Transubstantiation EXAMIN'D and CONFUTED IN TWO SERMONS ON The Lords Supper Preach'd in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth By H. Smith sometime Preacher at St. Clement Danes Licensed June the 12th 1688. LONDON Printed by J. Wallis and are to be sold by most Booksellers 1688. THE FIRST SERMON ON THE Lord's Supper 1 Cor. xi 23 24. The Lord Jesus in the night that he was betrayed took Bread And when he had given thanks he brake it and said take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me THE Word and the Sacraments are the two Breasts wherewith our Mother doth nurse us Seeing every one receiveth and few understand what they receive I thought it the necessariest Doctrine to Preach of the Sacrament which is a witness of Gods promises a remembrance of Christs death and a seal of our adoption therefore Christ hath not instituted this Sacrament for a fashion in his Church to touch and feel and see as wee gaze upon pictures in the Windows but as the Woman which had the bloody issue touching the hem of Christs garment drew vertue from himself because she believed so Christ would that we touching these signs should draw vertue from himself that is all the graces which these signs represent Therefore as the Levites under the Law were bound to prepare their brethren before they came to the Passeover So preachers of the Gospel should prepare their brethren before they come to the Supper of the Lord. For which purpose I have chosen this place to the Corinthians which is the clearest and fullest declaration of this Sacrament in all the Scripture The Lord Jesus in the night c. The summe of all these words is the Institution and use of the Lords Supper First Paul sheweth the Author of it the Lord Jesus then the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betrayed then the manner how he did institute it he took Bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and gave unto his Disciphes c. then the end why he did institute it for a remembrance of his Death Touching the Author he which is signified by it was the Author of it The Lord Jesus hath bid us to supper I am not worthy sayth John to loose his shoe so we are not worthy to waite at his trancher and yet he will have us to sit at his Table To him belongeth the power to ordain Sacraments in his Church because he fulfilled the Sacraments of the Law. When Christ came the Passeover ceased because he is our Passeover that is the Lamb by whose blood we are saved When Christ came Circumcision ceased because he is our circumcision that is the purifier and clenser of our sins Now these two Sacraments are fulfilled he hath appointed two other Sacraments for them in stead of the paschal Lamb which the Jews did eat he hath given us another Lamb to eat which John calleth the Lamb of God that is himself upon whom all do feed whosoever do receive this Sacrament with an assured faith that Christ died to possess them of life The breaking of the Bread doth signify the wounding of the Body the powring out of the Wine doth signify the shedding of his Blood. The eating of the Bread and drinking of the Wine doth signify that his Flesh and Blood do nourish in us life eternal as the Bread and Wine do nourish the life present In stead of Circumcision which began at Abraham he hath ordained Baptisme which began at John a more lively representation of the true Circumcision of the Heart because it representeth unto us the blood of Christ which washeth our souls as the water in Baptism washeth our bodies Touching the time in the night saith Paul therefore this Sacrament is called the Lord's Supper because it was instituted at night when they used to sup But what night Even that night saith Paul when he was betraied that night which he should have cursed as Job did the day of his birth if he had suffered against his will that night when he should have thought to destroy men as men conspired to destroy him That night saith Paul this Sacrament of grace and peace and life began Even that night when we betraied him Many nights did he spend in watching and praying for us and is there a night now for us to betray him That was a dark night when men went about to put out the Sun which brought them light Who can but wonder to see how Christ and they for whom Christ came were occupied at one time when they devised mischief against him and sought all means to destroy him then he consulted how to save them and instituted the same night this blessed Sacrament to convey all his graces and blessings unto them Even that night when they betraied him The reason why this action was deferred until night is because that was the time appointed by the Law to eat the pass-over which was like a Predecessor of this Sacrament The reason why he deferr'd it untill his last night was because the passeover could not be ended before the fulness of time and the true paschal Lamb were come to be slain in stead of the other Therefore how fitly did Christ end the Pass-over which was a sign of his sufferings so presently before his suffering And beside how sweetly did he confirm his Disciples faith when as they should see that the next day performed before their eyes which over night both in the Pass-over and in the Sacrament was so lively resembled unto them if any man from this do gather that we ought to eat the Lords supper at night as Christ did he must understand that we have not the same cause to do so which Christ had because of the Passover And therefore the Church which hath discretion of times and places hath altered both the time and the place using the Temples in stead of the chamber and the morning in stead of the evening for indifferent things are ruled by order and decency Touching the manner He took Bread and when he had geven thanks he brake it and gave it unto them He would not eat it not break it before he had given thanks to God. What need he which was God give thanks to God but to shew us what we should do when we eat our selves In all things give thanks saith Paul whereby we declare that all things come from God but the wicked believe easier that God doth take than that he doth give and therefore they never pray heartily unto him for any thing nor feelingly thank him for it For which the Lord complaineth saying I have loved you yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us Shewing that we are worse then the Ox which knoweth his feeder And if that we acknowledg all things from God yet we do like Lot Is it not a little one saith he
