all sides that without consecration and sanctification there can be no Sacrament for without this halowing the matter in 〈◊〉 is bare water the bread in the Supper is bare bread the Wine is Common Wine Now euery creature is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer as the Apostle teacheth 1 Tim. 4. and therefore we cannot assure our hearts that god wil blesse any other creatures as fish or flesh in stead of bread water or beere in stead of Wine seeing the word hath not sanctified these elementes for this purpose They are sanctified by the worde for the ordinary nourishment of our bodyes but they are not by any speciall worde sanctified for the vse of the Sacramentes If then it be simply vnlawfull to change any thing in the matter of the 〈◊〉 no pretence or necessity can 〈◊〉 make it lawsull And as when a lawfull Minister is wanting a pryuate person may not be taken so when the matter appoynted for the administration of this sacrament is missing an other may not bee assumed For as well may wee change the minister of the Sacrament into a pryuate man as the bread and Wine being the signes into another matter If the Sacraments cannot be had according to the precise and pure institution of Christ they may lawfully be deferred or omitted for the danger standeth not in the want as wee haue declared before so long as we are free from the contempt of them The fourth generall vse arising ioyntly from both the signes is if Christ deliuered and the Disciples receiued bread and wine as the outwarde signes of this Sacrament then we learne that the doctrine of transubstantiation is a dotage of mans inuention Though this deuise be now receiued in the Roman church as a matter of saluation as an Article of faith and a maine point of religion that by vertue of these words This is my body this is the cup of the new Testament the substaunce of breade and wine is gone and nothing remaineth but onely the shewes likenes and appearance of them yet if we examine the matter by the words of institucion by the nature of a sacrament by the proportion of faith by the true properties of a true humain body by force of reason by iudgement of the sences by confession of the aduersaries themselues and by the manifold contradictions among themselues we shall find it to be a late deuise inuention of the Papists first decreed and determined in the counsel of Laterane vnder pope Innocentius the 3. in the raigne of King Iohn of England not yet 400. years ago There it was hatched at that time and made a main matter of faith aproued in the church of Rome but yet not then receiud ouer al the world This error is a spice of the error of Marcus who went about to make his fellows and followers beleeue that he did trāsubstantiate wine into blood in the sacrament Thus do the church of Rome at this day he was he noted for an heretick by the fathers I wil not for shortnes sake bring all the reasons that might be broght to ouerthrow and ouerturn the turning of the bread into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood but alleage some few among many wherunto we require them to answer if they can Neither let thē pretend that they haue bin answerd already inasmuch as no sound and certain answer can be brought vnto them to satisfie vs or themselues Our reasons for the present shal be these First that which Christ took in his hands he brake that which he brake he gaue that which he gaue his Disciples he commanded them to eat that which hee commaunded them to eate hee calleth his bodye This appeareth by the testimony of the Euangelistes and coherence of the words But he tooke bread and brake it therefore he gaue bread he commanded to eat bread he saide of the bread This is my body Now if he tooke bread but brake it not or if he brake bread but gaue it not or if he gaue bread to his Disciples to eat but told them not this which he gaue them but some other thing beside that was his body the latter part of the 〈◊〉 starteth from the beginning and the middle swarueth from them both Secondly the Apostle after the words of consecration doth oftentimes call it bread as 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye shall eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the lords doath til he come And againe Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. And againe Let a man examme himselfe and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cup. These men say it is not bread the Apostle saith it is bread whether of these we shall beleeue iudge you So in the former chapter hee saith the bread which we breake is it not the commanion of the body of Christ Likewise touching the other signe our sauiour expressely calleth it wine after the thanks giuing Mat. 26. I will not drinke hencefoorth of this fruit of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome This fruit of the vine is wine therfore the substance of it remaineth Now if the bread had bene turned into the body or the wine into the blood of Christ and if the Apostle would haue spoken properly he should haue said As often as ye shall eat not this bread but this body of Christ vnder the forme of breade the blood of Christ vnder the forme of Wine And againe he that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of Christ vnworthily And againe let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat and take in his mouth the very body of Christ his creator But thus the Apostle hath not spoken neither could he so speake truely properly and fitly therefore we do truely properly and fitly conclude that there is no 〈◊〉 Thirdly Christ speaking of the cup saith Take diuide it among you and of the bread he saith he tooke it and brake it But if the substance of bread be abolished or changed into the body of Christ and likewise the nature of the wine turned into the blood of Christ there could be no true distributing or breaking for the blood of Christ is not deuided into parts neither is his body broken Fourthly if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend vpon these words of institution This is my body This is my blood then there can be no reall change before these words be fully finished and pronounced to the end I herefore when they begin to say 〈◊〉 is What is it What mean they I say it is Is it any other then bread and wine by their owne confession till the wordes bee ended So then these sentences shall not be true when they say 〈◊〉 is my body this is my blood
without many contradictions For if christs body be visible how can it be inuisible If it haue al the properties of a naturalbody how can it be without the properties of a natural body If it be finite how can it be infinite Lastly if it be an inseparable necessary adioynt to a true body to be contained in one certaine place how then can it be true that his body is in ten thousand places without any circumscription So then Gods omnipotency cannot build vp the monstrous worke of the reall presence inasmuch as the body of Christ cannot be brought within the slender compasse of a mathematicall cake without falsehood and destruction of all the properties incident vnto a true and naturall body Lastly as an esfect of Gods omnipotent power they obiect the bread and Wine are turned into the flesh and bloode of Christ appearing bread and Wine still by a wonderfull Myracle which is wrought by the wordes of consecration and by a mighty worke of God This obiection hath beene sufficiently answered already Wee haue proued that euerye Myracle may bee seene and discerned by the outward sence as the Myracles of Moses of the prophets of Christ and the Apostles and therefore the Iewes said vnto Christ Shew vs a miracle teaching that miracles are to be iudged by sight and sense When Moses turned the Waters of the Egyptians into blood the sight perceiued the tast discerned it The Myracles of Christ appeare euidently and were apprehended by the senses of the body Hee turned water into Wine the tast iudged there of the dombe spake the eare heard them speake The Lame walked the deade were raised the eies perceiued the motion all 〈◊〉 and were astonied In like manner if the bread and Wine were chaunged eyther the eye or tast should perceiue it and all the Disciples would be astonied Againe after the Gospell was plentifully confirmed and had taken roote and the Apostles were dead such Myracles ceased as experience teacheth Besides the holy supper is an ordinary Sacrament of the Church but euery miracle is extraordinary or else it is no Myracle so that vnlesse we will turne ordinary into extraordinary and make miracles as common as Sacramentes we must remoue miracles from the supper Furthermore if the real presence were wrought by a miracle euery priest should be a worker of miracles and wonders and an ordinary calling shold alwaies be accompanied with extraordinary gifts But their office of priesthood hath not this gift in their owne iudgement generally giuen vnto it Wherefore miracles