is very reaâ—onable that all who haue an interest in the bloud of Christ should be partakers of the wine which reprâ—sents his bloud I may say therefore with Cyprian to Cecilius If it be not lawfull to vs late the least Commandâ—ment of Almighty God how much lesse one so great and weighty Mâ—reouer as â—ur Sauiours institution doth teach prescribe the vse of the Cup to the generall practicâ— of succeâ—ding agâ—s doth approue iâ— which how euident it is may appeare by Bellarmines shallow arguments and wâ—ak proofes of the contrary Bellarm. de Eueha lib. 4. cap. 24. Andraâ— Ortho expli li. 7 Andradius a principall stickleâ— at the Councell of Trent and a vehement dâ—fender thereof iustly reprooues the opinion of those who held that the Cup was anciently taken away from the laytie and restored by Leo. And Cardinall Cusanus can go no â—urther for the head of this streame As appears in his Epistle to the BohemiaÌ„s â—hen the Councell of Lateran which was twelue hundred yeeres after Christ So that they who are wont â—o bragge of antiquity and challenge â—s for nouelty are herein manifestly â—ound to be meere nouilists shake â—ands with the Maniches Leo quadra Ser. 4. who abstained from the vse of the Cup. The Romanists doe pretend reasons for this their sacriledge but such as are no lesse absurd then their practice is impious Andradius saith they had learned by long experience Andrad vbi supra that the vse of the Cup could not bee retained without maruailous danger In which speech he not onely taxeth our Sauiour Christ of inconsideration who could not foresee but the Church also of extreme ignorance or negligence that in twelue hundred yeeres could not obserue or would not auoyde such dangers But what are those dangers I pray you Gerson will tell you lest mens beards should be wet and lest the wine should be sowre if an ouer plus were consecrated Rhem Ann. in Iohn 6.58 The Rhemists say Because the Communicants being many so much wine could not at once be conueniently consecrated and there might be danger of sheading Which Reasons with some others of the like stampe comming foorth of the forge of drowsie braines were it not a serious and sacred matter doe rather deserue laughter then answere The Apostles constitutions ranne with this tenor Acts 15.28 It hath semed good to the holy Ghost and to vs but behold the pride of these men who practise what seemes good vnto themselues onely without direction of the holy Ghost and contrary to the institution of the Lord Iesus Whatsoeuer reason therefore flesh and bloud may haue for taking away of the Cup I may well say in this case of a matter of certaintie what Bellarmine saith of a matter of probability that is the vse of vnleauened bread Neque enim dubitari potest quin illud sit melius Bellar. de sacra Euchar. li. 4. cap. 7. faciendum quod Christus fecit It is not to be doubted but that is best and fittest to be practised which Christ himselfe hath done And if the Church of Rome will persist in this sacriledge 1. Cor. 10.16 let her take heed lest for taking away the Cup of blessing she draw vpon her the curse of God taste of the wine of his wrath as the Lord himselfe threatneth Reue. 16.19 Againe here the Papists are iustly taxed for some alterations and additions in the matter of the Sacrament as namely in vsing and vrging vnleauened bread in the mixing of water with the wine and dipping the bread in the wine 1. They vrge very nicely the vse of vnleauened bread Rhem. An. in 1. Cor. 11.23 yea the Rhemists vehemently charge vs that we neither follow Christ nor St. Paul in doing the contrary Indeede if either the Euangelists or the Apostle had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rhemists had said somewhat to the purpose but it being otherwise the Text yeelds them not the least colour for their conceit For the Pâ—sseouer must be celebrated wâ—th vnleauened bread All that caâ— bee said is grounded occasionally because the Passeouer being now celebrated it is like our Sauiour tooke such bread as the time and place did afford him Not because the Sacrament did necessarily require it but because the celebration of the Passeouer did presently yeeld it Now it is not fit that an accidentall ceremony should bring in a perpetuall necessity Anseâ—m saith Multis Catholicis ratiâ—nali uâ— videtur quod agunt non est contra fidem Catholicam Epist Wiâ—eram Ep. Do. Soto in 4 sent â—isâ—â—â— 9. qu. 