A Compend of the Controversies of Religion, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. OF THE LORD'S Supper.
§. I. That Christ Ieſus glorified Bodie is onlie in the Heavens.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
ACts 3.21. Whome the Heaven must receiue vp, (or containe) vntill the times of the restitution of all things.
Note then, That the Heavens muſt containe Chriſt's glorified bodie, till the ende of the Worlde; as the Beliefe ſayth accordinglie, That from that place ſhall Hee come, to judge the Quicke and the Dead.
Matth. 26.11. The Poore yee hauehave al-wayes vvith you, but Mee yee ſhall not hauehave al-wayes vvith you.
Remarke then, That the Popiſh practiſe, would make Chriſt a liar; while as the Prieſts ſay, that they hauehave Chriſt alwayes with them bodilie betweene their fingers, in their daylie Maſſes.
Iohn 16.28. I came from the Father, and am come in the World: againe, I leaue the World, and goe to the Father.
Note then, As hee was bodilie preſent in the World, when hee came from the Father; ſo hee ſhoweth, that according to that preſence, hee hath left the World, when hee returned to his Father, and is now onlie ſpirituallie preſent (as hee promiſed) with his owne to the end of the World. Matth. 28.20.
Matth. 24.23. Then, if anie man ſhall ſay vntounto you, Loe, heere is Christ, or there is hee; belieue him not.
So neither ſhould Chriſtians now belieue thoſe conſening Prieſts, that ſay, Heere is Chriſt in the Maſſe, Hoſt, or there in the Pixe, or Proceſſion.
Acts 7.56. And hee ſaide, Beholde, I ſee the Heavens opened, and the Sonne of Man ſtanding at the right hand of God.
Beholde heere then, the witneſſing of the firſt Martyre, where hee declareth the glorified bodie of Chriſt, onelie to bee in Heaven.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
THere is one perſon (ſayth Augustine) God and Man, and Chriſt is both theſe, everie-where by that, where-by hee is God: but in Heaven, by that, where-by hee is Man. (Aug. Epist. 507. ad Dardanum.) For when hee was on Earth, hee was not then in Heaven; and now being in Heaven, hee is not to bee had on Earth, ſayeth Vigilius, lib. 4. contra Eutychen. And ſo ſayeth Fulgentius the verie ſame. Lib. 2. ad Thraſimundum.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
HEE left the World, according to his bodilie preſence, (ſayeth Lyra, on Iohn 16.28.) and hee ſayde, Yee ſhall not hauehave mee al-wayes with you, by my corporall preſence: other-wiſe hee ſayth, I ſhall bee with you to the worlds ende, Lyra in Matth. 26.11.
§. 2. That Christ's Bodie is not in manie places at once, inviſiblie, and vnpalpablie.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
HEb. 2.17. Wherefore, in all things it behoved him to bee like vntounto his brethren.
Note then, If it behoved him to bee lyke to vsus in all things, then his bodie muſt be viſible, and palpable, and contained in one place, even as other glorified bodies are.
Matth. 28.6. Hee is not heere, for hee is riſen, as hee ſaide.
Remarke then, That according to the Romiſh doctrine, if Chriſt's bodie may be in manie places inviſiblie at once, the Angel's reaſon heere ſhould bee of no force: for it might hauehave beene replyed, That altho hee bee riſen, yet hee might at the ſame inſtant hauehave beene inviſibile in the Sepulchre.
Luke 24.39. Beholde mine hands and feet, that it is I my ſelfe: handle mee, and ſee; for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones, as yee ſee mee hauehave.
Note then, That after his Reſurrection, our Saviour's Bodie was viſible and palpable, his Reſurrection adding glorie to his Nature, but no-wayes quite abol…ſhing his Nature; as the Papiſts doe, who change not onelie Bread in-to his Fleſh, but his Fleſh in-to a Spirit, which hath neither fleſh nor bones, as the Diſciples ſaw Chriſt's bodie hauehave.
Acts 1.11. This ſame Ieſus vvhichwhich is taken vp from you in-to Heaven, ſhall ſo come, in like manner as yee hauehave ſeene him goe in-to Heaven.
Note then, That the Angels teſtifie, that as his going vp from men to Heaven, was ſenſible and viſible; ſo ſhould his bodilie comming from Heaven backe againe, bee ſenſible and viſible: which ſeeing no ſuch comming hath beene hither-to, or can bee ſeene, it is evident, that his comming downe inviſiblie, to bee amongſt the Prieſts fingers, when he conſecrateth the hoſt, is a ridiculous phantaſie.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
THe Bodie of Chriſt (ſayth Theodoret) hath its former ſhape and figure, & circumſcription; and, as I may briefly ſay, the ſame eſſence of a bodie, altho after the reſurrection it was made immortall mortall, and free from corruption. Theod. Dialog. 2. And in the ſame Dialogue, from the circumſ…ription there-of, hee proveth the viſibilitie there-of: and by the viſibilitie there-of, where it is, that it is circumſcrybed; ſaying, that, that onlie is inviſible, which can-not bee circumſcrybed. In lyke manner Augustine ſayeth, that it is prophane, not to belieue and profeſſe (ſayth he) the ſonne of God according to his humanitie, to bee corporeall and locall, after his reſurrection. Aug. 4. tom. de eſſentia divinitatis.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
HAndle mee, and ſee: by this (ſayeth Lyra, on Luke 24.) hee ſhew that he had a true bodie, and not an imaginarie. And on Acts 1.11. hee ſhall come (ſayth hee) in the ſame forme and ſubſtance of fleſh to judge, as hee came to be judged: for altho he hath received immortalitie, hee hath not loſt the true nature of humanitie.
