turne not vp their eyes to behold him whom they pierced neither doe they consider how he will come with glory and great power if they did then they would acknowledge him the great and powerfull Messiah But let not vs as they doe fixe both our eies vppon the basenesse of his first cōming but let vs with one eie beholde the glory of his second comming which shall abundantly counteruaile the humility of the first Thirdly false teachers that say the body of Christ is not in heauen only but in earth also in euery kingdome in euery citty in euery parish in euery loafe in euery piece of bread and cup of wine where the Sacrament is receiued But this is to destroy the nature of a true body which cannot bee in diuerse places at once Let vs therefore take heed of such deceiuers giue no place to their errour and trust perfectly that Christ sitteth at the right hand of the throne of Maiesty in heauen hauing no corporall presence elsewhere and that from thence he shal come at the last day to render vongeance vnto the wicked and to be glorified in his Saints Lastly godlesse mockers of Christs second comming whō Saint Peter speakes of 2. Pet. 3.3.4.5 to 10. who in regard of so long delay of his comming grow to deride and scoffe at the promise But herein how much do they forget themselues measuring the daies of Gods eternity by the scantling of our time Secondly how little do they consider the ends and reasons of the delay which are not the Lords forgetfulnesse or change of his purpose but his patience towards vs in walting for our repētance and the accomplishment of that number that he hath chosen to life of whom perhaps there are many as yet vnborne Vse 2 Secondly this second comming of Christ may bee a terrour to all the vngodly that haue put farre from them the euill day and despised the humilitie of Christ and his still voyce in the Ministerie of his Gospell they will not tremble now at his word to name their liues thereafter therefore they shall tremble to dust at the sight of his second appearance and not be able to stand Those that are now ashamed of him shall then be ashamed of themselues Luk. 9 26 when hee shall bee ashamed of them and as for those that daylie pierce him with the speares and nailes of their sinnes they shall bee sure to see him whom they haue pierced when themselues shall bee pierced with shame and sorrow to their endlesse confusion Oh consider this yee that forget Christs comming and speake peace to your soules why do you abuse his patience Why will you treasure vp wrath for your selues against the day of wrath Why will you fit your selues as fewell for the fire of that day when the Lord Iesus shall come from heauen 2. Thos 1.8 inflaming fire to render vengeance against all them which know not God nor obey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Well if you will not be warned but you wil go on in sin know it that the party wonged by your sin is he who must come from heauen to bee your Iudge and to passe sentence of condemnation vpon you Vse 3 Thirdly do we looke that our Sauiour will come the second time from heauen Great reason then that wee should haue our conuersation in heauen and that in affection soule heart thought loue and desires wee should ascend thither Herein wee may learne a lesson of the children of this world Where is the Vsurers mind but where his siluer and gold is Where is the Husbandmans mind but on his tillage pastures barnes and where hee lookes for the fruite of his labours Where are the affections of the voluptuous and ambitious man but where the things are which his soule desireth And where should our hearts and soules conuersation be but in heauen from whence shal come our Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Oh let vs sayle ouer Iordan into the land of promise let vs go into heauenly Canaan and be Citizens there If wee count that our treasure is in heauen let our hearts also be in heauen there Christ is and thence we looke for him 2 Christ will not only come from heauen but hee will also come as man hee will visibly shew himselfe in his manhood that all eies may behold him This is plaine God hath appointed a day Act. 17.31 in the which hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom hee hath ordained Againe in that Sermon of Peter before Cornelius Act. 10.42 the Apostle teacheth vs how that the man Iesus was ordained of God to be Iudge of quicke and dead In another place Mat. 16.27.25.31.26.64 The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father Paul enioyned Timothy to fulfill his charge vntill the time of the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 6.14.15 which he shall shew Now the wisedome of God thought fit that Christ should visibly appeare and come as man Reas 1 1 Because Christ hauing in his manhood accomplished mans redemption and in it had bene iudged of the world It is meete that he should now manifest the glory of his manhood exalted aboue all Creatures shining in such brightnesse of glory as is fit for such a body as is vnited to the diuine nature Hence it is that we often reade this second comming opposed to his former wherein he pleased to couer and veile his glory