quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and life And whereas the most of the best interpreters of these times expounde these wordes of Christes Deitie as if the same were vnderstood by the word spirite so that Christes meaning as they say is that the power of quickning doth proceede from the Deitie of Christ so that his flesh hath power to quicken vs as it is the flesh of the sonne of God crucified for vs. This exposition no doubt is sound and good yet I thinke this be the most simple and naturall sense if by the word spirit we vnderstaÌ„d the holy Ghost that the meaning should be thus my flesh which I said must be eaten to attaine eternall life profiteth nothing to effect this if ye eate the same corporally as you Capernaites vnderstand me but it is the spirit which quickneth that is the holy Ghost quickneth the harts of the faithfull and nourisheth them vnto life euerlasting by working in them effectually to beleeue in me and so to eate my flesh and to drinke my bloud spiritually that is by faith whereby they are well assured that my flesh was crucified for them and my bloud shed for them for the remission of their sinnes The wordes therefore saith he which I speake vnto you of the necessitie of eating my flesh to attaine eternall life these wordes I say are spirite and life that is must be vnderstood of the effectuall working of the holy Ghost in the harts of the elect to worke eternall life in them euen by faith Moreouer for the better vnderstanding of this point in what sense the flesh of Christ is and may truly be said to be our spirituall foode we must expresse also in what manner it is made meate for vs. And this Christ taught vs in very plaine wordes in that Sermon where he saith I am that f v. 51. liuing bread that is the quickning bread or that bread that giueth life which came downe from heauen If any man shall eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world In these last wordes which I will giue for the life of the world Christ sheweth in what maner his flesh should be foode for vs and that is in that he will giue it vnto the death for our life that is to merite for vs life euerlasting offring it as Priest himselfe a holy sacrifice to God his father And that this is the naturall sense of this relatiue * Quam ego dabo which in this place as if the Lord had said quatenus cam dabo in that or for that I shall giue it it is verie manifest by the matter it selfe which is handled in that place For if we shall not so vnderstand those wordes as tending to declare the former maner of that thing which is here intreated then that word must note some diuision of a generall into specials as if Christ had two kindes of flesh of which the one he would giue for the life of the world the other he would not giue But this interpretation is manifestly false and contrary to the articles of our faith wheron we ground the truth of Christes incarnation Therefore that exposition of the relatiue which in this place is verie true and natural and vsed to declare the forme and manner of that thing which is there proposed or disputed vpon And the very same interpretation is there of the words of the Lord in the institution of his holy Supper where of that bread broken he speaketh on this wise This is my bodie which is giuen or broken for you that is in * Quatenus asmuch as or for that it is broken or giuen for you For that holie bread or as Paule calleth it that bread of the Lord is not simplie the Sacrament of the Lordes bodie that is doth not simplie signifie and testifie that the Lord hath a true bodie but signifieth and testifieth that the Lords body is broken or giuen for vs that is was offred on the Crosse with the feeling of Gods wrath to make satisfaction for our sinnes And in like manner must we speake and thinke of the other wordes which the Lord pronounced of the holy cup or wine saying This is that my bloud of the new Testament or couenant which is shed for you and for manie for the remission of sinnes that is in asmuch as or for that it is shed c. By the premisses it is now manifest that the flesh of Christ hath in it the nature of meate not simplie but in a certaine respect that is in asmuch as it was crucified for vs. Like as the body is said to be visible in respect of the colours thereof Now concerning the second question in what maner we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud I answer Such as the meate and drinke is such must be the maner of the eating and drinking thereof but the flesh of Christ is spirituall meate and his bloud is spirituall drinke as is aforeshewed Therefore the flesh of Christ is eaten spiritually or in a spirituall manner and his bloud is drunke also in the same manner Now to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his bloud spiritually is to eate with the mouth of the spirite that is of the soule to wit by faith Again to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beleeue in Christ or to beleeue that the flesh of Christ is crucified for thee and that his bloud is shed for thee for the remission of thy sinnes This Christ himselfe sheweth in the same Sermon where he propoundeth two propositions or sentences signifying one thing which are these he that beleeueth g v. 47. in me hath eternall life and h v. 54. