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
23 1 Psal 15 3 Q what is the tenth commaundement A Thou shalt not couet Q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law A The first motions and lustes to sin before consent are forbidden and loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience is required Rom. 7 7 Q 〈◊〉 any man able to 〈◊〉 these commaundementes A No man is able to 〈◊〉 them Rom iii. xxiii i Ioh i 8 Galath iii Q In what estate stand we by meanes of the breach of the law A We are the children of wrath and euerlasting damnation Gal 3 x Q What is the second part of religion A Faith to beleeue whatsoeuer God hath set down in his word the sum whereof is contained in the apostles creed consisting of twelu articles Q what is the first Article A I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth Q what is the second Article A And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. Q what is the third Article A which was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgin Marȳ Q what is the fourth Article A Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell Q what is the 〈◊〉 Article A He rose a gaiue the third day from the dead Q What is the 〈◊〉 article A He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty Q What is the seuenth article A From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Q What is the eight article A I beleeue in the Holi-ghost Q What is the ninth article A I beleeue the holy Catholick church the communion of Saints Q What is the tenth article A I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes Q what is the eleuenth article A I beleeue the resurrection of the body Q what is the twelfth article A I beleeue the life euerlasting Q what are the 〈◊〉 points of this Creed A Two concerning God or concerning the church Q what consider you in God A The vnity and the trinity 1 Iohn 5 7. Q what beleeue you of the vnity A I beleeue that in substance there is one only true and almighty God 1 cor 8. 4 Deut. 6 4 Q what beleeue you of the Trinity A I beleeue that in one God there are three distinct persons the father the sonne and the Holyghost Math. 28 19. and 3 16. 17 Q what beleeue you of God the father A I beleeue that he is almightie and therefore hath made all creatures good and gouerneth all things wel Gen. 1 1 Nehem. 9. 6 act 4. 24 Q what beleeue you of the 〈◊〉 A I beleeue that we being borne dead in finnes he came into the world to be a mediatour betweene God and man 1 Tim 2 5 Q what meane you by a mediator A I beleeue that he was sent to reconcile vs to his father and his father vnto vs and so to make peace between God and man Esa 9. 6 Eph 2 16 Q What is required of a mediatour A Two natures Iohn 1 14 Heb. 5. 6 Q what are they A The diuine nature and the human nature Heb 2 16 Q what beleeue you of 〈◊〉 diuine nature A I beleeue that he onely is the naturall sonne of God and therefore God and our Lord Heb. 1 3 Q what beleeue you of his humane nature A I beleeue two things his entrance into the world and the things that followed the same Luke xxiiii xxv xxvi Q what haue we to consider in his entrance into the world A Two things his conception and his birth Q what 〈◊〉 you of his conception A I beleeue he was begotten by the myraculous power and working of the Holi-ghost Luke i 35 Math i. xviii Q what 〈◊〉 you of his birth A I beleeue that he tooke flesh and was borne of a virgine whose name was Mary Math. 1 xx Esa 7 xiiii Q what be the things that followed his entrance and comming into the world A two his fufferings and his glorie Luke xxiii xxv xxvi 46 Q what were his sufferings A Of two sorts in bodie or soule Q what were his sufferings in body A I beleeue that Pontius Pilate the iudge giuing sentence his hands and feet were nailed to a crosse and thereby dying his body was buried in manner as others were and lay for a time vnder the dominion of death Iohn xix xviii 1 cor xv 3 4 Actes xiii xxviii 29 Psal. xxii xvi Q what 〈◊〉 you of his sufferings in soule A I beleeue that he suffered in his soule the fierce wrath of his father kindled for our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of the law Luke xxii 44 Gal 3 xiii Q what things are to be considered touching his glory A Three things eyther his glory which is past or present or to come 1 Pet 3. xxi xxii act i. xi Q what beleeue you touching his glorie past A His resurrection and his assention act 1 2 3 Q what beleeue you touching his resurrection A I beleeue that although for a space his bodie laie dead in graue yet after three dayes he raised it vp and gaue it life againe Math 28 6 2 cor 13 4 Ioh x 17. xviii Q what beleeue you of his ascending into heauen A I beleeue that his body being vnited againe to his soule he was personallie taken vp into the heauens after that he had bene conuersant vpon the earth 40 dayes acts 1 9 Q what is his glory present A He sitteth at the right hand of the father Marke 16 19 Q what meane you thereby A I beleeue that his father hath aduanced him into the highest honour and hath committed vnto him the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth Heb. 1 3 Psal. 110. 1 Q what is his glory to come A He shal come from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead Math. 25 31 Act 1 xi Q what meane you thereby A I beleeue that in the end of the worlde all flesh shall appeare before him both of those that haue bene deade from the beginning of the world and of those also that then shall be liuing and that then as an vpright iudge he shall throw the wicked into perpetuall cursednesse and aduance the righteous to euerlasting blessednes Math 25 32 33 1 Thes. 4. 16. 17. Reuel 20. 12 xiii x iii. Q what beleeue you of the Holy-ghost A I beleeue that he is God proceeding from the father and the sonne and 〈◊〉 all the children of God Rom 8 xi Q what beleeue you of the Church A Two things first that there is one holy Catholicke church Secondly that there are 〈◊〉 giuen vnto it Math xvi 18 Q what meane'you by a chruch A The whole company of the faithfull seruants of God which euer wer from the beginning which also be now and shal be to the end of the 〈◊〉 of which number I beleeue that I am one Iohn 10. 16 Q why do you call it holy A because none can be 〈◊〉 to God vnlesse he
be holy and seperated from the prophane of the world 2 cor 6 xvi xvii Q what meane you by calling it catholicke A I beleeue that the church is not tyed to one time or place but spreadeth it selfe throughall nations vnder heauen whomesoeuer God shall cal act x xxxiiii Reuel 5. 9 Q what are the gifts giuen to the church A Two fold first in this 〈◊〉 secondly after this life Act 2 46 47 Q what be the gifts in this life A Two the communion of saints and forgiuenes of sins 1 Iohn 1 7 Q what means you by communion of Saints A I beleeue that howsoeuer the faithfull by distance of place are far seperated one from another yet there is such a mutual compassion and fellow-feeling each of others condition that they are a like both greeued and ioyfull at each others aduersity and prosperity Act. 4 32 1 cor x. i. 25 26. Rom. xii xv xvi Q what meane you by forgiuenes of sinnes A I beleeue that Iesus christ hath already suffred for my sins and therefore they shall be freely pardoned and the punishment of them forgiuen vnto me i. Iohn 2. i. 2 Psal. xxxii 5 Q what be the gifts bestowed on the church after this life A Two the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting i. cor xv 42. i. Thess. 4 xvi xvii Q what beleeue you of the resurrection of the flesh A I beleeue that the dead bodies of al such as haue dyed from the beginning of the world shall in the end be raised again and be vnited to their soules i cor xv xxii Li Q what beleeue you of euerlasting life A I beleeue that after the body and soule bee ioyned together againe in one person the godly shal go into euerlasting ioy and felicity and the vngodly shal be cast into endles 〈◊〉 and misery Dan xii ii Q Is it sufficient to haue that Faith which beleeueth these Articles to be true A No we must haue a iustifieng faith to apply them to our selues Phil. 3 8 9 Q what is that faith A Faith is a gift of God whereby we apply to our selues particularly the promises made to vs in christ Gal 2 xx act xv x xi Q what be the meanes whereby this faith is attained A They are two the be getting and the continual nourishing of it Eph 4 xi xii xiii Q what are the meanes whereby faith is first begun and hegotten in vs A The word 〈◊〉 Rom. x xiiii Q How is this faith nourished in vs and increased A By the same preaching of the word by praier and by the sacraments act 242 Q what is prayer A Prayer is a calling vpon God alone in the name of his son Iesus christ Ioh 〈◊〉 23 Q How many kinds of praier be there A Two petition and thanks-giuing Psal 50 15 1 Tim 2 1 2 Q Haue we no rule prescribed to direct our praiers by it A Yes we haue a forme of praier which christ taught his disciples commonly called the Lords prayer Math 6 9 Luk xi 1 2 Q What haue we to consider in this prayer A Three things the entrance the petitions and the conclusion of the prayer Q What is the entrance of the praier A Our father which art in heauen Q What meane you when you say our father A Heereby I beleeue he tendreth vs as a louing father doth tender his owne children and therefore is most ready and willing to heare and to help vs Math 7 xi Esa. 49 xv Q What meane you by this that he is said to be in heauen A I learne that because he is in heauen his power is almighty and therfore he is fully able to do vs all good Luk 1 37 Rom 4 21 Dan 3 xvii Q What consider you in the petitions A Two things First they are set downe Secondly they are considered by reason Q How many petitions are there set downe A Sixe Q How are these petitions divided A The three first concerne gods glory the three last petitions concerne our owne selues Q What is the first petition A Hallowed be thy name Psal 111 1 Dan 9 7 Q What do we desire in this first petition A We pray that the name of God may continually be vsed of vs in thought word and deed with all reuerence Psal 48 xi Q What is the second petition A Thy kingdome come Q What do we desire in this second petition A We pray that God throwing downe the kingdome of sin and Satan would raigne in vs by his word and spirit and hasten vnto perfection his kingdome of glory Reuel xxii 20 Q What is the third petition A Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Psal. 40. 