which now he will reueale and make most splendent and beautifull Reas 2 2 It is certaine there shall be a day of iudgement and that the visible act of iudging shall bee ascribed to Christ as man because neither Father nor holy Ghost can assume visible formes being incorporeal and spiritual substances Neither could they make themselues of small reputation as Christ God-man did and their sides hauing neither bodie nor formes of bodies could not be pierced and therfore it is Christ alone whose body was broken and sides wounded for our sinnes that shal visibly in the forme of man appeare that mortall eyes may behold him Reas 3 3 Christ wil appeare as man in regard of his sheepe and selected children who as they are iustified by his first appearing in humility so shal they be glorified by his second appearing in his glorified body 4 Lastly hereby he shal shew his neare affinity vnto man in that he shall in his humanity be seene visibly descending in a Cloud as he was seene visibly ascending by a Cloud Vse 1 Vse Belike then Christ is resident in heauen and so shall be in respect of his humanity till the time of consummation when we may expect his second bodily appearance Is it not strange then men shold dreame of his humane presence perpetually vpon earth and that his humanity as well as his deity fills both heauen and earth What then is become of that which he spake in the daies of his flesh Mat. 26.11 Me shall ye not alwayes haue and It is expedient for you that I go away Ioh. 16.7 How is it that the Scripture bids vs feeke his body in heauen and thence to expect him Let vs content our selues with the simplicity of Scriptures and the truth thereof Vse 2 Vse 2. This may serue to terrifie the wicked there is a generation of Anaks house left still who go about to lay Pelion vpon Ossa who thinke because Christ at the last day will come to iudge the world in his manhood to be as good as he and to throw him out of the throne of Iudgement He is but the Carpenters sonne and shall he rule ouer vs But alas when that day comes they shall tune another song they shall quake and tremble and not be able to answere one word for a thousand Now like Iosephs brethren they stalke and strout it out in their brauery in their vaine power Shall he haue dominion ouer vs Come Gen. 37.8.20 let vs kill him but then they shall be troubled at his presence Gen. 45.3.50.15.16.17 and feare shall come vpon them they shall not be able to behold the glory of his face but shall fall downe before him and desire the hills to couer them His first comming was so base and himselfe so despised that euery one did ouertop him He was then in the forme of a Seruant Phil. 2.7.8 and cast off of euery man which our hellish Anakims and prophane Esaus take hold of and thinke him still the same But to their sorrow and confusion the Lord hath exalted him appointed him their Iudge and he wil as sure as the coate is vppon their backes come with thousands of his Saints to conuince them of all their vngodly Iud. 14.15 deedes and proud speeches that they in an vngodly maner haue spoken against him and will they nill they they shall bee slaine before him Luk. 19.27 Vse 3 Vse 3. Here is comfort for the godly who haue followed Christ in their regeneration who haue bene his brethren and sisters to do the will of his Father Hee will acquite them of all due and debt set them free from sinne and the rusty fetters of all their hard affliction As he was their elder brother in sanctification so hee will be for their saluation Now hee is for them to his Father an Intercessor Mediator Aduocate but then in his owne person manlike appearance he will bee a totall Redeemer Oh let vs comfort our selues and waite for the day of our redemption let vs lift vp our heads for ioy The regions are white to the haruest and the day commeth on wherein our Head shal shew forth both his owne and our glory who are his members and when it is come then the least among vs shall be knowne to bee the Kings Sonne FINIS
strengtheneth and nourisheth the body more then any other foode c. For these and such like reasons it may appeare that bread was chosen of our Sauiour Christ to represent his body From thence then let vs obserue that seeing our Sauiour tooke bread and appointed it an Element in this Sacrament That Christ Iesus is the true bread of life Doctr. 1. which came downe from Heauen whereon our soules are to feede vnto eternall life For by bread here is signifyed Christ whereon wee are to feed our soules by faith as wee feede our bodies with our dayly bread for the preseruation of our naturall life For this cause our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples plainely that Moses had giuen their fathers Bread from Heauen meaning Ioh. 6.31.33 c. that heauenly Manna whereof they fedde in the Wildernesse Exod. 16.15 but now they haue the bread of God which is Christ that came downe from Heauen Ioh. 6.48.51 to giue life vnto the World to put al out of doubt I am saith Christ the bread of life he that commeth vnto mee shall not hunger he that beleeueth in me shall not thirst Reas 1 1. Christ is our bread and the foode of our liues first in regard of his