being now ceased are not found in the supper Lastly Augustine gathering all the Myracles written in the Scripture yet speaketh not of this nay he not onely omitted it but slatly denyeth any myracle to bee in the Sacrament when he saith It may haue honour or reuerence as an holy thing but cannot be wondered at as a strange or myraculous thing If then it be a Myracle it must be in the number of lying Myracles spoken off by the Apostle so that Transubstantiatyon and the reall presence are reall contraryes or contradictions repugnant to the Scripture to fayth to reason to lerning to sense to natur to Gods ordinance absurd and impossible and therfore of all Gods people to be abhored abiured being a renewing of the old heresie of Eutiches who held that Christs body after his 〈◊〉 was made equall with his diuinity To conclude this vse we do not exclude all presence of Christ out of the Sacrament but distinguish the manner of his presence which we haue shewed to be in the supper truely not grosly effectually not fleshly spiritually not bodily sacramentally not carnally mistically not naturally The former vse was touching knowledge and faith instructing what to hold of the reall presence The next vse is touching our obedience and dutye For is Christ the chiefe substance of this sacrament and his body and blood giuen vs for the foode of our soules a gift farre aboue heauen and earth Then we are bound to hunger after him to desire him with an earnest appetite and desire as wee come to our meate and drinke Hunger is a great thing and we say it maketh men leape ouer a stone wall he that is hunger bitten will eate his owne flesh from his armes In this corporall hunger then are two thinges that pine and pinch men first a paine in the lower part of the belly arising from emptinesse secondly an exceeding appetite to be filled and satisfied such haue killed dressed and deuourd their own childen rather thē they would starue this paine hath beene so great this longing hath beene so extraordinary So must it be with vs in the spirituall hunger after Christ we must be inwardly pained in soule for 〈◊〉 and for the wrath of God kindled for our sinne and then haue an hungring 〈◊〉 and longing appetite that we may possesse Christ and lay hold on him to our saluation Whosoeuer commeth to his ordinary meate without hunger it were better not to eate it ingendreh grosse and euill humours aud bringeth a surfet to the body So whosoeuer desireth not christ with an hungry soule earnestly longing after him and crauing nourishment from him cannot be filled with good thinges The want of this hunger is a cause why so few receiue Christ and profit not by the meanes ordained to that end as the word and sacraments these come to them of custome rather then with conscience and for fashion rather then with faith these men are not fit to be Christes ghuests that hunger not after him Wherefore the prophet 〈◊〉 all such as faint in their soules through hunger and thirst of this foode Ho euery one that thirsteth come to the 〈◊〉 and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and 〈◊〉 without siluer and without money And the Apostle Reuel 22. 17 Let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life freely Likewise the Euangelist Luk 1 53. He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich empty away But where is the desire of these things Where is the hunger after this heauenly foode Where is the thirst after the waters of life Truely of all gifts this is the greatest yet the greatest number care nothing for christ nor for his gifts As the Israelites in the wildernesse loathed Manna and desired to returne into Egypt such are there among vs no desire no affection no zeale this way they spend their cogitations and indeuoures to gaine honour they thirst after Siluer and Gold they delight in earthly pleasures they couet houses landes and wealth of the world these things they abound in these thinges they make their happinesse and their heauen Such as these there are thousands in the bosome of the Church that hunger more after these transitory things then after heauenly Such are prophane persons as 〈◊〉 who preferred a
and pricked with vnfained sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse the true end and the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of christ To conclude we must learne and hold for euer that we haue the beg nning and chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows let vs then be reuenged of our sins and do al despite we can vnto them let vs endite them arraigne them accuse them condemne them and naile them to his crosse let vs kil thē mortifie them and bury them in his graue for euer This is the first end of the supper which is sanctified by the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine declaring vnto vs that as the body of our lord was broken and by violent meanes afflicted so his blood gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding wounds This must be our meditation whensoeuer we come to the lords table Chap. 13. Of the second vse of the lords supper THe second vse of the lords supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with christ This the Apostle declareth The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of christ Whereby he meaneth that the faithfull which come conscionably worthily to the lords table are ioyned and vnited to whole Christ by the bread Sacramentally by faith instrumentally by the holy ghost spiritually and by them all most effectually For we take the bread into our hands and likewise we take the cup into our hands as christ commaunded saying Take ye eate ye drinke ye diuide ye Neither do we lay them apart or hide them aside or reserue them in a boxe or abstaiue from them but when we haue taken them we eate we digest them we are nourished by them and they are turned into our substance So christ being eaten of the Godly by faith is vnited to them by his spirit as we haue shewed before whereby they are made one with christ and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared daintily dressed and only seene vpon the table doth not nourish the body or take away hunger so if the gospell be preached and the sacraments administred except we apply the promises of the gospel and beleeue that christ withal his gifts is ours they prosit nothing towards our saluation Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the lords supper as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided must not onely generally beleeue that Christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners but particularly for themselus yea communicateth himselfe and al his gifts to them aboundantly as certainly as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. This vnion and communion is neere and wonderfull great and therefore the apostle fitly calleth it a mistery euen a great mistery speaking of christ and of the church For what vnion can bee greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing ' nourished We haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyeth death vnto vs so that is is needefull to be ioyned to one which maie giue life to vs that as we die in Adam so wee may liue in him This vnion cannot by reason be expressed or fully vnderstood As Christ in the daies of his flesh had a dubble kindred one earthly and carnal kindred the other spirituall that by faith receiued his worde and beleeued in his name of whom he said Behold my mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother so is it in this vnió and felloship with him one is outward and bodily which al mankinde hath with him in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood the other inward and spirituall whereby we are made partakers of him and of al his sauing graces to euerlasting life As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary and vnited our nature to him taking vpon him not the Angels nature but the seed of Abraham euery reprobate hath this vnion with him in that he tooke vpon him the shape of a man but there is a mysticall and marueilous vnion whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith whereby we are truely coupled to him made partakers of him deliuered from sin and made heires of euerlasting life quickning and sustaining vs as food which preserueth the life of the bodie If the arme ioined to the body haue no life no sence no benefit of vitall spirits it is no part of the bodie though it be vnited to it so the wicked liuing without faith are as it were sencelesse they haue no forgiuenes of sinnes no sanctification no saluation and therefore are no true members of Christ. If he poure not life and grace into them they are not his members if he kill not sinne in them they are not vnited spirituallie vnto him The bodily vnion with him shall profit nothing it is the spirit that giueth life Seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which turne into our