〈…〉 Ier. 2.13 Yea this me thinkes might stop the Rhemists mouthes in that the learned amongst them doe hold it indifferent For though Scotus account the Grecians schismatikes for vsing leauened bread yet doth Dominicus Sotâ— and others apologize for them Yea the Councell of Horâ—nce definitiuely allowes their practice 2. They vrge exceedingly the mixing water with wine wherein I may say with the Prophet Ieremy These people haue committed two euils one by taking away the cuppe from the people the other by adding water to the wine in the Priests cuppe Yet could I easily passe ouer this in silence Rhem. Anno. in 1. Cor. 11.23 were it not for the Rhemists vâ—hâ—mency who vrge it as a matter of necessity and affirme that we in neglect thereof doe contemne Christ and his Church impudently and damnably for Christ say they and the Apostles and all the Churches in the world haue euer mixed their wine with water But this stone of impudency rebounds vpon themselues For as there is no mention of this mixture in the word of God So a great Popish Antiquary affirmes Po. Virgil de inuent lib. 5. cap. 9. Primus autem vino miscuit Do. Soto in 4 sâ—nt dist 9. qu. 1. Art 6 â—qâ—inas in 1. Cor. 11. Lect. 6. probabile est c. that Alexander the seuenth Bishop of Rome did first of all when hee consecrated mixe water with the nine Dominiâ— Soto as likewise diuers others saith It is not a matter of necessity and onely probable that Christ to allay the hâ—at of the wine in those hot climats did mixe it with water Is it not strange that they should hold that damnable in our pactice the contrary whereof is onely probable and occasionall in their iudgements The taking away of the cup. and yet not tremble to practise that which is directly contrary to the institution of Christ and the constant practice of so many succeeding ages Neither is it to be neglected that this their mixture hath brought them into many perplexed disputes as namely whether the water be incorporated with the wine and transubstantiated or whether it remaine intire and serue onely for signification and the like A third nicety is the Priests dipping of the bread in the wine which indeed is folly from a false ground namely from the soppe giuen
see and not perceiue When they see things oculis corporis non cordis when the eyes and eares of the body shall be open to the outward elements but be shut to â—he inward grace As when Phyâ—â—â—e workes not through obstructiâ—ns it is hurtfull to the body so whâ—n these ordinances of God preuaile not it is dangerous to the soule This made our Sauiour forth of his compassion not onely to sigh but also to entertaine an extraordinary passion euen to be angry Mark 3.5 To rest in contemplation of the outward elements onely were to be like the Anthropomorphites who resting in the letter of the Word ascribed vnto God the corporall parts of a man It were with the Capernaites to conceiue a corporall carnall eating of Christ and with little children Ioh. 6.52 to gaze vpon the guilded couer and neglect the learning in the booke This were grossely to peruert the ordinance of Almighty God who hath giuen vs these elements as a Candle to light vs not as a clowd to hinder vs from seeing receiuing Christ Though the ignorant Persian by beholding the Sunne and Moone bee brought to Idolatry yet the vnderstanding Christian must with Dauid thereby be stirred vp to adore the diuine Maiesty Ps l. 8. â— 4 and to magnifie him for his goodnesse to mankind Whâ—n Christ stoopes to our capacities for our instruction then must we send vp our faith and lift our meditations to heauen for our comfort Fâ—dem mitte mâ—â—â—â—um Aâ—g ep 3. Col. 3.1 Math. 2. as the Apostle exhorts in the third to the Colossians If you be risen with Christ seeke the things that are aboue Thus as the wise men were ledde to Christ by the starre in the East sâ— should we be guided to him by these outward signes in the Sacrament be stirred vp spiritually to feedâ— vpon his precious body and bloud represented to vs by these outward â—lements But it is not enough to obseruâ— the signes in generall we must descend to the particular consideration of them the reasons why this Sacrament should be instituted in these â—lements of bread and wine rather then in any other the consideratioâ— whereof will yeeld much matter oâ— instruction There are many of the workes of God so full of mystery that though we feare high yet we caâ—not comprehend the reason of them Wee can say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are so that it is plain and euident but why and how they are so it is not so apparant Yet are the râ—asons of this matter very obuioâ—s and euident to euâ—ry vnderstanding man Now the reasons of vsing these elements are either generall as they concerne them both or particular as they concerne them seuerally There are two especiall reasons in generall First these elements of bread and wine are most vsuall and common thorowout the Christian world and so doe fit â—he Church of Christ dispersed ouer the face of the earth Secondly Cypr. epi. 76. they are most significant to set forth our vnion both with Christ betweene our selues For as many graines are vnited in one loafe 1. Cor. 10.17 and many grapes in one cup so all the faithfull are by the Sacrament vnited each to other as members of one body all of them to Christ as to their head And herein the signes of the Sacrament haue a notable correspondence with the phrase of Scripture Iohn 6.35 Ioh. 15.1 which compares Christ to bread and to a vine And the like we see in Baptisme for the Element is very common all places generally hauing water very significant to set forth by the cleansing of our bodies by water the cleansing of our soules by the bloud of Christ Againe there are diuers reasons proper and peculiar to them seuerally First the bread is fit to set forth the strength we haue by Christ for vita panis Augâ—st and vita Christus as bread is a principall supporter of our naturall life so is Christ of our spirituall In regard of the strength of his creature Lâ—uâ—t 26 2â— it is called in Leuiticus the staffe of bread because that as the weake weary man is stayed vp by a staffe so is the fraile and feeble body by bread Yea because that bread is of especiall vse force in the nourishment and strengthening of our bodyes Mat. 6.11 we comprehend in the Lords prayer vnder the name therof whatsoeuer is necessary for the preseruation of this present life And the Psalmist likewise saith plainely Psal 104.15 He bringeth out of the earth bread that strengtheneth mans heart Vpon which words Saint Austin after his allegoricall manner of exposition applyes it to Christ saying quem panem what bread is it that he brings foorth of the earth to strengthen mans heart and then answeres Christum euen Christ Thus the bread being in especiall manner the instrument of our corporall strength was fit to set forth our spirituall strengthning by Christ And as the bread is very significant so is the wine in sundry respects One vse of wine is to quench the thirst and so it sets forth the quenching of our spirituall thirst by the bloud of Christ for his bloud â— drinke indeede Ioh. 6.55 Indâ—ed it is in â—â—â—encâ—â—ing the thirst of the soulâ— as â—â—â—nâ— is in quenching the thirst of â—hâ— bodie And thâ—râ—forâ— thâ— Prâ—pâ—â—t Isaiah proclaimâ—th to the wâ—rld tâ—â—â— comfâ—râ— Iâ—â— 55.1 Hoe euery one that thirstâ—th come you to thâ— wâ—ters and you thâ—t hâ—ue no money came aâ—â— buy wine and mâ—ke wiâ—hout â—â—â—e anâ— wâ—â—hâ—ut 〈◊〉 So that he whoâ—â— souâ—â— paâ—eâ—◠〈◊〉 thirstâ—th after Christ 〈◊〉 the Hart after the riuers of waâ—ers â—â—ceâ—ueth from him that water of 〈◊〉 which neuer suffers h m to thirst againe Ioh. 4.14 A second property of wine is to refresh and râ—uiuâ— a weary man by expelling cold and crude humors in regard whereof S. Paul exhoâ—ts Timothy who in respect of his age and calling vtterly abstaining from â—iâ—â— 1. Tim. 5. â—â— â—ad hurt his stomackâ— by crudities and other infirmitieâ— to drinke a little wine And what more fit to set forth the refreshing and reuiuing of â—â—r â—enummed soules by the bloud of Christ â—phes 2.5 Through whom being dead in our trespasses we are quickened Thus whilest Christ â—esus the Sun of righteousnesse stâ—nâ—s vpon our cold and frozen hearts he expels the cold vapors of sinne and quickens vs to the actiâ—ns of sanctification A third property of wine which followeth by way of consequence vpon the former is to cheare and comfort the heauy hâ—art by reuiuing and releeuing the â—ulled and decayed spirits â—o saith the Psalmist Psal 104.15 that wine maketh â—lâ—d the heart of man therefore the Wiseman exhorts Pro. 31 6. Giue wine to them that haue griefe of heart And it hath beene obserued forth of the ancient Rabbins Beza de pass D. â—it â—o 28. that it
