeares What is the fourth opinion Of them who saie that
gazing into heauen this Iesus vvhich is taken vp from yov into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen And Paule beareth record of it Ephe. 4.8 VVherfore the scripture saith Psa 69.19 When he ascēded vp on high he led coptiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men Novv in that he ascended vvhat is it but that he had also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth He that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue all heauen's that he might fill all things See 1. Tim. 3.16 Heb. 4.14 9.24 What must be vnderstood by ascension Not a changing of one condition or estate into another or a vanishing out of sight but properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a motion from one place to another and that from the lower to the higher For they are said to ascend who remoue from a lower place to a higher 2. King 2.12 And Elias ascended by a whirlewind into heauen And Psal 139.8 If I ascend into heauen thou art there But figuratiuely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or attributing that to God which belongeth to man it is spoken of God Gen. 17.22 God went from the sight of Abraham And Psal 47.16 God is gone vp with triumph euen the Lord with the sound of the trumpet But also Iohn 3.13 in the first part of the verse to ascend into heauen signifieth allegorically to be endued with the light of spirituall vnderstanding Is the word Ascension vsed properly or figuratiuely in this place Properly without question as it may manifestly be proued out of diuers formes of speeches which the Euangelists haue vsed for better declaration sake for Mar. 16.19 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he was taken vp and on high into heauen Luk. 24.51 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was remoued from them or went away from them But it is plaine how by the word of going away is signified a remouing into another place And the same Euangelist giueth to vnderstand whither he went away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was caried vp into heauen He was caried saith he which againe certainly noteth a motion from place to place Act. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was lifted vp and Nubes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cloud tooke him vp out of their sights Not because of himselfe he became inuisible but because he went higher and further off then his Disciples sight could reach Moreouer the Apostles do follow him with their eyes and sight as farre as they can whilest he did not vanish away out of their sight but stil went vp on his way For while he was going 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth remouing from place to place they stood stedfastly with their eyes vp to heauen Which had beene a foolish part of thē if they had not seene him caried on high To conclude the Angels helping the defect of the Apostles sight do testifie that Christ was taken vp by them into heauen and that he should so come as they had seene him going into heauen Hereupon the Greeke Fathers do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assumption or taking vp of Christ in the flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his ascension or going vp By the examination of these things which haue beene said it followeth that the ascension of Christ is not an act vndivisible or momentanie but devisible and distinguished by parts of his motion and going forward and by times and places by which he was caried vp from a lower place to a higher namely from earth vnto heauen Seeing in that saying of Paule Ephes 4.10 he that descended is also the same that ascended the word of descending doth figuratiuely signifie the humiliation of Christ why is not also the word of ascending taken figuratiuely for the same Christs exaltation glorification Because when Christ descended from heauen he descended without changing his place at what time he was God onely and not man but by that his descension was made man but when he ascended into heauen he ascended with changing of place when he was God and man Who ascended Christ who is both God and man the same who was borne man of the virgin Marie who suffered and died who rose againe and after his resurrection stayed fortie daies with his Disciples vpon the earth He I say and no other descended He that descended is euen the same that ascended Ephes 4.9 Therefore the whole Christ did really ascend because the same Christ was true God and true man but in respect of his humanitie he in his bodie ascended properly and locally from earth into heauen euen as before he had ascended truly and by a locall motion out of the graue into the land of the liuing Therfore in respect hereof it is said by Marke being taken or receiued vp and of Luke in the Acts being lifted vp For these things do not agree to the Diuinitie or Godhead of which it is said Ierem. 23.24 I fill heauen and earth but by a communication of properties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is said of the whole person of Christ which is onely proper to one part of his nature And as Theodoretus saith Those things which are proper to the nature are communicated to the whole person Who is the efficient cause or author of Christs ascension Christ himself who by the Almighty power of his Godhead did carie vp his humane nature bring it into heauen but because the diuine power of the Father and Sonne is all one this remouing into heauen as also the raysing of him vp againe is ascribed also to the power of the Father Act. 2.33 By the right hand that is by the power and vertue of God he hath beene exalted and hath receiued of his father the promise of the holy Ghost and cap. 5.30 The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus vvhom ye slevv and hanged on a tree Him I say hath God lift vp vvith his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour But his humane nature hauing gotten agility and nimblenes of body by the resurrection mouing it selfe by the appointment and commaund of the Godheed went vpon high and ascended truely and properly and therefore it may be called a ministring or seruing cause of the ascension From vvhence is the reason and certaintie of the ascension to be taken From the adiuncts or circumstances namely of time the place from vvhence the manner of his ascension the place vnto vvhich and the vvitnesses VVhat time did he ascend On the fortieth day after his resurrection after that he had spoken to his Disciples concerning the kingdome of God that is after he had enstructed them more fully of the things pertaining to saluation and had confirmed and assured them concerning his resurrection and the truth of his bodie so as they could no longer doubt of it From vvhat place did he ascend Luke in the Gospell cap. 24.50 saith that the Disciples were led forth by Christ vnto
Bethania a village of Iudea that from that place Christ ascended But in the Acts cap. 1.12 he said that they returned from Mount Oliuet vvhich is neere vnto Ierusalem whence it is manifest that Christ ascended from some part of that mountaine not farre from the towne of Bethania into heauen Why did he choose to himselfe this place That like as he had giuen proofe of mans weaknesse and of his exceeding great loue towards vs in Mount Oliuet in that hee sweat bloud in his conflict with death Luke 22.39 44. so departing from the same place into heauen hee might giue certaine triall and proofe of his Godhead a Iohn 6.62 and so the same place might serue for Christs glorie which had giuen the beginning to his ignominie and passion 2 That the mountaines might put vs in minde of heauen 3 That from hence we might learne that those who goe into heauen out of Bethania which is expounded the house of affliction doe finde entrance by Christ vnto the ioyes of heauen and admittance into the kingdome of heauen through many tribulations VVhat vvas the manner of his ascension 1 Departing from his Disciples like a good guest he lifting vp his hands to heauen in solemne manner blesseth them and biddeth them farewell that is commendeth them to Gods protection thereby to testifie he was that blessed seed in vvhich all nature are blessed b Gen 22 18 that full saluation is obtained for vs and that we are freed from all curse and reconciled to the father that he hath blessed all that beleeue in him and that his blessing shall remaine sure for euer seeing to him is giuen all power in heauen and in earth Math. 28.18 2 Whilest the Disciples looked on he was taken vp on high Therefore he vanished not out of sight or in himselfe became inuisible but whilest his Disciples beheld he went visibly from the earth where he was formerly taken vp vnto heauen where he was not before 3 The ministerie of a cloud was vsed which cloud râ—ceiued him at his going away caried him as in a wagon caried him at length out of their sight that therby he might testifie that he was that person of whom it is spoken Psal 104.3 He maketh the cloud or clouds his chariot as also that by this meanes he might as with a veile put betwixt him and them stay his disciples from further curiositie and searching after him Whither did he ascend Into heauen And least the word Heauen should be doubtfull and vncertaine or should be onely vnderstood of Heauenly conuersation such as may be euen in the earth or onely of the heauenly glorie he attained Luke saith He was taken vp on high and Marke that he was receiued vp into heauen Act. 3.21 it is there said That the heauen must containe him In which manner also Nazianzen doth expouÌ„d it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be conteined of heauen vntill the time of restoring And Oecumenius Scholiastes he calleth the heauens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the receptacle or harbour of him that was sent namely Christ to wit the place of eternall blessednes which is without this corruptible world and so aboue or without all heauens But Paule Ephes 4.10 saith That he ascended aboue all heauens It is true For the Scripture maketh mention of three heauens i. The ayre 2. the celestiall orbs 3. the seates of the blessed into which Christ was receiued Therefore he is rightly said to asend aboue all heauens because he remained not below or within the worldly heauens but was caried aboue the aire or ayrie region and the celestiall orbs neither did he stay in those visible heauens but entered into the highest heauen which is aboue all these moueable and worldly heauens which being beautified by the light and glorie of God is subiect to no change but is inuisible to vs which as yet liue vpon the earth And this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hight of which it is said Psal 68.19 Thou hast ascended vp on high By what names is that heauen called 1 The heauen of heauens and the highest habitation of heauen a 1. King 8 27· 39 Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest places b Maâ— 21.9 Also the third heauen c 2. Cor 12.2 in respect of the aire which is the first heauen next to vs d Math 6.26 and in respect of the celestiall spheres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paradise or the Garden of pleasure e Luk. 23.43 2 Cor. 12 4. Apoc 2.7 because it was figured and shadowed vnto vs by the earthly Paradise planted in Eden f Gen. 2.8 and it is now prepared for vs in stead of that earthly Paradise 3 The house of God the habitation seat and dwelling of the blessed g Iohn 14.23 because there the father openly and immediately manifesteth himselfe and his glorie and goodnesse and also communicateth them to the blessed 4 The Schoolemen call it Coelum Empyreum or the fierie heauen not because it burneth with fire but because it shineth with a light like fire But if Christ be ascended aboue all worldly heauens therfore his body is no longer in place because as Aristotle proueth in his first booke De coelo aboue all the heauens there is no place Although euery place be not of the same nature and such as Aristotle in his Physicks describeth yet notwithstanding wheresoeuer any bodie is there of necssitie is a space in which that body is contained according to that knowen saying of Augustine Tolle spatia locorum corporibus nusquam erunt c. Take away from bodies the space of places and they shall be no where and because they shall be no where they shall not be at all This space therefore is called in the Scriptures a place Iohn 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you But further we oppose the authoritie of Iesus Christ to Aristotles authoritie Doth not the ascension of Christ imply a contrarietie to that his saying Mat. 28.20 I will be with you vntill the consummation of the world It is not contrarie for Augustine saith He is both gone and is here also he will returne and he hath not forsaken vs Tract 50 in Iohan. for he hath caried his bodie into heauen but his Maiestie he hath not taken away from the world Therfore Christs saying is to be vnderstood in respect of his Diuinitie which is present in all places and at all times and cannot be contained in any certaine space of place seeing it containeth al things but especially it is meant coÌ„cerning his perpetual actiue power preseÌ„ce in the Church which worketh in the minds of them that beleeue not of the presence of his humanity which is finite and included in place In respect of which his humanitie he saith Iohn 12 8. The poore are alwaies with you but me you shall not haue alwaies And Mat. 24.23 he foretelleth that Antichrists should say Lo
he is here lo he is there And Paule bids that we shew forth the Lords death till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 What therefore is that which Paule saith Ephes 4.10 that Christ ascended aboue all heauens that he might fulfill all things The meaning is that he might poure out vpon the Church which consisteth both of Iewes and Gentiles his gifts and benefits by the holy Ghost a Ioh. 14.16 For so is the word of fulfilling taken b Isa 33· 5. Ierm 31 25 And this particle answereth to that which he said before out of Psalm 68.19 Hee ascended vp on high and gaue gifts to men the similitude being taken from Princes who after victorie obtained doe shew their liberalitie to all their people 1. Serm. de aduentu eyther by solemne feastes or largesses and gifts Or vnderstand it so as Bernard hath obserued that he might fulfill all things namely which were foretold and which were required to our saluation What witnesses were there of his ascension The Angels for it was fit that he who in his conception natiuite temptation death and resurrection had vsed the ministerie testimonie of Angels should now also vse the same for witnesses when he was to performe the greatest worke pertaining to his diuine maiestie 1 That he might mitigate their griefe which his Disciples tooke at their separation from their meekest Lord and Master by the promise of his future comming 2 That when the sight of the Apostles fayled they might shew the way into heauen as Chrysostome saith homilia de ascension◠Domini 3 That they might teach that though he was absent in bodie yet he would defend his seruants by his spirit and protect them by the ministerie of Angels Besides this witnesse of the Angels the Disciples also were witnesses Who were the foretellers of this ascension Dauid a thousand yeares before it fell out saw this triumph in the Spirit and sang a song of victorie to Christ triumphing a Psal 68.5 Enoch the sonne of Iared the seuenth man from Adam a man verie godly and a Prophet was taken vp into heauen and did figure this ascension b Gen 5.24 Heb. 11.5 being suddenly made of mortall immortall and translated into eternall blessednesse c 1. Cor. 15 52. 1. Thes 4 17 But chiefely Elias being caried vp into heauen by a whirle wind on a fierie Chariot and horses that is which shined with light like fire d 2. King 2.11 was a notable testimonie and example not onely of the Lords ascension but also of eternall life For that which the Lord saith Iohn 3.13 No man ascendeth vp into heauen but he that hath descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen is to be vndestood of the proper vertue of his ascension and his aduancement aboue all creatures But how doth the ascension of Elias differ from Christs ascension As a shadow differeth from a bodie or a picture from a quicke man For 1 Elias was translated into heauen without the panges of death that God by this publicke testimonie might auow and ratifie his doctrine and by this meanes might reclaime the Israelites from Idolatrie to sincere religion and pietie But Christ before he ascended suffered and died but he reuiued and manifested the glorie of his resurrection by ascending and confirmed also whatsoeuer was said or done by him 2 Elias ascended by the ministerie of Angels in a fiery chariot In homil ascensionis because as Gregorie saith Pure man needs the helpe of other things neither could he ascend into heauen by himselfe whom the impuritie of his flesh did oppresse and keepe downe Bvt Christ was caried vp into heauen not in a chariot but by his owne power without the ministerie of Angels because he who had made all things was by his owne power caried aboue all things 3 Elias left vnto Eliseus his cloke the gifts of the spirit doubled vpon him but Christ compassed his Disciples with his cloke that is he put vpon them power from aboue filling them with the gifts of the holy Ghost and gaue vnto them power to worke miracles double to his greater then his own a Ioh. 14.12 not in nature but in number and efficacie or with greater effect I say with greater power not of the Disciples but of their maister who wrought in them but especially the conuersion of the Gentiles vnto Christ by the preaching of the Gospell 4 Elias was made a Citizen of heauen but vnto a Christ alone is giuen a name aboue all names and he is become so much more excellent then Angels by how much he hath obtained a more excellent name then they haue Ephes 1.21 Phil. 2.9 Heb. 1.4 What is the end of this Triumph 1 That he might seale vnto vs the worke of our redemption being now complete and perfected and might testifie that eternall righteousnesse was brought vnto vs. For which cause Augustine calleth it the confirmation of the Catholike faith To the same effect is that Ephes 4.10 He ascended that he might fulfill all things namely all the oracles and prophecies which were extant of him such as was the foretelling of his ascension and which it behoued to be fulfilled to accōplish the work of our redemption 2 That he might giue a cleare testimonie of his Godhead by which mans nature was caried on high 3 That hauing ouercome death he might obtaine that glorie in his humanitie which before the foundations of the world were laid was prepared for him a Ioh. 17.5 For then Christs glory was made most apparant when as the new guest who was both God and man was entertained in heauen which then the Angels had not seene from beginning of the world To the same purpose is that which is said Psal 24.7 Ye Princes open your gates that the king of glorie may enter in 4 That he might prouide for vs a mansion and abode in the heauens and might put vs in certaine hope that our soules being separated from our bodies should go vnto him and that we also may ascend into heauen in bodie also at the last day for where the head is there also must the members be Iohn 14.3 What are the effects and fruits of the Lords ascension 1 Captiuitie was led captiue Christ triumphed ouer Sathan death sinne and hell of which it is said Coloss 2.15 And he hath spoiled principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse 2 The sending of the Comforter that is the holy Ghost and that visibly namely on the fiftieth day after his resurrection Act. 2.1 c. Which the Apostles should not haue receiued vnlesse Christ in his bodie had departed from them Iohn 16.7 Then a visible powring out of diuers giftes of the same spirit vpon the Church Epist ad Dardanum And to this effect is that saying Ephes 4.10 He ascended that he might fulfill all things not in his
