euen vntill our last breathing we shal haue need to praie vnto God that it may please him to forgiue our hourelie sinnes thorough his Sonne our onelie Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ But yet the imperfections and iniquities abyding in vs ought to preuayle so litle to the withdrawing of our seues from God that if we be heartely sory and grieued for the same they should rather cause vs to draw neere vnto him to this holy banquet to the end that like miserable starued creatures we might receiue Iesus Christ with the more greedinesse who is the true and onelie foode and nourishment of our soules Thirdlie albeit a perfect Faith repentance giuing of thankes and loue is not necessary to the end we may come worthilie to the Supper yet they must be al true not counterfeit they must come from the heart and from the spirit Our Faith may not be feigned our repentance may not be dissembled as is the manner of the hypocites the thankes which we giue to God may not proceede onely out of the mouth neither must we loue our brethren onelie in word not in deed but the whole profession of our Faith Christian life must aboue all things be farre remooued from vayne boasting and dissembling that we may take more care paines to be effectualy before God then to be esteemed taken for good Christians before men Against those that wittingly and willingly absteine from the Lord his Supper AS they are many which faulte in comming vnworthily to the Supper so there are manie which offend of the contrarie namelie in not comming at al nor presenting themselues to the said holy banquet fearing as they saie to be partakers of the same vnworthilie and so consequently to be culpable and guiltie of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ But let them knowe which absteine of set purpose from the table of the Lord that it is no lesse a vice thorough vnthankfulnes and contempt of the holy meates which God setteth before vs in the Supper to abstaine then it is to receiue it vnworthily euen as the patient which is daungerously sicke if he make no accompt of the Physition his receipt and order deserueth no lesse blame then he that abuseth the same receipt dyet and doth not vse it with discretion moderation according as it was ordered by the Physition And let them not therefore abuse flatter themselues as if hereby they might escape vnblameable before God and men seing it is a case most cleare a thing most certeine that so grosse vnthankfulnesse cannot be currant nor by any meanes possible beare excuse For first they wittingly despise the commandement of Iesus Christ who saith to al that be his Doe this take and eate Secondly they set light by the happie memory of the death and passion of the Sonne of God who saith to the faithfull that they shal celebrate and keepe solemne the supper in remembrance of him Thirdly they contemne the price of their redemption to wit the precious bodie blood of Iesus Christ which are giuen and parted to al true Christians in the Supper as it is written This is my body which is giuen for you this is my blood which is shed for the remission of your sinnes Lastly they despise the Church and the vnion thereof of their owne accord excommunicate themselues from the fellowship that the faithful haue in the Supper as well with Iesus Christ as one with another Thus we see that these contemners of the Lord his Supper do grossely falt and grieuously sinne in this behalfe and are altogether void and vnworthy of excuse Let vs therefore take heede that we follow not their example except we wil run into the like danger with them that for their oxen fermes wiues and trafficke of merchandise refused to come to the mariage in the Gospel Of them that come vnworthily to the holie Supper of the Lord and ought not to be admitted Of them that sinne against the first Article of the first preparation which consisteth in true faith AL Atheists vnbeleeuers ignorāt of God of his word al heretickes and false prophets all magitians idolaters and superstitious persons which are partakers of the table of deuils Furthermore al such as haue but an historical faith al the adherents ministers of the antichrist of Rome al such as any way establish his kingdome or depend thereupon all such as are not yet brought to be of the number of the church of God haue not made profession of their faith finally al such as make it but an ordinary cōmon matter to sweare by the name of God or by their faith apply the same to vaine fruteles matters al such I say may not presume to touch the holy table of the Lord because they haue not true affiance and trust in God without the which we can not be members of Iesus Christ so consequently can not be fit able to receiue life of him who is the onelie head and cheife of al the faithfull Of those that sinne against the second article of the second preparation which consisteth of Repentance AL such as lead an odious an impudent a loose life all the contemners of God of his word of his holy congregation all they that deny and blaspheme the name of God all such as contemne the correction discipline of the church againe they that ordinarely frequent haunt euill company they that walke in the councell of the vngodly that stand in the way of sinners or sit in the cheare of the scorneful finally that giue no hope of amendment of life or of renewing of their minds that cōmit outragious grosse infamous monsterous sinnes such as are punishable by the ciuil magistrates al these I say being knowen to be of so fowle a race may not be admitted to this supper and if they offer themselues they are to be refused least that which is holy be giuē to dogs and to swine to the great dishonor of God and offence to the Church and Congregation Of those that sinne against the third article of the third preparation which consisteth in thankesgiuing WIthout true faith vnfeigned repentance we cānot be meet to publish the praises of God which wil not be praised out of the mouth of the wicked vngodly wherfore all they that are voyd and destitute of faith of knowledg of repentance do also sin against this article and ought not to be receiued at the Lords table They also that are bereft of their wittes foolish by nature or by accident they that being vnder age as litle children can not shew forth the Lords death vntil his comming are al vncapable of his supper Finally they that through weakenesse vnthankfulnes want of taking knowledge of Gods benefits haue in the troublesome and heauy times of aduersitie forsaken Gods cause quarrell and haue renounced the name of the Lord Iesus Christ
