turne to God so conioyne thee with God make all thine actions well pleassing vnto him There is no good actiō that we do though it seeme neuer so good before the world but it is abhomination before God if it be not done in fayth and will forward our condemnation hauing fayth all the creatures of god are seruiceable vnto vs they must all conspire to the furtherance of the worke of our saluation As on the contrarie wanting fayth there is none of the creatures of God but shall bee enemies vnto vs and conspire to our damnation For fayth conioynes vs with the God of heauen and makes vs heauenly This Iewell of faith seasons all the gifts graces which God giueth vnto vs All the riches of the earth is of no value to my soule without fayth And what auailes it any man to haue all the knowledge and wisdome in the earth without fayth For the diuell hath all this knowledge and is not the better What auailes it me to conquer all the Monarches kingdomes and whole riches in the earth what can all these auaile my soule Nothing but accuse mee if I want fayth Therefore all the benefits and gifts of God without faith auail nothing but to augment our misery All the gifts and graces of God are abused without fayth Fayth onely makes thee to vse the benefits and graces of God rightly Fayth onely should bee sought kept and intertained heere in this life hauing fayth all the rest of Gods graces are profitable vnto thee for this Iewell keeps them al in order makes them al fruitful whereas wanting this iewel there is nothing here on earth but it wil testifie against thee Let vs then speak of this faith how it is wroght in you I take my groūd out of the Euangelist Iohn How faith is created in our soules 6.44 where our Sauiour saith No man canne come to me except the Father which hath sent mee drawe him In the which words we see cleerely that except wee bee drawen except wee bee compelled except we be thrust except of vnwilling wee bee made willing by God the father it is not possible for vs to come to his sonne What is the reason of this that the spirit of God must drawe vs and make vs willing or euer wee come to God Because by nature wee are not only wounded and launced by sinne and iniquitie but as the Apostle sheweth Ephes 2.1 wee were wholly dead in trespasses and sinnes yea obserue how voide any dead bodie is of a naturall life so voide are our soules though they be liuing the naturall life so voide are they of the life of God of that heauenly and spirituall life whereunto wee in this life doe aspire vntill such time that the spirit of God draw our harts and mindes that is quicken our harts and mindes No it is not a drawing as wee commonly speake it is a very quickning of a dead thing It is a quickning of that thing which was voide of the life of the spirit Then except the spirit of God drawe vs that is quicken vs with that spirituall and heauenly life it is not possible for vs to come to heauen And except hee nourish this life which hee hath begunne it is not possible that wee canne stand in this life So the spirit of God is said to drawe vs that is to beginne this life in vs and by the same holy spirit to continue and nourish this life in vs. Now by the drawing of the spirit our soules are quickned and by the drawing of the spirit I vnderstand no other thing but the framing and creating of fayth in our soules which makes vs new creatures Now let vs see what order the spirit of GOD keepeth in drawing vs and informing and creating this faith in our soules First of all I diuide the soule into no more parts then commonly it vseth to bee diuided that is into the heart and the minde Our minde then being a cloud of darknesse altogether blinde naturally there being nothing in that minde of ours but vanitie error and ignorance whereby wee vanish away and can neuer long continue in any good resolution or purpose What doth the spirit of God The first worke that euer the spirit of God doth he taketh order with the minde and what doth hee to the minde he banisheth darknesse he chasethout vanitie and blindnes that naturally lurketh in the mind and insteed of this darknes he placeth in the minde a light a celestiall and a heauenly light a light which is resident in Christ Iesus only Then the spirit chaseth out that cloude of miste darknes and placeth light in the minde And what worketh he by this light We getting this inward and heauenly light in the minde a sanctified vnderstanding incontinent hee makes vs to see God not only as he is God the creator of the world but also as hee is God the redeemer and hath redeemed vs in his son Christ Iesus Now before I obtaine this light what is my heart mind doing There is not one of you but haue experience as I my selfe haue in what estate the heart and minde is before that this light enter The minde lieth drowned in blindnesse and the heart is hardned and they both conspire together in vice to sette vp an Idoll in stead of God a domesticall and inuisible Idoll what sort of Idoll is that No doubt some worldly or fleshly affection or other this is sette vp in the throne of thy heart and on this Idoll thou bestowest the seruice of thy whole heart of thy whole minde of thy whole soule and bodie So that the seruice both of the soule and bodie which should be bestowed vpon God only is imployed vpon that Idoll which is set vp in thy heart that is in the place of God in the steed of the most high God And thou art more addicted to the seruice of that Idoll then euer thou wast to the seruice of the liuing God yea vntill such time that this Idoll of ours bee banished and that this blindnes whereby this Idoll is serued be taken away there is not one of you but are seruants to one lust or other thy soule that should bee consecrated to the seruice of the liuing GOD is imployed vpon one affection or other vpon some worldly or fleshly lust of thine owne But from the time that the Lord beginneth to scatter the cloudes of our naturall mindes and vnderstandings and beginneth to chase away this thicke mist of the darke soule and placeth therein some sparke of heauenly light which floweth out of Chr. and whereas we were children of the night and darknesse before hee makes vs to be light in the Lord and to be children of the light and of the day Then we see that all the things in the world besides the liuing God are vanities deceiueable allurements vnconstant shadowes fleeting and flowing without any abiding and and then wee see that our hearts
THE MYSTERIE OF THE LORDS SVPPER CLEERELY MANIFESTED IN FIVE SERMONS Two of Preparation and Three of the Sacrament it selfe BY A REVEREND AND FAITHfull Preacher of Gods word IOHN 6.54.63 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life AT LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Man 1614. THE PRINTER TO THE READER I Present here vnto thy viewe good reader a learned and godly treatise wherein the Doctrine of the Lords supper is both plainely and fully handled A worke which heretofore hath beene in diuers mens hands yet not without some inconuenience for being at first borne in another soyle then our owne it was written in a language though but the same with ours in substance yet by reason of the peculiar dialect or propriety so often varying and more then sufficient to make them that are not throughly acquainted with the difference to mistake euen things that to our vnderstanding are much more familiar then the holy mysteries of our saluation The consideratiō of which incommodity did moue a worthy and truly religious Gentleman M. S. Michell to take the paines to peruse and polishe so good a worke to the end to publish it that so it might be profitable to all But hauing scarse finished and prepared it for the presse it pleased God to take him to himselfe before he could see a finall end of this and many other his religious and honest endeauors yet least the Church should haue lost so precious a Iewell his zeale of good doing continuing vnto the end he committed the execution of this so godly a desire to the speciall care of one of his good and trusty friends who being faithfull in the trust committed vnto him is a principal meanes that now it commeth safely to thy hands receiue it therefore and esteeme it as the most godly and iudicious haue euer done the best and most profitable treatise that euer hath bin published of this subiect and cease not to thanke God for raising vp so many meanes to procure thy good whose sole end in all their labours is Gods glory and the furthering of thy true happinesse Farewell Thine in Christ Iesus F. B. The first Sermon vpon the Sacraments in generall 1. Corin. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke Bread c. THere is nothing in this world nor out of this world more to be wished of euery one of you more to be craued and sought of euery one of you then to bee conioyned with Christ Iesus then once to be made one with the God of glory Christ Iesus This heauenly and celestiall coniunction is purchased and brought about by two speciall meanes It is brought about by meanes of the word and preaching of the Gospell and it is brought about by the meanes of the Sacraments and ministration thereof The word leadeth vs to Christ by the eare the Sacraments lead vs to Christ by the eye Two senses of all the rest which God hath chosen as most meet for this purpose to instruct vs and bring vs vnto Christ For that doctrine must be most effectuall mouing that wakeneth and stirreth vp most of the outward senses that doctrine that wakeneth not onely the eare but the eye the taste the feeling and all the rest of the outward senses must moue the heart most must be most effectuall and pearcing in the soule But so it is that this doctrine of the Sacraments moues stirres vp and wakens most of the outward senses therfore it must bee if wee come well prepared vnto it most effectuall to stirre vp the inward senses of the dull heart But there is a thing that yee must euer remember there is no doctrine neither of the simple word nor yet of the Sacraments if Christ abstract his holy spirit that is able to moue therefore when euer yee come to heare the doctrine whether it be of the Sacraments or of the simple word craue of God that hee would be present by his holy spirit or otherwise all the doctrine in the earth will not awaile you Alwaies this doctrine of the Sacraments stirres vp and wakens most of the outward senses and therefore there is no question but it is an effectuall and potent instrument to waken prepare and stirre vp our hearts Then to let you see what the word Sacrament meaneth The