the throne of iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eies And of the gouernment of the Messiah Isa 16.5 In mercie shall the throne be prepared and he shall sit vpon it in stedfastnesse in the tabernacle of Dauid And in this sense sitting doth signifie a Royall or Iudiciall dignitie and authoritie But what doth it it signifie ioyntly Mat. 20◠2 or together to sit or to stand at the right hand of any man 1 In humane affaires by the figure Metonymia it signifieth to obtaine the next place of honor dignity to any man as Psa 45 9 Vpon thy right hand the Queene standeth in a vesture of gold siluer 2 To be a fellow and companion or copartner of the rule and Empyre 3 To giue helpe and aid as Psal 142.4 I looked on my right hand and beheld whether any stood by me that is to say to helpe me Metaphorically it is attributed to God to the Church to Christ himselfe As for God he is said to stand at the right hand of men when he doth helpe and succour them and protecteth them against their enemies and dangers as Psal 16.8 I haue set the Lord alwaies in my sight for he is at my right hand that I may not he moued-So is God the father in this sence said to stand at the right hand of Christ that is to say that he is in degree of honour and dignitie next vnto himselfe· Psal 45.10 The Queene 1. The Church doth stand at thy right hand namely at the right hand of Christ that is it standeth in the next degree of dignitie 3 Christ is said to b Mark 16.19 sit c Act. 7.55 stand and d Rom. 8.34 be at the right hand of God the father Is Christ said to sit at the right hand of the father properly or Metaphorically Not properly for it no way agreeth with his Deitie and although it may in the proper signification be attributed and applied vnto his other nature which is bodily yet it must not be imagined that that glorious body in heauen doth either continually sit or is moued or standeth although it be indeed limited and locall and as for the right hand of God much lesse is that to be taken properly seeing God is without a bodie as is alreadie said Seeing then Christ sitteth at the right hand of the father doth it therupon follow that the father sitteth on the leaft hand No indeed for the father is not limited and in euerlasting happines all is the right hand because there is there no miserie VVhat is therefore meant by this kind of speach In his exposition of the Creed Augustine taketh it for resting with the father in that euerlasting blessednes for this was conueniēt for Christ saith he after so many labours sustained after the crosse and after death to rest blessed in heauen not indeed idle for hee gouernes the Church and makes intercession for vs but yet without labour The same Augustine also calleth the right hand of the father that eternall and vnspeakable felicity Against the Sermon as Arius c 12. whereunto the sonne of man is attained hauing receiued immortalitie euen of the flesh 2 Damascen saith that Christ hath togither with his father equal glory of the diuinity which he had before all beginnings And in this sence the transitiue preposition to doth note only a personal distinction Lib. 4. cap. 2 and order of beginning but not any degree of nature or dignity for there is no such matter in the persons of the deity 3 But we say also that it is meant thereby that Christ hath obtained all power in heauen and in earth as he himselfe who is his owne best interpreter expoundeth it Mat. 28.18 by a phrase borrowed from a King or a Prince which hath a sonne and that an onely begotten sonne or a first begotten sonne whom at length he appointeth to be his heire and successor maketh to sit at his right hand that he may reigne with him may exercise the right of dominion ouer all things which appertaine vnto the kingdom of the cceed Chap. 4. Whereupon Saint Augustine saith thus By the right hand vnderstand the power which that man that was taken from God did receiue that he might come to be a Iudge who before came to be iudged For the father iudgeth no man but hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne that all men might honour the sonne as they honour the father Ioh. 5 22 What is then the sitting of Christ at the right hand of the father It is his exceeding glorious estate or the great high degree of Christs exaltation wherein he is placed by his father the truth of both natures still reserued in which estate Christ doth not only rest from labour and enioy vnspeakable glory and vnmatchable felicity but especially he is placed not only the head of the church but the king and gouernour of heauen and earth that togither with his father he may gouerne all things both in heauen and in earth all things created being subiect vnto him Whence doe you confirme this Exposition Out of the Psal 110.1 Sit saith the father to Christ on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole which Paul 1. Cor. 15.25 expounding saith He must raigne till he haue put all his enemies vnder his feet Therefore to sit is to raigne And Eph. 1.21 after the Apostle had said that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in heauenly places he addeth for expositions sake that he is exalted aboue all principalities and powers and that all things are made subiect vnder his feet and that he is appointed head of the Church VVhat is the cause efficient The father by whose will and ordinance he sitteth at the right hand of the father Psal 110.1 Sit at my right hand And Ephe. 1.20 And God hath set him at his right hand in the heauenly places This sitting then is it of the whole person or onely of one of the natures namely of the humane Words phrases are to be taken according to the matter about which they are vsed For to sit at the right hand of the father doth declare two things For sometime it sheweth the great equalilitie of the diuine glorie maiestie power and honour sometime it signifieth the qualitie that is the high perfection and felicity of the flesh of Christ now that it is exalted vnto the right hand of God which the schoolemen call Habituall grace In the later signification therefore sitting is to be applied vnto the humane nature wherein the humane nature in Christ is more blessed then the rest of the creatures hath royal iudicial power ouer all creatures a Iohn 5.27 but in the former which is the chiefe and principal of the whole person because as the whole person was broght low so the whole also was exalted in the Resurrection ascending into heauen and sitting at the right hand of the father
b philip 2.9 10.11 But as Christ is said to be raised from the dead not in respect of his diuine nature but of his humane shall he not also he said to sit at the right hand of his father onely in respect of his humanitie No for the sitting of Christ at the right hand of the father is not a property of the nature but a state of the person of Christ doth belong vnto his office of Mediator King Priest Now the names and titles of office that is which do point out and set forth the office of Christ they are spoken of Christ in respect of both natures Christ therfore in respect he is God yet not simply and absolutely in respect of his diuine nature which he hath all one with the father but as he is God manifested in the flesh sitteth at the right hand of the father as on the contrarie the same Christ not as he is man simply but as he is man subsisting in such a person sitteth at the right hand of the father neither indeed can it agree with any creature considered apart by it selfe to sit at the right hand of the father And therefore the Apostle Heb. 1.13 saying To which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou on my right hand as if he should say to none by the sitting of Christ at the right hand of God doth conclude that he is not a meere ereature but also true God euen God manifested in the flesh And therefore the humane nature in Christ as being considered simply in it selfe as Damascen saith lib 4. cap. 3. It cannot be worshipped seeing it is a creature but only in respect it is inseparably vnited to the person of the sonne of God a Luk. 24.52 Lib. 4. Cap. 2 For saith Damascen one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance is adored with one the same worship with his flesh by euery creature so also it is not said to sit at the right hand of the father by it self but in the person of the son of God namely for that he that is man is also God the father not being pleased to giue his glory vnto another Although indeede the same hmanitie dwelling bodily in it selfe from the Diuinitie is adorned with so many and so great gifts and gaces as cannot happen vnto any creature so that it shineth vnspeakably aboue all other creatures whether you respect the degree or the number of those gifts neither is this excellencie of the flesh of Christ to bee comprehended of the verie Angels but yet so as this glorification doth not abolish or confound the propertie of the nature of Christ neither doth the Sitting at the right hand take away all subiection whereof Iohn 14.24 My Father is greater then I And 1. Cor. 15.28 The sonne himselfe also shall bee subiect vnto him that did subdue all things vnder him not as he is God but as he is a Mediator for God is the head of Christ euen now that he is glorified 1. Cor. 11.3 But hath not Christ alwaies reigned with his Father and so likewise hath hee not alwaies Sit at the right hand of his father Hee hath reigned indeede but as God merely and barely without flesh or being arrayed with his owne glorie onely before the taking of the humanitie vpon him But afterwards in time as God cloathed with flesh after the time of his emptying or abasement was past he began to sit at the right hand of his father First to raigne in heauen and in earth So hee tooke the kingdome which hee had before hee tooke it I say in respect of manifestation as a thing is then said in the Scriptures to be done when it is manifested When did he beginne to sit at the right hand of the father Surely in right hee beganne to sit there at the first moment of the hypostaticall vnion but actually and really or as wee say de facto hee began after his suffering resurrection and ascention for so the Scripture and the Apostles Creede doe distinguish these articles that the sitting at the right hand of the father a Mark 16.19 Luk. 24.26 Ephes. 5.20 21. Heb. 1.3 1. Pet. 3.22 Apoc. 3.21 may followe the resurrection and ascending into heauen What is the place of this sitting at the right hand of the father In respect of the Diuine nature which is infinite Christ sitteth at the right hand of the father euerywhere but in respect of the humane nature which is finite hee sitteh there where hee is with his bodie i. since his ascention in heauen but not in earth Col. 3.1 Seeke the things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Heb. 1· 3. Hee sitteth at the right haÌ„d of the Maiestie in highest places And Heb. 8.1 Wee haue an high Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Maiestie in heauen For the glorious estate of Christ is one thing and a place is another thing And therefore the Apostle distinguisheth both Eph. 1.20 Hee sitteth at the right hand of God in the heauenly places For those words of sitting at the right hand of God doe signifie an estate or qualitie the other in heauenly places doe signifie a place The estate indeede alwaies doth and shall continue one the same but the place may be changed by Christ so that he shall not sit alwaies in one the same place but there where he will in heauen yea it shal also be changed For he is now in that third heauen into which he did ascend and in which hee is not held captiue but is there at libertie and by the decree of his father shall remaine there vntill the last Iudgement Act. 3.21 Whom the heauens must containe c. But at the latter day hee shall visibly descend in the clouds from heauen Mat. 24.30 but yet alwaies sitting at the right hand of his father Mat. 26.64 Yee shall see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God Also Mat. 25.31 VVhen the sonne shall eome in the throne of his Maiestie to iudge the quick and the deade and that iudgement being finished hee shal returne againe into heauen where we shall see him sitting at the right hand of his father for euer because we shal be alwaies with him Ioh. 14.3 17.21 1 Thes. 4.17 VVhy is he said to sit rather then to stand That wee might know that hee hath solemnly taken possession of the office committed vnto him and not onely once entred vpon it but that hee doth abide therein vntill he come downe againe vnto iudgement Neither is that any thing against this that Act. 7.56 Stephen is saide to see him standing at the right hand of God For by the word Sitting not the placing or disposition of the bodie but the Maiestie of his gouernment and aâ—thoritie is signified euen as by the word Standing is ment his intercession and presence for defence and protection
c 2. Thess 2 8 Revel 20.10 whome the Lord at that time chiefly will destroy with the spirit of his mouth that is by the preaching of the Gospel and after vtterly abolish in his glorious comming that is when he shall returne in glorie vnto iudgement which the Epithite glorious comming sheweth 4. The vnreasonable creatures also the heauen and earth and whatsoeuer is contained in them shall be iudged in their manner For 2. Pet. 3.7.10.11.12 The heauens and earth are reserued vnto fire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of vngodly men and the heauens shall passe away with a noyse that is from mutabilitie to immutabilitie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorruption and the Elements shal melt with heate and be dissolued and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp but not as touching the Essence as if this most goodly frame of the world were to be brought to nothing for then where should Christ execute his iudgement but that it is to be restored to a better more excellent forme as touching the corruptible qualities all those things being taken away which are vnperfect and transitorie certaine filthinesse dregs of mortality being put away purged by fire as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing the vertue of cleansing as gold in the fornace as it is saide 1. Cor. 7.31 The fashion of the word goeth away not the propertie And Rom. 8.22 We knovv that the vvhole vvorld groneth vvith vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnder hope that it also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sons of God So Act. 1.21 a restauration of all things is promised So Ps 102.72.28 The heauens shal perish and they shal all waxe old as a garment as a garment shalt thou fold them and they shal be changed namely to the better And Reuel 21 1. I saw a new heauen So Isaiah 65 17. and 66.22 New heauen and a new earth that is renewed are promised Therfore Peter addeth verse 13 We looke for new heaueÌ„s a new earth according to his promise wherin dwelleth righteousnesse but it is not reuealed in the Scriptures what manner of restauration this shall bee For vvhat things shall iudgement be giuen For the faith and vnbeleefe of euery one according to the effects of either a Math. 12.36.37 for euery idle word how much more for grieuous sin shall there an account bee giuen in the day of iudgement euen of them that doe not embrace the satisfaction of Christ Rom. 2.16 The Lord will iudge the secrets of men And chap. 14.12 Euerie one shall giue an account for himselfe vnto God 2. Cor. 5.13 Euerie ones worke shall be manifest for the day will declare it and the fire will trie euerie mans worke what it is although this day may be better vnderstood of the light of truth driuing away the darknesse of ignorance and shining in our mindes as fire And 2. Cor. 5.10 All must be made manifest that euerie one may receiue according to what he hath done be it good or euill The like Reue. 20.12 Whereupon saith Augustine In what facts euery man shall be found when he departeth from his bodie in the same shall he be iudged VVhat shall the forme of this iudgement be It cannot be declared but yet the Scripture shadoweth it vnder the figure of a most iust and royall iudgement a Math. â—4 30.31 25.31 50. follow Math 13 26 1 Thess â— 4 And it doth consist in preparation sentence and execution of the sentence giuen The preparation shall be on this wise 1 As a theefe commeth in the night so shall Christ on a sodaine come visibly from heauen from whence we are bidden to looke for him in his maiestie that is in diuine power in heauenly brightnsse in glorification of bodie in authoritie to iudge and in the guard or company of all his Angels and armed with flaming fire b 2 Thes 1.8 Psal 50.3 A fire shall goe before him he shall not then come alone humble despised neither vnto affliction as in the first comming c Math. 11.29 Isa 53.5 2 He shall sit on the throne of the glorious maiestie d Math 19.28 but what the throne may be no man must enquire yet for certaine it shall appeare corporally and visibly in the clouds of heauen apparent to the eyes of all men Act. 1.11 and Reue. 1.7 Behold he commeth with clouds and euerie eye shall see him yea euen they which pierced him thorow 3 He shall gather together by the ministerie of the Angels all nations before him so that not any how wicked and mightie soeuer can withdraw himselfe or be absent escape flie from or resist thar appearance 4 He shall separate them one from another as a shepheard doth seuer the sheepe from the goats and he vvill set the sheepe that is those who haue heard his voice and haue embraced his sheep like innocencie on his right hand but the goates that is those who despising their shepheard haue followed their owne wantonnesse and lust like goates on his lest 5 He shall giue a double definitiue sentence and that in order The first shall be most earnestly wished for of all the Elects for the King shall say to them that shall be on his right hand with a singuler affection of fauour and loue commending and setting forth the grace God and his free adoption his Election from the beginning and blessing in Christ not their merits Come ye blessed of my father and possesse for your inheritance the kingdome prepared for you since the foundations of the world were laid Whereunto he will adde a reason of the cause taken from the fruits of faith declaring the cause that is from the works of mercie performed vnto him in his members For I was an hungrie and ye gaue me to eate c. The second shall be most fearefull For turning vnto them that shal be on his left hand he will say vnto them depart from me ye cursed into hell fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Whereunto in like sort he will adde the reason of the cause for I was an hungrie and ye gaue me not to eate c. 6 The execution of the sentence shall presently follow the sentence For the reprobates being expulsed by the Angels from the Lords presence shall will they nill they be compelled by his glorious strength to goe into eternall torment a 2. Thess 1.8 9 but the godly shall be taken into the ayre to meete the Lord that they may enioy eternall life and blessed immortalitie with Christ b 1. Thess 4 17 After what law will Christ giue sentence Although the godly shall be freed also from the word of the law in as much as Christ hath fulfilled it for them and by the same law which appointeth euerie sinner to eternall punishments shall the wicked be condemned yet