doe eate of the breade and drinke of the cuppe which are offered vnto vs therein threatning and fearing vs with our own condemnation if we presume contrarie to his commandement to eate and to drinke not discerning the Lord his bodie And forasmuch as by reason of my duetie I haue to accompt before his maiestie not onelie for my selfe but also for you which haue beene committed to my charge I purpose to examine you all one after another touching this point before I do admit you or any of you to this holie table that I may vnderstand whether you haue sufficient instruction in these matters and haue rightlie conceiued and kept in memorie such points as I haue of late times handled for your better preparing thereunto Wherefore I praie you Eusebius answere me and tell me what is the chiefest thing and most requisite to be knowen for the sufficient vnderstanding of this whole mysterie Euseb The chiefest point wherein you said wee ought to be perfectlie informed and instructed was to my vnderstanding and remembrance touching the Author by whom the Supper was ordeined and that it was not to be taken for some dreame or thing onelie imagined conceiued in the braine fancie of man but for an holie an inuiolable ordināce of our God which without great impietie preiudice to our owne saluation we can neither breake in the whole nor neglect in any part or parcell Minist What was my reason for this first and principall point Euseb It was to this effect that except we haue a certeine knowledge and assurance that this ceremonie is one of God his owne ordinances we cannot be perswaded in our consciences that in keeping the same we do please his maiestie and further that except this point haue taken deepe roote in our hearts by the power of his worde we are prone and readie continuallie to take away the honor and estimation thereunto belonging and by reputing it either a vaine and needelesse matter or at the most a thing indifferētly to be receiued or refused we are euer at the point to set light by it to deride it For euen therefore despise we the whole rable of Turkish Iewish ceremonies because they are grounded onely vpon the wil of such as ordeined them and vpon the superstitious ignorance and blindnesse of the common people which keepe and worship them Minist Shew me now by whom it was appointed to the end we may vnderstand what we do when we come to the Lord his table For as you haue verie well said it is not onelie requisite for the assuring staying of our consciences that our faith be builded vpon his promises but also that our obedience be squared ruled by his commandements to the end that our inward intention meaning in all things may be guided and gouerned by the light of his word and as we do acknowledge him to be our father by the trust that we repose vpon his goodnesse so we may in like manner confesse him to be our souereigne Lorde by the feare and reuerence which we shall carrie towards his heauenlie maiestie by the careful minds which we shal shew to be in vs towards the keeping of his ordināces protesting hereby that we will hope to receiue nothing but at his hands and that we will commit nothing which shall not be agreeable to his holie will and pleasure Euseb This holie supper was ordeined and appointed by our Lord master Iesus Christ as it appeareth by that which is written by his holy Euangelists Matth. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. sainct Mathew Marke and Luke in their seueral writings and by his Apostle S. Paul in his first to the Corinthians in which places after he had distributed the bread and wine to his disciples he commanded them to do the like in the remembrance of him and thereby to declare his death and to preach the same vntill his comming Minist Then it is out of all doubt that the supper is a ceremonie ordeined and appointed by God and that all the faithfull thereof capeable are bounde to celebrate the same by his commandement But forasmuch as that duetie ought to be most reuerently performed and for the better and more holie vse thereof it is needefull to vnderstand to what end and purpose it was ordeined I would haue you to shew me for the second point what is the end of the Lord his supper Euseb The supper was instituted to this end and purpose that we might thereby be edified and instructed which thing Iesus Christ did alwaies set as a marke before his eyes in all that he either taught or appointed to be done in his Church Minist How and wherein are we taught edified by celebrating the supper Euseb We are instructed in Faith and Charitie the onely points wherein the saluation dutie of al Christians and in general the whole body of the religion of our sauiour Iesus Christ is conteined Minist How I pray you is our faith hereby edified Euseb Our faith is edified 1. Cor. 15. as the Apostle saith when we are instructed comforted exhorted and assured by the worde of God and when as by his spirite the power thereof is engrauen in our hearts Nowe both the Sacraments that is to wit of Baptisme and of the Lord his Supper are nothing else as it is notably said of Sainct Augustine but visible words wherein as it were in goodly and faire Tables God setteth out before our eyes his loue his fauour his benefits and graces drawen in liuelie and naturall colours to the end that we beholding the same therein and setting our eies firmelie vpon the gratious goodnesse that hee sheweth to vs therein expressed might be well assured and comforted in our consciences be euen so affected as we are when we doe either reade the gratious letters or behold the liuelie pictures of our louing friends Minist What be those graces and benefits which we are principallie to consider in the Supper Euseb That Iesus Christ who is there represented is our life that is the heauenlie breade sent downe from his father vpon the earth for the nourishment sustentation of our soules that in taking the bread and wine we are receiued into the communion of his bodie and so consequently assured to be partakers of his righteousnesse and obedience which are imputed to all them that are knit together and vnited in one with him further that he hath redeemed vs and made eternall satisfaction for al our sinnes that he hath purged and cleansed our filthie spots and blemishes with his blood that the sentence of condemnation pronounced against him is our absolution that the paiment which he hath made is a full and perfect acquittance and warrant for all our debts that he is the sacrifice by the which the wrath of God against vs hath beene appeased and pacified and that his death is the meane whereby we are reconciled to him and receiued into his
ought not to haue accesse vnto his holy table before they haue made confession of their fault in publique and be reconciled to the Church of God Of those that sinne against the fourth article of the fourth preparation which consisteth in Charitie towardes our neighbour AL such as are disobedient to fathers mothers to the magistrate to al superiours also all seditious persons fighters murtheres such as beare hatred or malice against their neighbour they that are possessed carried with a spirit of reuenging whoremongers adulteres vnchast geuen to vnnaturall lust vncleanes drunkards gluttones ful of deceit of couetousnes of theft of vsury backebiters skorners false witnesses lyars men conuicted of common periurie and generaly all such as make a trade occupation of abusing the loue of our neighbour cōteined in the second table of the lawe of God are to be excluded out of the nomber of the faithful to whome it belongeth to be present at this holy spiritual feast For seing the Scriptures pronounce testifie that such haue no felowship with the Lorde that they are shut out of the kingdom of heauen that they shal not rest vpon the holy hill of the Lorde they ought by great reason to be barred from those holy singes by the whiche the faithfull are ioyned to Christ made possessours of euerlasting life A DIALOGVE WHEREIN WE are taught how we should come to the holy Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ Father HOw must we be prepared when we come to the Lord his table that we may be worthy receiuers of his holy Supper Child We must examine our selues diligently as we are warned by S. Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians F. In how many points lyeth this triall examination of our selues C. Verily in two points First that we carrie our selues towards God who calleth biddeth vs to this holy banquet as he hath ordeined in his commandements and as we are bound by our obedience Secondly that we haue regard of our behauiour bearing towardes our brethren which are no lesse bidden nor welcome guests then we to this holy Banquet F. What is required in regard of our duetie towards God C. There be three points which are principal and heads to many other wherein this our duetie towards God is founded F. Rehearse those three points wherein principally this duetie standeth C. The first is Faith the next Repentance and the last Thankesgiuing F. What is Faith C. It is a firme fast perswasion or a certeine assurance that God is our Father and Sauiour in the name of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ F. Doth this Faith spring out of our hearts as out of the founteine C. we are not the authors thereof Iohn 1.13 but it is the gift of God for the faithfull are not borne of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God F. What be the meanes which God vseth to beget vs vnto him and to endue vs with Faith C. None other then his holy and heauenly worde Iohn 17. Rom. 10. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. established and confirmed in vs by the mightie working of his holy Spirite which crieth in our hearts Abba that is to say Father F. Is not this Faith made firme and warrantable in vs by the Lords Supper C. It must needes be so first our Faith is signed sealed in the Supper in this respect that therein Iesus Christ giueth himselfe vnto vs Matth. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 21. assuring vs that his body was giuen for vs and his blood was shed for the redemption of our sinnes and secondly because the bread and the wine which we take eate drinke according to Gods ordinance and institutiō teacheth vs that by faith we take eate and drinke the body and blood of Iesus Christ as the onely foode and norishment of our soules F. How say you by all the faithlesse and vnbeleeuing members of mankind can they eate the bodie of Iesus Christ and drinke his blood C. By no meanes because they want true faith without the which we cannot be members of Christ so consequently cānot receiue any life of him who is the onely head of al the faithfull F. Then what benefite receiueth the Infidell if he communicate with the faithfull in this sacrament C. He is so farre from receiuing an earnest or pledge of his saluation 1. Cor. 11. that he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation F. In what place is Iesus Christ to be sought for of the faithful minding to lay hold on him to possesse him C. Coloss 3. In heauen For if we be risen with Christ we must seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God his Father F. Is not that the reason why the Priests in old time when they ministred the Supper vsed to saie to the people Sursum corda Lift vp your hearts C. It is the very true reason of that manner and to the same purpose the people answeared Habemus ad Dominum we lift them vp vnto the Lord. F. Then how can we be coupled or rather be made one with Iesus Christ who resteth in the heauens we remaining vpon the earth Child By Faith and by the mightie working of the holie Ghost to whom it is an easie matter to knitte and to ioyne together whatsoeuer thinges be diuided and seuered by distance of place F. What is your mind or what shall we saie to those that seeke Christ Iesus in the elements of the Supper namelie in the bread and the wine affirming that the very substance of the bread wine is chainged into the substantiall bodie and blood of Iesus Christ Child We may boldlie affirme that they are out of the way for diuerse causes First in that directlie they gainesay three seuerall Articles of our Faith namelie those that import the ascension of Christ vp into the heauens his sitting at the right hand of God and his continuall abiding there vntill he come to iudge the quicke and the dead And secondlie by their vayne and ridiculous changing of substances they abolish and take away the signe of the Sacrament to wit the breade and the wine and so consequentlie they take away the supper it selfe which cannot remaine if the signe thereof be taken awaie F. Are not other grosse vnreasonable points to be founde in this straunge doctrine of their changing of substances C. There are yet more as these by name that it giueth that which is holie to filthie swine and no lesse then the faithfull maketh the Infidel and vnbeleeuer partaker of this holie banquet wherein Iesus Christ is giuen to be eaten and onelie of the faithfull againe it causeth men to become idolators and to worship the Sacrament also it maketh the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ subiect to putrifying and to become no better then the filthie dung of mans bodie and lastlie it abolisheth the true humanitie of the Sonne
stomacke that we might be able to digest it and to be nourished and susteined by it Minister I perceiue Eusebius that you were not in sleepe at my sermon who doe so faithfullie rehearse what you haue heard O that it might please God that all the rest of my auditours woulde bee so attentiue and had so great and singular desire to make profite by the worde as I verilie beleeue you haue But the further I proceede in my excercise I haue the better experience that for the most part they are so cold and carelesse that I am constrained to complaine of them and to shew you my griefe in that behalfe Eusebius If I be diligent to learne the worde of God and in anie small measure capable of the knowledge thereof I am bounde to render vnto him all praise and thankes and to confesse that without his Spirite of my owne nature I shoulde haue as litle taste and feeling thereof as the most carnall and earthlie manne in the worlde But to the ende we do not discontinue and breake off our former matter if memorie faile not for a further and more full declaration of the mysterie whereof we do now intreate to the former similitude of sainct Augustine you ioyned another taken from the bodie of man the members whereof cannot by any meanes haue part of the life which springeth proceedeth from the soule remaining in the bodie except they be vnited and ioyned with it no more is it possible for vs to be quickened by this fulnesse of the Godheade which as sainct Paul saieth dwelleth bodily in Iesus Christ Coloss 2. and giueth life to the whole Church except we be members of his bodie flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Minister You haue sufficientlie declared how the humanitie and flesh of Iesus Christ is the meane of our life But as concerning Faith whereof the Prophet and Apostle haue written Abac. 2. Rom. 1. that the iust shall liue by it how are we to vnderstand this point Euseb I said at the first that there is no life without God and next that there is no God without Iesus Christ nowe I saie following the like course that there is no Iesus Christ without Faith for by Faith we rcceiue him as Sainct Iohn witnesseth Iohn 1. and he commeth to dwell in our hearts as Sainct Paul writeth to