also in the consecration of our spirituall And therefore S. Marke Marke 14. vers 22.23 vseth both the words So that our Sauiour taking the bread in his hands gaue thankes to God for the redemption of mankind for the reuelation thereof by the Word and the assurance of the same by the blessed Sacrament And withall prayed that whereas the bread wine of themselues had no power or vertue for that spirituall vse wherein they were to bee employed It would please God so to be present with his ordinance that through his grace and blessing the Sacrament might become a faithfull meanes to confirme our vnion with Christ and to seale vp vnto vs the worke of our redemption Now from the Conduit-pipe of this benediction Bella. de Eucharist lib. 1. cap. 10. Bellarmine and the Rhemists would faine conuey their doctrine of Transubstantiation but herein they foget themselues and contradict their owne doctrine For they generally hold that coÌ„secration is effected by these words Hoc est corpus meum This is my body Now this benediction goes before euer Christ speakes these words so that they must either reiect their maine ground of consecrating by hoc est corpus meum Iustin Mart. Apol. 2. Origen Cont. Cels lib. 8. Cyprian de Coena domin Theod. Dia 2 Hier. epist ad Euagrium Aug. de Trin. lib 3. cap. 4. or deny that this benediction is operatiue to change the substances But the truth is that consectation is done by this thankesgiuing and prayer as the ancient Fathers doe generally teach consequently not by a bare rehearsall of those words Hoc est corpus meum as hereafter wee shall obserue more fully Now this consecration of the elements by prayer and thankesgiuing is a sanctifying and setting apart of them for a sacred vse and consequently yeelds matter of much comfort For by it is represented Christ Iesus sanctified and set a part by Almighty God for the sanctification and saluation of mankinde according to that in the seuenteenth of Iohn Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified through thy truth So that as the oyntment did descend from Aarons head to his beard Psa 133.2 and went downe to the skirts of his cloathing so the oyle of grace and gladnesse is hereby deriued from Christ our head to euery member of his body and he being consecrate is become the author of eternall saluation to all them that obey him Heb. 5. â— Againe seeing that the elements of bread and wine are sanctified to a sacred vse we must put a difference betweene them other bread and wine For the bread after consecration is not common bread Iren. l. c. 4. cap. 34. as Ireneus truely saith As the gold which was profane in the furnace became holy when it was sanctified to the vse of the Temple so the bread which was by nature common by consecration and vse is made holy As the waters of Iordan being sanctified by God for the cure of Naaman 2. Reg. 5. were to be esteemed by him more excellent then all the riuers of Pharphar and Damascus And as the water in Baptisme being sanctified by prayer and thankesgiuing is more to be regarded then any the most excellent and costly distilled waters in the world so the bread wine being consecrated for the Sacrament are to be had in more reuerend estimation then any other whatsoeuer Againe seeing our Sauiour doth sanctifie the Sacrament by prayer thankesgiuing this is an action for imitation Yea if he gaue thanks to God in our behalfe how much more should we doe so for our selues who receiue the benefit and from this duty of thanksgiuing the Sacrament hath that ancient name of Eucharist And indeed this action doth yeeld approbation and commendation to the celebrating of the Sacrament in solemne Congregations where many ioyning together their combined prayers and praises doe more powerfully pierce the heauens to send vp the sweet incense of thanks and to bring downe the deaw of grace vpon the Congregation To conclude seeing that the Sacrament is sanctified by prayer and thankesgiuing we must be carefull to vse it in a holy and reuerend manner Is it blessed by prayer and thankesgiuing Let vs not profane it by vnworthy receiuing lest wee turne that blessing into a curse vpon our selues Act. 10.15 As it was said to Peter so may I say to euery Communicant Those things which God hath purified pollute thou not And as the assembly at the Passeouer was appointed to be a holy Conuocation Numb 28.18 so let our assemblies bee at this our Euangelicall Passeouer The third Action is the breaking of the