their hands and that he shall be our Iudge whose brethren we are and the members of his bodie who is a most louing Iesus that is a Sauiour Patron Aduocate Redeemer and Intercessor for vs who laid downe his life for vs and who hath solemnly promised euerlasting life to all them that beleeue in him Rom. 8.32 VVho shall condemne It is Christ that maketh intercession Whereupon we haue good cause to wish for that day according to the saying of Christ When these things beginne to come to passe then looke vp for your redemption draweth neere Luke 21.28 So that it is a merueile which Tertullian in his Apolegetic cap. 38. writeth that Christians were wont to pray for the deferring of the end seeing we daily desire the comming of Gods kingdome 3 It terrifieth the wicked because him whom now they refuse for their Sauiour they shall finde to be their iudge who shall adiudge them to eternall torments VVhat is contrarie hereunto 1 The heathens opinions of the worlds eternitie 2 The Decree of Origen and the Chiliasts that at length a thousand yeares after the Resurrection all shall be saued 3 The errour of them who beside the iudgement that ensueth presently at the first seperation of soule and bodie thinke there doth not an other vniuersall iudgement remaine And of others who thinke that the soules of the godly are not rewarded in heauen nor the soules of the vngodly punished in hell before the day of iudgement 4 The wicked opinion of those mockers who denie or contemning that iudgement or scoffingly asking when that shall be which is so long deferred 2. Pet. 3.3 who so soone as they heare that the last iudgement shall bee cauill As the Epicures and Stoicks cauilled Act. 17.32 following Manilius who saith The fathers savv no other neyther shall posteritie beheld any other 4 The curiositie of them who eyther vpon some fained Reuelation as the Circuncellions the Anabaptists the Enthusiasts who were wont to spread their prophecies amongst the common sort and to set downe the verie certaine yeare moneth and day of iudgement or vpon some position and aspect of the Starres or on some imaginarie supputations of numbers and times or on Arithmeticall calculations as this Platonists or are giuen to iucidiall Astrologie or on common prophecies or on humane authority dare define that time as they who repeat I know not what Rabbines dreame as if it were a diuine Oracle pronounced by Eâ—ias Six thousand yeares the world shall last two thousand years before the Lawe two thousand vnder the Lawe two thousand â—fter the Lawe and then shall the end be which saying may by the Historie it selfe be confuted as vaine because there was two thousand fiue hundred and thirtie yeares before the Lawe and fewer by many then two thousand yeares under the Law and it is manifestly contrarie to the saying of Christ Act. 1.7 For the end of the world doth depend neyther on the Law of nature or on course or any other cause but on the pleasure and secrete will of God onely The nine and thirtieth common Place Of Eternall life How many kindes or differences of life doe the Diuines make THree 1 There is a life of nature which the Apostle calleth an Animall life of the naturall soule being the better part of man a 1. Cor. 2.17 15 47 whereby the good and bad doe in this world one among another liue are quickened doe perceiue and vnderstand which may also be called a Bodily Temporall Naturall and Present life Whereunto the first or naturall death which is a dissolution of the bodie and the soule is opposed 2 There is a life of grace which Gods children onely in the spirituall kingdome of Christ doe enioy in this world which by way of excellency is called The life of God not so much for that it is from God as all the other three kinds of life also are as because God liueth in them that are his that this life he sheweth and approoueth b Ephe. 4.18 and it is called for the same respect The life of Christ because Christ liueth in his through a supernaturall faith and spirit and they liue vnto God and conforme their life vnto his will c Gal. 2.20 and it is called a new life a Christian life and a Renewing of the mind will and affections and it is also called a new creature a new man supernaturall and spirituall which is opposed to death in sinne and to the old man a Col. 3.3 3 There is a life of glorie whereby the soule being ioyned againe to her owne bodie shall lead a life which the Apostle calleth spirituall not in respect of the substance but of the qualities 1. Corinth 15.44 whereby the faithfull shall liue for euer and it is laid vp in Christ and in the end of the world shall be disclosed a and which is opposed to the second death and is called eternall whereof only here we are to intreat But how manie waies is aeternall life taken Two waies 1. Metonymically both for the way that is in the meanes and manner of comming to the inheritance of heauen Iohn 3.36 He which beleeueth on the sonne hath aeternall life And Cap. 17.3 This is eternall life that they acknowledge thee to be the onlie true god and whome thou hast sent Christ Iesus where by the way we may note Thee and whome thou hast sent Christ Iesus to be the subiects in this proposition and the only true God the praedicates of either subiect Also for Christ himselfe 1. Iohn 5 20. This is the true God and life eternall Efficiently indeed as he is God but as he is man and died for vs in part materially because sinne which is the cause of death was purged in his flesh in part also efficiently but by a secondarie meanes namely by his intercession good will and vertue of his sacrifice by the communication of his flesh with vs and of forgiuenes of sinnes and of life eternall which is therein partly also instrumentally because the deity quickeneth vs by reason of the substantiall vnioÌ„ through the flesh And after this sense is life aeternall begunne in the faithfull in this life 2 Properly for the estate of the blessed after this life whereof Iohn in the same 3. chapter 16. verse whosoeuer belieueth on the sonne can not perish but hath euerlasting life And. 3.7 to Tit. 9. We are heires according to the hope of eternall life By what arguments doe we proue that there is a life eternall 1 From the nature of God for seeing there is a god and the same is liuing and eternall it followeth necessarily that there is a life eternall whereby god liueth and is eternall 2 From the condition of the soule for seeing that it is immortall it followeth that there doth remaine an other life after this wherein the soule liueth by it selfe though seperated from the body and in which life she acknowledgeth and praiseth god highly 3
three 1. The word of the institution or the commaundement and the ordinance of God and the promise of grace I say of grace not of any of the gifts of God either corporall or spirituall but of Iustification that is to say of the remission of sinnes and life eternall which is repeated in the Church not for consecration sake neither that any vertue might bee added to the Element but that the faithfull might heare and beleeue it 2. Of an outward signe and visible which otherwise is called an Element because in the first Sacrament that is in Baptisme the signe is the element of watet by another name by a visible forme because it is a bodily thing and sensible subiect to the sight and sense otherwise a Symbole because of the proportion and resemblance vnto the thing signified and because it is as it were a marke token of Gods promise Both which Augustine comprehendeth in this saying Let the word to wit of the institution and of the promise of grace be added to the element and there is a Sacrament 3. Of the thing signified which some call the matter of the sacrament others the inuisible grace or the wholesome gift As in Circumcision there is the apparant commaundement of the Lord Thou shalt keepe the couenant Gen. 17. and the promise is expressed I will bee thy God the God of thy seede after thee the signe the cutting off of the foreskin lastly the thing signified the Circumcision of the heart or of the old nature a Deu. 10 15 et 30.6 What is the matter of the Sacrament It is double one sensible externall or corporall subiect to the bodily sense the other intelligible internall spirituall and heauenly which is perceiued with the minde and vnderstanding I say with the minde indued with that her fit instrument to receiue it namely faith What is tho outward matter It is double both a bodily substance and not an accident as water bread wine as also a ceremoniall action or rite which is performed by men in a certaine manner as circumcision in a certaine part of the bodie the externall and corporall washing eating and drinking Wherefore did God chuse such common things in the ordering of the Sacraments Least that in the vse of them being therfore ordained that they might lift vp our mindes to heauen wee should on the contrarie stick in the earthly things and admire them What is the inward matter It is the thing signified and that in like manner both the substance and the action The substance is Christ who is called the verie marowe of all the Sacraments with all his riches which he hath in himselfe and either properly is tearmed whole Christ or else by a Synecdoche a part for the whole is called the bodie of Christ deliuered vnto death or his bloode shed The action is proper to God alone and it is either iustification and washing or spirituall circumcision or the communion of the body and bloud of Christ What is the forme common to all Sacraments If wee consider the verie essence of a Sacrament his forme or at least the speciall part of the essence and the rule whereof it doth depend and hath his beeing is the ordinance or institution of God conteined in the word For Sacraments are that which God doth testifie by the word of his institution and promise that hee would haue them to bee so that that verie worde must bee as it were the verie life of the Sacrament or the cause whereby a Sacrament is that which it is But by the word vnderstand not that it which is conceiued in a certain number of syllables vttered without vnderstanding and faith hath any force to consecrate or transforme the element to giue any vertue to it For as the forme of the letters can doe nothing so neither the pronouncing or sound of the words but that which beeing vttered by God is preached and published by the Minister with a cleare voice doth cause vs to vnderstand and beleeue what the visible signe meaneth Whereupon Augustine saith not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued Furthermore the goodly Analogie or proportion of the signe with the thing signified and the mutuall reference or relation affection habit of the one to the other because the essence of a Sacrament is nothing else but to haue relation to the thing signified and Sacramented that is to say the thing signified Now the Analogie or proportion which is the agreement or conueniencie of one thing hauing relation to another is in the proportion or likenesse of the actions or effects as for example as water washeth away filth euen so the bloud of Christ washeth away sins The relation is in the institution vnto the thing signified or in the mutual respect of the one vnto the other as when together with the signe exhibited to the senses the thing signified is represented to the vnderstanding To conclude if wee respect the vse the forme of a Sacrament is an action wherein an earthly thing is lawfully and rightly administred and vsed for that end whereunto it is appointed of God or the manner of performing celebrating the Sacrament for the forme of the Action is the manner wherein it is done What manner of coniunction or vnion of the signes and the things signified is in the Sacraments Not naturall by the touching and knitting together of substances or the vnitie and vnion of the accidents and subiect to make one and the same indiuiduum or locall without distance or existing of one in the other Neither is it to bee called spirituall as if it should giue life to the signes themselues which is against diuinitie But such as hath conueniencie and relation or Sacramentall and significatiue whereby things inuisible in a fit proportion are represented by visible and in some sort are made one for the mutuall respect which they haue betweene themselues as the Scepter and the Romane Empire Such is this vnion as is betweene the true Relatiue and his Correlatiue as betweene the father and the sonne the vnion is not naturall and substantiall but of Relation which consisteth not in transubstantiation or consubstantiation not in conuerting or including but in the naturall respect affection one vnto the other So then as the father is therefore a father not because hee is either conuerted to the sonne or because hee conteineth his sonne in himselfe essentially but because hee hath relation to his sonne euen so it is a signe or Sacrament not because it is conuerted in to the thing signified or conteineth it as a sack doth corne or a cuppe of wine but because the signe and the thing signified are vnited by the vnion of relation as the sonne with the father and the seruant is ioyned with the master or else as the vnion is betweene the voice of the preaching of the Gospell and the thing promised in the Gospell not reall but intelligible and apprehended by faith But in respect
forgiuenesse of sinnes and of eternall life b Mat. 21.32 Gen. 7.7 Exod. 20.6 the which beeing now apprehended of the Parents by faith doth not onely comprehend a spirituall and allegoricall issue but also the children which they shall beget to a thousand generationsb. The which surely doth no lesse appertaine to Christians then in times past to the people of the Iewes And Act. 2 38 Peter saide Let euery one of you be baptized for to you and your children is the promise made And Christ commandeth little children to be brought vnto him that hee might touch them not such as were of riper yeares and able to goe but tender ones children which did yet suck which many brought vnto him and did not lead them And it is said that hee tooke them in his armes and embraced them c Luk. 18.15 and commended them vnto his father by his prayer and blessing and sanctified them by the laying on of his hands which cannot bee taken otherwise but that he receiued them into fauour d Mark 18 16 And last of all most clearely hee speaketh of Infants inuiting them to his fellowship and society Math. 19 13. Suffer little children to come vnto mee and forbid them not because to such that is aswell Infants in age as those which are like them appertaineth the kingdome of heauen whom Peter calleth 1. Pet. 2.2 spirituall children such as by the word of God are regenerated to immortall life like as Math. 18.4 Whosoeuer shall humble himselfe as this child hee is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen And in the 14. verse It is not the pleasure of your heauenly father that one of these little ones should perish For it is manifest that Christ approueth and receiueth little children otherwise he would not allow those which were like them And the Euangelist signifieth that the kingdome of GOD appertained to those children which were slaine by Herod reciting the place Ier. 31.15 of the holy Martyres the children of Rachel or of their posteritie Mat. 2.16.17 Now vnto whom appertaineth the promise of the Communion with Christ and of eternall life which is signified in the word of Baptisme To the same appertaineth also the signe according to the diuine determination proper to euery Sacrament And there can bee no other meanes to bring them vnto Christ but that they by baptisme bee ingrafted into the Church which is the bodie of Christ seeing they are not yet capable of Doctrine 3 Because although hearing is an ordinarie beginning of faith a Ro◠10.17 yet because it is impossible that any should please God without faith Hebr. 11.6 Infants must needes haue in the place of faith the seed or budding of faith or the renewing of the spirit although they are not yet endued with the knowedge of good or euill for b Deut. 1.39 God holdeth them not for vncleane but adopteth them for his children and sanctifyeth them from the wombe as it is said 1. Cor. 7.14 Your children are holy that is to say by an hidden operation and enlightening of the spirit which maketh in them new motions and new inclinations to Godward according to their capacitie as farre as we can gesse without the word which is the onely seed of regeneration to them which are able to be taught 1. Pet. 1.23 c Rom. 8.16 for the Lord gaue a taste in Iohn Baptist whom he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he is able to doe in the rest d Luk. 1.15 41 And yet must the secret workes and iudgements of God be left vnto himselfe because the Church iudgeth not of hidden things e 1 Peter 23 Neyther are the prayers of the Church for the Infantes of the beleeuers which are baptised in vaine ouer whom the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is called vpon but they obtaine that which they aske Mat. 18.19 If not in each singular person yet in the species or kinde of each Whereupon it followeth that they are receiued into fauour and are endued with the holy Ghost and therefore are to bee baptized f Act. 10.47 4. Because though Infants haue not sinned actually as Adam did Rom. 5.14 yet they haue sinned Originally in Adam as included in his loynes vers 12. and are dead in him g 1 Cor. 15.22 Secondly being conceiued in sinne h Psal 51.7 contrarie to the Pelagians opinion they are by nature the children of wrath i Ioh. 3.6 and doe daily die no lesse then men of riper yeares k Eph. 2.3 wherefore that they may please God and may bee admitted into his kingdome where no polluted thing entereth 1. Cor. 15.30 they haue neede of the sparke of some regeneration the abundance whereof they may afterward enioy which is sealed vnto them by Baptisme l Apo◠21.27 And therfore it is not to be denyed them for except a man bee borne againe of water and the spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Iohn 3.3.5 5. Because the commandement concerning baptisme is vniuersall and comprehendeth the whole Church whereof Infants are members a great part for Paule includeth the whole Church where he saith that it is clensed by the washing of water in the word Ephes 5.26 and Math. 28.19 Preach the Gospell to euery creature and baptise them It is not therefore particularly to be applied to those of discretion onely but also to the children of the faithfull 6 Because though by reason of their yeares they vnderstand not Gods word nor can beleeue in action and professe their faith and repentance whereof Baptisme is a Sacrament as circumcision was in times past and enter into mutuall obligation betwixt God and them which belongeth onely to them of discretion notwithstanding it is vnto thē in steed of a Act. 2.41 8.12.37 professing of faith for that they are borne within the Church of the people of God and are not onely within the couenant but also are presented by them which beleeue and doe promise and make answere for them And therefore Saint Augustine saith the Sacrament of faith maketh children faithfull though they haue not yet that faith which consisteth in the will of beleeuers to make them faithfull Euen as they doe not know that they haue the holy Ghost though it be in them or a minde and life though it cannot be denied that they haue both And to conclude it sufficeth that they are baptised and bound vnto a repentance and faith to come Euen as the infants of the Israelites were circumcised into a faith and repentance that was to follow although they neyther vnderstood the word of God nor the mysterie of circumcision and Christ blessed little children and prayed for them though they vndestood not what he did for them 7 Because that which the institution of Baptisme commaundeth that they which are to be baptised should first be taught b Mat. 2.19 as Iohn is said to haue preached the baptisme of
