it followeth Iesus tooke bread c. Here the Euangelist sheweth two causes of this sacrament the efficient material cause The efficient cause is Iesus Christ the sonne of God Iohn 1.29 who is the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the worlde who hath made peace betweene God and vs by the blood of his Crosse Collos 1.20 hath reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death 1. pet 1.18 who hath redéemed vs from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of our fathers neither with gold nor siluer but with his owne precious blood who hath loued vs hath washed away our sinnes in his blood Apocal. 1. â— made vs kings and priests vnto his father euen this Iesus our only Sauiour redeemer hath ordained this holy sacrameÌ„t for vs left it vnto vs in remeÌ„braÌ„ce of his death for a gage of our saluation purchased thereby Wherefore if Iesus Christ and our saluation procured by him be deare and pretious vnto vs then also this sacrament which he hath deliuered vnto vs and instituted for vs to confirme our faith in him ought to be deare and precious vnto vs. Therefore we should be very carefull that neither negligently we absent our selues from it nor vnreuerently come vnto it nor that we make not smal account of it for if we vse to make great account euen of small things which our deare friends leaue vs at the houre of their death in remembrance of them How much more account ought we to make of this sacrament how small soeuer it séeme to the outward eye of flesh blood séeing that our deare redéemer Iesus Christ euen as it were at the houre of his death bequethed and committed it vnto vs and hath left to be a necessary foode vnto our soules that thereby we may dayly more and more grow vp in him But hereof I shall haue occasion hereafter further for to speake when I shal intreat of our dew preparation in comming to receiue this holy Sacrament The second cause touched in these words which is the materiall is bread and wine as after followeth which be the outward matter and elements of this sacrament and be holy signes of Christs blessed body offred and of his pretious bloodshed for vs. And here that we may the better know the true nature and vse of sacraments we are to vnderstand that God in offering to vs our saluation purchased by Iesus Christ vseth two things the one is his words wherein be contained his swéete and pretious promises of mercie grounded founded vpon Iesus Christ the other is externall signes which wée call sacraments be added to the word for seales to seale to confirme vnto our consciences the promises of the word euen to set that before our eyes which the promises of gods word do sound into our eares for we are to marke this that both the promises of the word and also the sacraments lead vs to one selfe same thing that is to Iesus Christ in him only to séeke our saluation for as the word doth this as appeareth by those places before alledged out of Iohn 1.29 Col. 1.20 1. Pet. 1.18 Apocal. 1.5 and infinite such other euen so do the sacraments lead vs as it were by the hand vnto the same liuely set the same before our eyes As for example baptisme doth teach vs to the eye that euen as water washeth away the vncleanesse of our bodies so Christs pretious blood which hee shed for vs cleanseth vs from the filthines and giltines of our sins And this sacrament of Christs supper teacheth and assureth vs that euen as bread and wine féede nourish strengtheÌ„ comfort mans hart so also Christ Iesus who offred his body and shed his blood once for al euen for vs féedeth nourisheth strengthneth comforteth our féeble sinful soules vnto eternal life And these two things his word outward sacraments God hath from the beginning vsed therby to offer our saluation to vs to assure vs of his fauour When God had created Adam Eue and placed them in Paradise he did not onely by word teach and admonish them to serue and honour him their creator but also he did set the trée of life in Paradise which should set before their eyes effectually teach them to imploy that life which they had receiued of God to Gods glorie When God had brought that fearefull floud vpon the world for the horrible corruption wickednesse thereof and did in mercie determine neuer in like manner to destroy it so againe Gen. 9.11 he did not onely assure vs therof by his word and promise but also the more to confirme it vnto vs did set his bow in the clouds that as often as we behold the same we should be assured of the performance of gods promise as euen to this day appeareth When it pleased God to accept Abraham and his séede to mercy he did not onely signifie the same to Abraham by making his couenant with him Gen. â—7 that he would be his God and the God of his séed and that in his séed al nations of the earth should be blessed but also he gaue vnto him the sacrameÌ„t of Circumcision to be a seale of this his couenant to assure them that by that blessed séed Iesus Christ he would circumcise the foreskinne of their hearts and cut away all their vncleanenes And when God as it were renewed this couenaÌ„t to the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt he did not onely giue his Law vnto them wherein his couenant was conteyned but also ordeyned the passeouer and many other sacrifices to confirme the same vnto them in being holy figures and signes of Iesus Christ to come vpon whom the couenant was grounded Euen so to confirme the new testament and couenant made with vs wherof I made mention before Hierom. 