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soul_n	death_n	sin_n	wage_n	4,853	5	11.4614	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20536	Ten sermons tending chiefely to the fitting of men for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper VVherein amongst many other holy instructions: the doctrines of sound repentance and humiliation, and of Gods speciall fauours vnto penitent sinners, and worthy communicants are largely and effectually handled. The six first, by I. Dod. The foure last, by R. Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a plaine and learned metaphrase on the epistle to the Collossians, written by a godly and iudicious preacher. There is also set before the sermons, a short dialogue of preparation: containing the chiefe points that concerne the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper, taken for the most part, out of the sermons following: and collected into a method for the benefit and ease of those that desire direction in this matter.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.	1610 (1610)	STC 6945; ESTC S114601	221,900	292

haue an eye vnto them least they should hang themselues or drowne themselues or get a kfe to cut their throates or some way or other worke themselues mischiefe but farre worse is their case that are possest with a spirituall frenzie and led by the suggestions of Sathan who are euermore labouring to worke out their owne ouerthrow to bring vpon thēselues destruction of body soule which is the reward that Sathan giueth them The reward for all their paines that they haue taken in seruing him and in fulfilling the lust of their owne wicked flesh according to the saying of the Apostle Rom. 6. The wages of sin is death that is euerlasting death Which is an vtter separation from Gods blessed presence and from all maner of comforts whatsoeuer to endure vnspeakeable and endles torments in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Reuelation which is the second death Another reason why it is a great priuiledge to be exempted from the dominion of sinne is Reason 1 Iohn 3.8.9 because it is a testimony that we are the sonnes of God as it is said by the Apostle Iohn He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell and Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not And why because the efficacie of the word and spirit doe restraine him therefrom A third reason is because that is it whereby we are made conformable vnto Christ Iesus when we are freed from the slauerie of sinne we are still translated from glory to glory and haue the Image of God renued in vs daily more and more purging our selues euen as Christ is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 Vse 1. This serueth for our instruction that seeing it is such a preheminence not to be a worker of iniquity therefore we should hereby fence arme our selues against al enticements whereby we might be allured to sinne either in heart or in behauiour when pleasure smileth vpon vs or filthy lucre setteth on our hearts or preferment calleth for vs c. Let this be as a buckler whereby to repell all the firy darts of the Diuell It is a blessed thing to worke none iniquity and Luk. 9.25 Heb. 11.25.26 What should it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne and the preferments of Egypt for ascason It was a foolish mad part of the Israelites to desire to returne into Egypt the house of their bondage that they might eate of their flesh pots and of the leekes and onions that in time past they had there enioyed but much more void of sence reason are they that whē they haue been once deliuered frō that spirituall seruitude will cast themselues into thraldome againe and when they haue bene puld out of the snares of the Diuell wherein they were held at his pleasure will returne againe to folly intangle themselues the second time Wherefore let this put strength into vs in all conflicts that we may stand resolutely as against other assaults so against that of the examples of great and mighty men who vsually take their liberty in all voluptuous and licentious kindes of liuing This consideration I say should arme vs against it The Lord hath pronounced them blessed that worke none iniquity and if I be of the number of them I shall be more happy in renouncing sinne then the greatest Potentate in the earth is or can be in committing of sinne And therefore let vs deale as Eliphaz did in the booke of Iob Iob 5.2 I haue seene the foolish well rooted saith he and suddenly I cursed his habitation not by way of imprecation but of denuntiation of Gods iudgements due vnto them for their euill workes shewing that they tooke such courses as did make them and theirs accursed and bring the vengeance of God vpon them the meditation whereof was a strong bulwarke to fence him against all temptations vnto the like sinful and vile practises Vse 2 2 This maketh for the terror of all such as do drinke in sin with greedinesse and giue allowance to themselues in blaspheming in Sabaoth breaking in wantonnesse in lying and slandering and scoffing and such other fowle vices If they be blessed that do not work iniquity then cursed are they that make a common practise thereof But I hope will some say a mans heart may be good Obiect though he ouershoot himselfe by rapping out an oath now then and by speaking foolishly and lightly c. you must not iudge say they God knoweth our hearts He doth so indeed Answer and he hath made knowne vnto vs by his word Luk. 6 45. Mat 7.17.18 that an ill tongue and an ill life do alwaies argue an ill heart for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and a good