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life The matter also and argument there handled requires this interpretation of the words of Christ for if he meant by that phrase of eating his flesh one thing and by that of faith another thing then this consequent would follow we must haue not one but two wayes to life euerlasting one by eating the flesh of Christ the other by faith But the way to eternall life is but one which is Christ alone receiued by faith or faith in Christ our Sauiour both come to one effect And yet the better to vnderstand this point consider a little what the nature of faith is And this is knowen by his next and proper obiect which is the Gospell or that testimonie which God hath giuen vs of his loue and grace for and through Iesus Christ for faith resteth vpon the Gospell as the blessed and infallible testimonie of God And the Gospell testifieth of Christ that is of his person and office and of all his benefites towardes vs that is to say that Christ is the only begotten sonne of God which for our sake and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was made man of the virgine Marie that he liued an holy life according to the law of God and hath brought vnto vs from the bosome of his father the counsell of God concerning our saluation who being righteous suffered for vs that are vnrighteous vnder Pontius Pylate was crucified dead c. And like as the Gospell testifieth these things vnto vs so the Sacramentes also testifie the same for they are seales of the Gospell and as it were a Gospell seene and a Gospell felt He therefore that beleeueth these holy testimonies of God in so doing he spiritually feedeth vpon the bodie of Christ spiritually drinketh the bloud of Christ And thus doth Augustine De doctrina Christ Lib. 2. cap. 16. expounde this place of Christ Vnlesse saith he ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you He seemeth to commande a horrible fact and a thing most detestable It is a figure commanding vs to communicate with or to become partakers of the Lordes passion and to lay vp sweetely and comfortably in memorie that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs thus saith Augustine After the same maner doth Mr Iohn Caluin that famous diuine of our age lay open those wordes of Christ in his booke of Institutions the 4. booke Chap. 17. sect 5. FINIS R D DEVS â—â—â—â—T ASTRIS
vs in his good time appointed VIII The narration containeth six petitions the first three do in speciall manner concerne Gods glory the other three respect our owne benefite and good IX In the first petitiō Hallowed be thy name we are commaunded and taught to aske that which in the third Commandement we are commanded to do that is that we neither thinke nor speake of God but with great reuerence and so in like manner of his word and of his workes X. In the second petition Let thy kingdome come we beg first that God by the grace of his holy spirit would represse the corrupt affections of our nature and forme all our senses to the obedience of his will next that he would curbe and bridle the wicked which fight against his kingdome and that he would gather vnto himselfe his elect and preserue his Churches that he would cast downe the enemies of his Church and cut them short in all their attempts and desires and lastly that in his good time he would make vs partakers of his glory and heauenly blisse XI The third petition is Thy will be done in earth as it is heauen This petition is added to the former for declaration sake to helpe our ignorance for then and there God raigneth in the world where men submit themselues to be ruled by his holy will reuealed in his word We aske here therefore that the holy spirite would rule our harts and teach vs that we may learne to loue that which God loueth to hate that which he hateth that so we may yeeld vnto him a chearefull and willing obedience as his blessed Angels do in heauen XII The fourth petition is Geue vs this day our dayly bread In this petition we commende our bodies to Gods prouidence desiring that he would feed chearish and preserue them And this petitiō the Lord hath set before the other two following which concerne not earthly and corporall blessings but spirituall and heauenly to helpe our dulnesse and weaknesse