diuerse taking of the word Sacrament and to remoue the ambiguitie of it it is certaine and out of all question that the Latine Diuines who were most ancient did interpret the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word Sacrament and they vsed the Greeke word not onely to signifie the whole action of the Supper of the Lord and the whole action of Baptisme but they vsed the word Mystery to signifie whatsoeuer is darke and bid in it selfe and not frequented in the common vse of men as after this manner the Apostle calleth the vocation of the Gentiles a mysterie Ephes 3.9 Ephes 5.32 This coniunction which is begun heere betwixt vs and Christ is called a Mysterie and the Latine Interpreters call it a Sacrament and to be short ye will not finde in the booke of God a word more frequent then the word Mysterie But as for the word Sacrament wherby they interpret the Greeke word we finde not this word by the same Diuines to be taken so largely neither is it takē so largely in any part of the booke of God Alwayes the word Sacrament is very ambiguous in it selfe and there ariseth about the ambiguitie of this word many controuersies which are not yet ceased nor will not cease while the world lasteth whereas if they had kept the Apostles words and called them as the Apostle calleth them Signes and Seales all this digladiation strife and contention appearingly had not fallen out but where men will be wiser then God and giue names to things without warrant from God vpon the wit of man which is but meere folly all this stirre falleth out Well then to come vnto the purpose The ancient Diuines tooke the word Sacrament as we may perceiue in a fourefold manner Sometime they tooke it for the whole action that is the whole ministery of the Elements sometime they tooke it not for the whole action but for the outward things that are vsed in the action of Baptisme and of the Supper as they tooke it for the vvater and sprinkling of it for the Bread and Wine breaking distributing and eating thereof Thirdly againe they tooke it not for the whole outward things that are vsed in the action but onely for the materiall and earthly things the Elements as for Bread and Wine in the Supper and water in Baptisme And after this sort saith Augustine the wicked eate
yee must bee borne in the bodie of Christ his spirit must quicken you This is called the quickning and liuing spirit of Christ by Iohn And so soone as this spirit cometh what doth it It chaseth away darknesse out of the vnderstanding whereas before I knewe not God now I see him not onely generally that he is a God but that he is my God in Christ what more doth the holy spirit It opneth the heart as well as the minde and what doth it there Those things whereon I bestowed the affection of my heart and imployed the loue of my soule are by the working of the holy spirit made gall to mee he makes then venome to mee and to bee as deadly hated of mee as poyson Hee worketh such an inward disposition in my soule that hee makes mee to turne and flie from those things whereon I imployed my loue before and to imploy it vpon God This is a great perfection Alwayes in some measure he makes mee to loue God better then anie other thing Hee changeth the affections and inclinations of my soule he changeth the faculties and qualities of my soule And though our hearts minde be made new yet the substance of them is not changed but onely the faculties and qualities are changed in respect of the which change wee are called new creatures except you be found newe creatures Conclusion with an exhortation yee are not in Christ Now to come to the poynt This secret Coniunction is brought to passe by faith and by the holy spirit by faith wee lay hold on the bodie and bloud of Christ And though wee bee as farre distant as heauen and earth are the spirit serues vs as a ladder to conioyne vs with Christ As the ladder of Iacob which reached from the ground to the heauen to the selfe same vse serueth the spirit of God to conioyne the bodie of Christ with my soule Then obserue the whole in a word what makes you to haue anie right or title to Christ Nothing but the spirit Nothing but faith What should bee your studie then Seeke by all meanes possible to gett faith That as Peter Acts the 15.9 sayeth your hearts and consciences may be sanctified by faith And if you endeuour not as well to get faith in your hearts as in your mindes your faith auaileth not What auaileth the faith that fleeteth in the fantasie and brings a naked knowledge without the opening of the heart and consent of the will So there must be an opening of thy hart and consent of thy will to doe that thing that God commandeth or else thy faith availeth not Then striue to get faith in your hearts and mindes and doing so yee doe the duties of Christians This is not done without the diligent hearing of the word and diligent receiuing of the Sacrament Then be diligent in these exercises and be diligent in prayer Praying in the holy Ghost that hee would nourish your soules inwardlie with the body and bloud of Christ That hee would increase faith in your hearts and mindes and make it to grow vp more and more daily vntill you come to the full fruition of that blessed immortality Vnto the which the Lord of his mercie bring vs and that for the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour praise and glorie both now and euer Amen THE THIRD Sermon vpon the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that hee was betraied tooke bread c. WE haue heard wel-beloued in Christ Iesus in our last exercise what names were giuen to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well in the Scriptures as by the Auncientes of the Latine and East Churches wee hearde the chiefe ends wherefore and wherevnto this holy Sacrament was at first instituted wee heard the things that were contained in this Sacrament what they were how they are coupled how they are deliuered and how they are receiued wee heard also some obiections that might bee obiected to the contrarie of this doctrine wee heard them propounded and as God gaue the grace refuted wee heard how the faythfull soule is said to eate Christs bodie and drinke Christs blood Wee heard the manner how Christ is or canne bee receiued of vs And we concluded in this poynt That Christ Iesus the Sauiour of mankinde our Sauiour cannot bee perceiued nor yet receiued but by a spirituall way apprehension Neyther the flesh of Christ nor the bloud of Christ nor Christ himselfe can bee perceiued but by the eye of fayth can bee receiued but by the mouth of faith nor can be layd hold on but by the hand of fayth Now faith is a spiritual thing for fayth is the gift of God poured downe into the heartes and mindes of men and women wrought in the soule of euery one and that by the mightie working and operation of the holy spirit So the onely waie to laie holde on Christ being by faith and faith of it owne nature beeing spiritual it followeth therefore that there is no waie to lay hold on Christ but a spirituall way there is not a hand to fasten on Christ but aspirituall hand there is not a mouth to digest Christ but a spirituall mouth The Scriptures samiliarly by all these tearmes describe the nature and efficacie of faith How we are said to eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ Wee are said to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drink his bloud by faith in this Sacrament chiefely in doing of two things First in calling to our remembrance the bitter death and passiof Christ the blood that hee shedde vpon the crosse the Supper which he instituted in remembrance of him before he went to the Crosse The commandement which hee gaue Doe this in remembrance of me I say wee eate his flesh and drinke his bloode spiritually First in this poynt in recording and remembring faithfully how hee died for vs how his blood was shedde vpon the crosse This is the first poynt a point that cannot be remembred truly except it be wrought by the mightie power of the holy spirit The second poynt of the spirituall eating standeth in this That I and euerie one of you beleeue firmly that he died for mee in particular That his bloud was shedde on the crosse for a full remission and redemption of me and my sinnes The cheefe and principall poynt of the eating of Christ his flesh and drinking of his blood standeth in beleeuing firmely that that flesh was deliuered to death for my sinnes that that blood of his was shedde for the remission of my sinnes and except euerie soule come neere to himselfe and firmely consent and agree and bee perswaded that Christ died for him that soule can not be saued that soule cannot eate the flesh nor drinke the blood of Christ Then the
nourish the soule is that part that it should nourish therefore to the soule it is deliuered Yea that bread that wine are no more really deliuered to the body to the hand of the body then the flesh of Christ is deliuered to the soule and to the hand and mouth of the soule vvhich is faith therefore craue no more a carnall deliuerie nor thinke not vpon a carnall receiuing Thou must not thinke that eyther GOD giueth the flesh of Christ to the mouth of the bodie or that thou by the mouth of thy bodie receiuest the flesh of Christ For yee must vnderstand this principle in the Scriptures of GOD our soules cannot be ioyned with the flesh of Christ nor the flesh of Christ cannot be ioyned vvith our soules but by a spirituall band Not by a carnall band of bloud and alliance not by the touching of his flesh with our flesh but hee is conioyned with vs by a spirituall band that is by the power and vertue of his holy Spirit And therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12.13 That by the meanes of his holy spirit all wee who are faithfull men and vvomen are baptized into one body of Christ That is wee are conioyned and fastened with one Christ by the meanes saith he of one spirit not by a carnall band or any grosse coniunction but onely by the band of the holy spirit That same holy spirit that is in him is in euery one of vs in some measure and in respect one spirit is in him and in vs therefore wee are accounted all to be one body and to bee members of one spirituall and mysticall body And in the same verse the Apostle saith Wee are all made to drink into one and the selfe same spirit that is we are made to drink of the bloud of Christ And this bloud is no other thing but the quickning vertue and power that floweth from Christ and from the merits of his death we are made all to drinke of that bloud