tree cannot bring forth such rotten fruit nor a pure fountain send forth such muddy filthy streames as do euermore issue forth at their profane mouthes are deriued from their impure consciences vnto all or to the most part of their actions Thou hast commanded to keepe thy precepts diligently The doctrine that these words affoorde is this that nothing is superfluous that is done in obedience to Gods holy will The word translated Diligently Doct. 4 Strict obediēce to be laboured for 2 Cor. 7.1 doth signifie in the originall tongue wonderfull much so that the words go thus Thou hast cōmanded to keepe thy precepts wonderfull much And this the Apostle vrgeth the Corinthians vnto Hauing such promises beloued let vs purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that is from all maner of corruption as well inward as outward And that was the drift of Christ Iesus in giuing the the true interpretation of the law which the Pharisees had corrupted by their false expositions I say this was the drift to draw men from resting on the outward obseruation thereof to bring them to haue regard vnto their thoughts to the affections of their hearts more ouer in their practise to do those things which heathē men hypocrits could not attaine vnto therfore he often vrgeth this sentēce to shew the slendernesse and insufficiency of their obedience What singular thing do yee Implying that Christians must in many things be singular and differ from and go beyond the common sort of men If one could doe as much good as an hundred yet he could not doe the hundreth parte of that which a Christian ought to performe Luke 17.10 Let him say still for it is a truth I am an vnprofitable seruant I haue done no more then my dutie nor so much as my duty As Christ came to fulfil all that his Fathers law required so it behoueth vs to obserue euery thing that wee are commaunded though not in perfection which we cannot attaine vnto yet in vprightnesse and with our best endeuours When the Israelits

must needs faile in the discerning and so also in the discouering and laying open of their corruptions and therefore faile of sound happinesse 2 Secondly this is for the reproofe of an other sort that are worse then the former Deniers of sinne who hauing the knowledge of sin doe yet denie their faults when they are told of them as Ananias Saphira did Acts 5. 1. King 5. and as Iehazi did when his master examined him Those sinnes that are smoothered and caried so closely God will manifest and discouer as openly as hee did theirs laying vpon the one the punishment of a sudden and strange death and on the other the leprosie of his flesh as a meanes to clense his soule 3 Heere are an other kinde of hiders to be condemned Disguilers of sinne that will not grosly denie the fact but will cloake it and disguise it and giue good names to foule faults Such are they that would haue their gaming and vnthriftines and cosonage to goe vnder the name of recreation and all their leaud meetings and abuse of the creatures of God and of the glorious and fearefull name of God vnder the title of good fellowship and meerie meetings c. And so for other notorious and greeuous sinnes which they paint ouer with faire colours but doe such prosper When they get a little monie Inconueniences that ensue on gaming do they not loose more in their soules then that comes to and doe they not bring vpon themselues hardnesse and profanenes of heart blindnesse and stupiditie of minde vnreadinesse and vnfitnes for any good thing vnwillingnes to reade heare meditate and conferre of holy things are they not afraid to come into Gods holie presence in praier to be in the company of such as will admonish or rebuke them to bee alone in the night at such times as the Lord doth waken their drousie consciences to say nothing of many foule braules and other hainous euils which doe vsually accompanie such exercises So others when they are passionate and distempered tell them of it their answer is readie What would you not haue a man angrie with sin Oh this is base hypocrisie and sinnefull disguising of your fault for tell mee you that can bee so eager against small offences in others when they concerne your selfe Note do you not beare with greater faults both in others and in your selfe when they doe more neerely touch the glorie of God your owne heart tel you that it is so and therefore neuer suffer your violent distempers and outrages to goe vnder the visard of zeale against sinne but let them goe for hatefull passions as they are Others wee shall finde that will terme their couetousnes frugalitte their pride in apparell comlines and decencie Hurt that comes by disguising of sin and the like all which persons little consider what great iniurie they doe to their soules this while for now the word cannot cure them of those sinnes which they would faine thinke though their hearts tell them otherwise to bee no sinnes they can neuer humble themselues by repentance for them and therefore they stand guiltie before Gods iudgement seate to answer for them besides all the hurt they shall in this life sustaine in regard of them 4 A fourth sort that come vnder this reproofe are such as therein shew themselues to be clokers of sinne Such as are negligent in searching out their sinnes that they doe not vse diligence to finde out their sinnes such as are partiall in dealing with their own soules and in searching to finde out their corruptions that are loth to dig too deepe throughly to ransack the lothsome corners of their hearts He that doth not his best endeuour to come to the sight of his secret sinnes is esteemed by God to be a hider of