iustification is by grace so as a sinner freed from damnation obtaineth righteousnesse and that freely by the pardon of his sinnes as appeareth in the three first sorts of men but also our proceeding therein so as our iustification is euer free and by grace which thing well appeareth in the fourth kinde of men which are both regenerate by Gods spirite and iustified by a liuely faith in Christ And thus God imputed vnto Abraham the father of the faithfull his faith for righteousnesse when as he had a Gene. 15.6 liued for many yeares in great holynesse of life This saith Habacuk also b Habac. 2.4 The iust shall liue by faith and Dauid c Psal 32.1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen speaking of the godly which liue a holy vnspotted and blamelesse life before men Againe Paule saith that the d 2. Cor. 5.20 embassage concerning our free reconciliation with God must be continued among the faithfull And Christ is a e 1. Iohn 2.1 continuall mediator reconciling vs with his father and the efficacie or vertue of his death to f Ibid. 2. expiate the sinnes of the faithfull neuer dieth nor waxeth old XXVI And whereas the Schoolemen also say that good workes haue no such vertue in them to be sufficient vnto iustification but that their merite vertue to iustifie is by grace we must learne that there is no grace to worke our iustification but that only which moueth God in Christ to embrace vs and to iustifie vs by the merites of his obedience and satisfaction for vs. XXVII For God accepteth not our workes but so farre as we please him hauing put on by faith the righteousnesse of Christ that is which Christ purchased by his death for vs as is a Aphor. 23. before shewed Neither can works iustifie in part before God for God admitteth no righteousnesse of workes but that b Deut. 27.26 Leuit. 18.5 full and perfect obedience to his law XXVIII When they glory of workes of supererogation whereby they say full satisfaction is made for trespasses and sins committed how can they answer that saying of Christ a Luk. 16.10 VVhen ye haue done all these things which are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our dutie to do XXIX To be short concerning workes take heed of two things first put no trust in them next ascribe no glory to them XXX The Scriptures driue vs from all confidence in them teaching vs that all our righteousnesse a Esa 64.6 smels in the sight of God as filthie clouts and onely prouoke Gods wrath against vs. Now take away this confidence of workes all glorying must fall to the ground for who will ascribe any commendation of iustice vnto workes if confidence in them cause him to tremble in the sight of God XXXI Moreouer if we consider all the causes of our saluation we shall finde the grace of God to shine bright in euery one of them excluding the righteousnesse of our workes For the authour of our saluation is God the Father Sonne holy Ghost The Father first in that a Tit. 3.5 of his meere b Iohn 3.16 1. Iohn 4.9 and 10. grace free loue he sent his sonne vnto vs to redeeme vs from the dominioÌ„ of the deuill Next the Sonne in that of his free loue c Rom. 5.7.8 1. Iohn 3.26 towards vs he became d Rom. 5.19 Phil 2.8 obedient to his father vnto the death of the crosse and so hath satisfied e Rom. 3.25 1. Iohn 2.2 the iustice of God for vs. Lastly the holy Ghost in that he giueth vs f Ephe. 2.8 chap. 1. â—3 faith whereby we apprehend the iustice which Christ hath purchased for vs by his death The end also the Apostle saith is the g Rom. 3.25 manifestation of Gods iustice and the prayse of his h Ephe. 1.12 goodnesse XXXII And whereas the Saintes commend otherwhiles their innocencie and integrity before God this they doe not to the end to trust in the iustice of their workes in Gods iudgement and to rest their consciences as vpon a good foundation but either to testifie the goodnesse of their a Psal 7 9. Psal 18.21 cause against their aduersaries or to coÌ„fort themselues concerning their adoption b 2. King 20.3 1. Tim. 4.7.8 by the fruites of their faith and calling for that they rest on the onely fauour of God in Iesus Christ XXXIII Againe whereas the Scripture saith that the good workes and obedience of the faithfull doe cause the Lord to raine down many blessings vpon them we must vnderstand that good workes are so farre causes of Gods blessings vpon vs as the Lord by his former graces taketh occasion to giue vs more graces where note that they be not meritorious causes but motiues onely for speciall graces of Gods spirite going before for whom the Lord will glorifie them first he a Ephe. 5.26.27 sanctifieth that their corruption and wickednesse may not hinder their glorification In a word as Augustine hath well spoken God crowneth the workes of his owne hand in vs. XXXIIII Againe that our workes do not