Christs bloud doth take away the thirst of the soule 3 As wine doth make glad the heart of man b Psal 10.15 so also the promises concerning Christ do make glad the soule 4 As wine doth heat the bodie and maketh vs more cheerefull and readie to doe our businesse so the bloud of Christ receiued by faith doth quicken the soule vnto all good motions and so the vertue of the spirit doth stirre vs vp and maketh vs more nimble vnto all good wokes 5 As wine driueth away coldnes so the bloud of Christ driueth away the coldnes of loue and charitie 6 As win◠maketh vs more secure and more bold so the bloud of Christ receiued by Faith doth make vs secure and quiet before God and more constant in confession that there may be nothing at all which we ought to feare 7 As wine maketh vs wise so the bloud of Christ receiued by faith maketh vs wise in the confession and commemoration of Christs benefits 8 As wine driueth away the palenesse of the face maketh the face of man to shine as with oyle c Psal 104 15 so the bloud of Christ doth turne the colour of the soule being pale with feare of death into the verie colour of the Rose that is to say it appeaseth our consciences it maketh vs faire in the presence of God that wee may appeare before him with a fayre and ruddie face that is to say iust and accepted What if bread such as wee haue and wine be wanting in some countries with what signes is the supper to be administred With those earthly nourishments and corporall meats which all doe vse in that countrey in stead of bread and wine meate and drinke for this doth agree with the minde of Christ From hence it was granted to the Nouergian Priests as Volaterranus witnesseth necessitie requiring it that they did conscrate the mysticall cup without wine with that which they had in common seeing that wine caried into the countrey is quickly corrupted by the great force of the cold VVhat need is there now of those two signes that is to say of bread and wine seeing that the whole humanitie of Christ consisting of his parts of bodie and bloud doth liue glorious in the heauens and by reason of concomitancie that is to say a naturall ioyning together of the liuing bodie and the bloud the whole may be signified and giuen in seuerall kindes and where the quicke bodie is present there also must the bloud and soule be present and by reason of the hypostaticall vnion the diuinitie also may be there and so there may be no controuersie moued concerning those things that be equiualent but one may suffice in steed of two From whence is that Rime of Thomas Caro cibus sanguis potus manet tamen Christus totus sub vtraque specie that is to say The flesh is meate the bloud is drinke yet Christ remayneth whole vnder both kindes 1 Because the same reason of concomitancie doth belong to the Priests which notwithstanding celebrating the Masse will alwaies vse the whole sacrament 2 Because Christ Iesus who is the wisedome of the Eternall Father commending to his Church nothing superfluous ordayned those two signes and of set purpose commended the vse of the cup to all saying Drinke ye all of it to signifie the drinking of one and the same bloud shed for many common to all the faithfull without difference of Nation of sexe of estate But for mens conceipts the commaundement of God is not to bee violated who called distinctly and exactly bread the bodie not the bloud and wine the bloud not the bodie Neyther can the Church change the matter or forme 3 Because neyther for the connexion of parts in the thing signifyed is a diuulsion or diuision of the parts to be made in outward rite or ceremonie 4 Because there is not made an inclusion of Christ into the Sacramentall signes For Christ is present in the Supper not for the bread but for the man 5 Because that bodie and that bloud of Christ is not in this action represented vnto vs sacramentally as now the whole indiuided humanitie of Christ doth liue glorious but so farre forth as they were offered vnto death for vs vpon the crosse the bloud being shed out of the bodie for the words added to the signes doe plainly crie that the bodie and bloud of Christ are offered and exhibited to vs in the Supper as things separated in the sacrifice of the Crosse From whence we must conclude seeing that the concomitancie of the bodie and bloud cannot agree to the death of Christ for to be in the bodie and to be shed out of the bodie are things contrarie that that concomitancie is directly contrarie to the institution of Christ Neyther is the hypostaticall vnion of God and man therefore broken which is not broken in death although the soule and bloud be separated from the bodie Rightly therefore Beda The bread is referred to the bodie of Christ mystically the wine to the bloud And the ancient fathers spake no otherwise of this mysterie then if daily in the administration of the Lords Supper he should be slaine die and be sacrificed for vs This is in the cup saith Chrysostome which flowed out of his side and we are partakers of it But what If a man at this day be conuersant in those places where one part of the Supper is taken from the laity shall he altogether abstaine from the vse of the communion It were farre better for him to abstaine especially if hee haue learned out of the former doctrine of the Gospell that that corruption doth fight with the word of God For it is a great sin to consent to the least pollution of Christs institution against conscience Rightly therefore Ambrose He is vnworthie of the Lord which doth celebrate a mysterie otherwise then it was deliuered of him for he cannot be deuout which doth presume otherwise then it was giuen from that author What did Christ when he had taken the bread Hee instituted signes of a second kind that is the outward actions of them which do administer the Supper or rites of dispensation of the Lords Supper wherein he went before all ministers by his example What rites are they Hee gaue thanks to the father to whom he gaue all the thanks of our redemption as it were the chiefe cause thereof and in the vse as well of the Supper as of daily meat and of other things he taught vs to doe the same a Iohn 6.11 1 Tim. 4.5 by his example Moreouer also with blessing and thāksgiuing for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is blessed and gaue thanks are vsed one with another Mat. 26.26.27 concerning the Lords Supper Mark. 14.22.23 not with the signe of the Crosse as the popish Cleargie ignorantly doe thinke as though he vsed coniuring but with blessing that is with prayers vnto God he prepared he appointed and he sanctified the bread
was identical rightly expressed in these words this is the bloud of the couenant But Christ gaue to his disciples wine contained in the cup and sacramentally signified the thing by the signe of wine Therfore in the enuntiation of Christ this namely the wine which was contained in the cup is one thing that bloud of the new Testament that is the thing it selfe of that sacrament is an other thing And therfore the enuntiation of Christ is rightly expressed in these words hoc est sanguis this is bloud What is the new testament in the bloud of Christ They acknowledge that the name of Testament is the same here that Couenant is who do take it to answere to the Hebrew name Berith and therfore to declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an agreement begun betweene them which first did disagree which signification doth especially heere accord although it commeth all to one reckoning whether we vnderstand the new couenant begun by the bloud of christ or the wil of christ dying which is signified by the word testamēt established confirmed by his own bloud shed For the particle In in the Hebrew phrase doth not signifie a simple coniunction inexistence or reall concomitancie as though it had beene said with my bloud but the cause the manner the instrument and the adiuuant cause of any thing as Psal 33.16 The King is not saued in multo exercitu that is by the multitude of an host and Rom. 5.2 In the bloud of Christ that is by the bloud as it is expounded Coloss 1.22 Rom. 3.14 But this Testament is not any corporal draught of the bloud of Christ or drinking of wine but it is the couenant of grace reconciliation or agreement and a couenant betweene God and the beleeuers wherein God doth promise vnto vs that he forgiueth vs our sins and giueth the holy Ghost righteousnes and life eternall of his meere mercie by faith for the bloud of Christ shed vpon the crosse and wee in like manner to binde ourselues to God to receiue these his benefits by true faith in Christ and to shew thankfulnes by true obedience towards him in the whole course of our life Of which couenant Esay speaketh chap. 59.24 and Ier. 31.31 and 32.40 Heb. 9 15. Gal. 3.17 Why said not the lord This is my body of the new Testament as he said this cup is the new testament in my bloud Because although the Testament or new couenant was established by the oblation of whole Christ and by the intercession of his death Heb. 9.15.16 yet notwithstanding his death was more euident in the bloud shed then in the matter it selfe of the flesh Therfore vnder the old couenant Moses said Exo. 24.8 Heb. 9.20 Behold the bloud of the couenant which the Lord hath made with you And therfore Christ that the relation of the truth might be more plaine he applied the appellation of the New Couenant rather to his bloud then to his bodie yet so that he excluded not his bodie the bloud whereof was shed from the confirmation of the couenant and redemption of the soule Add to this that when Christ had made mention of drinking wine which he calleth his bloud he remembred the new couenant because vnder the old the vse of bloud was forbidden a Leuit. 17. Verse 10.16 which in the other signe of bread was not necessarie to expresse Which is the other branch Which for you in Luke and for many in Mathew and Marke is shed for the remission of sinnes The subiect of which speech is the Relatiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which and it is referred properly to the bloud not to the wine Truly if you look to the construction of the words in Luke it must be referred to the cup but because neyther the cup nor the wine was shed for vs that subiect is altogether to be vnderstood of the bloud The predicate Effunditur is shed again by Enallage for Effundetur shall be shed as the common translation doth also expound it Yet the Lord doth seeme vpon set purpose in the institution of this mystery although speaking of a thing to come yet to haue vsed in both places the words of the Present Tense that the Disciples might be admonished that this is the vse of these signes that with the eyes of faith the things forthwith to be should be seene as it were alreadie present in them like as we must behold them in this action by faith as it were being before our eyes although alreadie performed long agoe that is to say the whole historie of the passion as if with these our eyes wee did see the bodie of Christ hanging and pierced through and the bloud dropping out of his wounds Therefore it is shed saith hee that is to say vpon the Crosse not into the cup or into a mouth whereby againe is signified in what manner the bloud of Christ is liuing drinke to vs not simplie as it is now clarified but as shed for vs and truly for you and for many Marke 14.24 although not for all but for the elect onely that is for their cause for the remission of sinnes which is a most exceeding wholesome end of the bloud of Christ shed not of the drinke of wine For of this it is said In remembrance of me but of the shedding of bloud For the remission of sinnes From whence doe you gather besides that Christ spake Tropically 1 From the nature and sacramentall speaches of all other Sacraments alreadie instituted from the beginning of the world wherein it commeth to passe that the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe it selfe or the signe is named for the thing signifyed as Genes 17.10.13 Circumcision is the Couenant that is the signe of the Couenant Exod. 12.11.27 The Lambe is the Passeouer that is the signe and memoriall of the Lord The Rocke was Christ that is a signe of Christ a Exod. 17.6 1. Cor. 10.4 2 From the knowne speech concerning the same Sacrament in Paule 1. Cor. 10.16 The bread which we breake is the communion of the bodie that is to say Metonymically like as the Gospell is called the power of God that is the effectuall instrument of God Rom. 1.16 And VVe that are many are one bread and one bodie And 1. Cor. 11.29 He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth drinketh his owne damnation which things vnlesse a trope be vsed cannot be vnderstood and the bodie it selfe of Christ cannot be said to be eaten but tropically 3 Because the Ascension of Christ into heauen and the veritie of the humane nature which hee tooke admitteth not a proper speech For Augustine teacheth That one place is not to bee interpreted so that it may be contrarie to many others but so that it may agree with many other De Doct. Christ 4 Because the Fathers had the same meate and drinke not only among themselues but also with vs that is to say in respect of the matter
1. Cor. 10.3 VVhat is the same but that which also wee haue saith Augustine Therefore the same meat and the same drink but to the vnderstanding and beleeuing But to the not vnderstanding that Manna alone Book de Vti lit paenitent vpon Ioh. tract 21 that water alone but to the beleeuers the same which now for then Christ was to come now he is come was to come and is come are diuers words but the same Christ 5 Because it could not be that Christ locally sitting at the table and communicating with the disciples as it is Mat. 26.29 I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the vine should himselfe eate himselfe really and corporally Did Christ Iesus take part of the same signes Truly no lesse then of the Paschall Lambe Concerning which let him which doubteth thinke 1 That the Lord Iesus sanctified the ordinarie Sacraments of both the Testaments in the vse thereof 2 And in instituting of the supper by his example went before in sayings doings that the whole Church may know that the first paterne is to be respected of her in that regard that it was the greatest cause why he did not abstaine whereupon Hierome saith ipse conuiua conuiuium ipse comedens qui comeditur that is Epist ad Hed. biam he is the guest and the feast he is eating and that which is eaten Is there that vertue and that sense of the words of Christ wherewith he instituted this Sacrament that as often as vpon the bread and wine they are recited by the Priest who hath a purpose to consecrate then the substance of bread and wine eyther by Analysis is resolued into the first matter or euen into nothing so that in steed thereof doe succeed the bodie and bloud of Christ or by a simple mutation is turned into the substance of the true bodie and of the true bloud of Christ so that the substance of bread is formed into the flesh of of Christ the bare accidents of breas and wine remayning hanging without a subiect God forbid 1 Because it were magicall to attribute the power of changing the substance of the signes to certaine words mumbled ouer 2 Because in expresse words of the Apostles and Euangelists the true natural substance of bread and wine is affirmed before and after consecration as they call it 1. Cor. 10.16.17 and 11.26 27.28 The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ And wee that are many are one bread and one bodie because we all are partakers of one bread and As often as yee shall eate this bread ye shew forth the Lords death till he come And Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. For whereas they say that it is called bread not which is now but which was before it is confirmed by no testimonie of Scripture or iudgement of sense and besides Math. 26.29 I will not drinke saith hee henceforth of this fruit of the Vine Thus spake Christ after consecration 3 Because the kingdome or God is not corporall meate and drinke Rom. 14.17 4 Because in the proposition the pronoune hoc this demonstratiue doth not demonstrate the bodie of Christ For the transubstantiation saith Thomas is not accomplished but in the last instāt of the pronouncing of the words neither doth it demonstrate the accidēts alone of the bread For the accidētes are not the body of Christ neither doth it demōstrate any wandring thing or singular thing vncertainly determined For there is no Indiuiduum or singular thing which is not something And therefore certaine not wandering vndetermined or indefinite and especially the Demonstratiue Hoc this doth signifie some certaine thing 5 Because it is a wicked thing to be thought and spoken that the bread it selfe is properly and substantially the bodie of Christ 6 Because of this conuersion neither doth the Scripture giue sentence nor sense or reason iudge as of the rod of Moses turned into a Serpent a Exod 4.3 and of the water turned into wine Iohn 2.9 Where the Euangelist said not simply Water but Made wine For the accidents of bread doe plainely shew that bread doth remaine and they which partake of those holy signes doe feele in themselues a taste of wine and the power of the bread and wine This is an vnanswerable reason Framed thus euerie miracle is sensible transubstantiation is not sensible therefore it is no miracle 7 Because the substance the accidents thereof remayning cannot perish neyther can the accidents subsist without a subiect nor be the accidents of bread which are not the accidents of bread 8 Because the substance being remooued and the nature of the signes the similitude affinitie habit relation and Analogie of the signes to the thing signified come to nothing For the bread signifieth the bodie of Christ because it nourisheth strengtheneth and sustaineth which accidents cannot doe 9 Because heere is no word of Christ which may signifie a conuersion or transubstantiation For the verb Est doth not signifie to be made to be changed to be turned And note that which is said to be made cannot properly be said to be for Esse to be and Fieri to be made are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say contradictorily 10 Because a carnall eating of the bodie of Christ is no where prooued in the Scriptures 11 Because it should follow that both the faithfull and vnbeleuers doe receiue the bodie of the Lord and his quickening spirit which neuer can be feuered from his bodie And Augustine saith that They doe not eate the bodie of Christ but which are in the bodie of Christ Because that bodie cannot be spoyled of quantitie nor in an instant and without locall motion be together in heauen in earth vnlesse vpon necessitie we should make an vbiquitie of Christs bodie which the verie transubstantiators do refuse to doe and the Fathers denie and they doe determine contrarie things which say that a bodie and the quantitie are truely present and yet not by meanes of the quantitie 13 Because now the bodie of Christ cannot be separated from the bloud nor the soule from his bodie and concerning Concomitancie there is nothing extant is the word of God 14 Because they write that Victor the third Bishop of Rome died hauing drunk poyson out of a chalice giuē him by his Subdeacon and that Henrie the seuenth Emperour of Lucelburge tooke poyson from the bread taken in the Eucharist by a Monke of Senens one of the preachers order 15 Because infinite discommodities doe follow this Transubstantiation as that the accidents must remaine without a subiect that if it happen that Mice do gnaw the bread they shal be said to gnaw accidēces or that if worms do breed of the bread it