them and shall be destitute of that happinesse and comfort that otherwise hee might enioy Psalm 4.4 and therefore as Dauid exhorted his enemies for their good to examine their hearts vpon their beds that so they might desist from standing out against him so hee practised it himselfe for the good of his owne soule that hee might not long goe astray from the waies of the Lord. I haue considered my waies saith hee and turned my feete into thy testimonies Psal 119.59 Secondly Vse 2 this serues for our instruction if wee finde that we doe not prosper in the things of the Lord When wee prosper not fall to examination or of the world let vs examine if there be not some secrete sinne that is the cause of it One comes to the word preached and findes no helpe thereby against the corruptions vnto which he is inclined nor for the practise of good duties vnto which hee is slacke he cannot perceiue that there is wrought in him any great loue vnto the Saints to the ordinances of God or to the comming of Christ c. but he is dull and heauie when hee is at it and as dead and lumpish when he is gone from it Let him search and he shall finde that there lies in his heart some sin or other vnrepented or the gilt of some duties vnperformed the venome whereof doth so poison his conscience that the word of life can finde no place there for when the word comes to a pure heart it will enter speedily and worke effectually Another comes to the Sacrament and findes no benefite thereby Let him looke if there lurke not within him some hidden corruption that is the cause hereof for the Sacrament is mightie in operation if it be receiued with a pure and holy affection 1. Cor. 10. it is the very communion of the body and blood of Christ And therefore search and cast foorth that ill leauen that hath infected thy heart and hindered thee from the comfort of this excellent ordinance of God And the like may wee say for praier and any other of Gods ordinances Likewise for the things of the world doe we not prosper in our estate in our bodies in our children c. let vs make triall if there be not some wickednesse that hath countenance with vs. Note And if there be thence may wee bee sure comes all our woe they that will not greeue for sinne because it is sinne shall bee driuen to greeue for it by many sore troubles and they that are insensible of it when it is cōmitted shall be made sensible in the end by feeling it punished And this is a good vse that is made of the troubles of Gods Church in the Lamentations of Ieremie Wherefore say they is the liuing man sorowfull why doth hee turmoile and vexe himselfe Lamenta 3.39.40 man suffereth for his sinne what is the conclusion Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe vnto the Lord c. Wee haue sinned Obiection and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared c. But we know no speciall sinne that should procure this hand of God against vs.

fathers wrath and with Satan death and hell and for our sakes in particular sustained such wofull terrors in his soule and torments in his body that he cried out in the bitternesse of his heart my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and at length shed foorth his most precious blood for the pacifying of his fathers displeasure and the satisfying of his infinite iustice And withall wee should seriously ponder vpon the inconceiuable loue of God the father in giuing his onely and welbeloued sonne to suffer such vnspeakeable tortures for vs who were cursed rebels against him and thence bee drawen to thinke on the hainousnesse and odiousnesse of our sinnes which so farre incensed the Lords wrath and indignation that nothing could quench the flame thereof but onely the precious blood of his deere sonne Secondly when we see the minister distributing the bread and wine we are to consider that as those outward elements are offered vnto vs by man so Christ Iesus with all his benefits is offered vnto vs by the blessed Trinitie Thirdly when we reach foorth our naturall hand to receiue the bread and wine we must withall reach foorth the hand of faith to apprehend and lay hold of Christ Fourthly in eating the bread and drinking the wine we must apply Christ with all his merits particularly vnto our selues and be assured that as that bread and wine are made the nourishment of our bodies so Christ his body and blood are made the nourishment of our soules and as certainly as the bread and wine are made one substance with vs to strengthen our bodies and to refresh our hearts so surely Christ is made one with vs and we with him and than our soules shall bee strengthned and our hearts spiritually reuiued either presently in the very act of receiuing or afterwards in due time when wee shall stand in most neede of comfort And therefore in assurance of faith wee should stirre vp our hearts to expect all the forenamed benefits of remission of sinnes and sanctification of our natures together with the fruition of all necessarie outward blessings and the remoouall of all hurtfull crosses Well were it for vs indeed if wee could looke for these things to be bestowed vpon vs but the greatnes and multitude of our sinnes is such that we iustly feare they will keepe good things from vs. This doubt should not perplexe nor trouble vs See the Sermon on Isa 1. if wee bee truely penitent for all our transgressions for Christ hath paid for many and great sinnes as well as for fewer and lesser Doct. 7 1. Iohn 1.9 Ezek. 36.25 and through him the Lord is ready to pardon all and all manner of iniquities as well the greatest of them as the smallest and if once our sinnes bee done away all the fore named