A Preparative to Marriage, Sermon 1
The first Sermon.
1. Cor. 11. 23, 24.
The Lord Iesus in the night that he was betraied, tooke bread:
And when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and said, Take, eate: this is my bodie, which is broken for you: this doo ye in remembrance of me.
THE Word & the Sacraments are the two breasts wherwith our mother dooth nurse vsus. Seeing euerie one receiueth, and fewe vnderstand what they receiue; I thought it the necessariest doctrine to preach of the Sacrament; which is a witnesse of Gods promises, a remembrance of Christs death, and a seale of our adoption: therefore Christ hath not instituted this Sacrament for a fashion in his Church to touch, and feele, and see, as we gaze vponupon pictures in the windowes, but as the woman which had the bloodie Mat. 9. 20.issue, touching the hemme of Christs garment, drewe vertue from Christ himselfe because she beleeued: So Christ would that wee touching these signes, should drawe vertue from himselfe, that is, al the graces which these signes represent. Therefore as the Leuits 2. Chro. 35. 6.vnderunder the Lawe, were bound to prepare their brethren before they came to the Passeouer; so Preachers of the Gospell should prepare their brethren before they come to the Supper of the Lord. For which purpose I hauehave chosen this place to the Corinthians, which is the cleerest and fullest declaration of this Sacrament in all the Scripture.
The Lord Iesus in the night &c. The summe of all these words is, The diuision.the institution, & vse of the Lords Supper. First Paule sheweth the author of it, The Lord Iesus, then the time when it was instituted, in the night that he was betraied, then the manner how he did institute it, he tooke bread: and when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue vntounto his disciples, &c. then the end why he did institute it, for a remembrance of his death.
Touching the author, he which The Author.is signified by it, was the author of it. The Lord Iesus hath bid vsus to Supper, I am not worthie (sayeth Iohn) to loose his shoe; so wee are not worthie to waite at his trencher, Iohn. 1. 27.and yet he will hauehave vsus sit at his table. To him belongeth the power to ordaine Sacraments in None but Christ may ordeyne Sacramēts.his Church, because he fulfilled the Sacramēts of the Law. When Christ came the Passeouer ceased, because he is our Passeouer, that is, the Lambe by whose blood we Iohn. 1. 29.are saued. When Christ came, Circumcision ceased, because he is our Circumcision, that is, the purifier and clenser of our sinnes. Reuel. 7. 14.Now these two Sacraments are fulfilled, he hath appoynted two other Sacraments for them in sted of the paschal Lambe, which the Iewes did eate, he hath giuen vsus an other Lambe to eate, which Iohn calleth the Lambe of God, that is Iohn. 1. 29.himselfe, vppon whome all doo feede, whosoeuer doo receiue this Sacrament with an assured faith that Christ died to possesse them of life. The breaking of the bread, doth signifie the wounding of his bodie: the powring of the Wine dooth signifie the shedding of his bloud. The eating of the bread, and drinking of the Wine, dooth signifie that his flesh and bloud do nourish in vsus life eternall, as the bread and Wine doo nourish the life present.
Instead of Circumcision, which began at Abraham, he hath ordeined Gen. 17. 10.Baptisme, which began at Iohn, a more liuely representation Who was therefore called Iohn the Baptist. Math. 3. 1. Reuel. 1 5. Reu. 22. 14.of the true circumcision of the heart, because it representeth vntounto vsus the blood of Christ which washeth our soules, as the water in Baptisme washeth our bodies.
Touching the time: In the night The time.(saith Paule) therefore this Sacrament is called The Lords Supper, Vers. 23.because it was instituted at night when they vsed to suppe. But what night? euen that night (sayth Paule) when he was betrayed: that night which he should hauehave cursed, as Iob did the day of his birth, Iob. 3. 3.if he had suffred against his will: that night when he should hauehave thought to destroy men, as men conspired to destroy him, that night (saith Paule) this Sacrament of grace, and peace, and life began. Euen that night when we betrayed him. Many nights did he spend in watching, and praying for vsus, and is there a night now for vsus to kill and betray him? That was a dark night, when men went about to put out the Sunne which brought them light. Who can but wonder, to see how Christ, and they for whome Christ came, were occupied at one time? when they deuised mischiefe against him, and sought all meanes to destroy him, then he consulted how to saue them, and instituted the same night this blessed Sacrament, to conuay al his graces and blessings vntounto them, Euen that night when they betrayed him.
