serpēt which was not before and Lots wife was turned into that pillar which was not before But the body of Christ is before their transubstanriation wherupon it follow weth that the bread cannot be changed into his body The 15. reason if Christ did 〈◊〉 the bread into his body when he saud This is my body then in like manner the Apostle did 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Corinthians into the body of Christ when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now ve are the bodie of christ and members for your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can they alleage why 〈◊〉 should be in the one sentence more thē in the other For the whole colledge and company of diuines of Rome and Rhemes and all the multitude of papistes through out the world shall neuer be better able to proue their transubstantiation out of these words This is my body then out of the other 〈◊〉 are the body of Christ. The 16. reason if the bread were turned into the body of Christ and receiued in the mouth it should go farre better with our bodies then with our soules because our bodyes should really receiue the body of Christ but our soules should not being spirits and bodies cannot be mingled and intermedled with spirits Wherefore we cannot beleeue and receiue this real conuersion of one substance into another The 17. reason if the bread be transubstantiated into the body of christ and so receiued by vs then either it is turned into our bodies or vanisheth away into nothing or returneth and departeth back into heauen But it is not turned into our bodily substance for then we should grow bodily and not spiritually carnally not mistically into one person with him neither doth it vanish to nothing for this were horrible blasphemy once to imagine and conceiue of the body of christ neither doth it depart into heauen for he was there before and the heauens containe him to the end of all things Therefore the bread cannot be said to be turned into the body of christ except one of these be granted And thus also we may reason of the wine If it be turned into the blood of Christ it must necessarily passe into our substance or vanish away or returne to the heauens for no fourth way can be imagined But none of these can stand either with diuinity or phylosophy either with faith or reason either with scripture or nature and therfore consequently transubstantiation must fall The 18. reason if the disciples had not vnderstood christ to call the bread his body sacramentally they would haue beene greatly troubled who often doubted of the least things and demaunded the vnderstanding of them As the hearers of Christ Ioh. 6 supposing he had spoken of a carnal manner of eating his flesh were troubled and offended saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate And vers 60 This is an heard saying who can heare it Wherefore who seeth not that they would haue marueiled and required farther if they had vnderstood christ to haue changed the bread into his body and the wine into his blood But they doubt not they demand not they maruaile not they murmur not and therfore beleeue not this iugling of transubstantiation or turning of one substance into another And if they beleeued it not how should we receiue it The 19. argument it ouerturneth sundry Articles of our Christian faith Wee beleeue that Christ Iesus was begotten of the father before all worldes and borne in time of the Virgin Mary this the Scripture teacheth this the Creed deliuereth this euery true Christian professeth and beleeueth But if the bread be transubstantiated into the body of Christ and the wine into the blood of christ then his body is made and borne of bread and wine and the priest after the words of consecration may say a little pretty son is borne vnto vs and newly made Againe we beleeue that Christ was crucified and died for our sins that he was buried rose againe ascended and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty But if the body of Christ bee made of bread as often as the Eucharist is celebrated then Christ being on the Crosse might be elsewhere then on the Crosse when he died he might be where he suffered nothing lying in the graue he might bee out of the graue yea hee might be in the graue after his resurrection and rising out of the graue wherof notwithstanding the Angels said he is not heere Lastly we beleeue that christ shall come from heauen to iudge the quick and dead and that in the same manner he ascended whom we doubt not but men shall see as Reuel 1. 7. Euery eye shall see him yea euen they which pierced him through But if Christes body be made of bread he shall stare and start out of the pixe and not come from heauen and that in another shape then when he ascended nay thus he shold come daily vnto vs yet no man can see him nor perceiue his cōming Al these deuises ouerthrow foundation of faith sauour of nouelty and bring in heresie against all certaine grounds of true religion The 20. argument if by vertue of Christs words transubftantiation were brought to passe and the true body of christ were really present on the earth then the bread should be changed into whole Christ that is into his body indued with his magnitude quantity quality colour and all his dimensions For Christ said not at his supper this is the substance of my body without accidents but This is my body which is giuen for you and which is broken for you Therefore the body was visible and seene of them all it was felt it had all accidents agreeable thereunto and the substance of Christs body alone without his qualities was not crucified on the Crosse neither yet could be crucified Not withstanding we see not Christs body vpon the earth nor any adioy nt thereof is perceiued or discerned Where are they then Are they in substance of christs body which is in heauen And not in the substance of his body which is on the earth Then they make Christ to haue two distinct bodies for one and the same body cannot haue his properties and dimensions and yet bee without them which necessarily implyeth a contradiction and consequently falsehood especially considering how great a difference they make betweene the body of Christ in heauen and this body that lieth and lurketh vnder the accidents and shewes of bread in their box The 21. reason it destroyeth the nature of a true body it taketh away the defence vsed against heretickes and bringeth in the heresies of Marcion of Eutiches and the Manichics which denied Christ to haue a solid and true humane body held that he had only a phantastical body without any materiall flesh blood or bone in appearance and sight some what but in deed and substance nothing For they teach that his body is in infinite places at once those discontinued voyd of quantity and
are oftentims in gendred Eucharist and so consume it whether the shewes of bread be the body without the blood and the shews of wine the blood without the body It were infinite to note out all their contentions and contradictions these may suffice to shew how the enimies of God fight one against another and all of them with their own shadwoes And thus much of the late doting deuise of transubstantiation which is the soule and life of their popish religion the deniers or doubters wherof they pursue with fire and sword more eagerly then such as are enemies to the blessed trinity The last generall vse is this if christ deliuered both these signes not onely the bread but the wine also to his disciples then both kinds by the minister are to be deliuered and both kinds by the people are to be receiued not bread alone nor wine alone but bread and wine the bread in token of his body giuen for vs and the wine in token of his blood shed for vs. This is the ordinance of Christ this is a greeable to the scripture Notwithstanding the Church of Rome hath decreed that it is not necessary for the people to cómunicate in both kinds and holdeth them accursed that hold it necessary for the people to receiue the cup cósecraced by the priest Thus it appeareth they labor nothing more then to take from the faithful the sweete comfort of the Lords supper This is a sacrilegious corruption of christs institution deuised by sathan broached by Antichrist published by his adherentes in the corrupt times of most palpable darknesse as may appeare by these reasons Frist if none may drinke of the consecrate wine but the priest then none should eat of the bread but priests so that they must either exclude the people from both which I trust they dare not or admit them to both which as yet they do not For to whom Christ said Take and eate to those gaue he the cup and said Drinke ye Wherefore the signes being both equal all communicants must drinke of the one as wel as eate of the other there being the same warrant for the one that there is for the other and the let that would barre the one will hinder the other so as the thinges which God in his goodnesse hath ioyned together man without sinne cannot separate Secondly when Christ instituted this sacrament he said Drinke ye all of this and by all he vnderstood of the Communicants And the Euangelist Marke addeth They al drank of it to wit all that were present at his last supper who had before eaten of the bread of the Lord. This also appeareth by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. They haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit This commaundement of Christ being generall imposeth a necessity vpon the people when he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye do ye this These commaundements are perpetuall vnchangable and alwaies in force not arbitrary not temporall not repealed but bind the conscience to the end of the world against which no limitation or dispensation can be alowed being the commaundementes of God not of man Thirdly the cup is a part of Christes will and testament Now touching the nature of a testament or will the saying of the Apostle is knowne If it be but a mans testament when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing therto where he sheweth that the dead mans wil may not be changed nothing can be put to nothing taken out without forgery and salsehood This is the law of nature and Nations But the Lordes Supper is a sacrament proper to the new testament as Christ saith this cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you This testament the Lord Iesus made the night before he was betrayed he sealed it by shedding his most precious blood he hath giuen Legacies not of earthly and temporall but of heauenly and eternall goods And seeing he hath appointed the cup of this his testament to be deliuered and drunke of all those for whom his blood was shed it is intollerable boldnes and presumption to take away the vse thereof from the greater part of the Church and an infallible token of an vnshamefast and shamelesse harlot to alter her husbands will to defraud and defeat his children of that worthy portion which their father alotted 〈◊〉 and so to keepe backe part of their inhetitance and 〈◊〉 Fourthly the blood of Christ shed vpon the Crosse belongeth not onely to the pastors and teachers but to all the faithfull that come to the table of the Lord as appeareth by the wordes of Christ This is my blood which is shed for you and for many why then should the blood of Christ be denyed or the cup of the Lord be barred from them If then the blood of Christ were shed for the people as well as for the ministers surely the cup belongeth to one as wel as to the other If the people haue the greater who shall keepe them from the lesse If they haue their part in the thing signified who shall deny them of the outward signe For as the fruite and effect of the blood of Christ is common to the people with the pastor so should the cup also which is the communion of his blood shed for the redemptionof the peoples sinnes be diuided indifferently betweene the pastor and the people Fiftly the Apostle deliuered that to the Church which he had receiued from the Lord Iesus Now the Church ought diligently to obserue the written traditions and verities of the Apostles which are committed to posterity to be kept inuiolably But he hath deliuered how the Lord after taking blessing breaking and distributing of the bread likewise tooke the cuppe blessed and distributed it among them so saith the Apostle must the Churches do If then he receiued this from the Lorde to deliuer both kinds to the people let the Church of Rome consider with her selfe from whence she hath receiued the contrarye to withhold one of the kinds from the people for both cannot proceed from one and the same spirit of truth which is neuer contrary to it selfe Sixtly if all the faithfull that come to the Lordes Table must shew forth the Lords death vntill he come and this be done by them as wel by drinking of the cup as by eating of the bread then all the communicants must receiue the sacrament vnder both kinds vntill the second comming of christ But the faithfull must shew forth the lordes death by eating of that bread and drinking of that cup as the Apostle teacheth As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lordes death vntill he come Therefore all communicants must partake the sacrament vnder both kinds Seuenthly the Apostle giueth an expresse commaundemēt to 〈◊〉 whole church which al must obey that come worthily to this holy table Let a man examine himselfe
the sauor of death to death therfore also the Sacraments of themselus do not confer and bestow grace hauing it tyed vnto them or shut vp in them For if the Sacraments did actually and effectually giue grace by inherent power and vertue in themselues it would follow from hence that euery person baptized is certainely saued and hath his sinnes remitted or else that his sinnes remitted may returne and remaine and be againe imputed But when God gratiously pardoneth sin he remembreth it no more Againe we see Abraham was not iustified by his circumcision he was iustified by his faith for Abraham beleeued god and it was imputed to him for righteousnes and afterward he receiued circumcision to be the signe and seale of his iustification Not withstanding the Sacraments may be saide to confer the grace of regeneration and remission of sins as they are instrumentes vsed of God and as they are pledges and tokens to vs. They are means to offer and exhibit to the beleeuer Christ with all his benefits wherby the conscience is assured of comfort and saluation as the Princes letters are said to saue the life of a malefactor wheras they only signifie to him and others that it is the princes pleasure to shew fauor Again they may not fitly be said to giue vs grace because the signe exhibiteth the thing signified the outward washing of the body is a pledg token of the grace of god so that whosoeuer vseth the sign aright shall receiue forgiuenes and life euerlasting Chap. 3. That the parts of a Sacrament are partly outward and partly inward WE haue seene what a Sacrament is nowe wee are to consider in it two things first his parts then his vses for in handlinge these two pointes wee shall see what is the nature of a sacrament The partes of sacrament 〈◊〉 are of two sortes some outwarde open sencible earthly visible and signifying some are inward hidden spirituall heauenly inuisible and signified For the nature of a Sacrament is partely earthly and partly heauenly If we had been wholly a spirit without body he would giue vs his gifts 〈◊〉 without a body but seeing we are soule and body he giueth v his Sacraments that so we may apprehend 〈◊〉 gifts by sensible things The outward part is one thing 〈◊〉 the inward part is another thing the outward is applyed to the body the inward is applyed to the soule conscience This diuision and 〈◊〉 on of parts appeareth plainely He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the hart in the spirit not in the letter where we see he maketh circumcision to stand of 2. parts part in the flesh and part in the heart partly in the spirit and partly in the letter Heereunto commeth that saying 〈◊〉 are circumcised with circumcision made without hands so that there is a circumcision without and there is an other within by the virtue of Christ. The same we may say of Baptisme there is a baptizing of the body and there is a baptizing of the soule the body is washed with water the soule is clensed by the precious blood of our sauiour Christ which is the hidden and misticall part of the Sacrament This appeareth by many examples recorded in Scripture Simon the sorcerer though 〈◊〉 were baptized with water yet his hart was not right in the sight of God he remained in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity so that albeit hee were baptized yet he was not regenerated The 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 of the outward signes not of the 〈◊〉 grace They were all baptized vnto Moyses in that cloud and in that sea they did 〈◊〉 the same spirituall meate they all drank the same spirituall drinke yet with many of them God was not pleased The 〈◊〉 may be saide of Iudas one of the 〈◊〉 he did eate the Paschall lambe as well as the rest of the Apostles but he did not eate Christ who is the 〈◊〉 filed and without spot is the other did This is that also which Iohn the Baptist teacheth Indeede I baptize you with water to amendment of life but he that commeth after me is mightier then I whoseshooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire where as the 〈◊〉 maketh two baptizers himfelfe and Christ so he 〈◊〉 their actions his own to wash with water and the action of Christ to wash with the holy ghost Neither neede we to seeke farre for reason to perswade any to beleeue this truth that the nature of a sacrament is neither wholly outward nor wholly inward but taketh part of 〈◊〉 seeing nothing can be a signe of itselfe but a signe is a signe of an other thing and seeing they are mysteries they haue an hidden meaning and spirituall vnderstanding If the 〈◊〉 in Baptisme had not grace annexed vnto it it could not be a mistery We see the signe we see not the grace which is inuisible Now let vs come to the vses These parts though distinguished really one 〈◊〉 another that the outward parts cannot be the inward the earthly cannot be the heauenly the seale cannot be the thing sealed the token cannot be the thing betokened nor contrarywise for this were to alter nature and to mingle heauen and earth together yet in respect of the propoition betweene the signe and the thing signified and of the coniunction of them to the faithful which receiu both the one thother one part is affirmed of the other For we must vnderstand that the Scriptur in regard of this vnion speketh of the Sacraments two waies to wit properly and figuratiuely Properly 〈◊〉 that which belongeth to the signe is given to the signe and when the thinge 〈◊〉 is giuen and applyed to the thing itselfe and thus each part hath his owne as Circumcision is called the signe of the couenant And the blood of the lambe is called a signe these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper speaches and without figure Againe vvhen 〈◊〉 saith My body which is giuen for you my blood 〈◊〉 which is shed for many for remission of sinnes vve must vnderstand the words literally as they lye figuratiuely vvhen the signe is giuen to the thing signified and called by the name of it as Christ is called the Passeouer and the lambe of God his flesh is also saide to be meate indeede and his blood drinke indeede the holy spirit is called water or else the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as bread is called the body of Christ the cup is called the new Testament These speaches must be taken figuratiuely and vnderstood by a chang of name according to the intention and meaning of the Holy-ghost so that wee must beware that we do not take or mistake
declare the couenaut of God to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance to giue thankes for the blessed worke of our redemption to offer giue and deliuer a right the creatures so sanctified in baptisme to sprinkle with water and washe the body to be baptized and in the Lords Supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the Church So then the minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are brought vnto him Shall the seruant refuse to do the worke of his maister Or if the Lord keeper of the kings broad seale should proudly and presumpteously disdame to set the seale to the Princes letters patents were he not well worthy to be displaced and remoued So if the minister through enuy or hatred or any other sinister affection shall refuse to put the seale to the Lords Couenant and hinder little children from comming to Christ he deserueth iustly to be displaced and to beare office no longer in the citty of God but to be remoued for his contempt as Salomon put downe Abiathar Secondly is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministred by a minister Then it condemneth 〈◊〉 those that put these seales into a wrong hand and all 〈◊〉 persons that violently rush vpon this calling and take vp on them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensation of the word and Sacraments is so linked annexed and ioyned together by God that a deniall of licence to do the one is a deniall to do the other and contrary wise the license to one is license to the other Christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commaundement he neuer committed to them any such ossice hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions he neuer called them to this honor he neuer laid vpon them this charge and therefore they haue no parte nor fellowship in this businesse If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them they wil runne and rush forward where they should hang backward their sinne lieth at the doore their punishment hastneth and their iudgement sleepeth not Lastly if the minister be an outward part of the Sacrament we must beware and take heed we ascribe not to the minister that which is proper to Christ and so rob him of the honour due vnto his name The minister may offer the signe he cannot bestow the thing signified he may baptize the body he cannot clense the soule he may deliuer the bread and wine he cannot giue the body and blood of Christ Iohn may wash with water he cannot giue the spirit Man indeede pronounceth the word but God sealeth vp his grace in the heart man sprinkleth the body with water but God maketh cleane the soule by the blood of Christ man may take away the filth of the flesh but Christ must purge the conscience from dead workes who is that blessed lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world For as Paule planteth and Apollos watereth but God 〈◊〉 the increase so the minister offereth the element and outward signe but God giueth the heauenly grace It belongeth to the minister to handle the external part it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace to giue saith regeneration and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to baptize with the Holy-ghost This truth Iohn 〈◊〉 I baptize with water but one commeth after me who is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the Holy-ghost Where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene himselfe and Christ betweene his baptisme and the baptisme of Christ. As on the one side we must take heede of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the Sacramentes because the contempt of the word and Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more then his right least the power of the word and force of the Sacramentes be attributed to his person wherby men spoile themselues of the fruite of them both This was it wherein the Corinthians offended when they said I am Pauls I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Christs Wherefore to keepe a golden meane between too much and too little we must do as if a prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house we would receiue him fauorably and entertaine him honorably for the gifts sake which he bringeth vnto vs but the guift it selfe we would receiue for the kings sake from whom it was sent So it becommeth euery one of vs to do God hath committed to his messengers and ministers the word of reconciliation we must haue them in singular loue for their workes sake that labour among vs but the word and Sacramentes we must receiue for the Lords sake from whom they come Thus much of the first outward part to wit theminister Chap. 5. Of the second outward part of a sacrament THe second outward part of a Sacrament is the word necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament for the word is added and ioyned to the element and there is made a Sacrament This sacramentall word is the word of institution which God in each Sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe consisting partly of a commaundement by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacramēts and partly of a promise annexed whereby God ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces As for example when Christ saith Go teach al nations baptize them there is a commaundement to warrant the vse and practise of Baptisme the promise likewise is in the next words Into the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy-ghost So touching the other Sacrament of his supper when he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye do this in remembrance of me Ioe there is the commaundement cōmaunding the continual vse therof vntil the second comming of christ the promise is this is my body which is giuē for you this is my blood of the new Testament shed for you for many for remission of sins Whatsoeuer signs of holy things god gaue to strengthen the faith of his childrē we may see and descern that god alwaies added the worde to the seale the voice to the signe and doctrine to the sight so that when the signe was seene the word was heard When one of the Seraphims beating an hot coale in his hand which he had taken from the alter touched the mouth of the prophet he said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity shall be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged Now we know a coale hath not power and force to take away sinne but the word vttered by the Angell did assure him that he should be purged by the holy ghost which was signified by the 〈◊〉 Againe when Christ gaue to his disciples