7. 8 Mar. 26 42 Q What do we desire in this third petition A We pray that the reueiled wil of God may be done willingly sincerely and readily by vs men on earth as the Angels and saints in heauen do it Deut. 29. 29 Psal 103 20. Q What is the fourth petition A Giue vs this day our daily bread Gen 28. xx 30. 8 Q What do we desire in this fourth petition A We pray not onely for a competent measure of all commodities seruing both for necessity and christian delight but also thar God wold blesse them to our seuerall vses Psal. 127 1 Leuit xxvi xxvi Q What is the fift petition A Forgiue vs our trespasses Dan. 9 5 8. 9. x xi Q What do we desire God in this petition A we pray that God would freely pardon our sinues committed against him and the punishments due vnto them giuing vs peace of conscience and iustifieng vs in his Son Psal 51 1 7 8 Q Why are these wordes added as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs A For two causes First as a reason to perswade God to forgiue vs seeing euen we which haue not a drop of his infinite mercy in vs are ready to forgiue such offences as are committed against vs. Luke xi 4 Secondly to assure our owne harts of forgiuenes at the handes of god if we from our harts forgiue our brethren Math 5 7 I am 2. xiii mat xviii 32. 33. 35 Q What is the sirt and last petition A Lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euil 2 Cor 12. 7 8 9 Math 26. 41 Q What do we desire in this last petition A we pray not onely to be deliuerd from the power of Satan sinne and the world but also to be directed by the spirit of god in the wayes of true obedience i. cor x xiii Q How are these petitions strengthned and confirmed by reason A For thine is the king dome and the power and glory for euer Q What is the meaning of this strength of the reason A It containeth a thanksgiuing wherin the gouernment and ordering of al things to gither with the power and glory of the same is ascribd wholly and onely vnto the Lord 1 chron 29 xi Q what signifieth this word Amen in the conclusion of
are present to communicate and receiue this were to commit sacriledge not to deliuer a Sacrament Wherefore vnlesse there be a body to be washed except there be communicants to partake the Supper there can be no Sacrament This appeareth by the words of God to Abraham giuing vnto him circumcision saying Euery male-child of eight daies old shall be circumcised This also appeareth in the words of Christ speaking of baptisme and charging the Apostles to baptize the nations in the name of the father and of the son of the Holy-ghost Where he teacheth that it is not sufficient to take water but there must be a washing So. when he speaketh of his supper he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye so that there must not only be bread but giuing taking and eating there must not onely bee wine but giuing taking and drinking thereof This truth being euidently deliuered let vs see how it may be profitably applied First of all must the Sacraments necessarily be receiued Then it teacheth that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no sacraments at all they are no signes of grace if they be not vsed This condemneth the keeping reseruing holding vp and carying about with pompe and ostentation the Lords supper offering vp kneeling downe vnto and adoring a piece of bread all which are horrible prophanations of that comfortable Sacrament whereby the people isrobbed and depriued of a precious part of their peace in Christ. The bread feedeth not the body reuiueth not the spirits strengthneth not the heart by looking and gazing vpon it by touching and handling it but by eating digesting and feeding vpon it so doth the sacrament strengthen faith not by reseruing and keeping it but by vsing and receiuing of it For sacramentes are actions not dumbe shewes Christ saide not Heare ye see ye gaze re on but baptize ye eate ye drinke ye doe ye this in remembrance of me Secondly are the receiuers an outward part of the Sacrament Then the persons that are to receiue must know that diuers duties are to bee done and performed of them The persons then that are to receiue must ioyne with the Minister in prayer in quickning their faith in the couenant and promises ofGod beholding the former works of the Minister blessing breaking pouring out and distributing ratifieng them in their harts and lastly by receiuing and applying to themselues the visible signes For as we haue shewed if the words of baptisme should be rehearsed ouer the water and no person to be present to be baptized it is no baptisme so if the words of institution in the supper should be spoken and repeated without eating without drinking without receiuing it were no Sacrament Wherefore we must all learne to detest the absurd opinion of Bellarmine and other procters of the Romish religion which teache that the breade and Wine being once consecrate whither they be receiued or reserued whither they bee distributed to be eaten and drunke or whether they be kept in boxes and vessels of the Church for daies moneths and long times and carried solemnly in procession are notwithstanding still the Sacrament of the body and bloode of Christ. Against which dotage wee spake in the former vse and shall speake more in the third booke following Lastly if the receiuing be an outward part then we are not to rest in the outward participation for so farre went Iudas in the Passeouer so farre went Simon that sorcerer in baptisme and so farre went the Israelites as the Apostle sheweth They were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea they did all eat the same spirituall meat and did al drink the same spirituall drinke c yet with many of them was not god pleased but they were ouerthrowne in the Wildernesse And therefore Iohn Baptist said to the Pharisees and Saduces when he saw them come to his baptisme O generation of vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come bring foorthe therefore fruit worthy amendment of life Now our righteousnes must exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees if wee woulde enter into the kingdome of heauen Let vs all therefore haue this profitable meditatiō so often as we deale with the Sacraments and come vnto them we must looke further then to the outward sight we must consider more then the externall signe otherwise as we approch without preparation so we depart without edification And thus much of the foure outward parts of a Sacrament to wit the minister the word the signe and the receiuer Chap. 8. Of consecration BEfore we proceede to the inward parts of a Sacrament answerable to the outward by a fit proportition it shall not be amisse in this place to speake somewhat of the Consecration of a sacrament First wee must consider what it is for the truth being knowne it will cast downe errour as the light scattereth the darknesse To consecrate then is to take a thing from the ordinary and common vse and to appoint it to some holy vse This therefore is Consecration sanctification and dedication of the outward signes to apply them to an holy purpose This is done partly by the minister partly by the people and partly by them both The minister taketh the water in Baptisme which signifieth the blood of Christ and he poureth it on the person of the baptized he taketh the bread in the Lords supper and breaketh it he taketh the wine and poureth it out he deliuereth them both the people take and receiue they eate and drinke in remembrance of Christ and both minister and people ioynein praier and thanksgiuing vnto God the father for the mistery of our redemption accomplished by Christ our sauiour so that the sacrament is consecrated by the whole action of the minister and people together This maketh the difference betweene common water and the water in Baptisme this maketh the difference betweene that bread and wine of the Supper and the bread and wine which is vsed for ordinary meate and drinke True it is in nature in essence in substance there is none but in the ende and vse Common water we vse for the washing of our bodies but the water in Baptisme is sanctified by prayer to an other vse to be a signe of the clonsing of the soule Bread and wine at mens tables in their houses are set before them for the nourishment of their bodies but at the Lords l'able they are ordained of God to an higher and holier vse euen to be signes of the bodye and blood of Christ. This is noted by the Euangelistes and by the Apostle Paule that the Lord Iesus before he brake the bread and gaue it he blessed and gaue thankes to his father that he had appointed him to be the redeemer of the world and giuen him authority to institute this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion For wheras the Euangelist Mathew saith he blessed the other by way