shall be said that they are brought forth out of the accidences that although the bread be broken it shal be concluded that the accidences are broken with many of the like kinde all which are against the nature both of Christs sacrament and Christs bodie Is not the bread of the Supper at leastwise by a miracle turned into the bodie of Christ No. 1 Because such a miracle doth not affect the outward senses for miracles doe plainely shew a change if there be any made and doe runne into the eyes and the rest of the senses and doe strike men with admiration as the rod did being turned into a Serpent and the water when it was made wine 2 Because miracles are ceased 3 Because miracles although they are done besides and aboue yet not so against nature as that they doe ouerturne it 4 Because this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is contradictorily that a miracle which is an extraordinarie worke of God should bee done in an ordinarie Sacrament of the Church For miracles are extraordinarie works of God and of a certaine time and belong to certaine persons if you looke to the workers of miracles But the Sacraments doe belong to all times and to the vniuersall Church and are part of the ministerie of the Gospell wherin Christ dealeth after an ordinarie manner or by certaine and perpetuall ordination not making a miraculous change in the nature or in the qualities of the Elements 5 Miracles take not together away the substance or qualities naturall and also leaue them that is they doe not implie a contradiction as when the rod of Moses was turned into a Serpent it was not together a rod and a serpent But the miracle of Transubstantiaâ—ion taketh away the substance of bread and withall keepeth the properties of bread And it repugneth this immoueable and euerlasting principle of any thing whatsoeuer eyther the affâ—â—matâ—on or negation thereof is true that is to say euerie thing is or is not 6 For the faith or credit of miracles as that in the hands of Gregorie in his booke of the super at his praiers this Sacrament was turned into a fleshie fingâ—r sometime there appeared a little boy and that the Sacrament being bored through with Laurell stickes sent out bloud aâ—d that it was turned into coales and ashes in the time of Cyprian as he wâ—â—teth we doe thus imbrace them that they may be said to be done eyther to driue away vngracious and vnworthy men from so great a Sacrament or to declare and commend the dignitie thereof but not to confirme the superstition and error concerning Transubstantiation For we know that we must not beleeue false Prophets making meÌ„ by miracles to beleeue theÌ„ a Math. 24 2 Thess 2.9 that Antichrist shal come being famous for signes lying wonders Is not that true which Christ spake and can it not be performed by him No doubt it is and is also performed the question is not concerning the truth but concerning the sense of the words namely whether it be plainely affirmed by the words of Christ that the bodie and bloud of Christ together with the bread and wine are essentially actually really present vpon earth and really corporally in the mouth of the bodie although inuisiblie receiued as well of the godly as of the vngodly which thing we denie 1 Because the words of Christ do not beare it and they which hold Consubstantiation keepe not the words of Christ as they are most properly spoken but they follow a certaine sense For Christ neither said In or vnder this bread is my bodie but this that is this bread is my bodie which things doe as much differ betweene themselues as to be and to containe something And the visible bread it selfe not any thing hidden in the bread is called the bodie of the Lord. And the Schoole men themselues doe confesse that the letter of the words is not kept if for this is my bodie thou sayest heere or vnder bread is my bodie 2 Because a reall inexistence of the bodie of Christ In with or vnder the bread maketh nothing to the spirituall taking therof which notwithstanding is the finall cause of this Sacrament Seeing that faith being taught by the word of of God and more confirmed by those holy signes doth truly receiue the bodie of Christ being in heauen by the holy Ghosts working as the sayings do teach which bid vs seeke behold Christ in the heauens a Col 3.1 Moreouer a reall and bodily presence doth bring no profit which may not be had from the spirituall presence For Iohn 6.51.54.56 The Lord promised to them which eate him life eternall and also that he will dwell in them they in him what is required more then these things 3 Because the bodie of Christ is spirituall meat and therefore of the minde not of the bodie to be eaten with faith not with the mouth Neyther is it more difficult to faith to receiue the bodie being in heauen then in the bread or in the mouth and that which is more faith of her owne nature and force looketh vpward and is not excluded by any distances of times or places 4 Because how much is giuen to the Eucharist by an Hyperbole or exaltation so much is taken away from all other sacraments by a Tapeinosis or extenuation 5 Because the opinion of the inexistence of the bodie of Christ doth confirme the worshipping of bread and the carnall opinion concerning that iornall prouision necessary to saluation for them which are about to die 6 The nature of a bodie is ouerturned whiles that it is decreed that it is substantially in many places or euery where which thing agreeth to no creature For most truly Athananasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is That which is consubstantiall with God is euerie where And Chrysostome 2 Col. Hom. 5. Hee is God whose center is euerie where and circumference no where In like manner there is determined against nature that there is a thing not to be felt insensible inuisible vncircuÌ„scribed without qualitie quantitie forme and figure and yet corporally present that is a bodie without a bodie against the Essentiall properties of a true bodie whereby Christ prooued the true and essentiall presence of his bodie Luke 24.38.39 Iohn 20.27 saying Behold my hands and my feete For it is I my selfe handle mee and see For a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue For hee is said not to bee seene of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24.31 because he was taken from their sight But He denieth the nature it selfe which denieth the properties thereof or as Theodoret saith the taking away of the properties is the denying of both natures And that eistinction of corporal presence into visible and inuisible is a fained distinction For this abolisheth the manner of a bodie neither doth one nature receiue any thing contrarie and diuerse in it selfe
or as Damascen saith One nature is not made capable of contrary Substantiae things disagreeing 7 Because the presence of the bodie is opposed to a religious remembance 8 Because it should follow that the Apostles did eate the passible and mortall bodie and that Christ is not to be sought in the heauens 9 Because the heauens must receiue him and being receiued containe him vntil the time that all things be restored Act. 3.21 10 Because the like kinde of speaking is no where found in Scripture which is properly according to the letter to be vnderstood of two natures together and vnlike essences For it is not said water is wine or the rod is a serpent but water was turned vnto wine the rod into a serpent And as often as the first substāce that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc aliquid is predicated of another first substance in scripture the Enuntiation of that sort is figuratiue as the Rocke was Christ 1. Cor. 10.4 Christ is that lambe of God Iohn 1 29 Iohn is Elias Math. 11.14 Christ is the true vine Iohn 15.1 11 Because it is needfull to seeke for an othet sense whē the absurdity of the word or letter written do make against any Article of faith or against any manifest place of Scripture as this doth And to make sense of these words Hoc est corpus meum there are fourteene seuerall opinions amongst the Papists 12 Because when the Capernaits did imagine in their minde I know not what corporall eating of the flesh of Christ Christ drewe them backe from that conceipt saying That his words are spirit and life that the flesh profiteth nothing that is to say so eaten as the Capernaits did dreame And he obiected vnto them the mention of his Ascension into heauen Iohn 6.62.63 13 Because this opinion maketh that the bodie of Christ is common to the godly and vngodly which truly is no light discommoditie but a great impietie 14 No Sacrament can be fully expressed and vnderstood without a Trope For in all Sacraments it is most vsuall that the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe it selfe or the signe is named from the thing signified and that both for the conueniencie of the signe and the thing signified and also for the most certaine giuing and receiuing of the thing signified Whether doth the omnipotency of God take away the discommodities which follow transubstantiation consubstantiation It is not lawfull to reason Theologically from the Omnipotencie of God vnlesse the will of God goeth before plainly laid open in his expresse word For so Christ said to the Sadduces Math. 22.29 Ye are deceiued not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God Because we must looke not what God can doe absolutely but what he will doe for our God is in heauen saith the Psalme 115.3 He doth whatsoeuer he will not what he can Wherupon Tertullian Dei posse velle est non posse nolle that is de spiritu e◠Litera God can doe that which he will that which he will not that he cannot but that which he would both he could doe and he hath shewed it And Augustine saith God is omnipotent not because he can doe all things but because he can bring to passe whatsoeuer he will so that nothing can resist his wil or any way hinder the same but that it is fulfilled Which sayings are vnderstood of that absolute omnipotencie by which God is said that he can doe many things which notwithstanding he will not and therefore doth not but of the actuall and effectuall power wherby God bringeth to passe all things which he will For the will of God is conuerted with the actuall omnipotencie whereupon we rightly gather God will therefore he can doe and doth in like manner God can and doth therefore he will But it is absurd to gather God is omnipotent therefore he doth al things euen which he will not whereupon Damascene saith omnia quidē quae vult potest non vero quae potest vult potest enim perdere mundum sed non vult that is to say he can do all things which he will but he will not do all things which he can For he can destroy the world but he will not 2 We may not argue from the omnipotency of God to confirme that which containeth a contradiction as when any thing is said to be and also not to be or to be such a thing and also not to be such a thing in act and in deed Therefore the schoolemen doe affirme that God cannot make that contradictories may be together true Because a contradiction doth put to be and not to be togither which to doe is a point of impotency not of omnipotencie This Impossible is not a signe of weaknes but it is a token of exceeding great vertue and constancie So God cannot dy he cannot sin he cannot be deceiued he cannot ly a T it 1.2 Heb. 6.18 he cannot make a thing done vndone one that is begotten vnbegotten hee cannot bring to passe that if there be a thing defined there may not also be a definition thereof He therefore which saith indefinitely and simply that God can doe all things doth comprehend not onely good things but also the contrarie euils of these things which doe agree to the deuill and not to God as saith Theodoret verie well But those things which are said to be possible to God some of them are said to be simplie vnpossible by reason of his constant nature Some Hypothetically that is by a presupposall by reason of the constant and altogether vnchangeable truth of his decree and will God truly can simply bring to passe that that may be done which is not or that which is may cease to bee that a bodie may be a Spirit Also He is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham b Mat. 3.9 he is able to bring to passe that a Camell may goe through the eye of a needle c Math. 19 24.26 but not leauing him as he is by nature but making him so slender as is needfull to be done like as he is able to bring to passe that a rich man may enter into the kingdome of heauen not so long as he is such a one but changing him and teaching him to depend onely vpon one God But because it once pleased God that his son hauing taken vnto him flesh should be made our eternal brother like vnto vs in al things which doe appertaine to the naturall and substantiall truth of a bodie according to his creation a Heb. 2 17 4.15 Phil. 3.28 he will not haue things contrarie to nature which do destroy the humane nature in Christ assumed which do take it away and ouerturne the definition therof therefore potenter non potest that is powerfully hee is not able saith Augustine To bring to passe that the bodie of Christ may be together in act a body and not a bodie
together in act circumscribed and not circumscribed because these things are contradictorie But contrariwise we retort the argument drawne from omnipotencie God is omnipotent therfore he can bring to passe that we being in earth may partake of the true bodie of Christ being in heauen and therfore we do so though we are vpon earth and so need not a corporall Manducation Is it true which our aduersaries take for granted that Christ when he appeared to Paule in his iourney Act. 9.17 and stood by him in the Castle Act. 23.11 was in bodie both in heauen and on earth together No For it was a heauenly vision as it is said Act. 26.19 Which helpeth nothing the presence of the bodie of Christ in earth For Christ is said to haue talked with Paule not placed in earth but from heauen eyther without a corporall voyce the Lord powerfully imprinting into him the conceipt of speech or by a voyce framed from heauen which came to his cares like thunder And Act. 23.11 Noe man but seeth that it was a nocturnall vision which appeared not to his eyes but to his minde eyther in waking or dreaming But yet for some peculiar and extraordinarie apparitions wee must not depart from the vniuersall rule of faith whereby Christ is beleeued to possesse heauen in his bodie and there to remaine vntil the end of the world Yet notwithstanding we must not denie but that Christ in euerie moment is wheresoeuer and howsoeuer it pleaseth him according to his Maiesty not corporally but spiritually Is hee a manifest denier of the power of God which denieth that by his absolute power he doth bring to passe that the bodie continuing in his propertie may be in many places after another and diuers maner Hee is not yea rather because we denie that God can bring it to passe wee openly affirme the omnipotencie of God For seeing God is so ommipotent and effectuall that he is not contrarie to the truth he can in no manner of wise bring to passe that a thing may together be and not be that the same bodie may remaine in his propertie that is to retaine his dimensions and circumscripton and be the same bodie together and at one time present in many places and separated by a long space betweene Rightly therefore Cyrill Wilt thou grant also to another nature not diuine Book de Trin. 5 besides the diuine nature that it can fill all things and passe through all things and follow in all things No verily Is the contradiction taken away in the diuersitie of respects and of these names if it be said that the bodie of Christ in truth and verie deed is in heauen according to the naturall properties of a true bodie circumscriptiuely locally visibly and after a naturall manner and that it is by the power of God also in truth and in verie deed in many places or euerie where or in the supper but sacramentally inuisibly supernaturally illocally after a celestiall and miraculous manner and if it be said that the nature of Christ in the propertie of his nature is circumscribed and visible but in regard of the vnion vncircumscribed and inuisible In no wise because these distinctions or manners cannot bee prooued out of the scriptures Moreouer all such manners doe not alwaies excuse a contradiction as if one say that the bodie of Christ was dead according to the manner of death and at the same time was aliue according to the manner of life Finally contrarie modi or manners which doe destroy one another when they are put in doe not take away but confirme a contradiction But yet such a diuerse respect cannot bee graunted wherein one and the same thing may bee the same and bee not the same in trueth which is the first lie of the aduersaries neither is a manner to be feined which may take away the essence of a thing Wherefore seeing the bodie of Christ assumed is in act organical Physicall tempered together disposed and finite in his parts it cannot bee in act in many places by any meanes not Organicall vndisposed infinite or in manie planes although it bee adorned with vnspeakeable glorie because God is vnchangeably true neither will hee that an affirmation should be a negation against a principle vnmoueable Quodlibet est aut non est that is euery thing is or is not Whether as the eye hath not the force of seeing in it selfe but by reason of the vnion with the soule and receiueth it in the vnion so the flesh of Christ receiueth not those proper things in it selfe but hath them truely and really in that wonderfull vnion No because things vnlike and in kinde diuers are compared together For the eye is so ordained by nature that it is a naturall proper and necessarie instrument whereby the sensitiue life doth exercise and accomplish her facultie of seeing and without which it cannot bring forth this faculty into effect But the flesh of Christ is so ordained by nature that it is a naturall proper and necessarie instrument whereby the diuine nature alone may shewe forth his omni presence and inuisibilitie and so necessarie that without it the diuine nature in the Act it selfe cannot be omnipresent norinuisible Furthermore the flesh of Christ is not considered in it selfe or out of the vnion seeing that that flesh neither is nor hath beene nor euer shall be out of that vnion Moreouer one nature receiueth not any contrarie thing or diuers in it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it selfe but it is a thing diuerse farre vnlike to be circumscribed in a place and to be euery where Otherwise wee should say that the humane nature of Christ hath a beginning in it selfe and hath not a beginning in the vnion that it is created in the proprietie of it owne nature and that it is not created in the vnion That it is lesse then the Angels in it owne nature but in the vnion equall to the father finally that it is dead in it selfe and not deade in the vnion or for the vnion or for the cause and respect of the vnion Must wee altogether abandon mans reason and the principles of Philosophie in those things which are affirmed concerning the body of Christ No so farre forth as mans reason beeing made spirituall after Regeneration beareth true witnesse to the creatures and affirmeth true principles concerning things proper to mans bodie For it is written Be yee not like a horse or like a mule which vnderstand not Psal 32.9 besides God is the author of all trueth in Logick Ethicks and Physicks Moreouer Christ after his resurrection appearing to the Disciples when hee would proue his owne bodie to be substantially present he reasoneth from his adioyned visibilitie and palpability and appealeth to the verie senses of the Disciples a Luk. 24.36 Like as from all the accidents of the bread of the Eucharist it is rightly gathered that it is the substance of bread by experiment of all the
