The Pathway to Prayer and Piety, Section 2 – Title page 3
THE CONFESSION of Maſter Zanchius in his Miſcellenea, touching the Supper of the LORD.
CHAP. I. Of thoſe things which are giuen vntounto vsus in the Supper.
1 I Beléeue theſe three things to be offered vntounto all men in the Supper, and to be receiued of the faithfull. The ſignes, the bread, and the wine, being ioyned with the words of Chriſt. For the word is not to be ſeparated from the ſignes, nor the ſignes from the word: or elſe the Sacraments were no Sacraments. For the word is added to the element, and ſo the Sacrament is made.
2 The bodie and bloud of the Lord, that is the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe. For as in very truth the Diuinitie is not ſeparated from the humanitie, neither the humanitie from the Diuinitie: euen ſo vntounto vsus the one is not offered without the other. Wherefore neither are they to bee ſeparated of vsus euen in thought: but as whole Chriſt is offered, ſo whole Chriſt is alſo to be receiued.
3 The New Couenant or Teſtament, I meane that which is renued and confirmed in Chriſt. For this is that thing forwhoſe cauſe chiefely the Supper is inſtituted, and adminiſtred, to wit, that we being incorporated more and more into the perſon of Chriſt, might hauehave the couenant more and more confirmed vntounto vsus. Now the bodie and bloud of Chriſt and the new Teſtament made in Chriſt are that Spirituall, but the Elements of Bread and Wine are thoſe Earthly thinges whereof Irenaeus ſpeaketh.
CHAP. II. Of the vſe of theſe three things, and firſt of the vſe of the Word, of the Bread, and of the Wine.
I Beleeue theſe thrée thinges to be offered and giuen for thoſe certaine and proper vſes whereunto among themſelues they were ordained.The firſt Poſition.
And firſt I beléeue the Elements of Bread and Wine together with the Word to bee offered and giuen, that by this Word, and thoſe Elements, as it were inſtruments of Gods Spirit working in the heartes of the Elect, their faith might bee more and more ſtirred vp and confirmed, by which faith wee beléeue, that the matter is ſo indéede, as the Word of Chriſt doth ſound in our eares, and doth repreſent the Elements to our eyes, and other ſenſes: to wit, that the Heauenly Bread, which is the Bodie of Chriſt, hath béene broken, that is killed and died for vsus. And the Heauenly Wine, that is, the bloud of Chriſt to hauehave béene ſhed for vsus and for many more, euen all the Elect for the remiſſion of their ſins, and ſo the New Teſtament to hauehave beene confirmed in the bodie of Chriſt, and ſealed in his bloud, and that this Heauenly Bread Chriſt with the New Teſtament, and the Heauenly Wine with the remiſſion of ſins, to be offered vntounto vsus by the Earthly bread, and by the Earthly Wine: yea further that we are commanded to receiue them in theſe wordes, Take, eate, I beléeue the Bread and the Wine to bee giuen vntounto vsus for this end. For this is the proper and immediate vſe of all ſpéech and of all ſignes, eſpecially of thoſe ſignes, which are vſed for confirmation of our ſpéech, not only ſimply to ſignifie this or that, but alſo that by ſignifying they may make beléefe, that is, may ſtirre vp faith in the hearers and ſéers, whereby they are perſwaded that the thing it ſelfe is euen ſo as the words of the ſpeaker doe ſignifie vntounto the cares, and as the ſignes doe repreſent vntounto the eyes. Paul alſo in the tenth Chapter to the Romans ſpeaking of the Word of God and of the preaching of the Goſpell, ſaith that faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Therefore the proper and immediate vſe of the Word is to beget faith in the hearer. Signes alſo and Sacraments are viſible wordes. I conclude then that Bread and Wine together with the Word are giuen for this vſe and immediate end, that faith may bee more and more increaſed in vsus, whereby we beléeue that the thing is ſo, as the Word ſignifies, and as the Elements doe repreſent and in this manner ſignifying doe offer and repreſent vntounto vsus.
OF the vſe of Faith being wrought in vsus by the Word and Sacraments.The ſecōd Poſition.