when wee drinke of the liuely power and vertue that floweth out of that bloud So there is not a band that can couple my soule with the flesh of Christ but onelie a spirituall band and a spirituall vnion And therefore it is that the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.17 saith Hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit And Iohn saith That vvhich is borne of the spirit is spirit So it is onely by the participation of the holy spirit that we are conioyned with the flesh and bloud of Christ Iesus That carnall band vvhether it bee the band of bloud vvhich runnes throrough one race or the carnall touching of flesh vvith flesh that carnall band I say vvas neuer esteemed of by Christ In the time that hee was conuersant heere vpon earth hee respected nothing that band for as hee vvitnessed himselfe by his owne vvords hee neuer had that carnall band in any kinde of reuerence or estimation in respect of the spirituall band But as for the spirituall band whereby we are coupled with him by one spirit hee euer esteemed of this band in the time that he was conuersant on earth in his word he hath left the praise and commendations of the same To let you see how lightly he esteemed of the carnall band of bloud and alliance which wee esteeme so much yee may see in the eight of Luke 20.21 for there they comming to him say Master thy Mother and thy Brethren stand vvithout and vvould see thee ye shall heare his answere vnto them how little he esteemed of that carnall band in the 21. verse in a manner denying that band hee saith My Mother and my Brethren are those which heare the vvord of God and doe it As if he would haue said It is not that carnall band that I esteeme it is not that carnall coniunction that I reuerence it is the spirituall coniunction by the participation of the holie Spirit vvhereby wee are mooued to heare the word of God to giue reuerence to it and to obey it This carnall band was neuer profitable as that in the 8. of Luke doth plainly testifie for if the touching of Christes flesh had been profitable the multitude wherof mention is made in that chapter that thrusted and preased him had beene the better by their carnall touching But so it is that there was neuer any of them the better by their carnall touching therfore the carnall touching profiteth nothing Saith not Christ himselfe Iohn 6.63 to drawe them from that sinister confidence they had in his flesh onely My flesh profiteth nothing It is the spirit that quickneth To touch him by the holie Spirit and by faith in thy soule this touching by faith hath euer been profitable and wee haue a plaine example of it in the same chapter Euen so the poore vvoman that had long been diseased vvith a bloudie issue the space of twelue yeeres and had vvasted and consumed the greatest part of her substance in seeking remedie shee found no helpe by the naturall and bodily Physition at the last by vertue of the holie Spirit working faith in her heart shee vnderstands and conceiues that shee is able to recouer the health of her bodie and the health of her soule from Christ Iesus vvho came to saue both body and soule And vpon this perswasion which shee had in her hart that Christ could cure both body and soule shee came vnto him and as the Text saith shee preased thorough the multitude to come to him and when she was come it is not said that she touched his flesh with her hand in case the Papists would ascribe the vertue which came out of him to her carnall touching but it is said that she touched onely the hemme of his garment with her hand and with faith vvhich is the hand of the soule shee touched her Sauiour God and man And to let you vnderstand that shee touched him by saith hee saith to her at the last Goe thy way thy faith hath saued thee Shee touched him not so soon by faith but incontment there came a power out of him which power and vertue shee felt by the effect of it in her soule and our Sauiour felt it vvhen it went from him The effect vvhereby shee felt it was the health of her soule and the effect wherby he felt it was the going from him And so soone as hee felt it goe from him he saith Who is it that hath touched mee Peter who was euer most suddaine answereth and saith Thou art thronged and thrusted by the multitude and yet thou askest Who hath touched thee Our Sauiour answers againe It is not that touching that I speake of it is another kinde of touching There is one hath touched me who hath drawn a vertue and power out of mee the multitude takes no vertue from me The poore woman thinking she had done amisse and perceiuing that she could not be hid came trembling and said I haue done it Hee answered her at the last
and said Depart in peace thy faith hath saued thee Thy faith hath drawn out a vertue power from me that hath made both thy soule body whole So that this touching of Christ hath euer been profitable is and shall be profitable like as the touching of Christ with the corporall hand hath neuer beene is not nor euer shall be profitable And why Christ is not appointed to be a carnall head to be set vpon the necks of our bodies that he may doe the office of a carnall head therunto to furnish naturall motion senses to our bodies No the Scriptures call not Christ a natural head but the Scriptures call him a spirituall head to be set on the neck of our soules that is to be cōioyned with our soules that out of him into our soules may distill holy motions heauenly senses and that there may flowe out of him to vs a spiritual heauenly life Then the Scriptures call him a spiritu-head as they call vs a spirituall body and as the life which wee get from him is spirituall so all our coniunction with him is spirituall And in respect he worketh that same operation in my soule vvhich the carnall head doth in my body therefore hee is called a spirituall head therefore hee is called the head of his Church because hee furnisheth her vvith spirituall motion and senses vvhich is the life of the Church So to be short there is nothing in this coniunction carnall there is nothing grosse in it there is nothing that may be compassed by our naturall iudgement vnderstanding And therefore whosoeuer would attaine to any small in-sight of this spiritual coniunction between Christ and vs of necessity hee must humble himselfe and earnestly pray for the spirit otherwise it is not possible to get any vnderstanding no not the least perseuerance how the flesh of Christ and vve are conioyned except we haue some light giuen vs by the spirit that is except our harts be wakened by the mighty working of the spirit of Christ this shall remaine as a dead and closed letter vnto vs. So Exhortation yee are to craue that the Lord in his mercie would waken you illuminate your vnderstandings and make you to haue a spirituall light to discerne of these spirituall things Next ye must study and be carefull to remoue all vaine cogitations and earthly fantasies when yee come to heare so high a matter yee must cast off all filthy thoughts ill motions and cares of the world and yee must shake off all things that clogge your harts Thirdly yee must come with a purpose to heare the vvord to giue diligent care to the word and with a sanctified hart to receiue it vvith a purpose to growe and increase in holiness as well in body as in soule all the dayes of your life And comming with this purpose no question the holy Spirit shall reueale those things to you which yee want And though this word passe and bring no great commodity for the present yet the holy Spirit heereafter shall reueale to thee the truth of that which thou hast now heard Then this is the end of all Bee present in your harts and mindes and let your soules be emptied of all the cares of the vvorld that they may receiue that comfort which is offered in the hearing of the word Now I come to the defining of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I call this Sacrament A holy Seale annexed to the couenant of grace and mercy in Christ A seale to be ministred publiquely alwaies according to the holy institution of Christ Iesus that by the lawful ministery therof the Sacramentall vnion betweene the signes and the thing signified may stand and this vnion standing Christ Iesus who is the thing signified is as truely deliuered to the increase of our spirituall nourishment as the signes are giuen deliuered to the body for our temporall nourishment Now let vs examine the words parts of this definition Why this Sacrament is called a Seale First of all I call this Sacrament a Seale because this Sacrament serueth to the same vse to our soules that a common seale doth to a common Euidence As the seale which is annexed to the Euidence confirmes and seales vp the truth contained in the Euidence so this Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ confirmeth and sealeth vp the truth of mercy and grace contayned in the couenant of mercy and grace for this respect it is called a seale It is called A holy Seale Why Why it is called a holy Seale Because it is taken from the profane vse whereunto that bread serued before and that bread is applyed to a holy vse There is a power giuen to that bread to signifie the precious body of Christ Iesus to represent the nourishing and feeding of our soules And in respect it serueth now in the Sacrament to so holy an vse therefore I call it an holie seale This is not my word it is the Apostles Rom. 4.11 where hee giueth the Sacrament the same name and calleth it a seale And further if the wisdom of Christ in his Apostle had been followed and if men had not inuented new names of their own for this Sacrament but contented satisfied themselues with the names which God hath giuen by his Apostle that Chr. himself hath giuen to this Sacramēt I am assured none of these controuersies debares which neuer will cease had fallen out but where men wil go about to be wiser thē God go beyond God in deuising names which he neuer gaue vpon mens own inuentions such debates haue faln out A lesson by the vvay that no flesh presume to be wiser then GOD but let them stoupe and keepe the names which God hath giuen to this Sacrament Thirdly Why the seale is said to be annexed to the couenant I say annexed to the Couenant annexed and hung to the Charter because it cannot be called a seale properly except it be hung to an Euidence What it is by nature the same it remaineth and no more if it be not annexed to some Euidence it is onely the hanging of it to the Euidence that maketh men account it a seale not beeing esteemed except it be hanged to the Euidence Euen so it is heere if this Sacrament be not ministred and ioyned to the preached vvord to the preaching of the couenant of mercie and grace it cannot be a seale but what it is by nature it is no more As by nature it is but a common peece of bread so it is no more if it be not annexed to the preaching of the word and ministred therewith as Christ hath commaunded Therfore I say the seale must be annexed and hanged to the Euidence to the preaching of the word for the confirming of the Euidence otherwise it is not a seale But it is not so with the Euidence vvhich is the word of
