it followeth Iesus tooke bread c. Here the Euangelist sheweth two causes of this sacrament the efficient material cause The efficient cause is Iesus Christ the sonne of God Iohn 1.29 who is the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the worlde who hath made peace betweene God and vs by the blood of his Crosse Collos 1.20 hath reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death 1. pet 1.18 who hath redéemed vs from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of our fathers neither with gold nor siluer but with his owne precious blood who hath loued vs hath washed away our sinnes in his blood Apocal. 1. â— made vs kings and priests vnto his father euen this Iesus our only Sauiour redeemer hath ordained this holy sacrameÌ„t for vs left it vnto vs in remeÌ„braÌ„ce of his death for a gage of our saluation purchased thereby Wherefore if Iesus Christ and our saluation procured by him be deare and pretious vnto vs then also this sacrament which he hath deliuered vnto vs and instituted for vs to confirme our faith in him ought to be deare and precious vnto vs. Therefore we should be very carefull that neither negligently we absent our selues from it nor vnreuerently come vnto it nor that we make not smal account of it for if we vse to make great account euen of small things which our deare friends leaue vs at the houre of their death in remembrance of them How much more account ought we to make of this sacrament how small soeuer it séeme to the outward eye of flesh blood séeing that our deare redéemer Iesus Christ euen as it were at the houre of his death bequethed and committed it vnto vs and hath left to be a necessary foode vnto our soules that thereby we may dayly more and more grow vp in him But hereof I shall haue occasion hereafter further for to speake when I shal intreat of our dew preparation in comming to receiue this holy Sacrament The second cause touched in these words which is the materiall is bread and wine as after followeth which be the outward matter and elements of this sacrament and be holy signes of Christs blessed body offred and of his pretious bloodshed for vs. And here that we may the better know the true nature and vse of sacraments we are to vnderstand that God in offering to vs our saluation purchased by Iesus Christ vseth two things the one is his words wherein be contained his swéete and pretious promises of mercie grounded founded vpon Iesus Christ the other is externall signes which wée call sacraments be added to the word for seales to seale to confirme vnto our consciences the promises of the word euen to set that before our eyes which the promises of gods word do sound into our eares for we are to marke this that both the promises of the word and also the sacraments lead vs to one selfe same thing that is to Iesus Christ in him only to séeke our saluation for as the word doth this as appeareth by those places before alledged out of Iohn 1.29 Col. 1.20 1. Pet. 1.18 Apocal. 1.5 and infinite such other euen so do the sacraments lead vs as it were by the hand vnto the same liuely set the same before our eyes As for example baptisme doth teach vs to the eye that euen as water washeth away the vncleanesse of our bodies so Christs pretious blood which hee shed for vs cleanseth vs from the filthines and giltines of our sins And this sacrament of Christs supper teacheth and assureth vs that euen as bread and wine féede nourish strengtheÌ„ comfort mans hart so also Christ Iesus who offred his body and shed his blood once for al euen for vs féedeth nourisheth strengthneth comforteth our féeble sinful soules vnto eternal life And these two things his word outward sacraments God hath from the beginning vsed therby to offer our saluation to vs to assure vs of his fauour When God had created Adam Eue and placed them in Paradise he did not onely by word teach and admonish them to serue and honour him their creator but also he did set the trée of life in Paradise which should set before their eyes effectually teach them to imploy that life which they had receiued of God to Gods glorie When God had brought that fearefull floud vpon the world for the horrible corruption wickednesse thereof and did in mercie determine neuer in like manner to destroy it so againe Gen. 9.11 he did not onely assure vs therof by his word and promise but also the more to confirme it vnto vs did set his bow in the clouds that as often as we behold the same we should be assured of the performance of gods promise as euen to this day appeareth When it pleased God to accept Abraham and his séede to mercy he did not onely signifie the same to Abraham by making his couenant with him Gen. â—7 that he would be his God and the God of his séed and that in his séed al nations of the earth should be blessed but also he gaue vnto him the sacrameÌ„t of Circumcision to be a seale of this his couenant to assure them that by that blessed séed Iesus Christ he would circumcise the foreskinne of their hearts and cut away all their vncleanenes And when God as it were renewed this couenaÌ„t to the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt he did not onely giue his Law vnto them wherein his couenant was conteyned but also ordeyned the passeouer and many other sacrifices to confirme the same vnto them in being holy figures and signes of Iesus Christ to come vpon whom the couenant was grounded Euen so to confirme the new testament and couenant made with vs wherof I made mention before Hierom. 