benefites doe of right belong vnto vs. Thus much concerning the meditations that are needefull in the very act of receiuing What is to be done after our receiuing 1 First wee must giue hartie thankes vnto the Lord for this inestimable benefit which we haue receiued in being partakers of the Lords supper What to bee done after our receiuing Secondly wee must carefully marke how wee speed and what successe we finde and if the Lord afford vs present comfort wee must bee much more thankefull and endeauour by all good meanes to nourish and cherish the same and if wee misse of it for that time wee must notwithstanding giue God the glorie of his truth in making good his couenant and euerie part thereof and therefore with confidence and constancie waite and pray for the blessing resoluing with our selues euery one in his owne soule that as sure as God is true and faithfull in his promises wee shall in the fittest season reape fruite and profit by his ordinance which in conscience and obedience vnto him we haue been partakers of In which regard euery particular beleeuer may boldly speake in this or the like manner vnto his owne soule I haue with as great vprightnesse as I could communicated at the Lords table and there receiued the seale of the euerlasting couenant of grace and therefore shall it assuredly bee performed vnto mee and albeit my faith and assurance of Gods fauour bee but weake it shall be strengthned and whatsoeuer Satan or mine owne deluded conscience tell me all mine iniquities are pardoned and couered and I am at this very instant as free from sinne in Gods account Psal 32. as Adam was before his fall and as the Saints and Angels are now in heauen yea as Christ Iesus himselfe is I being a member of his mysticall bodie And so for Sanctification though I be tainted with much ignorance with many errors with bad affections and euill actions yet the Lord according to his couenant will reforme all and giue me a minde to know him and his will and a memory to hold fast what I know hee will giue me a heart to loue him to feare him and to obey his commandements I shall haue Christ his power to strengthen and vphold me his wisdome to instruct and direct me his spirit to work al needful graces in me so that all the powers of hel shal neuer be able to preuaile against mee much lesse shall the affictions of this world be able to separate me frō Christ Iesus I need not feare any euill For all shall worke together for the best vnto mee Rom. 8. neither can I want any thing that is good for God hauing giuen vs his sonne how shall hee not with him giue vs all things Thirdly wee must determine and endeuour to lead a new life bringing foorth the fruits of repentance faith and loue more abundantly then in former times as hauing renewed our couenant with the Lord for that purpose and therefore when wee finde any sinnefull motions stirring within vs wee should reason thus did I not at the Sacrament vowe and couenant with God to striue against all manner of corruptions and did I not receiue the seale of the couenant in assurance that I should haue power and strength against them why then should I yeelde vnto them why should I bee any longer in bondage vnto them nay I will not serue sinne in the lusts thereof but will resist it and by the power of Christ I shall get victorie ouer it Rom. 6.14 for the Lord hath said that sinne shall not haue dominion ouer vs. So also when we finde wants and imperfections in our best seruices as coldnesse in praier distractions in meditating vnfruitfulnesse in hearing deadnesse in singing of Psalmes c. As also impatiencie or fainte-heartednes vnder crosses disgraces persecutions c. Let vs then relieue our selues with these or the like meditations was I not lately at the Lord table where I receiued a pledge of my ingrafting into Christ who is the true vine and is there not in him sufficient Iuice of all good graces to bee deriued to euery branch that is

helpfull it maketh vs blessed in this present life and in the life to come it bringeth with it the comfort of the spirit the feeling of gods loue and fauour and the comfortable vse of all outward good things We are not likely at least not certaine to continue here many daies and what an vnspeakeable comfort then is it to be assured that when we goe from men we shall goe to God and when we leaue the earth wee shall inherit heauen that we shall haue peace at our death and glory after our death If the pestilence enter into our houses or take hold of our owne persons when none dare come vnto vs then God will be with vs though our bodies be insected yet our soules can neuer be so infected if we haue grace in our hearts but that God dareth to enter into our houses to visite vs and when our soules shall be parted from our bodies he wil not thinke it too much to giue them a place of rest with himselfe in his owne kingdome at length vnite them to our bodies againe that they may enioy euerlasting blisse together as they haue bene imployed in Gods seruice together Seeing then Vse 1 that the benefit of labouring for grace is so great this serueth to reproue those that are slothfull in the things of God slothfull in repairing to the Word and in mingling the same with faith in their hearts slothfull in trauelling with their owne soules in examining their hearts and laying the edge of gods threatenings to their corruptions for the cutting off of the same These men thinke that grace will grow as weedes doe without any plowing manuring or sowing of the ground though they neuer pray earnestly nor heare carefully nor be at any paines for the reforming of their hearts or of their liues yet