§. 3. That after conſecration, the Bread, and VVine remaineth in ſubstance, in the Sacrament of the Euchariſt.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
MAtth. 26.29. But I ſay vntounto you, I vvill not drinke hencefoorth of this fruit of the Vine.
Note then, That Chriſt calleth it expreſſelie the fruit of the Vine, which hee had drunken with his Diſciples, at his laſt Supper.
Verſe 26. And as they vvere eating, Ieſus tooke Bread, and bleſſed it, and brake it, and gaue it to the Diſciples.
Note then, That it was ſtill Bread, after diſtribution: for the word [it] is ſtill relatiue to the bread which Chriſt tooke: and hee ſayde, [This is] not, [this ſhall bee, by transſubſtantiation,] [my bodie, which is given for you, ſayeth Luke, 22.19.] Now all men know, that it is not the hoſt of bread that was crucifyed for vsus, [doe this in remembrance of mee.]
Note then, That a remembrance is not of a thing preſent; ſo neither is Chriſt's Bodie, after the Popiſh manner.
1. Cor. 10.16. The cup of Bleſſing, vvhichwhich vvee bleſſe, is it not the communiō of the blood of Chriſt? The bread vvhichwhich vvee breake, is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ?
Remarke then, How the Apoſtle expound…th Chriſt's words: calling that the communion of Chriſt's bodie, which him-ſelfe called his bodie. Now the communion of a thing, is not the thing it ſelfe; for theſe two are divers.
1. Cor. 11. For as oft as yee eate this bread, and drinke this cup, yee doe ſhew the Lord's death, till hee come.
Note then, That the Apoſtle calleth that [bread] which wee eate in the Sacrament, and not humane fleſh. Next, that wee ſhow, or repreſent Chriſt's death in the Sacrament: therefore Chriſt beeing onelie repreſented there, is not there bodilie: And thirdlie, it is ſayde, till hee come: therefore it clearlie againe followeth, that hee is not alreadie there.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
NEither doth the myſticall ſignes, after ſanctification, depart from their owne nature, (ſayth Theodoret) for they remaine ſtill in their owne ſubſtance, and figure, and ſhape, and may be handled and touched, as they were before. Theod. 2. Dialog. Where-vntounto conſenteth, Ambroſe, in 1. Cor. 11. ſaying, That it is bread, where-of all participate, to wit, according to its naturall ſubſtance. As alſo Gelaſius, in his booke of two natures, ſaying, After conſecration, that yet the ſubſtance and nature of bread and wine doe ſtill remaine.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
POpe Innocent 3. in his fourth booke of the myſteries of the Maſſe, cap. 27. teſtifyeth, that Chriſt, after conſecration, calleth that which was in the Cup, the fruit of the Vine. And Bellarmine granteth, that it is probable, that there is no expreſſe place of Scripture, that evidentlie can inforce transſubſtantiation to bee admitted: for that it is by theſe words, which they commonlie adduce, he ſayth the moſt learned, and ſharpeſt witted amongſt them (as Scotus was) hath thought the cleane contrarie. Bell. lib. 3. de Euchar. c. 23. §. ſecundo.
§. 4. That Chriſt Ieſus is not received by the bodilie mouth.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
IOhn, 6.35. I am that bread of life: hee that commeth to mee, ſhall never hunger; and hee that believeth in mee, ſhall never thirst.
Note therefore, That the way how to eate, and drinke of Ieſus Chriſt, is to belieue in him.
Verſe, 53. Verelie, verilie, I ſay vntounto you, except yee eate the fleſh of the Sonne of Man, and drink his blood, yee hauehave no life in you.
But remarke, that manie hauehave gotten lyfe eternall, who never did eate Chriſt with the bodilie mouth, by the Papiſts owne confeſſion, as the Thiefe on the Croſſe, and manie moe others, which die after Baptiſme.
Epheſ. 3.17. Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith.