the Ephesians Ephes 3. by Faith which he confirmeth by his owne mouth saying If anie man loue me he wil keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him For the vnion which we haue with him is spirituall and like to that which is betweene the husbande and the wife For euen as they be ioyned and coupled together for euer by mutuall promises and by that faith and truth wherin those promises are mutuallie accepted notwithstanding that their bodies do change neither the outward shape forme ne yet their natural kind and sexe and that for this coupling and knitting of man and wife it is not required or meant that both of thē shold visibly become one body like as wine and water being mingled together in one cuppe or vessel so to marrie and to ioyne vs to Iesus Christ it is not needeful that our bodies shold be bound in one with his bodie as we see the members of one bodie are bound together by the muscles cordes sinewes and gristles of the same which happening it would be the most monstrous thing that a man could imagine to be in nature But the chiefe and onelie matter is that those promises which he maketh vnto vs namely to comfort vs if we wil come vnto him to defend vs to saue to quicken vs to redeeme vs to raise vs vp from the dead to pardon vs and such like that his promises I saie be beleeued of vs and firmelie perswaded that wee like and accept of them and haue assurance in them promisinge vnto him in like manner on our behalfes that we acknowledge none other then him alone for our King and Priest our sheppard and our Prophet that we wil heare no other voice or doctrine but his that for our satisfaction remission and saluation we wil vse no other sacrifice thē that which is once offered for vs that we wil chuse none other Aduocate or Attornie then him when we would be recommended in anie of our necessities to the good grace and fauor and ayde of his Father that for our defence and safegard against the euil spirit and against al other our enemies we wil haue recourse and put our whol affiance in his powre and strength and to be breife that we wil not hold our life and our whole felicitie of any other then of him In these promises giuen taken and kept of both parties consisteth the alliance and league that we haue with Iesus Christ And euen as a woman that is lawfullie married to an husband misdoubteth not albeit her husband abide at Constantinople and she at Paris that notwithstanding the sundring of their bodies and greate distance betweene the places where they abide they are neuerthelesse one flesh and that there is a perfect coniunction betweene them and such a bonde and knot of friendship as is not to be loosed so albeit that Christ Iesus be in heauen and we vpon the earth we ought certeinely to be perswaded that after the marriage made betweene him and vs by the meane of Faith wherein we haue accepted his foresaide promises we are one with him and that this vnion is nothing impeached by the difference of places where we abide and continue Minist Then your meaning is that Faith is not the cause of our life but inasmuch as it doth marrie vs to Iesus Christ by whom we are afterwarde ledde and conducted euen to God with whom we finde all the happinesse that we can aske and desire This is verie well meant and vnderstoode of you But what will you say to that which Sainct Paul hath written touching the word of the Gospel Rom. 1. that it is the power of God vnto saluation to all beleeuers Euseb Sainct Paul saieth so because there is no Faith without the worde no more then there is Iesus Christ without Faith Rom. 10. for Faith commeth by hearing hearing by the word of God And to this purpose is the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments By the one the Spirite of God inspireth and planteth Faith in our hearts by the other he confirmeth and establisheth the same to the end that by this meane being made the members of Iesus Christ we might draw nearer vnto God and liue in him Minist Then the sum of al that you haue hitherto discoursed is that our blessed estate eternal life is to possesse God and to possesse him to be members of Iesus Christ and to be his members to haue Faith and to haue Faith that the Gospell be preached and the Sacraments administred
of the Lord his supper by the imperfection and weakenesse of our Faith prouided allwaies that the same be vnfeined and that we acknowledging the basenesse and weakenesse thereof do praie vnto God to haue it augmented and increased by the working of his holie Spirite and also that to this end we vse the meanes that he hath left to be vsed Minist It is sufficient that we beleeue that Iesus Christ by his obedience hath purchased vnto vs the grace of God and in this grace and fauour hath gotten vs righteousnesse and life and that by his crosse he making satisfaction for our sinnes hath appeased his wrath and hath freed vs from the danger of death and of the cursse Euseb No syr but when we haue beleeued thus much we must be well assured that we are receiued into the communion of this obedience satisfaction when we receiue the bread and the wine which are presented vnto vs in the supper And for the last and most principall point we must beleeue that we are made one and incorporate with Iesus Christ and allowed of him of his Father not onely for his flocke his disciples his brethren and friends but also for members of his bodie and flesh of his flesh Out of which point we may drawe matter of singular and manifold comforts and consolations For by this meane we are sure that so long as we continue in this vnion we cannot be condemned ne kept holden in the bands of death no more then he himselfe and that the prince of this world hath no more part in vs or power ouer vs then he hath in or ouer him and that righteousnes and life are as well inseparable from vs as from him and that we are coheires with him of all the honor of his kingdome that where he is there we shal be of necessitie not impeacheable by al the power and practises of the Deuill Minist I haue two questions to aske you touching that you said euen now of the participation that we haue in the humanitie of Iesus Christ when we do take and eate the bread in the supper The first is whither that before the bread is giuen vnto vs we be not already vnited vnto him and if we be what profit we can receaue by the supper Euseb It is necessarie that by Faith we be ioyned vnto him before we come vnto the table otherwise we should be wholie vnworthy and yet we come that we maie be yet more neerelie knit in one with him For euen as two diuers things when they be tyed bound together with a corde maie be yet tied with another and if a man would vse an hundred cordes to that purpose it might be verie well saied that they are still tied together more and more so albeit that we by baptisme and Faith wherein we heare and obey the word of God are allied vnto him and ingrafted in the bodie of Iesus Christ yet that is no hinderance but that by the supper when we do celebrate it this alliance is renued and more more confirmed Minist What needeth it that we haue so manie assurances of pledges tokens to confirme the agreement that he hath made with vs for it might be gathered hereupon that he should be a deceiuer or inconstant that we therefore could not be to sure and to warie in our dealing with him Euseb The word of God is eternall and