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
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
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
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
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
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
hath brought vs into his Church by baptisme and made vs as it were of his houshold seruants then as a good father of the family he feedeth vs spiritually with the flesh of his sonne applying vnto vs the merit of his death and passion This sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is declared in the scripture by diuerse names to deliuer the nature thereof vnto vs. Sometimes it is called the communion as 1 Cor 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Sometimes it is called the Lords supper as 1 Cor. 11 20. When ye come together into one place this is not to eate the Lords supper Thirdly sometimes it is called the breaking of bread as Act. 2. 42. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers and Chap. 20 7. The first day of the weeke the disciples being come together to breake bread Paule preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow Fourthly sometimes it is called the table of the Lord as we see 1 Cor. 10 21. Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of diuels ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils Moreouer we shall nothing offend if we cal it the testament or will of Christ This cup is the new testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me and our sauiour thus speaketh Math. 26 This is my blood of the new testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes These are the chiefe and principal names giuen to this Sacrament in the Scriptures I am not ignorant that the ancient fathers and times succeeding haue giuen vnto it other names and not vnfitly but my purpose being not so much to alle age the councels or doctors of the church as to instruct the simple and vnlearned I wil content my selfe with expounding such termes and titles as are penned in the word of God and pointed out by the spirit of God Now then let vs render the reasons of such names as this Sacrament is entituled withall It is called the communion because we haue a communion fellowship with Christ and he with vs both which are sealed vp the in this Sacrament It is called the Lords supper both because it was instituted by the Lord Iesus at is last supper which circumstance of time the church hath changed because therin is offered to vs a spiritual banket in which the faithful are spiritually fed and nourished It is called the breaking of bread both because this is a necessary action vsed of Christ not to be omitted and because it representeth the crucifieng of christ and tormenting of his body so that we should neuer be present at this significant ceremony but wee must call to remembrance the sorrowes and sufferings of CHRIST now if Christ were thus tormented for vs surely wee ought greatly to bee griped and grieued for our owne sinnes which was also shewed by the sower herbes of the Passeouer Exod. 12 8. It is called the table of the Lord because he doth feede vs at it as this we know is the end and vse of Tables in our houses to set our meates and drinkes vpon them prepared for our nourishment and this is the scope and end of the Lords table onely heere lyeth a plaine and maine difference our Tables serue for bodily nourishment but the Lordes is prepared for the spirituall nourishment of our soules Lastly it may be called the testament or will of Christ because it setteth forth vnto vs asolemne couenant betweene God and vs touching forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life which couenant is racified established by the death of the son of god so that heerin we find all things belonging to a full and perfect testament as we shall see after ward Out of these seuerall names and titles thus interpreted arise most aptly and fitly sundry vses which in order as they haue beene propounded wee will consider The first title is the Communion from whence wee deduct these necessary conclusions First of all is the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ called a communion And so called of our communicating together Then hereby all the faithfull openly testifie that they be all one body coupled together in Christ Iesus we professe him and all his benefits we receiue him we enioy him we reioyce in him God the father doth giue him the holy-ghost doth assure him faith doth receiue him by this hand we are ioyned to him and haue spirituall fellowship with him Wherefore al beleeuers are made one by Christ and this is not an vnion in imagination but in truth and in deed neither by transsusion of the properties of the God-head or manhood into vs but by one and the same spirit dwelling in christ and in all the members of Christ as 1 Cor. 6 He that 〈◊〉 to the Lord is one spirit And the Apostle Iohn testifieth that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in christ by the spirit He that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and he in him and heereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs so that the spirits of iust and perfect men in heauen and all beleeuers vpon the earth how farre socuer sundred in place hauing one and the same spirit of christ dwelling in them are al one in Christ their head God hath giuen his owne sonne vnto vs freely and fully our faith receiueth CHRIST by beleeuing him and all his gratious benefits to be ours as Ioh. 1 12 As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the soxnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Thus we see we are one with Christ and christ with vs. Secondly as this sacrament being a communion admonisheth that we are all one in Christ so it teaeheth that it is to be receiued of many together in the church not of one alone and therefore it ouerthroweth the priuate Masses of the church of Rome where one partaketh all and the rest of the Church nothing at all There is a flat opposition betweene these two so that the communion cannot be a priuate Masse and priuate masse cannot be a communion That which is ordained and prepared for many deliuered vnto many and receiued of many cannot stand with the Masse where the priest prepareth for himselfe not for the people hee speaketh to himselfe not to the church hee receiueth himselfe alone not with his bretheren all which are directly contrary to the Apostles rule Tary one for another Lastly if it be a communion it teacheth that this is a sacrament of vnity and concord and wee are there by put in mind to avoid discord and dislention For christ neuer communicateth himselfe to