that so by degrees he might lift vp our mindes to seeke after those greater blessings And here we be willed to aske of God our bread that is such as it shall please our heauenly father to giue vs for the sustentation of our life where we see this petition is as necessarie for the rich as for the poore Lastly these wordes this day or euerie day and this Epithet dayly serue to moderate our affections and desires in these transitorie blessings XIII The fift petition Forgiue vs our debtes as we also forgiue our debters by the word debtes he meaneth our sinnes for that we owe the punishment of them vnto God and this Christ himselfe hath borne for vs in his death vpon the crosse and so hath obtained the pardon of sinnes for vs. We begge that the heauenly father would impute vnto vs that satisfaction obedience of Christ worke in vs a sense a feeling of this imputation that so we may sweetly rest in his fatherly fauour in Christ and in his loue purchased for vs in and by the sufferings of Christ To this petition is annexed an argument drawen from the like example that is the example of our remission in pardoning our neighbour his trespasses The reason of which exāple doth not consist in the merite of our worke but in the promise of Christ saying For a Math. 6.14.15 if ye forgiue men their offences your heauenly father will also forgiue you But if ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses By which wordes it doth manifestly appeare that they onely can be assured of the pardon of sinnes that are assured and know in their consciences that they haue pardoned their neighbours The reason whereof is this it can not be that any man pardon from his hart his brother Gods loue is cause of our loue our loue but a signe and effect of his loue vnlesse he first loue him now he can not loue his brother which first doth not loue God and no man can loue God which is not perswaded in his hart that God of his meere grace hath pardoned him all his sinnes by and through Iesus Christ And againe he that is assured of this he can not but loue God and his neighbour in for the Lord from which loue it can not be but the pardoning of all offences must proceede Lastly this argument is also noted with these wordes as and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forgiue vs as we also forgiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 6.12 and Luke 12. For euen we c. Wherefore this word also is not well omitted for we say commonly as we forgiue them that trespasse c. for as we also forgiue c. XIIII The sixt and last petition is And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Where we pray for the assistance of the holy spirite to ouercome the temptations of the deuill which is here called that euill or wicked spirite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that by his temptations for which cause he is called the tempter Math. 4.3 he troubleth and vexeth vs. XV. And thus far of the six petitions contained in the narration the confirmation followeth in these wordes For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for ages or for euer in which wordes we shew wherefore we haue both such boldnesse to aske and trust to obtaine to wit for that God wil be glorified by hauing his kingdome and raigning in vs and for that also he can effect what he will in heauen and earth XVI The conclusion is contained in one word namely the word Amen which is here a word of wishing signifying as much as truth So be it or Let this be a truth Wherefore we desire that whatsoeuer we haue prayed for at Gods hands in the six petitions the same may be true effected by him And yet there is no inconueniencie to say that Amen here is a word of asseueration for that by faith we be assured that God hath graunted our requestes XVII As for the place of prayer God in times past had appointed first his a Exod. 26. and 40. Tabernacle then after that Salomons b 1. King 8. 2. Chron. 7. Act. 8.27 Luke 18.10 Dan. 6.10 Temple but Christ hath c Iohn 4.21 abolished this ceremonie of that holy place and Paule d 1. Tim. 2.8 biddeth vs pray in euery place And so Christ e Math. 6.6 cōmaundeth vs to pray in our secret chambers and himselfe went vp to the f Mat. 14.23 mountaine alone to pray And Christ also doth approue a publique place of cōmon prayer when he saith VVhere two or g Mat. 18.20 three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them XVIII There is no certain time in the new Temēt appointed for prayer yet is it profitable that euery man appoint himself some a Dan 6.10