manhood whole Christ the manhood subsisting in the person of the Sonne and it hath the vertue to feede and nourish vs in that it is vnited to the person of the Deitie Christ is not a bodily foode or a corporall bread but altogether a spirituall and heauenly foode to be receiued after a spirituall manner not by the hand and stomack of our bodies but by the hand and stomacke of our soules that is a true and liuely faith Reas 2 2. Christ is called our foode because without him wee are starke dead in sinnes and lest wee should continue in that death hee came downe from Heauen to giue life vnto vs. Therefore saith the Apostle As in Adam wee were all dead 1. Cor. 15.22 so now in Christ wee are all made aliue Vse Vse Here wee may see the wonderfull loue of our Sauiour Christ towards vs in that hee was content of his owne accord to come from heauen to vnloose the bands of death and to quicken vs and giue vs life Yea not onely so but to feede and nourish vs dayly with his ownebody The Pellican when any of her young ones are hurt of a Serpent rather then they should die shee will pierce her brest and giue them sucke and nourish them So Christ Iesus rather then wee should perish so tenderly hee loues vs was content to lay downe his life for vs that so we might feede vpon his body and bloud to eternall life Oh therefore let all of vs highly account of this loue of Christ embrace it and be thankfull for it otherwise our case is miserable we are but dead persons and haue no spirituall life in vs nay wee should vtterly sterue and pine away without it The second element is Wine which Christ tooke into his hands as may bee gathered out of these words He tooke the Cup wherein the wine was for no man will dare to say that the cuppe was empty seeing our Sauiour Christ saith Mar. 26.29 Luk 22.18 I Will not drinke of the fruite of the Vine any more till the Kingdome of God shall come Wine then was the second element Cyprian lib. 2. Epistola 3. contrary to the Aquarij who supposed water to be in the cuppe contrary to the Lactei that vsed Milke in stead of Wine Idem de consecrat distinct 2. Can. Alexander the first caused this mingling of water with wine the Papists that mingle water with Wine and that so absolutely and necessarily that they condemne those who do not receiue it after the same manner but herein they ouerthrow themselues First because they goe against the example of Christ Secondly because they ouerthrow the example by denying the vse of pure Wine More might bee alledged to confute their practises but others haue well dealt therein our purpose is to handle those things that be positiuely layd downe Wine this second Element signifieth the blood of Christ Metonymice and offereth it to the eye of Faith This also we vnderstand to bee the Cup figuratiuely applied and giuen to Christs Disciples for their refreshing c. For as wine is to the body so the blood of Christ is a refreshing to the soule And whereas Christ tooke and gaue not onely the bread but also the wine we learne That Christ is a full Redeemer Doct. His blood doth purge vs from all iniquity 1. Ioh. 1.7 This is the confession of the foure beasts and foure twenty Elders who fall downe before the Lambe Reu. 5.8.9 Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euery Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation And so he is an al-sufficient ransome for vs 1. Tim. 2.6 of greater power to deliuer vs from sinne then Adam was to bring vs into sinne Take notice of the slauery bondage wherein wee were holden as captiues and the fulnesse of our redemption by Christ will plainely appeare First Col. 1.13 generally wee were in bondage to the whole power of darkenesse in such a manner that all our spirituall enemies had command ouer vs. Secondly more particularly we were in bondage first to sin for so saith the Apostle Rom. 6. â—6 His seruants we are to whom we obey whether it be of sinne c. Againe I am carnall Rom. 7.14 sold vnder sinne And S. Peter telleth vs of some that Promise others liberty and are themselues seruants of corruption For saith he of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome 2 Pet. 2.19 euen vnto the same he is in bondage 2 Wee were in bondage to the whole law which exacted at our hands perfect obedience but Christ saith the Apostle came to redeem them that were vnder the law Gal. 4.5 3 We were slaues to eternal death as God testified to Adam In that day that thou shalt eate therof Gen. 2.17 thou shalt dye the death And S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.14 We know that we are translated from death c. 4 Wee were in bondage vnder Satan so long as we were the children of disobedience Ephe. 2.2 he wroght in vs 2. Tim. 2.25 Wee were in his snare and taken at his will 5 We were slaues to hell and condemnation beeing by nature the children of wrath Ephe. 2.3 There was neuer any slauery or bondage like this The bondage of the Israelites vnder Pharaoh Exo. 1.11.14 Of the seuenty Kings vnder Adoni-bezeck Iudg. 1.7 Of Sampson vnder the Philistines Iudge 16.21 bound with fetters and made to grinde like a horse Of Zedekiah vnder the King of Babell who put out his eyes bound him with chatnes carried him to Babell Ier. 52.11 and put him in prison till the day of his death and