acceptation of vs to be his children ioyned with the promise of his continuall fauor loue grace and protection as Ier. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a newe couenant with the house of Israell and with the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egipt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lorde but this shall be the couenaunt that I will make with the house of Israell after those dates saith the Lord I will put my Lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Be hold the indenture of couenants written by the finger of God wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sinnes and promised to be our mercifull God And to the ende there might be a paire of these indentures interchangeably giuen each to other party the Lord by the hand of the Apostle hath drawne as it wer the counterpane of the former word for word expressed as it is in the Prophet so that we haue a pair of indentures of couenants to shew the stablenes of Gods counsel The 3 part of the couenant in respect of god is the promise of the full possession of the heauenly inheritaunce and of eternall glory after this life God shall wipe away all teares from their eies and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed he that ouercommeth shal inherit al things Again to him that ouercommeth will I giue to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paraolice of God he shall not be hurt of the second death he shall haue power giuen him ouer the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron he shall be cloaethed with white array and I will not put his name out of the booke of life he shal be a pillar in the temple of God and shall go no more out I will grant to him to sit with me in my throne euen as I ouercam sit with my father in his throne Thus we see how God on his part by writinges and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins adoption of sons and possession of heauen he hath couenanted by word and by oth to perform these things neither is he as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue These are great grāts of great blessings by our great god to the great good and comfort of his children For what greter blessings can ther be then being miserable sinners to be gratiously pardond being 〈◊〉 enimies to be freely accepted as sonnes being bondslaues and prisoners of hel we are made heirs of heauen and saluation Againe the couenant on our part requireth 3. conditions First faith to God to beleeue his promises God so loued the worlde that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish hut haue euerlastiug life Again let not your hart bee troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Secondly god requireth of vs loue towarde our brethren for seeing he hath shewed so great loue toward vs he exacteth loue of us again as Io. exhorteth Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God heerein was the loue of God made in unfest among vs because God sent his onely begotten son into this world that we might liue through him beloued if God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another Thirdly he requireth as a necessary couenant to be kept on our part holines and true obedience throughout the whole course of our life and conuersation This is repeated and vrged in many places of the word of God when they said they would serue the L. their God and obey his voice Ioshua made a couenant with them the same day ioyning God and the people togither So also 〈◊〉 stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the L. that they shold walk after the L. and keep his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes withal their hart withal their soul. Likewse to the same purpose we read 2 Chron. 15. They made 〈◊〉 to seek the L. God of their fathers and whosoeuer wil not seek the L God of Israel shal be 〈◊〉 whether he be sinal or great man or woman Thus we see the conditions of the couenaunt both what hee promiseth to doe and what hee looketh for at our hands Hee requireth of vs faith loue and obedience to become his people if we will haue him to be our God All these three parts of the couenant are mentiioned and expressed This is his commandement that we heleeue its the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement for he that keepeth his commaundements 〈◊〉 in him and he in him and hcereby we know that he adideth in vs euen by the spirit that he hath giuen vs. The vses of the seconde end of a Sacrament are first to beholde the exceeding loue of god to ward his people vnworthy of his fauour Can there be a greater loue then this Certainely such as know the great rigour of the Law the infinit Iustice of God and the heauy burthen of sin and feele god to arraigne them the law to endite them their consciences to accuse them and their hearts to condemne them do finde nothing sweeter then to be eased of that burden to be acquitted of that iudge and to be freed from that condemnation For of all burdens sinne is the heauiest of all afslictions it is the greatest of all paines it is the sharpest and often presseth downe to the gates of hell Wherefore such as feele gods mercy in their misery May cry out with the Prophet in the reioysing of their spirit Blessed is he whose wickednes is lightned and u hose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitse Againe let euery one be carefull to keepe the former conditions of the Couenant which are to loue him againe and our brethren for his sake and to walke in holines and righ eousnes before him all the daies of our life Our sauiour Christ directing our loue to our brethren and teaching that the ftreames there of shoulde slow vnto our enemies she weth that if we loue them which loue vs the Publicans doe the same and if we be friendly to our brethren onely this is no singular thing Behold what loue the father
inhritances how carefull and circumspect men are to passe them where they ought to be passed and in such courts and vnder such officers as are authorised for such purpose that there may be no error committed in the conueiance For whatsoeuer is done and passed before him that hath not his patent to warrant his practise is held to be void and frustrate by maisters of that profession In like manner it standeth vs all vppon when a matter of an higher nature and of greater importance is in hand then the sealing and assuring of temporall possessions to looke carefully to the diligent performance of this speciall duty that the signing of our infants and sealing them in the couenant be made by the hands of such officers as are appointed by God for that purpose and by no other Thirdly this condemneth the abuse and prophanation of the Sactament of baptisme in the church of Rome where women midwiues and priuate persons without any commaundement of God nay contrary to his word take vpon them this part of the ministers office to baptize children which they haue receiued from the 〈◊〉 Marcion who gaue women power to baptize which Epiphanius teacheth the holy mother of Christ was not permitted to do Such then as vsurp this calling and approue thereof neuer knew the force of our adoption in Christ nor the strength of the couenant nor that the elect are saued by the good pleasure and will of God Therfore there is not that absolute necessity of baptisme to saluation which many suppose that for this supposed necessity the ordinance of God should be broken and prophaned And a man may maruell why at such times they did not rather commit the mater to priuate men to baptize then to woman whose sexe is surther remoued from execution of this office not onely because they be vncalled and priuate men but euen because they' are women and thereby are wholly vncapable though otherwise qualified of any publike charge or function in the church they are commaunded to sit stil and to be quiet Besides if in time of this extreamety and necessity which is imagened it be permitted them to minister baptisme why should it not be suffered in like necessity and danger of death that they minister the Lords Supper and preach the Gospell in case they be able and men vnable or vnwilling the dignity of the one Sacrament being no lesse then the other and the excellency of the word being as great as of them both If then women may iustly be condemned when they shal presume to sit down in the chaire of Moses or to minister the Supper of the Lord they cannot be iustified if they vsurp to minister baptisme For shall we make a shamefull and double diuorcement of those things that God hath coupled betweene the word and sacraments and likewise betweene the one Sacrament and the other This is to great contumely and contempt offered to baptisme to allow it in those that may neither publikely preach nor lawfully minister the Lords Supper seeing their warrant to practise the one is no greater then to do the other Wherefore let all priuate persous and midwiues consider with the mselues the fearefull examples recorded in the Scipture of such as haue rashly presumed to prophane the holy offices of the church and how God hath often visited this great sin with grieuous iudgments sometimes with fire from heauen sometimes the earth opening her mouth sometimes with suddaine death and sometimes with the most filthy disease of the Leprosie whereby as by his voice from heauen he thundered downe vpon mens disobedience and so ratifieth this law of the necessity of a vocation 〈◊〉 calling for euer Corah Dathan and Abiram taking vpon them the priest-hood without a calling fire from heauen came downe consuming Corah and his company the earth also opened and couered Dathan and Abiram that they were swallowed vp aliue none of them died the common visitation of other men but God wroght a strange worke vpon them and altered the course of nature which ought to be a parpetuall instruction and direction vnto vs to teach vs not to peruert or euert that order which God hath established to continue in his church Hitherto belongeth that which is writen of Vzzah who was smitten with suddaine and vnexpected death only for that beyond the bounds of his calling he put forth his hand to hold vp the Arke which did shake and was ready to fal which was lawfull for the Leuites onely to meddle withal although his intent and purpose wer neuer so good so that if the vnlawful intruders vpon baptisme pretend cases of necessity heere seemed as great a necessity yea his mind and meaning was as good as theirs yet it displeased god because it was done without his word and warrant So Azariah was striken with Leprosie that he was a Leaper to the day of his death for that not being content with his kingly office he would take vpon him the priests office to burn incense vnto the Lord. These worthy examples of gods most feuere iudgements executed vpon the breakers of this ordinance ought to strike such a fear into our harts that we suffer not the sacred functions and offices of the church to be prophaned and to teach vs that euery one meddle only with the approued duties of his own calling And although God do not now thus execute iudgement from heauen and work strange things in the earth in extraordinary manner when his ordinances are broken yet the sin is not therby lessened nor the punishmēt mitagated nor the hand of God shortned but stretched out still though iudgement according to desert be deferred my rather the greater wrath is reserued for his aduersaries to the great day of account when al flesh shal appear before the throne of his glorious presence For if the prophaners of the sign 〈◊〉 sacraments of the old testament did not escape but were thus sharpely and seuerely punished our sacraments established by the lord Iesus are not of lesse value 〈◊〉 worthines so that the contempt of thē shal be visited with sorer iudgments And if god did strike with his reuenging hand priuatemen when they sinned in a abusing the sacramentes and spared not kings in the pride of their hearts how should women standing a degree 〈◊〉 off and barred from the office by a stronger bolt enter into the house at a window and not be accounted as theeues and robbers So that we conclude that the necessity of a calling is as great as the necessity of baptisme And thus much of the first outward part of baptisme namely the minister Chap. 4. Of the second outward part of baptisme THe second outward part of baptisme is the word of institution which is as the forme of the Sacrament as Eph. 2 26. Christ loued the church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word