the effect thereof most sure and certeine euen as he being the speaker is euerlasting and vnchangeable his gifts and his callings without repentance neither is our vnbeliefe able to make the Faith or truth of God of no effect Yea as S. Paull saieth the veritie of God is more aboundant through our lying vnto his glorie Therefore the reason why he sweareth and sealeth his promises with a double seale after they be made is not for that they are of theire nature doubtful vncerteine but because our hearts are so full of suspicion and wicked distrust that we will neuer take his bare word for sufficient assurance yea we will hardlie trust him with all the solemnities of swearing signes and sealing that are vsed of him for our warrant in this behalfe Minist Herein the frowardnes and wretchednesse of our nature is the more apparant For we can be content to rest our selues wholie vpon the dreames and conceipt of our owne vaine and foolish wisdome or vpon the bare word of a mortall man by nature a lyar and euerie moment changeable yea diuerse times not proouing and seeing vpon what ground what reason and apparance it is either conceiued or deliuered Nay we go further then so for all the errors lyes fooleries illusions dreames and vaine visions that the Deuill can forge to destroy and seduce from God we receiue both without anie difference or difficultie and also without anie reasoning or debating of their nature or of their end I will saie more that if God were on the one side telling vs one thing and Satan on the other affirming the contrarie this Father of lies and prince of darknesse will finde more credit and faith with vs then God shall finde with all his truth and light And hereof we haue long agone seene and knowne the wofull experience of our first parents who being wiser and better then all their children that came after them onelie Iesus Christ excepted were soone and easely perswaded the verie contrarie to that which God had spoken yea by the serpent being but a beast and vsing no great and long discourse or manie words to confirme his sayings And that which maketh me to marueile to detest the more our malice herein is that we are so readie to receiue and beleeue whatsoeuer this wicked abuser and deceiuer of mankinde is able to put into our eares to our destructiō though he haue no reason or argument to proue his purpose that on the cōtrary we are so slow to allow that which God doth tel vs confirmeth by so many oathes signes witnesses miracles that we might be saued But I will leaue that matter to ask you another doubt to wit whither the vniō whereof you haue spoken which we haue with Iesus Christ be of our bodies or of our soules and minds onelie and whither we are to go vp into heauen from the earth where we abide or he is to come downe from heauen where he remaineth that we may be ioyned and coupled together Euseb You propound a question vnto me which in these dayes much troubleth and exerciseth the heads of manie men yet me thinketh that a man of a modest and sober minde that seeketh not to be contentious might satisfie himselfe with so much as you haue taught vs in that point that is to wit that the vnion is corporall and of the bodies but the meane is spirituall euen as the vniting together of man and wife which is the fittest comparison that can in this case be vsed and alledged Their bodies are vnited
and coupled together not corporallie or so as their vnion may be discerned and iudged by the outward senses for we see that they are diuerse times sundred by distance and difference of places but by the Faith of wedlocke which they haue mutuallie giuen Minist It is not sufficient to saie or to doe any thing but the same must be with reason to the edifying of them that see our workes or heare our words Wherefore Eusebius you shal rehearse if it please you such reasons as you take to be the fittest for the proouing of that which you haue said Euseb Ephes 5. The first is that S. Paul after he had taught that we are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones alledgeth not onelie the resemblance but also the first institution of marriage saying For this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they twaine shal be one flesh This is a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church To the ende he might shewe vs the meane wherby this cōiunction is made and for our better and more readie conceiuing of the same that we might set before our eyes the vnion and coniunction that is betweene the husband and the wife The second is that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is spiritual whereupon it followeth that the order the gouernement the lawes the promises the power the glorie all other things that apperteine to the honor and renowne of a kingdome are in the kingdome of Iesus Christ spirituall Therefore when we do speake of the coniunction of the members with the head which is one of the principall members we maie not thinke that the meane to atteine vnto it is other then heauenly and spirituall The third is that Iesus Christ entreating of this matter couertlie vnder the figure and shadow of eating of his flesh seeing that some of his disciples had forsaken his company and were offended at his talke because they had not well vnderstoode them and had interpreted them carnallie said for the better more ample expounding of them as followeth It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit life Can there be anie thing more cleare to shew that the eating of his flesh that is to saie that the vnion which we haue with his humanitie is made and brought to passe spirituallie Euen as therfore the ignorance and bluntnesse of Nicodemus deserued to be blamed and to be controuled of Iesus Christ because he did carnally expound and construe the reasoning of Iesus Christ touching the new birth of the faithfull so if anie man hearing speach of the eating of his flesh or of the drinking of his blood made simplie and according to the letter vnderstand the same without all figuratiue speach and spirituall meaning his ignorance were not onelie to be derided as a vaine and foolish thing but also to bee contemned as impious and tending to the diminishing of our faith and of the glorie of God The fourth is that Our Fathers as Sainct Paul saith did all eate of the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke for they drank of the spirituall Rocke that followed them that Rocke was Christ Now certeine it is that they could not eate that rock corporallie as we do eat our bread made of corne because Christ Iesus was not yet incarnate and made flesh wherefore it must needs follow that as their eating is spiritual so is our eating spiritual being wholie like vnto theirs if we will beleeue the Apostle The fift is Act. 3. That the heauen as Sainct Peter saith must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time that all things be restored which God had spoken by the mouthe of all his Prophets since the world began And this is one of the articles that we protest that we hold when we rehearse the Creede Therefore it is a great follie yea an impietie to thinke that it is requisite for the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood that he should come downe from heauē that corporallie and in person he shoud deliuer the same vnto vs to that end and purpose The sixt is that Iesus Christ speaking to his disciples said vnto them Iohn 16. That it was expedient for them that he should leaue the world and go his waie Whereupon it followeth that it should be a thing not onelie vnprofitable but also hurtfull and dangerous to the Church that he should returne hither in his owne bodilie shape before the time prefixed and purposed The seuenth is that the supper must be celebrated in the remēbrance of him as it is plainelie shewed in the cōmaundement that he gaue when he did institute the same nowe the remembrance that we haue of anie matter pre-supposeth the same to be absent corporally for otherwise if it be present there is no more a remembrance but a sight and enioying wherevpon it followeth that because the Supper is ordained to exercise vs in the remembrance of Iesus Christ he is absent from vs in bodie The eight is that we are not commaunded to celebrate and to declare his death but vntill the time of his comming and therfore if he should come among vs in bodie when we are assembled for that purpose we ought to cease and to leaue of this whole ceremonie The ninth is that as a glorious and spirituall bodie doth not eate so it cannot be eaten corporally for otherwise we might saie that it might bee disgested in the stomake as other meates may be and consequentlie might be subiect to corruption which is a thing contrarie to the condition of bodies glorified which are not onelie immortall but also free from all corruption The tenth is that the thing that is not ordained for the life of our bodies is not to be eaten corporallie But the flesh of Iesus Christ crucified and his bloud shed for our redemption are not ordained for the life of the bodie which maie be and is preserued and kept by other meanes therefore we must needes conclude that we neither eate the one nor drinke the other corporallie The eleuenth is that Sainct Paul saith that Meates are ordained for the bellie 1. Cor. 6. and the bellie for meates but God shall destroy both it and them Teaching vs that as this life is fraile and subiect to corruption so are also all those bodily meats that are ordeined for the nourishment of the same so then if the flesh of Christ were bodilie eaten it should follow that it should be subiect to corruption a thing cleerely meerely contrarie to that whole discourse of S. Iohn vpon this matter whosoeuer eateth my flesh Iohn 6. hath eternall life Where he further maketh a difference betweene it Manna giuen to our Fathers in the wildernesse saying that the one is corruptible the other is voide and free from all corruption The
twelfth is that if Iesus Christ were bodilie eaten there were no necessitie to prooue to examin our Faith or our conscience when we would prepare our selues to the eating of his supper but onelie our teeth to wit whither they were sharpe and able enough to chew it and the stomach to see whither it were apt to digest it as we do in all other corporall meats The thirteenth is that we eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Iesus Christ euen in the selfe same maner as the Apostles haue done long before vs. But they did not eate the same corporallie for so men might haue seene the Apostles eating his bodie with their bodilie eies euen as wel as they did see his body before them when he ministred the same vnto them Now we must inferre that no more do we eate his flesh corporallie If anie will saie that God by a miracle prouideth that this eating be not discerned with bodilie eies to the end it should not be abhorred I answeare that in this case the onelie conceipte and inward imagination were sufficient as we reade of S. Peter who in a vision abhorred the eating of those creatures Act. 10. that were in the law forbidden to be eaten The fourteenth is that it is plainelie forbidden in Genesis Gen. 6. To eate flesh with the life thereof that is with the blood thereof Whereupon it may be inferred that Iesus Christ who is not come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law hath not enioyned vs a thing so strictlie forbidden euen more abhominable then murther And the reason alleaged by S. Augustine to shew that al the places wherin Iesus Christ doth exhort his disciples to eate his flesh and to drinke his blood are vsed by waie of figured and shadowed speaches I wil turne the place of S. Augustine in his booke of Christian doctrine to the end that the readers maie vnderstand his iudgement in this matter If there be anie sentence or anie manner of speach in the Scripture saith he that seemeth to commaund anie outrage or wickednesse or contrarily to forbid any bountifull and liberall action the same is spoken by waie of a figure But this sentence following Ioh. 9. Except you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you seemeth to commaund an horrible and detestable case wherefore it followeth that this is a figure by the which he commaundeth vs to be partakers and to haue communion in the death and passion of the Lord and for the profit and comfort of our consciences to enclose this point within the most secret corners of our memorie that his humanitie was crucified and wounded for our cause This is S. Augustine his iudgement which I haue turned word for word The fifteenth is that we cannot receiue the corporal eating of the flesh of Iesus Christ but we must admit alow his bodie to be infinite which thing entirely derogateth from the truth of his nature and by the same meanes vtterly ouerthroweth the chiefest grounds most principall foundations of our Faith For except we beleeue him to haue bin man and the sonne of man in al things our sinnes and imperfections onely reserued like vnto vs whereupon shall we build our assurance and persuasion that he hath redeemed and ransomed our nature and that he is our high priest which hath compassion vpon all our infirmities Further it maie be alleadged that we cannot deuise to speake any thing more fauourable and auaileable for the herises of Marcion and Apollinaris the one of whom maintained that the body of Iesus Christ was a fantastique bodie and the other said that it was an heauenlie bodie as the foresaid corporall eating of the flesh of Iesus Christ is heauenlie The sixteenth is that if we eate the flesh of Iesus Christ bodilie the substance of our bodies must of necessitie be augmented therebie and nourished euen as it is by other corporall meates that we receaue a thing wholie and altogether contrarie to experience for the bodies of the faithfull notwithstanding the eating onely of his flesh drinking of his blood must of necessitie perish and wither awaie except they be nourished and preserued by some other food or else by some other meane The seuenteenth is that as we doe not eate corporall meates spirituallie euen so we can not eate according to this proportion things spirituall carnallie The eighteenth is That if we eate the flesh of Iesus Christ corporallie so little a bodie as his was being so broken in peices and parted should not suffice so manie as by eating were made partakers thereof Wherefore we may safely inferre vpon all these reasons that the meane whereby we are ioyned to Iesus Christ is spirituall and that by Faith wrought in vs by the power of the Spirite we do eate his flesh and drinke his blood that is to say that we are vnited and ingrafted in his bodie and more and more lincked and allied vnto him And so saith Sainct Augustine