The reason why this action was Why this Sacrament was instituted at night.deferred vntill night, is, because that was the time appointed by the Lawe to eate the Passeouer, which was like a predecessor of this Sacrament. The reason why Why it was deferred till his last night.he deferred vntill his last night, was, because the Passeouer could not be ended, before the fulnesse of time, and the true Paschall Lamb were come to be slaine in stead of the other. Therefore how fitly did Christ end the Passeouer, which was a signe of his suffering so presently before his suffering? And beside, how sweetly did hee confirme his Disciples faith, when as they should see that the next day performed before their eyes, which ouernight both in the Passeouer, and in the Sacrament, was so liuely resembled vntounto them. If any from this do gather, that we ought to eate the Lords Supper at night as Christ Why we receiue not the Lords Supper at night.did, he must vnderstand that we hauehave not the same cause to doe so which Christ had, because of the Passeouer. And therefore the Church which hath discretion of times and places, hath altered both the time, and the place, vsing the temples in stead of the chamber, and the morning in stead of the euening: for indifferent things are ruled by order and decencie.
Touching the manner, He tooke Vers. 23. 24bread, and when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue it vntounto them. He would not eate it, nor breake it, before he had giuen thanks to God. What neede he which was God, giuegive thanks to God, but to shew vsus what we should do, whē we eate our selues? In all things giuegive thanks (saith Paule) whereby 1. Thess. 5. 18.we declare, that all things come from God: but the wicked beleeue Note.easier that God doth take, than that he doth giuegive, and therefore they neuer pray hartely vntounto him for any thing, nor feelingly thanke him for it. For which the Lord complaineth, saying: I hauehave Mala. 1. 2.loued you, yet yee say, wherein hast thou loued vsus? shewing, that wee are worse than the Oxe, which Esai. 1 3.knoweth his feeder. And if wee acknowledge all things frō God, yet we do like Lot, Is it not a little Gen. 19. 20.one (saith he) when hee craued to goe vntounto Zoar, as though it were not much which he asked: so we mince and extenuate the gifts of God, before we receiue them and after; like them which hauehave a grace for dinner, and none for breakefast, as though they had their dinners from God, and breakefasts of their owne. Our example did not so: Although it was but bread which he receiued, yet he was more thankefull for bread, than many which burie the fowles, and fishes, and beasts, in their belly: for if a count of all were kept, for one that prayeth GiueGive vsus this day our dayly bread, a hundreth take their bread, and Luk. 11. 3.meate, and sleepe too, which neuer pray for it.
After he had giuen thankes, hee brake it, and gaue vntounto them, and sayd, Take, eate: for when he had giuen thanks to God, then it was sanctified, and blessed, and lawfull to eate. So, when thou seruest Note.God, then it is lawfull for thee to vse Gods blessings, then thou mayest eate and drinke as Christ did, but not before, for these things were created to serue them which serue God; if thou doest not serue him for them, thou encrochest vppon Gods blessings, and stealest his creatures, which are no more thine, than thou art his, for the good God created all things for good men, as the diuels possessions are reserued for euill men. Therefore as Christ would not breake the bread, before he had giuen thanks to the founder, so know, that there is some thing to be done, before thou receyue any benefite of God, and presume not to vse his creatures with more libertie than his Sonne did, which did not eate without giuing thāks nor rise againe without singing of a Psalme.Mat. 26. 30.
It followeth, This is my bodie. Here is the fruite of his thankes before, he praied that the bread & wine might bee blessed, and they were blessed. As Isaacs blessing shewed it self vponupon Iaacob whom Gen. 27.he blessed; so Christs blessing appeared straight vponupon these mysteries: for it could not bee sayd before, this is my bodie, because it was meere bread; but now it may bee called his bodie, because his blessing hath infused that vertue into it, that it doth not onelyonly represent his bodie, but conuey his bodie, and himselfe vntounto vsus. The efficacie of this blessing is in this Sacrament euer since, sanctifying it vntounto vsus as well as it did to the Apostles, euen as Christs prayer staied Luk 22. 32.Peters faith after Christ was dead.