3â— 31 Heb. 8.8 which is the same in substance with the olde but called new because it is renewed vnto vs in Iesus Christ reueiled adorned with greater graces of Gods spirit Christ hath ordeined sacrameÌ„ts in number as S. Augustine affirmeth fewest August Epist ad Ianuar. 118. in obseruation easiest in signification most excellent that is Baptisme his holy Supper And therefore our Sauiour Christ speaking of the cuppe as S. Luke and S. Paul report his words saith 1. Cor. 11.25 This cup is the new testament in my blood that is to say a sacrament and seale of the new testament and couenant of God confirmed vnto vs in his blood And this manner of teaching and delyuering of things by these two kinds of things words obiected to the eares and outward signes to the eyes it séemeth that we by the instinct of nature or rather of God haue in like sort receiued for in conueighing of things from one to an other we obserue the same order As if a man make conueiance of lands or goods he doth it
you would daily more and more increase go forward in the loue of the preaching of Gods word and to imitate that noble example of that noble man of AEthiopia Act. 8.22 who both read that in his charet trauailing by the way the Prophet Isaias and also heard Philip expound the same Euen so that your Honors may daily more more grow in the true knowledge feare and obedience of God Wherein true Nobilitie doth chiefely consist not onely daily and reuerently reade the word of God your selues but also diligently heare faithfull Philips that is godly and learned ministers truely expound and preach the same Which is most needfull for you For as that noble maÌ„ profited by reading but was conuerted vnto Christ by Philips preaching Rom. 10.14 so it is chiefly the preaching of the Gospel which winneth vs vnto Christ planteth faith worketh repentance in vs and directeth stirreth vs vp to walke warely vprightly before the Lord our god For as spice when it is brused is of more force to season meat when it is chewed is more meete to norish vs Euen so the word of god when it is by exposition as it were brused chewed applyed vnto vs is of more power to season the corrupt humors that be in vs effectually to feed vs that we may liue in holines righteousnesse vnto God for want coÌ„tempt of the preaching of Christs gospel it is lameÌ„table to see how many fearfully fal away from the grace of god Therefore that your Honors may not only constantly coÌ„tinue but also daily increase in the true worship and feare of God loue earnestly the preaching of gods word let it be dearer vnto you than thousands of gold and syluer sweeter than hony the hony comb hunger after it as your daily food Matth. 13 45. esteeme it for that pretious pearle which ought to be more dear vnto you thaÌ„ al these earthly and transitorie things of the world for all flesh is grasse Isai 40. and al the glorie thereof is as the flower of the fielde which soone fadeth and falleth away but the word of our God abideth for euer and shall make vs stand florish for euer in gods kingdome if faithfully in our heartes we beleeue it and obediently in our liues and conuersation follow it Thus assuring my self that your Honors will take in good part this my bolde aduenture in presenting this small mite and poore gift vnto you I will forbeare from further troubling you beseeching God the father of mercie so to worke by his holy spirit in you that you may be filled with the knowledge of his wil in al wisedome Colos 1.9 and spirituall vnderstanding that yee may walke worthy of the Lord pleasing him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God c. Your Honors most humble in Christ Iesus to commaund Edward Bulkley At my house in VVoodhall the 18. of Februarie 1586. A Sermon preached by Edward Bulkley Doctor of Diuinitie at Bletsoe the 30. day of Ianuarie 1585. vpon the doctrine of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Iesus Christ Matth. 