substaunce teacheth the misticall vnion between Christ and his members we learne first from hence that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces as the members receiue life from the head and the tree moisture from the root For euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage is thereby made partaker of his body and goods hath interrest with him in the commodities of this life and loketh for norishment food fellowship protection and gouernement from him so being made one with christ we are indued with his he auenly gifts and blessings This must be our comfort in all dangers and tentations in all tryals and assaults to consider that we are one with christ we are not only dear vnto him but nearely ioyned with him as members to the head as the wife to the husband and as the braunches to the vine and therefore can neuer be seperated from him in life or death Secondly this streight vniting of the faithfull to Christ sheweth that the vngodly haue no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces though they be ioyned to a communion of the same nature and haue many common gifts of knowledge and vnderstanding yet Christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirite of sanctification he possesseth not their harts he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciltation to God neither an hungring desire aboue all things to bee at vnity and peace with him neyther a distaste and dislike of sinne neyther the comfortable spirite of grace and prayer all which are in some measure in all the saithful Wherfore although they may bee cloathed with the flesh of Christ they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of Christ although they be
Scripture and nothing by them is added to the Scripture Now as the fathers of the Greeke Church called these holy rites by name of Misteries because the substance of them was onely knowne to the members of the Church and hidden from others so the ancient teachers of the Latine Church called them Sacraments in respect of the affinity and neerenesse betweene them and a Sacrament For a Sacrament properly is that solemne othe in Warre by which Souldiers bound themselues to their chiefe Captaine Such a regard had the old Romaines in the discipline of their Warres that it was not lawfull for any to kill an enemy or enter into the battell to fight vnlesse he were sworne a Souldier So when we are partakers of these holy signes which God hath appointed in his Church by which he bestoweth vpon vs spirituall gifts we do bind our selues to him wee professe openly his true religion we vowe to fight vnder his banner against our enimies so that they are testimonies and tokens of the couenant betweene God and vs that he is our god and we bind our selues to be his people to serue him and no other god So circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seal of Abrahams faith and obedience toward god By them man is bound to God and God vouchsafeth to bind himselfe to man Wherfore the word sacrament being translated from the campe to the Church from the soldiour to a christian from a ciuill vse to an holy let vs see in this sence and signification what it is Now the word being borrowed from warres is taken two waies first in a generall signification and may comprehend al maner of signes whether naturall or myraculous or voluntary which God commanded men to vse to assure them of the vndoubted truth of his promise as when he gaue to Adam in the Garden the tree of life to be a pledge of his immortality the Rain-bow to Noah and his posterity sometimes he gaue them miraculous signes as light in a smoaking Furnace to Abraham the fleece wet the earth being dry and the earth wet the fleece being dry to Gideon to promise and performe victory to Gedeon In this large acception of the worde we do not intreat of the Sacraments we speak properly of those which God hath left to be ordinary in his Church to bee seales of our communion with Christ and of the righteousnes which is by faith A Sacrament thus considered is a visible signe and seale ordained of God whereby Christ and all his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhibited and sealed vp vnto vs. In this description we are to consider these 3. things First the whole kind or general secondly the cause or author thereof and lastly the vse of this doctrine deliuered Touching the first wheras it is said that a sacrament is a visible signe and seale this is prooued and confirmed in sundry places of the scripture as Gen. 17. speaking of circumcision he saith It shall be a signe of the 〈◊〉 betweene me and thee And Rom. 4. speaking of Abraham he saith he receyued the signe of circvmcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Indeed a signe and a seale differ one from another as the generall from the especiall for euery seale is a signe but euery signe is not a seale A seale certifieth assureth and confirmeth a thing a signe only sheweth it but a Sacrament doth both It is a signe to signifie and represent a seale to ratifie and assure an instrument to confer and conueigh Christ with al his benifits to them that truely beleeue in him a pledge vnto vs of Gods promises a visible word and as a notable glasse wherein we may behold assured testimonies of Gods eternall fauour of the riches of his grace which he bestoweth vpon vs. This teacheth vs to acknowlege there is more inthe Sacraments then is seen with the eies or felt with the hands therfore we must not conceiue vnreueretly of them nor come negligenly vnto them making them meere carnal and outward things but we must thinke reuerently speake soberly receiue humbly and penitently these holy misteries Againe heereby we are brought to beleeue the promises of god for if the Sacraments be not only signes of his fauour but seales of our faith can we doubt of his mercy and good meaning toward vs hauing left such pawnes and pledges thereof with vs that we might haue assured comfort and comfortable assurance of saluation and eternall life Is it not among men matter of assurance and a note of true dealing to haue a pledge left with vs But behold God hath left vnto vs two pawnes of his promises as it were an earnest-penny that our faith should not wauer If then his alone word be al suffycient hauing a noble addition of the Sacramentes as of his seales let vs beleeue his promises and in all tentations rest vpon them with all confidence and consolation Secondly it is saide a sacrament is a diuine ordinance Not any Angell or Arch-angell not any Prince or prelat but onely God himselfe is the author and ordainer of the Sacramentes This appeareth by many witnesses out of the worde of God I haue set my bow in the cloud and is shall be for a signe of the couenant betweene me and the earth and when I shall couer the earth with a cloud and the bow shall be seene in the cloud then wil I remember my couenant which is between me and you Where we see that when God determined to be mercyfull vnto the world and neuer to drowne the same with water againe as he had drowned it he gaue them a signe of his promise to wit His bow in the cloudes When God would witnesse and stablish to Abraham and his seede after him the promise of his mercy he ordained a Sacrament to confirme the same Gen. 17. This is my couenant which ye shall keepe betweene me and you let euery man child among you be circumcised And the Apostle saith I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you And Christ himselfe instituted Baptisme sent forth his disciples to preach the Gospell All these testimonies as a cloud of witnesses do confirm vs in this truth that non hath power autority in the church to institute a Sacrament but God only And the reasons are apparant First the Sacraments belong to the seruice worship of god now it resteth not in man to appoint prescribe a seruice of God but to retaine and embrace that which is taught by him For in vain they worship him teaching for doctrines mens precepts Againe the Sacramentall signes haue Gods promises annexed vnto them confirming vs in the same which they could not doe but by the blessyng and benefit of him that promiseth so that God onely is able to bestow grace and he alone can appoint true signes of grace For as he only