Because vponupon these words the Papists ground their Transubstanciation, that is, that the bread is chaunged into Christs flesh, and the Wine is turned into Christs blood, whereby we eate the same bodie which died vpō the Crosse, and drinke the same blood which issued out of his side, that you may see the blindnesse of this Popish dreame, I would hauehave you but marke euerie word of this Scripture how they make against Trā substanciation, that you may see them slaine like Goliah with their 1. Sam 17. 51.owne sword. Euen as GOD made Caiphas speake against himselfe; Ioh. 18. 14.so the Scriptures which heretickes alleage, doo make against thēselues, like the Baalites which 1. King. 18. 28.wounded their owne flesh. I may liken their allegations to Sathans, when hee tempted Christ in the Wildernesse, he alleaged but one Math. 4. 4.sentence of Scripture for himself, and that Psalme out of which he Psal. 91. 11.borrowed it, makes so plaine against him, that hee was faine to picke here a worde, and there a worde, and leaue out that which went before, and skip in the middest, and omit that which came after, or els hee had marred his cause. The Scripture is so holie, and pure, and true, that no word, nor sillable thereof can make for the diuell, or for sinners, or for hereticks: yet as the diuell alleaged Scripture, though it made not for him, but against him; so doo the Libertines, and Epicures, and Heretickes, as though they had learned at his schoole. Now there is no sentēce of the scripture, which the wiser Papists aledge bouldly for their Transubstantiation, but this, that Christ sayd, This is my Math. 26. 26.body, by which they may proue as well that Christ is a dore, because he sayth, I am the dore: or a Ioh. 107 9.Vine, because he sayth, I am a Vine, for his sayings are like. Figuratiue Ioh. 15 1.speeches, must not bee construed literally, but this is Heretikes fashion. If you marke, you shall see thorough out, that all the testimonies which the Papists aledge for their heresies, are eyther tropes, or figures, or allegories, or parables, or allusions, or darke speeches; which when they presume to expound allegorically, or literally, without conference of other scriptures, then they wander, and stray from the marke, or else it is impossible, that the trueth should mainteyne error, that is, that the scripture should speake for heresie, if it were not peruerted: therefore we see that Eue neuer Gen. 3. 3.erred, vntill she corrupted the text.
Now we will enter the lists with our aduersaries, and see whether these words doo proue that the bread and wine are turned Arguments against Popish Transubstantiation.into Christes bodye. Paule sayth, Iesus tooke bread: well then, yet it is bread: when he had taken it, then he blessed it, what did he blesse? the bread which he tooke, 1well then, yet it is bread: when he had blessed it, then he brake it, what did he breake? the bread which he blessed, well then, yet it is bread: when he had broken it, then he gaue it, what did he giuegive? the bread which he brake, well then, yet it is bread: when he had giuen it, then they did eate it, what did they eate? the bread which he gaue them, well then, yet it is bread: when they did eate it, then he sayd, this is my body: what did he call his body? the bread which they did eate, well then, yet it is bread. If it be bread all this while, when he did take it, and blesse it, and breake it, & giuegive it, and they did eate it, when is it turned into his body? heere they stande like the Sadduces, as mute Math. 22. 34.as fisshes.
Now that ye may see that not we only say it is bread and wine after the consecration, in the 27. verse Christ himselfe doth call it bread and wine after he had giuen it, as he did before. And in Marke hee sayeth, I will drinke no more Mar. 14. 25of the fruit of the Vine. Here Christ saith, that it was the fruite of the Vine which he dranke, but his bloud is not the fruite of Vines, but Wine, therefore Wine was his drinke, and not bloud.
Beside, if you would heare Paule 2expound Christ, he sheweth, that all our Fathers had the same substance 1. Cor. 10. 4.of Christ in their Sacraments, that we hauehave in ours, for he sayth, They all did eate the same Vers. 3. 4.spirituall meate, and all drinke the same spirituall drinke. Straight he sayth, that this meate and this drinke Vers. 4.was Christ. Marke that he sayeth not onelyonly, They did eate the same meate that we eate, but he sayth, that this meate was Christ: and not onelyonly so, but to shew that Christ is not a corporall meate, as the Papists say: he sayth, he is a spirituall meate, as we say; therefore you see that we doo not eate him corporally, no more than our Fathers, but that as they did eate him spiritually, so doo we; for spirituall meate must be eaten spiritually, as corporall meate is eaten corporally.
Againe, for the signes to be turned 3into the thing signified by them, is vtterly against the nature of a Sacrament, and makes it no Sacrament, because there is no signe: for eueryevery Sacrament dooth consist of a signe, and a thing signified, the signe is euer an earthly thing, and that which it signifieth is a heauenly thing. This shall appeare in all examples, as in Paradise there was a very Tree for the Gen. 2. 9.signe, and Christ the thing signified by it. In Circumcision there Gen. 17. 11.was a cutting off of the skin, and the cutting off of sinne. In the Passeouer there was a Lambe, and Exo. 12. 3.Christ. In the Sabaoth there was Exo. 23. 11.a day of rest, and eternall rest. In the Sacrifices there was an offering Heb. 9. 13.of some beast, & the offering of Christ. In the Sanctuarie there Exo. 30.was the holie place, and heauen. In the Propitiatorie there was the golden Couering, and Christ our Exo. 25. 24.couer. In the Wildernesse there was a Rocke yeelding water, and Christ yeelding his bloud. In the Exo. 17. 16.Apparition there was a Doue, and Mat. 3. 16.the Holy Ghost. In the Manna there was Bread, and Christ. In Ioh. 6. 49.Baptisme there is verie Water Ioh. 1. 33.which washeth vsus, and Christes bloud washing vsus; so in the Supper of Christ there is verie Bread and Wine for the signe, and the bodie and bloud of Christ for the 1. Cor. 11. 19.thing signified, or els this Sacrament is against the nature of all other Sacraments.