I beléeue this faith to bee wrought in vsus of the holy Ghoſt, by the Word and Sacraments that by this faith wee might immediatly receiue and eate the bodie of Chriſt which was deliuered vp for vsus, and receiue and drinke the bloud of Chriſt which was ſhed for vsus for remiſſion of ſinnes. And ſo we might more and more bee engraffed and immediatly vnited vntounto the bodie of Chriſt as our Mediatour who died for vsus.
For euen as the Bread and Wine being Earthly and Materiall Bodies cannot bee incorporated into our Earthly bodies, vnleſſe wee receiue them in at our mouth, and eate them, and drinke them. So wee cannot bée vnited and incorporated into the bodie and bloud of Chriſt, which Irenaeus calleth an Heauenly thing, vnleſſe by faith we take hold on Chriſt, eate him and drinke him, that is, applie him vntounto vsus.
The third Poſition.OF the vſe, for which we eate the body of Chriſt, and drinke his bloud.
I beléeue that the bodie of Chriſt in the Supper is offered and exhibited vntounto vsus to be eaten, and his bloud to bee drunke: and that faith by the Word and Sacraments by the helpe of the Holy Ghoſt being wrought in our hearts, it is eaten of vsus indéed: to the end that we being more neerely and effectually incorporated into Chriſt, we may alſo bee more throughly confirmed in the New Couenant, which in Chriſt is communicated vntounto vsus.
For as Chriſt did therefore deliuer his bodie vntounto death and ſhed his bloud, that by his death and bloud our ſinnes being purged, hee might confirme and for euer eſtabliſh the couenant being renued betwéene God the Father and vsus: euen as the words of the Supper concerning the bloud doe teach vsus, and other bookes of the Scripture, eſpecially the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes doe confirme: euen ſo for this end alſo the body and bloud of Chriſt is communicated vntounto vsus, that by the participation of them, we in like manner being more and more incorporated into Chriſt, might be more and more confirmed in the New Teſtament. Therefore when Chriſt gaue forth the cuppe, in plaine wordes hee named the New Teſtament that the Apoſtles might vnderſtand, to what end the bloud of the ſonne of God, was not only ſhed and powred out, but alſo was exhibited to be drunken of them. Verily to this end that as by the ſhedding of his bloud, their ſinnes, and the ſinnes of all Gods Elect were purged, and being purged, the couenant betweene them and God was for all eternitie confirmed: So alſo by drinking of the ſame, both they and all the Elect being more and more incorporated, may know themſelues to be confirmed and eſtabliſhed in the euerlaſting Couenant. But yet becauſe the Couenant, and the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt are diuers obiects, and the one is ordinated vntounto the other, therefore for doctrine ſake I diſtinguiſh the one from the other, and ſhew what is the proper vſe of either of them.
The fourth Poſition.OF the benefit or vſe of the Couenant communicated vntounto vsus.
Laſtly I beléeue the couenant it ſelfe being ratified and confirmed in the bodie of Chriſt, and by the bloud of Chriſt, to bee more and more communicated vntounto vsus, in the ſame bodie and bloud of Chriſt: that by the bond thereof, wee may wholy whatſoeuer we are, bee vnited more and more vntounto God the Father, the Fountaine as of the whole Diuinitie, ſo of all goodneſſe and bleſſedneſſe, by Chriſt, the Mediatour, the Spirit working and dwelling in vsus: and that we may be ſo vnited that in mind wee may daily more clearely acknowledge him by the Holy Ghoſt, to be our true, and our beſt Father in Chriſt, and in our heart louelove him more feruently in Ieſus Chriſt through the Holy Ghoſt: yea with all the powers of ſoule and bodie wee may daily more ſincerely honour him, and may bee made like vntounto him in Holineſſe and Iuſtice, vntill at length ſinne being vtterly deſtroyed, and death aboliſhed, and the perfect Image of God recouered, wee may ſo perfectly through Chriſt in the Spirit of God bee vnited and coupled after this life vntounto God the Father, that he may be all in all. Amen.
For this is the laſt end, vntounto which not only the Supper of the Lord, but alſo Baptiſme, yea the whole Word of God, all his benefits, all his corrections, laſtly all the words and works of God doe lead vsus vntounto.