couetous miser or a knowne sinner shall presume to come vnto this table Chrysost in Mat. ca. 26. Hom. 83. be not afraid to put him away feate God more then man If thou fearest man thou shalt bee laughed to scorne of him whom thou fearest but if thou stand in awe of God thou shalt be reuerenced of men also As the porters of Iehoida in the gates of Gods house would not suffer any one that was vncleane to enter into it So deale thou with all vncleane persons suffer not Vzza to touch the Arke nor the leprous person to come amongst those that are vndefiled giue not the childrens bread vnto dogs neither cast that which is holy before Swine Mat. 7.6 Thus much of the persons that are to receiue Take This is an actiō of the receiuer and from it wee obserue That If a man haue true faith as certainely as he receiueth bread and wine into his hands Doct. and afterwards into his stomach so certainely doth hee receiue Christ and all his benefits at the hands of God for if we haue a hand and stomach to take receiue and feede vpon Christ when God saith Take and eate without all question we receiue Christ spiritually and feede on him Hence it was sayd that as manie as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God Iob. 1.12 euen to them that beleeue in his name from whence we thus argue That all who receiue Christ must bee the Sonnes of God they that are the Sonnes of God must also beleeue in Christ and therefore al that beleeue in Christ receiue Christ Our Sauior testifieth of himself I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shal not hunger Ioh. 6.35 he that beleeueth on mee shall not thirst meaning thereby that the faithfull who come vnto him receiue him through their faith after such a manner that he will be bread to satisfie their hunger and as drinke to stanch their thirst Faith then is the hand to receiue and the Loadstarre to draw him vnto vs. Many things might be produced for proofe Reas Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 as that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and that without faith it is impossible to phase God but the maine reason is this that this Sacrament is in it owne nature the seale of righteousnesse Rom. 4.11 and therefore it is absurd for a man to offer himselfe to receiue confirmation of that thing which he hath not to haue as it were a seale set to a blanke to come to haue faith strengthened when perhaps there is scarse a right vnderstanding of what is to to be receiued by beleefe Secondly the rule of the Apostle alwaies binds that who so commeth to this Sacrament to receiue Christ must examine himselfe 1. Cor. 11.28 and wherein doth this examination and search consist but in trying our selues whether we be in the faith or no 2. Cor. 13.5 How is it possible a man should receiue Christ and with him all things else when this grace is wanting Vse 1 1 This doctrine serueth to reproue those that condemne the doctrine of faith whereas without it we can neuer be ingrafted in Christ be made partakers of Christ or iustification or saluation without it we are in worse taking then any vassall vnder the Turke or gally-slaue vnder the Spaniard their seruice is onely bodily and temporall but this is spirituall horrible and eternall But by faith we stand and sticke to Christ the true vine wee are interessed in him and all his sauing merits and graces And as the holy Ghost plainely teacheth vs If we hold our confidence stedfast vnto the end Heb. 3.14 we are made partakers of Christ Ephe. 3.17 and so by our faith Christ will dwell in vs. Vse 2 2. This must teach vs to nourish and preserue faith and see that it be not of storie nor tēpo rary but a true iustifying faith this is it which will purchase Christ for vs and repell all aduersary powers of it when as historicall and temporary faith like gilt or a painting will soon sade away and be defaced Vse 3 3. Seeing by faith we receiue Christ into the houses and chambers of our soules this must teach vs to keepe the houses of our soules trimmed and decked vppe against the comming of so noble a guest as Christ is What trimming and dressing all fine and braue what putting on our best apparell is there when any strauger or great guest commeth to our houses Well behold a farre more worthy guest is comming to our doores euen the doores of our heards Reu. 3.20 he stands knockes and would gladly be in promising to suppe with vs and bring his cheare with him as the imputation of obedience righteousnesse as our faith Repenrance For shame then let vs not keepe our houses silthy defiled with sinne houses of Sathan and fornication 1. Cor. 6.19.20 vnsit for such a guest let vs not still shut our doores against him and maintaine idlenesse Cant. 5.2.3 I haue put off my coate how shall I put it on But when hee puts in his hand by the hole of the doore 4.5 let our bowells be moued with compassion in respect of our selues to rise and open to him yea let vs giue him the best roome and chamber that he calleth for Pro. 23.26 euen our whole heart 2. Action of the Receiuer cate and drinke from which words of