Note then, That as his dwelling in vsus is, ſuch is our receiving of him, and that the one, and the other, both are ſpirituall by fayth.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
WHerefore prepareſt thou thy teeth, and thy wombe? (ſayth Auguſtine) belieue, and thou haſt eaten. Tract. 25. in Iohn. And even hither-to hee may be touched, but by affection, not by the hand, by deſire, not by the eye; and by fayth, and not by the ſenſes, ſayeth Bernard. ſerm. 28. in Cant. So ſayeth Ambroſe lyke-wiſe, lib. 6. in Luc. c. 8. And therefore concludeth there-after, ſaying, Not vponupon the earth then, nor in the earth, nor according to the fleſh, muſt wee ſeeke Thee, if wee would finde Thee. Ambr. lib. 10. in Luc. c. 24.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
HEE expoundeth (ſayeth Lyra) that which Hee ſayde before, and what it is to eate His Fleſh, and drinke His Blood; that it is, to abyde in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him. (Now, Chriſt abydeth in our heartes, and that by fayth, ſayeth the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 3.17.)
§. 5. That CHRIST IESƲS is not received by the VVicked.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
IOhn, 6.51. I am that Bread of Lyfe, which came downe from Heaven: if anie man eate of this Bread, he ſhall liue for ever.
Note therefore, That in reſpect the Wicked get not Eternall lyfe, that therefore they no-wiſe participate of Chriſt.
Verſe 56. Hee that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, abydeth in mee, and I in him.
But the Wicked, neyther are in Chriſt, as Members; nor is Chriſt in them by his Spirit: but the ſpirite of Satan onelie, whoſe members they are; and therefore they no-wiſe are partakers of CHRIST IESVS.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
HEe who diſagreeth from Chriſt, hee neyther eateth his bodie, nor drinketh his blood, (ſayeth Auguſtine) altho hee daylie receiue the Sacrament of ſo great a thing, to his condemnation. Auguſt. 3. Tom. Sent. 339. Et Lib. 21. de Civit. Dei, Cap. 25. And hee that remayneth not in Mee, and I in him, let him not ſay, or thinke, (ſayeth Bernard, in the perſon of Chriſt) that hee eateth my bodie, or drinketh my blood. Bern. Epiſt. ad Fratres, de monte.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
HEe that abydeth not in Chriſt, (ſayth Lyra) and Chriſt in him, hee eateth not Chriſt ſpirituallie, altho hee participate of the Sacrament corporallie. (And a little after:) For the Sacrament it ſelfe, is taken by ſome vntounto lyfe, and by ſome vntounto death: but the matter of this Sacrament, is by all vntounto lyfe, and by none taken vntounto death. Lyra, in Ioan. 6.
§. 6. That Chriſtian People (for whom Chriſt ſhed His Blood) ſhould not be defrauded of the Cup, which is called, The Communion there-of.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
MAtth. 26.27. And taking the Cup, he gaue thanks, and gaue it to them, ſaying, Drinke ye all of this.
Note, That where-as Hee ſayeth onlie of the Bread, Eate yee, Hee ſpeaketh more expreſſelie of the Cuppe, ſaying, Drinke yee all; that none ſhould bee excepted.
1. Cor. 10.16. The Cuppe of Bleſſing, which wee bleſſe, is it not the communion of the Bloode of Christ?
I aske then, Where-fore hinder the Popiſh Clergie their People, from ſo comfortable a Communion? ſeeing the Precept of Drinking, muſt belong to them, to whom the reaſon of the Precept moſt belongeth, which is the comfort of remiſſion of ſinnes, and the remembrance of Chriſt Ieſus paſſion, 1. Cor. 11.25. If therefore people ſhould apply the one, and remember the other, then ſurelie they ſhould participate of the Cup.
1. Cor. 11.28. But let a man examine him-ſelfe, and ſo let him eate of that Bread, and drinke of that Cap.
No… then, That as all faythfull Chriſtia…s are bound, to prooue and examine t…eir owne conſcience before communicating; ſo are they ordayned to drinke of the Cup. Therefore yee ſee, that in the two preceeding verſes, and in the ſubſequent, both Eating and Drinking, are ever joyned together, and injoyned to all.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
ONe Cuppe is diſtributed amongſt vsus all, ſayeth Ignatius, Epiſt. 6. ad Philadelph. And to everie one of thoſe that are preſent, the Deacons diſtribute Wine and Water, ſayeth Iuſtin. Martyr. Apol. 2. And vntounto all men what-ſo-ever, is one Bodie, and one Cuppe, preſented ſayeth Chryſoſtome, Hom. 18. in 2. Cor. Cap. 8.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
OF olde, that the Euchariſt was given vntounto Laicks, vnderunder both kynds, for manie ages, (ſayeth Alphonſus) wee are inſtructed by the Writs of manie holie Fathers. Alphon. de Caſtro, contra hereſ. verbo Euchariſtia. And more particularlie ſayeth Caſſander, thus, It is evident, that the Vniverſall Church to this day, (ſayeth hee) and the Occidentall, or Romane, a thouſand yeares, and moe, after Chriſt, in the ſolemne, and ordinarie adminiſtration of this Sacrament, did exhibite, to all the members of Chriſtes Church, both the ſortes of Bread and Wine. Caſſ. conſult. art. 22.