3â— 31 Heb. 8.8 which is the same in substance with the olde but called new because it is renewed vnto vs in Iesus Christ reueiled adorned with greater graces of Gods spirit Christ hath ordeined sacrameÌ„ts in number as S. Augustine affirmeth fewest August Epist ad Ianuar. 118. in obseruation easiest in signification most excellent that is Baptisme his holy Supper And therefore our Sauiour Christ speaking of the cuppe as S. Luke and S. Paul report his words saith 1. Cor. 11.25 This cup is the new testament in my blood that is to say a sacrament and seale of the new testament and couenant of God confirmed vnto vs in his blood And this manner of teaching and delyuering of things by these two kinds of things words obiected to the eares and outward signes to the eyes it séemeth that we by the instinct of nature or rather of God haue in like sort receiued for in conueighing of things from one to an other we obserue the same order As if a man make conueiance of lands or goods he doth it
by faith Ephes 3.17 by the which he dwelleth in vs as the Apostle saith we be made flesh of his flesh 5.30 and bone of his bones Moreouer Christ did breake the bread not to eat it all himselfe as masse priests do Durand lib. 4. cap. 53. nor to offer one part for the soules in heauen an other for them that be aliue and the third for the soules in purgatory as it is also their vse but to distribute it to his disciples that they might take and eate it And therefore my text saith he brake it and gaue it to his disciples saying take ye eate ye this is my body Wherein we are to note that he saith not looke vpon it knéele and knock vnto it and worship it but he saith Take ye eat ye promising then it shal be his body vnto them so that here is a commaundemeÌ„t and also a promise The commaundement in these words take ye eate ye the promise in these This is my bodie wherefore if we looke to be partakers of the promise we must yeeld obedience to the commandemeÌ„t the which if we refuse to doe we cannot looke to be partakers of the promise As for example God saith psal 50.15 call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thée if we obey the commaundement and call vpon God in the time of our trouble we may be assured of the performance of the promise that God will deliuer vs then and in that sort as he knoweth to be best for vs for our God is not more liberall in promising then he is most faithfull in performing But if we doe not in our trouble call vpon God we cannot looke that he should deliuer vs. Euen so here if we obey not Christes commaundement and do not take and eate it but looke knéele adore it we cannot looke that it shal be Christs body vnto vs for it is not further a sacrament to vs then we according to our sauiours institution do take and eate it No saith B. Boner I wil easily confute that In M. Philpots examinations is not a capon a capon vnlesse I eat it euen so saith he it is a sacrament and Christs bodie although we doe not receiue it I answere that B. Boner had as it appeared by his fat face greasie belly by his foolish reasoning better skil in a fat capon then in the doctrine of diuinity and namely of this sacrament for a capon being a natural thing is a capon as bread is bread and wine is wine although they be not receiued but a sacrament being a thing not of nature but by grace is not further a sacrament then it is ioyned to Gods promise and institution applied to that vse whereunto it was ordayned The water which flowed in the wildernes out of the rocke was a sacrament of Iesus Christ to the Israelits which drank of it 1. Cor. 10.4 as Saint Paul sheweth but whereas not onely the Israelits but also their cattel did drink of the same water was it a sacrament to the cattel No. If one should take the water wherein a child hath bene baptised and apply it to some common prophane vse is it then a sacrameÌ„t No. It is not a sacrament further then it is ioyned to Christs inâ—titution and one baptised in it Euen so the bread and wine is no further a Sacrament then according to Christs institution and cammaundement it is taken eaten Therefore to the Papists in their priuate masses not taking eating it according to Christs commandement but gaping knéeling to it worshipping it which he hath neuer commanded Hierem. 