verie plainelie writing vpon the 26. Psalme Behold saith that holie father our pledge and our assurance that we by Faith Hope and Charitie are for euer ioyned to our head in heauē as he by diuinitie bountie vnion is with vs vpon the earth euen vnto the worlds end And vpon the 30. Psa Whole Christ is the head with the bodie the heade is the sauiour of the bodie the head I say which is already ascended vp into heauen and the body is the church which yet doth labour and is sore troubled heere vpon the earth Now if the bodie had not bin ioyned and bounde to the head with a chaine of Charitie that of the head bodie there might be made but one he would neuer haue spoken from heauen in this manner rebuking that persecutour Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 22. Minist Then this ioyning is not after the manner of things natural or conteined and circunscribed and enclosed in any place as the ioyning together of two stones in one place with lime and sand or of two peeces of wood the one to the other with glew but it is a diuine and mysticall ioyning as you haue sufficientlie declared and what maner of faith we ought to bring with vs when we come to celebrate the Supper Now if it please you I would haue you to proceede to shew me in like manner what manner of Charitie is required Euseb We maie carrie no hatred ne anie euill affection in our heart against our neighbour but forget and pardon one another all such iniuries and offences as being remembred might breake or otherwise offende that mutuall friendship which ought to compasse in and enclose the whole bodie of the Church And yet thus much is not sufficient but we must moreouer reknowledge our selues to bee brethren and the sonnes of one father and members not only of one bodie but also of another haue but one heart one soule and
one minde And as we haue but one Baptisme one Faith one Law one spirit one sauiour one heritage one hope and one table so we maie not be but one bodie in our God being euermore prest and readie to helpe one another both with such blessings as God hath outwardlie bestowed vpon vs and also with councell with carefulnesse with painfulnesse with our friends and generallie with our whole strength and power whereof our neighbors may stand in neede And forasmuch as we are all of vs vnperfect in this charitie as well as we are in Faith when we come to the supper we must remember to cal vpon God that it would please him to increase the same in vs by his spirit and to forgiue vs our manifold infirmities and imperfections Minist Then it is not sufficient that we haue this Faith and this Charitie which you haue handled to come to the supper but it is further required that we humble our selues before God and pray vnto him that notwithstanding our vnworthines it would please him to receiue to admit vs thereunto of his bountifull gratious and free fauor Euseb It is euen so syr as you saie Minist May it please you Eusebius to rehearse the forme both of your praier and of the confession that you vse when you come to the Supper might it not be ouermuch trouble vnto you I would gladlie heare it in those selfe same termes wherein it is your wont and manner to vtter it Euseb I ioyne them both together and falling downe before God I saie vnto him in this manner following O Lord who and what am I that I should receiue so manie graces fauors at thy hands to be inuited receiued and intreated so honorablie in thy house to sit at thy table and there to be fedde and refreshed with the flesh and blood of thy sonne to be lincked and ioyned with him in such sort as we shall neuer be sundered to be called to take part of all the benifits and blessings and to be adopted by thee into a certeine hope to be thine heire and to enioy the glory of resting and abiding for euer in that life and true blessednesse which thou hast promised and keepest to the benefit and behoofe of thy children Was it not sufficient my vnthankfulnesse and vnkindnesse towards thee considered and the spoile and wast of all thy good blessings bestowed vpon me remembred that when I came home againe to thee thou wouldest forgiue my trespasses and offences and taking pitie of me thy poore creature lost and vtterlie cast away thou wouldest make me as one of thy hired seruants Luke 15. yet Thou didst embrace me in thine armes and kisse me and yet thou diddest cause the best robe to be brought forth and to be put vppon me thou diddest put a ring vppon my hand thou diddest kill the fatte calfe that I might eate and be merie in so great ioy and so good companie of my friends Was it not sufficient this being regarded that my condition was no better and it may be wel worse then the condition of a dogge that thou wouldest suffer me onelie to gather the croomes that fell from thy table Matth. 15. as the poore Cannanite besought thee but thou gauest me the whole loafe which belongeth onelie to thy children or that thou wouldest onely speak the word yet thou diddest come vnder my roofe euen into my house to heale me Am I more worthy is my faith greater then the faith of the Centuriō who accounted himself vnworthy of so great fauor was it not sufficient that as thou didst passe by thou wouldest vouchsafe onelie to speake vnto me to looke towards me yet thou didst come home with me euen into my house Luke 19. and thou didst feast me at thy proper costs charges was it not sufficiēt that thou wouldst cal me after the mariage to break my fast with the leauings at thy table and yet thou didst bid me to the feast receiue me to the cheifest of the banquet wherein thine oxen thy fatlings were prepared serued Is it not meruailous much Matth. 22. that in things which proceede only of thy gracious liberality thou hast added an oath signes seales yea hast left thy holy spirite for a gage pledge of thy promises to the end we shold in no case doubt but that it will please thee to performe them hauing thy bond vnder so many assurances that we might go with boldnes cōfidence to thy throne of thy mercy to be helped of thee in due time there to obtaine both pardon and life Is it not wonderfull that with al thy creatures thou wouldst giue thy selfe vnto vs after we haue iustlie deserued manie afflictions and calamities we haue contrarily receiued of thee so great blessinges as we are not able to value nor to number them not to comprehend them nor sufficiently to consider them And what meaneth this O Lord that to make satisfaction for our sinnes to redeeme a company of robbers murtherers theeues adulterers blasphemers proud couetous traitours faithles liers idolators thākles such roges beggars as weare thou thy selfe hast deliuered thy only son to the death not only in hostage for our deliuerance but also in pledge that he might abide in the same in our place if happely he had not bin of sufficient righteousnes to rāsome vs of sufficient power to fight with death of sufficient life to swallow him vp to confound so deadlie an aduersarie What meaneth this O Lord that thou hast contrarie to thy iustice thy nature thy custome thy promises not acknowledged him for a season notwithstāding he was thy son refused cast him off notwithstāding he entreated thee forsaken and let him passe notwithstanding that in thee he had reposed al his hope looked vpon him without all pitie compassion notwithstanding that he endured great extremities and that his soule as he himselfe witnessed was heauie and sorrowfull euen vnto the death And further what is this that as if thou haddest beene the most cruel tyrant that euer was heard of thou hast condemned him being innocent and guiltles and curssed him being the blessed seed and hauing perfectly accomplished the whole Law and lastlie deliuered him into the hands of many executioners to be put to death betweene two theeues the most shamefull death that euer man died notwithstanding he was righteous faithfull the author of life vnto all creatures Who could beleeue if thou hadst not spoken it if it were not written in thy word if thy signes and tokens did not shew it and lastlie if thy holie spirit did not assure it vnto our consciences that a God merciful patient and slow to anger that a God of all comfort and consolation and a louing Father as thou art the staie and refuge of all afflicted and forlorne persons the hauen and sunnie seate of all those that are tossed