merite the grace of God may yet further appeare by these reasons folowing First for that they are full of a Esa 64.6 corruption next for that they are duties we b Luk. 17.10 owe vnto God thirdly for that they are not ours that is such as come from the streÌ„gth of our free will but the effects c Rom. 8.10 Ephe. 2.10 and fruites of Gods grace in vs. XXXV And whereas good workes please God and haue a a 2. Tim 4.8 reward it is not for any merite but for that Gods b Esa 55.1 goodnesse doth accept of them and reward them of his meere grace and mercy in Iesus Christ XXXVI Surely no Christian doubteth but that we must hold fast the groundes of Christian Religion and this is a fundamentall point or ground of ChristiaÌ„ doctrine that Christ is giuen a 1. Cer. 1.30 and c. 3.11 vs for our righteousnesse or iustification if this doctrine staÌ„d the iustice of our merites and workes being a flat contrary can not stand XXXVII There are two opinioÌ„s of Popery which are most opposite to that great ground of ChristiaÌ„ veritie The first is that there are some moral vertues or works which make men acceptable before God before they be grafted into Christ the second that Christ hath merited for vs the first grace that is an occasioÌ„ of meriting with God that then it is our parts to take the occasion when it is offered XXXVIII To conclude we must very circumspectly see to this that we build wisely vpon on that foundation for that doctrine is sound concerning good workes which is deriued from the doctrine a This is the method which Paule vseth in a maner in all his Epistles as to Rom. Gal. Ephes Phil. Col. c.
APHORISMES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION OR A VERIE COMPENDIOVS abridgement of M. I. CALVINS Institutions set forth in short sentences methodically by M. I. PISCATOR And now Englished according to the Authors third and last edition By H. Holland Be not caried about with diuerse and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace c. Heb. 13.9 AN CHO RA SPEI AT LONDON Imprinted by Richard Field and Robert Dexter and are to be sold in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Brasen serpent 1596. â—O THE REVEâ—END FATHER THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. D Goodman Deane of Westminster grace and peace by Iesus Christ WE see right worshipfull that a great nuÌ„ber blessed bee God for our happy peace and this sweete me so long continued haue atâ—ed some knowledge of God by 〈◊〉 preaching of the Gospell yet 〈◊〉 few I feare haue truly learned â—d knowen Christ Ephe. 4.19.20 for the wordes Iohn are He that sinneth 1. Iohn 3.6 hath neither seene nor knowne him And Gregorie saith truly Gregor Pastoral cur 1. pars cap. 2. Viuendo conculcant quae non opere sed meditatione didicerunt Looke what knowledge is attained by bare speculation without experience of faith and practise of life it is but a dimme light soone queÌ„ched Light is good the first step to life darknesse is euill and daungerous and the way that leadeth vnto death yet most men loue darkenesse more then light Iohn 3.19 because their deeds are euill VVherfore to helpe forwards this kinde of men which do but sip and tast but litle of holy religion I haue spent some houres to translate this little treatise which will giue the willing mind in a very small time a synopsis or short view of the whole bodie of Gods holy truth Three times published in â—tin the pure worship and seruice of God It hath done â—uch good no doubt in Latin and â—rust it shall by Gods blessing and â—oodnesse profite some in English The same reasons which moued the author to commend this booke â—hat good old reuereÌ„d father 〈◊〉 Beza his age his place and calâ—g his speciall loue and affection â—wards him were motiues also vnâ—me right worshipfull to recommend the same vnto you for your Christian care fatherly loue and â—ction towardes me I find to be â—h not in words but in deeds that â—ay and must nothing doubt of â—â—r fauorable acceptation Next 〈◊〉 the gift the booke I meane it is 〈◊〉 same for the outward coate and â—lours are onely changed but the â—staunce and matter is the same â—nd as for my loue towardes you I can no way testifie it as I would but vnto God onely in prayer for you The Lord God coÌ„tinue your good health and graunt you the good comfortes of his holie spirite the peace which passeth all vnderstanding in this life and an euerlasting rest in the kingdome of glorie by and through Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour and redeemer Amen The yeare of Christ 1596. Maij. 18. Your worships euer to vse in the Lord Christ Henr. Holland To the Reader THou hast here Christian Reader an abridgement or short vew of Mr. Caluins Institutions a worke so much commended for many yeares and so embraced and published in all reformed