heer baptized in these pIaces But do we read that any wer excluded And seeing the scripture expresseth al the houshold who shal dare to debar infants Are not they a principall part of the house Besides if the baptisme of children bee not to bee beleeued because it is not named and expressed wee might with as good reason shut out women from the Lords Supper if any were as great an enimie to the communicating of Women as to the baptisinge of Children seeinge wee do not expressely read that they were not admitted to the Lords table in the apostles times Wherfore childrens baptisme is no humaine tradition no apishimitation no ancient corruption of this Sacrament but is grounded on the vnblamable practise of the Apostles which hath the force and strength of a commaundement Thirdly Christ by his owne example aloweth and approueth their baptisme as we see Mar. 10 when the Disciples rebuked those that brought little chilren to Christ that he might touch them he said Suffer little children to come vnto me forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God verily I say vnto you who soeuer shal not receiue the kingdome of God as a little child he shal not enter therein Wher we are to obserue that he saith not of these onely is the kingdome of heauen but of such like infants which shall be in all ages and times of the church In this act of Christ embracing the infants brought vnto him and sharply rebuking his Disciples thatforbad them we are to consider that he commaundeth children to be brought vnto him and addeth a reason To such belongeth the kingdome of heauen If any obiect It is said he embraced them it is not said he baptized them or if any reply and say that there is no agreement and resemblance betweene baptizing and embracing I answer he layeth his hands vpon them he prayeth for them he commendeth them to his father and saith The kingdome of heauen is theirs All this is a great deale more then to giue them the outward signe For if reason require they should be brought to Christ why should they not bee receiued to baptisme which is a signe of our vnion with Christ If the kingdome of heauen belong to them why should the signe be denied vnto them wherby the doore of entrance into the church is opened Why should we driue them away from Christ whom christ calleth vnto himselfe Neither let any say these children were of yeares and growne vp in age able of themselues to come and repaire to christ For the Euangeliste vseth such words as signifie such young infants as are babes and hang vpon their mothers brestes therefore by comming in this place he meaneth to draw neere or to haue excesse Againe they were such as were brought to Christ by others Luk. 18 15 they were caried in their Armes they walked not on their feet and Christ also tooke them in his owne armes Besides heerto agreeth the practise and custome of the primitiue church for no teacher so profound no docter so learned no writer so ancient which doth not refer the beginning heereof to the precise times of the Apostles Let the Anabaptists and aduersaries of this truth tell vs who was the first author and inuenter of childrens baptisme if they refer it not to Christ who first administred it What was his name if they cancel let them not hide it Let them declare the time when it began Let them shew the place where it was deuised Let them name the child first baptised and in what assembly or church it was If they cannot doe these or any of them let them acknowledge the baptisme of children to bee the ordinaunce of God and not of man warranted both by doctrine of the scripture and practise of the church Moreouer if there were no writer to auouch this ancient truth yet is it in it selfe very right and reasonable For doe we not see and behold daily verie babes and 〈◊〉 oftentimes among men admitted to their inheritance haue they not liuery and season of lande and haue they not the wand or turfe taken in their hands according to the vse of the 〈◊〉 or custome of the Manour of which they holde They knowe not what is done they perceiue nothing what the Lord of the Manour or stewarde speaketh vnto them yet we see among the wisest men in this world this is not thought foolish neither is such an admission called into question but they are afterwarde instructed what they haue done what they haue vndertak n and taken vpon them what seruices and duties they owe what their Lord requireth of them Thus they are admitted in their infancy to a temporal inheritance and possession this they holde to the end of their life and of the validity of such entrance no tenant maketh doubt Why then shoulde it seeme vnreasonable to giue them baptisme the signe of the couenant being born heirs of the promise that after they come to discretion they may make vse of it as the rest of the members of the church They shall understand afterward that which they vnderstand not for the present and yet if it please GOD to take them in mercy to himselfe from the miseries of the worlde before they know the mistery of their baptisme he worketh extraordinatily by wayes best knowne to himselfe the force of their baptisme in their harts and sealeth vp their engrafting into Christ I esus If then children haue the white wande deliuered vnto them to assure them of the inheritance which they holde let none deny vnto them the partakinge of this sacrament wherby they are assured of an eternal inheritance howsoeuer for the present time they are not capable of the knowledge thereof Lastly the priuiledges and prerogatiues of children are no lesse then those of elder yeares For infantes are a parte of the Church of GOD they are the sheep of CHRIST they are the children of the heauenly father they are inheritors of the kingdome of heauen they are redeemed with the blood of CHRIST and engrafted into his body why then should they not beare the marke of CHRIST seeing they are a principall part of his possession If they be a part of the houshold they ought to haue entrance into the house if they belong to the Citty of GOD who shall dare to shut the gates against them Or if they be in the number of the sheepe of Christ who shall presume to keepe them from the sheepe-folde Or if they be sound members of the bodie of christ who shall cut them off as rotten members Wherefore then should they not receiue the seale whereby the promise is confirmed vnto them seeing they haue the promise it selfe of saluation Why shoulde they not be pattakers of the outward signe seeing they are partakers of the thinge signified Why should they be put back from the figure seeing they haue the truth itselfe Why shoulde they not be
sunder the corrupt heresie of the Anabaptistes then the wooden dagger of humaine tradition which the church of Rome draweth out against them The Scripture is all sufficient to proue all truth and to beate downe all false doctrin that lifteth vp it selfe against God Wherefore we hold their traditions to be superstitions their vnwritten 〈◊〉 are written lies As we retaine the baptisme of children so wee haue alwaies beene ready to maintaine it by the old and new testament as by the sword of the spirit against all the aduersaries thereof Secondly let vs learne from hence 〈◊〉 acknowledge a difference betweene 〈◊〉 and the Lords supper For in baptizing of children 〈◊〉 faith not 〈◊〉 not regeneration is required but onely to bee borne in the couenant but the supper of the Lord requireth knowledge discerning trying and examining of our selues which are not required neither can be performed of young children who know not light from darkenesse nor good from euill Thirdly if infants haue interest in baptisme then hence it floweth that all are conceiued and borne in originall sin and whatsoeuer is of the flesh is flesh So the apostle saith As in Adam all dy euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue There is no difference all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorious kingdome of God we must be iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in christ Iesus by nature all are the children of wrath and borne dead in sins and trespasses infants not excepted We learne therfore that whatsoeuer is begotten of man is sinfull and corrupt it must be cut and pared away we must be renewed and borne again by the spirit of God clensing vs from our sins yea the children of the faithfull parents whose corruptions are mortified whose lustes are subdued whose flesh is tamed and brought vnder the obedience of the will of God are notwithstanding brought forth in sin because they are born by carnall generation and not by spirituall regeneration as corne winnowed from the chaffe yet groweth vp againe with it and as the foreskin cut off from the parents recurneth in the child Again haue infants of the faithful right to be baptized Then acknowledge heereby the difference betweene them and the children of infidels Iewes Pagans and Turkes As the children of the Iewes being heires of the couenant were separated distinguished from other children of the wicked Idolatrous nations and were therefore accounted the holy seed so for the same cause and reason the children of christians are called holy borne of either party and parent being faithful and a beleeuer and do differ from the prophane seede