26.26 As they did eate Iesus tooke breade and when he had blessed he brake it and gaue it to his disciples and said take ye eate ye This is my body Also he tooke the cuppe and when he had giuen thanks he gaue to them saying drinke ye all of this for this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the forgiuenes of sinnes I say vnto you that I will not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome And when they had song a psalme they went out into the mount of Oliues WHen the time did nowe drawe neare Ephes 5.2 that our Sauiour Christ was to offer that sweete smelling sacrifice and oblation of himselfe vpon the Altar of the crosse for our redemption reconciliation it seemed good to his heauenly wisedome to ordaine this Sacrament to be a perpetuall memoriall remembrance and pledge vnto vs of his death and passion vntill his comming againe 1. Cor. 11.25.26 And because the law did require the Paschal lambe at that time to be eaten he comming not to breake but to fulfill the lawe that he might discharge all our breaking of the law Matth. 5.17 did first with his disciples according to the law eat the passouer and so did put an end vnto the same and then did institute this his supper to succeed in his Church for euer in the place thereof That as he had ordayned baptisme to succéed in the roome of Circumcision so he would haue this Sacrament to succeed in the place of the Pascall Lambe and as they had béene Sacraments and seales of the olde Testament before his comming in the flesh so these might be after his comming sacraments and seales of the new Testament and couenant whereof we reade Hieremie 31.31 and Hebrewes 8.8 Therefore the Euangelist in the first words of my text saith As they did eat Meaning that when they had eaten the Paschall Lambe then they did receiue and eate this his holie supper Whereupon I may gather this that it is not so vnlawfull as some thinke after the tasting and eating of some thing to eate this blessed Sacrament The which I speake not for that I would haue men eate and drinke and fill their bellies before they come to this holy supper which with al reuerence and sobrietie ought in Gods feare to be receiued but to take away the superstition of some who think that if they being in neuer such infirmitie and weaknes do tast neuer so little they be thereby vnméete and vnworthy to receiue this holy mysterie and thereupon abstaine from it But if we did iudge rightly we should think that not the receiuing into vs of a little of Gods creatures soberly with thankesgiuing that vpon infirmitie doth make vs vnméete communicants but those things that come out of vs euen out of our hearts as euill thoughts murders Matâ—h 15.15 adulteries formeations theftes false testimonies slaunders are the things that defile vs and make vs more loathsome vnto Gods maiestie than any leprosie vnto men These thinges make vs vnméete gestes for such a celestiall banket and vnworthy receiuers of this blessed Sacrament of Christs body and blood Well saith Chrisostome Non enim comedisse confusionem nobis affert In Genes hom 10. sed mali quippiam egisse i. Not to eate but to commit any wickednesse bringeth shame vnto vs. Therefore I exhort you to abstaine from these and all other such filthie sinnes and to come with cleare consciences and good hearts to this holy table And as touching meats I wish men to refraine from them when they come to communicate on this sacrament vnlesse it be for some great infirmitie necessitie c. Now
for that our sauiour Christ did eate the sacrament doth appeare by these his words after supper Verely I say vnto you Matth. â—6 I will not henceforth drinke anie more of the fruit of the vine c. And as our Sauiour vouchsafed to be baptized that he might sanctifie Baptisme vnto vs euen so he did receiue this sacrament also to sanctifie it vnto vs and thereby to assure vs the more of our communion fellowship with him Chrisost in Mat. Homil. 83. de Consecr dist 2. cap. nec Moses Et glos in cap. in Christo This both Chrisostom doth flatly affirm and the papists themselues do not deny but plainly confesse in these rude rimes without reason Rex sedet in Coena turba cinctus dnodena Se tenet in manibus se cibat ipse cibo i. The king sitting at his supper with his xii Apostles helde himselfe in his hands and fedde himselfe with the meat of himselfe Now whether this be not an absurditie that our sauiour Christ sitting with his disciples did with his natural body eate his naturall body I will commit it to the conscience and iudgement of the godly to consider And whether it must not hereof follow that he had too bodies one an Actiue that did eate and another a passiue that was eaten An other absurditie hereof ensueth that whereas the papists teach the Christs body is in the sacrament being impassible mortall and glorified contradictories must néeds be affirmed at one instaÌ„t vpon Christs bodie for his body wherein he sate at the table with his disciples was visible but the body in the sacrament inuisible that bodie was passible this impassible that subiect to death which shortly after died vpon the crosse