Churches in all languages Latin French Dutch English c. as no one worke of any â—te writer hath had the like acceptation and â—nerall approbation Master Caluins Institutions read in opeÌ„ scholes as Pet. Lumbard by the SchoolemeÌ„ The learned professors and readers in open scholes haue yearely read â—er and commended this worke vnto their â—ditories as the Schoole men in the blind â—e haue done the Mr. of Sentences and others of late yeares Phil. Melancth Common â—laces Philip. Mel. by Pezellius It was not the authors meaning nor â—y desire to make any man negligent in perâ—sing the great worke it selfe but rather to excite and helpe slow wits to search into the fountaine whence these small braunches are deriued Let this little booke be therfore vnto thee but as a methodicall index to helpe and confirme memorie The world is full of bookes but few good The light is great I wish it may be greater for light is good and darknes euill It is granted of all men that the essentiall difference betweene man and beast is reason the light of nature but betweene man and man the speciall difference is Religion betweene true Religion and the false the light of God Gods holy written truth The Turkish Paganisme hath an Alcoron the Papacie is grounded vpoÌ„ the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ the naturall man the seruant of sin will hearken beleeue and follow the poore light of blind reason blind sense and what is more daungerous Iam. 1.13.14 his most blind and corrupt concupiscence the mother of all sin So let the seruant of Christ harkeÌ„ beleeue obey the holy Gospell of Iesus Christ If meÌ„ will not heare they caÌ„not learne if they will not learne Rom. 10.14 they caÌ„ not know if they will not know they can not beleeue if they do not beleeue they caÌ„ not loue if they do not loue they can not trust if they do not trust they haue no sounde feare if there be no sounde feare they be not humbled if they be not humbled they can not worship God if they be not true worshippers they can not be saued Concerning my translation I haue not followed the authours vvordes but I trust I haue his meaning in plaine and best knowen termes I remenber the vvitty Poet which taught in me youth Non verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Horat. arte Poetic Interpres Againe for my boldnesse libertie somtimes in omission sometimes in addition of vvordes and some few sentences I haue the authour himselfe for example as may appeare to the Epistle following There is nothing â—teriall pretermitted I amplified no where somuch as in the doctrine of the Lordes Supâ—â—â— and there not much for the better vnderstanding of ignoraunt people vvhich so much in most places prophane the same I know that Gregory saith right vvell â—oly ars artium est regimen animaruÌ„ Gregor Pastor cur 1. p. the â—uernement care of soules is the best arte 〈◊〉 facultie on earth again Praeconis officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotiuÌ„ accedit vt ante aduentum iudicis qui terribiliter sequitur ipse scilicet clamando gradiatur that euerie Minister of Christ as a crier must go on before and that the dreadfull iudge of all the vvorld followes after 2. Cor. 2.16 who then is sufficient for these things True it is that the preaching of the Gospell must be our greatest care I speÌ„d therfore but some houres for my refreshing as it vvere on this manner I trust to offend none iustly my hope is to do good to some and my desire is to many The Lord Christ schoole vs and prepare vs for his kingdome
assumption is false for b Psal 51.7 Dauid confesseth that he was conceiued in sinne and for that the infants of the faithfull are members c 1. Cor. 7.14 of the Church i◠followeth that they also are purged by the bloud of Christ and therefore we must graunt them the seale thereof which is Baptisme XI Lastly where they say that none in the Apostles time was baptized but he that made profession of his faith before that is true onely of such as were a Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 Ibid. v. 37.38 of yeares but that the infants of such as professed the faith and were baptized were also baptized in like manner we haue before plainly proued in the 7. Aphorisme CHAP. XXVI Of the Lordes Supper I. APHORISME THe Supper of the Lord is the second Sacrament of the a Mat. 26.28 Mar. 14.24 Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 new Testament or couenant of grace wherein by the b Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14 22. Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 breaking of bread and powring of the wine into to the cup the passion shedding of the bloud of Christ is figured represented as it were set before our eyes and next by giuing taking eating and drinking of these elementes the c Mat. 26.28 promise of the d Iohn 6.51.53.54.58 remission of sinnes and life euerlasting purchased by the passion of Christ and by his bloud shed in a word by that his precious death the promise of their cōmunion e 1. Cor. 10.16.17 and c. 12. vers 13. as members with their head Christ Iesus is sealed to all the beleeuing worthy receiuers wherby it cōmeth to passe that the faithful sweetly rest in the fauor of God obtained for them by his sons death and so feed with f 1. Cor. 3.7.8 him spiritually and dayly grow vp in a holy communiō with Christ II. And that the holy Supper is a Sacramēt of the new couenant it may appeare by the very words of the institution which the Lord pronounced of the cup saying This cup is the new Testament or couenant in my bloud that is a Sacrament of the new couenant III. We call the Lordes Supper the second Sacrament of the new Testament in respect of Baptisme which is the first For like as in the old Testament there were two principall Sacramēts Circumcisiō the Passeouer so there are two in the new Baptisme and the Lordes Supper which directly answer them succeede in their places And as none was admitted to the Passeouer but the a Exo. 12.48 Circumcised so none must be receiued to the Supper but the Baptized IIII. The commandement of Christ contained in the institution is in these wordes Take ye and eate ye Take ye and drinke ye and do this in remembrance of me V. Againe it is manifest by the wordes of the institution that Christ vsed bread and wine in this Sacrament VI. In the breaking of bread in the Lordes Supper we follow both the Lordes a Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 cōmaundement and his b Ibid. example for the Lord did not onely breake the bread and so by breaking it did consecrate the same a Sacrament of his body but also commāded this bread so blessed so broken to be receiued and eaten as the liuely symbole and Sacrament of his precious body broken that is crucified for vs. And the c 1. Cor. 11.23 Apostle saith that he receiued of the Lord which he deliuered to the Corinthians concerning the administration of this Sacrament and this d 1. Cor. 10.16 breaking of bread he both commaunded commended vnto them To be short then the breaking of bread is an essentiall ceremonie in the Lordes Supper for that this is the principall end thereof to represent seale and set before vs the passion and breaking of e 1. Cor. 11.24 the body of Christ The same reason is of the powring forth of the wine if we cōpare it with the shedding of the bloud of Christ VII The passion of Christ is set before vs in this Sacrament in a liuely manner as by a Gal. 3.1 preaching of the Gospell VIII We receiue Iesus Christ and his holy spirite most comfortably by the word for it is Gods holy ordinance and instrument to cōuay his graces into our minds harts and consciences and that mighty power to confer and giue vs the spirite of grace the spirite of faith the spirite of adoption the spirit of sanctificatiō of wisedome c. IX But there is difference betweene the participation of Christ by the one and by the other for the Lord first by his word confers grace but grace and faith once giuen are strengthned and increase dayly by the Sacraments X. Againe the Lord by the word workes onely by one sense in vs namely the sense of hearing whereby comes knowledge so faith Rom. 10.14.15 And this sense in deede is now since the corruption of our nature the sense of learning and vnderstanding and so the principall to breed beget faith in vs but before the fall of Adam the sight I take it was the principall sense to receiue and learne wisedome and vnderstanding in the vewe and consideratiō of the workes of God See Bradfords Sermō of the Supper The Lord therfore in the Sacrament hath respect to the sight and all other senses for in and by the Sacrament the soule doth not onely heare Christ as in the word but also see Christ touch Christ smell tast and so feed vpō Christ and all his benefites XI The principall parts of this Sacrament are to seale and ratifie that promise of Christ wherin he assureth vs that his flesh is a Iohn 6.55 meate indeed and his bloud is drinke indeede to feed vs vnto life euerlasting and in that he saith he is the b Ibid. v. 51. bread of life whereof who so eateth shall liue for euer it is ordained I say to seale that promise and to this effect to send vs vnto the crosse of Christ where that promise was performed and fulfilled in euery respect For the flesh of Christ was made vnto vs the bread of life or that meate which quickeneth vs in that it was c Ibid. crucified for vs. XII This meate we can not eate but by a Iohn 6.35 faith and this drinke we can not b Ibidem drinke but by faith XIII Againe to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud by faith is to receiue by faith the promise of God which testifieth that the flesh of Christ was crucified for vs that his bloud was shed for vs that is for the remission of our sinnes XIIII The fruite which followeth this spirituall meate and drinke is a spirituall a Iohn 6.57 1. Cor. 5.8 ioy in God and the increase of our b 1. Cor. 10.17 communion with Christ for this dependeth vpon the confirmation of our faith XV. Againe