Bread A man would thinke this a needlesse ceremony Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.23 Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 10.16 11.24 Act. 20.7 but indeed it is very materiall Therefore all the Euangelists and the Apostle likewise doe diligently mention it Yea this action giues denomination to the whole celebration of the Sacrament which argues that it is a ceremony of great moment and very worthy of obseruation And reason for it is very significant to represent the paines of Christs Passion Ioh. 19.36 Exo. 12.46 Not that his body was broken which by diuine prouidence was preuented that the Scripture might be fulfilled but to set foorth the intolerable torments that Christ indured in his death when he might iustly complaine as it is in the Psalme Psa 69.20 Rebuke hath broken my heart Hereby is set forth that which Esaiah speakes of Esay 53.5 He was wounded for our iniquities hee was broken for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed In which place the Hebrew words are very significant to set forth the extreme paines that Christ indured for our sakes they imply the whip the speare the nayles the thornes which did pearce the body and the sword of sorrow which did wound the soule of our Sauiour Yea this breaking of the bread doth set forth the renting of the soule and body of Christ asunder This Action makes against the carnaâ—l presence as indeed almost euery passage in the institution doth For the body of Christ is present onely as it is broken but it is broken onely in mysterie therefore it is present onely in mysterie To breake the naturall body of Christ actually were an act of great cruelty Ioh. 19. â—2 more extremity towards our Sauiour in his glorious estate then the rude souldiers shewed in his infirmity on the Crosse But concerning this action the Papists are exceedingly distracted Vide P. LuÌ„ Sent. 4. dist 12. A. B. C. D. not knowing what to affirme as whether it was bread or his body which was broken To say it was the body of Christ were to make his body perpetually passible and to say it is bread after consecration they are loth because it ouerthrowes their locall presence Therfore these shelues
Durand Ratio li. 4. ca. 4. Maldonat in Mat. 26. who affirme that Iudas was absent So that Maldonat was too nice in saying hee could willingly be of that opinion but that the contrary hath many fauourers Wee may be confident especially when the Euangelist himselfe saith plainely Ioh. 13.30 For that this sop was no part of Supper that so soone as Iudas had receiued the sop hee went immediatly out So that from this our Sauiours practice in not admitting Iudas I may say with Chrysostome Nullus assistat Iudas Chrys ad op Ant. hom 60 Psa 50.16 Let no Iudas bee present or approach this holy Table If the Lord expostulate thus with a wicked man for medling with his Word VVhy dost thou take my Couenant into thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be reformed Will he not be prouoked to anger with him who takes this Sacrament into a prophane mouth If he who did eat the Peace-offering Leuit. â— 20 hauing his vncleannesse vpon him was cut off from his people as we read in the seuenth of Leuiticus What shall become of him who comes vnworthily to take this holy Sacrament the memoriall of that wonderfull Peace-offering which Christ tendered to his Father vpon the Altar of the Crosse whereby he reconciled all things to God both in heauen and earth Col. 1.20 There are two especiall reasons of this doctrine First in regard of the difference betweene the Sacrament and the Communicant For what fellowship hath light with darknes what agreement betweene the holy Sacrament and a profane heart who will put precious waters into filthy vessels or wholesome wine into soule caskes This is the ground of Ioshuaes speech to the children of Israel Ios 24.19 You cannot serue the Lord for he is a holy God that is whilest they were wicked the righteous Lord who loueth righteousnesse Psa 11.7 would not accept of their seruice Almighty God hath euer carefully required a correspondence betweene his holy ordinances those who were to bee partakers of the same Thus the Shew-bread was appointed onely for Aaron and his sonnes because they were holy Exo. 29.33 Thus the Trespasse-offring must bee eaten in the holy place Leuit. 