they thinke they shall haue goodnes enough by an ordinary course and conclude that heauen shall be cast vpon them whether they will or not as if God could not chuse but saue their soules But these foolish men doe altogether deceiue themselues and they shall find by woful experience that except they set their minds hearts tongues hands and all the powers and parts of soule and body on worke they shall neuer attaine vnto any godlinesse at all and therefore of necessity be depriued of euerlasting life But we like of the Word Obiect and loue the preaching and preachers thereof Answ But what measure of faith and of other graces of Gods spirit haue you gotten thereby if you be distitute of those it is sure you haue not laboured as you should for the same for whosoeuer seeketh findeth Talking of gold siluer the like and declaring to others how much we affect them wil not keepe vs from penury we must so labour for them as that we get them if we would be rich men A sluggard may desire to get the victory but he must fight for it that will haue it and the like holds in spirituall things those that would be partakers of them must vse the meanes that God hath appointed for the accomplishing of their desire And therefore this rebuke lights vpon the heads of all such sluggards as will not bestir them in this weighty matter nor liue in the field of grace nay whē the crop of grace is brought home vnto their houses they wil not open their dores to receiue it they wil not so much as giue attention to the word but are like the high way side that doth not so much as receiue the seede that is cast vpon it but lette the Diuell catch away all from them Secondly Vse 2 this may be an Apologie for those that are faithfull and painefull in seeking for the Word if it be a thing so exceeding necessary then are not they to be blamed that are content to vndergo any toile for the obtaining of it it is no precisenesse nor needles labour neither are such to be checked and reprehended but rather to be cōmended and encouraged for this is it that is foretold in Daniel Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall abound If men haue a dangerous sicknes they seeke help from the Phisition though far off none findes fault with them nor makes question why they should seek to be healed If householders want prouisiō at home they wil repaire to the market none cries out vpon them What wretched men are these that cannot keepe them from the market haue they not oxen and sheep at home for though they haue men are so wise as to consider that they are not made ready for their turn Now if they are not blamed nor indeed blame worthy that do thus seeke for corporall Phisicke and sood then why should they be blamed by Papists and such as are Popishly affected that seeke for that which is spirituall Se the 2. Sermon one Mark 14. Doct 6. it being far more requisite and necessary Which the sonne of man shall giue c. Doct. The efficacie of the Word Doct. 5 The efficacie of the word and Sacrament of Christ and Sacrament is from Christs owne hand Whosoeuer would haue grace must receiue it from Christ himselfe hence is that promise made vnto the Israelites The Lord thy Gods will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed that thou malest loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maiest liue They to whom it did belong to circumcise their bodies could goe no further then the outward circūcision it was God only that could cut off the corruption of their hearts and frame them vnto obedience that which is spoken concerning that one Sacrament holdeth as true in all the rest man can giue only the externall signes God must giue the inward vertue And the reasons why it pertains vnto Christ is a work of the Godhead only are diuers First Reasons 1 one is taken out of the text where it said Him hath the Father sealed it is Christ his office vnto which the Father hath ordained him he alone hath commission and warrant to deale in it and whosoeuer else doth arrogate that vnto himselfe is an intruder and shall be punished for that he goeth about to thrust Christ out of his chaire Secondly as it belongs to him so he alone is of ability to doe it none besides him can deale with the heart wherein this worke doth principally consist He onely knowes it and he alone can cure it as the first Adam did kill vs 1 Cor 15.45 so the second Adam must quicken vs. No man can giue natural life vnto another no not that which brutish creatures doe enioy nay nor so much as that which plants doe liue by much lesse can any one giue spirituall life vnto another Paul may plant and Apolos may water but God alone giueth the increase Thirdly experience will confirme vs in this point for who be the mē vpon whom the ordinances of God

these imperfectiōs of ours for Christ was appointed to be an vniuersall Minister for all his elect in the perfection of his petitions thankesgiuing all the blemishes that are in ours shall be hidden and couered Thirdly this is for the reproofe of such prophane persons Vse 3 as come vnchearefully and heauily vnto this Sacrament and if the respect of their gouernour of the lawes and of their owne credite did not moue them they would altogether absent themselues from it these are wretched persons that make no more account of this singular pledge of Gods fauour Hath Christ prayed vnto his Father for a matter of no worth and giuen thanks vnto him for that which is of no estimation But let such vnbeleeuing and sinfull wretches go and as for vs let vs be assured for our comfort that when Christ became asuitor to his Father he was in such fauour with him that he obtained that which was