of exposition say Hegaue thanks so that the blessing heere spoken of is Giuing of thanks which also appeareth compared with Ioh. 6 11. And the Apostle saith Euery creature of God is good if it be receiued with thank sgiuing for it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer We see then that Consecration is when a thing is separated from a common and ciuil vse to a more special vse which is done by the authority of the worde and by the vertue of prayer whereby it hath his full force power and vertue The knowledge of this point serueth to cleere our doctrine and to ouerthrow sundry errors of the church of Rome First it sheweth that we hold teach a consecration that is a sanctifieng of the water in Baptisme and of the bread and wine in the Lords supper by the word by prayer and by thanksgiuing The bread wine are changed not in nature but in quality not in substance but in vse not in essence but in the end not by force of certaine words but by Christs institution We acknowledge and confesse a consecration not a conuersion a sanctification of the signes not a transubstantiation of the substance into the body and blood of Christ. He blessed and praised his father as mediatour of the Church for the mistery of the redemption of mankind and hee blessed the creatures that they might be effectual signes and serue for the confirmation and increase of our faith Secondly we are taught that consecration is not a magical charme and incantation by force of certaine wordes as though these word This is my body being murmured and spoken ouer the bread and This cup is the new testament in my bloud whispered ouer the wine did fully finish a consecration and made the elements to be immediatly changed into the body and blood of Christ without any other obseruing of the institution And hence it is that the forme of Christs giuing of thanks is not set down by any Euangelist because our corrupution and superstition is so great that if we had the words we would ascribe power force to the words sillables and letters and therefore the manner of his thanksgiuing is pretermitted This inclination of the hart is apparently seene in the Romish church who ascribe efficacy operation to the pronouncing of certain words which is a part of sorcery and a part of witch craft Wheras we auouch that the whole action of taking breaking pouring out distributing eating drinking praysing rehearsing the institution of Christ are the consecration that is the separation of these creatures to this vse Thirdly if after the Sacramentall actions if after thanksgiuing to god if after prayer that we may vse the creatures to the confirmation of our faith there do follow consecration sanctification and change of the elements to another vse then the power effect and working of the Sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the minister therfore the popish opinion is to be refused and reprooued that holdeth it to be no Sacrament if the minister haue not an intent and purpose in the ministration thereof at least to do that which the church doth that is to consecrate the elements and to make a Sacrament If his mind be not on his matters his hart on his busines in hand they hold it can be no Sacrament For otherwise saith Bellarmine If a priest should read the Gospell at the table of prelates and religious men and in reading should pronounce these words This is my body this is my blood then all the bread and wine vpon the the table should be consecrate and changed into Christs body and blood which is not so because his intent is wanting Againe if a father should lead his sonne to the bath and there dip him in the water And say I wash thee in the name of the father and though he thinke nothing of Baptizing him yet it should bee baptisme if an intent of baptizing were not required But I would gladly haue him answere this question what if a father should intend Baptisme by dipping his child in the bath whether that were baptisme or not Or suppose the priest we spake off reading at the prelates table should haue a mind and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine vpon the table must 〈◊〉 of necessity be a Sacrament and reall change of all Or admit the former priest being in the saide prelats wine seller supposing himselfe to be in the Church and to stand at the alter should pronounce there words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a sacrament should all the wine in that 〈◊〉 be turned into the blood of Christ Or if he being in a bakers shoppe should there solemnely say This is my body with the foresaide resolution should all that bread be changed into the body of Christ Let them speake plainely let them tel vs directly what they hold I thinke they will not say so I am sure it is not so For other things are wanting that are needefull in this matter We haue shewed that a Sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certaine wordes ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters but the whole institution of Christ must be obserued there must be distributing and receiuing there must be praier and thankesgiuing and from the vse of these followeth Consecration all which are wanting in the former examples suppositions there is no taking no breaking no distributing no pouring out no receiuing no praying no thanksgiuing We see touching the word of God with what intent and vnder what pretence soeuer it be preached if the minister teach Christ crucified howsoeuer he be affected it may haue his effect in the heart and worke saith in 〈◊〉 hearer so is it in the Sacramentes they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the hart of the minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the minister cannot hinder the blessing of god in the sacramēts being his own ordinaces For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the minister what assurance can any man haue that hee hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that we euer were baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas we cannot kno the hart and vnderstand the intentes thereof For what man
at the doore life and saluation are absent so that we are neuer partakers of his graces except webe as neerly coupled to his humanity as meat and drink are coupled with our body which of al other is a most neer vnion and inward coniunction Thus we see we are seuered from the world to haue fellowshippe with CHRIST and are set once in him for euer because he that commeth to CHRIST once he casteth him not away hee shall neuer hunger he shall neuer thirst he shall not be lost but hue for euer as the Apostle saith If they had been of vs doubtles they had continued with vs And paule to this purpose saith Rom. 8 Who shal lay any thing to the charg of GODS chosen it is GOD that instifieth who shall condemne Who shal seperate vs from the loue of CHRIST shal tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword in all the se we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in CHRIST IESVS our LORDE If once wee bee ioyned to him in spirituall Marriage notwithstanding the difference and disparagement between him and vs nothing shall bee able to worke our deuorcement from him True it is God 〈◊〉 vs wallowing in our owne filthines polluted in our owne bloode defiled by our owne vncleannes he hath made an eternall couenant with vs he hath spoken peace vnto oursoules saying Thou shalt liue euen when wee were sunke downe in sinne to death hee saide vnto vs Thou shalt liue so that he will neuer turne from vs to do vs good but we shall be his people and he will be our God he will giue vs one hart and one way that wee may feare him for euer and that it may be well with vs and with our children This made the Apostle to write Ephe. 5. 30. 32. Wee are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones this is a great misterie but I speake concerning christ and concerning the church Where he seemeth to allude to the first creation of the Woman made of one of the ribs of the man shadowing and 〈◊〉 our knitting and coniunction with Christe which we haue by faith not by nature by vertue of the spirit not of the flesh Now as we haue shewed that this coniunction made by Gods spirit and by our faith which he hath giuen so the meanes and instruments to worke it are the word and sacraments This is a dignity peculiar and proper to the elect to haue perpetuall fellowshippe with Christ and to growe vp into one body with him as he teacheth Iohn 17 20. 21. I pray for all them which shall beleeue in me through theyr word that they all may be one as thou O father art in me and I in thee euen that they may be one with vs that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me If then there be not an vnion betweene Christ and vs we haue no accesse to God the father being quite cutte off from all hope of life and sa'uation As then all the substaunce and nourishment of the tree commeth from the roote and all the vitall powers of a true naturall body come from the head so it is betweene the sonne of God and vs we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life in vs of our selves CHRIST is the waye the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the father but by him To conclude this first vse seeing such as come to this sacrament must be christians before it appeareth to be a very corrupt custome of the people when they require Baptisme of the pastor for their children to say God hath giuen me a Pagan I desire you to make him a Christian. For Baptisme cannot make a Christian but signifie the Sacraments cannot make that which is not but assure that which is already made as seales do not giue the right but confirme it Thus much of the first vse of Baptisme the second followeth Chap. 13. Of the second vse of baptisme BEing made one with Christ we are partakers of the 〈◊〉 of his death to wit of forgiuenes of sinnes and of regeneration or new birth So then the second vse of Baptisme is to assure vs of the remission and pardon of our sinnes that we may be vnblamable and acceptable to god This is signified by the outward ceremony of washing and sprinkling to wit the sprinkling of our soules with the blood of Christ for the forgiuenes of all sinnes as appeareth Act. 2 38 Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for remission of sins And Act. 22 Ananias said vnto Paul immediately after his conuersion Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lorde So the Euangelist witnesses Marke 1 4. that Iohn did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the Baptisme of amendment of life for the remission of sinnes And the Apostle maketh this vse col 2 12 13. Ye are buried with him through Baptisme in whome ye are also raised vppe together through the faith of the operation of GOD which raised him vp from the dead and you which are deade in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath hee quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The meaning of these places is not that baptisme bestoweth or giueth forgiuenesse but onely signeth sealeth and assureth our pardon euen as remistion of sins and the righte ousnesse of faith were not in the old Testament by circumcision conferred but confirmed vnto the faithfull The grace of pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes is not attained but by faith in Christ so that the worke of baptisme will not effect it Moreouer we haue proued that it is not lawfull to baptize such as are in yeares vnlesse they make open profession of their faith in Christ and repentance from the workes of the olde man wherefore they obtaine them not by the outward washing with water in baptisme So then we are no lesse assuredly washed by the blood of Christ from the spots of our soules then outwardly we are washed with water from the filth of the body For the force of his death hath that effectuall working in clensing our soules from the corruption and filthines of sinne which naturall water hath in washing our bodies By the merit of his death we haue full forgiueneste of all our sinnes not onely originall but actuall not onely past but present and to come whose blood is neuer drawne dry but is euer fresh and full of efficacy Therefore the wordes deliuered by the minister in baptisme at the commaundement of christ namely I baptize thee in the
the malicious man as the Apostle teachech 1 Cor. 11 18 20. When ye come together in the church I heare that there are dissentions among you this is not to eate the Lordes Supper Wherefore in that the people communicate of one and the same bread of one and the same wine it signifieth the vnion and agreement betweene all the faithfull in one body where of Christ Icsns is the head who loued vs decrely and spared not his life for vs. Let vs ioyne our selues together in loue according to the exhortation of the Apostle Rom 15 5 6. The God of patience and consolation giue you that ye 〈◊〉 like minded one toward another according to Christ Iesus that yee with one minde and with one mouth may praise God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ. All beleeuers must bee of one heart and minde the Wolfe and the lambe the Lyon and the calfe must dwell together in the kingdome of Christ for all are one in Christ Iesus For the Apostle hauing taught that the cup which we blesse and the bread which we breake are the communion of the body and blood of christ he addeth We that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread and therefore he saith 1 cor 11. When ye come together to eate tary one for another The second title giuen to this Sacrament is the Lords Supper by which name it is nowe most vsually and commonly called both because it was so instituted by Christ after his last Supper and is celebrated in the remembrance of CHRIST Heereby we learne first who is the author of this Sacrament not Peter not Paule not any of the Apostles not any man not any angell but Christ Iesus God and man and therefore it is not called the Supper of the Apostles or of any man but of CHRIST himselfe as the Apostle speaketh of baptisme Was Paule crucified for you Either were yee baptized into the name of Paule I baptized none into mine oxne name Wherefore this title serueth to teach vs and to put vs in minde of the author of this Sacrament Secondly seeing this sacrament is not a common supper but an holy and heauenly banket fully furnished not to fill the body but to feede the soule we must come with an earnest desire and longing after CHRIST hungring and thirsting after his righteousnesse and merites as after our life to bee made pattakers thereof For neuer did the body more stand in neede of corporall foode then doth the soule of this Bread of life which came downe from heauen which the father hath promited to giue vnto vs Lastly it condemneth our English Rhemistes and other romish readers of Popish diuinity that wholly condemne this name and title as vnproper and vnfit for this sacrament and vnderstande the Apostle to speake of the loue-feastes when he speaketh of the Lords Supper Indeed in the Apostles times they vsed to meete to gither in one common place not onely for the hearing of the worde for the receiuing of the Sacraments and for prayer to God but to keep certaine feasts which of their end or vse were called feasts of charity as Iude speaketh But of these the Apostle speaketh not when he named the Lordes Supper For first let them shew vs the place where euer these Loue-feasts are called the Lords Supper and then they may warrant their exposition by some colour otherwise wee cannot receiue their interpretation being of priuate motion Secondly if this title were ment of Loue-feastes to what purpose should the Apostle bring in the institution of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and largely handle the doctrin therof Wher as their abuses in their loue-feasts might be reformed and 〈◊〉 without this mention and remembraunce of the supper Thirdly to what end should these solemn feasts and bankets be called the Lordes supper which were not instituted in the honour of Christ but to testifie the mutuall loue of those that were members of the same body hauing God for their mercifull father the church for their tender mother and Christ for their elder brother These might rather be called the supper of men then of the Lorde being feasts of charity not of piety Fourthly the Apostles drift and purpose in this place is to teach that such as norish discention and diuision partake the Lords supper vnworthily and therefore willeth them when they come to communicate with the Lord to shake out of their minds all vncharitable affections as chaffe from good corn that so they may assemble togither with profit and not with hurt Last of al to call this sacrament by the name of the lords supper is vsuall among the ancient fathers of the church grounding themselues from the authority of the scripture and example of the Apostle 〈◊〉 some of their owne Writers call this sacrament and expound the words of saint Paule to the Corinthians If therefore they will rest themselues either in the true interpretation of the scripture or in the exposition of the auncient fathers or in the confession of their owne Writers we cannot doubt but the Apostle meaning the Lords Supper vnderstandeth the sacrament of the bodye and blood of Christ. The next title giuen to this sacrament is the breaking of bread which offereth to our considerations these vses not to be passed ouer First it she weth that the substance of bred remaineth after the words of consecration and is not altered by any strange transubstantiation For when the Apostle saith This is my body which is broken for you properly it cannot be vnderstood of the body of Christ which was not broken but of his crucifying and death by a figuratiue speech taken from the substance of the bread which christ brake to distribute it among his Disciples and to represent effectually his suffering for vs. The accidents of bread cannot be broken as we shal see afterward no more then they can feed and nourish Besides we learne heerby that tropes and figures are vsed in the Sacrament contrary to the opinion and assertion of the church of Rome as wee make plaine by the institution and as we constraine the aduersaries themselues to confesse as when it is said his body was broken where the lyterall sence cannot be retained seeing a bone of him could not be broken Likewise when it is saide the cup is the newe testament the rock was Christ the bread is the communion of the body of christ these and such like cannot be interpreted without a figure Lastly seeing of this one action the whole sacrament hath his denomination as appeareth in many places Act ii 42. and xx 7. and 1 Cor xi xxiiii we must hold that as the Apostles and other Ministers of the church were wont in the administration of the supper to breake the bread so must we follow their example as they also followed the example
discontented Who would not thinke hee had wrong and iniury done vnto him Wherefore let vs take heed least by with-holding and withdrawing our selues wee prouoke gods wrath and indignation When he calleth are ye not ashamed to say ye will not come When he saith Eate of my meate and drinke the wine that I haue drawne wilt thou desperately and dispitefully answere thou wilt not eate thou wilt not drinke thou wilt not doe it Or wilt thou saye thou 〈◊〉 a greeuous sinner thou 〈◊〉 vnworthye I would aske thee when thou wilt be worthy Wilt thou lye still in thy sinne as a man in a deepe pit and neuer striue to come forth Why doest thou not returne to God and amend thy waies Why doest thou continue in thy hordnesse and heart that cannot repent and so heapest vppe as a treasure to thy selfe wrath against the daye of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Moreouer if thou bee vnfit and vnworthy to receiue this supper thou art vnworthy to pray thou art vnworthy to heare vnlesse thou pray as a parrat and heare as an hypocrite Consider therefore seriously and weigh earnestlye with your selues how little such fond fained and friuolous excuses shall preuaile with God When Moyses called Corah and his company to come vppe vnto the Lord they answered presumpteously We will not come When the King in the Gospell had inuited his ghuests they began all with one minde to excuse themselues and some refused saying I cannot come So in these daies of sinne albeit the supper be prepared the ghuests called and the table couered many men make light account of it and what with some that reply carelesly we cannot come and what with others that answer desperately we will not come the feast is vnfurnished God is dishonored the people are vnprepared and all the exercises of religion are lightly and slightly regarded I say vnto you that none of these men which were bidden shall tast of his Supper Againe another sort are as prophane as these which stand by as gazers and lookers on vpon them that do communicate yet communicate not themselues What is this else then a further contempt of God Truely it is great vnthankfulnes to depart away for these depart away from the Lords table they depart from their bretheren they depart from the heauenly 〈◊〉 of their soules but their fault is much greater when they stand by in contempt and wil not be partakers of this Communion What can this bee else but to haue the minister of christ in derision It is saide to all that are present Take ye eate ye drinke ye doe this in remembrance of mee With what face then with what countenance or rather conscience can ye heare these words sound in your eares and not bee touched Let vs therefore bee drawne and perswaded to this duty by the benefit that redoundeth to the worthy receiuers and fruitefull partakers thereof and on the other side feare to offend by staying and standing 〈◊〉 while the faithfull are partakers of this sacrament of the Lords supper Chap 3. Of the first outward part of the Lords Supper HItherto we haue shewed what the Lordes supper is and how to apply it to our instruction now we are to consider in this Sacrament two things his 〈◊〉 and his vses as we haue shewed in the former bookes The parts are partly outwarde and partly inwarde The outward part is one thing the inward parte is another thing the outward is taken in at the mouth the inward by the inward man the outward is turned into the nourishment of the body the inward worketh in vs to eternall life the outward is taken by some to their destruction but the inward alwaies to saluation This appeareth euidently by the wordes of the Apostle deliuering to the church what hee had receiued of the Lord and declaring howe the same night he was betrayed He tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me After the same manner also He tooke the cup when he had 〈◊〉 saying This cup is the new testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me In these wordes wee see both the outward partes propounded and the number of them defined and determined For heere are foure outward parts handled to wit the minister the wordes of institution the 〈◊〉 and Wine and the Communicants The first minister thereof was Christ the wordes of institution are This is my body giuen for you this is the cuppe of the new testament in my blood the signes are bread and Wine the first communicants were the Apostles So then the Ministers must doe that which CHRIST did and the people that which the Disciples did the actions of CHRIST are directions to the Minister the actions of the Apostles are directions to the people Let vs then see the actions of Christ. He tooke bread he blessed he brake the bread he poured out the Wine he distributed and deliuered them both Wherefore the actions and workes of the minister are foure-fould First to take the bread and wine into his hands after the example of christ who did it to shewe that himselfe willingly giueth himselfe for his church which serueth to strengthen our faith and perswasion of his loue toward vs in whose imitation the minister dothit to represent the action of God the father giuing his son vnto vs for our full redemption The second action is blessing and giuing of thankes that is by prayer by thankes giuing and by rehearsal of the promises of God together with the institution of christ actually to separate the bread and wine so taken from their common vse to an holy vse Whereby we are giuen to vnderstand that the outward creatures are reuerently to be vsed calling vpon the name of God and crauing his assistance to vse his ordinance as we ought to do and that we should ioyfully praise God for the gratious worke of our redemption by Christ. The third action is breaking the bread pouring out the wine which are necessary rites to be obserued hauing respect and and relation to the vnspeakable torments of christ for vs who was pierced crucified and made a curse for vs vpon the Crosse as the prophet teacheth He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Wherefore these Sacramental rites of breaking pouring out are no to be reiected omitted being vsed by christ practised by his Apostles and retained by the churches Not as in the church of Rome where they breake not to distribute to the people neither poure out the Wine to giue vnto them So then we see that whole bread is not to be deliuered but that the bread is to be broken
of all the partes and people but reading and praying in a strange tongue doe not edifie and profit the hearers as 1 Cor. 14 26 Let allthings be done to edisieng and verse 14. I speake languages more then ye all yet had I rather in the Church to speake fiue words with mine vnderstanding that I might also instruct others then ten thousand words in a strange tongue for how then should he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest Wherfore except we know the meaning of the words we shall be to him that speaketh Barbarians and 〈◊〉 that speaketh shall be a Barbarian vnto vs. Euen the learned languages of Greeke and Latine not in themselues but in regard of the hearers that vnderstand them not are barbarous For the Apostle doth not heere like an Orator distinguish the tongues and shew which are 〈◊〉 and rhetoricall in themselues and which rude but holdeth euery tongue barbarous 〈◊〉 Syriack Caldy Arabick 〈◊〉 and Latine to him that knoweth not the force and signification thereof And this to be most true the Scriptures teath the fathers auouch the 〈◊〉 writers warrant the very Poets declare yea their owne doctors do determine Wherfore to conclude it is the ordinance of God it is the doctrine of the Apostles it is the duty of all christians when the word is red or preached when supplycations are offered when the sacramentes are administred to vse a knowne tongue vnderstood of all and without this the scriptures are vaine the prayers are barbarous the sacraments are fruitlesse to such as know not what is read what is asked what is promised what is receiued And 〈◊〉 far of the second outward part of the Lordes Supper to wit the worde of institution for a Sacrament without the word is as a picture without sence or an image without life Chap. 5 Of the third outward part of the Lords Supper THe third outward part of the Lords supper followeth which are the elementes of bread and wine fittest signes for this purpose to signifie the spirituall nourishment of the soule by eating the body and drinking the blood of christ That these are appoynted as the substance and matter of the supper it appeareth by the wordes of Christ and his Apostles deliuering this sacrament For the Euangelists expresse that Christ tooke bread gaue it and said Takeye and eate ye So like wise it is said of the church newly planted by the Apostles that such as gladly receiued the word and were baptized Continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread And chap. 20 it is recorded That the first day of the weeke the Disciples came together to breake bread And Paule saith 1 Cor. 10. the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ And in the chapter following the same Apostle often mentioneth and remembreth the bread of this sacrament In like manner Christ tooke the cup wherein was the fruite of the vine By these Christ is truely exhibited vnto vs he is truely offered vnto all he is effectually giuen to the faithfull as hath beene oftentimes remembred vnto vs. This being the plaine and euident truth let vs see the vses first such as concerne both the signes ioyntly and in generall then such as belong to each of them in seueral and in particular To begin we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference between baptisme and the Lords supper in baptisme we haue one signe as the materiall part in the supper we haue two signes partly to note out our whole ful and perfect nourishment in Christ hauing whatsocuer is requisite for our saluation and partly to shew a fuller remembrance of his death for the wine which is a figure of his blood doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes So then albeit the same participation of Christ and the same washing away of sinnes by his blood are sealed vp in baptisme and in the supper yet the manner of sealing them in each is diuerse Againe baptisme is a signe of our entrance into Gods Couenant the Supper is a signe of our abiding and continuing in that couenant Touching baptisme it is sufficient for infants if they bee borne in the church in the supper the condicion of examȳning our selues and remembring the Lords death is required They differ also in often celebration of them baptisme is to be receiued but once onely in all our life because the promise once made is alwaies firme and forcible to such as beleeue and repent but the supper is oftentimes to be receiued because an often renewing of that Couenant and calling it to our remembrance is necessary to increase and strengthen faith They differ also in the order which is to be obserued in the vse of them for baptisme is to be giuen before the Supper and the supper may not be giuen to any except to such as haue beene first baptized or reputed so to be As first a child is borne before he bee fed so must Baptisme go before whereby our new-birth is sealed then the supper must follow after whereby our dayly nourishment is declared and confirmed Lastly they differ in the signes there is onely one signe in baptisme which is the Water but there are two signes in the Lords Supper to wit the bread and the wine The second general vse is that if Christ tooke gaue and deliuered the substance of bread and wine then they must needes retain their former nature their proper substance as well as their qualities as fight tast smell bignesse whitenesse sweetenesse rednesle roundnesse and such like properties But the Papistes turne all thinges vpside downe matter into forme substance into accidents creatures into shewes and subiects into things adioyned they bring in new shifts and fables against all diuinity phylosophy reason sense and experience setting vp their own inuentions and building castles in the aire Let them proue the annihilation and remouing of the substance of bread wine away and the consisting of accidents without subiect which they are neuer able to doe For as the water in baptisme remaineth in his nature and substance so do the bread wine in the Lords supper And albeit in both the sacraments the signs be chāged to a special vse yet are they corrupted into shewes and turned into shadowes The heauens shal be changed at the end of the world yet hence it followeth not that they shall bee cleane abolished and consumed to nothing All young schollers are taught in the schooles that an accident hath no being without a subiect yet heere these sophisters against all the rules of Logick and groundes of reason 〈◊〉 haue accidents and shewes of bread and wine to be in no subiect Thus whereas in all places of learning we are taught that accidents may 〈◊〉 not the