as the best Fifthly It will follow that Christ's Sacrifice once for all was not sufficient because we must Sacrifice him again and break his Body and shed his Blood as the Jews crucified him upon the Cross Sixthly It will follow that the Bread being turned into the body of our Redeemer hath a part of our Redemption as well as Christ. Seventhly It will follow that Christ did eat his own Body for all the Fathers say that he did eat the same Bread which he gave to his Disciples Lastly It will follow that a Massing Priest shall be the creator of his Creator because he makes him which made him All these Absurdities are hatch'd of Transubstantiation Thus when men devise Articles of their own while they strike upon the Anvil the Sparks fly in their Face and they are like the man which began to build and could not finish it When I see the Papists in so many Absurdities for entertaining one Error methinks he seemeth like a Collier which is grimed with his own Coals Therefore as in manners we should think of Peter's saying Whether is it meet to obey God or Men So in Doctrines we should think whether it be meet to believe God or Men Thus you have heard the Author of this Sacrament The Lord Jesus the time when it was instituted In the night that he was betrayed the manner how it was instituted after Thanksgiving the end why it was instituted for a remembrance of his Death and the discovery of Transubstantiation one of the last Heresies which Babylon hatch'd Now they which have been Patrons of it before should do like the Father and Mother of an Idolater that is lay the first hand upon him to shorten his Life Thus I end Think what account ye shall give of that ye have heard The end of the First Sermon The Second SERMON ON THE Lord's Supper 1 Cor. XI 25 26 27 28. After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my blood this do as aft as ye drink it in remembrance of me For as often as ye shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shall shew the Lord's death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. HEre I am to speak of the second service as it were at the Lords Table and of that preparation which is like the Wedding Garment that every man must bring to this Banquet These words are diversly repeated of the Evangelists Here it is said This cup is the New Testament in my Blood. In Mathew and in Mark it is said This cup is my blood of the New Testament This is the first mention which Christ makes of a Testament as though now his promises deserved the name of a Testament because the Seal is set unto them which before this Sacrament was not sealed but like a bare writing without a Signet This word Testament doth imply a promise and therefore teacheth us that the Sacrament doth confirm and strengthen and nourish our Faith because it sealeth the promise which we should believe Here is to be noted that Christ doth not only speak of a Testament but he calleth it a New Testament which words never met together before as though the Law were for the old man to mortifie him and the Gospel for the new man to comfort him again or as if the Old Testament had so wash'd her Face and chang'd her Apparel at Christ's coming that one would not think it the same but a New Testament because even now she was shadowed with a Thousand Ceremonies and now they are gone from her like a mist at the Sun-rising As Christ calleth Love A new Commandement because he renewed it like a Law worn out of memory so he calleth the promise of salvation A new Testament because as it was renewed to Sem and after renewed to Abraham and after renewed to David so now he renewed it again which should be alway new and fresh unto us Every Tsteament is confirmed with blood the Old Testament was confirmed by the blood of Goats and Bullocks and Rams but the New Testament is confirmed by the blood of Christ My blood saith Christ is the blood of the New Testament nay This Cup saith Christ is the New Testament You may see then that they may gather as well out of Christ's words that the Cup is the New Testament as that the Wine is his Blood for Christ saith This Cup is the new Testament as well as he saith this wine is my blood or this bread is my body Beside when Christ speaks of a New Testament he implyeth that the Old Testament is fulfilled the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Law did signifie Christ before he came therefore they are fulfilled in his coming no more Sacrifices no more Ceremonies for the Truth is come Sacrifices and Cerimonies are honorably buried with the Priesthood of Aaron let them rest it is not lawful to violate the Sepulchers of the dead and take their bodies out of the Earth as the Witch would raise Samuel out of his Grave Therefore they which retain Ceremonies which should be abrogated Reliques of Judaism or Reliques of Papism may be said to violate the Sepulchers of the Dead and disturb the deceased like the Witch which presumed to raise Samuel out of his Grave This Testament is called a Testament in blood because the Testament and Will of a man is confirmed when the man is dead so Christ confirmed his Testament by his death Moses saith that life is in the blood so the blood of Christ is the life of this Testament If Christs blood had not been shed this Testament made unto us had been unprofitable as the Testament of a Father is unto his Son if the Father should not die but live therefore the Apostle saith without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins Therefore the Testament or Covenant of the remission of our sins is called the Testament in blood the blood of Christ is the Seal of the Testament which we have to shew unto God for the remission of our sins and the two Sacraments are a Seal of that blood to witness that it was shed Again this is a matter regarded in Testaments and Wills to the Testament of him that is dead no man addeth or detracteth but as the Testator made it so it standeth without alteration so should this Testament of Christ and this Sacrament of Christ no man should alter it now he is dead for he which addeth or detracteth hath a curse in Gods Book Therefore Christ when he Instituted this Sacrament commanded Do this that is do as I do least they should swerve one whit from