7.31 neither euer came into his heart as the prophet speaketh it is not Christs body but they commit most abhominable Idolatrie in giuing that worship to the creature which is due to Christ the Creator who is blessed for euer But further of this their Idolatrous adoration I will not now intreat but come to that which followeth This is my body in expounding of which words many respecting more the outward sound of the wordes then considering the simple sense meaning of Iesus Christ haue bene fouly deceiued and haue hereof gathered sundrie great errors And euen so the verie Euangelists do shew that diuers more regarding the externall sounde of Christs words then marking his meaning haue bene greatly deceiued As when our Sauiour Christ warned his disciples to beware of the leauen of the Pharises and Saduces Matth. 16.6 his Disciples did thinke that he spake of outward breade whereas his meaning was to admonish them to take heed of the sower corrupt doctrine of the Pharises and Saduces 12. So when our Sauior said vnto the Iewes Iohn 2.19 destroy this temple in three dayes I wil raise it vp againe they thought that Christ had spoken of the materiall temple of Ierusalem and therfore they said fortie and sixe yeares was this Temple a building and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes But he spake of the temple of his bodie In like maner when our Sauior Christ said to Nicodemus Ioh. 3.3 except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God Nicodemus taking it grosly of the outward byrth sayd how can a man be born that is olde can he enter into his mothers wombe againe be borne But Christ spake of spiritual regeneratioÌ„ wrought by the holy Ghost Many such other examples might be alledged but I will content my selfe onely with that one of the Capernaits the cosen germans or rather deare brethren of our papists for whereas our sauiour Christ said Iohn 6.51 I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man 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 They grosly vnderstanding this of the carnal external eating of Christs flesh said how can this man giue vs his flesh to eat and againe this is an hard saying who can heare it 60. But Christ spake spiritually of the spirituall and not of carnall eating of his flesh therefore he saith 63. it is the spirite that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life In like manner let vs in this matter take diligent héed that by too much grating vpon the letter respecting the outward sound of words not considering Christs meaning we be not seduced and caried into errour in grossely and carnally taking that which Christ our sauiour spiritually sacrameÌ„tally did speak Aduers Praxca The counsel of Tertullian herein is to be regarded and followed who saith Malo te ad sensum rei quam ad sonuÌ„ vocaboli exerceas i. I would that thou exercise thy selfe rather to the sense of the matter theÌ„ to the sound of the word Therefore that we may vnderstand the true sense meaning of these
vnderstand that which I haue spoken You shall not eate this bodie which you sée nor drinke that blood which they shall shead that crucifie mée I commend vnto you a certaine sacrament which being spiritually vnderstood shall quicken you For although it must of necessity be visiblie celebrated yet it must inuisibly be vnderstood Iustinus Martyr saith Iustinus Apol. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 162. that the substance of the sacrament is turned into vs and that thereby our flesh and blood is nourished But it were a great absurdity to say that our flesh and blood is nourished of Christs bodie and blood conuerted into them Therefore it is bread wine which be turned into vs and whereby we are nourished By these places that I alledge no more it is as cleare as the sunne that the godly fathers did nothing at all doubt of this our doctrin but were of this iudgement that the substance of bread and wine remaine still in the sacrament Now it followeth that I shew that this doctrine of the Papists is contrary to the nature of a sacrament the which sufficiently appeareth by that which is before declared for I shewed that a sacrameÌ„t consisteth of two things an earthly and an heauenly the signe the thing signified and that there must be a similitude and agréement betwéene these two or else as I alledged out of Augustine it can be no sacrament Epis 13. for as bread and wine féede strengthen and comfort mans heart and bodie so Christs bodie and blood féed strengthen and comfort our soules Now if there be no bread nor wine then it cannot féede strengthen and comfort vs and then it hath no similitude and agréement with Christs bodie and blood and so by consequent according to Augustines iudgement