CHAP. III. Of the dutie of a Chriſtian man in the Supper of the Lord.
WHerefore I thinke and beléeue, that theſe are the duties of a Chriſtian man in the Lords Supper.
Firſt, that he ſet before his eyes the perfect Communion with God, which is none at al without Chriſt, and is to be found only in him, and that he direct all things vntounto it, as vntounto the laſt end.
Secondly, that hee may come vntounto this end, hee muſt make his beginning from the meanes which doe incurre into our ſenſes, as thoſe things which are firſt perceiued by our vnderſtanding, and are better knowne by nature, as alſo hee muſt heare the word attentiuely, and come vntounto the Sacraments reuerently and diligently conſider as well, what the word ſignifieth as what the Sacraments doe repreſent, and what is offered vntounto vsus by the Miniſterie of them both, which is this, that Chriſt hath offered vp his bodie vntounto death for vsus, and ſhedde his bloud for remiſſion of ſinnes, and therefore hee hath by his bloud ſealed and confirmed in himſelfe being Mediatour the New Teſtament of our euerlaſting reconciliation and peace with God. And theſe things are ſo ſignified by the Sacraments that they are alſo offered, and giuen vntounto vsus to be receiued. Whereby it comes to paſſe that they are truly called Signes, not only ſignifying, but alſo exhibiting and giuing the things which they ſignifie.
Thirdly, I beleeue, becauſe the thinges ſignified and offered by the Signes are to be receiued by faith, and faith is the gift of God: therefore God is to be praied vntounto, as hee who offereth the things by the Signes, and who commands vsus to receiue them by faith. He alſo can giuegive and increaſe faith, whereby we are able to receiue them.
Fourthly, I beléeue, that faith being begotten in vsus by hearing of the Word, and increaſed by the diligent conſideration of the Sacraments through the Holy Ghoſt, it is the dutie of a Chriſtian man, while he receiueth the Externall and Viſible Signes with his hand being alſo Externall and Viſible, and eateth them with the mouth of his body, and drinketh them heare vponupon Earth: together alſo to receiue with the hand and mouth of faith, and to eate and drinke the Heauenly and Inuiſible thinges, namely the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt with a faithful heart, lifted vp vntounto the Heauenly Table: that hee being more and more coupled vntounto Chriſt, and made fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones, may liue in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him. For I beleeue the faithfull in the Supper truly to receiue and eate, but by the Spirit and by faith, the very true bodie of Chriſt the which was crucified for vsus, and ſo farre forth as it was deliuered vp for vsus: and that they drinke his bloud which was ſhed for vsus for the remiſſion of ſinnes: according as the wordes of Chriſt doe manifeſtly, teſtifie. And that indéed the bodie is preſent and the bloud is preſent, but vntounto the Spirit, and vntounto the inward man. For vntounto the Spirit all thinges which hee receiueth by faith, are in truth preſent according to that, that Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith. And no diſtance of place can effect, that the thinges wee receiue by faith, ſhould bée abſent from vsus: euen as the Sunne cannot be ſaid to be abſent from the eyes, of which it is perceiued.
Fiftly, I beléeue, becauſe the new couenant in Chriſt is eſtabliſhed by his bloud, and the Teſtament is confirmed by the death of the Teſtator: and becauſe by the bloud of the eternall couenant, wee are for euer ioyned vntounto God: therefore a Chriſtian man, who now by faith féeleth himſelfe to be incorporated into Ieſus Chriſt, ought alſo to beléeue that hee is confirmed in the couenant with God the Father by a bond that cannot bee broken: and therefore that all his ſinnes are forgiuen him of God, and that hee is deſtinated and aſſured to bée the Sonne of God and Heire of eternall life, without all feare to be diſherited. For theſe thinges which we on our part according to the condition of the couenant owe vntounto God, namely Faith, LoueLove, Obedience: wee may firmely beléeue, that all thoſe things are fully by Chriſt the firſt begotten effected for vsus, and imputed vntounto vsus. Further wee ought to bee certainly perſwaded, that by the aſſiſtance of Chriſt wee ſhall neuer be forſaken, but that we may in ſome part performe the ſame. And that becauſe Chriſt himſelfe hath both performed thoſe things for vsus, and hath promiſed vsus this aſſiſtance, that the New Teſtament ſhould remaine ſure and perpetual as on Gods part, ſo alſo on our part: vntil at length we being receiued into the full poſſeſſion of the Heauenly Inheritance, doe liue in perfect happineſſe, with the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt our God.