of idolatrous people Indeede whosoeuer maketh a true profession of the faith which he holdeth and is ready to lead his life according to that confession though he be not the seede 〈◊〉 child of the faithful yet is to bee baptized though hee came of the race of Turks or paganâ—s as appeareth by the speach of Phillip to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest thou maiest Thus we see that the childreÌ„ of those that professe the faith belong to the church of God the children of Pagans belong not to the church of God loe how great a difference there is betweene them Heerby then the children of the faithfull are discerned and distinguished from the prophane multitude of Atheists Epicures Libertines Arrians Anabaptistes Turkes Sarazens Persians and other barbarous nations which are without christ without hope without God in the world wheras the holy seede of all the faithfull belong to the church of God and are reckoned in the company of the church For this cause the Apostle calleth the whole posterity of Abraham holy that is consecrated and halowed to God If the roote be holy the branches are also holy Not that the children of the faithfull do want originall sinne or that they gather any actuall holinesse or inherent righteousnesse by carnall generation and propagation from their parents but because by benefit of the couenant of God and by force of his gratious promise they are separated from prophane infidels and brought into the bosome of the church as Noah was into the Arke Fiftly this doctrine setteth forth the honor and glory of God For is not God greatly glorified when he sheweth himselfe true in his promises and hath mercy vpon the faithfull for a thousand generations And is not occasion offered to vs continually to glorifie him Can we deserue that God should be our God Nay do we not deserue that hee should not be our god And yet behold he will be the God of our children also Let vs therfore neuer forget his mercies let vs fil our mouthes or rather our heartes with his praises let vs confesse before the Lorde his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Sixtly all parents are heereby wonderfully comforted they haue their faith strengthened and are confirmed in the loue of GOD when they see themselues so beloued of GOD that it descendeth and floweth euen to their Children as they are assured by this visible signe This is that worthye and wonderfull promise which wee must receiue by faith I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee A sentence to be written not onely in Golde but in the tables of our hearts to dwell with vs for euer When we must leaue the worlde and our families in poore estate behind vs and go vnto the father let vs not be dismayed discoraged or discomfited this is the stay of our hope this is the staffe of our cófort this is our Anker-hold that he wil not shut vp his mercy towarde our children but be a gracious God to them as he hath bene to ourselues so that wee may assuredly say vnto them with faithfull Abraham My sonne God will prouide Let vs be content with those things that we haue for he hath saide I will not 〈◊〉 thee neither for sake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me Godlines is great gaine and he that is truely godly is truely rich He that hath Christ hath all things he that wanteth him wanteth all things Heauen and earth are the Lords all the gold and siluer are his who hath promised to be an husbande to the Widdow eyes to the blind a couering to the naked a father to the fatherlesse and he will not forget his kindenesse towards vs for euer Wherefore let vs lift vp our hands and our harts which hang downe let vs strengthen our weake knees and make straight steps vnto our feet God is able to worke contentednes in all his seruants whose power is best seene in our weakenes 〈◊〉 whose glorie shineth brightest in our greatest wants Remember what the prophet saith Psal 37 25 I am young and now am olde
Christ Iesus shed his blood for them he dyed for all the children of God he redeemed them whether they be old or young smal or great as Ioh. 11. He must die not for that nation onely but should gather together in one the children of God which are scattered And the same Apostle Reuel 12. saith I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things written in those bookes according to their workes Wherefore when children shall come to yeares of discretion and vnderstanding they must heereby be pricked forward to an earnest care and indeuour to walke in the feare of God and to serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life by whom they were receiued for sonnes and adopted for his children by a solemne pledge of their adoption before they were able through their age to know and acknowledge him for their father Let them giue the first fruites of their life to God let them learne to beare the yoake of obedyence from their youth let them redresse and reforme their waies by taking heede to the word of truth and seeing God hath remembred them in their baptisme let them also remember their creator in the daies of their youth and begin to be wise betimes least death come suddainely and cut them off as the sluggard that for-sloweth the seasons of plowing and reaping wisheth for them in vaine at another time of the yeare Thus we haue shewed the baptisme of children the certaine truth thereof hath beene euidently proued the obiections against this truth aledged haue been susficiently answered and the vses of it to the great comfort of all faithfull parentes and Children haue beene particularly remembred Chap. 8. Of the first inward part of baptisme HItherto we haue handled al the outward parts of baptisme now we are orderly to proceede to the inwarde partes The inward parts of baptisme are such as are represented by the outward Those are foure in number first God the father secondly the spirit thirdly Christ fourthly the soule clensed as we see Math. 28 19. Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy-ghost he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heer we see these foure inward parts are named and expressed This is also euidently proued Math 3 in the baptisme of Christ where the Trinity of persons was manifested These inward parts do directly and fitly answeare to the outward The father is represented by the Minister the spirit worketh by the worde Christ is sealed by the water and the soule clensed is signified by the body that is washed Now there is a notable agreement a singular vnion and fit proportion betweene these partes where the minister hath relation and reference to the father the word to the spirit the water to Christ and the body dipped to the faithfull clensed For euen as the minister by the word of institution taketh and applyeth the water to the washing of the bodye so God the father through the working of the spirite offereth and applyeth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the faithfull Hauing seene the proportion of the parts between themselues let vs consider of them particularly and in order The first inward part is God the father represented by the minister The minister calling vpon the name of God vseth the water to wash and washeth the party baptized with the element of water which sealeth vp gods incorporating and ingrafting of the baptized into Christ and our spirituall regeneration Hence it is that when Iohn baptized the father was present as president of the worke when loe his voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Now let vs come to the vses This 〈◊〉 first of all to strengthen our faith in the remission of our fins in imputation of Christs righteousnes in mortification of sinne by the force of Christs death and in sanctification through Christs resurrection Wherefore although the Minister doth nothing touching or towarde the clensing of the soule yet in regard of Gods ordinance and our benefit the ministery of man is somewhat which whosoeuer despiseth doth despise God the author of it For whensoeuer the eye of the body seeth the minister powring on the water and washing the body we must behold by saith god the father offering the blood of his own son to be water of life to our soules And let vs all make this vse of the Churches baptism to the comfort of our own harts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a work done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outwarde action and alwaies as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of the faith be fastned firmely vppon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Again it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing nor in the externall actions of the Minister but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin and when the father offereth to vs his sonne let vs not refuse him For he that satisfieth himselfe with the outwarde work is as he that catcheth after the shadow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garments but respecteth little the body it self which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation Lastly is God the father an inward part of baptism then we must take heed we giue not that to the Minister which is proper to god the father whereby hee is robbed of the honor and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and clense the flesh but can goe no further he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes which is not in the power of mortall man to do so that god giueth the thing and men giue the signe yea while the Minister offereth the one God the father giueth the other Chap. 9 Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inwarde part of baptisme is the spirit of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God This appeareth Math 3 11 He baptizeth with the holy-ghost and with fire And verse 16 When Christ was baptized the heauens were opened vnto him and he saw the spirit discending like a doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor 6 saith ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God And chap. 12 of the same Epistle By oke spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iewes or Graecians whether we be bonde or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit And Tit 3.