senses all which truely together cannot bee deceiued vnlesse they bee withholden as in the two Disciples which did thinke the Lord to be some stranger and in Marie Magdalene which supposed that he had beene the gardiner Luk. 24.16 Ioh. 20.15 Whether vnlesse the bodie of Christ be determined to be euery where by this is it separated and pulled asunder from the Diuine nature which is eueriewhere and to which it selfe is personally vnited or hath the body of the Lord obtained that by the vnion that it should be wheresoeuer the word is In no wise because of those things which are equally vnited so as one doth not stretch further then another one cannot be in any place where the other is not but if the one doe stretch further then wheresoeuer the lesse is there also is the greater but not contrariwise as wee may see in a precious stone and in a ring Because therefore the diuinitie of Christ doth exceede the humanitie wheresoeuer the humanity is there is the diuinitie with it not on the contrarie Neither is the personall vnion a making euen of the humane nature with the Diuine or an effusion of the properties of the Diuine nature into the humane that the humane nature may haue the same properties which the diuine hath but it is such an vnion wherby the humane nature doth subsist in the person of the word so as it may be as it were a part therof neither may it subsist by it selfe or without the word But it doth not follow Epist 57. ad Dard. saith Augustine that that which is in God is euery where as God is Moreouer seing that the deitie is euery where whole not by parts not as in a place it cannot be that the humane nature which it assumed can be said to be separated any where from it although it be contained onely in it owne place so as the inuiolable truth thereof doth beare But also the bodie of the sunne and the light thereof haue betweene themselues a naturall and extreme coniunction yet notwithstaÌ„ding to what places soeuer the light doth extend it self the body doth not come to them really So also the eye the sight are verie neerly ioyned together between themselues yet the sight goeth to many things to which the eye doth not extend it selfe Finally rightly said those ancient fathers in the general council of Chalcedon that the difference of natures in Christ is not taken away for the vnion but rather that the propertie is kept of both natures concurring into one person or one hypostasis But whether did that which Christ said Ioh. 3.13 No man ascendeth vp to heauen but the sonne of man which is in heauen make the humane nature of Christ while it was in earth to haue beene also at the same time in heauen No for the Sonne of man in this place signifieth the whole person of Christ which also is the Sonne of God but the humane nature doth signifie onely one part of that person which was assumed in time of the virgin Therefore that which is spoken of this person which is not man onely but also God is amisse said to be spoken of the humane nature also For by this it should be gathered that the humane nature was before Abraham before it was conceiued in the wombe of the virgine But it is certaine that the sonne of God when hee did speake in earth was in heauen in the same manner wherein hee descended from heauen For Christ doth speake of one and the same subiect that is of the sonne of man that he descended from heauen concerning whom he said that he is in heauen But the son of maÌ„ is said to haue desceÌ„ded not because his flesh fell downe from heauen but because the diuine nature is from heauen and tooke vnto it humane flesh Therefore the sonne of man when hee was vpon earth is so said to haue beene in heauen not because the humane nature but because the diuine nature of this sonne which alwaies filleth heauen and earth was in heauen namely by the Trope Synecdoche wherby both the whole is plainely vnderstood Booke 6. cap. and a part is named of the whole saith Cassian It is not vniust to subiect the nature of Christs glorious body which is called spirituall to the lawes of common nature In no wise because the glorie abolished not the trueth of the bodie nor changed it into a spirit but altogether made it subiect to the spirit a Luk. 24.36 Acts. 1.9 10 11. 7.55 56 Aug. Whether doe the Orthodoxall Fathers when they write that the bread which the Lord did reach to the Disciples not changed in forme but in nature by the almightie power of his word was made flesh Cyprian Serm. de caena domini In prologe Psal 33 That Christ bare himselfe in his hands Augustine That the bodie of the Lord doth enter into our mouth That the tongue is made bloudie with the bloud of Christ and that Christ himselfe is seene touched broken and that teeth are fastned to his flesh whither doe they I say b Chrysost Hom. 83. vpon Math. 45. vpoÌ„ Iohn hom 24 vpoÌ„ 1. Cor. speake properly and without trope No seeing that the senses themselues and experience do witnesse the contrarie and these things cannot bee spoken properly without great and Capernaiticall blasphemy Therefore those speaches of the fathers are figuratiue whereby the name and effects of bodie and bloud are giuen to bread and wine and in like manner those things which are done in the signes are attributed to the bodie and bloud of Christ but yet although somewhat hardly and by an hyperbole to commend the worthinesse of the mysterie they doe shewe in these most expresse figuratiue and Metonimicall phrases how certaine and effectuall the mystery is of our communion with Christ or our spirituall eating of Christ namely of such sort that we may bee flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones that is that being truely made one with him wee may enioy all his goods b Ephe. 5.30 In epist vpon Ioh tractat 1 serm de Crâ—mate Epist 102 ad Euodium Otherwise saith Augustin We cannot with the hand handle Christ fitting in heaueÌ„ but we can touch Christ by faith And Tract vpon Io. 50. The bodie of Christ ascended into heauen some body may aske How shal I hold him being absent How shal I send my hands into heauen that I may hold him sitting there Send thy faith thou hast hold on him And vpon Ps 73. he writeth that he did beare himself in his owne hands after a sort namely because he did beare in his own hands the SacrameÌ„t of his bodie And Cyprian saith that Sacraments haue the names of those things which they doe signifie And the same Augustin Neither let it moue thee saith he that somtime the thing which doth signifie doth take the name of that thing which it signifieth for so the rock is called
spiritually fed with my bodie giuen for you and my bloud shed for you and are nourished by it to life eternall Why had the Lord rather vse this phrase This is my bodie and this is my bloud then to say this signifieth my bodie and my bloud Because the word of signifying worthily seemed vnto him somewhat light and he would more expresly declare that those signes are not propounded that they may bee considered as they are in themselues but that it behoueth the receiuers so to behold and spiritually to apprehend with the eyes of a faithfull minde those things only in those signes which are represented by them as if that breade and that wine were not the signes of those things but those things themselues which they doe signifie Whether if the bodie of Christ bee denyed to bee in the bread of the Supper therefore Christ himselfe is said to bee altogether absent from his Supper No yet so that whole Christ is present but not the whole for Christ man is truely present 1. By the grace and operation of his spirit Where two or three are gathered together in his name Mat. 18.20 2. And by his power and maiestie a Math. 28.20 Heb. 7.26 3. That he which being absent in bodie and made higher then the Heauens yet may be whole most present by his vertue wherby he doth spiritually communicate both himselfe and all his great things to vs truely by faith 4. And by the promise of the Gospell he doth lift vp the hearts of the faithfull to himselfe euen into heauen that there they may behold namely in the celestiall sanctuarie the sacrifice offered vpon the crosse so may feed vpon it by faith Finally Christ doth truely and fully without all doubt accompish that which he promised Is the bodie of the Lord truely and Substantially present in the Supper It is present not truely by conuersion of the whole substance that is both of the matter and forme of the bread and wine into the bodie and bloud of the Lord either by impanation or assumption of the bread or locall inclusion not as an infant in the cradle for neither is it present in outward signes by in existence or indistance nor in regard of the place where the bread is neither also is it present in the bodies of men or is put into the mouth for if you respect the place the bodie of Christ is in heauen circumscribed But in the minds of the faithfull and in regard of the faith of a man lawfully vsing the holy Supper of the Lord. For that is the strength of faith that it may ioyne together most streightly things neuer so much distant asunder Therefore a true and liuely presence of the bodie of Christ in the Supper and communion of him with the beleeuers in the ministerie of the Sacraments is not reiected but onely that manner of presence which is fained at the bread is denyed Are these propositions contradictorie Christ is corporally in heauen and Christ with his body and bloud is in the Supper Not a whit because this latter is nor rightly vnâ—erstood of the presence at the place of bread but of the communion with man which is sealed and exhibited by the rite of the Supper Is not the Supper of Christ made voide if the very flesh of Christ be determined to be so farre essentially absent from this action as the heauens are from the earth In no wise because the bodie it selfe and bloud of Christ are set forth in these mysteries not simply and so farre forth as they are things subsisting in themselues but to be coÌ„sidered intellectually and are offered to the minde not to the bodie to faith not to the senses to be taken also in the mind by faith alone For truely like as those things which are heard are to be perceiued by the hearing those things which are seene by the sight so also those things which are vnderstoode by the vnderstanding so those things which are beleeued by faith neither are these things alike present to their obiects But the perceiuing of faith is a great deale more certain then all comprehension of the senses or of reason how faith can make a thing present Paule declareth Gal. 3.1 where hee saith that Christ was described in their sight and among them crucified Are earthly and celestiall gifts present after the same manner of presence Not after the same because there is no other presence of Christ in the seale of grace then in the word or promise of grace But the presence of Christ Iesus in the word adde also in baptisme yea in the whole ministerie is only spirituall not corporall or locall For as there is not made an inclusion of Christ in the voice of the minister outwardly sounding so neither in the Sacramental symbols or signes For Paul saith that Wee whiles we are strangers in the bodie are absent from the Lord and doe walke by faith and not by sight 2. Cor. 5.6.7 Neither that wee know Christ henceforth after the flesh but after the spirit vers 16. Also that Christ is aboue Col. 3.1 That Christ shall descend from heauen in the day of iudgement 1. Thess 4.16 And truely that he shall come not daily and euery moment and otherwise then he ascended that is to say inuisibly and vncircumscriptiuely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in that manner not otherwise wherein he was seene to ascend into heauen a Act. 1.11 Wherfore the presence of Christ also in the Supper is spirituall which you may call celestiall Diuine supernaturall but not corporall or natural Which therefore is the thing signified of the Lords Supper Christ himselfe offering himselfe with all his benefits spiritually to bee apprehended in our mindes by faith for in the Lords supper wee are made partakers not onely of the operation or of the benefits and gifts of Christ but of the substance of the liuing bodie of Christ What is vnderstood by naming of bodie and bloud in the Attribute of these propositions This is my bodie and This is my bloud Not a signe thereof which some fathers call a Sacramentall bodie that is to say Sacramentally vnderstood euen as when they say that the bodie of the Lord is seene touched brused with the teeth doth fall vpon the earth is created made consumed Also not the mystical body which is the Church a Eh. 5.32 Eph. 23 For so the faithfull should seeme to cate either the signes alone or the Church although we doe not deny this that the mysticall bodie is shadowed and moreouer established by the signes of bread anâ— wine b 1 Cor. 10 16 but Synecdochically the whole humanitie of Christ both altogether and in respect of parts the true and naturall bodie of Christ deliuered for vs crucified and buried The true bloud shed for vs and his true soule yea also the whole person of Christ For truely his humanitie without the Deitie of the word
which is life it selfe and the fountaine of life cannot bee the bread of life to vs c Ioh. 14 Neither can the humanitie be separated from the word neither can the humanitie subsist without the Diuinite and his benefits without the whole person and therefore the one without the other are neither giuen nor receiued VVhether in the Supper of the Lord for the thing it selfe of the Sacrament doe wee partake of his merits alone or the liuely operation gifts or benefits of Christ without Christ himself that is without participation of the body and bloud of Christ or doe we partake of Christ himselfe with his benefits Truely Christ himselfe with al his benefits both those which are giuen to vs by imputation alone and also those which are giuen by reall efficacie 1. Because Christ himselfe one and the same God and man is that liuing bread from whom life eternall doth flowe to vs d Ioh. 6.51 and is eaten of them which are endued with true faith 2. Because bread and wine are holy signes not onely of the death and benefits but of the bodie and bloud of Christ 3. Because Paule doth plainly affirme it e 1 Cor. 10.16 we ought to haue a coÌ„munion with the body it self bloud it selfe of Christ that we may be partakers of his benefits For those benefits that liuely vertue or operation which sustaineth our soules vnto life eternall cannot be seuered from the bodie and bloud of Christ and moreouer not from Christ himself to whom it cleaueth a Ioh. 5.11 no more then the effect from the cause conteining it or the qualitie from the subiect in which it is properly inherent and from which it issueth because as Cyrill saith The spirit in Christ is ioyned chiefly with the flesh of Christ and the flesh also with the spirit so that wee can neither take his flesh without the operation nor the operation without the flesh neither in the plaine worde or in the Sacraments 4. Because he which imbraceth the promises of the Gospell by faith is made partaker of Christ b Heb 3.14 5. Because the verie words of Christ doe most clearely witnesse it Take eate this is my bodie Therefore it is needfull that the bodie of Christ should bee receiued and eaten of the faithfull 6. Because the true communion with Christ himselfe God and man is established in baptisme Therefore wee must determine that the same thing is done in the Supper 7. Because the Analogie of receiuing eating of bread wine should be lost vnlesse we should spiritually receiue Christ himselfe but that we may receiue the strength of nourishing which is in the bread it is needfull that we should receiue the bread it selfe 8. Because like as we dye in Adam because we are ioyned together with him by a naturall participation so we do liue in a spirituall life in Christ and we drawe it from Christ by reason of the spirituall participation with Christ c 1 Cor. 15.22 9 Because the Scripture euery where teacheth that the Church is one bodie of one head but truely it cannot be imagined that life doth come from the head to the bodie without the ioyning together of them both 10. Because they which stick to the accidents alone and leaue the substance are in no Science to bee suffered But the death of Christ and his benefits are reckoned among the accidents Therfore it is an intollerable thing to propound the benefits of Christ alone and not Christ himselfe But this we adde like as in the plaine worde the word preached shewing Christ to vs by voice is perceiued by the sense of the eares but Christ himselfe signified by the word preached is not receiued but by the vnderstanding beleeuing and in baptisme the bodie is dipped in the water but the minde of the beleeuer is washed with the bloud signified by the water So in the Supper the bodie is fed with that bread and that wine but the soule of the beleeuer is made fat with the flesh and bloud of the Lord as Tertullian speaketh Manduâ—atio Corporissed non manducatio corporalis Therefore there is an eating of the bodie but not a bodily eating but of faith or spirituall like as the coniunction is spirituall mysticall and supernaturall for as much as it is made by the apprehension of faith by the efficacie of the holy Ghost and also in like manner the presence of the bodie of Christ is spirituall For if our sight in a moment of time be ioyned with the bodie of the sun much more is faith conioyned with Christ himselfe and moreouer with his bodie placed in heauen Can this proposition be endured The bodie of Christ is exhibited with the bread If you do referre the word with to the time wherein the faithfull doe vse the Supper that the sense may bee When a faithfull man vsing the Supper doth eate the bread of the Lord and drinketh the wine of the Lord he is made partaker not only of earthly gifts but also of heauenly that is to say of the bodie of Christ and of the bloud of the same then truely wee doe in no manner of wise mislike that proposition But if any doe referre it being taken together with the other two particles In and sub that is in and vnder to the place that is to ordaine a presence of the inuisible bodie of Christ In cum sub pane that is in with vnder the bread wee doe worthily reiect this consubstantiation inexistence and indistance seing that this is neither expressed in the words of Christ nor can rightly bee drawne out from them Of how many sorts is this vnion or coniunction in the vse of the Lords Supper Twofold one of the bodie and bloud of Christ with the bread and wine which is called Sacramentall and belongeth to the forme of the Sacrament Another is the coniunction of the same bodie and bloud of Christ with the beleeuers which although spirituall is called the mysticall reall and substantiall communion or communication and fruition of the bodie and bloud of Christ which is exhibited vnder the holy symboles of the Supper Calu. Inst b 4. c. 17 sect 19 33 and belongeth to the end of the Sacrament Notwithstanding a mixture or transfusion of the flesh of Christ is not to be imagined in our soule because it sufficeth that Christ doth breath life into our soules from the substance of his flesh yea rather doth powre into vs his owne life although the flesh it selfe of Christ doth not enter into vs. Of what qualitie is the coniunction of the signes and of the thing signified in the supper of the Lord Not consubstantiall or naturall which may make a presence of the thing signified at the place of the signe 1. Because the words of the institution do by no meanes beare it 2. It is manifest that Christ sate placed with the Disciples at the table really and corporally 3. Neither are Sacraments