all sides that without consecration and sanctification there can be no Sacrament for without this halowing the matter in 〈◊〉 is bare water the bread in the Supper is bare bread the Wine is Common Wine Now euery creature is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer as the Apostle teacheth 1 Tim. 4. and therefore we cannot assure our hearts that god wil blesse any other creatures as fish or flesh in stead of bread water or beere in stead of Wine seeing the word hath not sanctified these elementes for this purpose They are sanctified by the worde for the ordinary nourishment of our bodyes but they are not by any speciall worde sanctified for the vse of the Sacramentes If then it be simply vnlawfull to change any thing in the matter of the 〈◊〉 no pretence or necessity can 〈◊〉 make it lawsull And as when a lawfull Minister is wanting a pryuate person may not be taken so when the matter appoynted for the administration of this sacrament is missing an other may not bee assumed For as well may wee change the minister of the Sacrament into a pryuate man as the bread and Wine being the signes into another matter If the Sacraments cannot be had according to the precise and pure institution of Christ they may lawfully be deferred or omitted for the danger standeth not in the want as wee haue declared before so long as we are free from the contempt of them The fourth generall vse arising ioyntly from both the signes is if Christ deliuered and the Disciples receiued bread and wine as the outwarde signes of this Sacrament then we learne that the doctrine of transubstantiation is a dotage of mans inuention Though this deuise be now receiued in the Roman church as a matter of saluation as an Article of faith and a maine point of religion that by vertue of these words This is my body this is the cup of the new Testament the substaunce of breade and wine is gone and nothing remaineth but onely the shewes likenes and appearance of them yet if we examine the matter by the words of institucion by the nature of a sacrament by the proportion of faith by the true properties of a true humain body by force of reason by iudgement of the sences by confession of the aduersaries themselues and by the manifold contradictions among themselues we shall find it to be a late deuise inuention of the Papists first decreed and determined in the counsel of Laterane vnder pope Innocentius the 3. in the raigne of King Iohn of England not yet 400. years ago There it was hatched at that time and made a main matter of faith aproued in the church of Rome but yet not then receiud ouer al the world This error is a spice of the error of Marcus who went about to make his fellows and followers beleeue that he did trāsubstantiate wine into blood in the sacrament Thus do the church of Rome at this day he was he noted for an heretick by the fathers I wil not for shortnes sake bring all the reasons that might be broght to ouerthrow and ouerturn the turning of the bread into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood but alleage some few among many wherunto we require them to answer if they can Neither let thē pretend that they haue bin answerd already inasmuch as no sound and certain answer can be brought vnto them to satisfie vs or themselues Our reasons for the present shal be these First that which Christ took in his hands he brake that which he brake he gaue that which he gaue his Disciples he commanded them to eat that which hee commaunded them to eate hee calleth his bodye This appeareth by the testimony of the Euangelistes and coherence of the words But he tooke bread and brake it therefore he gaue bread he commanded to eat bread he saide of the bread This is my body Now if he tooke bread but brake it not or if he brake bread but gaue it not or if he gaue bread to his Disciples to eat but told them not this which he gaue them but some other thing beside that was his body the latter part of the 〈◊〉 starteth from the beginning and the middle swarueth from them both Secondly the Apostle after the words of consecration doth oftentimes call it bread as 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye shall eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the lords doath til he come And againe Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. And againe Let a man examme himselfe and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cup. These men say it is not bread the Apostle saith it is bread whether of these we shall beleeue iudge you So in the former chapter hee saith the bread which we breake is it not the commanion of the body of Christ Likewise touching the other signe our sauiour expressely calleth it wine after the thanks giuing Mat. 26. I will not drinke hencefoorth of this fruit of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome This fruit of the vine is wine therfore the substance of it remaineth Now if the bread had bene turned into the body or the wine into the blood of Christ and if the Apostle would haue spoken properly he should haue said As often as ye shall eat not this bread but this body of Christ vnder the forme of breade the blood of Christ vnder the forme of Wine And againe he that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of Christ vnworthily And againe let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat and take in his mouth the very body of Christ his creator But thus the Apostle hath not spoken neither could he so speake truely properly and fitly therefore we do truely properly and fitly conclude that there is no 〈◊〉 Thirdly Christ speaking of the cup saith Take diuide it among you and of the bread he saith he tooke it and brake it But if the substance of bread be abolished or changed into the body of Christ and likewise the nature of the wine turned into the blood of Christ there could be no true distributing or breaking for the blood of Christ is not deuided into parts neither is his body broken Fourthly if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend vpon these words of institution This is my body This is my blood then there can be no reall change before these words be fully finished and pronounced to the end I herefore when they begin to say 〈◊〉 is What is it What mean they I say it is Is it any other then bread and wine by their owne confession till the wordes bee ended So then these sentences shall not be true when they say 〈◊〉 is my body this is my blood
except they meane this bread is the body of CHRIST this wine is his blood wherefore bread and wine remaine their nature is not changed and altered Fiftly these wordes This is my body must be vnderstood as the words following This cup is the new testament but the cup is not turned into the new testament nor into the blood of Christ therefore the other wordes must be figuratiuely vnderstood not 〈◊〉 for there is one respect of them both neither can any reason be rendred why a figure should be admitted in the one part rather then in the other The sixt reason Christ is said to giue to his Disciples that which he saide was his body If then this be properly taken we shall thereby make a proper Christ and make him a Monster of two bodies as they also make the church a Monster of two heads For so there must be one body which gaue and another body which was giuen But it is most absurde that he should giue and be giuen hold himselfe and beholden offer and be offered which differeth litle from the heresie of the Helcesaits who held ther were sundry Christs two at the least one dwelling in heauen aboue the other in the world heere beneath so these make Christ to haue a double body visible and inuisible a visible body sitting at the table and an 〈◊〉 body made of the substance of bread which as the papists hold 〈◊〉 giuen to the disciples as likewise they teach of the headship of the church that one head is inuisible to vs m the heauens another visible to vs vpon the earth The 7. reason it destroyeth the nature of a sacrament which standeth of an earthly heauenly part one out ward the other inward one seene the other vnderstood one a signe the other a thing signified of which we haue spoken before book 1. chap 3. But if there be an actuall transubstantiation then the outward part is abolished and disanulled The 8. reason in baptisme the substance of water remaineth though it haue words of consecration and be made a sacrament of our regeneration and therefore in the Lords supper the bread and wine are not changed and don away vtterly The scripture speaketh as highly of the one as of the other The ninth reason if bread be really turned into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood then the body and blood of Christ are really 〈◊〉 for the words are seuerally pronounced first of the bread then of the wine yea the soule of Christ should be separated from his body for the bread is turned onely into his body and not into his soule But his soule his body and his blood are not really separated The 10. reason if the bread be turned into his body indeede by force of a few words vttered by a priest then the priest should be the maker of his maker and so euery Masse-monger should be preferred before Christ as much as the creitor hath 〈◊〉 honnour then the creature the builder then 〈◊〉 house the work-man then the worke But they are not 〈◊〉 to publish it in their owne words and writings that the priest is the creator of his creator He that created you hath giuen you power to create him he that hath created you without your selues is created by you by the meanes of you These are the speeches of their wise-men if they be not ashamed of their owne words The 11. reason the bread in the Sacrament after the words of consecration is subiect to as many changes and chances as it was before the bread may mould putrifie and breede Wormes and was accustomably in many places burned the wine may being immoderately taken make drunken it may wax sharpe and turne into vineger yea both of them may be boyled and made hot both of them may be vomited vp as certaine lepers did both of them may be mingled with rank poyson as a certaine Monk gaue the poysoned host to Henry the 7. a noble Emperour of famous memory which when he had taken he dyed The like may be said of Victor the 3. a Pope of Rome who was poysoned after the same manner in the chalice as the Emperor was in the bread But the precious body and blood of Christ cannot be mingled with poyson but is an excellent counterpoison against the biting of the old Serpent and all infection ofsinne whatsoeuer the body cannot mould or putrifie the blood of Christ cannot become sharp or sowre as the outward signes may therefore the substance of bread and wine remaineth The 12. reason there is something in the sacrament materiall and substantiall which goeth the way of all meates according to that saying of our sauiour Perceiue ye not yet that what soeuer entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught But none of the accidents as shape colour quality tast such like are auoyded because they are altered in the stomacke before they come to the place of auoydance and it were blasphemy to thinke that the body of Christ either entreth into the mouth or goeth downe into the belly or is cast out into the draught howsomany of them haue also maintained this monstrous impiety Therefore the substance of the bread and the wine remaine in their owne nature in the sacrament The 13. 〈◊〉 If there were a miraculous conuersion of the bread and wine it would appeare to the outward senses as Ioh. 6 The multitude saw his Miracles There was neuer Miracle wrought by any bodyly creature but sense iudged it to be so but seeing our eyes see and our tast discerneth that it is bread we cannot imagine there is any miracle The Miracles that Moyses did in Egypt when he turned water into blood and his rod into a Serpent The miracles that Christ did when he turned water into wine the eye saw the tast discerned heere was no deceit no fraud no collusion And thus euery hedge-priest should be a worker of Miracles that onely can read his portuise and say ouer his pater noster with an Aue mary This is an honor that may be chalenged but cannot be granted vnto them The 14 reason if there were any transubstantiation there shold be an actuall conuersion of the bread into the body of Christ but this cannot stand For when one thing is changed into another the matter remainetin the forme is altered but heere they make the forme to abide and the matter to be changed A strange Metamorphosis and fitting the fable of this counterfeit turning Now the matter of 〈◊〉 is not in the body of Christ because it is perfect in it selfe and so glorified that it can receiue no accesse Besides nothing can be conuerted or changed into a thing before being and pre-existing which was really before the change or conuersion as Christ turned the water into that wine which was not before Moses turned his rod into that
quality not circumscribed not visible nor any way sensible that being in heauē he is really and corporally on earth though not in the distance betweene heauen and earth nor in those places where the host is not which is to assigne innumerable bodies to our sauiour Christ and consequently to make him no body which is in esfect as much as to deny he is come in the flesh which is the very doctrine of Antichrist himselfe as Iohn speaketh Euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whom we haue 〈◊〉 And in his 2. Epistle Many 〈◊〉 are entred into this world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is a deceiuer and an Antichrist But Orcam propoundeth this as the doctrine of the schooles that The body of Christ is euery where as God is euery where and that if there were an host that filled all the world the body of christ might be with euery part thereof when it should be consecrated And Holcot treading in the same stepes of the schooles not of the scriptures saith If there had beene a thousand hostes in a thousand places at the same time that christ did hang vpon the crosse christ had beene crucified in a thousand places But it is an vnseparable property of bodies to be locall and contained in place take away space of place and true dimensions from bodies and they are no where as Augustine teacheth Besides hence the fathers concluded the truth of Christs body becavse he might be seene and handled and because he had flesh and bones according to the 〈◊〉 Behold my hāds and my feete for it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue But if he be neither seene nor handled in the sacrament nor discerned to haue flesh and bones how shall his humanity be 〈◊〉 and maintained against heretikes impugning the same The 22. reason it taketh away iudgement from the senses and maketh the sacrament of truth to be a sacrament of forgery and falsehood for the senses of seeing of tasting of touching of handling and smelling do iudge bread and wine to be in the sacrament and not mans flesh truely and properly neither can all the senses be 〈◊〉 in their proper obiects as euen the phylosophers themselues do teach and that truely The 23. reason it is an horible act and vnnaturall cruelty for man to eate mans flesh and for man to drinke mans blood and therefore the papists are as humane as the Cyclops Canibals and other barbarous people It is more brutish and barbarous to eate mans flesh then to kill a man and to drink mans blood then to shed it Thus they make christian people eaters of mans flesh and bloode suckers which is beastly and horrible wickednesse The 24. reason the Apostle maketh an opposition between the table of the Lord and the table of deuils saying Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils where he sheweth that to eate the flesh offered to idols is to bee partakers of the idols as the bread which we breake is the participation and communion of the body of the Lord. Hence he concludeth that they should not eate of those thinges which the Gentiles sacrifice to idols because they haue fellowship with the diuils that eate of them euen as they are vnited to Christ which partake of the bread in the supper If then the flesh offered to idols be not transubstantiated why fhold the sacramental bread be turned into the body of christ seeing it sufficeth to make vs partakers of the Lords body to eat of the bread as it was sufficient to make them partakers of the idols to eate of the thinges offered vnto them The 25. reason if the institution of Christ be a sufficient direction vnto the church what to hold in this questiō we shal easily giue this transubstantiation a fall We see in the cases of matrimony that did befall our sauiour bringeth them to the first institution and therby dissolueth the doubts and difficulties that arose saying Frō the beginning it was not so So when any controuersie ariseth about the Lords supper the ordinance of Christ is able to take it vp how great or grieuous soeuer it grow Now there is no sentence no word no sillable no iot no title in the discription of the supper that fauoreth or sauoreth of transubstantiation or signifieth and insinuateth any such matter True it is christ saith This is my body but to be doth not signifie to transubstantiate for then when he saith I am the true vine I am the dore the way and such like he shall be turned and transubstantiated into a natural vine into a materal doore into an high way from whence would follow infinite abuses and absurdities Besides if the word is in the institution fignifie is transubstantiated that is changed from one substance into an 〈◊〉 from bread into flesh from wine into blood then the change shold be made before all the words be vttered so that hence it would follow that it cannot be done by vertue of the words which goeth before the pronouncing of the words Last of al the maintainers of transubstantiation as the builders of babel haue their tongs diuided and their languages confounded they cannot accord together but vary and dissent one from another like the false witnesses that arose against christ First they knew not certainely whether the bread bee turned into his body or come in place thereof the substance departing Secondly some alow not these speaches bread is Christes body or bread is made christs body but wil haue it said christs body is made of bread others condemne this speach also that bread is made christs body Thirdly they know not what is broken whether bread or accidents or nothing others say the true body of christ is broken Fourthly they agree not whether their water in the chalyce mingled with wine be transubstantiated some say it is other say it is not some more sober then the rest are afraid what to say and aske who is able to decide the questiō Others say it is turned into the humors of his body others virknit the knot thus that the water is turned into the wine and then the wine into his blood and therefore are circumspect to giue this cautel that a litle water be mingled being afraid least if more water were put in then the wine the wine should be transubstantiated into water Fiftly they cannot agree with what words their consecratiō is wrought whether accidents be without their subiect whether the accidents norish no lesse then the substance of bread wine likwise what the rats mise do eat how srō whence the worms
to praise him fo giuing his onely begotten Sonne to bee our redeemer and humbly to pray vnto him that our vnworthynesse hinder not the effectuall working of his Sacrametnes but that through his goodnesse and mercy they may haue their full force in our heartes for the pardoning of our sinnes for the increase of his graces for the confirming of our faith for the quickning of our obedience and for the preseruing of body and soule to eternall life Thus wee blesse God when we praise him and giue him the honour due vnto his name We blesse the meates we eate the drinkes we drinke the thinges wee receiue as Paule saith The cup of blessing which wee blesse when prayer is made to God that they may be healthfull to vs and we thankefull for them Lastly if in the Sacrament there bee a consecration and separation of the outward elementes to so holy an end it warneth vs to be carefull to vse and receiue oftentimes this Sacrament of the Lordes Supper For heere are not bare signes bare tokens bare figures without fiuite and without grace they are consecrated signes and hallowed elements effectually sealing vppe remission of sinnes And what is more plaine then that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lordes death till he come Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh Doe this as oft as ye shall drinks it in remembrance of me And haue we not many worthy and effectuall considerations to moue such as professe the same doctrine to resorte oftentimes to the same Table of the Lorde It is the commaundement of Christ so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty as of other commaundementes prescribed vnto vs. It is a commaundement of God Thou shalt not steale Few but to make some conscience thereof because it is Gods commaundement So is this heere often to come to the Lordes Table yet what little account is made heereof all the yeare long euery one seeth and the faithfull soule agreeueth The high God possessor of heauen and earth hath required and commaunded it yet who regardeth The Lorde hath spoken and yet who obeyeth If a father should command a duty of his son or a maister of his seruant he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed and shal we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands Againe to his commaundement he hath annexed a promise which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater if we shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty Besides seeing this sacra is a speciall prop to stay vp our faith and geth with it Christ and all his merits and heauenly treasurs we are vtter enemies to our owne selues to our own souls and to our owne saluation if we neglect â—o great mercy offeâ—eâ— vnto vs. Wherefore it is not left free vnto vs and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty but vnlawfull lycentiousnesse Heere in the faithfull find very great comfort and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sickenes and knoweth his own weaknes shoulde haue a speciall care to looke to his stomacke that therby he may receiue norishment gather strength so we are all spiritually diseased assaulted of Satan tempted of the flesh ouercome afterâ—imes of sin and must seeke strength of saith from this heauenly nourishment God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon an high hill whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side to raise vp such as are fallen to strengthen such as stand to comfort such as are weak and to call vnto him such as run away from him whereby hee gathereth them vnder his winges It is as the brazen Sepent that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed we might liue and not perish It is a banner displayed that euery Châ—â—stian souldiâ—r should resort vnto it as vnto his owne comfortable Supper to be had in often vse and continuall remembrance to put vs in mind of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of Christ and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely then the baâ—e word onely When the words of Christs institution are spoken This is my body which is broken for you this is my blood which was shed for you When these words I say are reade vnto vs our of the scriptures they confirme our faith but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes that we behold the bred broken and looke vpon the wine poured out but most of all when we tast and handle when we eate and drinke the outwarde signes We see when one maketh a bare promise to another with wordes onely betweene themselues he beginneth to doubt to whome the promise is made of the performance thereof if he adde an oath for confirmation the promise is more assuredly ratified but if he giue his hande writing and seale it to the party the matter is made out of doubt Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith We haue the promises of God wee haue the oath of God we haue the wordes and writinges of God we haue the seales and Sacramentes of God these are not reserued in the Lords keeping but are put into our owne handes to see them to keepe them to vse them for our comfort and assurance I speake after the manner of men if wee haue a free promise from an honest man penned fairely in writing ratified vnder his owne hand and seale and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp we doubt not of the possession Now let vs consider the Lords doing and see what hee hath done for vs who is not as man that he shoulde lie nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue God sent his sonne into the world to take our nature vpon him to be like vs euen in his infirmities hee named himselfe Iesus that is a Sauiour because he shoulde saue his people from their sinnes after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation he ordained his last supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs not onely by sounding them in our eares but by beholding tasting smelling feeling and feeding to seale them in our hearts and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. Seeing then we haue both his promises and oath his worde and writings his seales and Sacramentes in our keeping what would we haue more He would not make halfe so much adoin assuring his promises if he loued vs not he would not set such authentike seals to his deede and obligations vnlesse he ment good earnest His bare worde and naked promise is verie good paiment but he respecteth our weakenes whose mercifull kindnesse must not be neglected through our vnthankefulnes