therfore the necessitie and life of our neighbour require an omission of a ceremonie we must rather b Ose 6.6 Mat. 32.4 chap. 15.3.4.5.6 omit a ceremonie then neglect the life of our brother Therefore this rule also must be kept The ceremoniall law must giue place to the morall X God gaue his law a Psal 147.19.20 Deut. 4.6.7.8 partly therby as by a speciall marke to put differeÌ„ce between his people and all other nations and people of the world partly that he might be worshipped by them as himself had b Deut. 4.1 c. chap. 12.32 prescribed and partly to prepare them vnto c Gal. 3.23.24 Heb. 9. 10. the faith of Christ which was to come XI His preparation was both by instruction and by charge XII First he taught them by ceremonies which were as visible Prophecies concerning Christ a He. 9. 10. shadowing his sacrifice wherby he should expiate the sinnes of all the elect XIII He vrged and charged them in a Col. 2.14 â—om 3.20 conuincing them of sinne both by the cereâ—onies and by the law morall but speciâ—ly in that by b Deu. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 by threatning his curse aâ—ainst them he caused them to seeke for â—race in Christ XIIII Concerning the abrogatioÌ„ of the law â—hus it is a law is said to be abrogate wheÌ„â—t is repealed made voide or abolished so â—hat the people to whom it was giuen and whom it did binde are no more bounde â—hereby XV. Therefore the morall law may not be sayd to be abrogate because it is a perpetuall rule of iustice coÌ„manding summarily the a Mat. 22.40 loue of God and of the neighbour which are mens duties for euer Albeit it be graÌ„ted also as true that the faithful are freed by Christ froÌ„ the b Gal. 3.13 curse seueritie or c 1. Iohn 5. 3 Rom. 6.14 extremitie of the law XVI But as for the ceremonial law that it is a Col. 2.14 Ibid. 17. Ephes 14.15 Gal. 3.25 abrogate is euident by the scope and vse thereof For it was giuen to instruct that ignorant people as a b Gal. 3.24 schoolemaster concerning Christ to come and to lead them vnto him as by the hand by shadowing c Heb. 9.10 Col. 2.17 prefiguring Christes Priesthood many wayes The d Iohn 1.17 truth then being come and we finding the liuely and e Heb. 10.1 expresse image of all things needful for saluatioÌ„ in Christ it foloweth that these legall shadowes figures are abolished that the law hath performed and ended that pedagogie XVII The questioÌ„ is harder coÌ„cerning the abrogatioÌ„ of the Iudicial law For it caÌ„ neither simply be sayd to be yet in force seeing the common wealth of the Iewes is abolished neither yet may we say that it is altogether abrogat for that it containeth many lawes which haue a scope vse perpetuall It seemeth then that this questioÌ„ may be thus answered The Christian Magistrat is not bound to the Iudiciall lawes of Moses in respect of some speciall circuÌ„stances which did concerne the people of Israell notwithstanding concerning the kindes of a Leuit. 24.1 Deut. 13.5 and 10. penalties which the Lord hath appointed for the reuerend estimation obseruation of the Decalogue the Christian Magistrats seeme to me assuredly at this day to be no lesse bound for the keeping of these lawes then the Magistrates of the people of Israell were in elder ages CHAP. IX Of the likenesse and difference of the old and new Testament I. APHORISME THe word Testament is here vsed to signifie the couenaÌ„t which God made with his people II. The cause wherefore this word is vsed is for that the Greeke interpreters of the Bible traÌ„slated the word Berith which signifieth a couenaÌ„t a 1. King 5. 2. Kings 23. Esay 59. Ierem. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Testament vsing the word as it seemeth in generall sense as if they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a couenant And for this cause the Apostle b Heb. 9.15.16.72 vseth the word Testament in his Epistle to the Hebrues disputing also from the proper signification thereof III. And assuredly the free couenaÌ„t of God hath this common with a Testament that it could not be ratified and confirmed but by the a Heb. 9.15.16.17 death of the parties couenanting that is by the death of the sonne of God who being very God together with the Father and the holy Ghost made that his couenaunt of grace with his people IIII. The Legall couenant also was confirmed by the death of a Exod. 24.5 6.7.8 Heb. 9.18.19.20 beastes albeit this were but ceremonially V. The Lordes couenant with his people is taught in Scripture to be double The couenant Legall or of workes and the couenant Euangelicall or of grace VI. The couenant Legall is that wherein God in elder ages promised the Israelites all manner of a Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. blessings corporall and also life b Leuit. 18.5 Gal. 3.12 Ma. 19.16.17 Luke 10.25.26.27.28 euerlasting vnder coÌ„dition of yeelding c Ibid. perfect obedience to Gods law by their owne d Deut. 6 5. Luke 10.27 strength and contrarily he threatned diuerse e Leuit. 