and professe openly that you doe beleeue and imbrace them For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to shew is not to expresse any thing by similitude of fact or to represent by stage playing gestures but to declare and shew Neyther ought it to bee restrained to the Priests alone for seeing that whiles we are strangers in the bodie we are absent from the Lord a 2 Cor 5.6.7 we doe by this remember the Lord Iesus which is in the heauens which thing hee himselfe commaundeth vs doe till he commeth to iudgement signifying that the Church shall continue vntill that iudgement he would not haue commaunded it if he had determined to remaine with his corporally For memorie is opposite to bodily presence because remembrance is not of things to come nor of things present but of things past Of what qualitie ought that remembrance to bee Not any bare or idle remembrance of a thing past which nothing appertaineth vnto vs but operatiue and such whereby the faithfull minde in the vse of this Sacrament doth by faith lay hold vpon Christ with all his benefits doth apply to himselfe particularly and so cals to minde the sacrifice past and once performed in the flesh that thereby it feeleth present comfort gladnesse of minde peace of conscience increase of faith and of loue and moreouer doth conceiue most certaine hope of the life and happinesse to come by reason of that sacrifice Finally it is stirred vp to consider of so great loue of Christ and to offer vnto him by faith the sacrifice of prayse and to giue him thanks b Psal 50 23 From which end we doe againe vnderstand that the supper is not ordayned that it may be a reall and expiatorie or appeasing sacrifice for the quicke and the dead but a solemne and publicke thankesgiuing for the incarnation death redemption and all the benefits of Christ Which are the causes for which Christ ordained the memorie of himselfe to be celebrated amongst vs 1 His great loue the propertie whereof is that they which doe loue sincerely and from the heart do desire to liue in their minds and memorie Whereupon wee gather that Christ is neuer vnmindfull of vs. 2 The faithfull prouidence of Christ whereby hee prouided for his beloued that the benefits bestowed might truly profit and enioy their end For as by the forgetfulnesse of the benefactors a benefit receiued is lost so by memorie it is especially kept What is it to shew the death of the Lord Not onely to meditate vpon the historie but also to thinke earnestly 1 Of the iustice and wrath of God against sinne which are seene in this sacrifice 2 Of the great mercie of God towards vs. 3 Of the loue of the sonne towards mankind For so great is the seueritie of Gods iustice and the weight of sinne that there may be no reconciliation made vnlesse the penaltie due to sinne should be paid so great is the greatnesse of his anger that the eternall Father may not be pacified but by the intreatie and death of the sonne His mercie so great that the sonne is giuen for vs. So great is the loue of the sonne towards vs that he deriued this true and great anger vnto himselfe being made a sacrifice for vs doth make vs partakers of his flesh and bloud all which in the vse of the supper we must speak of meditate vpon that we may be truly feared by the acknowledgement of Gods anger we may be truly grieued for our sinnes and againe may be lifted vp with true comfort And finally that wee may celebrate our Lord Iesus Christ with true thankefulnesse heart mouth and life Is Christ to be adored in the bread of the Supper No. 1 Because he is not there present with his bodie 2 Neyther hath hee in his word tyed himselfe to the bread Therefore he is to be adored in the mysteries as saith Ambrose that is in the celebration of the supper in that he is God and in respect that he is God and man together yet so as that we rest not in the supper but that we may lift vp the eyes of faith and our hearts not to a peece of bread but into heauen where he is sitting at the right hand of God a Coll 3.1 whether also in time past the people in the administration of the supper were inuited while they were admonished Habere sursum corda that is to lift vp their hearts Not that they should bee yet taught to seeke downeward for the bodie and bloud of our Lord present in Essence either in the accidents without the subiect or in vnder or with the bread but rather to seek for him in heauen that selfesame flesh long agoe deliuered for vs and that bloud shed for vs to be touched and laid hold vpon with the hand of faith Wherefore euerie one of the Disciples did not rise that falling downe vpon their knees they might take bread and that wine out of his hand And in the little booke of Constitutions ascribed to Clement the people are commaunded to come with a certaine shame fast reuerence without tumult But concerning the shewing or lifting vp of the Sacrament we confesse that it was the custome in the ancient Church that the whole Sacrament couered with a cleane linnen cloath should be set vpon the holy table vntil it should be distributed to the people For then the minister of the Church the linnē being taken away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Dionysius that is opening the mysteries did set them before the eyes of those which were present In the Lyturgy also of Chrysostome he saith that the Priest was woont to lift the holy bread a little while from the table not aboue his head to say with a loud voyce Sancta sanctis that is holy things for holy men surely in imitation of the Iewish custome among whom the Priest being about the sacrifices did shew before hand the oblation before his breast and did lift it vp a Exod. 29 24.27 Leuit. 10.15 But not in any other respect then that the people should prepare themselues to the communion But now seeing that the eleuation of the bread aboue the Priests head is the sinew of Bread-worship and prescribed neyther by Christ nor of the Apostles nor obserued in the most ancient and purest Church it is rightly taken away in Euangelicall Churches Is that which is left of the Supper to be laid vp to be caried about to be seene or to be adored as though some holines did remaine inherent in it Much lesse for the Sacraments out of the holy and lawfull vse or out of the taking of them prescribed in these words Take eate take drinke are not Sacraments like as neyther water is the water of baptisme vnlesse some body be dipped in it as is meet but when any bodie hath beene dipped or sprinckled with water the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost being called
fulnesse of Christ Ephes 5.30 and 4.13 Of which place Zanchius in his comment vpon it discourseth most learnedly What therefore is that which is conioyned vnto vs Christ according to himselfe and according to his effect and grace that is Christ himselfe whole but yet spiritually and to bee considered in minde together with all his merits How is this vnion made whether by a reall actuall and corporall inuisible falling downe of Christs flesh into vs and by a naturall touching with ours or by a connexion contiguitie locall indistance orall perception or by an essentiall commixtion of the flesh of Christ and ours or by an ingresse of his bodie and soule or by a corporall coniunction By none of these For the veritie of the flesh of Christ and his ascension into heauen doe not suffer this Besides also out of so many substances of diuers bodies there should grow a most monstrous bodie but by a copulation or connexion altogether spirituall and supernaturall yet reall and true altogether after a diuine and heauenly manner For if the things which are vnited be respected it is an Essentiall vnion If the truth of the vnion it is reall But if the manner whereby this vnion is made it is spirituall That there is such an vnion it is truly manifest vnto vs out of the both simple sacramentall word of God but for the forme which may containe the exact definition thereof the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very being of it how it is which some doe importunately require of vs the Apostle by the best right calleth a great mysterie Ephes 5.32 They shall be two in one flesh The reason whereof is such that we cannot in our mindes comprehend it For it is spoken Contradictorily that any thing is accuratelie declared eyther that the forme therof or formal cause is accuratly knowne and is secret For now wee see through a glasse darkely but then shall wee see face to face Now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne And wee walke by faith not by sight 1. Cor. 13.9.12 and 2. Cor. 5.7 And it is enough in this mysterie to know the efficient cause with the finall and adiuuant causes For also in actions wee then know chiefely when wee see the beginning of the motion saith the chiefe of the Phylosophers booke third that is when wee haue knowen the efficient cause Which is the proper cause or the meanes and the Energeticall that is efficient cause of this our communion with Christ The operation efficacie and working of the holy Ghost doth cause that a man receiueth Christ together with his merits For as the sinewes comming from the braine are scattered into the integrall parts of the liuing bodie and doe ioyne the middle low panch armes hands feet both to the head also to the members by a conueniēt situation function of euery part remaining safe So one the same spirit of Christ comprehending vs a Phi. 3.12 doth so make vs partakers of him that cleauing fast both to Christ the head to his members more straightly and more strongly then the members of the naturall bodie to the bodie wee may neuer be separated from him and from them as Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 12.12 As the bodie is one and hath many members and all the member of the bodie which is one though they be many yet are but one bodie euen so is Christ For so collectiuely by a word taken from the head he calleth both Christ who is the head and the mysticall bodie of that head which is the Church Whereby it commeth to passe from that great bounty of our Sauiour that Christ also himselfe becommeth so neerely ours and we likewise his that before the fathers iudgement seat Christ and the Church not by a hypostaticall ioyning of substances but by a mysticall belonging to this communion are as it were one and the same subsistence and wee are taken to be one Christ most effectually For by one spirit wee all are baptized into one bodie saith the same Apostle that is that we should be gathered into one bodie of Christ and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit that is with one liuely draught of the Lords bloud b 3.19 Wee are made partakers of his one spirit 1. Corinth 12.13 And Irenaeus saith like as of drie wheat one lumpe cannot bee made without moysture nor one bread So neyther we being many could not haue beene made one in Christ Iesus without the water which is from heauē Therefore Paule 1. Cor. 6.17 He that is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit with him whereupon also it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The communion of the holy Ghost a 2 Cor. 13 13 And 1. Iohn 3.24 Heereby we know that Christ abideth in vs euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. And Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Therefore like as by one and the same soule all the members of the bodie are vnited with the head and are quickened so all the faithfull although they be in earth and their head in heauen yet in verie deed by one and the same spirit issuing from the head and by euerie ioynt of the mysticall bodie yeelding nourishment are vnited with him and being knit together doe abide liue and receiue increase according to the measure of euerie part Ephes 4.16 Gal. 3.5 By what meanes doe wee in like manner communicate with the flesh of Christ Not by nature as wee communicate with the flesh of Adam nor yet by a naturall and corporall instrument but by one supernaturall and spirituall that is by faith alone created in vs by that selfe same spirit whereby Christ doth comprehend vs a Phil. 3.12 by which we doe receiue lay hold vpon and as it were by an instrumentall cause possesse Christ himselfe Concerning which manner Ephes 3.17 the Apostle saith That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Therfore wee are vnited to Christ by faith Therefore this vnion is made by the Spirit in respect of Christ and by faith in respect of vs. Neyther is their any other manner of vnion with Christ deliuered in the scriptures They erre therefore which say that faith is the formall cause of our vnion with Christ or of our iustification seeing that it is as it were a spirituall hand which receiueth Christ and his merits applied vnto it selfe by the holy Ghost Which are the outward instruments of this communion The Gospell and the Sacraments whereupon it is called the communion or fellowship of the Gospell b Phil. 1.5 because by the preaching of the Gospell and vse of the sacraments wee haue fellowship with Christ and his Church 1. Iohn 1.3 Is this sacramentall coniunction of vs with Christ necessarie It is being as it were the cause of all things which we haue in Chist and no other besides this for as the
branch draweth not iuice from the vine except first it groweth with the vine and the members haue not sense and motion from the head except they sticke together with the head so except we bee partakers first of all of Christ himselfe we cannot be partakers of his gifts for he saith the Lord Which abideth not in mee is cast forth as a branch and withereth c Ioh. 15.6 and how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also d Rom. 8.32 And from the coniunction of Christ and vs the same Paule testifyeth that a communion followeth of his benefits 1. Cor. 1.30 saying Of him ye are in Christ Iesus where thou hast the coniunction of Christ and of vs then it followeth Who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption where you haue in the second place the participation of his benefits When as the Fathers doe plainely affirme that Christ is in vs corporally naturally by naturall participation by corporall vnion or according to the flesh and as waxe melted in in the fire is mingled with other wax likewise melted a Cyril vpoÌ„ Ioh b. 10 Chap. 13 so by the communication of the bodie and bloud of Christ that he is in vs and we in him Whether doe they referre these sayings to the manner of the presence of the participation and vnion No. For the same Fathers doe decree that Christ is in heauen with his flesh in no other place The same doth Cyrill book 11. chap. 21. and 22. besides the manner of our vnion with Christ is spirituall not corporall but yet they looke to the terme or to the thing which is participated or to the obiect of this communication that is to the true and naturall bodie it selfe of Christ Neyther doe they vnderstand a participation which is made after a naturall manner but a true participation of the naturall bodie of Christ To whom although separated by space of places wee are ioyned spiritually by faith that wee may knowe that wholy in bodie and soule wee doe cleaue not onely to his Deitie but to the substance and nature of his flesh as members to the head and are engrafted by the bond of the spirit and by faith And also they doe teach that the foundation of this our coniunction with him is that nature by taking whereof he is made our brother and moreouer that we are vnited with Christ not only according to the spirit Nullum Simile qâ—atuor Pedibus cur rit but also according to the bodie To which also belongeth the permixtion of the waxe melted For no simile runneth with foure feete that is agreeth in all things For it is certaine that neyther our bodie nor the bodie of Christ is molten that they may be vnited together Therefore neither is there cause why wee should imagine any naturall touching but spirituall onely whereby as waxe to waxe so the flesh of Christ may be most streightly vnited to our flesh according to that They shall be two in one flesh that is to say Christ and the Church How are the faithfull said to be partakers of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1.4 Not in respect of the nature or essence of God for he is incommunicable but of qualities and that of the greatest and most pretious gifts wherwith the regenerate are endewed by the holy Ghost which Peter calleth not the nature of God which is essentiall but the diuine nature being a created qualitie opposite to our old and vicious nature and affirmeth that it is promised of God to the faithfull and performed to them and comprehendeth those things which belong to life and religion and also that most blessed immortalitie when God shall be all in all his Whether is our soule onely without the bodie ioyned with the soule onely of Christ or also our flesh with the flesh of Christ Yea the whole person of euerie faithfull man is truly conioyned with the whole person of Christ 1 Because the whole person of Adam was coupled with the whole person of Eue. 2 Because not the soule alone of the faithfull man or the body alone is saued by Christ but both 3 Because our bodies are the members of Christ 4 Because the whole person of the Sonne of God tooke into the vnitie of himselfe whole man that is the whole humane nature not flesh alone nor soule alone but both together 5 Because whole Christ in his Deitie and humanitie that is in his soule and in his flesh is our head and our Sauiour But yet that coniunction of vs with Christ doth appertaine first of all to our soule and then it redoundeth to the bodie To which first is our minde and by consequence our flesh ioyned to the word or to the flesh First we are vnited to the flesh by faith and then zanch de incarnatione Christi by the flesh to his Deitie 1 Because as the scripture doth set forth Christ to vs first as man and then as God so first and sooner we know apprehend and vnderstand him as man then as God a Gen. 3.15 Deut 18.15 as Isaiah 7.14 where first it is said Behold the virgin shall conceiue and beare a sonne and 2. he shall be called Immanuell So the Euangelists and Apostles doe set forth Christ vnto vs first as man and then as God 2 Because like as wee are not vnited to God but by a Mediatour so neither to the Godhead of Christ but by his flesh in which hee performed the chiefe offices of a Mediatour For in his flesh was made redemption sinne destroyed the diuell conquered death ouercome eternall life and saluation obtained and the life which wholy flowed from the fulnesse of Christs Godhead as it were from a fountaine is not deriued into vs but in the flesh by the flesh of Christ as it were a pipe or instrument but yet inseâ—arably taken from the godhead by the vnitie of person a Româ— 5.12 As by one man commeth sinne So by one man righteousnesse hath abounded Iohn 6.53 Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man ye haue no life in you Vnlesse therefore a man doe lay hold vpon this pipe and be vnited to it truely hee cannot be partaker of the waters which flow from the fountaine Whereupon it behooueth vs in the exercise of faith and pietie to fasten and fixe the eyes of our minde immediately and especially vpon the humane flesh of Iesus Christ as it were vpon a vaile by which an ingresse was made into sanctum sanctorum that is the holy of holiest where the glorie of God shineth b Leuit. 16 2 12 Heb. 6.19 10.20 and moreouer to penetrate as it were into the sanctuarie it selfe to behold his deitie Seeing the end why we are vnited to the flesh of Christ is that being quickened by it we may liue a life eternall by what meanes is the flesh of Christ that is the humanitie quickening vs Not by habituall grace as they