it is no sacrament And thus the Papists striuing through blinde ignorance to take bread and wine from the sacrament do indéede take away the sacrament it self and so haue nothing but an Idole of their owne Now it remaineth that I proue it to be contrarie to the iudgement of our senses the which néedeth no proofe for who knoweth not that to the eie it is bread and wine to the taste it is breade and wine to the féeling and smelling it is breade and wine and not the body blood of Christ Therefore I conclude that it is bread wine But here me thinke I heare some Papists exclaiming and saying phy for shame that you should vse such Arguments to measure these mysteries by the externall iudgement of our senses I answere that I am nothing at al ashamed of this argument séeing that the best disputer that euer was in the world and that most mightily maintained the truth and confounded his aduersaries vsed the same which was neither Chrisippus nor Aristotle but Iesus Christ the son of God for when he appeared after his resurrection to his disciples and they were abashed affraid Luke 24 37. Ioh. 20 2â— supposing they had séene a spirit he said vnto them why are ye troubled wherefore do doubts arise in your hearts 17. behold my hands my féete for it is I my self Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee sée me haue Here we sée that our sauiour proueth by séeing and handling his bodie to be no spirit but a true bodie The same reason doth Tertullian vse against that monster Martion of whom I before spake his words be these Hic primum manus ei iniectas animaduertens Lib. 4. adueâ—â— Martionem necesse habeo iam de substantia eius corporali prefinire quòd non possit phantasma credi qui contactum quidem violentia plenum detentus captus ad precipitium vsque protractus admisserit i. I considering that heere first hands were laid vpon him Christ I must of necessitie determine of his Corporall substance Luk. 4. that he cannot bée thought to be a spirit or ghost who being detained and kept and brought euen vnto the steypie place suffered himselfe so violently to be handled and to that purpose immediatly after alledgeth a verse of Lucretius Tangere enim tangi nisi corpus nulla potest res i. Nothing can touch and be touched but a bodie Therfore either our sauiour Christ and Tertullian vsed a reason that hath no reason which I trust our aduersaries will not say or else our reason is verie strong that trie it by touching séeing tasting and it will appeare to be bread And so much the stronger is this reasoÌ„ for that our said aduersaries caÌ„not shew one example in all the scriptures where one substance by Gods mighty power being changed into an other there was not also an outward change of the qualities and properties thereof to be deserued by the outward senses As when Moses rodde was chaunged into a serpent Exod. 4.3 it was not onely in substance but also in externall shew a serpent so that Moses for feare fled from it Exod. 7.21 When the water in Egypt was turned into blood it was blood not onely in substance but also in external appearance to the eye tast so that the Egyptians could not drinke of it Iohn 2.9 When our sauiour Christ had in Cana of Galile turned the water into wine the gouernour of the feast as soone as he tasted it perceiued it to be verie good wine And therefore this should séeme to be very straunge that here should be such a chaunge or transubstantiation as they terme it of one thing into another and no alteration of any outward qualities to be discerned by the iudgement of the senses This were contrarie to Gods working in all other myracles So that it is hereby euident that this is no such myracle as they imagine as also Augustine flatly affirmeth in his third Booke and 10. Chapt. of the Trinitie Aug. de mirabâ—â— libus Script And the same Augustine writing a particuler booke of all the myracles in the scriptures maketh no mention at all hereof by these reasons before alledged it doth I trust plainely appeare that the substance of bread wine in the sacrament do remaine and continue well then say the Papists it is but bread and we may receiue it as onely a péece of bread Nay not so we teach and beléeue Iustinus Apog 2 Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 34. that it is not to compted nor receiued as common bread and wine but a sacrament of Iesus Christ a seale of Gods promises yea and an effectual instrument of Gods grace whereby Iesus Christ with his righteousnes and al other benefits of his passion is offred vnto vs. And to make this matter more plaine by an example euen as the Queenes maiesties seale ioyned to her Letters pattents is in substance waxe stil but yet not to be reputed as commoÌ„ waxe but to be reuerenced as her maiesties seale and it and the said Letters pattents to the which it is ioyned carry a power