For there are thrée principall heads of the couenant on Gods part. The forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, Adoption which is ioyned with a promiſe of Gods perpetual good wil, grace, protection, and at laſt the full poſſeſſion of Heauenly Inheritance. There are alſo thrée thinges which on our part God doth require by couenant: faith in God, charitie towards our Neighbour, and holineſſe of life or perfect obedience. Chriſt by his perfect obedience euen vntounto death, and by his owne bloud and death hath obtained for vsus, both thoſe thinges which God hath promiſed, as alſo hath performed thoſe things which God by couenant required at our hand. In teſtimonie whereof he giueth vsus faith whereby wee beléeue in God, and charitie whereby wee louelove our Neighbour, and the Spirit of regeneration, whereby we endeuour vntounto holineſſe of life, and true obedience is begun in vsus. So Chriſt bringeth to paſſe that not only the couenant, on Gods part, but alſo on our part remaineth ſure and perpetuall. It is therefore our dutie that firſt by faith giuen vntounto vsus by Chriſt, as wee doe eate his fleſh and drinke his bloud, ſo alſo wee beléeue our ſelues to be confirmed in the couenant with God: and therefore both our ſinnes to bee remitted, and God to be our Father, and that he will perpetually louelove and protect vsus: and laſtly that we ſhall bee heires of eternall life, and ſhall ariſe to glorie and life euerlaſting, and that through Chriſt with whoſe fleſh we are fed in the Supper, and we ought to be perſwaded, that we our ſelues alſo are nouriſhed, to the end we may bee partakers of a bleſſed reſurrection. And therefore wee ought to giuegive due thankes for ſo many and ſo great benefits: we ought alſo to embrace in louelove our Neighbour, and eſpecially our faithfull brethren. That as wee are all one with Chriſt, ſo wee may alſo grow vp together, in one bodie more and more with the Church. Euen as the Apoſtle Paul exhorteth vsus by this argument that wee are all one Bodie and one Bread, becauſe we are all partakers of the ſame Bread.
With the endeuour of an holy life and and true obedience, which is alſo the gift of Chriſt, wee ought alwayes to glorifie God, and declare indéed that wee are true and liuely members of Chriſt, and therefore hauehave intreſt to that true felicitie, which cōſiſteth in that moſt perfect vniō with God wherein hee ſhall bee all in all. Thus I beléeue concerning the dutie of a Chriſtian man in the Supper, wherein hee may worthily and for his Saluation eate the Bread of the Lord and drinke of his cup.
CHAP. IIII. Of the words of the Supper.