our Sauiour and action ob the Receiuer we learne That Euery faithfull receiuer is made a partaker of a most happy vnion with Christ Doct. So sayth the Euangelest He that catech the flesh of Christ Ioh. 6.56 and drinketh his blood dwelleth in Christ Christ in him As men take bread and drinke into their hands carry them to their monthes that so they may bee sent to the stomacke from whence they being in part digested and by the vessells of Nature conueyed to the parts of the body for the nutriment of flesh and blood are carried into euery part of the body so as euery part taketh his owne and so comes an vniting of the parts before this there is no vnion no perfect nourishment c. Euen so Christ the true meate that came down from heauen by the hand of faith is taken and carried to the stomacke of the soule yea by faith as by certaine veines and pipes hee is conueied to euery part of the spirituall man and applied to them so as euery receiuer becomes bone of his bone Eph. 5.30 and flesh of his flesh By this meanes there is a perfect vnion and without it there is no sound nourishment in Christ Now this vnion betweene Christ and vs is first expressed by plaine testimonies of Scripture At that day saith Christ shall you know that I am in my Father Ioh. 14.20 and you in me and I in you that is it may seeme that I am farre absent from you by reason
Christ hath it not to giue theÌ„ If it be a glorified body then he is not in heauen he hath left his seate at his Fathers right haÌ„d is vpoÌ„ earth which would crosse the word of truth As touching his glorified body the Scripture saith that Christ was receiued vnto heauen Mar. 16.19 Col. 3.1 and now sitteth at the right hand of God In another place Christ departed from his Disciples Luk. 24.51 and was carried into heauen Act. 1.9.11 Againe Christ was taken vp into heauen Therefore this body cannot be in the Sacrament The Papists may well stumble here when they can receiue neither mortall nor immortall body 9. If the flesh of Christ should bee in the Sacrament then it would bee seene felt and receiued as flesh yea it would taste as flesh but in this matter euery mans owne mouth and palate must be his Iudge 10. If bread be changed into Christs body then it is changed into such a body as hath neither breath nor beeing and wanâ—eth a soule which is but a dead body This will do them but little good if there were such a body seeing it wanteth life 11. If Christs body be in the Sacrament then as many Sacraments as there bee so many bodies Christ should haue which were to make Christ a monster nay Christ shold haue a thousand bodies at one and the same time because the Sacrament may bee receiued in a thousand places vpon the same day but this is a monstrous conceite and sauoreth of Antichrist and wee may conclude against it that Christs body is but in one place and that place is heauen Act. 3.21 The heauen must containe him till all things be restored 12. If bread should be made flesh then surely many Papists would sinne against themselues by eating flesh vpon dayes prohibited as Lent Fridayes and Saturdayes euenings before festiuall dayes c. For doubtlesse vpon some such dayes as these they eate the Sacrament and then as they say they eate the flesh of Christ 13. If bread bee turned into Christs body then it shold nourish nothing but the body a corporall substance is the nourishment onely of that which is corporeall the soule findeth small sweetenesse in drossie substances 14. If bread after words of consecration should bee made Christs body then a Priest by speaking certaine words might make bread a liuing substance at least his God and so doe the people thinke For so soone as the Priest hath consecrated the bread the people take it to bee their God yea they beleeue it to be Christ Iesus perfect God and perfect man as appeareth by their kneeling vnto it knocking their breastes lifting vp of their hands and worshipping it 15. If bread be changed into Christs body then to what substance doe the Accidents as they say remaine belong if the accidents belong to bread as they hold then must the substance of bread be in the Sacrament for the Accidents of one substance cannot bee sayd to be the same Accidents of another substance as this whitenesse in my hand cannot be called the same whitenesse in a tree or a stone Substantiae accidentia obueniunt Accidentia semper insunt subiecto Againe either must bread be in the Sacrament or else the Accidents may stand without a subiect which can neuer bee for that is contrary to all rules of Logicians 16 To conclude if bread bee changed into Christs body why doth the Massing Priest say to the people Lift vp your harts when as they haue al God Christ flesh and blood in their mouth at once c. To these reasons making against transubstantiation might be annexed the sayings of diuers Authors Fathers neotericall Writers and their owne men as that of Peter Lombard in his fourth booke Magister sententi lib. 4. dist 1 In sentent dist 11. lib. 4. quaest 3. and first distinction That of Ioannes Scotus a subtile Doctor who confessed that the article of transubstantiation was neither expressed in the Apostles Creed nor in any