forgiue sinnes Now it is onely GOD that may forgiue sinnes and therfore it is not possible that the ministery of the heauenly thing can be in the power of any man Example we haue in Iohn the Baptist Math. 3.11 Saith he not The ministery that I haue is of the element I am commaunded to minister the element of water onely but as for the ministerie of the fire and of the spirit Christ hath reserued it vnto himself Therefore looke not to get the spirit at mans hands but at the hands of Christ himselfe onely and without this inward ministery the outward ministery is not worth a straw For my outward ministerie yea suppose it were the ministerie of an Angell and suppose Christ were present in the flesh to minister vnto you these outward things except hee conioyne the inward ministerie of his spirit therewith it availes nothing it may well be as a process against you against the day of that generall assembly but to your saluation it will neuer profit you Therefore this yee ought alwaies to pray for that the Lord would water your harts by his holy spirit as he watereth your eares by the hearing of his vvord Then there are two offerers the Minister offers the signe Christ Iesus offers himselfe the thing signified The three persons one GOD offers the Mediatour or the Mediatour offers himselfe and that by the power and vertue of his owne Spirit As there are two offerers The sign the thing signified are offered in two actions by two instruments after two manners two persons that offer and giue the Sacrament and thing signified by the Sacrament so these two are offered and giuen in two actions Christ vvho is the heauenly thing is offered and giuen vnto you by an inward secret and spirituall action which is not subiect to the outward eye The signe againe is offered and giuen in an outward action after a corporall and visible manner As there are two sorts of actions so there are two sorts of instruments vvhere-unto the signe and the thing signified are offered for the thing singified that is Christ is neuer offered to the mouth of my body the bloud of Christ the flesh of Christ whole Christ or the spirit of Christ is not offered neither in the word nor in the Sacrament to the mouth of my body Let the Aduersaries finde me that in any part of the Bible that there is any other manner of receiuing Christ then by faith and let them haue the victorie So there is not an instrument as I told you neither hand not mouth to receiue Christ but faith onely As Christ vvho is the thing signified is receiued by the hand mouth of faith so the signe which signifieth Christ is receiued by our ovvne naturall mouth hand ye haue a mouth in your heads and in your bodies as proper to receiue the signe as faith is to receiue Christ So the signe and the thing signified are offered and giuen not to one instrument but to two the one to the mouth of the body the other to the mouth of the soule Now marke by what way these things are offered and giuen by the same vvay they are receiued as the signe is corporal and naturally offered to a corporall instrument so is it receiued after a corporall naturall manner for thou must take the Bread Wine either by thy hand or by thy mouth The thing signified is not takē after a corporall manner but after a secret and spirituall manner and as it is offered so it is taken There can be nothing cleerer then this the one is taken after a naturall manner the other after a secret spirituall manner So in this last part ye haue these things to marke to distinguish betweene the outward action and the inward between the signe and the thing signified and to keepe a proportion and analogie between the inward and the outward actions ye may surely perswade your selues that if ye be faithfull Christ is as busie working inwardly in your soules as the Minister is working outwardly towards your bodies looke how busie the Minister is in breaking that Bread in pouring out that Wine in giuing that Bread and Wine vnto thee as busie is Christ in breaking his owne body to thee and in giuing thee iuyce of his owne body after a spirituall and an inuisible manner So keepe this distinction and yee may assure your selues that by faith Christ is as well occupied towards your soules to nourish them as the Minister is outwardly towards your bodies Keepe this and yee haue the whole Sacrament Then from this discourse and deduction you may learn a double matter wherof the Sacrament consisteth It standeth on two sorts of materials that is of an earthly matter and of an heauenly matter the signe and the thing signified And as there is a double matter in the Sacrament so the Sacrament must be handled after a double manner by an outward action and an inward action keep the distinction in these things betweene the signe and the thing signified and ye shall not easily slip in the vnderstanding of the Sacrament This beeing said concerning the generall consideration of the Elements for all this yet appertaineth vnto the Elements it resteth that we speake some-what concerning the vvord Of the other part of the Sacrament which is the word which I call the other part of the Sacrament I meane vnderstand by the vvord where-unto the clements are annexed that thing vvhich quickneth this whole action which serueth as it were a soule and giueth life vnto the whole action For by the word and appointment of Christ in the vvord the Minister knoweth vvhat is his part the hearer knoweth what is his part and euery one is prepared how to deliuer and how to receiue the Minister how hee should deliuer and the hearer how hee shold receiue So the Institution of Christ is the quickning of the whole action for all the action is warranted from the institution set downe in his word In the institutiō of Christ there are two things chiefly to be considered a Commaund and a Promise The Commaund is this where he saith Take eate The Commaund requireth obedience There is a Promise also in the institution and it is contained in these words This is my body The Promise craueth faith as the Commaund craueth obedience so the Promise craueth beliefe Therefore come not vnto the Sacrament except ye bring both faith and obedience with you If thou come not with a heart minding to obey Christ at the least more then thou wast wont to doe thou commest vnto thine ovvne damnation And if thou bringest a hart voyd of faith thou commest vnto thine owne damnation So let euery one that commeth vnto the Sacrament bring with him a hart minding to doe better that is to obey belieue Christ better then he did in time past Except ye bring these two in some measure come not vnto the Sacrament for whatsoeuer
thou doost except it flow from faith it can profit nothing Thus farre briefly concerning the word Now it wil be demaunded What need is there that these Sacraments seales should be annexed to the word wherfore are they annexed seeing we get no more in the Sacrament then we get in the word and wee get as much in the very simple word as we get in the Sacraments Seeing theÌ„ we get no new thing in the SacrameÌ„t but the same thing which we get in the simple word wherefore is the Sacrament appointed to be hung vnto the word It is tru certainly that we get no new thing in the Sacrament nor wee get no other thing in the Sacrament then we get in the word for what more wouldest thou craue then to get the Sonne of God if thou get him well Thy hart cannot wish nor imagine a greater gift then to haue the Sonne of God who is King of heauen and earth therefore I say VVhat new thing wouldest thou haue for if thou get him thou gettest all things with him thy hart cannot imagine a new thing besides him Wherefore then is the Sacrament appointed Answere 1 Not to get thee any new thing I say it is appointed to gette thee that same thing better By the Sacrament we possesse Christ more fully then by the simple vvord then thou haddest it in the vvord The Sacrament is appointed that we may take better hold of Christ then we could in the simple vvord that we may possesse Christ in our harts and mindes more fully and largely then we did before in the simple vvord That Christ might haue a larger space to make residence in our narrow harts then he could haue by the hearing of the simple vvord and to possesse Christ more fully it is a better thing For suppose Christ be one thing in himselfe yet the better hold thou hast of him thou art the surer of his promise The Sacraments are appointed that I might haue him more fully in my soule that I might haue the boundes of it enlarged that he may make the better residence in me This no doubt is the cause wherefore these Seales are annexed to the euidence of the simple word They serue to this end also to seale vp and confirme the truth that is in the word They serue to confirme the truth contained in the vvord for as the office of the Seale hung to the Euidence is not to confirme any other truth then that which is in the Euidence and though ye belieued the Euidence before yet by the seales yee belieue it better euen so the Sacraments assure me of no other truth then is contained vvithin the vvord yet because it is a seale annexed vnto the vvord it perswades me the better of the same for the more the outvvard senses are wakened the more is the inward hart and minde perswaded to belieue Now the Sacrament wakeneth all the outward senses as the eye the hand and all the rest and the outward senses beeing mooued no question the spirit of GOD concurring there-with moues the hart the more The Sacraments are then annexed vnto the vvord to seale vp the truth contained in the word and to confirm it mâ—re and more in thy hart The word then is appointed to worke beliefe and the Sacrament is appointed to confirme you in this beliefe But except yee feele the truth of this inwardly in your harts except yee haue your harts as ready as your mouth thinke not that any thing will auaile you All the seales in the world wil not work except the spirit of God concur and seale the same truth in your