SEeing all things are ſo as I hauehave before ſhewed, my opinion is, that the wordes of the Lods Supper cannot bee well vnderſtood and declared without ſome trope: Firſt for the cup it is manifeſt as well by the Euangeliſts as by the Apoſtle Paul, Then for the Bread it is alſo manifeſt, becauſe where as Chriſt ſaith: This, that is, the bread which I hauehave broken is my bodie, the Apoſtle expounding it ſaith, The Bread which we breake is the Communion of the bodie of the Lord. Thirdly, according to the rule of Saint Auſten in his third Booke of the inſtitution of a Chriſtian man, Cap. 16. Becauſe when wee are commanded to eate the fleſh of Chriſt it yée take the word of eating properly, it ſéemes wee are commanded to doe an heinous déede: therefore the ſpéech of Chriſt concerning the eating of his fleſh is to be vnderſtood figuratiuely. Moreouer, becauſe if you ſhall vnderſtand the wordes without a trope, tt will follow that the Bread of Chriſt was indéed deliuered vp for vsus, and the bloud ſhed for the remiſſion of our ſinnes. Laſtly, becauſe Luther himſelfe vponupon the ſixth Chapter of Eſay ſaith that in the words of the Supper there is a Synecdoche, with whom in this point Bucer doth alwayes agrée. Therefore albeit each word in that ſpéech, This is my bodie, bee taken in his proper ſignification, ſo that the true and eſſential bodie of Chriſt is attributed to the Bread, as indéede it is attributed, yet in the whole ſpéech there muſt néeds be ſome trope: Séeing that the bread which is giuen for vsus, and was not crucified cannot properly be ſaid to bee the bodie of Chriſt, which was deliuered vp for vsus. So then the controuerſie is only concerning the kinde of trope, by which the Bread is called the bodie of Chriſt, I ſay that true bodie which was truly deliuered vp for vsus. And I thinke this controuerſie not ſo great worth, that for it the peace of the Church bée troubled: & that he that ſaith it is a Synecdoche doth condemne him that ſaith it is a Metonymie. And contrariwiſe, he that ſaith it is a Metonymie condemneth him which ſaith it is a Synecdoche: ſo that both part agrée in this, that it is the true and naturall bodie of Chriſt, as the Euangeliſts, and the Apoſtle doe plainly teach, that it is ſpoken of the true bread, and ſo that the Articles of faith bee kept on both ſides in their plaine meaning, pure and vncorrupt. As that, the naturall bodie of Chriſt, is one, is finite, is humane, is in Heauen, doth no more die, is not conſumed, not broken. And yet indéed, as the Scriptures teach is offered vntounto all, is communicated, to all the faithfull, but in a myſterie and after a Spirituall manner: Euen as the faithfull themſelues doe grow vp into one bodie, and are incorporated with their head Chriſt, and with the whole Catholike Church, not after a Carnall, but after a Spirituall manner. And therefore as in the Sprituall and Myſticall fellowſhip with Chriſt and the Church, wicked Hypocrites hauehave no part, ſéeing they want faith, but are only in the outward and Viſible ſocietie: ſo I beléeue that thoſe Hypocrites are Partakers not of the true and naturall and truly Heauenly fleſh and bloud of Chriſt, but only of the externall and outward ſignes, the which alſo are termed by the name of the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt, euen by Chriſt-himſelfe. Wherefore wheras the Apoſtle ſaith, They who eate vnworthily are guiltie of the bodie of the Lord, if it bee vnderſtood of the wicked (which certainly and not without a cauſe Bucer denieth) I interpret that in this ſenſe, wherein the ſame Apoſtle ſaith vntounto the Hebrewes, that ſome doe tread vnderunder foot the Son of God and account the bloud of the Teſtament a prophane thing: to wit, not becauſe they doe truely eate the fleſh of Chriſt, and drinke the bloud, but becauſe they doe it vnworthily: but rather becauſe reiecting by their vngodlineſſe the bodie and bloud; the Bread and Wine being offered, they drinke and eate the Bread and Wine vnworthily.
This thing good Chriſtian aſſure thy ſelfe of, that I am not ſo wicked as to doubt of the truth of Chriſts wordes in the Supper, as ſome too impudently doe accuſe me of: neither that I diſpute of the ſimple vnderſtanding of eueryevery word in this propoſition: This is my bodie. For by this Article, This, that the Bread is declared, beſides that the text doth teach, Paul alſo doth ſo interprete it 1. Cor. 10. & 11. Neither this word, is, doth ſignifie any other thing, as I thinke, then to bee: and I take this word, bodie, for the true bodie of Chriſt, as Chriſt himſelfe doth interpret who addeth, which is giuen for you. And therefore there is no controuerſie among vsus, whether in the lawfull vſe of the Supper, the Bread bee truly the bodie of Chriſt, but wee diſpute only of the manner, by which the Bread is the bodie of Chriſt. And moreouer, neither part call into queſtion, that the bread is after that manner the body of Chriſt, after which Chriſt would then hauehave it, & will now hauehave it to be, for it muſt be according to his will.