other of the ancient Creedes but onely set out by the Church meaning surely the Church of Rome That of Cameracensis In Decret desum et fide Catho c. firmiter plainly disputing that it is more agreeable to the truth if we affirme that in the Sacrament of thankesgiuing there remaine true bread and true wine Eucharistia and not the accidents onely And that saying of Biel may not bee forgotten In canon Missae Lect. 40. It is to bee noted saith he that although it bee plainely taught in Scripture that the body of Christ is truly contained vnder the kindes of bread and wine and receiued of the faithfull people yet how the body of Christ is there whether by conuersion of any thing into it or without conuersion it beginneth to bee the body of Christ with the bread the substance and accidents of bread remaining still it is not found expressed in the Canon of the Bible Other Authors I leaue to them that deale more copiously in such a large cause these be sufficient to make against their error for my purpose But the Papists will obiect Ob. 1 It is a miracle to turne the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Sol. It is true indeed Sol. when the bread is once made the body of Christ there is a miracle but bread is neuer made the body of Christ 1. Besides there is neuer a miracle but it hath a signe with it which shewes it to bee a miracle and therefore if bread should be made the body of Christ they might see how it is miraculously changed and turned But here is nothing seen 2 Miracles in the time of the Gospell are extraordinary things for God worketh not by miracles but by the powerfull Word of Grace but they make them ordinary things for as often as they say Masse which is euery day they worke miracles 3 If it had bene a miracle to turne bread into flesh then the Euangelists and S. Paule wold haue counted it a miracle but they speake not a word of any such matter Mat. 24.24 Luk. 17.23 2. Thes 2.9 they all speake of lying miracles and without question this is one of them Ob. 2 If bread had not bene made flesh Ob. 2 why did Christ say This is my body Sol. I answer Christ spake figuratiuely Sol. as was answered before and may be gathered by the words following This is my body which is broken for you his body was not broken neither had he suffered as then but his meaning was this bread broken is a signe that my body shall be broken The bread could not bee his body for then his body should haue beene broken when the bread was broken Thou hast an obligation in thy hand Thou saiest I haue here twenty pounds I say againe there is nothing but paper inke and waxe Oh but thou tellest me here is that which wil bring me in 20. p. and that is
of some troubles and distractions of minde yet before I leaue you quite I will giue you my comforter my Spirit as a pledge of our coniunction And in another place Our Sauior prayeth vnto his Father that all beleeuers might be one with him O Father that art in me and I in thee let these be one in vs I in thē Ioh. 17.21.23 and thou in mee that they may bee made perfect in one These testimonies proue that Christ and we are ioyned together though not in a popish manner as if by eating the bread wee did eate the carnall and reall body of Christ and so were ioyned to him yet we are so vnited to him euen as though wee were but one body with him Secondly this our vnion with Christ may bee expressed by way of comparison First Christ is called on Oliue or a Vine Rom. 11.17 Ioh. 15.5 and we are said to bee the branches the branches ingrafted into the tree are of the tree beare fruite and receiue sap from the tree and whatsoeuer is ascribed to the branches is ascribed to the tree so that if the branches bring forth the tree is said to bring forth Euen so it is with all Beleeuers ingrafted into Christ Secondly this our vnion with Christ is set forth vnder the estate of marriage For wee are mumbers of his body of his flesh Eph. 5.30 and of his bones As there is an inseparable vnion in marriage betweene a man and his wife so is there bet weene Christ and his Spouse the Church Thirdly this vnion is expressed in the Ephesians where God is said to haue giuen Christ to bee the head to the Church Eph. 1.22.23 which is his body In which place Christ is compared to a body that as the members are knit and vnited to the body so are all wee as members incorporate into the body of Christ and as the members this vnited are said to bee part of the body so we being ioyned vnto Christ are said to bee Christs This vnion might here be expressed by other comparisons as by the foundation 1 Pet. 2.4 and the building vpon it 1. Cor. 6.19 Rom. 13.14 by the garment vpon a mans backe c. Vse 1 1 This may teach vs aboue all things to labour and not to be at rest til we haue a sense and feeling of our vniō with Christ for this is the very drift scope of this Sacrament Proue your selues 2. Cor. 13.5 know you not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates Till such time as we try and feel our selues to be vnited vnto Christ we can ueuer receiue nourishment by Christ but that which we receiue wil be as purgations giuen to vnprepared bodies very hurtfull and turne to corrupt