circumcised He had dwelt int h land of Midian an Idolatrous country 40. years he began to sauour of the manners thereof but hauing called him to be a gouernor of people would not be appeased toward him vntill he had reformed his owne house For if any cannot rule 〈◊〉 owne house how shall he care for the church of God Nowe whereas he had two sonnes borne vnto him in Midian the elder no doubt was circumcised the eight day according to the order and ordinance of God why then did he deferre the circumcising of the younger No doubt he was scorned and derided among them for circumcising his first borne and his enemies were those of his owne house euen the wife that lay in his bosome yea he being then weake in faith loued the praise of men more then the praise of God and therefore the Lord would haue slaine him Albeit the signe of circumcision seemed base and contemptible in outward shew and to sauour of great cruelty toward little children yet God woulde not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to goe without punishment Although grace be not tyed to the sacraments and that we may bee saued without them yet it is not left to the disposition of men whether they will come to them or not God will not haue the outward signes contemned of vs for if we will be in the couenant we must not despise the seal of the couenāt Furthermore are the outward parts vnited to the inward then this serueth as a speciall meanes to comfort the verie lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the church that they doubt not of the fatherly fauor of God towarde them but bee assured of their acceptation with God who will make them partakers of his eternall blessinges in his kingdome as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world When god gaue circumcision to Abraham he commaunded him circumcise all his seruants bond or free as well borne in his house as bought with his money thereby signifying that he adopted them for his children and that albert they were Abrahams bond-men yet they were the Lords free men So vnto baptisme wee admit and receiue the poore as well as the rich the seruant as well as the maister the low as well as the high without respect of persons When the lord instituted the passeouer the lambe was eaten of all the congregation So touching the Lords supper it is an holy banket for all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer and therefore the Apostle checketh the Corinthians for this abuse that wheras the poorest soule eating of the bread and drinking of the cup is as welcome to christ the gouernor of the seast as the richest they did despise the poore and shamed them that had not All these things duly considered serue to assure the very meanest lowest and simplest in the church that they are made heires of eternall life as well as other as they are partakers of the signe with other if they beleeue with faithfull Abraham This the Apostle teacheth There is netther Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are al one in Christ. And Col. 3. There is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scithian bond free but Christ is all and in all things Fourthly are there outward rites signes and persons as externall parts of baptisme And are their likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to God teaching that we haue vowed to renounce the lusts of the world and to forsake the workes of the deuill Then this condemneth those that depart out of the church before this holy and publike action be taken in hand Baptisme belongeth not onely to the wittnesses and parties that bring the child but to all the members of the church that we may learne by our presence therat to renew our faith and repentance vnto God These men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this sacrament not vouchsafing to remain at the administration therof as if it were not worthy to be solemnized before thē wheras they should quicken their faith in the couenant of god by beholding the works of the minister and ratifieng them in their harts as we read Luk. 1. wher they are said to circumcise because they were al present at the work consenting to prayers and thanks giuings of the Church as also the Apostle saith Women pray and prophesie in the church when they sit stil and are partakers of the praiers and preaching vsed in the publike assemblies And as no member is cut off by excommunication but in presence of al to be witnesses therof to ratifie their grief for the losse of a member of their body so in Baptisme it is required to witnesse and approoue the publike worke by their presence and to 〈◊〉 themselues thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and comfort hata fellow-heire is made partaker with them in the communion of Saintes Moreouer the excellency of this Sacrament is as great as of the other they are of like worthynes in themselues and to be had equal and indifferently in like price and estimation they are both commaunded and instituted by the 〈◊〉 authoritye of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with all his benifits there is 〈◊〉 one and the same end of both the increase and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament be so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of baptisme The whole assembly heareth the word preached and deliuered by the minister the Sacramentes are instruments of our iustification by faith as well as the worde preached sauing that the word worketh by hearing only the Sacraments serue by the senses of seeing handling and tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthynesse of baptisme appeareth heerein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gratious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beautified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinity appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity and preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremony Did God institute it and shall we contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shal we disdaine to be at the baptisme of Christ Was the holy Trinity present will we be absent True it is som of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the father God the son and God the Holy-ghost are alwaies present at
Sacrament are confuted and condemned as their creame their tapers their crosses their censors their salt their spittle their holy-water their exorcisinges and conjurations hauing also an opinion of saluation and worshippe annexed vnto them These men as if it were a base and contemptible thing to baptize with Water onely according to Christes commaundement haue brought in a new word and new elements 〈◊〉 that is new drosse and new filth into the church and into the sacraments of the church as salt that we may bee seasoned with wisedome and bee kept from purrifying in sinne oyle that we may bee safe from euill suggestions spittle that our eares may be opeto heare the word and our Nostrils to discerne the smell of good and euill crosses that all our sences may bee defended against the euill spirit True it is if all the other partes and actions be obserued these inuentions and additions which are so many abuses make not baptisme void neither bring a nullity therof notwithstanding these beggerly ceremonies as they are destitute of the testimony and aprobation of the first and auncient Churches so they corrupt the pure simple and sincere institution of Christ None were vsed when Christe was baptised neither gaue he any such thinge in charge to his Apostles neither were they in vse in the Apostles times neither did they deliuer them to the pastors and teachers which they ordained in euery citty For Peter saith Can anie man forbidde water that these should not be baptized Hee calleth not for oyle salt spittle creame or any such thinge but only for plaine common and ordinary water Thus in one sacra they find many sacraments and inuent tipes shadows similitudes and significations in the immediate seruice of God wheras we haue the body itselfe that is christ alredy They make these outward things able to giue grace power and strength against the deuill But the Apostle teacheth that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal they are spiritual that must defend vs from euill If they refer al this trash and trumpery not to the substance of the sacram but to order and comelinesse do they not thereby blasphemously accuse the baptisme of Iohn and of the Apostles of Christ of vncomlinesse and disorder Whereas the comlinesse and dignity of the sacraments is to be esteemed by the word of God by the institution of christ by the simplicity of the gospel and by the 〈◊〉 of the Apostles Nothing is more comely decent and orderly then that which christ commaundeth and aloweth nothing is more vncomly or vnseemely then that which man inuenteth in the seruice of God and in the celebration of the Sacraments thereby inuerting and peruerting the holy ordinances of God Thirdly if washing with water be an outward part of baptisme which pertaineth to the flesh but teacheth not to the conscience which toucheth the body but clenseth not the soule then the bare want of externall purification cannot bring the danger of eternal condemnation Wherefore children dying without baptisme are not reiected because they want baptisme for children that are elected are saued though they dy before baptisme and they that are not elected are condemned though they be baptized For it is not the want but the continual contempt thereof that is damnable Circumcision was as necessary to the Iewes as baptisme is vnto vs. But all did not perish that died