And whereas in the words of the Supper, the wil of Chriſt is not expreſſed cōcerning the maner: I think it is to be gathered out of the like places, to wit, Sacramentall kinde of ſpéeches. Moreouer this foundation being laid, that Chriſt then would not, and now will not, that the bread ſhould bee his body, after any of the manners of thoſe men, who take away the truth of his true humane body, or elſe doe diſagree from the analogy of faith, and ouerturne ſome article of the faith, from his ſimple meaning. So the manner of Chriſts being in the Sacrament by Tranſubſtantiation is excluded: both becauſe neither in the Sacrament of Baptiſme the ſubſtance of the water is changed, as alſo becauſe ſtraight way, many bodies héere vponupon earth ſhould bee faigned vponupon Chriſt, beſides that body, which he hath in heauen: and laſtly, becauſe the ſubſtance of bread, neither before, neither after the conuerſion was deliuered to death for vsus, I adde moreouer, that according to Saint Marke, the ſubſtance of wine was in the belly of the Apoſtles, when he ſaid, This is the bloud. The manner alſo of Conſubſtantiation is excluded both becauſe neither in the water of Baptiſme the bloud of Chriſt is locally included, whereby we are waſhed from our ſinnes: as alſo, becauſe this maner doth take away the nature of the true humane body, and doth Diametrically repugne with the article of the aſcention into heauen, and of the ſitting at the right hand. For, the ſame cauſes, that manner alſo is to be taken away, which is not much vnlike vntounto this, which is imagined by a real and local adherency or coniunction: not to ſpeake that, not one word can be read for the proofe of this, that after ſome of theſe thrée manners, Chriſt would hauehave the bread to be his body.
After what manner then is it probable that Chriſt would hauehave the bread to bee his body? Verily after this manner, as all other Sacraments, are ſaid to be that thing, whereof they are Sacraments, to wit, by a Sacramental, and ſo a Myſtical vnion. For that, which we call a Sacrament, the Grecians cal a Myſtery. Wherefore this ſpéech is vſuall with the Fathers, that the bread is the body of Chriſt, euen the preſent body, and that it is eaten in a myſtery. Now a myſtery is ſaid to be, when viſible things doe lead vsus to the true vnderſtanding and receiuing of inuiſible things, and earthly things of heauenly things, corporall things, of ſpirituall things. In which ſenſe, the Apoſtle to the Epheſians calleth the carnall marriage of Adam and Eue a great myſtery, becauſe of the ſpiritual marriage which is contracted betweene Chriſt and his Church, and to which that other marriage doth leade vsus. But carnall men deſtitute of the ſpirit of God, and of faith, cannot be brought by earthly things vntounto heauenly things, or by the participation of thoſe earthly vntounto the communion of theſe heauenly: ſeeing they cannot ſo much as vnderſtand them, as the Apoſtle ſaith. Which is the cauſe why I iudge and beleeue that the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt, being heauenly and ſpirituall things, cannot in deede and truth be receiued of wicked men, no not by the mouth of their body, which alſo was Bucers opinion. Therefore hee ſaid, that the body of Chriſt, was both preſent, and eaten of vsus in the Supper, not after any worldly manner, but onelyonly after a ſpirituall and heauenly manner. The which, what is it elſe then to ſay, that it is eaten of vsus by the ſpirit of Chriſt? For by Chriſt heauenly things are ioined vntounto earthly things, and by him they are receiued of them.
And this is my beleefe and iudgement, for the meaning of the words of the Supper, which I will conſtantly hold till that a better, a truer, and more agreeable to the Scriptures, ſhall by other men bee offered and plainely prooued unto me.
Ille non edit corpus Chriſti, qui non eſt de corpore Chriſti. Auguſt.
He cannot eat the body of Chriſt, that is not of the body of Chriſt.
Accipe, panis eſt, non venenum: mala res non eſt, ſed malus accipit. Idem.
Come, it is bread, not poiſon: the thing is not euill, but an euill perſon receiueth it.
A DIRECTION TO LIVE WELL.
ISAIAH 30.21.
This is the way, walke in it.
PHILIP. 1.27.
OnelyOnly let your conuerſation be, as becommeth the Goſpell of Chriſt.
LONDON Printed for Edward Blunt, and William Barret. 1613.