harts which the Sacrament seales outwardly Except hee make cleere the sight of thy minde inwardly and worke a feeling in thy hart both word and Sacrament shall lose their fruite and effect which they should haue All the Scriptures are full of this the whole Scriptures of God are but a slaying letter to you except the spirit of God concurre to quicken inwardly Exhortation Therefore your whole indeuour should be to prease to feele Christ inwardly in your harts that finding him in your harts and seeing him in your minds both word and Sacraments may be effectuall If not your soules remaine dead ye are not translated from that death wherin ye were conceiued Therefore all the study of Christians should be when they see the Sacraments and heare the word to labor to finde and feele in their harts and mindes that which they heare and see and this I call to finde Christ quick in your ovvne soules This cannot be except yee sanctifie his lodging for if all the corners of thy soule remaine a dunghill Christ cannot dwell there and therefore except ye studie for continuall growth in sanctification seuer your selues from euery thing that seuers you from Christ it is not possible that hee can liue or dwell in you This is a great lesson and it is not possible to doe this except as I haue said a stronger come in possesse vs and make vs to renounce our selues Then the seales had not been annexed to the word except for our cause for there is no necessity on Gods part that God should either sweare or confirme by seales the thing that hee hath spoken for his word is as good as any oath or seale But the necessity commeth of vs there is such a great weaknesse in vs that vvhen hee hath sworne and set his seales vnto his vvord wee are as neere to belieue as if hee had neuer spoken a vvord So to helpe our beliefe our vveakenesse and inabilitie that is in vs for we are so vnable by nature that we can belieue nothing but that which is of our selues and the more wee leane vnto our selues the further we are from God I say to helpe this wonderfull weakenes whereby we are ready to mistrust God in euery word he hath annexed his Sacraments besides his Sacraments hee sweares the things that concerne most our saluation As in the Priesthood of Christ Psal 110.4 He will not speake onely but he sweares and that for our weakenes and infirmities but yet if he abstract the ministery of his spirit all these meanes will do no good Now the last thing is how the Sacrament is peruerted Faults w th peruert the Sacrament and how we are defrauded of the fruit and effect thereof Two sorts of faults peruert the Sacrament and defraude vs of the profit and vse thereof and these faults are either in the forme or in the person In forme if the essentiall forme be spoyled we gette nothing for when the Sacrament is spoyled of the essentiall forme it is not a Sacrament There is an essentiall forme in Baptisme and an essentiall form in the Lords Supper which if they be taken away ye lose the vse of the Sacrament The essentiall forme of Baptisme is I baptize thee in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost leaue out any of
to the soule Now it may be that where two things are truly conioyntlie offred a man may receiue the one and refuse the other Hee receiueth the one because he hath an instrument to take it he refuseth the other because he wanteth an instrument I heare the word because I haue an eare to heare it with I receiue the Sacrament because I haue a mouth to receiue it with but as for the thing which the word and Sacraments represent I may refuse it because I haue not a mouth to take it nor an eye to perceiue it and therefore the fault is not on Gods part but on our part The wicked get the body and bloud of Christ offered to them conioyntly with the word Sacraments but the fault is on their part that they haue not a mouth to receiue him and God is not bound to giue them a mouth Mark this That if it were not of Gods speciall grace and mercie that he giueth mee an eye to perceiue him and a mouth to receiue him I would refuse him as well as they So this Argument holdeth not Christ is offered to all Ergo hee is receiued of all Happy were they if they could receiue him Thus far for the 3. Argument What resteth now for the ful vnderstanding of the Sacrament These things remain That we vnderstand the Sacramentall speeches that are vsed in the Sacrament for we vse to speake of them God vseth to speake of them and the Ancients vse to speake of them Wee vse to say that the soule eateth the body of Christ and drinketh the bloud of Christ How the soule is said to eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ These speeches wold be opened to you how the soule is said to eate the body drink the bloud of Christ these speeches are Sacramental yet yee are not the wiser but I will make it plaine by Gods grace They are Sacramentall what is that Ye knowe it is proper to the bodie to eate and drink they are the proper actions of the body only Now they are ascribed to the soule by a translation by a figuratiue maner of speaking That which is proper to the body is ascribed to the soule and it is said that the soule eateth drinketh The eating of the soule doth resemble the eating of the bodie then the eating of the soule is no other thing but the applying of Christ to the soule to belieue that he hath shed his bloud for mee that he hath purchased remissiō of sins for me Wherfore then cal you this an eating what call you the eating of the body They body eateth when thou appliest the meat to thy mouth If then the eating of the body be no other thing but the applying of meat to the mouth the eating of the soule is no other thing but the applying of the nourishment to the soule Then yee see what is meant by the eating and drinking of the soule no other thing but the applying of Christ to my soule and the applying of his death passion to my soule and this is onely done by faith therefore he that lacketh faith cannot eate Christ Thus farre for the eating and drinking of the soule vvhich are Sacramentall speeches There remaineth now of all these great things Obseruation and of all this doctrine which hath bin taught but this one lesson That thou learne to apply Christ rightly to thy soule Thou art a great Diuine if thou hast learned this wel for in the right applicatiō of Christ to the sick soule to the wounded conscience and diseased heart heere beginnes the fountaine of all our felicitie the wel-spring of all our ioy And I wil tell you what this application worketh Obserue what the presence of thy soule within thee suppose thou want Christ in thy soule doth to this earthly body to this lump of clay as by the presence of the soule it liueth it mooueth it feeleth as the soule giueth to the body life mouing and senses that same very thing dooth Christ vnto thy soule Hast thou once laid hold of and applyed him to thee As the soule quickens thy body so hee quickens thy soule not with an earthly or temporal life but with the life which hee liueth in heauē he makes thee to liue that same life which the Angels liue in heauen hee maketh thee to moue not with worldly motions but with heauenly spirituall celestiall motions Againe he inspires in thee not outward senses but heauenly senses he worketh in thee a spiritual feeling that in thine own hart conscience thou mayst find the effect of this word So by the coniunction of Christ with my soule I get a thousand times greater benefits then the body doth by the soule for the bodie by the presence of the soule getteth onely an earthly temporall life subiect to continual misery but by the presence of Christ in my soule I see a blessed life I feele a blessed life that same life takes daily more more increase in me Then the ground of all our perfection blessednes standeth in this coniunction suppose thou mightest liue Methushelaes yeeres and wert euer seking yet if in the last houre thou get this coniunction thou maist thinke thy trauel well bestowed thou hast gotten enough for if we haue obtained Christ wee haue gotten all with him Then the applying of Christ to my soule is the foūtaine of all my ioy felicitie Now let vs see how we get this coniunction This is a spirituall coniunction a coniunction hard difficult to be purchased obtained gotten of vs How then is this coniunction brought about which are the means of this cōiunction on Gods part which are the means on our part to get Christ to put Christ in our soules to make Christ one with vs There is one means on Gods part that helpeth vs vnto Christ there is another on our part On Gods part there is the holie spirit which offereth the body bloud of Chr. to vs and on our part there must be a means or else though he offer we will not receiue Therefore of necessity there must be faith in our soules to receiue that which the holy spirit offers to receiue that heauēly food of the body bloud of Chr. which she holy spirit offers Thē faith the holy spirit are the two means of this spiritual heauenly coniunction By these 2. means by faith by the holy spirit I get the body of Chr. the body of Chr. is mine he is giuen to my soule Now heer comes in the question How canst thou say that the body of Christ is giuen or deliuered to thee seeing the body of Christ is sitting at the right hand of God the Father look how great distance is betwixt heauen and earth as great distance is there betwixt the body of Christ and thy body how then say yee that the body of Christ is giuen to you The Papists