vncircumcised therefore all perish not that dy vnbaptized And if the saluation of the child did depend vpon the outward sacrament it had beene an hard thing in the Lord who wil not the death of a sinner to haue required the deferring of it one weeke one day one houre one minute We see in Ioshuae it was omitted 40. yeares while they were in the wildernesse through their continuall iournies and vncertaine abode in euery place yet it were an hard cruell and bloody conclusion to determine thereupon that whosoeuer among them during that time dying before he was circumcised was damned When Dauids child died the seuenth day which was before he could be circumcised circumcision being limited to the 8. day he did not cry out pittifully it is damned it is damned but arose from the earth washed himselfe anointed his bodie chaunged his apparrell refreshed himselfe cheared his wife came into the house of the Lord worshipped God praised him for al his doings made his seruants that attended on him wonder at his comfortable behauiour and said he should go to his child but not his child return to him againe But if he had thought all condemned that die vncircumcised his lamentation would haue exceeded for he had cause to haue sorrowed more after his death then he did in the childes sicknes and if circumcision had bene of such absolute necessity he might haue said The child being now dead why should I not fast why should I not weepe why shoulde I not afflict my soule seeing I cannot bring him againe or restore him to life to be circumcised But because he sorrowed not as one without hope and hee 〈◊〉 not on this or any like manner it appeareth that his faith apprehended the saluation of the childe and feared not his damnation through vntimely want of the outward sacrament Now God is not streighter and harder to vs vnder the gospell then he was to the Israelites vnder the law he is no lesse able and willing to saue now without baptisme then in those dayes he was without circumcision Againe how foolish vaine and vnreasonable a thing is it to put life and death saluation and damnation into the hands and libertie of mortall men as of the parents that shoulde bring them or of the minister that shoulde baptize them or of others that performe other duties vnto them whereas eternall life and saluation standeth sure and setled vpon the brazen pillar of Gods election who knoweth who are his and vpon his mercifull promise in his couenant and not vppon the lust and pleasure of any man as we see in the example of Iacob of whom God saide I haue loued him before he was circumcised nay before he was born or had done either good or euill Furthermore we haue shewed before that many beleeued repented and had the Holy-ghost before they were baptized Yea the theefe vppon the crosse repented of his sins and beleeued in Christ yet was neuer baptised notwithstanding he was receiued to mercy and certainely saued as Christ saith This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Besides there is no greater necessity of baptisme then of the Lordes supper but we maie be saued without the Lords supper therefore also without baptisme Lastly if al persons dying without baptism bee condemned then infinite multitudes of children shold or may perish and be damnd without their owne fault through the carelesnes of others but none perish without their owne fault therefore all dying without baptisme are not condemnd To these we might 〈◊〉 the testimony and
made vs Kings and Priestes vnto GOD euen his father And Col. 1 14 the A postle saith In him wee haue redemption by his bloode that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Againe when wee see with our bodily eyes the Water poured vpon the body of the baptized we must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes as well originall as actuall as well after baptisme as before baptisme by the pretious blood of Christ that wee may assure our selues it is no idle action For wee must not behold the Sacramentall rites as certaine dombe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but wee must make them serue to further our faith and edification Lastly it teacheth vs not to be led by the outward senses to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptilme by the outward signe and visible partes but to haue our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Crosse and signified in baptisme The infidell seeing children solemnely baptized in the name of the father of the sonne and of the Holy-ghost will rashly and ignorantly coniesture nothing to bee there but naked rites and bare Water but the faithfull and true Christian doth beholde the washing of the soule and clensing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ. So in the Lordes Supper to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine because we see with our eies wee receiue 〈◊〉 our handes wee tast with our mouth no more but the beleeuer knoweth that together with these signes GOD the father offereth the body and blood of his Sonne to bee spiritually receiued and digested Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned if hee looke vpon the face of a booke beholdeth onely blacke coulours and spottes vppon the Paper seeth certaine figures and charusters of Letters differing each from other but cannot read the writing or comprehende the meaning but hee that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them reapeth greate profit and instruction thereby So is it in the 〈◊〉 Hee that resteth in the outward signe deceiueth himselfe but hee that respecteth the thinge signified receiueth the profit and aduantage The Crosse of CHRIST and preaching of the Gospell are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gracians For the infidell hearing that christ was crucified and nailed vpon the crosse is offended at him accounting it a foolish weak means to saue mankind that life should spring out of death glory come out of shame power proceed out of weakenesse and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of Godlinesle the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God It may seeme ridiculous vnto some men that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold young and old bond and free maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames and to open the hidden partes of nature yet Abraham submitttd himselfe to the ordinance of God Naamaen the Syrian thought it a toyish precept prescript when he was bidden to wash himselfe 7. times in Iordin hauing many riuers in his owne countrey as good as that yet by obeying the prophet he was clensed of his Leprosie The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell when they saw them compasse their Citty strong and walled and to blow with their Rammes hornes yet by this weake meanes the wall fel downe the enemies were destroyed the citty was sacked and the people of God 〈◊〉 Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him he spat on the ground and made clay of spittle and annoynted the eies of the blinde with the clay and said vnto him Go wash in the poole of Siloam he obeyed he went he washed he returned seeing Thus doth God by simple base and weake things oftentimes confound the mighty strong and wise of the world that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and crosseth all the high conceites and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason Whosoeuer will yeald obedience to God must deny himselfe and renounce his own wisedome and become a foole that he may be wise in God as 1 cor 3 Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to bec wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God Thus we see that in the Sacramentes we must vnderstand more then we see and beleeue more then we can behold Such 〈◊〉 are without knowledge and faith 〈◊〉 no more of baptisme then the bodily eie directeth them vnto but the faithfull conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered to 〈◊〉 the soule and conscience from all sinn as the riuer watered the garden of Eden Chap. 11. Of the foruth inward part of baptisme THe last inward part of baptisme is the soule clensed most liuely represented by the body that is washed For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed so the saithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to God with ioy and forsake the flesh the world and the diuill and feeleth the inward washing of the spirit as Tit. 3 5 According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-ghost And the same Apostle Eph. 5. Christ gaue himselfe for the church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church not hauing spot or wrinkle Wherefore this outward washing of the body commaunded by Christ fignifieth vnto me that I am no lesse assuredly clensed in his blood by the working of his spirit from the spottes of my soule that is from all my sinnes then I am outwardlie washed by water whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance Let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme Doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule And doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion Then we are all by nature vnwise vncleane 〈◊〉 vnregerate vnholy disobedient disordered deceiuing and being deceiued we are the vessels of wrath the children of death the bond-slaues of Sathan the heires of damnation we haue our part and portion in the offence of Adam as Rom. 5. By one man sinne entred into the world and ch 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of