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
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
bridegroome shall be taken from them and then they shal fast But if he were remainning on the earth and contained in the pixe the bridegroome could not nor would not be taken away And the same Euangehst chap. 26. saith Ye haue the poore alwaies with you but me ye shal not haue alwaies Like wise Iohn 13. When Iesus knew that hie houre was come that he should depart out of this world vnto the father heeriseth from supper and chap. 14. I goe to prepare a place for you but I wil come againe if I go away to prepare a place for you I will receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also and verse 28 ye haue heard how I said vnto you I go awaie and will come vnto you And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Againe act 1. ye men of Galile why stand re gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen If then Christ according to his humane nature be not on earth how can his 〈◊〉 body be on euerie altar how can they eat him with their 〈◊〉 how can they swallow him downe their throat Ninthlie such an eating and 〈◊〉 of the bodie and blood of christ must be holden as is profitable and comfortable to the receiuers for nothing is more 〈◊〉 and fruitfull then these being rightlie receiued 〈◊〉 thereby remission of sinnes assured and eternall glory sealed vp vnto vs. But no fruite to our faith can come vnto vs by this kind of bodilie eating the bodie carnall drinking the blood of christ for wicked men haue as great a portion in this as the godly Nay by their owne doctrin it may be eaten of birds of beasts of Mice of Dogs of hogs of vermine to whom no profit no comfort no benefit can come whereas God woulde haue the flesh of the sonne of man to be eaten of those to whom it shal be auailable to life and saluation I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of the world Tenthly nothing can be more grosse barbarous or inhumane then to deuour mans flesh and to drinke mans blood What doth more transforme men into sauage and 〈◊〉 beasts Nay worse then beastes which deuour not their owne kind what is more contrarie to the purenes holines of Gods law then this The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined seuen fold The feare of the Lord is clean the law of God is spirituall holy iust and good And the gospell bringeth saluation to all degrees and teacheth vs that we should deny all vngodlines and worldly Iustes and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world But what can be more repugnant to godlines sobernes and righteousnes then to teare wirh the teeth and iawes mans flesh and to drink his blood from which the Capernaits abhorred what more crosseth the Religion of Christ the law of god and the light of nature then mā to deuour man and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another And are not their stomackes strong to digest this meat did not god in the law command to abstain frō eating the blood of beasts and from strangled did not the Apostles for a time renue it amōg the christiās in respect of the weaknes of the Iews because Moses was read in their sinagogue euer saboth day to what 〈◊〉 should this be done if the church had tasted the blood of ch with their mouth or swallowed his body in their bellies And do not the Scythians and al the gentiles that are not vtterly voide of 〈◊〉 abstain from mans blood and 〈◊〉 deuouring his flesh wherefore these men are worse then the Scithians barbariās and Gentiles yea worse then the Canibals Indies that eat their enimies but these deuour ch whom they cal their L. and maist like Actcons houndes to compare one fable with another onely heer ly the differences they deuourd their Lord vnder the shape of a stag or Hart they eat their maist vnder the formes of bread and wine these fastned their mouth vpon their maister because they thoght him absent and not present vnder that shape they openly confesse their maister to be present and yet 〈◊〉 professe to deuour him with their iawes and swallow him in their stomacks wherefore these men are more cruell Eleuenthly if Christ be present in the Sacramant bodily and carnally in what body shall he be present Whether in his glorified body as he is in the heauens or in his mortall body as he was vpon the earth In one of these he must be present necessarily if he be present fleshly Whatsoeuer they answer they are taken onboth hands are stroken downe as with a sword that hath two edges Dare they saie he is thus present in his mortall bodie This cannot be For it is certaine he hath not now a mortall bodie but a glorified bodie this corruptible hath put on in corruption this mortall hath put on immortality and death is swallowed vp in victory This the Apostle confirmeth this the Scripture teacheth this Christian faith beleeueh Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he dyed he dyed once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Like wise Heb. 7. 25 This man because he endureth euer hath a priesthood which cannot passe from one to another seeing he euer hueth to make intercession for them And chapter 9. of the same Epistle he is entred into heauen not that he should offer himselfe often but he was once offered to take away the sins of many These testimonies duly considered he cannot be present in a mortal body What then will they be helped to say he is present in his glorified body Then he cannot nowe be present in the sacrament of the supper as he was present to the Apostles sitting at the table with them and preaching vnto them of his death he cannot be present in the same body that he did deliuer to his Disciples in the institution of his last supper For the body of Christ was then mortall and not glorified then he had not suffered death vpon the Crosle he was not risen and ascended into the heauens to sit at the right hand of his father so that they must seeke another place then these wordes of Christ This is my body this is my blood to build their reall presence and transubstantiation for they pointed out his mortall body because his body was not yet glorified when the sacrament was instituted Besides what a uniserable glorified body should this be to be
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