vnderstand not this therefore they imagin a gross carnal coniunction Except the spirit of God reueale these things they cannot be vnderstood The spirit of God must illuminate our mindes and be planted in all our harts before wee can come to the vnderstanding of this Then wouldest thou vnderstand hovv Christ is giuen thee This ground is true that the bodie of Christ is at the right hand of the Father the bloud of Christ is at the right hand of the Father yet notwithstanding though there be as great distance betwixt my body and the bodie of Christ as is betwixt heauen and earth yet Christes body is giuen to me because I haue a title to his body giuen to mee the right and title which is giuen to me of his body and bloud makes me to possesse his body and bloud The distance of the place hurteth not my title nor my right for if any of you haue a peece of Land lying in the farthest part of England if ye haue a good title to it the distance of the place cannot hurt your title so I say the distance of place hurts not my title and my right that I haue to Christ But though he be sitting at the right hand of the Father yet the title and right that I haue to him makes him mine so that I may say trulie this Christ is my property Then Christ is not made mine because I fetch him out of the heauens but he is mine because I haue a sure title right to him hauing a sure title and iust right to him the distance of place how farre soeuer it be can no wayes hurt my title nor right but where-euer he be he is mine because I haue a right title to him Yea not onely haue I a title to him but this title is confirmed to mee For as I gette a title to him in the vvord and if I got not that title to him in the word I durst not come to the Sacrament so in the Sacrament I get the confirmation of my title I get the Seale which confirmes my title Then to come to the point Christs bodie is sitting at the right hand of the Father and yet he is mine and is deliuered to me because I haue right to his bodie be it where it will hee was borne for mee giuen to mee and deliuered to mee So distance of place hurts not the suretie of my title as propinquitie of place helpes not the suretie of the same Though Christ would bow the heauens and touch thee with his bodie as he did Iudas yet this could not helpe thee for if thou hast not a title to him thou darest not call him thine So it is not the neernesse nor proximity of place that makes Christ mine It is onely the right that I haue to him I haue right to him only by faith So by faith only Chr. is made mine But they thinke they haue gotten a great vantage of vs if we be so farre from Chr. as the heauen is frō the earth but this shal be answered by Gods grace I haue a title to his body his body is distant frō my body yet his body is not distant from me that is from my soule I say his bodie and my soule are conioyned It is a strange ladder that will reach from the earth to the heauens yet let me tell you there is a corde that extendeth from the earth to the heauens Faith is that which couples vs and Christ and coupleth mee and Christ together and this is onely true fayth By true faith Christ though he be in the heauens is coupled and conioyned with me who am heere on earth I will shewe you this by a similitude Similitude taken from the sunne Is not the bodie of the sunne in the firmament It is impossible for you to touch the bodie of the sun yet the bodie of the sunne and yee are conioyned How By those beames that shine on you by that light that shineth vpon you Why may not the bodie of Christ then though it be in the heauens be conioyned with mee that am on the earth namelie by the beames by the light and gladnes that floweth from his bodie My bodie Christs body are conioined by the vertue and power flowing from his bodie which vertue and power quickneth my dead soule maketh me to liue the life of Christ to beginne to die to my selfe and euer the more I die to my selfe the more I liue to Christ This coniunction nowe is the ground as I told you of all our felicitie and happinesse and I haue made it cleere to you at this time so farre as God hath giuen me insight Alwaies yee see this coniunction is brought to passe by two speciall meanes by the holy spirit and by faith If there bee no other meanes but these two what needest thou a carnall or a visible coniunction Faith is invisible and the spirit is inuisible therefore thou canst not see it nor take it vp with the eye of thy bodie The power of the holy spirit is so subtile secret and inuisible that thou canst not perceiue it nor take it vppe with the eye of thy bodie and it will worke great effects in thy soule or euer thou perceiuest his working In respect therefore that the meanes of this coniunction are so subtill secret and spirituall why thinkest thou to get a sight of this coniunction with the eye of thy bodie why imaginest thou such a carnall coniunction as this which would doe thee no good if thou hadst it knowst thou not that the spirit that coupleth vs and Christ is infinite so that it is as easie for the spirit to couplevs and Christ how farre distant soeuer wee bee as it is easie for our soules to couple our head and the feete of our bodies though they be distant Then seeing this coniunction is the ground fountaine of all our happinesse And seeing this ground of happinesse is so subtil and so spirituall What is your part Remoue all your outward senses remoue al your naturall motions remoue your naturall discourses and your naturall reason and follow the sight and information of the spirit of God Craue that it would please him to illuminate your vnderstanding that by the light of his spirit yee may see cleerely the spirituall coniunction Except the eye of the spirit be giuen you to perceiue this spirituall coniunction It is not possible that yee can get any insight in it But if the Lord of his mercy will bestowe some measure of his holy spirit vpon you out of question yee shall soone come to the vnderstanding of it and yee shall thinke the time happie that euer yee heard this word Except yee haue some part of this spirit it is not possible that yee canne bee spirituall That which is borne of flesh and bloode will remaine flesh and bloud except the spirit come in and make it spirituall Therefore yee must bee borne againe of the spirit
visible and palpable I proue my Proposition by Christ his owne words taken out of Luke 24.39 In the which place to perswade the Apostles of the verity of his body and to proue euidently that it was not fantasticall heevseth the argument taken from these tvvo qualities and he commands his Apostles to feele and see giuing them thereby to vnderstand that as these two senses are the most certaine of all the rest so are they most able to discerne whether hee was a body or a spirit As if he would haue said If I be visible and palpable ye may be out of doubt that I haue a true body For as the Poet saith which Tertullian citeth also to this same purpose Tangere enim et tangi nisi corpus nulla potestres By these arguments it may be euidently seen how this Transubstantiation may no way stand with the verity of the bodie of Chr. Iesus And as it fights with the flesh of Christ Iesus so it repugnes directly the articles of our faith For in our Beliefe we professe Second sort of argumeÌ„t that Christ ascended out of this earth to the heauen where hee sits at the right hand of the Father vvhere hee gouerns and directs all things in heauen and earth from the which place he is to come at the last day to iudge the world This article teacheth vs that hee hath changed his dwelling vvhich hee had amongst vs on the earth and is ascended into the heauens where he sits at the right hand of his Father and shall remaine there according to the testimony of Peter which I cited out of the Acts 3.21 vntill the last day If hee sit at his Fathers right hand and be to remaine in heauen vntill the last day theÌ„ is he not corporally in the bread But the article of our Beliefe saith That he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and Peter saith in that place that the heauens must containe him vntill the last day Therefore this Transubstantiation is directly against the articles of our Beliefe the manifest place of the Scripture Thirdly it is opposite vnto the end Third sort of argumeÌ„t wherefore this Sacrament was instituted this is most euident for the end of the Sacrament is spirituall as the effect that floweth thereof is spiritual and the instrument whereby this spirituall food is applyed to vs is also spiritual But from a naturall and corporall presence a spirituall effect can neuer flowe therefore the corporall and naturall presence of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus repugnes directly the end of this Sacrament for the corporall presence must haue a corporall eating of this eating followeth a digestion in the stomacke and the thing that is digested in the stomack is neuer able to feed my soule to life eternall So this corporall presence must euer tend to a corporall end which is directly contrarie vnto the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted Further Other arguments vnto the same effect if the bread were transubstantiate it should become the thing signified if it become the thing signified this Sacrament should want a signe and so it should not be a Sacrament for euery Sacrament as yee haue heard is a signe Now to say that the accidents of true bread as the colour and the roundnesse of it that they may serue as signes that is more then folly for between the signe and the thing signified there must be a conformity but there is no conformity between the accidents and the body and bloud of Christ Iesus For if that were so the accidents behoued to nourish vs corporally as the body and bloud of Christ Iesus is appointed to nourish vs spiritually Againe if the bread become the body and bloud of Christ Iesus it should follow that he had a body without bloud for hee hath instituted another signe besides to represent his bloud Also if there had been such a wonderfull thing as they speak of in this Sacrament there would haue been plaine mention made thereof in the Scripture for God himselfe works neuer a notable worke but he declares it either openly or more secretly in the Scripture that thereby hee may be glorified in his wonderfull works As yee may read in the Euangelist â—ohn 2.8 where the vvater was changed into wine Gene. 2.22 where the rib of Adam was changed into Heua Exodus 7.10 where Aarons rodde was turned into a Serpent there ye see that changing is manifestly expressed Therefore I say if there had bin such a monstrous change in these elemeÌ„ts of the Supper as they affirm the Scripture would not haue concealed it but expressed it but in respect there is no meÌ„tion made of this change in the Script therfore there is no such change in this action Further if there were such a change as they say either it is before these words of consecration be spoken or followes after the same words be spoken If the change be before the words of the coÌ„secration be spoken the consecration is superfluous their Proposition is false if the change be after the words be spoken This bread is my body their Proposition is false also because the word bread is spoken before the last syllable of their fiue words is pronounced These and infinite moe absurdities follow of this doctrine And yet they obstinately perseuer and vrge vs with the letter affirming that the words of Christ are so plaine that they admit no figure They would haue spoken more aduisedly if they had sought counsell of Augustine to haue discerned between a figuratiue speech and a proper speech for he in his third booke and 16. chapter of Christian doctrine speakes after this sort If the speech saith hee seeme to commaund a vvickedness or mischeife on to forbid any happinesse or any vvelfare it is not proper it is then figuratiue And he adds for an example a place out of Iohn 6.53 Except saith our Sauiour ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Whereunto Augustine addeth This speech saith he sesmeth to coÌ„maund a mischiefe therefore it is a figuratiue speech vvhereby wee are commanded to coÌ„municate with the sufferings of Christ Iesus and with gladnes to keepe in perpetuall memory that the flesh of the Lord was crucified and wounded for vs. For otherwise it were more horrible as the same Augustine maketh mention in the second booke against the Aduersaries of the lavv to eate the flesh of Christ Iesus really then to murther him and more horrible to drinke his bloud then to shed his bloud Yet notwithstanding they are not ashamed still to hold maintaine that those words ought to be taken properly So that it appeareth that of very malice for contradiction sake to the end onely that they may withstand the truth they will not acknowledge this to be a sacrameÌ„tall speech For they are compelled will they nill they in other speeches of the like sort to acknowledge a