Thus much of consecration and the vses thereof Chap. 8. Of the first inward part of the Lords supper HItherto we haue spoken of the outward parts of this Sacrament by doing whereof confirmation is performed now follow the inward parts to be considered For in Sa. we must consider not what they be of themselues but what they signifie vnto vs These inward partes are foure in number to wit the father the spirit the body blood of christ and the faithfull All these haue a Sacramentall relation to the outwarde partes and declare the inwarde truth of them The actions of the minister are notes of the actions of God the father the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy spirit the breade and wine are signes and seales representing the bodye and blood of Christ the outward actions of euery receiuer do note out the inwarde actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull Thus then the agreement answeareth aptly and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts As the Minister by the words of institution offereth vnto the communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily so GOD the Father by the Spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of CHRIST to the faithfull receiuers to feede vppon them spiritually Now then let vs remember the sencible and externall actions of the Minister that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of God the Father And first of all the taking of the bread and wine into his hands and the consecrating or blessing of them by reapeating the promise by 〈◊〉 and thanksgiuings doth seale vp these holie actions of God the father by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world did seperate elect ordaine chuse and call his son to performe the osfice of a mediator between god and man and when the fulnes of time came did send him into the worlde to performe that Osfice whereunto he was appointed This we see proued vnto vs in many places as Iohn 6. Labour not for the meat which 〈◊〉 but for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him hath God the father sealed that is hath installed him into his office to reconcile men vnto God and to bring them to euerlasting life And Ch. Iesus gaue himself that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world according to the will of God euen our father so that whatsoeuer Christ did he did it by the will and appoinment of his Father According to the testimony of the Apostle Heb 5 Christ took not to himself 〈◊〉 honor to be made the high Priest but he that saide vnto him 〈◊〉 art my sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him And as the father ordained him to that office so in time he sent him as the Euangelist 〈◊〉 The spirit of the L. is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the 〈◊〉 to the poore bind vp the broken hearted preach liberty to the captiues c. So likewise 1 Iohn 4. Heerein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be areconciliation for our sinnes And Gal. 4 When the fulnesse of time was come God sent 〈◊〉 his sonne made of a 〈◊〉 and made vnder the lawe that hee might redeeme them that are vnder the lawe Thus we see the inwarde actions of God the Father aunswearing to the outwarde actions of the Minister Now let vs come to the vses of this part First of all this sealing and sending of his sonne serueth to confirme and assure vs of our saluation in Christ. For seeing GOD hath 〈◊〉 and appointed him into this office our faith cannot faile our confidence cannot fall our hope cannot make ashamd seeing the loue of God is thus shed abroad in our harts through the Holyghost who beareth Witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God and by whom we are sealed vnto the day 〈◊〉 redemption Againe let vs seeke saluation no where else then in him alone whome God the Father hath sealed and set apart to that end For euen as the body is norished by no other meates and drinkes then by such as God hath appointed to this purpose as a staffe to sustaine vs so is the soule fed by no other meanes then God hath before ordained The cause of our saluation is in the loue of God toward vs which is notably represented by the taking blessing of the outward elements He might haue left vs to our selues to work out our own destruction but his mercy is greater then his iustice Thirdly by these outward actions of the minister wee must seeke confirmation and strength of our faith being assured that God the father tooke his sonne and appointed him to these endes We must not wander and gaze about and thinke we haue nothing to do but when we take and receiue the bread and the cup into our hands we must in euery sacramentall rite consider the thinges signified and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both So then as we behold with our bodily eies the minister representing the person of the father taking blessing and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse so surely and certainely we must learne that God the father hath ordained and sent his only begotten sonne in whom he is well pleased to bee the meditator for the pardon of our sinnes Hence we see the infinite loue of God toward vs and let vs labor to comprehend the length bredth height and depth therof that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all vnto the death hence we see that exceeding compassion of the sonne that loued his enemies more then himselfe and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe hence we see the gratious and glorious worke of our redemption wherin the mercy and iustice of God meete together and kisse each other teaching vs to take sweete delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night withal thanksgiuing hence wee haue assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations hence we see the greatnesse of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned but by the death of the son of God and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest most dangerous and deadly enemies and lastly hence wee see that if God the father thus loued vs we ought earnestly to loue him againe and to serue him in all duties of holynesse and true righteousnes neyther ought we to loue him onely but for him all our brethren as the Apostle reasoneth Brethren if God so loued vs wee ought to loue one another Thus we haue shewed how the taking of the bread by the minister signifyeth the fathers appointing of his sonne the ministers blessing the fathers separating and setting a
bridegroome shall be taken from them and then they shal fast But if he were remainning on the earth and contained in the pixe the bridegroome could not nor would not be taken away And the same Euangehst chap. 26. saith Ye haue the poore alwaies with you but me ye shal not haue alwaies Like wise Iohn 13. When Iesus knew that hie houre was come that he should depart out of this world vnto the father heeriseth from supper and chap. 14. I goe to prepare a place for you but I wil come againe if I go away to prepare a place for you I will receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also and verse 28 ye haue heard how I said vnto you I go awaie and will come vnto you And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Againe act 1. ye men of Galile why stand re gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen If then Christ according to his humane nature be not on earth how can his 〈◊〉 body be on euerie altar how can they eat him with their 〈◊〉 how can they swallow him downe their throat Ninthlie such an eating and 〈◊〉 of the bodie and blood of christ must be holden as is profitable and comfortable to the receiuers for nothing is more 〈◊〉 and fruitfull then these being rightlie receiued 〈◊〉 thereby remission of sinnes assured and eternall glory sealed vp vnto vs. But no fruite to our faith can come vnto vs by this kind of bodilie eating the bodie carnall drinking the blood of christ for wicked men haue as great a portion in this as the godly Nay by their owne doctrin it may be eaten of birds of beasts of Mice of Dogs of hogs of vermine to whom no profit no comfort no benefit can come whereas God woulde haue the flesh of the sonne of man to be eaten of those to whom it shal be auailable to life and saluation I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of the world Tenthly nothing can be more grosse barbarous or inhumane then to deuour mans flesh and to drinke mans blood What doth more transforme men into sauage and 〈◊〉 beasts Nay worse then beastes which deuour not their owne kind what is more contrarie to the purenes holines of Gods law then this The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined seuen fold The feare of the Lord is clean the law of God is spirituall holy iust and good And the gospell bringeth saluation to all degrees and teacheth vs that we should deny all vngodlines and worldly Iustes and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world But what can be more repugnant to godlines sobernes and righteousnes then to teare wirh the teeth and iawes mans flesh and to drink his blood from which the Capernaits abhorred what more crosseth the Religion of Christ the law of god and the light of nature then mā to deuour man and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another And are not their stomackes strong to digest this meat did not god in the law command to abstain frō eating the blood of beasts and from strangled did not the Apostles for a time renue it amōg the christiās in respect of the weaknes of the Iews because Moses was read in their sinagogue euer saboth day to what 〈◊〉 should this be done if the church had tasted the blood of ch with their mouth or swallowed his body in their bellies And do not the Scythians and al the gentiles that are not vtterly voide of 〈◊〉 abstain from mans blood and 〈◊〉 deuouring his flesh wherefore these men are worse then the Scithians barbariās and Gentiles yea worse then the Canibals Indies that eat their enimies but these deuour ch whom they cal their L. and maist like Actcons houndes to compare one fable with another onely heer ly the differences they deuourd their Lord vnder the shape of a stag or Hart they eat their maist vnder the formes of bread and wine these fastned their mouth vpon their maister because they thoght him absent and not present vnder that shape they openly confesse their maister to be present and yet 〈◊〉 professe to deuour him with their iawes and swallow him in their stomacks wherefore these men are more cruell Eleuenthly if Christ be present in the Sacramant bodily and carnally in what body shall he be present Whether in his glorified body as he is in the heauens or in his mortall body as he was vpon the earth In one of these he must be present necessarily if he be present fleshly Whatsoeuer they answer they are taken onboth hands are stroken downe as with a sword that hath two edges Dare they saie he is thus present in his mortall bodie This cannot be For it is certaine he hath not now a mortall bodie but a glorified bodie this corruptible hath put on in corruption this mortall hath put on immortality and death is swallowed vp in victory This the Apostle confirmeth this the Scripture teacheth this Christian faith beleeueh Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he dyed he dyed once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Like wise Heb. 7. 25 This man because he endureth euer hath a priesthood which cannot passe from one to another seeing he euer hueth to make intercession for them And chapter 9. of the same Epistle he is entred into heauen not that he should offer himselfe often but he was once offered to take away the sins of many These testimonies duly considered he cannot be present in a mortal body What then will they be helped to say he is present in his glorified body Then he cannot nowe be present in the sacrament of the supper as he was present to the Apostles sitting at the table with them and preaching vnto them of his death he cannot be present in the same body that he did deliuer to his Disciples in the institution of his last supper For the body of Christ was then mortall and not glorified then he had not suffered death vpon the Crosle he was not risen and ascended into the heauens to sit at the right hand of his father so that they must seeke another place then these wordes of Christ This is my body this is my blood to build their reall presence and transubstantiation for they pointed out his mortall body because his body was not yet glorified when the sacrament was instituted Besides what a uniserable glorified body should this be to be
subiect to the pleasure of euery priest to come at his call to stay till he commandeth nay to suffer himselfe to be torne with the teeth of euery receiuer Wherefore the presence of his glorified body cannot be grounded vpon these words of Christ touching the Sacrament This is my body Neither let them say as Campion that boasting champion like an other Goliah challenging the hoaste of God sometimes said in the Tower-conference that this is a fallation inasmuch as his glorification 〈◊〉 it not a diuerse bodye and that a man whole and a man sicke at sundry times make not a seuerall man This lesuitical denise hath no colour of reason but a tricke of euasion For we speak not of the difference betweene Christs glorified and mortall body but of the meaning of the wordes this is my body whether Christ vnderstand his naturall and mortall bodie wherein shortly he was to be glorified or whether he vnderstand it of his body glorified Either it must bee vnderstood of the one or of the other or of both or rather indeed of neither except they wil haue the words taken and spoken one way to the Disciples and another way to vs. Thus the meaning of them when they were first vttered shoulde be This is my mortall body but nowe spoken to vs taken in another sence of vs to the end of the worlde This is my glorified body So then the same words spoken to the Disciples should be false as we are to vnderstand them and the disciples shoulde be deceiued vnderstanding them as we do take them What is this but to bring vs back againe to the reproachfull comparisons and blasphemous assertions of sundry Popish writers to compare the scripturs to a nose of wax and a rule of lead that they may be expounded diuersely and framed to times so as at one time they may be vnderstood one way at another time they may be interpreted another way These things before being duly considred we may safely conclude that christ is not present in his naturall body Lastly the presence of christ in his naturall body abolisheth the light of reason and confoundeth the nature of thinges For what is more repugnant to reason then for a man to bear himselfe in his own hands that a man should 〈◊〉 vp himselfe that another shoulde eate him yet he remaine vntouched vntasted and vncorrupted that one and the same man should be visible and inuisible present absent in the teeth of the disciples and at the table with the Disciples bee a man of stature and yet bee contained and comprehended in a little Cake and Cantle of bread Now as by these reasons and sundry other that might be alledged the reall presence is sufficiently convinced so the arguments brought to maintaine and vphold it are easily answeared For as the doctrine is false so the reasons are weake and foolish First they obiect the wordes of institution for the defence of this cause For as in the questions of the supremacy of Peters pretended of the Popes vsurped which are many they alwaies alledge the wordes of Christs to Peter Pasce oues meas feede by sheepe so doe they deale in controuersies of the Supper where we misse not long Hoc est 〈◊〉 meum This is my body His wordes say they are true therefore we must beleeue them hee is a man of his worde therefore wee must credit him if then we be deceiued holding his body to be present hee hath deceiued vs. I answere the question is not of the truth of the wordes whether they be true or false but of the interpretation and meaning thereof which we say is figuratiue and yet no other then is vsuall when the Scripture speaketh of other Sacraments to the church as circumcision is the couenant the lambe is the passeouer the cup is the new testament the breaking of the bread is the communion of the body of Christ the rocke is Christ baptisme is the washing of our new-birth Are not all these places like to the words of Christs institution or can they deny them to be vnderstood 〈◊〉 and not properly so the meaning of those words is that the bread which he had taken broken and giuen is a sign and figure of his body it is now no longer common bread but are presentation of his body truely offered to all and truely giuen to all the faithfull Our Sauiour Christ spake many thinges to his disciples figuraâ—ively not litterally to be taken he said they were the salt of the earth the light of the world a Citty set on a hill he speaketh of cutting off the hand and pulling out the eye he calleth himselfe a door a vine a way are not these figuratiue and metaphorical speeches Againe the circumstaunces of the text the nature of a Sacrament and the Articles of our faith will not suffer vs to take them properly besides this that they shoulde commaund vs an horrible and Wicked thing to eat mans flesh and drinke his blood Moreouer the Euangelists neuer say the bread is transubstantiated into his body or the wine into his blood or that the body and blood of Christ are in the bread or vnder the bread or with the bread all the circumstances teach that the breade is a Sacrament of his body the Wine is a Sacrament of his blood as circumcision was a signe of the Couenaunt the Lambe a signe of the Passeouer the rocke a figure of Christ. Lastly as Christ speaketh to the euill seruant Out of thine own mouth will I iudge thee so the aduersaries themselus giue sentence on our side and one arch-papist condemneth another Bishop Fisher writing against Luther affirmeth that no man can proue by the wordes of the Gospell that any priest in these daies doth consecrate the verie bodie and blood of Christ and therefore Lindanus among the rablement of Traditions which he reckoneth rehearseth the real presence Likewise Tonstall another Byshop of the same birth holdeth that it wer better to leaue euery man to his owne coniecture as they were before the counsell of Lateran then to bring in such questions And Biel a man of the same stampe not inferiour to the rest confesseth that it is not found in the canonical scripturs that christs body is in the Sacrament And let them tell vs their opinion whether that hildebrand helde this bodily presence when hee cast the Sacrament into the fire contrary to the liking of certaine cardinals present with him Thus we see counsels sathers reasons doctors schoolemen Byshops cardinals Popes and others of the aduersaries themselus fight against the 〈◊〉 prefence of Christ and the Scriptures themselue ouerthrow it Secondly they obiect the words of Christ Except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you I answere these words are not vnderstood of the Sacrament they were vttered long before the
without many contradictions For if christs body be visible how can it be inuisible If it haue al the properties of a naturalbody how can it be without the properties of a natural body If it be finite how can it be infinite Lastly if it be an inseparable necessary adioynt to a true body to be contained in one certaine place how then can it be true that his body is in ten thousand places without any circumscription So then Gods omnipotency cannot build vp the monstrous worke of the reall presence inasmuch as the body of Christ cannot be brought within the slender compasse of a mathematicall cake without falsehood and destruction of all the properties incident vnto a true and naturall body Lastly as an esfect of Gods omnipotent power they obiect the bread and Wine are turned into the flesh and bloode of Christ appearing bread and Wine still by a wonderfull Myracle which is wrought by the wordes of consecration and by a mighty worke of God This obiection hath beene sufficiently answered already Wee haue proued that euerye Myracle may bee seene and discerned by the outward sence as the Myracles of Moses of the prophets of Christ and the Apostles and therefore the Iewes said vnto Christ Shew vs a miracle teaching that miracles are to be iudged by sight and sense When Moses turned the Waters of the Egyptians into blood the sight perceiued the tast discerned it The Myracles of Christ appeare euidently and were apprehended by the senses of the body Hee turned water into Wine the tast iudged there of the dombe spake the eare heard them speake The Lame walked the deade were raised the eies perceiued the motion all 〈◊〉 and were astonied In like manner if the bread and Wine were chaunged eyther the eye or tast should perceiue it and all the Disciples would be astonied Againe after the Gospell was plentifully confirmed and had taken roote and the Apostles were dead such Myracles ceased as experience teacheth Besides the holy supper is an ordinary Sacrament of the Church but euery miracle is extraordinary or else it is no Myracle so that vnlesse we will turne ordinary into extraordinary and make miracles as common as Sacramentes we must remoue miracles from the supper Furthermore if the real presence were wrought by a miracle euery priest should be a worker of miracles and wonders and an ordinary calling shold alwaies be accompanied with extraordinary gifts But their office of priesthood hath not this gift in their owne iudgement generally giuen vnto it Wherefore miracles being now ceased are not found in the supper Lastly Augustine gathering all the Myracles written in the Scripture yet speaketh not of this nay he not onely omitted it but slatly denyeth any myracle to bee in the Sacrament when he saith It may haue honour or reuerence as an holy thing but cannot be wondered at as a strange or myraculous thing If then it be a Myracle it must be in the number of lying Myracles spoken off by the Apostle so that Transubstantiatyon and the reall presence are reall contraryes or contradictions repugnant to the Scripture to fayth to reason to lerning to sense to natur to Gods ordinance absurd and impossible and therfore of all Gods people to be abhored abiured being a renewing of the old heresie of Eutiches who held that Christs body after his 〈◊〉 was made equall with his diuinity To conclude this vse we do not exclude all presence of Christ out of the Sacrament but distinguish the manner of his presence which we haue shewed to be in the supper truely not grosly effectually not fleshly spiritually not bodily sacramentally not carnally mistically not naturally The former vse was touching knowledge and faith instructing what to hold of the reall presence The next vse is touching our obedience and dutye For is Christ the chiefe substance of this sacrament and his body and blood giuen vs for the foode of our soules a gift farre aboue heauen and earth Then we are bound to hunger after him to desire him with an earnest appetite and desire as wee come to our meate and drinke Hunger is a great thing and we say it maketh men leape ouer a stone wall he that is hunger bitten will eate his owne flesh from his armes In this corporall hunger then are two thinges that pine and pinch men first a paine in the lower part of the belly arising from emptinesse secondly an exceeding appetite to be filled and satisfied such haue killed dressed and deuourd their own childen rather thē they would starue this paine hath beene so great this longing hath beene so extraordinary So must it be with vs in the spirituall hunger after Christ we must be inwardly pained in soule for 〈◊〉 and for the wrath of God kindled for our sinne and then haue an hungring 〈◊〉 and longing appetite that we may possesse Christ and lay hold on him to our saluation Whosoeuer commeth to his ordinary meate without hunger it were better not to eate it ingendreh grosse and euill humours aud bringeth a surfet to the body So whosoeuer desireth not christ with an hungry soule earnestly longing after him and crauing nourishment from him cannot be filled with good thinges The want of this hunger is a cause why so few receiue Christ and profit not by the meanes ordained to that end as the word and sacraments these come to them of custome rather then with conscience and for fashion rather then with faith these men are not fit to be Christes ghuests that hunger not after him Wherefore the prophet 〈◊〉 all such as faint in their soules through hunger and thirst of this foode Ho euery one that thirsteth come to the 〈◊〉 and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and 〈◊〉 without siluer and without money And the Apostle Reuel 22. 17 Let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life freely Likewise the Euangelist Luk 1 53. He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich empty away But where is the desire of these things Where is the hunger after this heauenly foode Where is the thirst after the waters of life Truely of all gifts this is the greatest yet the greatest number care nothing for christ nor for his gifts As the Israelites in the wildernesse loathed Manna and desired to returne into Egypt such are there among vs no desire no affection no zeale this way they spend their cogitations and indeuoures to gaine honour they thirst after Siluer and Gold they delight in earthly pleasures they couet houses landes and wealth of the world these things they abound in these thinges they make their happinesse and their heauen Such as these there are thousands in the bosome of the Church that hunger more after these transitory things then after heauenly Such are prophane persons as 〈◊〉 who preferred a