worth the hauing and deserued praise thankesgiuing both from him and from all his people as that which should be a meanes of their euerlasting happinesse Verse 22. Take eate this is my body c. This is the commandement that our Sauiour giueth vnto the communicants to wit that they should take the bread and take his body eate corporally and eate spiritually receiue the signe and the thing signified the one as well as the other for so much doth the promise which is annexed This is my body imply As if he should haue said This bread broken before your eies doth plainly represent vnto you my body that is the whole manhood a part being put for the whole which is giuen for you and shall be broken for you that so you may haue a spiritual communion with me as there is a naturall vnion betwixt you and this bread which I giue vnto you and the like is to be vnderstood of the wine The words thus expounded according to the simple meaning thereof affoord vs this doctrine that Christ Iesus in the Lords Supper Doct. 7 by corporall foode doth giue vs a most sure possession of himselfe Our vnion with Christ by the Sacrament and neare vnion with himselfe The bread and wine are not onely pledges of what shall be bestowed on vs but effectual means to exhibite the things promised vnto vs and therefore Christ vseth these words Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 Luke 22.20 Take eate this is my body which is giuen for you which is broken for you and so of the wine Drinke ye all of it this is my bloud which is shed for you Now what can be nearer vnto vs then our meate and drinke We haue greater interest in nothing then in our foode for that is made a part of our selues If we eate meate in another mans house after we haue receiued it it is more ours then his that prepared it no one ioint is so neare another nor the soule so neare to the body as our foode is neare vs when once it is digested and turned into nourishment vnto vs which doth plainly represent vnto vs the neare coniunction that is betwixt Christ euery worthy receiuer Hence proceedeth that speech of the Apostle The cup of blessing which we blesse 1 Cor. 10.16 is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ that is do not these cause vs to haue an effectuall cōmunion with him in all his gracious merits Now if question should be made why Christ should make choise of bread to be a signe in this Sacrament rather then of any other more excellent and glorious creature The answer is Answer that he did it for diuerse reasons 1. Why GOD made choise of bread Because it was his will as it is said concerning the Gospel that it pleased him by the foolishnesse of preaching to sone them that beleeue There is besides his pleasure great wisedome in it because it is very fit to represēt that vnto vs for which it was ordianed it being substantiall foode and therefore called the staffe of mans life on which it doth as it were leane and whereby it is vpholden and besides this is for euery mans stomach and for euery ones state and may euery where be gotten And yet withall we must know that bread cannot fully expresse the efficacy of the spiritualll food Christ Iesus which we are to feed vpon for bread is earthly that food is heauenly bread preserueth the corporall life and that but for a time Christ not onely preserueth but giueth not a naturall but a supernaturall not a temporall but an eternall life Thirdly God made choyce of bread in respect of his owne glory that the weaker the meanes are the stronger his hand might appeare to be If we had bene to receiue gold or gemmes or precious stones our senses would haue bene more wrought on then our hearts and we should haue more regarded the signe then the thing signified the which inconueniences with other of the like kind the Lord by giuing vs bread hath preuented Seeing then that the bread as also the wine in the Lords Supper is of such excellent force and vse as to put vs in mind of Christs death and bloudshedding to testifie his vndoubted true and reall presence to euery faithfull communicant and to refresh and feede the soules of the worthy receiuers vnto eternall life in which regard they doe as farre surmount common bread and wine as the waxe wherewith a pardon or charter or any other euidence is sealed is of more worth then that which is to be sold in the trade mans shop Seeing I say that the bread is of such singular vse this maketh first Vse 1 for the confutation of the Papists which hold that after the words of consecration there remaineth no bread at all but that it is transubstantiated into the very body of Christ I●ndeed we graunt that as the bread so Christ his body is there offered and receiued by euery faithfull communicant but how nor corporally but spiritually not from the Ministres hand but from God hand not by sense but by faith And for the further clearning and confirming of this truth many reasons might be brought but I wil produce but onely some few The first is taken from the expresse words of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures who mentioneth bread after the words of consecration Reasons against transubstantiation saying the bread which we breake 1 Cor. 10.16 and againe He that eateth this bread c. I Corinthians 11.27.28 A second reason is this We receiue the same in substance which the Fathers did in the wildernesse I. Cor 10.1 for the Manna is there called spirituall meate and the rocke is said to be Christ now it is certaine that they did not corporally eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ because he had not then assumed our nature and our Sauiour denieth the Manna to bee the true bread