7.6 because it is most holy Therfore as the Lord saith 1. Pet. 1.16 Be you holy because I am holy so may it be said to the Communicant Be you holy because the Sacrament is holy This was the caueat giuen to the Communicants in the Primitiue Church when one of the Deacons holding vp the Sacrament in the view of the people Chrys ad pop Ant. hom 61. cryed with a lowd voyce Sancta sanctis Holy things belong to the holy And where there is no holinesse to entertaine these holy things there in stead of comfort the heart is more more corrupted For as the Spider gets strength of poyson from the sweetest hearbes and flowres so the profane and impenitent heart is strengthened in wickednesse by receiuing this holy and heauenly food The Word of God hath many excellent Encomiums in sundry places of Scripture It is the sincere milke of the VVord 1. Pet. 2.2 Psal 12.6 Psal 19.10 It is more purer then gold seuen times refined It is sweeter then the hony and the hony-combe Yet we often finde by lamentable experience that it becomes to some the sauor of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2.16 and so to the Sacraments which were ordained to be the seales of our saluation the comfort of our hearts the strength of our soules being vnworthily receiued becomes the seale of condemnation the bane and poyson both of soule and body for euer A second reason why the wicked and vnworthy must not meddle with the Sacrament is the danger that thereby is incurred When Almighty God deliuered the Law vpon Mount Sinai Exo. 19.12 as he did fence the mountaine with markes and bounds so did he the Commandements with comminations and threatnings Aboue other the third Commandement hath a dreadfull threatning The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Exod. 26.7 Now when the Sacrament is profaned the name of God is taken in vaine in a high degree Let him therefore take heed to himselfe who by vnworthy receiuing doth profane this holy Sacrament The temporall iudgements that haue seazed vpon men for laying profane hands vpon holy things are left to vs as a warning to auoyd the like dangers 1. Sam. 5.6 The hand of God was heauy vpon them of Ashdod for meddling with the Arke Baltazar was â—roâ—ght into a maruelous trembling and astonishment receiued a dolefull doome by the handwriting on the wall Dan. 5 3-6 for quailing and carowsing in the holy vessels And the Apostle here would haue the Corinthians take notice of the wrath of God vpon diuers of them for receiuing the Sacrament vnworthily For many were sicke and weake amongst them Verse 30. and many slept Seeing then that weakenesse sicknesse and death also did befall those profaners the same should make euery profane and irreligious receiuer of the Sacrament to tremble as being lyable to the like iudgements The Iraelites had quails at their desire but when the meate was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God fell vpon them Psal 78.30 And this surely was a great iudgement He that is an vnworthy receiuer may iustly feare lâ—st the wrath of God in some such fearefull manner fall vpon him whilest the cup is in his hand and the bread in his mouth It is true that as fathers chastise their children that are come to ripe yeeres in another fashion then they did when they were little So God hath another kinde of discipline vnder the Gospel then hee had vnder the Pedagogie of the Law as St. Chrysostome saith Hee doth not so often scourge offenders with the rods of temporall chastisements but rather reserues for them eternall torments Magnum ac quirit tormeÌ„tum Aug. in Ioh. tract 62. so that Whosoeuer receiueth the Sacrament vnworthily procures to himselfe a great torment Yet who doubts but that the hand of God is vpon many vnworthy Communicants euen by sorrow sicknesse death and sundry other temporall chastisements But let vs obserue the dangers of vnworthy receiuing as they are laid downe by the blessed Apostle The first is Hee becomes guilty of the body and bloud of Christ That is hee is guilty of offering contumely iniury and indignity to him Saint Paul when he disswades husbands from offering violence to their wiues Ephe. 5.29 giues this for a reason No man euer yet hated his owne flesh And may not I reason thus Lâ—t no man offer iniury to Christ because he is flesh of our flesh Yea hee is our head and a wound or maine giuen to the head is more odious and dangerous then to another part To offer violence to an ordinary person it is a fault to strike a Magistrate a greater but to wound a King who