humours Vse 2 2 This serues to teach vs to labour in our liues to shew forth the fruits of Christs flesh that we may shew that we are boght from men by following the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth by hauing no guile found in our mouthes nor pollution in our bodyes but keeping our selues pure Virgins and vnspotted as being the first fruits vnto God Vse 3 3 Seeing our feeding on Christ doth draw such fruite after it let vs labour to meete Christ in those meanes himselfe hath ordained namely the Word and the Sacraments the one beeing the storehouse of his promises the other as it were a patent of confirming them vnto vs vnder the seales left vs by the King of heauen that as these infirme bodyes of ours cannot be supported without the staues of bread and drinke the one to kill hunger the other to staunch the thirst So we may perswade our selues that our soules for their cherishing and refreshing doe require the like necessity to bee fed with the flesh and blood of Christ that we may grow vp perfect men in him and be freed from the scorching heat of desperation whereinto we may easily fall through that streame and current of sinne wherewith wee are carried in the whole course of our liues and from which we cannot bee saued but through the sprinkling of that blood which was shed for vs vppon the Crosse This is my body which is broken for you After that our Sauiour had deliuered this bread vnto the Apostles and they had taken it and did cate it then he gaue thē the signification of it what it should represent here set downe This is my body c. Which words make this Supper to be a Sacrament and offer to our consideration two things First Christs promise This is my body 2. The fruite and benefit of it which is broken for you First for Christs promise This is my body Wee must vnderstand the words thus not that the bread is the body or is changed into the body of Christ after the words of consecration but that the bread is bread still and represents the body of Christ and by Gods blessing on it it hath that vertue infused into it that it doth not onely signifie his body but conuey his body and himselfe vnto vs as if Christ might say This is my body that is this bread which you receiue is a signe and token of my body Hence learne That In receiuing of bread Doct. we receiue not the body of Christ thogh together with the bread but not in the bread wee by faith receiue his body but the signe of his body for Christ faith plainly of the bread This is my body yet his meaning is nothing lesse but rather that it is a resemblance of his body speaking after the manner of the holy Ghost in sundry places of the Scripture We reade that God called Circumcision the Couenant of Grace Gen. 17.10.11 and yet it was but a signe of the Couenant of Grace Gen. 41.26.27 The seuen leane kine were called seuen deare yeares yet they were but a token of those yeares Exc. 12.11.13.27 The Lamb was called the Passeouer and yet it was but a signe of the Passouer Baptisme is called Regeneration Tit. 3.5 though it bee but the dipping of our bodies in water a signe of Regeneration so here Christ calles bread his body when indeede it is but a signe of his body These words of our Sauiour must not litterally bee vnderstood but figuratiuely a Aug. ad euodium et in Leuit. c. 17.19.67 we must aboue all things take heed that no man beleeue that the nature of God either of the Father or of the Son or of the holy Ghost may bee changed Neither let this moue any man that sometime the thing which signifieth taketh the name of that thing which it signifieth b Aug. in Psal 98. The same Authour in another place saith Ye shal not eate this body that you see Christ his speech to his disciples nor drink this blood that they shall shed who shall crucifie me But I haue deliuered you a sacramēt which being spiritually
things then Accidents should bee instruments of Gods grace causes of remission of sinnes then Accidents should be broken eaten and drunken c. How absurd this is let euery one that can discerne and trie doctrine iudge Our Sauiour sayth Mat. 26.29 Luk. 22.18 I will not drinke not of these Accidents but of the fruite of the vine any more Paul sayth the bread not the formes or accidents but the bread which we breake 1. Cor. 10.26 is it not the cōmunion of the body of Christ And againe he sayth in the next Chapter As oft as yee shall eate not these Accidents 1. Cor. 10.26 but this bread In a word that which is made of many cornes euery one of them being a substance in it selfe must needs bee a substance and no Accident but the bread in this Sacrament is composed moulded and made of cornes therfore it is a substance and no Accident The Maior is vndeniable the Minor is the testimony of Cyprian Panis ex multorum granorum adunatione congestus est Cyprian in Oration Dominic that is This bread is moulded and made of many cornes Now touching their Transubstantiation which is a maine pillar of their Religion and yet is in estimation but a fancy or a dreame it was first hatched in the time of Pope Nicolas the second in the yeare 1061 when it had but small credit till Pope Innocentius the third came who gathering a swarme