this not subiect to death Now it can no more be that Christs body at one instant should be visible and inuisible passible and impassible subiect to death and not subiect to death then it can be a bodie and no body And therefore this is a foule absurditie Moreouer for Christs body to be at one instant in heauen and earth and infinite places of the earth is as I haue shewed and proued before an absurdity And that Christs bodie should bée in the Sacrament without any accidences of a body as form figure leÌ„gth breadth thicknesse is as I touched before an absurditie This doctrine bringeth an other absurdity which they maintain that wicked men do eat the very body of Christ Whereas Christ himselfe saith Iohn â— 54 whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 56. hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 57. dwelleth in me and I in him hée that eateth me shal liue by me But the wicked haue not eternall life neither do they liue by Christ being deade in their sinnes Therefore the wicked do not eat Christs flesh nor drink his blood Augustine saith August in Ioh. tract 26. Huius rei sacramentum id est vnitatis c. The sacrament of this thing that is of the vnitie of Christs bodie and blood is prepared in the Lords table and receiued of the Lords table in some places euery day in some at certaine times of some men to life of some to destruction But the thing it selfe wherof it is a sacrament is destruction to none but life to euery one that is partaker of it Again the same Augustine saith August lib. 21. de imitat Dei cap. 25. Non dicendum eum manducare corpus Christi qui in corpore non est Christi i. we must not say that he doth eate the body of Christ who is not in the body of Christ And againe in the same place Idem ibid. Nec isti ergo dicendi sunt manducare corpus Christi quoniam nec in membris computandi sunt Christi c. Therefore they are not to be said to eat the bodie of Christ because they are not to be counted among the members of Christ for not to speake of other things they cannot at one time be the members of Christ and the members of a harlot Origene saith Est verus cibus i. Orig. in Matth. 15. that is the true meate which no wicked man can eate for if a wicked man could eat the body of Christ it would not be writen He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer These places I do alledge to confute not onely this absurd assertion but also that grosse doctrine of transubstantiation for if the bread be so transubstantiated into Christs body then the wicked do eate Christs body if the wicked do not eat Christs body as by the proofes before alledged doth plainely appeare then is there no such transubstantiation nor carnall presence as they vainely imagine and falsely affirme for to be But heere also they want not a shift which is that the wicked doe eate Christs flesh and drink his blood but not worthily But I would haue them to proue that a man may eate Christs bodie vnworthely In déede I confesse that the wicked may vnworthely eat of this bread drink of this cuppe of the Lords 1. Cor. 11.27 and be guilty of the bodie and blood of Christ as S. Paul saith because that through infidelitie they do reiect Iesus Christ offred therby But that the wicked and reprobate be either worthely or vnworthely partakers of Iesus Christ that I do deny Yet to proue this shamelesse assertion see how they be not ashamed wilfully to corrupt the holy Scriptures Titul 21. Arti. 1. de sumpt Euch. Bunderius a lying and false Frier is not abashed thus to alledge S. Paules place which euen now I brought forth Multi enim indigne accipiunt de quibus ait Apostolus Qui manducat carnem bibit calicem domini indigne iuditium sibi manducat bibit i. For many do vnworthely receiue of whom the Apostle speaketh He that eateth the flesh and drinketh the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely eateth drinketh his owne damnation Heere this deceitfull Frier for panem the bread putteth carnem the flesh that whereas the Apostle saith he that eateth this bread and drinketh this cup c. He maketh him to say he that eateth the flesh and drinketh the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely wherein you sée how he altereth S. Pauls words and corrupteth the place But no maruell for such shamelesse assertions and corrupt doctrin cannot be defended without shame lesse corrupting of the holy Scriptures But they will say the sense and meaning is all one for he that eateth that bread eateth Christs body But that is the question and therefore they vse a deceitfull Argument called petitio principii taking that for graunted which is in question and is denied for the bread is one thing Christs bodie an other And although we are not to seperate Christ from the sacrament yet we ought not to confound them but to distinguish betwéene them for euen as the godly