admit also the other Therefore if they looke vvell about them they shall finde the beame to bee in their ovvne eye for they peruert both the lawe of GOD and the law of Nature by a nevv inuented physick of their owne For whatsoeuer he be that attributes to one and the selfe same body naturall and vnnaturall properties vvhich directlie fight against themselues I say that man peruerts both true Theology and Physick But they to one and the selfe same body of Christ Iesus attribute naturall vnnaturall properties therefore it is they that peruert both the vse of true Theologie and the order set downe and established in Nature Would you knowe the reason of my Proposition I say it behoueth as well in Theology as in Physick of necessity one of the contrary enunciations to be false But once to make an end vvith them I will aunswere their last refuge Thus they reason A glorified body is not subiect to physicall rules but Christ his body is glorified therfore it is not subiect to physicall rules First of all before wee answer directly wee must consider wherein standeth the glorification of a body and then the answer will be easie The Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 15.42 speaketh after this manner So also saith hee is the resurrection of the dead The body is sowen in corruption and is raised in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour and is raised in glorie It is sowen in weaknesse and is raised in power And a litle after This corruption must put on incorruption and this mortalitie must put on immortalitie By this cleare Antithesis Paul plainly describeth the glorification of a bodie for he opposeth these two the vnglorified and the glorified bodie And to the vnglorified bodie hee ascribeth corruption ignominie infirmitie carnalitie and mortalitie To the glorified bodie hee attributes incorruption glorie power spiritualitie and immortalitie Of this opposition we may gather easily what the resurrection and glorification brings to the bodie In a word by them wee see That the bodie is onely spoyled of corruption shame infirmitie naturalitie and mortalitie And it becomes onely spoyled of all the infirmities of our nature that it may be clothed with a more glorious apparell as with incorruption power glorie spiritualitie and immortalitie Wee see then That this glorification imports a chaunge indeed but I beleeue no man will bee so mad as to thinke this change to bee made in the substance for if that were so the old substance behoued to decay and a new should arise but wee heere no such thing in this discription and as little is the change made in the quātitie for wee find no word eyther of augmentation or diminution of any substāce which behoued to be if it were in the quantie The most that we can perceiue This mutation consistes in the qualities by the which the bodie casteth off the old coate of infirmitie and cloatheth it selfe with the coate of glorie for Christ after hee did arise hee both went and came was seene and touched Of the things before deduced it cleerely followeth That in respect the glorie of the bodie of Christ hath wrought nothing in his nature and substance and consequently in his naturall dimensions neyther yet in any other essentiall propertie That therefore the glorification of his bodie freeth it not frō the rules of Physick For so long as that nature of a true bodie remaines there are no supernaturall gifts whereby it may be glorified were they neuer so high so farre as they may be gathered out of the scriptures that may hurt eyther the nature or the naturall propertie of it For there is no gift nor qualitie that may hurt nature but that gift that is against nature But the supernaturall gift is neyther vnnaturall neyther yet against nature Therefore it cannot hurt nor impaire nature And my reason is this Those gifts that decore and beautifie nature they cannot hurt nor impaire nature But all supernaturall gifts beautifie and decore nature Therefore they cannot take away neyther nature nor yet the naturall property They leaue vs not so but out of this doctrine of Paule concerning the glorification of the bodie they drawe an obiection to presse vs withall Paul grants that a glorified bodie is a spirituall bodie but a spirituall bodie is an inuisible bodie Therefore a glorified bodie is inuisible and by consequence the bodie of Christ is inuisible Though the argument be not formall yet to be short I denie their assumption for if there were no more but that word bodie that word might be an argument that the spiritual bodie is not inuisible But yet to open the matter more cleerely according to the meaning of Saint Paul in that place Saint Paul in a word as it were in the 44. vers of that Chap. sheweth the change that shall be in the qualities of the bodie by the resurrection For he saith that our naturall bodies shall become spirituall bodies and then in the next verse immediately following hee expoundeth these two qualities for in the 45. verse That is called a naturall bodie sayeth hee which is maintained and quickned by a liuing soule onely such as Adams was And againe that is said to be a spirituall bodie which together besides the soule is quickned with a farre more excellent vertue to wit with the spirit of God which descendeth from Christ the second Adam vnto vs Then according vnto this ground I answere with Augustine ad Constantium As the naturall bodie is not a soule but a bodie Euen so the spirituall bodie is not said to bee a soule but a bodie And by consequent it is not inuisible For the further explaining of this head I will giue them onely one knot to loose and so ende this point Then I reason Yf therefore Christs bodie is naturally and really in the Lords Supper because that it is glorified It followeth consequently That when it was not glorified it could not bee really present But it was not glorified when this supper was first instituted Therfore it was not really present in the bread at Christs first Supper Yf his bodie was not really present in the bread at the first supper it cannot be naturally present now For whatsoeuer they vse now in the administration of their Supper or of their Masse call it as you will according to their owne confession they vse it according to the ordinance forme and maner that Christ Iesus himselfe vsed in his first Supper For they say plainely in their disputation at Poyssie and in all the rest of their works That Chr. Iesus first of all obserued that forme which they vse in their Masse left it to his Apostles and to their successours that they should doe the like And so by their owne words they haue intangled themselues and crucified their Masse what can they answere to this They will not stand dumbe I am sure for maintenance of their religion they must say some thing Thus they say That though the body of
Christ which was locally present with the rest of his disciples was not glorified yet the body which hee exhibited in the bread was glorified They might as well haue held their peace and say nothing For marke the words of the text as they are written Luke 22.19 where it is said And he tooke the bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue to them saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you and Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11.24 hath these words Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you This relatiue which is relatiue to the bodie which was exhibited in the bread for according to their owne confession those words are pronounced vpon the bread directed vnto it But that same bodie was giuen and broken for vs that is to say crucified and broken with anguish and dolors Then I reason after this sort To be crucified and broken with anguish and dolors canne no waies agree and conuene with a glorified bodie But the bodie that Christ exhibited in the bread is said of the Euangelists to be crucified and broken for vs Ergo that bodie was not glorified Now last of all they are not yet content but say Christ can make the bread his bodie And therefore his bodie is really present That Christ can make the bread his bodie wee grant for Christ being God canne doe whatsoeuer hee will onely let them shewe That Christ will make of reall bread his reall flesh and then this controuersie will ende Christ indeede makes the bread his bodie not really but Sacramentally For Christ hath not a bodie made of bread his bodie was made once of the pure substance of his blessed Mother Another bodie then this or oftner made then once hath hee none wherefore all doctrine that teacheth Christs body to be made of bread is impious hereticall The Papists doctrine of reall presence teacheth That Christs bodie in the Sacrament is made of bread by changing the bread into his bodie through consecration wherefore we may boldly and and truly conclude That their doctrine of reall presence is both wicked heretical Now to cōclude this head I beseech them seeing that reason fails thē That they fight not against God for maintenance of a lie how old soeuer it bee for the diuel is olde enough yet he could neuer change his nature But let them rather glorifie God in cōfessing these speeches to be Sacramēetal Then what is the reason