it is very manifest that the body of Christ is not eatē with the 1 Transubstantiation mouth and that his body is not contained 2 Consubstantiation in the bread of the holy Supper for that a Act. 3.21 heauē must containe him vnto the day of iudgement Neither may we say that the body of Christ is euery where that it may be in heauen at one and the selfe same time here on earth also in the bread of the Lordes Supper for it euer retaines that propertie of a mans body which is to be finite for Christ was made like vnto vs in all b Heb. 2.17 things c Heb. 4.15 sinne onely excepted XVI Againe if the body of Christ and the bloud of Christ were cōtained vnder the formes of bread and wine the one part must be necessarily seuered from the other and so Christ must dye againe But Christ dyeth a Rom. 6.9 no more XVII Now that the bread of the Lords Supper is not transubstantiated into the body of Christ but that the substaunce of the bread remaineth after the wordes of consecration it may appeare for that Christ would teach by this bread as by a verie apt similitude that his flesh is a Iohn 6.55 spirituall meate therefore it must necessarily be very bread that we may assuredly conclude that our soules are as truly fed with Christ crucified for vs as our bodies are truly fed with that bread which there is broken for vs and giuen vs. Againe Christ commanded all the faithfull to eate of one b 1. Cor. 10.17 bread to teach that they all c Ibidem are as one bread or as one body therefore it must be very bread that the similitude may continue that like as of many grains or masse one substance is made so one bread so the faithfull being many hauing one spirit of faith to knit them vnto Christ and one spirite of loue to knit them one with another are made one Church as one body in and through their head Iesus Christ XVIII And like as neither the water of Baptisme is chaunged nor that water which streamed from the a Num. 20.10.11 rocke being smitten with Moses rod was chaunged into the bloud of Christ and yet both Sacraments of the same So in like maner the wine in the Lords Supper is not changed into the bloud of Christ wherof notwithstanding it is a Sacrament as Christ ordained and appointed XIX And yet we do not goe from the verie words of Christ but desire to giue them their naturall sense and meaning XX. The verie naturall sense of the words of Christ doth depend vpon a Metonymie or trope whereby the name of the thing signified that is the bodie is attributed to the signe which is bread and so for the cup and bloud of Christ in like maner XXI This Metonymicall or Sacramentall phrase is vsed euerie where in Scripture where the holy Spirit speaketh of Sacraments For we may not otherwise vnderstand these places as where it is sayd that circumcision is the a Gen. 17.10 couenant of God the paschall lambe is b Exod. 12.11 and 27. the Lords Passeouer in Aegypt and the c Leuit. 6.30 c. sacrifices of the Law are sayd to expiate the sinnes of the people and that the rocke which gaue thē water to drinke in the wildernesse was d 1. Cor. 10.4 Christ XXII The holy Spirit vsually retaineth this maner of speaking in all Sacraments for two causes principally first to helpe vs against our ignorance dulnesse and the blindnesse of our hearts for if the Lord spake not on this maner we would but only fasten our eyes and our hearts vpon the bare signes and ceremonies and content our selues as haue hypocrites in all ages with bare and emptie shadowes without faith Psal 50. feare repentance obedience or any reuerence of the holy couenant Therfore I say the Lord first speakes on this wise to lift vp our hearts and soules by faith to behold consider and to feede vpon the things signified The second cause of the vse of this phrase in the Sacraments is for that the verie truth is so there is a reall presence of the signe and the thing signified to the beleeuer for as he doth bodily and really participate of the signe Sacramenta sunt signa exhibentia non significantia tantū so doth he spiritually as really receiue and feed vpon the thing signified XXIII And thus speaketh Augustine also lest any thinke of this as of some new inuētiō If Sacraments had not a certaine similitude of those things of which they be Sacramēts a Epist 23. ad Bonifac. surely they should be no Sacraments and by reason of this likenesse they haue often the names of the things which are signified by them Therfore as the Sacrament of