of Christ. Neither must this be accounted and accepted an as indifferent ceremony to be admitted or omitted at our own choise and pleasure seeing Christ Iesus the Lorde of this sacrament commaunded the scripture hath commended the Apostles haue practised and the Ministers afterward obserued the same as the Apostle witnesseth The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ speaking of himselfe and the rest of the Ministers of the church Besides it is an essentiall expressing and tepresentation of the passion and crucifieng of Christ as also the pouring out of the wine into the cup of the Lorde Wherefore they are to be accused and conuinced as heynous breakers of the high ordinance of Christ as we see in the church of Rome who omit this breaking of the breade as impertinent and vnnecessary and as not significant For Christ Iesus commaunded his disciples to eat that breade which he had broken and this breaking pertaineth to the end of the sacrament so that it cannot be passed ouer without neglect of the institution of Christ and of the essence of the supper The next title giuen to this Sacrament is the table of the Lord and it is rightly so called as by a verye fit name For seeing it is a Supper and a most heauenly banket it is requisite there should be a table answereable vnto it that as it is the supper of the lord so there may be a table for the administration of it From hence we conclude diuers good vses for our further instruction First of al it she weth that Christ and his Apostles in the celebration of the supper vsed a table not an altar For albeit the Apostle paule speaketh vnproperly of the table and thereby vnderstand the heauenly meat and drinke which was set vpon the table for all the lords ghuests yet withal he insinuateth and signifieth the place where on they were put to wit vpon a table In like manner our fauiour Christ at the sirst institution of this sacra sate downe at the table with his Disciples he stood not with them at the altar Now according to the example of Christ and his disciples must be the practise of al churches inasmuch as christ shedding his blood on the crosse had abolished al altars and therefore the Infidels did oftentimes reprooue and reproach the Christians because they had no Altars who on the other side desended themselues that their Altars are the congregations of such as bow themselues in prayers and the spirites of iust men which smell as sweet incense in the nostrils of God other Altars then these they acknowledge none Furthermore inasmuch as the sacrament of the body blood of Christ was accustomably administred on a Table not an Altar of woode not of stone made mouable not immouable We learne from hence that it is a sacrament not a sacrifice An altar doth inferre and presuppose a sacrifice and a sacrifice is referred to the Altar whereon it is offered But we haue not now properly and sacrifice for that were to account the al-sufficient sacrifice of christ as vnsufficient and vnperfect therefore wee are not to bring Altars againe into the church There is no vse of altars in the new testament seeing the making of them togither with other types and ceremonies of the olde testament through the death of Christ is abolished as the Apostles teacheth 1 cor 9. Do ye not know that they which Minister about holy things eat of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the altars And to like purpose Heb xiii x. We haue an altar wher of they haue no right to eat which serue in the tabernacle that is such as retain the necessary vse of the ceremonies begerly rudiments of the Iews are fallen frō Christ. Whereby we see plainly and apparently that sacrifices and Altars stood togither and sell togither and therefore whereas they would conclude the sacrifice of Masse from the vse of the 〈◊〉 wee may inuert the reason and make it serue to eueit and ouerthrowe the sacrifice of their Masse seeing it is certaine there were no Altars Lastly we must obsorue that it is not barely called a table but the table of the LORD to teach vs to draw neare vnto it with all reuerence and regard If we measure and mark our affection in earthly things we see what care and curiosity is ofttimes vsed when men come to the table and presence of Noble men howe much greater care and conscience should bee vsed of euery one of vs when wee come to this table where the King of kings and the Lord of heauen and earth is present Wherefore to stirre vs vppe to this duty and deuotion let euery one consider and meditate thus with himselfe I am this day to be the lords ghuest I am inuited to his table I am to eate of his bread and to drinke of his cuppe I haue not in this businesse to do with man whose breath is in his Nostrils but to deale with God in whose presence I do abide who is both a beholder and iudge of all my actions to whom I shall either stand or fall If I come in hypocrisie he will find me out before whom all things are naked and open if I come fitted by faith and sanctified by repentance I shall receiue Christ and all his merits to my endlesse comfort Thus much sufficeth to bee considered touching this title of the Lords table The last title of this Sacrament remaineth to be handled being called the new testament or will of Christ from whence wee may gather diuerse vses as good conclusions from this doctrine For first it teacheth that there is a double testament and couenant of God made to his people one of workes the other of grace one of the law the other of the Gospell as Ioh. 1 17 The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ. And Ier 31 31 32 I will make a new couenant with the house of Israell and the house of Iudah not according to the new couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them But this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israell after those dates saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward partes and write it in their heartes and will be their God and they shall be my people The couenant of the law is a couenant where in God hath promised to his people all blessings corporall and spirituall temporall and eternall vnder the condition of perfect obedience Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. And hath threatned all curses and death it selfe to all that continue not in all parts and points of the law to do them The couenant of grace ratisied by the death and blood of
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
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
the graue with them I thinke to declare it to all the world they wish Christ dead buried and forgotten for euer that the byshop of Rome might with his shauelings rule and raign as a God vpon the earth Can light and darkenesse can heauen and earth fire and water sweete and sower be more contrary then these vaine things to the institution of Christ Who neuer said keep it in vessels hang it vnder Canopies carry it in processions giue it to the dead lay it vp in their tombes bring it abroad in common iudgements but take ye eat ye drinke ye and by receiving eating and drinking shew yee forth the Lordes death vntill hee come to iudgement to iudge the quicke and the dead This Sacrament is an holy feast an heauenly banket and therefore not to be hidden in a box as a light put vnder a bushell but to be set on the lords table for all his ghuests to feede thereon Againe if the substance and essence of this sacrament stād in the lawful vse of eating and drinking then al eleuation holding vp of the sacrament ouer the priests head all adoration falling downe honoring it with diuine worship and calling the sacrament their lord and God as it is destitute of all antiquity so it is full of grosse and palpable idolatry For wheras it was accustomed to hold vp the almes offerings consecrated to God for the poore thereby imitating the heaue-offering of the Iewes and stirring vp the people to the like charity and deuotion degenerated to the lifting vp of the host and bread in the sacrament So that where Christ saith take ye eate ye these bread-worshippers haue changed it into looke ye gaze ye worship ye giuing his glory to dumbe and senselesse creatures True it is we confesse that the Sacramentes as mysteries sanctified to an holy vse as vessels of gods grace and as instrumentes fitted to worke great things are not to be contemned or refused but to be receiued with due regard and to be vsed with all sobriety 〈◊〉 yea we confesse that christ God man is to be worshipped euery where we honor his word we reuerence his sacraments Notwithstanding we put a difference between God and the sacrament of God the same honor is not due to the one that is due to other and therefore we cannot adore the elemēts with diuine worship for many reasons First because christ in the institution of his supper said take eate drink he said not worship fal down bow the knees before the Sacra and call vpon it in time of need We heard before in the case of vnleuened bread they appealed to the institutiō of cstrist why do they now fly from it turning eating and drinking into worshipping and adoring Wherefore is it not a great iniquity and wickednes to omit what christ commaundeth and do what he commaundeth not Secondly God only is to be worshipped with diuine honor as Math. 4 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only thou shalt serue And Exod. 20. Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them Now the sacrament is not christ it is an institution of christ it is not god but an ordinance of God for god is not visible but the sacra is visible that al may know it and see it with their eies the sacrament is eaten but God cannot be eaten and swallowed vp of vs whom the heauens and the heauens of heauens cannot contain or cōprehend Thirdly christ reproueth the Samaritans because They worshipped that they knew not but the Papistes know not the body of Christ to be contained vnder the accidentes ofbread and Wine for the scriptures haue not taught it CHRIST hath not deliuered it the Apostles haue not shewed it Besides they knew not the priests intent whereon they say the essence of the Sacrament dependeth so as if he had no purpose of consecration they cannot deny themselues to be idolaters and bread-worshippers Fourthly the true worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth as Christ setteth downe Ioh. 4 24 that is not according to our owne imaginations and diuises but as God hath prescribed but to fall downe to the sacrament is a bodily sernice a new-forged worship and an humane inuention Fistly without faith no man can please God but saith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God which yet they could neuer shew vnto vs therefore they can haue no assurance of pleasing God in their wil-worship Sixtly if this sacrament be to be worshipped then it is vnited personally to Christ because adoration should not be due to Christ as man except God and man in the vnion of person were one Christ but there is no personall vnion betweene 〈◊〉 and the sacrament of Christ therefore not to be worshipped Seuenthly no man in his wits and right mind wil honor that with diuine worship which himselfe may take in his hand and eate with his mouth and which may be deuouied by Mise Rattes dogs Wormes or other venime for how shall that be adored as God that cannot defend it selfe from the teeth of men and beastes As Ioash answeared Will ye plead Baals cause If he be God let him plead for himselfe against him that hath cast downe his altar Lastly seeing they adore Christ in the pixe where the bread is and in the chalyce wher the wine is why do they not likewise worship him in the priest and in the faithfull people and euery man in his brother when they haue created and eaten him vp The same Christ that was surely inclosed in the pixe is by their doctrine really contained in the body of priest and people when they haue eaten and drunken their supposed sacrifice Why then adore they not the flesh of christ after that it is entred into the mouth of man as well as in the golden boxe or in the gilden chalice Nay why may he not be adored in the bodies of mise and vermin by them if it fall out that they eate vp their God Shall he be any where without honor Or wil they worship him wher they list and ouerskip him where they please Howsoeuer therefore Christ is to be worshipped yet we must take heed we worship not a piece of bread in stead of christ which is most grosse and 〈◊〉 Idolatry Moreouer if christ command the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunk then they are not to be offered vp to God the father as is vsually wont to be done in the pageant of the Masse This is a deep dungeō of iniquity and a monster of many heads turning the holy sacrament into an vnbloody sacrifice for the quicke and the dead abolishing the fruite and remembrance of the death of christ disanulling his priesthood giuing him to his father wheras the father hath giuen him to vs and imagining thereby to pay a price to god which he should receiue as a fatisfaction for our sins True