beleeuers who vouchsafeth to be their God the god of their seed Hence likewise it appeareth that infants are to be baptized For baptisme succeedeth in place of circumcision the Apostles baptized whole houses Christ calleth infants and sucklings vnto himselfe and 〈◊〉 that to such belongeth the kingdome of Heauen they are Christ sheepe and members of his body Hence we learne that the baptisme of infantes is no vnwritten tradition but a written and diuine institution taught in the Scriptures Consider also heereby the difference betweene baptisme and the Lords Supper and that all are conceiued in originall sinne Acknowledge also a difference between them and the children os Infidels and let parents be incoraged to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts now follow the inward parts which also are four in number First god the father represented by the Mi. wherby our faith is gretly strengthned For whensoeuer the eie seeth the minister 〈◊〉 water on the body faith beholdeth god the father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his sonne Christ. The seconde part is the spirit of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God and therefore whensoeuer wee come to heare the word or to receiue the sacramentes we must craue the assistance of the spirit to open our harts as he opened the hart of Lydia If this in ward teacher be wanting the eare heareth and the hand handleth but the hart is hardned The third in ward part of baptism is Christrepresented by the water This serueth greatly to confirme our faith to consider with our selues when we behold with our bodily eies the water poured vpon the bodie baptizd the blotting out of all our sinnes by the blood of Christ Iesus The 4. inward part is the soul clensed P most liuely and effectualy represented by the body washed For the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soul. This teacheth that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable so that God must worke in vs both the will and the deede These are the foure in ward parts of baptisme The agreement betweene these outward and inward parts is very euident For as the Minister by the word of institution applyeth Water to the washing of the body so the father through the working of the spirit applyeth the bloode of Christ to the clensing of the soule Thus farre of the parts of Baptisme both the outward and the inward parts now we come to the vses thereof which are principally three First to shew our placing and planting into the blood of Christ to remaine in him for euer This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall but misticall and marueilous in our eyes for we are made one with Christ by the same spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ. So then the saints triumphing in heauen and al the beleeuers fighting vpon earth as souldiers in warfar haue one and the same spirit of christ dwelling in them and therfore are one with him Secondly to assure vs of the remission of our fins that we may bee able to stand in the presence of God hauing put on the garments of Christ as Iacob receiued the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother This ouerthroweth the doctrin or rather doting of the church of Rome which teacheth that baptism abolisheth al sins going before it and leaueth nothing that hath the name or nature of sinne If this were a truth of god not a dreame of men it is not only decent but greatly to be desired to haue baptisme deferred vntil old age nay vnto the hower of death that so we may depart hence in peace with greater assurance of Gods fauor in the pardon of our sins Thirdly to slay the old man and to kil our natural corruption by the power of the death and burial of christ besides to raise vs vp againeto holines and newnes of life by his resurection Hence it is that the Euangelists call it the Sacrament of Repentance admonishing euery one of vs to expresse the strength and power of baptisme as the Prophets of tentimes exhort the lews to circumcise the forskin of their harts and to harden their necks no more So we ought not to content our selus to be baptized in body but must labour to be baptized in soul by a daily proceeding in regeneration by bringing foorth the fruites of sanctification and applying Christ Iesus to our full iustification Thus much of baptisme the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to Christ that dyed vppon the Crosse what it is what are the 〈◊〉 and vses thereof Now wee come to the Sacrament of the body and bloode of CHRIST e which is called by sundrye names in the new testament Sometimes it is called the Communion teaching that we are one body coupled togither in Christ shewing that it is to bee receiued of many togither and admonishing vs of vnity and concorde among our selues Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper hence we see who is the author of it no man no Angell but the Lord Iesus leauing it for a fare-well token of his loue toward vs. We must also come with an earnest desire hungring after Christ that we may be satisfied with his righteousnesse Sometimes it is called the breaking of breade this sheweth that the substance of breaderemayneth after the wordes of consecration that figuratiue speeches are vsed in the Sacrament and that this externall rite of breaking the bread vsed by Christ practised by the Apostles obserued by the pastors of the church ought not to be omitted and ouerpassed Sometimes it is called the table of the Lord this teacheth that christ and his Apostles at the celebration of it vsed a table not an altar that it is a Sacrament not a sacrifice and that we ought to draw neere vnto it with all regard aud reuerence Lastly it is called the new testament or Will of Christ. This title teacheth that there is a double couenant betweene God and man the one old the other new the one of the law the other of the Gospell the firste of Workes the seconde of grace Againe it serueth to condemne the cursed sacriledge of the church of Rome which addeth and detracteth altereth and mangleth this sacrament at her own pleasure and mingleth it with the leauen of her owne inuentions This is a great comfort to all Gods children to consider that all faithfull christians are the heires of Christ to whom he hath promised saluation of their soules and forgiuenesse of their sinnes As we haue seene the seueral names of this sacrament which shew the nature there of vnto vs so now we will set downe what the lords supper is The supper of the lord is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented our spirituall
communion with the body and blood of christ Heere God is present and sitteth as president at this table he offereth vnto vs his owne sonne for our iustification and therefore this supper must be reuerently regarded and diligently frequented of vs. In this sacrament we are in like manner to consider the partes and the vses thereof The parts are partly outwarde and partly inwarde The outwarde partes are foure First the Minister who is to take the breade and Wine into his hands after the example of christ to seperate the breade and Wine so taken from their common vse to an holy to breake the breade to poure out the Wine and deliuer them both into the hands of all the people present So then they are not consecrated to be priestes of the new testament but preachers of the gospel and ministers of the sacraments and therefore priuate persons may not take this supper to themselues or deliuer it to others The second part is the word of institution this is my body that is this bread is a signe of my body which shortly shall be crucified for you this cuppe is the new testament in my blood that is this wine in the cup is a true sign of my blood presently to be shed to confirme the new couenant of God touching forgiuenes of sinnes and eternal life These words are not properly but figuratiuely to be vnderstood being sacramentall speeches Thus the Scripture speaketh of Circumcision and of the paschall Lambe The third outward part are bread and wine fit signes to signifie our spirituall nourishment by eating the body and drinking the blod of Christ In Baptisme we haue one onely signe but in this supper we haue two to note out our ful and perfect nourishment by Christ. Nether did christ deliuer the deceiueable shewes of bread and wine or cast a mist before the eyes of his desciples to make them thinke it breade which was no bread or wine which was no wine but he gaue them true breade and the true fruit of the vine as the apostle calleth them after the blessing breaking consecration Hereby falleth to the ground the mystery of transubstantiation the most misshapen monster that euer liued or was deuised It bringeth in a false Christ and turneth him into an idoll it maketh Sacraments without signes it maketh Christ to haue an infinite body who is like to vs in all things sinne onely excepted lastly it confoundeth heauen and earth together Neither let any obiect that Christ hath now a glorified body sitting at the right hand of his father and therefore his body hath a great priuiledge aboue ours to be in diuers places at the same time For first when the holy supper was instituted the body of Christ was not glorified Againe glorification doth not take away the nature of a true body but taketh away the infirmity and weaknes thereof Take away space of place from a body and it remaineth no longer a true body but the essence of it is abolished as Austine hath well determined Againe if Christ deliuered both signes the people ought to receiue vnder both kindes so that they may be iustly called church-robbers who haue taken from the people the vse of the cup and wretched depriuers of christes testament depriuing the right heires of their inheritance and ingrossing into their hands the goods of others They make it of the essence of the Sacrament to vse 〈◊〉 bread and to mingle water with wine which christe neuer ordained or commanded but that which is necessary they esteeme as needlesse and superfluous b thus transgressing the commaundement of God by their owne traditions The fourth outward part are the communicantes whose duty it is to take the breade and wine into their hands to eate the bread and to drinke the wine to the norishment of their bodies He did not bid them to reserue the outward signes to holde them and adore them or call the sacrament their Lord and their God he did not command them to offer thē vp to God the father as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead as is vsed in their vnbloody or rather most bloody Masse which hath caused so much innocent blood of the blessed martyrs to be shed who being kild for theword of god and the testimony which they maintaind their souls vnder the altar cry day night with a loud voice vnto the L. holy and true to iudg and auenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth Lastly hereby are ouerthrown the priuat Masses of the church of Rome which now grow to be too common canot stand with the communion of Christe who deliuered the signes of bread and wine to all the disciples that were present they did not stand by and gaze one vpon another but receiued the supper of the Lord 〈◊〉 The outward parts haue bin hitherto handled which being rightly perfourmed there followeth consecration which is a seperation of the outward signes from their ordinarie vse to an holy and spirituall vse that whereas before they serued for the body now they are made instrumentes of grace and seales of the righteousnes by faith The inward parts follow which are foure First god the father who appointed his sonne to performe the gratious work of our redemption and in the fulnes of time sent him into the world who died for our sins and rose againe for our iustification Secondly the Holyghost who assureth vs of the truth of gods promises This sheweth that he is true god equall with the father and the son proceeding from the father and the son This 〈◊〉 such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of christ except he be giuen vs in a carnall and fleshy manner whereas the spirite worketh faith in our hearts which is the ground of thinges which are hoped for and the euidence of thinges which are not seene The thirde inwarde part of the Lordes Supper is the body and blood of Christ deliuered for vs vnto death This conuinceth such of a spirit of errour who make vnbeleeuers and reprob partakers of Chr. body and blood thus his body should be prophaned and his sauing graces seperated from his person But euen as where Satan dwelleth and possesseth the heart there alwaies raigne the workes of darkenes and damnation so the gifts of Christ accompanying saluation are inseperably ioyned with the person of Christ. This also condemneth the reall presence and carnall eating of Christ which forgeth many Christs and reuiueth the Haeresie of Eutiches it crosseth sundry Articles of the christian faith and maketh faithfull men like the vnfaithfull Barbarians that deuoured mans flesh and drunke his blood True it is christ is truely present in the Sacrament howbeit not carnally and corporally but spiritually and mistically He hath giuen himselfe to be the foode of our soules let vs hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to
our saluation for he that hath the sonne hath life he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life The last inward part is the faith full receiuer who stretcheth forth the hand of faith and so layeth hold on Christ and all his sauing graces For no man can communicat with his body but the same is made partaker of his benefits Let vs all prepare the true and liuely faith of Gods elect and assure our selues that Hypocrites and vnbeleeuers cannot possibly be partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ. These are the foure inward partes also of the Lord supper The similitude and relation of the outward and inward parts one to another standeth in this manner euen as the Minister by the words of institution offereth and giueth bread and wine to the communicants to feede the reupon bodily so the father by the spirit offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of christ Iesus to the souls of the faithful to feed vppon them spiritually Thus much of al the parts of the Lords supper now folow the vses to be vnfolded The vses profit which we reap by the Lords sup are special three First to shew forth with praise and thanks giuing the death and the suffrings of chri who his own selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree by whose stripes we are healed so that we haue the chiefe cause in our selus which did crucifie christ Secōdly to teach our comunion wich christ being made flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Hence we learn that al the godly and be leeuers are made partakers of christ and his graces This is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and tentations that we are ioynd to Ch. as members to the head and therfore neither life nor deth nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things presēt nor things to com nor hight nor depth nor any other creatur shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in christ Iesus our L. But on the other side the vngodly and vnbeleeuers haue no part or Portion in chri and his graces they are as branches cut off which wither and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burn them 3 to declare and testifie our communion fellowship and agreement with our brethren meeting together at the same table and partaking togither of the same supper Wherfore seeing we haue not onely an vnion with christ but a comunion among our selus we are the seruants of the church to serue one another in al duties of loue to instruct them that are ignorāt to raise them that are fallen and to bind vp the broken hearted to reconcile our selues one to warde another and to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Hitherto we haue handled the doctrin of the Lords supper declaring what it is what are the parts and vses thereof the preparation to this work followeth consisting in the Examination of our selues and trying our owne harts by the touchstone of the lawe of god This duty is very necessary to be performd of vs for the hart of man is deceitful aboue all things and the secret corners of it past finding out We haue to deal with god in this busines Great is the profit which we reap receiue if we come rightly and 〈◊〉 prepared Great is the punishment procured by want of this try all and examination And the Sacrament it self is defiled by vnworthy receiuing This preparation principally standeth in these 4. points in the knowledge of god and of ourselues especially of the whole doctrine of the sacraments in a liuely faith in Christ seeing euery one receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth in repentance from dead works and lastly in reconciliation towarde our brethren hauing peace with all men and loue towarde our enemies Thus I haue opened plainly yet truely the doctrine of the Sacramentes deliuered in the Scriptures and taught in the reformed churches I haue disclosed some part of the mistery of iniquity and discouered and laid open the skirts of that great Idoll of the Masse the reproach of christians the scorne of the gentiles the offence of the weak and the occasion of ruine to many that stumble therat to their own confusion The Lord god high possessor of heauen earth and preseruer of his people that call vpon him put it into the heart of all christian princes and rulers of the earth to pull downe this abhominable Idoll that hath aduanced itselfe against the kingdome of christ and to deface this filthy monster that hath deceiued many who trusted in it The same Lord vouchsafe to reueale his truth to the ignorant to establish them that are weake and to confound all obstinate enemies to his truth to their prince and to their country for Iesus Christs sake Amen Amen FINIS A Corollary THe Apostle Paule Christian Reader prophesieng of these last times in which Antichrist should be reueiled declareth that his comming shal be by the effectual working of Satan withall power signes lying wonders in al deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes that so they might be damned which beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In this discription the effectual working of this 〈◊〉 is set down but it is in those which 〈◊〉 For as God imparteth his power to his ministers and indueth them with his spirit to saue such as beleeue so doth Satan after an apish imitation giue power to his instruments and breath his spirit vpon them to condemne such 〈◊〉 receiue not the truth The manner and meanes of Antichrists preuailing in the children of disobedience is double to wit by worke and by worde His working is with great power which is seene by signes and lying wonders Now who it is in our daies that boasteth of wonders and I wot not what miracles Who maketh the power of working signes and miracles a note of the Church Who glory that they can euery day nay euery houre of the day miraculously transubstantiate the bread wine into the blood of christ who pretendeth that their real presence their images their priuate Masses other like superstitions haue been confirmed by miracles frō heauen Is not this the church of Rome which hath the Pope for her head her spouse and her foundation And is he not discerned by this note among other to be that very Antichrist described in scripture prophesied to com in the world 〈◊〉 now to the church and felt of euery christian Wherfore let vs carefully beware 〈◊〉 such signes and wonders carry away our eies and steale away our harts from the simplicity and sincerity of the Gospell The second meanes of his proceeding and preuailing is by word to wit by deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes He is indeede an enemy to Christ and to his church how beit not open but secret not shewing
externall and visible which are bread and wine and besides the heauenly internal and inuisible the true body and blood of Iesus Christ together with al his gifts benefits and treasures according to the doctrine of Ireneus Thirdly we agree that in the supper of the lord we are made partakers not onely of the vertue and operation of christ but of the very essence and substance of his true body and blood which was giuen for vs to death vpon the crosse and was shed for vs so that we are most cōfortably nourished with the same vnto eternal life Fourthly we beleeue that the bread wine are not changed or transubstantiated into the flesh and blood of christ but remaine true and natural bread and wine in substance as before so that the bread is called his body and the wine his blood not only because his body and blood are signified by these and set before vs but because so often as we eate and drinke them worthily christ himselfe giueth vs his body blood truely to euerlasting life Lastly we al hold the vse of the supper in both kinds and that without the right vse of the outward signes it is no sacrament vnlesse the bread be eaten and 〈◊〉 wine drunk and therefore we condemne al 〈◊〉 and adoration of the bread al carying it about and lifting it vp by the priest to the people vsed in the Church of Rome The disagreements and diuersities in opinion among vs are in certaine adioynts and in the manner of receiuing for seeing we all reach and confesse the true communication of the true body and the true blood of our Lord Iesus christ the controuersie must needes stand in the manner of communicating and therefore the vnity of the churches is not therby plucked 〈◊〉 The difference standeth in these particulars First one part contendeth that these wordes of christ this is my body must be vnderstood literally and as the words found which yet that side doth not so vnderstand the other part holdeth that they are to be vnderstood sacramentally and figuratiuely according to the declaration of christ the interpretation of Paule and the infallible rules of our christian faith Secondly one part wil haue the body blood of christ essentially and bodily in with and vnder the bread and wine and so to be eaten as that together with the bread and wine they enter into the mouth and body of the receiuers but the other part holdeth that the body of christ which at the first supper sat at table with his disciples doth not now continue with vs vpon the earth but abideth in the heauens and shal remaine there vntil he break the heauens and discend thence to iudgement Lastly one part will haue al communicants that come to the lords table and partake the outward signs whether they come worthily or vnworthily whether they be beleeuers or insidels whether godly or vngodly tó eat the body and drinke the blood of christ corporally and with the mouth of the body so as the beleeuers doe eate him to life and saluation the vnbeleeuers to death and damnation the other side holdeth that the vnbe leeuers abuse the outward signs of bread and wine to their destruction and that only the faithful can eat the body and drinke the blood of christ by a true faith by the working of the holy ghost wherby they are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone being more neerely and firmely knit vnto him then the members of our body are vnited to our head and thereby drawing from him life euerlasting These are briefely the pointes of difference faithfuly not partially particularly not confusedly set downe in discussing the truth wherof howsoeuer great bitternes hath 〈◊〉 broken out betweene bretheren as likewise did betweene Paule and Barnabas yet setting the 〈◊〉 of disputation aside they were worthy members of the church zealous defenders of the faith learned teachers of the truth earnest destroiers of heresie and rare examples of golines notwithstanding the infirmities imperfections and intemperate stile of th one part And howsoere this odious mak-bate N. D. boldly auoucheth pag. 46. that these men neuer met 〈◊〉 to compound their controuersies but they haue alwaies departed more disagreeing more enimies theu euer they were before their meeting yet al men know he doth either ignorantly or maliciously conceale the seueral points of their vnion and agreement concluded and subscribed at Marpurge anno 1529. cha 15. which was in this sort credimns 〈◊〉 omnes c. we all beleeue and professe concerning the supper of the Lord Iesus Christ that the vse there of in both kinds according to the inctitution of christ is to be obserued And that the masse is not any such worke wherby one man may obtaine grace for another whether he be dead or aliue Also that the sacrament of the altar is the sacrament of the true body and blood of Iesus Christ. And that the spirituall eating of the same his body and blood is very necessary for euerie christian man Moreouer that the vse of this sacrament euen as the word it selfe is instituted of almighty God to stir vp vnto faith the weake consciences of men by his holy spirit And although it could not hither to be altogether agreed amòg vs whether the true body blood of ch be in the bread and wine corporallie yet neuertheles both parties ought to declare christian charity one toward the other so far as conscience can beare And both parts shal diligently pray vnto god that he by his spirit may vouchsafe to establish vnto vs the true vnderstà ding of that matter A men In this act which was subscribed with the hands of Luther Melanthou Brentius 〈◊〉 Oecolampadius Bucer and others we see they professe christian charity and promise earnestly to pray vnto God to reueile his truth vnto them bring them to be of one hart in the truth and confirme them to discerne of things that differ so 〈◊〉 the enimies of our church haue cause rather to enuy our agreement then to in ueigh against our disagreement It is not the custome of the true church tò delight in contention it is the fashion of the church of Rome to command to compel to enforce to presse to oppresse to ban to throw out cursings and to thunder out excommunations against those that dissent frō thē but our churches not withstanding this variance haue not so proceeded one against another as enemies we curse not but blesse we hate not but loue we parsecure not but pray one for another keeping the groūdwork of faith 〈◊〉 ioyning harts and hands we seeke to repaire the ruine of Syon and pull down the fortresses of the enemies therof Moreouer albeit it were to be presumed in men of iudgment and discretion that such as haue leysure with delight and pleasure to paint out the iars and quarels abroad either are or doubtlesse shoulde be in league and loue at home yet