speake in schooles but by grace onely of vnion not by any vertue ingrafted into the flesh it selfe as if the power of quickening were really powred forth into the flesh of Christ or this were adorned with it in it selfe or that life were in it selfe or quickening in it selfe for it is a propertie incommunicable of the godhead alone to quicken For as Cyril saith It agreeth to God alone to be able to quicken that which is void of life b De Recta Fide ad Reginas But first by reason of vnion because it is the proper flesh of the word quickening all things as speaketh the Synode of Ephesus eyther because the word is the fountaine and authour of life being life it selfe dwelleth in it not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is after operatiue maner as he is said to dwel in those that be his but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a bodily manner personally or because that flesh is so streightly vnited to the essentiall life that these two natures do make one subsistence or because this man is essentially God from whence it commeth to passe that the death of that flesh because it is the flesh of the sonne of God hath beene pretious inough to obtaine life for vs c Act. 20.28 And Cyrill saith that That the flesh is not quickening in it selfe but in the word Hypostatically vnited vnto it vppon Iohn 10 13 2 In regard of the merite of obedience whereby Christ a sacrifice being offered in his flesh giuen for vs vpon the Crosse obtayned eternall life for all beleeuers Iob. 6.51 My flesh is the living bread which I will giue for the life of the world 3 In respect of our copulation with Christ because we cannot come vnto God the fountaine of life and that eternall life but by that flesh of Christ comming betweene that is vnlesse by the efficacie of the holy Ghost we be made members of Christ engrafted into his flesh by faith Therefore that which is said Iohn 6.63 The flesh profiteth nothing is not to be vnderstood simply of the flesh of Christ but of carnall opinions not agreeing with the mysterie of the eating of Christs flesh Is it reall and true or doth this vnion of vs with Christ consist in the apprehension alone of the minde like as we doe comprehend and haue in mind things and substances in the phantasy and mind by formes that may be vnderstood but not that they are in verie deed vnited in vs If the things which are vnited and the truth of the vnion bee regarded truly it is reall true and essentiall but if the manner whereby it is done it is meerely spirituall 1 Because it is said concerning Christ the Church They shall be two in one flesh Ephe. 5.33 Now the vnion of man and wife into one flesh is reall and substantiall in regard of the mariage bond wherby according to gods ordinance they are bound so although the man be in the market and the wife at home he beyond the seaes she at home yet this vnion continueth 2 Because Christ is the head foundation of the Church but the vnion of the members with the head and betweene themselues is substantiall true and reall like as also of the foundation with the building yea with euerie stone built vpon it 3 Because Christ saith Iohn 15.5 I am the vine yee are the branches But the coniunction and incorporation of these is reall as also of an Oliue tree and the boughes set or engrafted into it 4 Because the flesh of Christ is meate indeed therefore like as bread is really and truly vnited to vs corporally because it is corporall meate to them which eate it with a corporal mouth so also truly and really but yet spiritually because it is spirituall meat the flesh of Christ is vnited to vs which eate it Seeing that the bodie of Christ is in heauen neyther shall returne from thence before the last day how can he be conioyned to vs really and indeed By the holy Ghost working in vs and by faith For if our sight in a moment of time doe touch the starres visually saith Augustine Epist 3. ad volusianum tract 50. in Iohn much more doth faith ioyne vs together with Christ himselfe and moreouer with his humane nature placed in heauen The same Father saith Fidem mitte in Coelum cum in terris tanquam praesentem tenuisti that is send faith into heauen and thou hast laid hold on him as it were present in earth There is a great distance betwixt the head and the foot the branches and roote the wife in England and her husband in Turkie yet are they all vnited together But faith is onely a conceiuing and imagination of a thing absent Therefore the bodie of Christ is not ioyned to vs in verie deed neyther is present to our faith in the Supper but by imagination or contemplation vehehement cogitation and assent The Antecedent is false and vngodly For if faith be onely an imagination and phantasie and a conceiuing of the minde then it differeth not from opinion being a naked action of the mind or a simple and strong conceipt and consent Neyther then doth it differ from historie all faith common to verie many reprobates yea to the diuels themselues a Iam. 2 19 Then surely that faith which imbraceth the Euangelicall promises in Christ and moreouer Christ himself shal not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a ful assurance nor a sure trust or perswasion nor an apprehension frō which imagination yea theorie or contēplation do very farre differ Finally Faith shal not be the heauenly gift of God and supernaturall according to the working of his mightie power b Eph. 1.19 3 7 but naturall For the conceipt of the minde is naturall to a man All which things seeing they are absurd the Antecedent must be false And also the consequent false For if the spaces of times doe not let faith but that it apprehendeth things past and to come spiritually as present Then neither doth distance of places hinder it that it cannot spiritually both haue things present and apprehend them that are set farre a sunder by places For faith is that thing which maketh those things present which are hoped for and that which sheweth those things which are not seene c Heb. 11.1 Ioh. 8.56 Phil. 3.20 Wee haue a sure and stedfast anker of the soule entering euen into that which is within the vaile whether the forerunner is for vs entered in euen Iesus d Heb. 6 19. By what similitudes is this communion illustrated in the scriptures By verie many wherby notwithstanding the nature and manner of this communion is not declared but rather the effects which come from it to the beleeuers Therefore they are not to bee stretched further then the scope of the holy Ghost may suffer 1. The first is of Mariage by which the Church is made flesh of the
words of the Lords Supper into Ephesian letters or into such a consecration as nothing differeth from magicall inchantments 7 They whisper the words of the Eucharist with a low voice blowing the crosse vpon the elements turning their face from the people that so the people might with more religion adore the Elements 8 They referre consecration onely to those fiue word Hoe est enim corpus meum for this is my bodie and this is my bloud 9 They say that the outward signes doe vanish away and that they are conuerted and turned into the substance of the bodie and bloud of Christ or that by force of the consecration made by the Priest the bodie of Christ doth succeedc and come into the place of the substance of the bread the bare accidents still remayning and hanging in the ayre without the subiect and they fayne that Christ is corporally contayned in the hand of the Priest 10 They haue taken away the breaking of the bread and haue brought in wafer cakes printed with the Image of the Crucifixe vpon them to maintaine superstition keeping still the shadow of the breaking in the Priests masse 11 They affirme that the sacrificers are creators of the Creator from whence are these saying that are to be found in their books He is made food flesh of bread God of the element Also Hee that created mee gaue mee power to create him And hee that created me without mee is created by my meanes And in this respect they preferre themselues before the blessed virgin Marie inasmuch as she onely once conceiued Christ but they can create him as often as they will themselues 12 The Sacrament of the supper which they call the masse they turne into a sacrifice true proper and propitiatorie or expiatorie without bloud for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead yea more for the dead then the quicke for whom it is celebrated and all this for gaines sake 13 They say there is application of this sacrifice made for others by the very worke wrought 14 They teach that this sacrifice doth not onely merit for those that are aliue that they should be freed from their sinnes and the punishment of them and from all wants whatsoeuer but also that it doth auaile for the deluerance of the dead out of their fained Purgatorie 15 They faine that the Priest doth offer Christ vnto his eternall father and that the Priest is the mediator betweene Christ and the Father by which meanes the sacrifice of the crosse of Christ is made altogether of none effect his alone perpetuall Priesthood is denied the merit of his death is drowned and swallowed vp and Christ himself is againe crucified a Durand I. 4. Heb 5.6.7 24.9.12.10 12 Math. 26.28 As the Paschall Lambe was to be sacrificed so say they is Christ sacrificed in the Eucharist yet he was but once to be sacrificed vpoÌ„ the crosse b 1 Cor. 5 7 That which Malachy 1.11 after the manner of the Prophets spoke metaphorically or allegorically in generall of the reasonable worship of the inward spirituall worship or of the spirituall oblation accepted by the God of the Church of the new Testament vnder the shadows of ceremonial worship as of the incense pure oblation vsed in the old Testament In euerie place they offer sacrifice vnto mee and they offer to my name a pure oblation they take this to be meant properly of the particular reall outward oblation of the bodie of Christ in the supper That which the Apostle Hebr. 5.1 speaketh of the leuiticall Priests by Enallage of the time present Euerie high priest is appointed of men that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes they doe vnskilfully expound it of the ministers of the Gospell They say that Melchisedech the priest of the most high who was a type of Christ did offer vnto God for a sacrifice bread and wine that so they might proue that the Priesthood of Christ doth consist in the offering of bread and wine which notwithstanding like a bountifull king he brought forth Hotsi that is to say hee caused to come forth that is he drew out he brought forth food that is to say of euerie sort some for the refreshing or nourishment of Abraham and his seruants who returned wearie from the battell to whom he would thus congratulate for the victorie that he had obtained and moreouer he blessed him as a Priest and receiued tithes of him Gen. 14.19 They vnderstand Christ to bee called a Priest after the order of Melchisedech chiefely in respect of the daily sacrfice which is offered vnto God vnder the shew of bread and wine which indeed is not so for the Apostle maketh no mention of it when he setteth downe the comparison betweene Melchisedech and Christ but in that he is a Priest farre aboue all the leuiticall Priests and an euerlasting Priest and his Priesthoode is without succession as Melchisedech hee is brought in by Moses as without father without mother without beginning of daies as farre as wee know as Chrysostome saith as if he were sodainly come downe from heauen and by and by had betaken himselfe thither againe making no mention of his ancestors nor of his death Also because his sacrifice being once finished vpon the Crosse hath a continuall and perpetuall force Hebr. 7.3.24 16 Moreouer one part namely the Cuppe notwithstanding saith the Counsell of Constance the institution of Christ and the practise of the ancient Church they doe most wickedly keepe backe from the Laitie 17 Those things which Christ hath indeed distinguished and separated they by their fained Concomitancie will needs haue to be signified and to be both together 18 The bread being magically inchanted they stirred vp and downe and adore it as God and by and by deuoure the same not remembring what Cicero saith Whom doest thou thinke to bee so madd as to beleeue that to be God which he eateth 19 They faine a separation of the bodie of Christ and of vs saying that Christ is forthwith receiued into heauen assoone as the signes are torne with our teeth 20 They abolish the communion which ought to be of many and teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eating alone one hauing his owne proper and priuate feast at one alter in one corner apart by himselfe And therfore although none of the people or of the Cleargie be present and communicate with him yet they teach that priuate Masses and that many in one temple in diuers places at once â—nd continually may bee celebrated that so there may be made an oblation of the sacrifice of Christ and that the Priest may communicate himselfe which is all one as if a man should baptise himselfe and should say that it were auaileable for others that are not baptised 21 They proclaime their Masse for gaine 22 They celebrate it with a stage-like and Histrionicall ornament gesture bellowing murmuring lisping groning singing and other fashions like the Orgian sacrifices
or Bacchanalls without a Sermon or declaring of the Lords death which Paule would haue to be vsed in the Lords supper 23 By hearing or rather by looking vpon the Masse they thinke themselues armed against God and as it were with an Ammulet or preseruatiue against poyson safe from all daunger 24 That the Sacrament is once a yeare to bee deliuered or communicated to the people 25 They teach that auricular confession is necessarie for those that will be communicants 26 They celebrate the Masse in a strange and vnknowne language 27 In the Canon of the Masse besides the offering of their sacrifice they vse inuocation of Saints departed and they mixe withall imaginarie merits 28 They celebrate Masses for the honour of Saints and for the obtayning of their intercession with God whereby the remembrance and intercession of Christ is obscured and ouerthrowen 29 They thinke that the vse of the Supper is of absolute necessitie to those that are readye to depart this life 30 They vse consecrated bread for the quenching of fire and for the calming of tempests 31 They doe superstiously include it in their Armories and Cupbords 32 They burne candles before it 33 VVhen they please euen as in the olde time the Persians did the fire they carrie it about to bee worshipped Thirdly the errors of the consubstantiators who doe not admit the true doctrine of the letter and the spirit but thinke that the sacramentall speeches are to be interpreted literally according to the letter and rationallie as they meane 2 That it is offered bodily or essentially or ioyntly or after an admirable and vnspeakable manner and yet by the hand of the minister 3 They say that the bodie of Christ is cast into the mouthes euen of the wicked 4 They commend the recantation of Berengarius which was set downe to him by Pope Nicholas wherein he professeth that not onely the Sacrament but euen the verie true bodie and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ is sensually and in truth handled and broken by the hands of the minister and torne in peeces by the teeth of the faithfull 5 They teach the reall omnipresence of the verie bodie of Christ vpon earth in many places nay in euery place 6 They attribute to the flesh of Christ many sortes of beings 7 They holde that there is a communion made by a mutuall reall and actuall conioyning of the substances 8 The doe not acknowledge the spirituall presence onely of the bodie and bloud of Christ 9 They reckon the papisticall eleuation and lifting vp of the hoast among things indifferent 10 They doe wickedly confound the twofold eating namely the one outward of the bread the other inwarde of the bodie of Christ to be but one and the same Fourthly the errour of them who haue taken away the breaking of bread in the supper of the Lord and in stead of bread broken or cut doe distribute vnto euery one that commeth to the Lords table so many in nomber of whole and severall breads or round and thin cakes 2 They haue abolished the deliuerie of the signes into the hands of the receiuers and the taking of them by their hands Fiftly the error of those who doe very seldome make mention of the sacramentall changing of the bread and wine 2 They teach that the onely merit of Christes obedience is to be accounted for the thing signified in the holy Supper of the Lord and thinke that onely the commemoration and remembrance of the death of Christ and of his benefits is taught therein and doe not vrge vs to bee by communion incorporated into Christ Sixtly the errors of them who first denie the presence of Christ in the Supper 2 They hold them to be but common signes which doe not effectually and powerfully moue 3 They account the sacramentall signes but as bare pictures and things to looke vpon whereby they may onely be stirred vp to renue the memory of Christs death 4 They take these holy mysteries but as outward notes or badges whereby they that professe themselues to be Christians may be distinguished from other profane people Seuenthly the error of them who doe vnreuerently vse these holy actions and in no other manner but as common and daily matters 2 They that thinke it is free for them eyther to come to the Lords Supper or to abstaine from it at their pleasure and therefore vse it verie seldome whereas indeed it is no small part of Gods worship and by God commaunded Eightly the error of some who alleadge that the Supper of the Lord succeedeth not the Paschall Lambe but Manna which was not an ordinarie and perpetuall sacrament nor ioyned in time with the Supper neyther had it any signe of the merite of Christ which is the chiefe thing in the Lords Suppe contrarie to the manifest institution of the Lord a Luk. 12.19 Ninthly the error or rather the dreame of a certaine libertine Iodochus Harchius a Montensian Belgan who holdeth that wee doe not eyther corporally or spiritually take and eate the verie bodie of Christ crucified but making a twofold flesh of Christ one naturall and taken of the virgin Marie now glorious in heauen the other spirituall intelligible and made by the diuine power of God of bread and wine to bee tasted and conceiued chiefely in the minde this hee imagineth to goe into the nourishment of the mysticall bodie that is to say of all the faithfull being daily taken with the mouth and by faith or otherwise he dreameth that there is a certaine power proceeding from the flesh of Christ and after a wonderfull and vnspeakeable sort infusing it selfe into the bread doth nourish the flesh of a Christian man which is cōtrarie to the expresse words of our Sauiour Christ which is giuen which is powred out which words doe euidently shew that the true bodie of Christ and the true bloud of Christ are signified and spiritually exhibited vnto the beleeuers The nine and fortieth common place Concerning Magistrates or Politicke gouernment Is the doctrine of policie or ciuill gouernment and Magistracie to be deliuered in the Church IT is Because Commonweales are the Nourceries of the Church and the consciences of both godly Magistrates and faithfull subiects are by this doctrine to bee enformed against such Fanaticall Spirits as oppugne that doctrine Whence is the Commonwealth called Politeia Policie Of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Citie comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many But Ciuitas a Citie as it were Coiuitas or Ciuium vnitas the vnitie of Citizens is not onely such buildings as are comprehended in one ditch trench or wall but that multitude of people which doth inhabite those buildings And the regiment and order of that companie or people is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 policie in Latine Respublica the Common-wealth From whence is deriued politice the Art of policie which teacheth how the Commonwealth must be ordered and preserued as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