of the new testament his priesthood is immortall and eternall he liueth for euer therefore the Popish priesthood is a plant neuer planted by the heauenly father the true husbandman and the popish priests were neuer called of God to sacrifice the body and blood of Christ he gaue vnto them no such authority therefore in time shall be rooted vp If they pretend the precept and planting of God let them shew their commission that we may see it and let them bring forth their charter that we may trie it otherwise wee must take them for vsurpers and counterfait Officers in the cittie of God Ninthlie the Apostle teacheth that without shedding of blood is no remission But in the vnblodie Sacrifice of the Masse there is not effusion of blood he doth not suffer he is not killed he doth not shed his blood he doth not die therefore in the Masse is no remission of any sins Tenthly if Christ be daily offered in the Masse then hee doth dailie satisfie for sinne for the end of his offering is to make satisfaction as Romaines 4. 25. He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our instification And Gal 1 4. He gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world But he doth not make satisfaction for our sinnes no more then now he dieth and riseth again for then Christ would not haue said It is finished nor the Apostle u He entered once into the holy place Wherefore no more sacrifice for sinne remaineth to be offered by such as iniuriously vsurpe the priesthood of christ Last of all all true christians are Priestes to offer vp their bodies an acceptable sacrifice to God which is their reasonable seruice of God and to offer vp a broken contrite spirit as 1 Pet 3 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood and an holy nation And Reuel 1. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and priestes vnto God his father These are the Priests that now remaine this is the priesthood which we professe Whosoeuer maketh himselfe any priest of another order in the new testament abrogateth and abolisheth the Priesthood of christ being after the order of Melchizedech who was both king and priest Now then as they commit sacriledge against Christ that presume to offer him vp an vnbloody sacrifice to God the father to make peace and attonement betweene God and man so they adde another iniquity as drunkennesse to thirst making their oblation not onely profitable to take away the sinnes of the liuing but auaileable to clense the sinnes of the deade that are come to the ende of theyr daies Indeede we deny not but the Masse may be beneficiall to the rabble of Friers and sacrificing Priestes that make it gainefull to themselues who through their sale and merchandize of Masses dwell stately goe sumptuously fare delicately drinke wine in siluer and gold abound in pleasures and heape vp great aboundaunce of all riches shall we not now say the Masse is profitable But other profit of the Masses then these to the Masse-mungers we know none We know we find we feelethem otherwise many waies pernicious in themselues dishonourable to God and hurtfull to the people For first the Sacrament was instituted to no such end and purpose as to helpe the deade and to be a propitiation for their sinnes For Christ sayde take and eat this is my body drinke ye this is my blood but the deade cannot take any thing offered vnto them they can neither eate nor drinke wherefore this supper being spirituall meat and nourishment for the soule cannot auaile the deade who are neither fed nor nourished Secondly it profiteth as much to be baptized for the dead as to receiue the Supper of the Lorde for the deade for both Sacraments were instituted of Christ and there is the same respect of both But it can doe no good to baptize one for another the liuing for the dead therefore the living comming to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper cannot releeue the dead Thirdly there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes after this life we haue forgiuenes in this life or neuer Whatsoeuer is bounde on earth is bound in heauen Heere is the time heere is the place heere is the occasion offered to worke as the wiseman teacheth Ec 9 All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest And Heb 3. To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your harts Wherfore then is a sacrifice offred for the dead for whom there is no releefe no redresse no remission Fourthly it is vaine to offer for those that haue ended their daies and are already come to the ende of their race whose estate can neuer be changed The night commeth when no man can worke and Chapt 11 Are there not twelue houres in the day if a man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world If a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him And Paule 2 Tim 4. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my race I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for 〈◊〉 the crowne of righteousnes But this is the state of all the dead they are entred into iudgment they are not subiect to any chang Lastly if the sacrifice of the Masse could wash away the sinnes of the dead then the sacrifice of the Masse should surmount and exceede the sacrifice offered by christ himselfe vpon the Crosse. For this helpeth the liuing it auaileth not the dead and so we should haue other meanes to take away sinne then his oblation and there should be another propitiation for the sinnes of the world And thus much of the popish idoll of the blasphemous masse Furthermore did Christ deliuer his last Supper to all his Disciples that were present Did none stand by and gaze on while other receiued Then heereby fall to the ground the priuate communions of the popish Church where al is deuoured by the priest nothing deliuered to the people For whereas the ordinance of Christ and ancient order of the church was for the minister and people to receiue the Sacrament together among them the priest accompanied with his boy to make answer receiueth the sacrament himselfe alone without distribution made to others yea although the whole congregation be present and looke vpon him whereby God is dishonoured the communion is abolished the people of God are there by depryued and robbed of al comfort How is this a feast which the priest prepareth for himselfe not for others receiueth by himselfe not with his bretheren he speaketh to himselfe and not to the assembly he vseth a strange tongue and no man knoweth what he meaneth the people is
taught nothing they vnderstand nothing they heare nothing they receiue nothing and a few childish apish foolish and vnseemely gestures excepted they see nothing they tast nothing they partake nothing neither comfort of heart nor memory of Christ nor benefit of his passion But Christ in his last Supper did not eate vp all alone but after the Disciples hadde supped as Mathew setteth it downe he tooke bread and blessed he brake and gaue it to them saying take ye eate ye neither did he drinke alone of the fruite of the vine but taking the cup he gaue thanks and gaue to them all saying Drink ye all of this So then albeit a certain number of communicants are not limited and determined yet Christ in these wordes apoin 〈◊〉 eth a company to be present as apeareth by the number take ye eate ye drinke ye all deuide ye it among your selues doe ye this in my remembrance ye set foorth the Lordes death when yee come together to eat tarrie ye one for another as often as ye shal eat this bread These words cannot be vnderstood of one perticular man but necessarily import a greater number of men nay the Philosopher teacheth that the word all must be verified at the least of the number of three which is the least and lowest number that would be admitted to this supper Neither do we read that so soon as one was gained to the faith that the Apostles administred this Sacrament to him much lesse would they minister to themselues alone when none were conuerted in a nation or cittie Secondly Christ expressely commandeth vs to doe as himselfe did when he left this fare-well token and pledge of his 〈◊〉 to his Disciples saying Do this in remembrance of me But he after the wordes of consecration did not offer a sacrifice to his father vnder shewes of bread and wine but gaue the bread and cup to his Disciples and left his owne example as a direction for vs to followe so that the distribution and deliuerance of the signes is of the substance of the Sacrament as well as the breaking of the bread or pouring out of the wine and it is not lawfull in any sort to change the testament of Christ or to corrupt the meaning of the testator Thirdly the Apostle teacheth how he receiued from the Lorde that which he deliuered to the churches that the people should eate of this bread and drinke of this cup and proueth that the faithfull are made partakers of the Lords table not by gazing or looking on while others eat but by eating not by standing still while others drinke but by drinking as 1 Cor. x. Wee that are l many are one breade and one body because we are all partakers of one bread Fourthly the same Apostle reprooueth the Corinthians which presumed to the Supper of the Lorde besore others and did not tarry for their brethren when they came togither to be partakers of the sacrament as we see 1 Cor 11. Euery man a hen they should eate taketh his owne supper afore this is not to eat the Lords snpper And afterward Wherefore my brethren when ye come together to eate tarry one for another Now because the Corinthians brake this order and ordinance he chargeth them to come vnreuerently to receiue vnworthily to eat and drink iudgment vnto themselues Shall they then that are faithfull christians patiently beare the iniury done them by these sacrificing Masse-mungers who neuer bid the Lordes ghuestes nor call them to his table nor tarry for them till they come to this heauenly banket but like the priests of Bell do eate and drinke vp all themselues Fistly the same Apostle willeth and warneth all persons which come to this communion diligently to proue and examine themselues and then to come to this supper as we see 1 cor 12. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cup so that he would not haue any excluded from receiuing which haue tryed their harts by examining and are thereby rightly propared to this great worke Lastly the names giuen to this Sacrament noting the nature thereof doe affoord vs a good consideration to strike through the heart of this priuate Masse being called sometimes the supper of the Lord and sometimes a communion among our selues If it be an holy supper and spirituall banket why are none bidden and called thereunto If it be a communion why doth the Priest vncharitably swallow all alone whereby they make it a communion but without company a supper but without ghuests meat but without eating drinke but without drinking a table but without sitting downe a participation but without any that are partakers a banket but without seeding thereat the people departing as hungery and thirsty as they came Wherefore as no man celebrated the Passeouer aright or receiued profit thereby but such as did eat the flesh thereof so can none come to the supper of the Lord as he ought though he looke vpon others except he eate of the bread and drinke of the cup according to the commaundement of Christ the author thereof And thus much of the sole communions and priuate Masses brought into the church against the example of Christ against the vse of the Apostles and against the name and nature of the sacrament it selfe Hitherto we haue pulled downe the Heresies of the Church of Rome and haue raked in the dirt and dungh ill of their deuises the sauour whereof hath annoyed heauen and earth now let us obserue out of this last outward part of the sacrament how we are directed and instructed therby to further our knowledge and obedience Did Christ commaunde the faithfull of his family to eate and drinke that which he deliuereth without laying any furder burthen or bondage vpon them then we must vnderstand it is no precept of Christ to receiue the Lordes supper fasting before any other meats and drinkes True it is the people whose zeale goeth beyond their knowledge make a great scruple of conscience in this point to come fasting which custom we do not condemn but commend so it be without superstition in themselues and iudging of others But howsoeuer many make as great a matter to communicate fasting as to come in faith yet this is no necessary rule or commaundement binding the conscience to the obseruation thereof For the Worde of God and institution of the sacrament are perfect directions to the church teaching all matters of faith and obedience yet they teach no such practise And our blessed sauiour teacheth his disciples what they should do the Euangelists deliuer what they did and among all their doctrine we find not this precept of fasting Againe Christ administred it not fasting the Apostles receiued it not fasting not that we are bounde to celebrate the supper at that time but to shew that Christ would neuer haue chosen to do it after Supper if that time had bin simply vnlawful Besides