is deceiued the Greekes vse not the same forme that we do yet we deny not but that they consecrate Thus hee concludeth the whole matter with an Ignoramus Vnto these heads before remembred we might also adde many foolish friuolous and ridiculous questions disputed among them as whether in the sacrament the foote of Christ bee confounded with his face his hand with his head and whether one part be distinguished from another Whether the host falling the body of Christ falleth and whether it be moued to and fro as oft as the host is moued Whethe it be fittest for the host to be eaten after a 〈◊〉 hath vomited it vp or a drunken man in his drunkennes Whether christ leaue heauen to come into the place of bread Whether in comming he passe through the aire Whether he forsake the earth againe so soone as the shewes of bread are touched with the teeth or whether he go downe into the stomacke How long he stayeth in the stomack Whether he tarry and waite his attendance there till the forme of bread be disgested and whether he change himselfe at such time into the foule or body of the communicant or whether he vanish into nothing or else returne to heauen They make a quaere likewise when the sacrament beginneth to be God how long it continueth God when it is god and when it is no god When we may adore and how long we may adore it without danger and so safely cease and leaue off Whether the body of Christ haue dimension of quantities proportion of body and distance of parts one from another as between eie and eie eare and eare head and foote as it is in other naturell bodies Whether christ speake of the Eucharist Ioh. 6. Gabriel Biell Cusanus Caietan Lyra and others deny it but Sanders and Bellarmine hold otherwise go about to confute the former Againe whether the matter of the Sacrament may be bread of any kind of graine and corne or only of wheaten bread Some hold the signe of the Sacrament must onely be made of Wheat as Scotus some of Wheate or barly as Albertus and Thomas de Argentina Others holde consecration rightly to bee made in any vsuall and common bread whatsoeuer it bee as Caietan They cannot agree likewise whether the priest may be saide to be the creator of his creator With a thousand such questions or rather fooleryes they blot Paper wast time and weary the Reader neuer knowne nor heard off in auncient Writers no not 800. yeares after christ which argueth that they neuer dreamed of any carnall presence But not to stand vpon all the the contradictions among them which were without end and without 〈◊〉 wee will come to the m wordes of institution which albeit they be short and easie cleere and euident in themselues yet they haue corrupted them with many glozes and crossed one another in their peruerse interpretations Christ saith of his last Supper when hee had taken blessed and broken the bread This is my body which is broken or giuen for you do this in remembrance of me In like manner he tooke the cup saying This cup is the new testament in my blood this doe as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me As if hee should say this bread is a signe or sacrament of my body which is deliuered to death for you and for your saluation Christ tooke nothing but bread he brake that which he tooke he deliuered that which he brake as the Apostle saith The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ So touching the other part when he saith This cup hee meaneth this Wine in the cup is a sacrament of the new testament of our reconciliation with God now to bee fulfilled of our communion and participation of Christ with all his benifits This interpretation is agreeable to the circumstances of the text to the proportion of faith and to the exposition of the ancient fathers who call the sacrament a representation a remembrance an image a token a signe a figure and such like But because our aduersaries can abide no figures let vs heare what the Doctours of the Church teach who thought it no heresie to expound the wordes of Christ by a figure Tertullian one of the most auncient saith Christ receiuing the bread and the same being diuided vnto his Disciples made it his body saying This is my body that is to say a figure of my body And Chrysostome If Christ died not whose token signe is this sacrifice Ambrose also hath these words After consecration the body of christ is signisied Adde vnto these the testimony of Augustine who taught the people thus christ at his last supper commended and gaue the figure of his body blood And epist 23. ad Bonifac. The sacramēt of the body of christ is after a sort the body of christ And in another place The Lord doubted not to say this is my body when he gaue a token of his bodie Lastly the Glose vpon the Canons dissenteth not heerin frō the fathers Dicitur corpus christi sed improprie vt sit sensus It is the body of christ but vnproperlie the meaning is it is called Christes body that is it signifieth christs body Gelasius saith in the same māner There remaineth still in the sacra the nature or substance of bread and wine To conclude Augustin saith else where Quod videtis panis est that is the thing that ye see is bread He doth not say it seemeth bread and is none or it is the shew and forme of bread but he speaketh euidently it is indeede bread Now our aduersaries that can abide no tokens no figures no signes no significations in the wordes of the supper are notwithstanding driuen to make so diuerse so doubtfull so many so monstrous so mad and senseles expositions of the word of institution as al the tropes figures metaphors allusions allegories and rhetoricke in the world wil not serue them to salue vp the braunches of their interpretations of these short and few words First they finde in the word bread a whole swarme of figures They say the Sacrament is called Bread sometimes because it was bread before sometimes because an Infidell taketh it to be bread sometimes because the accidents and shewes of bread remaine sometimes because the same accidentes nourish the body by a miracle as if it were bread sometimes because it is that spirituall bread which came from heauen and lastly because the bread sometimes returneth againe after consecration Againe these words lying together he tooke hee blessed he brake going before the words which Christ spake are strangely expounded on this manner he tooke the bread hee blessed that is he turned and changed the bread he brake that is the accidents or shewes of bread and sometimes they vnderstand It seemeth to be broken so that when the Euangelists saith 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