the draught because the eares of well disposed persons woulde abhorre that and if we should defend it the Haeretickes and Infidels woulde 〈◊〉 at vs and laugh vs to scorne Againe hee saith euidently The mouse cannot eate it God forbidde we should euer come to that Neuertheles Alexander as bold as blind Bayard in despight of all Heretickes and Infidels aduentureth vpon that opinion If a hogge or a Dogge should eat the whole consecrated hoast I see no cause but the Lords body should go 〈◊〉 into the body of that hog or dog And that we may see the blaspemous school diuinity or 〈◊〉 villany of those 〈◊〉 men hearken once more to Antoninus that beastly Byshop of Florence If a mouse or any other creature or beaste happen to eate the sacrament through negligence of keeping let the keeper be inioyned penance 40. daies and if it be possible let the mouse be taken and burnt and let his ashes be buried neere the altar Heereunto another addeth that the Mouses entrals must be drawne out and the portion of the sacrament that there remaineth if the priest be 〈◊〉 to receiue it must 〈◊〉 belaid vp vntill it may naturally be consumed But the hoast so found in the mouses bowels may in no wise be thrown into the water as a certaine priest sometimes vsed a fly that he sound in the chalice after consecration But if a man had such a feruent zeale saith he that his stomake would serue him to eat the same without horror this were the best course of all as God 〈◊〉 did who is much commended for swallowing and receiuing the host which a leaper had vomited and cast vp And heereunto the goodly and ghostly Canons of the counsell holden at Colen vnder the 〈◊〉 Radulph If there fall any small thing of the bodye or blood vpon the pall of the altar let the stone be cut and burned and the ashes put into the holy place or cast into the fish-poole If any fall vppon the stone or vppon the grounde let the priest licke it vp if a Spider or fly be fallen into it let them be taken out warily and burnt ouer the fish-poole If a man shall vomit it vp again let the peeces be gathered vp and be giuen to a faithfull man to take and eate and let the rest of the vomit be burnt and set neere vnto the altar Can any religious hart repeate or any christian eares abide this loathsome diuinity We will therefore cease to stirre this dunghill any farther for the due reuerence which wee ought to bear to the glorious body of christ Iesus our blessed sauiour But to return back to the former question what shall we say that the beasts eate Bread it cannot be for that they say is gone by consecration Some not so grosse as the former hold they eat the shewes of bread Others say the bread returneth again and thus God must wnrke myracles to feed mise So likewise Innocentius more subtiliy then soundly saith The bread passeth away myraculously when the body commeth and the body passeth and getteth it selfe away when the mouse draweth 〈◊〉 and the bread commeth into his place again so that he holdeth that it 〈◊〉 to be a sacrament so soone as any mouse or beast toucheth it But Guidmundus and Thomas Walden affirme that when mise gnaw the Sacrament there is deceptio visus that is an errour in our fight We simply iudge they be eating and nibling but our sight is deceiued the mise be otherwise occupied And might they not as well say our eie-sight faileth in thinking them to be mise or birds whereas they may peraduenture be angels in their shapes Other hold some new matter is created in place of christs body but I would gladly knowe whether it be by vertue of these words this is my body And touching the Wormes that are ingendred in the 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 diuersity is among them Some say they are ingendred of the aire others of the substance of bread and 〈◊〉 of the quality and shewes thereof and so we shall haue substance made of accidentes in despight of all 〈◊〉 and reason Thus they are carried hither and thither vppe and downe too and fro to reconcile matters they knowe not howe and to beleeue thinges they know not what For how shall the people haue a direction and path-way what to followe when their teachers are not setled and perswaded what is the truth Against al these confusions vncertainties contrarieties blasphemies and crossing one another we teach the people what to hold and instruct them to make a diffe between ch body the sacrament of his body The sacrament is corruptible christs body is glorious and free from all corruption the sacrament is beneath christes body is aboue the sacrament is on earth vpon the table the body is in heauen the Sacrament feedeth the body and outwarde man the body of christ feedeth the soule and inward man the sacrament is eaten as well of the wicked as of the godly the body is only eaten of the faithful the sacrament may be eaten to death but the body of christ is euer eaten to saluation Wherefore howsoeuer beastes may touch or eate the substance of the bread which is the outwarde and corruptible element of the sacrament they cannot eat the body of christ which is in heauen and sitteth at the right hande of God the Father which is receiued onely by a liuely faith Fiftly they argue the case whether the shew of breade be a signe of the bodie without the bloode or whether it include the soule humours spirits and the blood it selfe Scotus saith Nonest certum that is It is vncertaine both may be defended but neither can be proued Notwithstanding Thomas of Aquin auoucheth that the blood is in the body the body in the blood by a connecting of them togither which they cal concomit antia or accompanying each other So then whereas Christ said this is my body they vnderstand him to say this is my bodie and my blood Againe when Christ said this is my blood they make his meaning to be this is my bloode and my body This is a new fancie well agreeing and answering to their newe doctrine whereby they are constrained to build vp one idle conceit with another This is a very wonderfull shiste and a marueylous sigure passing all figures whereby one thing is made two and two are made one Lastly to draw to an end where almost no end is they eagerly contend with what wordes their consecration or rather coniuration is wrought Some say christ consecrated when hee blessed Others denying this dispute how many words are precisely required to the forme of consecration Scotus shrowdeth himself vnder his own ignorāce flyeth to it as to a place of refuge saying It is a lawfull ignorance not to know how many wordes are necessarily required in the forme of consecration therefore he which thinketh he knoweth
brake they say the meaning is hee did not breake but seemed so to do Touching the next word This the pronoune demonstratiue they say sometimes pointeth out the bread as Bonauenture deliuereth sometimes they say it demonstrates not the bread but indiuidum vagum that is neither bread nor any certaine determined thing else but a thing left at randome and at large in generality but what thing particularly they cannot tell Sometimes they say it demonstrates nothing as Iosephus Angles and Durand misseth not much of that marke when he saith that by This nothing is signified Other say it demonstrateth the body so they make christ to speake foolishly This body is my body and besides by this interpretation it shold be his body before the words of cōsecration Bellarmine as he confesseth the papists his good bretheren agree not in the sense of this word so he inuenteth a new and strange exposition neuer hard off before in the Church or out of the Church in iest or in earnest among the learned or vnlearned that is hoc edulium that is this food is my body this drinke is my blood and yet what foode it was and what drinke it was when that word was vttered he dareth not to determine Thomas of Aquine leaueth it more at large with whom This is as much as Hoc contentum that is that which is contained vnder these shewes Gregorius de Valentia after his fashion saith Christ ment that which he tooke into his hands yet he holdeth he ment not bread so that by this reason without reason Christ tooke not bread into his hands Scotus vnderstandeth hoc ens that is this generall thing that hath a being but what it is when they should declare they stick fast in the mire of their owne deuises Moreouer touching the interpretation of the next word is they likewise muster an Army of many figures Sometimes they expound it this shall be as Occam Sometimes they vnderstand therby is made as Bonouenture blundereth at al aduentures But Bellarmine refelleth both these Sometimes they meane this shall be transubstantiated and changed into the substance of his body Furthermore the words following is giuen they vnderstand shal be giuen is broken they expound shal be broken do this in remembrance of me they expound sacrifice me in remembrance of me Thus they roue and wander vp and downe as men that haue lost the right way and yet will be going rather then stand still Wherefore by these collections we see that these words which stand in construction and order together he tooke blessed brake and gaue they expound on this maner he tooke the bread he blessed it quite and cleane away and in place therof put an other substance hee brake the shewes appearances and accidents of bread then he gaue them his body Behold in these words of christ how many shapes formes figures nay falsehoods they haue inuented and so inuerted them And yet they say they must be taken properly without any manner of figure To conclude this point I wilgiue a short but most sweet tast of the popish diuinity taught in schooles in churches in monasteries in seminaries and in al their meetings by their schoolemen canonists doctors preachers and Byshops When the Euange lists report that christ hauing taken bread brake it blessed and gaue it saying This is my body giuen for you do this in remembrance of me the meaning of Christ according to their interpretation must bee this Christ after his last supper tooke bread into his handes but blessed it to nothing hee brake onely certaine shexes of bread and gaue them his naturall body saying vnto them This which I haue in my handes whether it be bread or not you cannot tel surely foode it is but be it what it may be it is transubstantiated and turned into my body and therefore take it and offer it vp an vnbloody sacrifice for quick and dead and so sacrifice me in remembrance of me Neuer were there such fond and fantasticall figures heard off in the Church of God neuer was such vanity inuented neuer was there so great confusion of tongues at the building of Babell How much better were it for them to forsake these fables and deuises of their owne and to say plainely euidently simply directly and distinctly with the Greeke Scoliast Zumbola tauta alla ouk aletheia that is these be tokens but not the truth it selfe And with Tertullian This is my body that is this is a figure of my body The like wee finde in Chrysostome in many places speaking as cleerely as when the Sun shineth at noone dayes The bread before it be sanctified is called by vs bread but after that it is sanctified by the grace of God it is thought worthy to be called by the name of the body of our Lord notwithstanding that the nature of bread doe still abide in it And in an other place he saith If it be dangerous to conuert sanctified vessels to priuate vses there not being in them the very body of Christ but the mystery of his body c. These things haue so clere euidence of truth taught in those times that Bellarmine hath no way to answere but to inuent this shift that a certaine Disciple of Berengarius did insert and interlace it But who it was or when it was or how it was disclosed and detected he cannot tell and therfore it may iustly be denyed seeing ofhim it cannot be confirmed Besides this were an easie way to answere all allegations and authorities to say they are corrupted by heretikes if such counterfeit coine might go for good payment Thus far of this matter Now if so great variety and dissention bee among them in this one controuersie of the sacrament of the supper to which we might adde infinite moe what an huge heape of differences should wee finde among them if wee should run ouer al the controuersies lying between vs. Let them therefore neuer obiect against vs our diuisions or tell vs of the motes they espy in vs let them rather reconcile themselues one to another and pul out the beames out of their owne eies or else for shame hold their peace doubtles among vs they shal neuer finde greater doubts and differences then haue been among the children and churches of God Now for our further direction touching this point ofdissentionsin the church lately largely debated by this enimy as the cheef obiect and subiect of his Warn-word and dilated through many chap. as welbecame a man of his leisure and learning I wil insist a while vpon this point wherin obserue with me these 4. things First that vnity is oftentimes out of the Church Secondly that dissention is sometimes in the Church Thirdly that the Church of Rome hath been and is at this present ful of contentions Lastly that this discourse of diuisions in our church may bee taken vp of the Turkes and vsed against christ
the prayer A It signifieth So be it Deut 27 xv xvi Q what vse is there of it A It sheweth both our feruent desire to obtaine and an assuraunce to our hearts that we shall obtaine that which wee aske 2. Cor. 1. 20. Q what is a Sacrament A It is a visible signe and seale that Christ and all his benefits are giuen vnto vs. Rom 4 xi Q what is to be considered in a Sacrament A Two things his parts and his vses Math. 3 xi Q what are the parts of a Sacrament A Two the outward parts and the inward Rom. 4. xi xii Gen 17 xi 1 cor x 1 2 3 Q How many are the outward parts A Foure the Minister the word the signe and the receiuer Math. 26 26 27. Q How many are the inward parts A Foure God the father the spirit Christ and the faithfull Math. 3s15 16 Q what proportion is there betweene these parts A Euen as the Minister by the worde offereth and applyeth visibly the element vnto the body of the receiuer so the father by the spirit offereth and applyeth Iesus Christ inuisibly vnto the faithfull receiuer Act. 1 36. 37 Q What be the vses of a Sacrament A Three first to norish faith Rom. 49. x xi Secondly to be a seale of the couenant between god and vs Gen 17 Thirdly to be a badge of our christian profession Eph ii xi xii xiii A How many Sacraments are there A Two Baptisme and the Lords Supper 1 cor xii xiii and chap x 1 2 3. 4 Q what is baptisme A Baptisme is the first sacrament wherein by the outwarde Washing of the body with water once in the name of the father of the sonne andof the holy-ghost the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ is represented Math 28 29 Q What is to be cosidered in Baptisme A Two things his parts and his vses Q What are the parts of baptisme A Outward and inward parts Act 2 38 Q How many are the outward parts of baptisme A Foure the Minister the word of institution the element of water and the body washed Math. 28 19 Q How many are the inward parts A Foure God the father the holy spirit Christ and the soule clensed Math 3. 15 16 Mar 16 16 Q What is the proportion betweene these parts A Euen as the minister by the word of institution applyeth the water to the washing of the bodye so the 〈◊〉 through the working of the spirit applyeth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the soule Luk 3 16 Ioh 1 33 Q What are the vses of baptisme A Three first to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes act xxii 16 Secondly to shew our setting and engrafting into the body of christ Gal. 3 27 Thirdly to teach vs to dy to sin and rise againe to righte ousnes Rom. 6. 1 2 3 4 Q What is the Lords Supper A The Lords supper is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of the bread and Wine is represented our spirituall communion with the body and bloode of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 Q What things are to be be considered in the Lords Supper A Two things his parts and his vses Math 26. xxvi xxvii xxviii Q What are the parts of the lords Supper A Two outward and inward 1 Cor x xvi Q How many are the outward parts A Foure the minister the word of institution bread and wine and the communicant Luk xxii 19 xx Q How many are the inward parts A Foure the father the spirit the body and blood of christ and the saithfull i cor xii xiii Ioh. 6 xxvii Q What is the proportion betweene these parts A Euen as the minister by the word of institution offereth bread and wine vnto the communicants to feede thereupou bodily and corporally so the father by the spirit offereth giueth the body and blood of christ vnto the soule of the faithfull to feede vpon them spiritually i cor xi xxiii xxiiii xxv xxvi c. Q What be the vses of the Lords supper A three first to shew forth the death and sufferinges of christ with all thanks giuing i cor xi xxvi Luk. xxii xix Secondly to teach vs our communion and groweth in Christ 1 Cor x 16 Thirdly to declare our communion and agreement with our bretheren 1 cor x. 17 c. ch xii 13. Q How may wee come aright to the lords table A By preparing and examining ourselues i cor xi 28 Q What is the right manner of preparing our selues A First we must haue a knowledge of God of mans fall and his restoring againe into the couenant by Christ. Ioh xvii iii. Secondly true faith in christ ii cor xiii 5. Thirdly repentance from al dead workes daily renued for our daily sinnes Psal. xxvi 6. Lastly reconciliation to our brethren yea euen our enemies Math 5 23 xxiiii Now to him that is able to keepe you that ye fall not and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with you to God onelie wise our sauior be glorie and Maiestie and Dominion and power both now and for euer Amen Iude verse 24 25 Gentle Reader I am to desire thee to amende these escapes with thy pen either altering the sence or hindering the vnderstanding The rest I remit to thy fauourable construction and correction page 6. line 13. read is heere full P. 18. l 17. and not make p. 19 l. xxi vnfitly p 37. l 3. that they are no. p. 83. l. 36. a connterfect word is fit enough for a counterfect sacrament p 88 l 7. and not accepted p. 〈◊〉 l 33 dele which is good p 136. l xv and euil workers speed p 148 l 6 by the practise and xiijj but reach eth not p 155 l 32 to baptisme P 163 lin 〈◊〉 they were admitted P 165. l. 1 accesse p 170 l xxi are not able p 179. l 22 an assurance P 201 l 1 escape vnpunished and xxii as an and 13 thus much P 209l 4 naming the P 238 l 29 and 31 change P 240 l 29 yet was he 250 l. iii inhumane P 253 l 4. all the. P. 228 l 24 in the cup. P 285 l. 22. out of the holy vse p 290 l. 4. consecration a 2 Thes 2 b Luke x 1 c Ephe 4 `8 d Ro. 1 16 e 〈◊〉 18 f Titus 1 1 g Mat 13 25 h 〈◊〉 pet 5 2 i Plutar. in vita 〈◊〉 k 1 cor 3 〈◊〉 l Ezeck 33 m 〈◊〉 4 17 Gen 28 o Psa. 138 Iuuenal li. 3. Saty. 2 p 1 sam 2 Senecade remed for 〈◊〉 Senec. de Benef. lib 3 cap 1 Cicero de offic lib. 3 Persi sati 1 1 tim 4 8 Act. xx 32 a the number of them c Vses are three d preparation to the worke consisting in Examination of our selues chap. 15 wher in weigh two things a God alway gaue his sacraments to his Church b Gen. 2 9. c Gen. 6 14. d Gen. 17. 11. e Rom. 4 11 b
10 hee sealeth vp the promise maketh it eff 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus chap. 1 who is the truth and 〈◊〉 of all sacraments the faithful receiuer c. xii 〈◊〉 christ apylieth him to himselfe the Vses see this letterb. the vses of a sacrament are three to strengthen and confirme faith chap. 13 〈◊〉 God is true in his promises Many of the faithfull first beleeued before they didde partake the sacraments to be a seale of the 〈◊〉 chap. 14 these are the articles of agreement between God who promiseth Forgiuenesse of sinnes Adoption of son nes Possession of Heauen Man 〈◊〉 hoe promiseth to beleeue the promises to loue his Brethren Enimies to performe Obedsence to be badges of our christian profession chap. 15 the number of them See the letter a that Baptisme and the Lords supper are the two onely sacramentes of the New testament chap. 16 that 〈◊〉 is no sacrament chap 17 that popish pennance is no sacrament chap. 18 that Matrimony is no sacrament chap 19 that Orders are no sacrament chap 20 that extreame unction is no sacrament chap 21 A Table of the contents of the Second Booke Baptism is the first sacramēt wherin by outward washing of the bodie once in the name of the father the son and of the holy ghost the inward cleansing of the soule is represented chap. 1 In Baptisme consider the partes are twofold chap. 3 Outwarde partes Minister chap. 3 whose dutie it is to Sanctifie the water Wash the party Word of institution Baptise in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost chapt 4 Element of water chap 5 Receiuers are all such as are in the couenant chap. 6. Men and women in yeares that are in the faith Infantes of them chap 7 Inward partes God the father chap 8. who Offereth the bloud of his sonne Giueth Christ to the beleeuers Holy spirit chap 9 who perfourmeth that which is promised in the word Christ Iesus chap 10 ratifieng our Regeneration Remission of sinnes Soule clensed represented by the body washed cha 11 The vses of baptisme are these 3 To shew our planting and ingrafting into the body of christ cha 12 to assure vs of the remission of sinnes cha 13 Original Actual to teach to die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse cha 14. A Table of the principall points contained in the last Booke The Lordes supper called by 〈◊〉 names ch 1 is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented 〈◊〉 spiritual communion 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ch 2 In this sacra obserue the work it selfe where in obserue the parts Outward Minist chap. 3 whose duty is To take the bread and mine into his hands to blesse and 〈◊〉 the words of institution to breake the bread and poure out then ine to distribute the bread and Wine The word of institution and promise contained therein chap. 4 The outward signes chap. 5 which are Bread Wine The cōmunicāts chap 6. whose actions are to take the bread and cupinto their handes to eate the bread drink the wine Inwarde God the father ch 8 who offereth christ to al commers Giueth christ for the redemtion of the fat Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises ch 9 the body and bloud of christ prepared to be the liuely food of our soules ch x the faithfull receiuer chap. 1 〈◊〉 hose duties are to apprehend receiue christ his benefits to appropriate and apply him to the soule the Vses see this letter c to shew forth with thankesgiuing the sufferings of christ chap 12 to teach our communion and growth in christ chap. 13 to declare our communion and growth with our brethren chap. 14 Preparation to the worke See the letter d The necessitie in respect of Gods presence with whom we haue to do and to deale Our owne profit being rightlie prepared Our owne practise in preparing and taking our ordinarie meates The sacrament it selfe defiled by vnreuerent receiuing the punishment procured by want of this care the partes the knowledg of God and our selues especially of the whole doctrine of the sacraments chap 16 Faith in Christ seeing euerie one receiueth so mnch as he beleeueth he receiueth chap. 17 Repentance from dead workes daily renewed for daily sinnes Reconciliation to our brethren chap 19. THE FIRST BOOKE of the Sacraments in generall containing the true Doctrine therof ouerthrowing the errors of the Church of Rome and deliuering the comfortable vse ofthem to all the people of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the agreement and difference betweene the word and Sacraments GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word his Sacramentes in the Church as the Scripture teacheth outwardly representing vifiblie offering to our sight those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs as the tree oflife and the tree of the knowledge of good and euill in the Garden After mans fall when a new necessity was added in regard of mans want and weaknesse he testified his loue and ratified his Couenant by sacrifices and Ceremonies to our first Parents He gaue the Arke to Noah and his sonnes to confirm them in the promise which he made to them that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world He added to Abraham the signe of Circumcision as a seale of the 〈◊〉 of faith and to the Israelites he gaue the Passeouer Manna oblations purifications the brazen Serpent the Rock and such like spirituall tipes whereby he assured them of the promise that God for the onely sacrifice of Christ vvrought vpon the Crosse would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life Now the world of God may fitly be resembled to writtings and euidences and the Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters They are as a visible Sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of God that as the vvord we hear doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares so doth the Sacraments by the eyes other senses First then that we may vnderstand the doctrine and nature os the Sacraments we are to consider what the word Sacraments haue in common and how they agree one with another then what they haue peculiar and proper each to other and how they differ one from an other The agreement betweene them standeth in these points First both are ofGod and instruments which the holy ghost vseth to this end to make vs more and more one with Christ and partakers of saluation 〈◊〉 that God needeth them or that he is tyed vnto them for as he can nourish without meate and drinke so he can saue without word or Sacraments but because we neede them he vseth them when he will and as often as it pleaseth him The same which is published and promised by the word of God is signified and sealed by the Sacraments For they are not a deliuering of new promises and