the body of Christ is after a certaine manner the body of Christ the Sacrament of the bloud of Christ the bloud of Christ so the Sacrament of faith is faith Whereas they obiect that it is not like that when Christ would minister vnto his Apostles a speciall comfort in aduersitie that then he should speake darkely and doubtfully the matter it self sheweth that this metonymicall phrase seemed not hard or obscure vnto the Apostles for if they had not thought that the Lord called the bread his body because it is a liuely true signe Sacrament thereof out of all question they had bene much troubled disquieted with so prodigious a matter which necessarily followeth from the literall sense of the word this may yet better appeare for the same verie time they could not well conceiue and vnderstand more easie and common a Ioh. 14.5.8 c. 16. v. 17. argumentes Therefore I say for that they were not troubled with these wordes it is manifest that they vnderstood them metonymically after the maner of the Scripture the rather for that a little before they had eaten of the lambe which in the same sense was called the passeouer for that it was a symbole of that memorable passeouer wherein the Angell b Exo. 12.27 of the Lord smiting all the first borne of the Aegyptians did passe ouer the houses of the people of Israell by which occasiō they were brought out of Aegypt and so freed from that extreme bondage XXV They spend here wind in vaine to obiect the omnipotencie of God to shewe that the bodie of Christ may be both in heauen and in the Sacramentall bread at one and the same time For the question is not here what God can do but what he will do and what his will and good pleasure is And his will is that Christ be like his brethren in a Heb. 2.17 all things sinne onely b Heb. 4.15 excepted Therefore his will is that he haue a true bodie that is a finite bodie and limited in place Againe albeit God be omnipotent yet can he not
quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and life And whereas the most of the best interpreters of these times expounde these wordes of Christes Deitie as if the same were vnderstood by the word spirite so that Christes meaning as they say is that the power of quickning doth proceede from the Deitie of Christ so that his flesh hath power to quicken vs as it is the flesh of the sonne of God crucified for vs. This exposition no doubt is sound and good yet I thinke this be the most simple and naturall sense if by the word spirit we vnderstaÌ„d the holy Ghost that the meaning should be thus my flesh which I said must be eaten to attaine eternall life profiteth nothing to effect this if ye eate the same corporally as you Capernaites vnderstand me but it is the spirit which quickneth that is the holy Ghost quickneth the harts of the faithfull and nourisheth them vnto life euerlasting by working in them effectually to beleeue in me and so to eate my flesh and to drinke my bloud spiritually that is by faith whereby they are well assured that my flesh was crucified for them and my bloud shed for them for the remission of their sinnes The wordes therefore saith he which I speake vnto you of the necessitie of eating my flesh to attaine eternall life these wordes I say are spirite and life that is must be vnderstood of the effectuall working of the holy Ghost in the harts of the elect to worke eternall life in them euen by faith Moreouer for the better vnderstanding of this point in what sense the flesh of Christ is and may truly be said to be our spirituall foode we must expresse also in what manner it is made meate for vs. And this Christ taught vs in very plaine wordes in that Sermon where he saith I am that f v. 51. liuing bread that is the quickning bread or that bread that giueth life which came downe from heauen If any man shall eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world In these last wordes which I will giue for the life of the world Christ sheweth in what maner his flesh should be foode for vs and that is in that he will giue it vnto the death for our life that is to merite for vs life euerlasting offring it as Priest himselfe a holy sacrifice to God his father And that this is the naturall sense of this relatiue * Quam ego dabo which in this place as if the Lord had said quatenus cam dabo in that or for that I shall giue it it is verie manifest by the matter it selfe which is handled in that place For if we shall not so vnderstand those wordes as tending to declare the former maner of that thing which is here intreated then that word must note some diuision of a generall into specials as if Christ had two kindes of flesh of which the one he would giue for the life of the world the other he would not giue But this interpretation is manifestly false and contrary to the articles of our faith