26. Deut. 27. curses and eternall f Gal. 3.10 death to all such as did breake any g Ibid. one Commandement of the law The ratification and confirmation of this couenant is described Exod. 24. VII The Couenant of grace is that wherin the Lord hath promised his free a Gen. 12.1.2.3 chap. 15. c. 17. fauour and grace foreuer b Iere. 32.40 to all them which beleeue in Christ vnder condition of that c Mar. 16 16 Iohn 3.16 Ro. 10.9.10 blessed faith and true godlinesse or new obedience ioyned therewith yet neither of both these graces to proceede froÌ„ their owne strength but to be the meere giftes of God freely d Iere. 31.33 34. Ephe. 2.8 Iohn 5.25 Iohn 6.45 giuen them VIII Whereas the old and new Testament are opposed the one to the other we must note that the old Testament is taken two manner of wayes sometimes to signifie the Legall a Ierem. 31.35.32 Heb. 8.8.9.13 chap. 9.15.18 couenant sometimes to signifie the couenant of grace as it was established with Abraham his posteritie But by the new Testament the couenant of grace onely is vnderstood IX Now if any aske of the likenesse difference of the old and new Testament by the name of the old Testament we must vnderstand that couenant of grace as it was confirmed with a Gene. 17. Abraham and all the fathers before the comming of Christ Therefore in this comparison of both Testaments there is no mention to be made of the Legall couenant X. In substance the self same the old and new Test or couenaÌ„t but the ministration diuerse The likenesse therefore or agreement of both Testamentes doth consist herein that
assumption is false for b Psal 51.7 Dauid confesseth that he was conceiued in sinne and for that the infants of the faithfull are members c 1. Cor. 7.14 of the Church i◠followeth that they also are purged by the bloud of Christ and therefore we must graunt them the seale thereof which is Baptisme XI Lastly where they say that none in the Apostles time was baptized but he that made profession of his faith before that is true onely of such as were a Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 Ibid. v. 37.38 of yeares but that the infants of such as professed the faith and were baptized were also baptized in like manner we haue before plainly proued in the 7. Aphorisme CHAP. XXVI Of the Lordes Supper I. APHORISME THe Supper of the Lord is the second Sacrament of the a Mat. 26.28 Mar. 14.24 Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 new Testament or couenant of grace wherein by the b Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14 22. Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 breaking of bread and powring of the wine into to the cup the passion shedding of the bloud of Christ is figured represented as it were set before our eyes and next by giuing taking eating and drinking of these elementes the c Mat. 26.28 promise of the d Iohn 6.51.53.54.58 remission of sinnes and life euerlasting purchased by the passion of Christ and by his bloud shed in a word by that his precious death the promise of their cōmunion e 1. Cor. 10.16.17 and c. 12. vers 13. as members with their head Christ Iesus is sealed to all the beleeuing worthy receiuers wherby it cōmeth to passe that the faithful sweetly rest in the fauor of God obtained for them by his sons death and so feed with f 1. Cor. 3.7.8 him spiritually and dayly grow vp in a holy communiō with Christ II. And that the holy Supper is a Sacramēt of the new couenant it may appeare by the very words of the institution which the Lord pronounced of the cup saying This cup is the new Testament or couenant in my bloud that is a Sacrament of the new couenant III. We call the Lordes Supper the second Sacrament of the new Testament in respect of Baptisme which is the first For like as in the old Testament there were two principall Sacramēts Circumcisiō the Passeouer so there are two in the new Baptisme and the Lordes Supper which directly answer them succeede in their places And as none was admitted to the Passeouer but the a Exo. 12.48 Circumcised so none must be receiued to the Supper but the Baptized IIII. The commandement of Christ contained in the institution is in these wordes Take ye and eate ye Take ye and drinke ye and do this in remembrance of me V. Againe it is manifest by the wordes of the institution that Christ vsed bread and wine in this Sacrament VI. In the breaking of bread in the Lordes Supper we follow both the Lordes a Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 cōmaundement and his b Ibid. example for the Lord did not onely breake the bread and so by breaking it did consecrate the same a Sacrament of his body but also commāded this bread so blessed so broken to be receiued and eaten as the liuely symbole and Sacrament of his precious body broken that is crucified for vs. And the c 1. Cor. 11.23 Apostle saith