ground wherefore the Papists pull downe the substance of the body of Christ and the blood of Christ and make the verie substance to be corporallie The reason that moues the Papists to thinke that Chr. bodie cannot be present in the Sacrament except it be really carnally and substantially present reallie and substantially in the Sacrament The reason is this Because they cannot see by their naturall iudgement nor can vnderstand by their natural wit the truth of this to wit how Christs flesh and blood can bee present in the Sacrament except hee bee present to their corporall hand to their corporall mouth and stomacke If they had the light to informe them That Christ might bee present in the Sacrament and not to the hand to the mouth or stomack they would neuer thinke of such a monstrous presence as they imagine to be there But beeing destitute of the spirituall light they follow their naturall reasons make a natural Obseruation carnal presēce So that ye haue this lesson to note from hence There is no man that hath not the spirit of God to vnderstand this word This is my bodie but out of question hee will doe as the Papists doe that is hee will vnderstand it carnally And so they mis-knowing the right meaning of it it is no maruaile though they and we differ in this matter For will you aske of a Papist first if the true bodie of Christ be there or if the true flesh and blood of Christ be there hee will say it is there The diuerse opinions concerning the presence of the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament will you aske him wherein hee will say in and vnder the accidents of the bread wine vnder the hew and roundnes of the bread will you aske him againe by what instrument it is receiued Hee will tell you by the mouth and stomacke of the bodie So this is their grosse vnderstanding of the bodie and blood of Christ Will you aske of the Vbiquiter if the true bodie of Christ be present hee will say it is will you aske if it it be in with or vnder the bread hee will answere it is in the bread contentiuè that is the bread containes it will you aske him to what instrument it is offered hee will answere that the bodie of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie and that the blood of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie as the Papists doe Will you knowe of vs how Christ Iesus his true bodie and blood is present wee will say that they are spiritually present really present that is present in the Lords Supper and not in the bread wee will not say that his true flesh is present to the hand or to the mouth of our bodies But we say it is spiritually present that is present vnto thy spirit and faythfull soule yea euen as present inwardlie vnto thy soule as the bread and wine are present vnto thy bodie outwardly Will you aske then if the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus bee present in the Lords Supper Wee answere in a word They are present but not in the bread and wine nor in the accidents nor substance of bread and wine And wee make Christ to be present in this Sacrament because hee is present to my soule to my spirit and fayth Also we make him present in the Lords Supper because I haue him in his promise This is my bodie which promise is present to my fayth and the nature of fayth is to make things that are absent in themselues yet present And therefore seeing he is both present by fayth in his promise present by the vertue of his holy spirit who can say but that hee is present in this Sacrament But yet the word would be explained How a thing is said to be present and absent what we mean by the word present how a thing is said to be present absent And knowing this yee shall finde all the matter easie I say things are said to be present as they are perceiued by anie outward or inward sense as they are perceiued by any of the senses so are they present the further they be perceiued the further present and by what sense any thing is perceiued to that sense it is present As if it bee outwardly perceiued by an outward sense that thing is outwardly present As for example if it be perceiued by the outward sight of the eye by the outward hearing of the eare
peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 Now then this point commeth in That yee are to proue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues vvhether ye are in the faith Examine if your soules be seasoned with this faith for if ye haue not faith in Christ Christ is not in you and if Christ be not in you yee are in an euill state ye are in the estate of the reprobate and damned So euery one ought to looke carefully and see if he haue a beliefe in the bloud of Christ or not whether hee belieue to obtaine mercy by his merits and sanctification by his bloud or not For if thou haue no measure of this faith thou hast no measure of peace with GOD by reason our peace with God is ingendered and groweth dailie more and more by true faith in Christ Novv this faith vvhere it is true where it is liuely and couples the heart vvith GOD as I haue alreadie said it must breake foorth in voord and deede it can by no meanes bee held in but it vvill break forth It must breake out in word in glorifying the God of heauen who hath forgiuen vs our sinnes it must break forth in word by giuing a notable confession of those sinnes wherein vvee haue offended him It must breake out in deed in doing good works to testifie to the world that thing which is within thy hart to testifie to the world that thou who hast this faith art a new man that by thy good example of life and conuersation thou maist edify thy brethren the simple ones of the Church of God and that by thy holie life thou maist drawe sinners to repentance that they seeing thy good light may bee compelled to glorifie GOD in thee Then in the first poynt of triall let vs looke to these three to the hart to the mouth to the hand Take heed that there be a harmonie betwixt these three for if the hart be inwardly coupled with God there is no doubt but the mouth vvill outvvardlie glorifie him and if thy hart and mouth bee renevved and bee one of necessitie thou wilt expresse it in thy conuersation There must bee an agreement betwixt the heart and the hand thy conuersation must bee changed with the heart and be holy honest and godly as the heart is So that if thy conuersation be good it is a sure token that thou art at one with God but if thy conuersatiō bee not good speake what thou wilt thy heart is but defiled this true and liuelie faith hath no place in it Then wouldest thou know when thou art at one with God When thy conuersation thy heart and thy mouth say all one thing then without question thou hast the worke of fayth wrought by the holy spirit in thy heart which maketh thee to bee at peace with God This is the first poynt wherein yee should trie your selues The next point is loue yee must trie whether ye be in loue and charitie with your neighbours or not for as thou art not coupled with God but by the hand of faith so thou art not coupled with thy neighbour nor ioyned with any member of Christ in this world but by the hand of loue amitie and charitie Take away loue thou art not a member of this bodie for loue is the maister sinnowe and couples all these members of Christs bodie together and makes them to growe vp in a spiritual and mysticall vnitie loue is the onely marke whereby the children of Christ and members of Christs bodie are knowen from the rest of the world loue is that holy oyle that refresheth our soules makes vs like vnto God and the more we growe in loue the more God by his spirit dwelleth in vs for God is loue So that except in some measure loue towards thy neighbour dwel in thy heart thou canst haue no societie with thy neighbour and far lesse with God If the manners of men were examined by this rule wee should finde a multitude of godlesse people in this countrie who haue their hearts raging with malice one against another and where the diuell and the malicious spirite dwell there is no place for the holy spirit And although the Lord hath gone about by all meanes possible early and late to instruct them and to infuse into them this pretious loue and amitie towards God their neighbour and so to alter their conditions Yet they will not suffer themselues to be wakened vntil the great vengeance and malediction of God fal vpon them This loue this honest and godly conuersation floweth alwaies from the roote of fayth So that if thy heart haue faith in any measure be it neuer so little in that same measure thou must haue loue towards thy neighbour this loue is neuer idle but is vttering it selfe in one effect or other And in respect that faith is the ground whereupon all the rest dependes and in respect that this fayth is such a Iewell as without the which it is not possible for any of you to please God without which all your deedes are abhomination before him without the which you are in the greatest miserie w th miserie is so much the more terrible in that you are ignorant of it Is it not good reason that ye know and vnderstand how this faith is first wroght thē nourisht in your souls by the holy spirit that seeing how it is created the māner how it is brought about ye may examine your cōsciences see whether ye be in the faith or not My purpose was to haue insisted longer on this matter then this time will suffer Now therefore as time wil permit and GOD shall giue grace I will let you vnderstand how the H. spirit imployes his trauaile in the heart minde of man what paines the holy Ghost taketh in creating and forming this Iewell of fayth in your soules Yet before I enter this work to let you see the trauailes of the spirit of God in working of this fayth in your hearts It is necessarie and more then necessarie that yee vnderstand first your owne miserie and infirmitie and that yee knowe how the Lord was induced to recouer you out of your old estate and to recreate you who were lost by the fall of your father Adam Then to consider of this matter more deepely I offer to your remembrances this ground That man vniuersally and euery one particularly being corrupted being lost and that by our first fathers fall for if there were no more but that same first faulte and sinne of his wee are all of vs iustly condemned to a double death both of bodie and soule for euer Man thus vniuersally and particularly being vtterly lost without any hope at all of recouery left in his soule without any sense of the recouery of that fromer estate or repairing of that Image which hee had lost through sinne long