and the wine to be poured out to be distributed among sundry communicantes The last action of the minister is to distribute the bread and wine and giue them into the handes of the people 〈◊〉 CHRIST did not offer them vp to God 〈◊〉 deliuered them to his Discipies All these being workes to bee done and performed by the Minister in the administration of this Sacrament do note out the actions of GOD the Father sealing vppe his sonne vnto vs as wee shall see afterwarde when wee come to the inward parts Now let vs enter into the consideration of the vses of this parte Are these the actions commaunded in the word executed by CHRIST and to be performed by the Minister Then we see that such as are set apart to deliuer this sacrament are not consecrated and appointed priestes of the new testament to offer vp an vnbloody sactifice for the quicke and dead as the church of Rome teacheth and practiseth They are commaunded as ministers of God to deliuer the outward signes to the people not as priestes to offer them to God the father they are appointed preachers of the gospell not priests of the law which were to abolish the priesthood of Christ. Wherefore we must detest the blasphemy of these shamelesse shauelings that teach the priest to bee the maker of his maker and that he which made them gaue them power and authority to make him 〈◊〉 so after a sort preser themselues being the sacrificers before christ who is the sacrifice thēselues being the creators before Christ the creature themselues the makers before christ being made of them Thus these sacrificing priests are not ashamed to speake and to bray aloud Secondly if the minister be an outward part of this sacrament then it belongeth not to priuate persons to deliuer it to others nor to take it to themselues and deliuer it to themselues when or where there is no Minister They may indeede apply to themselues the outward signes they may eat the bread and drinke the wine and in respect of the sacramentall rites doe as the Minister doth yet for that they do it without a calling it is not a due administration but a true prophanation of this sacrament of the supper For let vs a little insist vpon the similitude beforestood vpon if the keeper of the Princes broad seale be not in the way or for the present bee not to bee gotten shall any man presume to take it where it lyeth without direction and without commaundement sucha one woorthily beareth his punishment whosoeuer he be In like manner 〈◊〉 one should earnestly desire the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and euen faint in soul for the fruition of it finding himselfe in his longing affection able to take it himselfe 〈◊〉 the assistance of another yet euery one must consider his gifts his standing his calling and place wherin God hath set him he hath not committed to priuate persons the administration of the sacraments they may not baptize their children they may not meddle with the Lordes supper no more then common subiects may take the 〈◊〉 seale if the keeper be not in the way Against this 〈◊〉 truth two thinges of importance may be obiected which I purpose to preuent before I proceed any farther For first this doctrine seemeth not to agree with that maxime and principle which 〈◊〉 we haue resolued vpon namely Accedat verbum ad elementum fit 〈◊〉 that is Ioyne the word of institution to the outward signe and there is made a sacrament Secondly it seemeth to leaue sicke persous without comfort in their harts and peace to themselues if for want of a publicke minister themselues may not supply that want and giue vnto themselues this Supper These are the two obiections pretending and intending that priuate persons may at some times vpon some occasions haue some right and interest in despensation of the Sacraments Touching the former poynt being a ruled case of Saint Augustine that if the signe be 〈◊〉 to the word a Sacrament is ordained we doubt not to 〈◊〉 the rule vndoubtedly to be true being truely and rightly vnderstoode For the meaning is if there be an outwarde signe which is the matter and a worde of institution which is the forme of the sacraments the essence of them is fully finished as if there bee the matter and forme of an house we conclude rightly there is an house Howbeit we presuppose ther was a builder of the house to prepare the matter and to order the forme So the former principle doth presuppose a minister to deliuer and a receiuer to receiue the sacrament otherwise we shall also warre vnder the ensigne of our enimies vnawares who hold it to be the supper of the Lord albeit there be no eating no drinking no receiuing thereof If therefore in the constitution of a sacrament the institution of Christ touching taking eating and drinking must be obserued then wee see that more is required then the signe and the word in the work of the sacrament Againe touching the obiection of the sicke who seeme to be wholy left in distresse and discomfort if they may not lawfully administer the Supper to themselues I answere it was an auncient practise of the Church to carry the sacrament vnto the sick besides albeit in extremity of sicknes the minister be wanting we leaue not the sick without counsell and comfort For this we teach this we are readye to maintaine this we would haue all beleeuers in health and in sicknesse to recall and remember that if they 〈◊〉 beleeue that the Lord Iesus had suffered death vpon the crosse for them if they 〈◊〉 apply vnto themselues his precious merits for their redemption if they 〈◊〉 remember the benefits of his 〈◊〉 passion with all thanksgiuing and if they truely repent them from the bottome of their harts of all their sins they do eat and drinke effectually and to their soules health profitably the body and blood of Christ our sauiour although they doe not receiue the sacrament with their mouth This serueth to comfort the weak and to keep them within the lifts and limits of their proper calling Lastly seeing the former actions of the minister are done plainely in the sight of all it is the duty of euery one to giue diligent heede and to haue weighty consideration of these outward ceremonies by the meditation thereof to confirme their faith and to make the outward workes to further the inward graces For they are offered to our sences not that we shoulde rest in them but that our weaknes by them shoulde be helped and we by them lift vp in our harts to thinke vpon greater things Chap 4 Of the second outward part of the Lords Supper HItherto of the first outward part of the Lords supper to wit the minister now we come to the word of institution and promise annexed or contained therin which are the second
couenant it self but a sign and token of the couenant as also it is afterward expounded It shall be a signe of the couenant betweene me and you The aduersaries cannot denie a figure in this speech Now what difference is there betweene these two speeches This is my couenant and this is my body are they not alike and in like manner to be vnderstood So Exodus 12. 11 It is the Lordes passeouer properly the lambe was not the passeouer but serued to put them in remembrance of that benefit and it is expounded aster the blood shall be a token for you vpon the houses where ye are this day shall be vnto vou a remembrance Likewise the Apostle sayeth 1 Cor. 10. That rocke was Christ whereas properly the rocke was not Christ but the water flowing from it did represent him Thus then we must vnderstand the words plainely truely and briefely as if Christ had saide in this manner This bread which ye haue seene me take breake deliuer and distribute and which I bid you take and cate is a signe or sacrament of my true body signifying and sealing vp vnto you that my body shal be broken crushed and crucified for you to purchase to you eternal life let these sacramental rites and actions now performed by me and you be heerafter put in practise by you and all faithfull ministers and professors for the strengthning of your faith by the remembrance of my death and by the applying of the benefit thereof euery one to your owne selues Likewise hauing finished his supper when he did eate the passeouer with his Disciples hauing taken the cup and giuen thanks he gaue it being filied with wine to his Disciples and saide drinke ye al of this for this wine in this cup is a signe and sacrament of my blood by the shedding whereof togither with my death following the full forgiuenes of sins and perfect saluation which I by my vnchangable wil decree do giue vnto you and al that beleeue in me are assured to you and all beleeuers Thus hauing opened and cleared the interpretation of the words we shal heerafter need to spend the lesse time in confuting the contrary doctrin darkenes shal flie before the light error before truth cloudy mists before the sun-shine of the day Again seeing the words of institution are variably and diuersly set down by the Euangelists and the Apostle Paul we learne that euery change of the words where the sence is nothing altered or diminished is not to be condemned as 〈◊〉 or vnlawfull so that the alteration being in the forme and frame of words not in the substance and sence of the matter the sacrament is not destroyed For if it had bene an heinous sinne to haue made any change or alteration or to haue missed of the tearmes or sillables of the institution no doubt the Euangelists would haue consented in the words and not haue swarued one from another as we see they haue done We see how the Apostles in the allegation of sundry places of Scripture borrowed out of the olde Testament do not euermore strictly binde themselues to the very wordes as Mathew 26. Hebrewes 10. 