or damnation like the word the next lesson is to examine your selves before you Receive lest you Receive like the son of perdition which swallowed the Bread and the Devil together Therefore let a man examine himself and so let him eat that is let him examine first and receive after for if we should receive the bread of the Earth reverently how should we receive the bread of Heaven When Jehonadab came to Jehu his Chariot he said Is thy heart upright as my heart is towards thee So when we come to the Lords Table he would have our hearts upright to him The Golden Ring sitteth highest at our Table but the Wedding Garment sitteth highest at this Table It is safer eating with unwashed Hands than with an unwashed Heart The Jews were taught to choose the Lamb of the Pass-over on the Tenth Day of the First Month in which Month they came out of Egypt And the Fourteenth day after they were taught to eat him so they had four Days respite between the choosing and the killing to prepare and sanctifie themselves for the Pass over which was a Sign of the Lords Supper This admonished them that the matter now to be performed was very weighty and therefore they were deeply to consider it for now was the action and sum of all Salvation in handling If they did prepare themselves so before they did receive the figure of this Sacrament how should we be prepared before we receive the Sacrament it self Therefore as Josiah commanded the Levites to prepare the People so Paul adviseth the People to prepare themselves that is to examine whether they have Faith and Love and Repentance before they come to this Feast By this all may see First That Paul would have every Lay-man skilfull in the Scripture that he be able to examine himself by it for this admonition is not to them which minister the Sacrament but to all which receive the Sacrament And the rule by which we must examine our selves is the Law by which we should obey therefore if the Rule be unknown the Examination must be undone Our Doctrine must be examined by the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles our Prayers must be examined by the Sixth Petition of Christs Prayer our Belief must be examined by the Twelve Articles of Faith our Life must be examined by the Ten Commandments of the Law. Now he which hath this Touch-stone may try Gold from Copper but he which hath it not takes one for the other Therefore before Paul's Examine you had need to learn Christ's Search Search the Scriptures and they will lighten you to search your selves This is the Doctrine with which I will end and the necessary Point for which I chose this Text to teach if I could that Christian Art how to examine your selves Let a man examine himself before he eat Here is first an examination Secondly an examination of our selves Thirdly an examination before we come to the Sacrament Touching the first here Paul saith Examine your self but in 2 Chron. 13. he doubleth his charge Prove your selves and again at next word Examine your selves as if he should say this work must be done whon it is done because it is never throughly done and therefore we must double our Examination as Paul doubleth his Counsel If a man suspect his Enemy he will try him with a Question if that will not search him he will put sorth another if that be spyed he will move another like one which putteth divers Keys into a Lock until it open So he which examineth must try and try prove and prove search and search for the Angel of Darkness is like an Angel of Light and we have no way to discover him but that of John Try the Spirits God examineth with trials the devil examineth with temptations the world examineth with persecutions we which are thus examined had need to examine too If any man skill not what Examining meaneth the very word Examine is so pregnant that it prompteth us how we should examine for it signifieth to put our selves unto the Touchstone as if we would try Gold from Coper Therefore one saith that Examination is the Eye of the Soul whereby she seeth her self her safety and her danger and her way which she walketh and her pace which she holdeth and the end to which she tendeth she looks into her glass and spieth every spot in her face how all her graces are stained then she takes the water of life and washeth her blots away After she looks again and beholdeth all her gifts her faith fear love patience meekness and marketh how every one doth flourish or whither If they fade and decay that she feeleth a consumption then she takes preservatives and restoratives of prayer and council and repentance before the sickness grow Thus every day she letteth down a bucket into her heart to see what water it bringeth up least she should corrupt within and perish suddenly To hear and read and pray and sast and communicate is a work of many but to examine those works is the fashion of few and therefore Jeremie complaineth No man saith what have I done as if he should say No man examineth himself And therefore in all the Scripture it is said but of one That he feared all his works as though he durst not think nor speak nor doe any thing before he had examined what it was from whence it came and whether it went so the more precious treasure is deeper hid in the ground The second point is to Examine our selves Paul saith Try all things much more should we try our selves The good sower doth sow his own ground but the bad sower doth sow another mans ground as the devil did The Disciples of Christ said Master Is it I not Master is it he The Disciples of John asked Master what shall we doe not Master what shall they do We must obey some and hear others and admonish others and love all but examine our selves That which we apply unto others the Apostle applieth unto our selves for when we speak of an examiner we intend one which examineth other when we speak of an accuser we intend one which accuseth other when we speak of a Judge we mean one that judgeth others but the Scripture crieth Examine thy self accuse thy self judg thy self that is be not curious to search a mete in thy brothers eye but pull out a beam which is in thine own eye This doth shew that they which sit in Gods chair to judg others commonly have greater fault themselves than they whom they use to judge and therefore Christ calleth their fault a beam and the others a moat This made David say Examine thy heart thy heart is thine own heart therefore thou must examine whether thou pray whether thou watch whether thou sast and not whether he pray whether he watch whether he fast