Corinthians to beware of idolatry not to slatter themselues or to think themselues the members of christ and therefore should escape the iudgment of God because they had the sacraments for the church of the Israelites had as great priuiledges as they they had the same sacramentes 〈◊〉 the same baptisme the same supper in substaunce and effect yet God was not pleased with them but ouerthrew them in the wildernes If then the Corinthians had any moe then these two they might haue iustly replied we grant indeed in respect of these they are equall with vs but we haue other which they had not wherein they are inferiour to vs and we superiour to them and therefore are preferred before them If then the Apostles reason conclude strongly we may hence gather directly that there are onely two and no other Sacraments because the Apostle mentioneth no moe where hee purposeth to set forth the priuiledges of the Iewes and to make them equall with the Gentiles Wherefore we must receyue two Sacraments onely or else the Apostle hath reasoned weakely Furthermore the same Apostle 1 Corinthians 12. purposinge to shewe that manie members of the church are one bodie in CHRIST coupled by him as by ioyntes prooueth this pointe by a full enumeration of the sacramentes being pledges of our settinge into the body of CHRIST and continuall nourishment in the same when he saieth As by one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether Iewes or Gentiles so we haue al 〈◊〉 made to drink into one spirit Where the Apostle sheweth that al the faithfull by the effectuall woorking of the Holy-ghoast are made one body in Christ which hee confirmeth by the two Sacraments of baptisme and the Lords supper without mention of any moe Moreouer another reason may be framed by comparing the Church of the Iewes with the churches of the christians in regard of their ordinary sacraments There are no mo sacraments deliuered in the Gospel then were prefigured vnder the law for their sacraments were types answering to our sacramenst as 1. Pet. 3. Our baptisme answereth the figure of the waters representing the same that our baptisme doth True it is the sacramentes of the olde Testament were not figures of the sacraments of the new Testament for then their sacraments should be the sign and ours shuld be the thing signified and so there should be sacraments of Sacraments which were foolish and absurd Againe the Iewish Sacramentes should be signes of things altogither vnknowne vnto them and not giuen them of God for they were vtterly ignorant of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Besides that auncient people should be saued by beleeuing baptisme and the lords supper to come for doubtlesse they were saued by beleeuing that which their sacraments did signifie but they were not saued by beleeuing baptisme and the Lords supper but by beleeuing in Christ to come Lastly the old sacramentes should haue one signification and the new another for the old should signifie the new and the new shold signifie christ and his benefits Notwithstanding the sacraments of the new testament succeede in the room of those of the old and signifie the same thinges that they doe baptisme came in place of circumcision and the Lords supper is come in place of the Paschall lamb as appeareth in that it was administred presently after it to declare the abrogating of the one and establishing of the other As then ther was the same faith and the same way of saluation by christ who was the lambe slame from the beginning of the worlde he was yesterday and to day and the same for euer so had the Iewish rites respect to Christ and all of them are reduced to our two Sacraments Wherefore as the Iewes had onely two ordinary Sacramentes circumcision and the Passeouer as appeareth If a straunger dwell with thee and will obseiue the Passeouer of the Lord let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him so the ordinary sacramentes of Christes church are baptisme and the Lords supper agreeing to the same Now the 5. other sacraments newly inuented were not prefigured in the Law they succeed not in the place of their ceremonies they are not an swerable to any types of Iewish rudiments therefore they are no sacraments Fiftly these two sacraments baptisme and the Lords supper are altogither perfect and sufficient not onely to enter and plant a Christian into the church but also to retaine him in it and therefore all other are friuolous vaine and superstitious as superfluous braunches to be pared away Now that they are sufficient to these purposes appeareth by the effects and vses of them What other grace can we haue then to be borne againe in Christ to haue iustification forgiuenes of sinnes and all priuiledges of eternall life and then afterward to be norished and kept continually in him Al these are fullie represented and sealed vp to vs in these two wherup on it followeth that christ who ordained the fewest and best sacramentes vnder the gospell appointed these and no moe Thus then we may gather that by the institution of christ by the argument of the Apostle by comparison of the Iewish ceremonies and by the sufficiency of the two sacraments of baptisme and the Lords supper that these are the onely two sacraments the rest are forged and counterfait sacraments they seale not vppe christ they neuer flowed out of his side from whence yssued onely water and bloud Lastly this number of 2. sacraments appeareth not only by the testimony of ancient fathers but by the confession of the aduersaries For howsoeuer in many other controuersies their wordes are many and their argumentes probable and very specious yet for the auouching of 7. Sacramentes they are dumbe and silent and are not able to produce the reuerent witnesses of the elder time Bellarmine proueth the word Sacrament sometimes to be giuen to al the 〈◊〉 but this is when the word is taken in a large and generall signification for any misticall signe and token which may signifie some other thing and may more properly be called a signe then a Sacrament as the couering of the head in the woman was a signe of subiection laying on of hands in ordination of the ministry is a signe of 〈◊〉 separation to that worke and of gods presence to assist them with his grace and blessing the Saboth day was a signe of the heauenly rest In this sense Augustine calleth the mistery of the Trinity a Sacrament and fire a Sacrament because by the heat light and shining brightnesse thereof the Trinity may be shadowed out Besids the late Warn-word Pag. 91. handling this controuersie of the number of Sacraments doth not proue the number of 7. Sacraments out of the Scripture neither goeth about it neither is able to deriue it further then the counsell of Florence holden in the yeare 1440. and from Peter Lumbard who was indeede the father
part of this Sacrament expressed in these words This is my body which is giuen for you or which is broken for you where the name of the thing signified is giuen to the sign it self as if it should be said this bread which I haue in mine hands is a sign of my body which shortly after shall be crucfied for you and deliuered vnto death for your saluation Christ tooke nothing but bread he gaue into his Disciples handes nothing but bread to eat he brake nothing but bread and Paul saith expressely of this sacrament the bread which we breake is it not the 〈◊〉 of the body of 〈◊〉 If any Obiect that Christes body neither is nor was broken as Iohu 19 3 6. Not a bone of him shall be broken that the Scripture should be fulfilled I Answere the Apostle hath respect to the sence and signification which the breaking of the bread importeth being taken for the tearing and tormenting the paines and renting of the body of Christ and the violent sundring of his 〈◊〉 and body one from the other For as the bread is patted and diuided into diuers parts so the soule and body of Christ were sundred and seperated each from other Againe it is saide This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes or This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you these speeches are sacramental not proper by the confession of the aduersaries themselues where the thing containing which is the cup hath the name of the thinge contained which is the wine the fruit of the vine So then they which cannot abide figures in the sacrament must be constrained to confesse a figure and therefore cannot blame vs when we say the words are figuratiuely to be vnderstood But before we come to handle the vses of this part let vs directly consider the words of Christ deliuered at the institution and administration of this sacrament that so we may see the true and naturall meaning thereof These words are not recorded and reported in so many wordes in the scriptute or in so many sillables but the sence being one the sentence varieth and is not one Mathew deliuereth the words thus Take eat this is my body whereunto Mark also accordeth Luke is some what more ample by way of interpretation This is my body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me And Paule to the like purpose but in vnlike sound of words Take eat this is my body which is broken for you doe this in remembrance of me Likewise touching the other signe of this Supper Mathew saith This is my bloode of the New-testament that is shedde for many for the remission of sinnes Marke is somewhat more short then the rest This my blood of the New testament which is shedde for many but he addeth this more then the rest they 〈◊〉 dranke of it Luke saith This cup is the Newe testament in my bloode which is 〈◊〉 for you But Paule declareth the same more at large This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood this doe 〈◊〉 oft as ye drinke is in 〈◊〉 of mee Thus wee see expressely a difference in Words by adding by detracting by changing yet in asmuch as nothing is added or detracted or changed in regarde of the true meaning let vs come to the interpretation and exposition of the words seeing the gospell standeth not in the wordes of the scripture but in the mind and meaning of them Let vs therefore come to the right vnderstanding of the wordes of christ Take to wit not onely into your mouthes but into your hands representing the soule and faith of the receiuer Eate that is not reserue not adore not offer it but diuide by chewing and preparing to concoction This that is to say not the shewes of bread but this very bread Is my body that is a true signe of my true body and signifieth vnto you my selse withal that is mine or belonging either to my person or office or merits Which is broken for you that is which shortly shall bee crucified for you and immediately giuen to death for you Do this in remembrance of me that is practise these daties and call to remembrance christ and his merits oftentimes So that it is not in our choyce and liberty to doe these or not to doe them if wee bee not fit we must presently prepare to make our selues fit and we must doe them often so that howsoeuer there be no set time yet the oftner the better due reuerence and regard being had thereunto Moreouer touching the other signe obserue thus much for interpretation This cup that is this Wine is the cup Is the new testament in my blood that is this Wine is a true signe of shedding my bloode which confirmeth and ratifieth the newe Testament and Gods agreement with mankinde for their saluation This is briefely the minde of christ and meaning of the wordes of institution From hence wee learne first that christs wordes are not properly but figuratiuely to bee taken True it is the words are plaine easie and manifest for tropes figures were found out not to darken but to open not to hide but to helpe the vnderstanding howbeit they must haue a right construction and a sound interpretation otherwise the playnest sentence may breede errour and mistaking Wee may not take the letter in all places for as we shewed the scripture standeth not in wordes but in the meaning of the wordes not in the reading but in the vnderstanding not in the outward shew but in the inward substance Christ in the new testament is called a lambe a lyon a way a bride-groome an head a dore a vine a garment a rock bread water light and such like these words are easie and euident yet must they be vnderstood metaphorically not properly spiritually not litterally So to come to the wordes of institution What did Christ take in his hand bread What did Christ command them to take and eat bread What did he call his bodye Was it anie other thing then the same bread which he had taken which he hadde broken which he had giuen vnto them Neither is there any other antecedent going before whereunto it can be referred Now the bread and body of Christ are in nature sundry and diuers things and the one cannot be spoken of the other and verified of the other without a figure as to say one and the same thing should be both bread and Christes body but if it be bread it cannot be his body if it be his body it cannot be bread Wherefore true bread is a true sign and seale of his true body Neither is this figure strange or new but common and vsual when mention is made of the facraments as Gen. 17 This is my couenant speaking of circumcision yet circumcision was not the
couenant it self but a sign and token of the couenant as also it is afterward expounded It shall be a signe of the couenant betweene me and you The aduersaries cannot denie a figure in this speech Now what difference is there betweene these two speeches This is my couenant and this is my body are they not alike and in like manner to be vnderstood So Exodus 12. 11 It is the Lordes passeouer properly the lambe was not the passeouer but serued to put them in remembrance of that benefit and it is expounded aster the blood shall be a token for you vpon the houses where ye are this day shall be vnto vou a remembrance Likewise the Apostle sayeth 1 Cor. 10. That rocke was Christ whereas properly the rocke was not Christ but the water flowing from it did represent him Thus then we must vnderstand the words plainely truely and briefely as if Christ had saide in this manner This bread which ye haue seene me take breake deliuer and distribute and which I bid you take and cate is a signe or sacrament of my true body signifying and sealing vp vnto you that my body shal be broken crushed and crucified for you to purchase to you eternal life let these sacramental rites and actions now performed by me and you be heerafter put in practise by you and all faithfull ministers and professors for the strengthning of your faith by the remembrance of my death and by the applying of the benefit thereof euery one to your owne selues Likewise hauing finished his supper when he did eate the passeouer with his Disciples hauing taken the cup and giuen thanks he gaue it being filied with wine to his Disciples and saide drinke ye al of this for this wine in this cup is a signe and sacrament of my blood by the shedding whereof togither with my death following the full forgiuenes of sins and perfect saluation which I by my vnchangable wil decree do giue vnto you and al that beleeue in me are assured to you and all beleeuers Thus hauing opened and cleared the interpretation of the words we shal heerafter need to spend the lesse time in confuting the contrary doctrin darkenes shal flie before the light error before truth cloudy mists before the sun-shine of the day Again seeing the words of institution are variably and diuersly set down by the Euangelists and the Apostle Paul we learne that euery change of the words where the sence is nothing altered or diminished is not to be condemned as 〈◊〉 or vnlawfull so that the alteration being in the forme and frame of words not in the substance and sence of the matter the sacrament is not destroyed For if it had bene an heinous sinne to haue made any change or alteration or to haue missed of the tearmes or sillables of the institution no doubt the Euangelists would haue consented in the words and not haue swarued one from another as we see they haue done We see how the Apostles in the allegation of sundry places of Scripture borrowed out of the olde Testament do not euermore strictly binde themselues to the very wordes as Mathew 26. Hebrewes 10. 5. and in sundry other but onely to the sence and therefore sometimes they adde as Mathew 4 10. sometimes they leaue out as occasion serueth True it is to alter any substantiall part or to wrest the wordes to a wrong and contrary meaning or not at all to expresse the sence of the wordes maketh the Sacrament voide but an alteration onely of certaine circumstaunces as of number or person of Letters or sillables cannot make frustrate the whole sacrament albeit we allow not any priuate and particular man to make any chaunge of his owne heade in such circumstaunces or to bring in a new frame of wordes So in baptisme the Greeke church saith Let the seruant of CHRIST be baptized in this Water c. and heereby nothing is detracted from the truth of the sacrament because Christ Iesus hath not precisely appointed how many wordes the Apostles and pastours of the Church shoulde vse in the execution of their Ministry Not withstanding the obseruation of the words I baptize thee obserued in our churches seemeth to drawe neerer to the commaundement of Christ and to confirme more fitly and fully the faith of the baptized and to answere vnto the words of Iohn the baptist I baptize with Water Likewise in the Lordes supper whereas Christ saide Take ye eate ye doe ye this as speaking to many the sacrament is not destroyed when the words are particularly rehearsed and specially applyed in our churches saying take thou eat thou drinke thou Lastly seeing the wordes of institution are an outwarde part of the Sacrament necessary to be knowne read marked and vnderstood wherein the substance and comfortatable vse of the Lordes Supper consisteth it followeth that they are to be published and pronounced openly distinctly plainely not in a strange language but in a knowne tongue that the church of 〈◊〉 and people of God may be edified For wherefore serueth the commaundement and promise set foorth in the supper if they be not vnderstood Whether we doe read the Scriptures sing Psalmes poure out supplications receiue the sacraments or whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 we performe to God that he may be 〈◊〉 and the congregation instructed we must doe all in a knowne tongue to be vnderstood This God commandeth this the Apostle prescribeth this the true church of God practiseth this reason teacheth this the Heathen acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 the sinagogue of Rome that it might take away all fruit and comfort from the faithfull and that it might broch horrible errors 〈◊〉 and securely and not be 〈◊〉 hath not onely commanded to pronounce the words of consecration closely and 〈◊〉 but forbidden to vse the common mother tongue of all the people The people of God must not be like Parrots or 〈◊〉 or Rauens or such birds that chatter with voice record mens words and sounde a sentence but vnderstande not the meaning thereof As Plmy maketh mention of a certaine 〈◊〉 that had learnd to say Aue Caesar imperator All haile or good morrow Emperor Caesar saluting 〈◊〉 and the two young princes 〈◊〉 and Drusus And Celius Rhodiginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popiniay that coulde pronounce distinctly and 〈◊〉 all the Articles of the Creede Such birds or rather beasts woulde they haue Christian men to be that would haue them 〈◊〉 and not vnderstand what they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reading of the scriptures but not know what is reade 〈◊〉 the sacraments but not know the meaning of the institution Things without life which giue a sounde whether pipe or 〈◊〉 except they make a distinction in the soundes howe shall it bee knowne what is piped or harped Or if the 〈◊〉 pet giue an 〈◊〉 sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell All things in the church must tend to the instruct on 〈◊〉 edification
chew not the cud they should haue sinned because it was not sanctified and therefore albeit they had prayed for a blessing all the day longe and giuen thankes neuer so much yet could it not make their practise lawfull which the word of God had made vnlawfull Or if they had offered a cleane and holy sacrifice and not made humble and earnest prayers to God to accept them and their oblations it could not haue due effect but the worde of God had beene hindred by their vnworthynesse So in the administration of the Lordes sacred Supper we vse the word of God which warranteth vs to take the bread and Wine out of this word wee alledge the promises of God to the true beleeuer and heerevnto wee ioyne prayers and thankesgiuing that God would 〈◊〉 vs and 〈◊〉 vs in the participation of his owne ordinance Thus albeit we haue no forged transubstantiation wee haue a true consecration if the word of God and prayer of the church can worke it which are the meanes left vnto vs for this purpose if wee be any way deceiued it is the Scripture which hath deceiued vs. It remaineth now to marke the vses of this point for our farther instruction If by vsing the whole 〈◊〉 of Christ according to his commaundement we confesse a change and conuersion wrought in the vse of the signes then we are falsely charged and slandered to haue no consecration We pronounce the same wordes of consecration that christ pronounced we obserue the same thinges that christ obserued and charged vs to do we shew forth plainly the death of Christ as it he were described in our sight and among vs crucified we speak openly in a known tongue and the people vnderstand vs we pray vnto God to accept vs and render him thankes for the worke of our redemption lastly we take the outward elementes and ioyne the word vnto them and thus they are made to vs a sacrament Nay if to offer vp to God our selues our soules our bodies our almes for the poore our prayers and thanksgiuinges vnto God the father for our redemption be an oblatiou and a sacrifice We haue both a Sacrament and a sacrifice in our Churchés though we offer not vp Christs body to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead vnto his father We offer vp as much as Christ commaunded vs to offer but that sacrifice was once offered vp vpon the Crosse he wasthe priest hee was the altar he was the sacrifice there is no other sacrifice left to be offered for sinne and he which presumeth to offer him againe is an enemy to the Crosse of Christ treadeth the sonne of God vnder his foote counteth the blood of the new Testament vnholy and hath renounced saluation by Iesus Christ. Now if we cleaning precisely to the institution of Christ doe not consecrate what may be thought of the Popish priestes who whisper their wordes closely that no man heareth vse a strange tongue that no man vnderstandeth bring in pryuate Masses whereat none communicate deliuer dry Communions wherein no man drinketh exhorte no man speake to no man and if they doe consecrate they consecrate onelye for themselues and not for others Wherefore we detest the opprobrious and blasphemous speaches of the prophane pistes who in the spirit of Shemei and of Kahshaketh raile falsely vilely and slanderously against our communions affirming that they are no other then common bread and wine without grace without vertue without sanctification bare signes of Christ absent no better then our common breakfasts dinners and suppers Thus they speak basely proudly and scornefully of our communions but all the world knoweth they speake vntruely We hold an effectuall consecration in both the sacramentes though we deny a reall conuersion into the body and blood of Christ the water in baptisme is no more common water it is not void of a spirituall effect it is not without grace and sanctification So the bread and wine are changed not from one substance into another but from one vse to another not in themselues but to vs not in their owne nature but in their end and thus they are not the same they were before Againe are these signes sanctified and consecrated that are deliuered and receiued then heereby wee learne what is to be thought of the remnants and leauings remaining after the Lordes Supper For who seeth not heereby that the bread and wine of the holy vse and lawfull participation appointed are not a Sacrament They differ nothing from common bread and wine sold in other places and taken in our houses Therfore among diuerse the remainder was accustomably vsed to be burned among some it was giuen to little children that were in the schooles among others they did eate in the common assembly at their feastes of loue so that out of the sacred vse of the Sacrament they did eate it as common bread they did drinke it as common wine We see in baptisme the water remaining and not vsed is no part of the Sacrament but may be applyed to common vses So it is in the Lords Supper for the Sacramentes of the new testament are alike and of the same worthinesse no more is consecrated then is receiued and applied This also is euident by the rock in the wildernesse where the waters flowing from thence represented the blood of Christ to the Isralites that dranke thereof not to the beastes and cattell that were 〈◊〉 by it So much was consecrated water as they receiued not all the rest So when Iohn baptized in Iordan not all the Rvuer but all that which was applyed was sanctified So when he baptized in Enon because there was much water 〈◊〉 not the whole streame was hallowed but so much as he vsed Wherefore whatsoeuer remaineth after the celebration of the sacraments may be 〈◊〉 lawful y to common and ordinary vses Moreouer if the sanctification of euery creature whether in the sacraments or out of the sacramentes be by the word and prayer as appeareth by the Apostle it teacheth a profitable instruction namely that no creature of God is to be receiued no gift to be vsed no blessing to be enioyed tending to the health of the body or comfort of the soule without this duty of prayer and thankesgiuing to the Lord. Indeede euery creature of God in it seife is good and euery gift is holy yet if we partake them without praysing the name of the giuer and creator to vs they become vnholy vncleane and vnpure Now if this be needefull in vsing the common creatures and guiftes of God much more is it necessary in receiuing these pledges and 〈◊〉 of feeding our soules to eternall life Beholde heere the cause that moued Christ when he had taken the bread to giue thanks to his father wherin he sheweth what belongeth to the duty of the minister and of the communicantes to wit that we ought to lift vp our hearts to God
O father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. He ereunto commeth the saying of Paule Ephe 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Like wise Act 13. Byhim euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. so many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with christ is from the spirit and by our 〈◊〉 The spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this comunction seem vnto vs impossible throgh the great distance and distinction of place We see the sun daily with oureies which though it be scituate in the heauens and seperated from vs in place communicateth his effect and power vnto vs that dwell vppon the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the sonne of righteousnesse make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his spirit and the supernaturall gift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the members are to become one body where of Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene heard declare we vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the father with his son Iesus Christ. We see this like wise lively laid out before vs in the estate of 〈◊〉 though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her 〈◊〉 albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually We need not therfore any carnall and bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely perfourmed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasle lay vpon the earth so the flesh of christ being in the glory of his father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then 〈◊〉 he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is not withstanding present with vs in our chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our heartes in our praiers in our meditations and in the sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and we haue already spoken of it in the former bookes Chap. 10. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper THe third inward part is the body and blood of christ that is the body of our Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and consequently whole christ This is the chiefest part of this sacrament For the bodie and blood of Christ are thus made and separated to be the liuelie meat of our soules and haue that force and efficacy of 〈◊〉 in our soules which bread and wine haue in our bodies This is the cause why Christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life this is that bread of life vvhich commeth dovvn from heauen that he vvhich eateth of it shold not dye I am that liuing bread if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and Wine in his Supper to preserue strengthen and comfort the body of the receiuer so Christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life Hee died in the flesh that he might quicken vs and he poured out his blood 〈◊〉 hee might clense vs from our sinnes Wherefore whensoeuer as the Lordes ghests we see the bread on the Lordes table we must set our mindes on the body of Christ when we behold the cup of the Lord we must thinke vpon the blood of christ when we looke vpon the bread broken and the Wine poured out we must consider how the body of chirst was pierced punished crushed crucified torne tormented and his blood poured out for our sakes when we feele that by bread our bodies are nourished and strengthned and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted and refreshed we beleeue that by the body of Christ deliuered to death for vs we are fed to euerlasting life and that by his blood poured out vpon the crosse our consciences are sāctified and we fele his quickning power which doth confirme vs in our communion with him Thus is this part of the supper spiritually to bee applyed thus are the bread and wine made a sacrament to vs and not bare signes thus the memorall of christs death is repeated whichalbeit it were once finished on the crosse and now his passion is past long ago yet to the faithfull in regard of the force it is stil fresh and alwaies present Now it is not without cause and good consideration that Christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body and then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood seuerally and apart administred because his body and blood are not represented to vs as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heauens but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse his blood being 〈◊〉 out of his body For to the end it may be nourishment to vs it must be crucified For as corne of it selfe is not fit foode for vs vnlesse it bee threshed winnowed ground and baked for vs so is it touching christ he must suffer be crucified and dy that we may liue by him and raigne with him This is the truth which in this point is to be considered Now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned Is christ the inward part of the Lordes Supper represented by the bread and wine offered to all but rcceiued onely of such as are faithfull then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents ofbread nor his blood included in the wine or vnder