5. and in sundry other but onely to the sence and therefore sometimes they adde as Mathew 4 10. sometimes they leaue out as occasion serueth True it is to alter any substantiall part or to wrest the wordes to a wrong and contrary meaning or not at all to expresse the sence of the wordes maketh the Sacrament voide but an alteration onely of certaine circumstaunces as of number or person of Letters or sillables cannot make frustrate the whole sacrament albeit we allow not any priuate and particular man to make any chaunge of his owne heade in such circumstaunces or to bring in a new frame of wordes So in baptisme the Greeke church saith Let the seruant of CHRIST be baptized in this Water c. and heereby nothing is detracted from the truth of the sacrament because Christ Iesus hath not precisely appointed how many wordes the Apostles and pastours of the Church shoulde vse in the execution of their Ministry Not withstanding the obseruation of the words I baptize thee obserued in our churches seemeth to drawe neerer to the commaundement of Christ and to confirme more fitly and fully the faith of the baptized and to answere vnto the words of Iohn the baptist I baptize with Water Likewise in the Lordes supper whereas Christ saide Take ye eate ye doe ye this as speaking to many the sacrament is not destroyed when the words are particularly rehearsed and specially applyed in our churches saying take thou eat thou drinke thou Lastly seeing the wordes of institution are an outwarde part of the Sacrament necessary to be knowne read marked and vnderstood wherein the substance and comfortatable vse of the Lordes Supper consisteth it followeth that they are to be published and pronounced openly distinctly plainely not in a strange language but in a knowne tongue that the church of 〈◊〉 and people of God may be edified For wherefore serueth the commaundement and promise set foorth in the supper if they be not vnderstood Whether we doe read the Scriptures sing Psalmes poure out supplications receiue the sacraments or whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 we performe to God that he may be 〈◊〉 and the congregation instructed we must doe all in a knowne tongue to be vnderstood This God commandeth this the Apostle prescribeth this the true church of God practiseth this reason teacheth this the Heathen acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 the sinagogue of Rome that it might take away all fruit and comfort from the faithfull and that it might broch horrible errors 〈◊〉 and securely and not be 〈◊〉 hath not onely commanded to pronounce the words of consecration closely and 〈◊〉 but forbidden to vse the common mother tongue of all the people The people of God must not be like Parrots or 〈◊〉 or Rauens or such birds that chatter with voice record mens words and sounde a sentence but vnderstande not the meaning thereof As Plmy maketh mention of a certaine 〈◊〉 that had learnd to say Aue Caesar imperator All haile or good morrow Emperor Caesar saluting 〈◊〉 and the two young princes 〈◊〉 and Drusus And Celius Rhodiginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popiniay that coulde pronounce distinctly and 〈◊〉 all the Articles of the Creede Such birds or rather beasts woulde they haue Christian men to be that would haue them 〈◊〉 and not vnderstand what they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reading of the scriptures but not know what is reade 〈◊〉 the sacraments but not know the meaning of the institution Things without life which giue a sounde whether pipe or 〈◊〉 except they make a distinction in the soundes howe shall it bee knowne what is piped or harped Or if the 〈◊〉 pet giue an 〈◊〉 sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell All things in the church must tend to the instruct on 〈◊〉 edification
the shewes of wine he is not personally locally carnally corporally naturally really substantially and sensually present in the Sacrament The question is not whether the wordes of christ be true for they are knowne confessed and beleeued so that as he is the truth so all his wordes are wordes of truth neither is the question whether the Sacrament bee a bare signe or bare figure we say Christ is truely represented sealed and exhibited neither is the question whether God'bo omnipotent and almighty this is a part of our faith and an Article of christian beleefe neither is the question simplye of the presence of Christ whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last supper we acknowledge and receiue as much But the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution and of the manner of his presence Wee confesse and teach the people committed vnto vs that christs body and blood are truely verilie and indeede giuen vnto vs that we truely eat and drinke them that we are releeued and liue by them that we are made bone of his bone that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished or that christs bodie discendeth from heauen or is groslie and corporally present in the sacrament we are taught to lift vp out hearts to heauen where christ sitteth at the right hand of God the father and there to feede vpon him But he ere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. The church of Rome teacheth that after the wordes of consecration the bread and wine are abolished and the body and blood of christ come in place so that they make them corporally 〈◊〉 not onely in the sacrament to bee eaten with the mouth but in the pixe in the Masse and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking Yet Berengarius in his recantation was taught to saie and forced to subscribe that Christ is in the sacrament sensible or sensually is touched with the singers diuided broken rent with the teeth and not onely the accidents More ouer they make it to be eaten not onely of euill men but of beasts and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy to be cast out into the draught as some of them haue taught and affirmed Thus then the difference standeth betweene vs they hold that christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith of brute Beastes without reason but wee denye that CHRIST is thus present in the Sacrament for his body cannot bee vnder so little a quantity of bread and Wine besides it is impietie to 〈◊〉 that the person of CHRIST or his bodye and bloode can bee truelie receiued of Dogges 〈◊〉 and Mise be chewed with the teeth swallowed downe the throat digested in the stomacke and be cast out into vncleane places This we deny this we doe not beleeue this wee abhorre and detest from the bottom of our hearts What is it then we teach and professe We deny that the body and blood of Christ are carnally contained vnder the shews and shadowes of bread and wine we deny them to be eaten and drunken ofwicked men or vnreasonable creatures we deny that they are truely and properly both in heauen and on the earth in pixes and on the 〈◊〉 These are meate for the mind not for the mouth for faith not for the teeth for our beleefe not for the belly This carnall eating of Christ is confuted and conuinced by many reasons First Christ sate downe at the Table and the Disciples with him afterward he tooke bread gaue thankes brake it gaue it and said This is my body likewise he tooke and gaue the cup and sayd Drinke ye all of this whereby we see when the Apostles receiued the Sacrament Christ sate at the table with his true body but the body which they tooke sate not at the table therefore they tooke the signe of his body Likewise the blood which they receiued was not in the body which sate at the table therefore it vvas not properly