that he receiued of the Lord which he deliuered to the Corinthians concerning the administration of this Sacrament and this d 1. Cor. 10.16 breaking of bread he both commaunded commended vnto them To be short then the breaking of bread is an essentiall ceremonie in the Lordes Supper for that this is the principall end thereof to represent seale and set before vs the passion and breaking of e 1. Cor. 11.24 the body of Christ The same reason is of the powring forth of the wine if we cōpare it with the shedding of the bloud of Christ VII The passion of Christ is set before vs in this Sacrament in a liuely manner as by a Gal. 3.1 preaching of the Gospell VIII We receiue Iesus Christ and his holy spirite most comfortably by the word for it is Gods holy ordinance and instrument to cōuay his graces into our minds harts and consciences and that mighty power to confer and giue vs the spirite of grace the spirite of faith the spirite of adoption the spirit of sanctificatiō of wisedome c. IX But there is difference betweene the participation of Christ by the one and by the other for the Lord first by his word confers grace but grace and faith once giuen are strengthned and increase dayly by the Sacraments X. Againe the Lord by the word workes onely by one sense in vs namely the sense of hearing whereby comes knowledge so faith Rom. 10.14.15 And this sense in deede is now since the corruption of our nature the sense of learning and vnderstanding and so the principall to breed beget faith in vs but before the fall of Adam the sight I take it was the principall sense to receiue and learne wisedome and vnderstanding in the vewe and consideratiō of the workes of God See Bradfords Sermō of the Supper The Lord therfore in the Sacrament hath respect to the sight and all other senses for in and by the Sacrament the soule doth not onely heare Christ as in the word but also see Christ touch Christ smell tast and so feed vpō Christ and all his benefites XI The principall parts of this Sacrament are to seale and ratifie that promise of Christ wherin he assureth vs that his flesh is a Iohn 6.55 meate indeed and his bloud is drinke indeede to feed vs vnto life euerlasting and in that he saith he is the b Ibid. v. 51. bread of life whereof who so eateth shall liue for euer it is ordained I say to seale that promise and to this effect to send vs vnto the crosse of Christ where that promise was performed and fulfilled in euery respect For the flesh of Christ was made vnto vs the bread of life or that meate which quickeneth vs in that it was c Ibid. crucified for vs. XII This meate we can not eate but by a Iohn 6.35 faith and this drinke we can not b Ibidem drinke but by faith XIII Againe to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud by faith is to receiue by faith the promise of God which testifieth that the flesh of Christ was crucified for vs that his bloud was shed for vs that is for the remission of our sinnes XIIII The fruite which followeth this spirituall meate and drinke is a spirituall a Iohn 6.57 1. Cor. 5.8 ioy in God and the increase of our b 1. Cor. 10.17 communion with Christ for this dependeth vpon the confirmation of our faith XV. Againe
it is very manifest that the body of Christ is not eatē with the 1 Transubstantiation mouth and that his body is not contained 2 Consubstantiation in the bread of the holy Supper for that a Act. 3.21 heauē must containe him vnto the day of iudgement Neither may we say that the body of Christ is euery where that it may be in heauen at one and the selfe same time here on earth also in the bread of the Lordes Supper for it euer retaines that propertie of a mans body which is to be finite for Christ was made like vnto vs in all b Heb. 2.17 things c Heb. 4.15 sinne onely excepted XVI Againe if the body of Christ and the bloud of Christ were cōtained vnder the formes of bread and wine the one part must be necessarily seuered from the other and so Christ must dye againe But Christ dyeth a Rom. 6.9 no more XVII Now that the bread of the Lords Supper is not transubstantiated into the body of Christ but that the substaunce of the bread remaineth after the wordes of consecration it may appeare for that Christ would teach by this bread as by a verie apt similitude that his flesh is a Iohn 6.55 spirituall meate therefore it must necessarily be very bread that we may assuredly conclude that our soules are as truly fed with Christ crucified for vs as our bodies are truly fed with that bread which there is broken for vs and giuen vs. Againe Christ commanded all the faithfull to eate of one b 1. Cor. 10.17 bread to teach that they all c Ibidem are as one bread or as one body therefore it must be very bread that the similitude may continue that like as of many grains or masse one