which O Lord what should become of me whither should I go what hope should remaine for me vpon the earth there is nothing but thy cursse from heauen thy wrath is reueiled vpon my wickednes and vnbeliefe in al things that are vnder the sun there is nothing but vanitie Therefore when I looke to see from whence my helpe shall come after I haue cast mine eies euery way round about me I must of force confesse with thy Prophet that from thy goodnesse onely I am to looke and to wayte for my help and Psal 52. that among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued then the name of thy sonne I am wicked and wretched more then I can expresse but thou art good and mercifull more then I can thinke or conceiue when I looke vpon my selfe al my hope of saluation departeth but as soone as thou turnest thy face towards me by by my hope returneth namelie when thou shewest in thy countenance the compassion that thou takest of my miserie to defend me against the fansies and illusions of my carnal vnderstanding and to vphold me in the dreadfull and terrible skirmishes wherewith my poore and weake conscience is often assailed sore amased to repel and to driue backe al the temptations of the wicked Spirit to giue me courage and an assured hardinesse against those horrible threatnings layd out in thy law agaynst all the transgressors of the same and in briefe to keepe me from falling and to lift me vp when I am downe I haue no other meane but thy mercie and the grace that thou hast promised me by the merits of thy sonne This is my forte castle when I am beseiged by the enimie of my saluation my place of refuge and rescue when thy wrath and iudgements do follow pursue me This is the staffe and the proppe not onelie of my age but also of my whole life for there is no parte or age of my life wherein I am not so weake that without it I cannot be able to stand O most excellēt perfect receipt which neuer man yet prooued but was cured of his sicknesse and redilie found remedy of al his diseases Am not I greatlie bound to the that thou hast taught me this receipte and further that thou hast made it for my vse applied it to my infirmitie and healed me by it O good God! O how great and how wonderfull is thy goodnesse There is nothing so great as I suppose as are the benefits that thou hast bestowed vpon me doest continue vpon me day by day And yet I must beleeue and confesse that they are small almost of no price in respect of those which thou keepest in store for me I looke for and hope for at thy hands But this seemeth a verie pitiful case that they should be so great and on the contrarie that my Faith should be so litle and so weake to receiue them and my spirit so rude ignorant to vnderstand them and my tongue so vnsmooth to expresse them and that which is worst of al my affection so cold to acknowledge to esteeme them at their price and value And yet this cursed and damnable vnthankfulnesse of mine doth not withdraw thy goodnesse largenesse towards me which day by day thou dost continue more and more yea in such sort as the latter fauour and graces which thou shewest me do far surmount surpasse the former which thou hast bestowed vpon me It is not possible to reckon or to imagine the thankes that I owe vnto the the let the hinderance whereof is partlie my owne insufficiencie and weakenesse and partlie the hugenesse and infinite number of thy benifits But to discouer all my shame and all my nakednesse vnto the it proceedeth from the small remembrance and feeling that I haue of thy goodnesse what remaineth but that I shal be esteemed altogether vnthankfull towards thee nothing remaineth but onlie to pray thee that thou wouldst open my lippes by thy holie Spirit to the end that I may acknowledge and confesse mine vnthankefulnesse and vnworthinesse to be sorowfull that I can no better feele and conceiue of thy benifits in my heart to cry out alowd that thou art infinite in goodnesse who hast bestowed so manie graces vpon me and that for my part I am infinite in wickednes who do price esteeme regard them so litle and in generall to protest in publique that my saluation proceedeth from thee my destructiō from my selfe if it were not thy good pleasure of thy singular grace fauor to prouide for to meete with that inconuenience Helpe me now ô Lord that I may do this by the whole course of my life and that the readines good affection hereunto that thou hast giuen me at this present be not in vayne of none effect Suffer me not ô God my father to take delight pleasure in any other thing thē in the knowledge meditation speaking praising of thy mercy and great fauors towards me of the contrarie to take no greater sorrow displeasure then in the crimes offences and lewde demeanours that I commit against thy Maiestie This is the praier and confession that I make before I come to the table of my Sauiour Minist Yet this is not all that I will require for you must now let me vnderstand what you thinke at the verie instant when the bread and wine is ministred Euseb The bread and wine that I take that I see and behold and that I taste are as it were certeine steps and traces to guid and to lift vp my spirit by litle and litle to the regard and remembrance of that league and alliance which God hath made with vs of the forgiuenesse of my sinnes of life euerlasting of the adoption of children of the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen of al spiritual ioye of perpetual rest of glorie of grace of peace and in generall of all the great and true felicities therein conteined After that I cal to minde Iesus Christ the Mediatour and worker of this new league who hath by his death found means that it shal be auaileable and of full strength and vertue and cancelling the bond obligation wherein we were bound before and acquitted vs and set vs free from al the whole cursse Thence I go farther and I come on to behold the charitie and loue of God towards vs not able to be conceiued who spared not his onely Sonne but deliuered him and gaue him ouer to the death that he might make satisfaction for our iniquities and offences Lastly I doe shut vp my inward thoughts with repeating ouer and ouer when I arise from the table how manie waies I am bound vnto him and with rendring vnto him such thankes as it pleaseth him to inspire into my heart Minist You haue greatlie satisfied contēted me Eusebius in al your answers I thanke God for