Christes blood vvhich was not as yet really and actually shed The same body could not sit at the table not sit at the table the same body could not be in their handes and out of their handes the blood of Christ could not be out of his veines in the cup and in his vines within his body hee could not sit visible at the table and bee inuisible in the mouthes and bellies of the 〈◊〉 Wherefore the reall presence bringeth with it real contradictions which cannot stand together Secondly the end of the Lords supper is to call his death to a continuall remembrance as Luk. 22. Do this in remembrance of me and the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. Ye shew the Lords death vntill he come Now to what end should we neede the remembrance of Christ if he were corporally present in the sacrament if he were taken in the hands if he were holden in the mouth if he were eaten with the 〈◊〉 And to to what purpose should we shevv the Lordes death till he come if he come 〈◊〉 and be present bodily in the sacrament Besides the wisest a nong the Phylosophers teach vs that sence is of thinges present but remembrance is of such thinges as are absent as hope is of such thinges as are to come not seene and this the Apostle teacheth Thirdly Christ receiued a true body withall the naturall properties of an 〈◊〉 body like to vs in all thinges sinne onely exc pted and is therefore called the sonne of 〈◊〉 the sonne of 〈◊〉 the sonne of man our brother partaker of flesh and blood hee is said to haue taken vpon him the seede of Abraham and not the Angels nature to be visible Luk. 24 39 Behold my hands and my feete for it is I my selfe 〈◊〉 me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue For if he may be in many places together in some place visible and in some inuisible in some to be handled in others nor to be handled hee can haue no true body of a true man And if this were not a strong reason It is not felt and seene therefore no humaine body the Disciples might haue answered vnto Christ why doest thou bid vs behold thy hands and see thy feete and handle thy body and thereby to try thy humanity seeing thou hast a body which cannot be seene touched or handled Fourthly christ hath left the earth with his bodily presence and is 〈◊〉 vp into he 〈◊〉 farre aboue all principalities and powers and is sit do vne on the right hand of his father as Act. 1. While they beheld he was taken vp And Mar. 16. After the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God So Act. 3. Whom the heauens must containe vntil
faith and renewed repentance because euery new sinne requireth a new act of repentanee and appealing to Christ by faith Then we are aright disposed to the lords table when we are liuely touched with a sence and feeling of our corrupt dispositions and daily failings in our faith and obedience For the repentance of euery faithfull man must be doble first general repenting of original and actuall sinnes generally receiuing power of God to change ourminds wils and affections whereof Ioh. bap t ist saith Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand This is giuen and granted vnto vs at that time when firste we receiue to beleeue it maketh an alteration in vs slayth the old man quickneth the life of the new man beginneth in weaknes continueth in greater strength and groweth more and more vnto perfection Secondly speciall for speciall sinnes and continuall failings into which we fall which we must practise to the end of our dayes Now as we said in the former chapter that no man for the feeblenes of his faith is to absent himself from this supper so must we remember touching our repentance thogh it be in great weakenes and frailty yet if it be a sound and sincere hatred of all sinne not a for saking of some sinnes onely as Saul herod and Iudus did keeping other in themselues to their owne confusion our imperfections shal be couered our wants shall be supplied our weaknes shal be remitted by the death of Christ who was annointed and sent to preach the gospell to the poore to heale the broken hearted to publish deliuerance to the captiues recouering of sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are brused And hepronounceth such blessed as are poor in spirit For theirs is the kingdome of heauen Wherfore if thou feele in thy selfe great defectes of faith of 〈◊〉 of sanctification pray to God earnestly that hee will vouchsafe to increase his giftes let vs confesse with Dauid wee haue find let vs weep with Pet. and the sinful woman let vs acknowledge our vnworthines and say with the Centurion Lord We are not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder our roofe Let vs cry out with the Publican O God be merciful to me a sinner This is the way to make vs worthy this is the means to fit vs to the Lords table this is to be practised of such as will be his ghuests Chap. 19. Of reconciliation to our brethren the last part of Examination HItherto in examination of our selues we hane shewd what wee are to doe in respect of GOD the roote whereof is knowledge the body is faith the fruite is repentance Now to conclude wee are to handle the last part which is loue toward men and reconciliation of our selues to our neighbors for iniuries wronges and offences done vnto them which are as poyson to this banket For in vaine we shall pretend knowledge boast of faith glory of repentance if we faile in duties toward our bretheren For heere is the touchstone and tryall of all the rest euen our obedience to the second table which concerneth the duties of loue toward our bretheren Heerevnto commeth the doctrine of Christ set downe in the Euangelist Math. 5. If thou bring thy gift to the alter and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift before the altar and goe first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Where he teacheth that he so approproueth this duty that hee will haue his owne immediat seruice cease and giue place for a time till it be performed So in the Sermon which he made to his Apostles before he was betrayed to death he did diligently beate vpon this point saying By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another This is my 〈◊〉 that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man that a man bestow his life for his frends ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaund you This likewise the Apostle teacheth that we may know him to be the scoller of the same maister Coloss. 3 As the elect of God holie and beloued put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe ye and aboue all these things put on loue which is the bound of perfectnesse As euery one hath a comfortable experience in his own hart of Gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his sinnes which are many and great so let him shew mercy againe as he hath receiued mercy and deale vnto others kindly as God hath delt gratiously toward him Our sauiour Christ auoucheth this Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debters he called them to take an account of them and forgiueth the debt hauing compassion on him that was not able to pay but when he was departed and had found one of his fellow-seruants which ought him an hundred pence he laid hand on him thratled him and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt Then the Lord called him and said O euil seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest thou not also to haue pittie on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pittie on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till he should pay all that was due to him Then followeth the application of the whole So likewise shall mine heauenly father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your harts each one his brother their trespasses Now the Lordes supper was ordained of God for this end that it might be a band of loue and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vs togither among our selues that if it wer possible we should not breake from him as Paule teacheth 1 Cor. 10 We that are manie are one bread and one bodie because we al are partakers of one bread Wherefore this Supper may fitly be called a Sacrament of vnity and a seale of our agreement one with another Behold heere a chaine consisting of many linkes to knit vs together that wee breake not from God and our brethren Do we not al come to the table Do we not all eat of the same bread Do we not al drinke of the same cup Is not the same loafe compact of many cornes Is not the same Wine pressed out of many clusters Do we not all ioyne together in the same receiuing Were we not baptized into the same baptism What a shameful thing is this full of infamy and reproach to see the branches of the same vine the sheepe of the same shepheard the children of the same father the Seruants of the same maister the fellowes of the same houshould the heirs of the same kingdome the ghuests of the same banket the obtainers of the same