wheron we ground the truth of Christes incarnation Therefore that exposition of the relatiue which in this place is verie true and natural and vsed to declare the forme and manner of that thing which is there proposed or disputed vpon And the very same interpretation is there of the words of the Lord in the institution of his holy Supper where of that bread broken he speaketh on this wise This is my bodie which is giuen or broken for you that is in * Quatenus asmuch as or for that it is broken or giuen for you For that holie bread or as Paule calleth it that bread of the Lord is not simplie the Sacrament of the Lordes bodie that is doth not simplie signifie and testifie that the Lord hath a true bodie but signifieth and testifieth that the Lords body is broken or giuen for vs that is was offred on the Crosse with the feeling of Gods wrath to make satisfaction for our sinnes And in like manner must we speake and thinke of the other wordes which the Lord pronounced of the holy cup or wine saying This is that my bloud of the new Testament or couenant which is shed for you and for manie for the remission of sinnes that is in asmuch as or for that it is shed c. By the premisses it is now manifest that the flesh of Christ hath in it the nature of meate not simplie but in a certaine respect that is in asmuch as it was crucified for vs. Like as the body is said to be visible in respect of the colours thereof Now concerning the second question in what maner we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud I answer Such as the meate and drinke is such must be the maner of the eating and drinking thereof but the flesh of Christ is spirituall meate and his bloud is spirituall drinke as is aforeshewed Therefore the flesh of Christ is eaten spiritually or in a spirituall manner and his bloud is drunke also in the same manner Now to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his bloud spiritually is to eate with the mouth of the spirite that is of the soule to wit by faith Again to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beleeue in Christ or to beleeue that the flesh of Christ is crucified for thee and that his bloud is shed for thee for the remission of thy sinnes This Christ himselfe sheweth in the same Sermon where he propoundeth two propositions or sentences signifying one thing which are these he that beleeueth g v. 47. in me hath eternall life and h v. 54. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life The matter also and argument there handled requires this interpretation of the words of Christ for if he meant by that phrase of eating his flesh one thing and by that of faith another thing then this consequent would follow we must haue not one but two wayes to life euerlasting one by eating the flesh of Christ the other by faith But the way to eternall life is but one which is Christ alone receiued by faith or faith in Christ our Sauiour both come to one effect And yet the better to vnderstand this point consider a little what the nature of faith is And this is knowen by his next and proper obiect which is the Gospell or that testimonie which God hath giuen vs of his loue and grace for and through Iesus Christ for faith resteth vpon the Gospell as the blessed and infallible testimonie of God And the Gospell testifieth of Christ that is of his person and office and of all his benefites towardes vs that is to say that Christ is the only begotten sonne of God which for our sake and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was made man of the virgine Marie that he liued an holy life according to the law of God and hath brought vnto vs from the bosome of his father the counsell of God concerning our saluation who being righteous suffered for vs that are vnrighteous vnder Pontius Pylate was crucified dead c. And like as the Gospell testifieth these things vnto vs so the Sacramentes also testifie the same for they are seales of the Gospell and as it were a Gospell seene and a Gospell felt He therefore that beleeueth these holy testimonies of God in so doing he spiritually feedeth vpon the bodie of Christ spiritually drinketh the bloud of Christ And thus doth Augustine De doctrina Christ Lib. 2. cap. 16. expounde this place of Christ Vnlesse saith he ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you He seemeth to commande a horrible fact and a thing most detestable It is a figure commanding vs to communicate with or to become partakers of the Lordes passion and to lay vp sweetely and comfortably in memorie that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs thus saith Augustine After the same maner doth Mr Iohn Caluin that famous diuine of our age lay open those wordes of Christ in his booke of Institutions the 4. booke Chap. 17. sect 5. FINIS R D DEVS â—â—â—â—T ASTRIS