institution of the Supper and therefore coulde not be referred vnto that which as yet was not so that Christ speaketh of spirituall eating not of carnall by faith not by the mouth whereby wee abide in him and he in vs but many eate the Sacrament of his bodie that haue not him abiding in them not themselues in him Againe without this eating of his 〈◊〉 heere spoken of no man can attain eternal life but manie haue eternall life that neuer are partakers of the Lords Supper Besides how absurd is it for those to imagine that Christ naming bread speaketh of the Sacrament of the altar for they would haue no 〈◊〉 of bread to remain but one lie the figure shew and likenesse of bread so that according to the deuise of their new-found doctrine hee might more 〈◊〉 say I am no breude or I am the sher es of bread then as he doth I am the true bread Moreouer it christ promising to giue bread for the redemption of the world had pointed out the Sacrament of his Supper then he shuld haue giuen his flesh for the saluation of mankind not vpon the crosse but in his last Supper Wherefore then serued his death What neede was there to shed his blood on the crosse Furthermore if these words be referd to his Supper then the svpper maie bee celebrated without materiall breade and Wine without giuing of thankes without blessinge without consecration without breaking and distributing of the bread without pouring our and deliuering of the wine and without remembrance of the death of christ For in this place we haue no mention of these things And shal we imagine that the sacrament is spoken off where neither the matter nor forme nor word of institution nor minister nor externall rite is once remembred Lastly to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his bloode is nothing else but to come to Christ and to beleeue in Christ as appeareth in the text I am that bread of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst And speaking of faith hee faith No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him This his truth is so cleere and euident that manye of the aduersaries are driuen to confesse it howsoeuer som of thē seeke to cast mistes before the eies of men that they may not espy it among the which are Sanders and Bellarmine And as we haue shewed before how the Schoolemen and Doctors of the church of Rome are together by the eares in sundry controuersies about the supper so are they about the true interpretation of Ioh. 6. some vnderstanding it of the sacramentall eating some of the spirituall eating and some of both Thirdly they obiect the omnipotency of God that he is able to turne the bread into the body and the Wine into his blood he is able to make it really present in heauen and earth and wheresoeuer Masse is said he is able to make a body to be in many places at once and yet not occupy a place I answer when all other reasons faile they flye to gods omnipotency as vnto a sanctuary and place of refuge But this will not proue a reall presence For albeit God be omnipotent and almighty must he therefore do al things yea offer violence to his owne body to maintaine their absurd and hereticall opinions of the reall presence and of transubstantiation Must his power attend vpon their fansies and dreames Cannot he be omnipotent except their positions and assertions be graunted There is no feare of Gods power albeit we withstand their carnall presence For touching the omnipotency of god we must obserue these two rules and conclusions First gods power is neuer to be opposed and set against his expresse wil plainly and certainly known for God is not contrary to himselfe Now then it is not enough to proue that God can turne bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ vnlesse they proue he will turne them into his flesh and blood We our selues can do many things which we do not and which we will not do so we must know it is with God he could haue added winges to man he might haue made many worlds if it had pleased him Christ of the stones could haue raysed vp children vnto Abraham Christ covld haue praied to his father in his afliction to send him more then 12. legions of angels but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled Wherefore we are not to reason of his power vnlesse wee bee assured of his wil reueiled in his word as we see Christ 〈◊〉 against the Saduces saith Ye are deceiued not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God Where we see he ioyneth the scriptures and the power of God together so 〈◊〉 he is truely said to be omnipotent because he can bring to passe whatsoeuer he will neither can the effect of his will be hindered or resisted Now it is the knowne will of God that christ should haue a true body that he might be a true man with his quantity and dimensions The second rule to be remembred is that in God there is no contradiction that whatsoere necessarily implieth a contradiction is an argument not of power but of weakenesse This the scripture decree this the fathers deliuer this their own schoolmen determine For in God is not yea and nay he abideth faithful he cannot deny himselfe he cannot dye hee cannot lie he cannot deny his word he cannot sin he cannot deceiue he cannot be deceiued These and such like 〈◊〉 cannot do which if he should doe he were not omnipotent For this were a token of impotency not of omnipotency of debility not of ability of want and weakenesse not of strength and power For in euery contradiction there is falsehood and a lie which cannot agree to God who is truth it selfe and therfore hee cannot make affirmation and negation truth and falsehood yea and nay to be true together which things are imposible Yea the popish schoolmen confute this popish fansie of the real presence when they teach that God cannot doe any thing wherein a contradiction is implyed and that all other things he can do and therefore is omnipotent Now who seeth not that herein is a manifest and notable contradiction that christs body is made visible and inuisible together finite and infinite circumscribed and vncircumscribed to haue dimension and to want dimension to be compassed in one certaine place and to be in a great number of Sacramentes in many places to be included in a little bread on earth which is contrary to that nature of a mans true body not to be contained therin as 〈◊〉 in heauen and there hauing the naturall properties of a true body which cannot 〈◊〉 brought within so narrow a compasse as the wafer cake Wherfore the absurd conceit of the reall presence cannot be maintained
messe of pottage before the blessing and as the Gadarens who preferred theirswine before christ therfore besought him to depart out of their coastes But let vs learne better thinges for all these shall vanish and come to nothing And what shall it profit a man if he win the whole world and lose his owne soule Let vs not labour for the meate that perisheth but for the meate that endureth to euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto vs. Therefore let vs remember whensoeuer we come to his table to be partakers of this Supper to come with a great longing after life and saluation from him as we desire bodily meate when we are hungry and drinke when we are thirsty then shall we by him be satisfied and saued otherwise we cannot lay hold on him we may receiue the outward signe but we cannot receiue the graces of christ offered vnto vs. Thus much of the third inward part of this Sacrament Chap. II. Of the fourth inward part of the Lords Supper THe last inward part of this sacrament of the supper remaineth which is the faithfull and christian receiuer As euery communicant sensibly and outwardly taketh the bread and wine giuen vnto him eating the bread and drinking the Wine for the nourishment of his body so the faithful receiuer apprehendeth and layeth hold on christ by the hand of faith and applyeth him particulally that the feeling of his true vnion with christ may daily be increased according to that saying Ioh. 1. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name And 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Wherefore when we do faithfully and worthily take the bread and the cup into our hands we must consider that withall we take and receiue Iesus christ himselfe offered vnto vs. When we eate the bread and drinke of the cup and so apply them to our bodily vses we must consider that we apply christ Iesus to our selues euen to our soules particularly that he is meate indeede and that he is drink indeed vnto vs if we bring with vs the hand of saith For faith is like the mouth of a vessell if you poure Lyquor vppon it all the daye longe vnlesse the mouth of the vessell bee open to receiue it the Water is spilt on the ground the vesselremaineth empty so may a man come to the lords table euery month receiuing the bread wine that represent whole christ yet except he bring with him faith which is the mouth of the soule hee receiueth not Christ vnto a spirituall life to be his righteousnes and sanctification And this is the reason why we receiue a little portion and a small quantity as well of bread as wine because the end of our eating and drinking serueth for the sanctification of the spirit not for the silling of the body Now let vs see what vses are offred to our consideration in the meditation of this truth First seeing onely the faithfull are partakers of the things signifyed in this Sacrament we see all doe not receiue alike there is a difference to be made among receiuers But as you snatch after the leaues of the tree and let go the fruit want the profit of their labour so is it among many men in this worlde who take the signe of Christ but let goe Christ. Nowe as Moses intreating of thinges cleane and vncleane noteth out foure sorts of beasts some onely chew the cud and some onely diuide the hoofe some neither chew the cudde nor diuide the hoofe and some both chew the cud diuide the hoofe or as in the dayes of the Gospell some were circumcised in heart not in flesh as Titus some were circumcised in the flesh not in the hart as Iudas some were circumcised neither in flesh nor in the spirit as the gentiles and some were circumcised both in the flesh and in the spirit as Timothy so is there a difference among receiuers some receiue Christ onely spiritually not sacramentally some onely sacramentally not spiritually some neither receiue him spiritually nor Sacramentally and some receiue him both spiritually and Sacramentally Of these we will speake 〈◊〉 and in order as they haue bin propounded The spirituall eating is by faith whereby we are made one with Christ and partakers of his benefits without the Sacramentes where of Christ speaketh He that eateth my 〈◊〉 and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Thus to eat him is to beleeue in him and therfore he vseth these words as being of one force to beleeue in him and to eat him to drinke him and to come vnto him This is the 〈◊〉 of God that ye beleeue in him vvhom he hath sent I am that bread of life hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thrist Againe Christ attributeth the same fruit and effect to them that beleeue in him that hee doth to them which eat his body drink his blood therefore by eating and drinking hee meaneth nothing but beleeuing He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life And in the 40. verse of the same chapter he saith This is the will of my father that euerie one that beleeueth in the sonne should haue cternall life and I vvill raise him vp at the last day Heerby we may see that Christ attributeth the same to beleeuing which in the other place hee did to eating and 〈◊〉 so that the meaning of Christ is that to beleeue in him is to eat him And thus many receiue Christ eating and drinking his body and bloode that neuer came to the Sacramentes Heere 〈◊〉 some will obiect If this doctrine be true then are the Sacraments needlesse For if we may 〈◊〉 christ by faith spiritually without any vse or comming to the Lordes supper to what ende serueth the Supper It seemeth by this to be made void and superfluous God forbid for the sacraments are the holy ordinances of Christ by his blessing appointed for our help and benefitte so that the most perfect christians of the strongest faith haue need to seeke the strength ofsaith against weaknes and wauering in the promises of God Notwithstanding we must confesse to the glorie of god and the great comfort of manie persons that the faithfull soule maie and doth often feed vpon christ to saluation beside the vse of the sacrament For the spirituall grace is not of necessitie tied to the outward signes as if without them God cannot or doth not sometimes bestow the same We see in the acts of the Apostles Cornelius and his company was sealed with the spirit of God before the receiuing of the outwarde sacrament Abraham beleeued the
as we take it in these bookes a Sacrament is a visible signe and seale ordained of God whereby Christ and all his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhybited and sealed vppe vnto vs. This discription being 〈◊〉 teacheth vs these pointes first that the force of the Sacramentes dependeth not on the worthynesse or vnworthynesse of the Minister but vpon the ordinance of God so that an euill Minister may deliuer the good thinges of God And this was the cause that Christ Iesus baptized none but his Disciples baptized that he might learne not to esteeme of the effect of the sacraments by the fitnesse or vnsitnesse of the Mynisters Againe none must adde vnto them none must take ought from them none must any way abuse them contrary to the institution and ordinance of God Lastly we learne from hence that the Sacramentes are not bare and naked signes of Christ absent but sure seales of Gods promises and of the righteousnesse of Christ who is offered to all but receyued onely of the faithfull so that the presence of vngodlye men meeting vs at the same Table cannot hurte vs in our worthye receiuing In a Sacrament we are to consider two thinges his partes and his vses The partes of a sacrament are partly outward and partly inward The outward partes are these foure First the Mynister lawfully called is necessarily required 〈◊〉 then the Mynister 〈◊〉 not administer them or if pryuate persons wil administer them they sinne against God the one for not perfourming the dutyes of his calling the other because he runneth beyond the boundes of his calling The second outward parte is the word of institution consisting of a Commaundement and a promise so that it is required of vs to vnderstand the wordes of instiâ—ution to ioyne the word with the sacramentes and to discharge those from the number of sacramentes which want the warrant of the word The third outward part of a Sacrament is the signe for wheresoeuer there is a Sacrament there must of necessity bee an outward element so that neither must wee make an Idoll of the signe by aduancing it to high nor cleane abolish it as the Church of Rome doth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation The last outward part is the receiuer so that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no sacraments at all so long as the signes are reserued and not applyed The inward partes also are r foure first God the father offering and applying Christ Iesus as surely as the Minyster doth the outward signe which is a great comfort to such as come to the Sacraments The second inward parte of a Sacrament is the holy spirit working by the worde so that wee can neuer heare the worde or receiue the Sacramentes aright without the speciall direction and inspiration of the spirit of GOD neyther must wee hang vpon extraordinary reuelations which openeth a wide doore vnto all disorders inasmuch as the spirâ—t is not separated from the word The third inward part is Iesus Christ who is the truth and the life of all Sacramentes now if God the father haue giuen him vnto vs how shall hee not with him giue vs all thinges else Let vs therefore laye hold vpon him especially in all discomfits and troubles when our faith is assaulted by the enemies of our saluation The last inward parte is the faithfull receiuer for except wee send out saith to bring CHRIST home to dwell with vs in our heartes wee shall in vaine looke to receiue profit by the Sacraments so that the reprobate who are vessels of wrath and the Children of perdytion cannot receiue Christ albeit they partake the signes of Christ. As for the elect who are the Lordes sealed vp to the day of redemption before their conuersion and gathering into the sheepefold of Christ they also onely receiue the outward signe without Christ inasmuch as they are without faith but after they are called with an holy calling effectually and haue receiued to beleeue vnfainedly they are partakers both of the signe and of the thing signified These are the outward and inward parces Now there is a fit proportion and agreement betweene these partes each very aptly answering the other For euen as the minister by the word of institution offereth and applyeth 〈◊〉 the outward element to the body of the receiuer so the father by the spirit offereth and applyeth Iesus christ inuisibly to the faithfull receiuer We shewed before that in a sacrament wee are to obserue two pointes his partes and his vses Hitherto wee haue spoken of all the partes both such as are outward and such as are inward Now it remaineth to handle his vses The vses of a sacrament are chiefely three first to strengthen faith secondly to scale the couenant between God and vs thirdly to be a badge of our profession and as a banner displayed to witnesse our warfare vnder our chiefe captaine Christ 〈◊〉 If these be the true vses and endes of a sacrament then wee learne to take notice of our owne failinges and infirmities of faith that GOD refuseth none for weakenesse and wauering of faith that there is an assurance of faith to be attained vnto in this life that as God euermore keepeth his promise with his people who is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he should deceiue so must we be careful to keep the articles of agreement betweene God vs namely to beleeue his word to loue our bretheren to obey his will lastly as our priuiledges are great to beare the badges of Christ our Lord so it teacheth that we are not our owne but are bought at a great price not with corruptible thinges as Syluer and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lambe vnspotted and vndefiled Hitherto of the nature of the Sacramentes now of the number of them as we vnderstand the word for such as are seales of our communion with christ The sacraments of the new testament are two baptisme and the Lords supper neither are there any moe left vnto the Church For Christ taught no moe sacraments to the Apostles the Apostles deliuered no moe to the churches who yet were faithfull witnesses and reueiled the whole counsell of God without concealing and keeping backe of anye doctrine which themselues had receiued Besides these two Sacramentes are altogether perfect and sufficient both to enter a Christian 〈◊〉 the church and to retaine him continually in the same From this number of two sacramentes we learne 〈◊〉 to acknowledge the great loue of God toward vs who hath eased vs of the heauy burden of infinite Cerimonies prescribed in the law and deliuered vs a few sacramentes in stead of many Secondly wee see heereby the difference betweene the olde Testament and the New and betweene the sacramentes of the olde
the shewes of wine he is not personally locally carnally corporally naturally really substantially and sensually present in the Sacrament The question is not whether the wordes of christ be true for they are knowne confessed and beleeued so that as he is the truth so all his wordes are wordes of truth neither is the question whether the Sacrament bee a bare signe or bare figure we say Christ is truely represented sealed and exhibited neither is the question whether God'bo omnipotent and almighty this is a part of our faith and an Article of christian beleefe neither is the question simplye of the presence of Christ whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last supper we acknowledge and receiue as much But the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution and of the manner of his presence Wee confesse and teach the people committed vnto vs that christs body and blood are truely verilie and indeede giuen vnto vs that we truely eat and drinke them that we are releeued and liue by them that we are made bone of his bone that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished or that christs bodie discendeth from heauen or is groslie and corporally present in the sacrament we are taught to lift vp out hearts to heauen where christ sitteth at the right hand of God the father and there to feede vpon him But he ere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. The church of Rome teacheth that after the wordes of consecration the bread and wine are abolished and the body and blood of christ come in place so that they make them corporally 〈◊〉 not onely in the sacrament to bee eaten with the mouth but in the pixe in the Masse and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking Yet Berengarius in his recantation was taught to saie and forced to subscribe that Christ is in the sacrament sensible or sensually is touched with the singers diuided broken rent with the teeth and not onely the accidents More ouer they make it to be eaten not onely of euill men but of beasts and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy to be cast out into the draught as some of them haue taught and affirmed Thus then the difference standeth betweene vs they hold that christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith of brute Beastes without reason but wee denye that CHRIST is thus present in the Sacrament for his body cannot bee vnder so little a quantity of bread and Wine besides it is impietie to 〈◊〉 that the person of CHRIST or his bodye and bloode can bee truelie receiued of Dogges 〈◊〉 and Mise be chewed with the teeth swallowed downe the throat digested in the stomacke and be cast out into vncleane places This we deny this we doe not beleeue this wee abhorre and detest from the bottom of our hearts What is it then we teach and professe We deny that the body and blood of Christ are carnally contained vnder the shews and shadowes of bread and wine we deny them to be eaten and drunken ofwicked men or vnreasonable creatures we deny that they are truely and properly both in heauen and on the earth in pixes and on the 〈◊〉 These are meate for the mind not for the mouth for faith not for the teeth for our beleefe not for the belly This carnall eating of Christ is confuted and conuinced by many reasons First Christ sate downe at the Table and the Disciples with him afterward he tooke bread gaue thankes brake it gaue it and said This is my body likewise he tooke and gaue the cup and sayd Drinke ye all of this whereby we see when the Apostles receiued the Sacrament Christ sate at the table with his true body but the body which they tooke sate not at the table therefore they tooke the signe of his body Likewise the blood which they receiued was not in the body which sate at the table therefore it vvas not properly Christes blood vvhich was not as yet really and actually shed The same body could not sit at the table not sit at the table the same body could not be in their handes and out of their handes the blood of Christ could not be out of his veines in the cup and in his vines within his body hee could not sit visible at the table and bee inuisible in the mouthes and bellies of the 〈◊〉 Wherefore the reall presence bringeth with it real contradictions which cannot stand together Secondly the end of the Lords supper is to call his death to a continuall remembrance as Luk. 22. Do this in remembrance of me and the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. Ye shew the Lords death vntill he come Now to what end should we neede the remembrance of Christ if he were corporally present in the sacrament if he were taken in the hands if he were holden in the mouth if he were eaten with the 〈◊〉 And to to what purpose should we shevv the Lordes death till he come if he come 〈◊〉 and be present bodily in the sacrament Besides the wisest a nong the Phylosophers teach vs that sence is of thinges present but remembrance is of such thinges as are absent as hope is of such thinges as are to come not seene and this the Apostle teacheth Thirdly Christ receiued a true body withall the naturall properties of an 〈◊〉 body like to vs in all thinges sinne onely exc pted and is therefore called the sonne of 〈◊〉 the sonne of 〈◊〉 the sonne of man our brother partaker of flesh and blood hee is said to haue taken vpon him the seede of Abraham and not the Angels nature to be visible Luk. 24 39 Behold my hands and my feete for it is I my selfe 〈◊〉 me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue For if he may be in many places together in some place visible and in some inuisible in some to be handled in others nor to be handled hee can haue no true body of a true man And if this were not a strong reason It is not felt and seene therefore no humaine body the Disciples might haue answered vnto Christ why doest thou bid vs behold thy hands and see thy feete and handle thy body and thereby to try thy humanity seeing thou hast a body which cannot be seene touched or handled Fourthly christ hath left the earth with his bodily presence and is 〈◊〉 vp into he 〈◊〉 farre aboue all principalities and powers and is sit do vne on the right hand of his father as Act. 1. While they beheld he was taken vp And Mar. 16. After the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God So Act. 3. Whom the heauens must containe vntil