part his sonne to his office the minsters deliuering of the bread the fathers giuing of his sonne If then wee drawe neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure certain to vs then the taking receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bred from the minister we with all receiue the body of christ offered by the hand of God the father Lastly the breaking of the breade pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the handes of the communicants 〈◊〉 these actions of God his chastising of his sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vppon the crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the minister giueth the outwarde signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christes blood for their daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected that not a bone of him was broken as it was figured by the passeouer and performed at his passion the verifieng and accomplishment whereof we read Iohn 19. 36. I answere there is a dubble breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before do speak the other figuratiuely wherby is vnderstood he was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vppon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is ment by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the crosse My God my god why hast thou for saken me Wherefore let these rights be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when we see the breade broken and wine poured out meditat on the passion of christ howe hee was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet he was broken with afflictions brused with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickned Whosoeuer resteth in the outward works done before his eies neuer attaineth to the substāce of the sacrament Thus much of the first inward part Chap. 9. Of the second inward part of the Lords supper THe second inward part is the holy spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised 〈◊〉 vs so doth the spirit worke these things in the hearts of all the 〈◊〉 This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. rehaue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisdome and to 〈◊〉 the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another is giuen faith by the same spirit all these thinges woorketh one and the selfe same spirite distributing to euery man seuerally as hee will So then as wee are weake in faith and slowe to beleeue so we haue the spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our heartes to receiue the promises This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues to be considered And first of all inasmuch as the spirite worketh these things in the harts of all the faithfull from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any chaunge or renewing of the mind or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacramentes may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether ever they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the means to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the spirit accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached hee must open the hart that is closed vppe before wee can receiue with meekenes the worde that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the wordes of institution may see the Wine poured out may eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe as they may also hear the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirite of GOD sealinge vppe the truth and substance of those things in the harts of all the children of God Againe seeing these thinges are done and performed by the working of the spirit they are confuted and cōuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidentes of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouthes and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-ghost is the bonde of this vnion hee worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ. It is saide of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that he reioiced to see the day of Christ he sawe it and was gladde For as we cannot see him with our bodily eies nor hear him with our bodily ears nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can we tast or eat him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there on the present with vs. If any say How can this bee can that which is absent from vs be present with vs can heauen be in earth or earth bee in heauen He ere vnto I may moste iustlye aunsweare although this bee a great mistery and marueilous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth togither things that are seuered in place and begetteth faith in vs which is the instrumenr and hande whereby we receiue and applye Christ with all his gifts vnto our selues as Iohn 17. Father I pray thee for such as shall beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou
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
faith and renewed repentance because euery new sinne requireth a new act of repentanee and appealing to Christ by faith Then we are aright disposed to the lords table when we are liuely touched with a sence and feeling of our corrupt dispositions and daily failings in our faith and obedience For the repentance of euery faithfull man must be doble first general repenting of original and actuall sinnes generally receiuing power of God to change ourminds wils and affections whereof Ioh. bap t ist saith Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand This is giuen and granted vnto vs at that time when firste we receiue to beleeue it maketh an alteration in vs slayth the old man quickneth the life of the new man beginneth in weaknes continueth in greater strength and groweth more and more vnto perfection Secondly speciall for speciall sinnes and continuall failings into which we fall which we must practise to the end of our dayes Now as we said in the former chapter that no man for the feeblenes of his faith is to absent himself from this supper so must we remember touching our repentance thogh it be in great weakenes and frailty yet if it be a sound and sincere hatred of all sinne not a for saking of some sinnes onely as Saul herod and Iudus did keeping other in themselues to their owne confusion our imperfections shal be couered our wants shall be supplied our weaknes shal be remitted by the death of Christ who was annointed and sent to preach the gospell to the poore to heale the broken hearted to publish deliuerance to the captiues recouering of sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are brused And hepronounceth such blessed as are poor in spirit For theirs is the kingdome of heauen Wherfore if thou feele in thy selfe great defectes of faith of 〈◊〉 of sanctification pray to God earnestly that hee will vouchsafe to increase his giftes let vs confesse with Dauid wee haue find let vs weep with Pet. and the sinful woman let vs acknowledge our vnworthines and say with the Centurion Lord We are not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder our roofe Let vs cry out with the Publican O God be merciful to me a sinner This is the way to make vs worthy this is the means to fit vs to the Lords table this is to be practised of such as will be his ghuests Chap. 19. Of reconciliation to our brethren the last part of Examination HItherto in examination of our selues we hane shewd what wee are to doe in respect of GOD the roote whereof is knowledge the body is faith the fruite is repentance Now to conclude wee are to handle the last part which is loue toward men and reconciliation of our selues to our neighbors for iniuries wronges and offences done vnto them which are as poyson to this banket For in vaine we shall pretend knowledge boast of faith glory of repentance if we faile in duties toward our bretheren For heere is the touchstone and tryall of all the rest euen our obedience to the second table which concerneth the duties of loue toward our bretheren Heerevnto commeth the doctrine of Christ set downe in the Euangelist Math. 5. If thou bring thy gift to the alter and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift before the altar and goe first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Where he teacheth that he so approproueth this duty that hee will haue his owne immediat seruice cease and giue place for a time till it be performed So in the Sermon which he made to his Apostles before he was betrayed to death he did diligently beate vpon this point saying By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another This is my 〈◊〉 that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man that a man bestow his life for his frends ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaund you This likewise the Apostle teacheth that we may know him to be the scoller of the same maister Coloss. 3 As the elect of God holie and beloued put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe ye and aboue all these things put on loue which is the bound of perfectnesse As euery one hath a comfortable experience in his own hart of Gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his sinnes which are many and great so let him shew mercy againe as he hath receiued mercy and deale vnto others kindly as God hath delt gratiously toward him Our sauiour Christ auoucheth this Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debters he called them to take an account of them and forgiueth the debt hauing compassion on him that was not able to pay but when he was departed and had found one of his fellow-seruants which ought him an hundred pence he laid hand on him thratled him and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt Then the Lord called him and said O euil seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest thou not also to haue pittie on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pittie on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till he should pay all that was due to him Then followeth the application of the whole So likewise shall mine heauenly father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your harts each one his brother their trespasses Now the Lordes supper was ordained of God for this end that it might be a band of loue and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vs togither among our selues that if it wer possible we should not breake from him as Paule teacheth 1 Cor. 10 We that are manie are one bread and one bodie because we al are partakers of one bread Wherefore this Supper may fitly be called a Sacrament of vnity and a seale of our agreement one with another Behold heere a chaine consisting of many linkes to knit vs together that wee breake not from God and our brethren Do we not al come to the table Do we not all eat of the same bread Do we not al drinke of the same cup Is not the same loafe compact of many cornes Is not the same Wine pressed out of many clusters Do we not all ioyne together in the same receiuing Were we not baptized into the same baptism What a shameful thing is this full of infamy and reproach to see the branches of the same vine the sheepe of the same shepheard the children of the same father the Seruants of the same maister the fellowes of the same houshould the heirs of the same kingdome the ghuests of the same banket the obtainers of the same
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
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