of Papists together about the number of 1300. in the yeare 1215. established it After him came Pope Vrban the Monke in the yeare 1264. and made vp all the market for hee ordained a feast called Corpus Christi in honor of this Sacrament which day is still obserued of the Papists this deuice is but lately found out and deserueth no credit all that they can alledge for it is no more but this that Christ sayd This is my body by which they may aswell say Christ is a doore a way a light a vine a shepheard a lambe c. Christ called his Father an Husbandman Ioh. 15.1 is his Father therfore an Husbandman Christ called Iohn Baptist Elias is therefore Iohn made that Elias the Thisbite who prophecied in the dayes of wicked Ahab Christ called Iohn the Euangelist Maries son and Mary his mother is therefore Iohn made the naturall sonne of Mary or is Mary the virgin made his naturall mother I am sure the Papists dare not auouch this No more is the Sacramental bread Christs natural body although he calleth it his body but his body in a mystery and a figure as hath bene shewed before my reasons against their Transsubstantiation are these Reas 1 1. The first is taken from the institution it selfe for therein what did Christ take Bread what did he blesse Bread what did he breake Bread what did he giue ver 26.27 Bread and what did his Disciples receiue bread what did they eate Bread and after the words of consecration what did he call his supper eating of Bread Then it must of necessity bee that whatsoeuer Christ tooke blessed brake gaue consecrated and his Disciples tooke and eate was bread and not his body 2. It is against the nature of a Sacrament that bread should be transsubstantiated into the body of Christ for then the thing signifying is consumed which makes the Sacrament nothing is left but the thing signified which takes away the nature of it a Sacrament is no longer a Sacrament then there is a signe to represent as a Tauerne is sayd to be no longer a Tauerne then the bush hangeth before the doore 3. If Christs body were really present in the Sacrament then the Sacrament should be turned into a sacrifice which two differ as much as giuing and taking It can be no sacrifice of Christ for hee offered himselfe but once and that was vpon the crosse therefore it is called a Sacrament because it is but a signe of his sacrifice 4. If Christs body should be eaten in the Sacrament then so often as we eate it Christ should be sacrificed his body broken and his blood shed wee should then crucifie him as the Iewes did which is most horrible and fearefull to consider 5. If this their errour should be holden for a truth then the damned crue of prophane and wretched sinners should eate Christs flesh and be saued as our Sauiour speaketh He that eateth my flesh Ioh. 6.54 and drinketh my blood hath life euerlasting Yea the dumbe and insensible creatures should eate the flesh of Christ as a mouse or a rat c. Which thing the Councell of Arelate fearing decreed that the Priests should be punished and do pennance if a mouse or any other beast did eate the body of Christ through their negligence 6. If Transsubstantiation were certaine then what became of all our forefathers the Patriarches Prophets and other holy men of God that were before Christs being in the flesh what should become of many Infants the children of beleeuing Parents Al these neuer did eate the flesh of Christ as corporall meate and yet they are saued besides they did all of them eate Christ before his being in the flesh as we do he being come in the flesh So Paul plainly telleth vs They did all eate the same spirituall meate 1. Cor. 10.3.4 and drinke the same spirituall drinke which meate and drinke was Christ Marke the words hee sayth not only they did eate the same meate that we eate but he sayth that this meate was Christ and not only so but to shew that Christ is not a corporall meate as the Papists say he sayth he is a spirituall meate as we say and therfore you see we do not eate him corporally no more thē our Fathers but as they did eate him spiritually so do we 7. If Christs body were in the Sacrament then it must bee eaten with the mouth and pulled in pieces with the teeth then the members of our body shold dismember and disioynt his body which is absurd to speake but damnable to practise then it were enough to eate Christ corporally being before our eyes in the Sacrament but in this corporall eating there can be neither Hope nor Faith Rom. 8.24 Heb. 11.1 Hope is of things not seene and faith is an euidence of things not seene the substance hoped for but herein the Papists can go no further then the things are before their face when the obiecr is gone which is the body of Christ really present then all their faith and hope decaieth 8. If Christs body bee in the Sacrament then it must be either a mortall body or a glorified body the one it must be If it be a mortall body then either Christ is not dead as yet which is false or else Christ is againe subiect to mortality which cannot bee but the truth is Christ was dead is risen againe hath changed his mortal body into an immortal body therfore they cannot receiue a mortal body for