substance is made so one bread so the faithfull being many hauing one spirit of faith to knit them vnto Christ and one spirite of loue to knit them one with another are made one Church as one body in and through their head Iesus Christ XVIII And like as neither the water of Baptisme is chaunged nor that water which streamed from the a Num. 20.10.11 rocke being smitten with Moses rod was chaunged into the bloud of Christ and yet both Sacraments of the same So in like maner the wine in the Lords Supper is not changed into the bloud of Christ wherof notwithstanding it is a Sacrament as Christ ordained and appointed XIX And yet we do not goe from the verie words of Christ but desire to giue them their naturall sense and meaning XX. The verie naturall sense of the words of Christ doth depend vpon a Metonymie or trope whereby the name of the thing signified that is the bodie is attributed to the signe which is bread and so for the cup and bloud of Christ in like maner XXI This Metonymicall or Sacramentall phrase is vsed euerie where in Scripture where the holy Spirit speaketh of Sacraments For we may not otherwise vnderstand these places as where it is sayd that circumcision is the a Gen. 17.10 couenant of God the paschall lambe is b Exod. 12.11 and 27. the Lords Passeouer in Aegypt and the c Leuit. 6.30 c. sacrifices of the Law are sayd to expiate the sinnes of the people and that the rocke which gaue thē water to drinke in the wildernesse was d 1. Cor. 10.4 Christ XXII The holy Spirit vsually retaineth this maner of speaking in all Sacraments for two causes principally first to helpe vs against our ignorance dulnesse and the blindnesse of our hearts for if the Lord spake not on this maner we would but only fasten our eyes and our hearts vpon the bare signes and ceremonies and content our selues as haue hypocrites in all ages with bare and emptie shadowes without faith Psal 50. feare repentance obedience or any reuerence of the holy couenant Therfore I say the Lord first speakes on this wise to lift vp our hearts and soules by faith to behold consider and to feede vpon the things signified The second cause of the vse of this phrase in the Sacraments is for that the verie truth is so there is a reall presence of the signe and the thing signified to the beleeuer for as he doth bodily and really participate of the signe Sacramenta sunt signa exhibentia non significantia tantū so doth he spiritually as really receiue and feed vpon the thing signified XXIII And thus speaketh Augustine also lest any thinke of this as of some new inuētiō If Sacraments had not a certaine similitude of those things of which they be Sacramēts a Epist 23. ad Bonifac. surely they should be no Sacraments and by reason of this likenesse they haue often the names of the things which are signified by them Therfore as the Sacrament of the body of Christ is after a certaine manner the body of Christ the Sacrament of the bloud of Christ the bloud of Christ so the Sacrament of faith is faith Whereas they obiect that it is not like that when Christ would minister vnto his Apostles a speciall comfort in aduersitie that then he should speake darkely and doubtfully the matter it self sheweth that this metonymicall phrase seemed not hard or obscure vnto the Apostles for if they had not thought that the Lord called the bread his body because it is a liuely true signe Sacrament thereof out of all question they had bene much troubled disquieted with so prodigious a matter which necessarily followeth from the literall sense of the word this may yet better appeare for the same verie time they could not well conceiue and vnderstand more easie and common a Ioh. 14.5.8 c. 16. v. 17. argumentes Therefore I say for that they were not troubled with these wordes it is manifest that they vnderstood them metonymically after the maner of the Scripture the rather for that a little before they had eaten of the lambe which in the same sense was called the passeouer for that it was a symbole of that memorable passeouer wherein the Angell b Exo. 12.27 of the Lord smiting all the first borne of the Aegyptians did passe ouer the houses of the people of Israell by which occasiō they were brought out of Aegypt and so freed from that extreme bondage XXV They spend here wind in vaine to obiect the omnipotencie of God to shewe that the bodie of Christ may be both in heauen and in the Sacramentall bread at one and the same time For the question is not here what God can do but what he will do and what his will and good pleasure is And his will is that Christ be like his brethren in a Heb. 2.17 all things sinne onely b Heb. 4.15 excepted Therefore his will is that he haue a true bodie that is a finite bodie and limited in place Againe albeit God be omnipotent yet can he not