Againe, there must bee a proportion betweene the Passeouer & the Lords Supper, because this was figured by the other. Now, the Iewes had in their Passeouer, Bread, and Wine, and a Lambe; Exo. 12.so Christ instituting his Supper, left Bread, and Wine, & a Lamb, Matth. 16.which name is giuen to himselfe, because he came like a Lamb, and Ioh. 1. 29.died like a Lamb.
Againe, if Christs verie bodie 5were offered in the Sacramēt, then it were not a Sacrament, but a Sacrifice; which two differ as much as giuing, and taking: for in a Sacrifice we giuegive, & in a Sacrament we receiue, & therfore we say our Sacrifice, and Christs Sacrament.
Againe, eueryevery Sacrifice was 6 Exo. 27.offered vppon an Altar. Now, marke the wisedome of the Holy Ghost, least wee should take this for a Sacrifice, he neuer names Altar when he speakes of it, but, the table of the Lord. Therefore it is no doubt but the diuell hath kept the name of Altar, that wee might thinke it a Sacrifice. Againe, if the bread were Christs flesh, and the wine his bloud, as these two are separate one from the other; so Christs flesh should bee separate from his bloud, but his bodie is not diuided, for thē it were a dead bodie. Againe, that which remaineth doth nourish the bodie, and relish in the mouth as it did before, which could not be, but that it is the same foode which it was before. Againe, I would aske, whose are this whitenesse, and hardnes, and roundnes, and coldnes? None of them say that it is the whitenesse, and hardnesse, and roundnes, and coldnes of Christs bodie: therefore it must needes bee the whitenesse, and hardnesse, and roundnes, and coldnes of the bread, or els qualities should stand without substances, which is, as if one should tell you of a house without a foundation. Againe, as Christ dwelleth in vsus, so he is eaten of vsus, but he dwelleth in vsus onlie by saith, Ephe. 3. 17. Therefore he is eaten only by faith. Againe, none can bee saued, without the communion of the bodie: but if all should communicate with it corporally, then neither infants nor any of our fathers, the Patriarkes or the Prophets should bee saued, because they receiued it not so.
Againe, Christ saith not, this wine, but this cup, and therefore by their conclusion, not onelyonly the wine should be turned into bloud, but the cup too.
Againe, Paule saith, They which 13receiue vnworthily, receiue their own damnation. But if it were the flesh of Christ, they should rather receiue saluation than damnation, because Christ saith, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Iohn. 6. 54.hath life euerlasting.
Againe, if they would heare an Angell from heauen, whē Christs 14bodie was glorified, an Angel said to the women, He is risen, and is not Math. 28. 6here, as if he should say, his bodie is but in one place at once, or els he might hauehave been there, though he was risen.
Againe, why doo they say in receiuing this Sacramēt euer since 15the Primitiue church, Lift vp your hearts, if they hauehave all in their mouths? To end this controuersy. Here we may say as the Disciples sayd to Christ, Whether shall we goe Ioh. 6. 68.from thee? I meane we neede not go to any other expositor of christ than Christ himselfe. Therefore mark what he saith: At first when Christ said, that he was the bread of life, and that all which would Ioh. 6. 60.liue must eate him, they murmured vntill he expoūded his words; and how did hee expounde his wordes? Thus, He that commeth Ioh. 6. 35.vntounto me hath eaten, and he that beleeueth in me hath drunke. After when hee instituted this Sacrament, in like wordes, they murmured not, which they would as before, if he had not resolued them before, that to eate his bodie, and to drink his bloud, was nothing but to come to him, and beleeue in him. After he had sayd so, they murmured not, because they did see some reason in it. As it is plainly sayd, This is my bodie; so it is plainlie saide, these words are spirit, that is, they must be vnderstood spirituallie, and not literallie.
I did not alleage the Fathers in my Sermon, but if any man suspend his assent, till they bring in their verdit, let him heare them make confession of their beleefe. Augustine saith, the Lord doubted Aug. vponupon the 3. Psal.not to say, this is my bodie, when he gaue onelyonly a signe, or Sacrament of his bodie.
Tertullian saith, this is my bodie, Ter. against Marcion the 4. book.that is, a signe of my bodie.
Ambrose saith, the bread and wine remaine still the same thing 4. booke 4. chap. of Ferra.that they were.
Theodoret saith, after the consecration, In his first Dialog.the mysticall signes do not cast off their owne nature, but abide still in their first substance and forme.
Origen saith, the bread that is VponUpon the 15. of Mat.sanctified with the word of God, as touching the materiall substāce thereof goeth into the bellie, and foorth againe like other meates.
Irenaeus saith, that it hath two Irenae 4. book. chap. 34. against Valentinus.things in it, one earthly, and the other heauenly.
Cyrill saith, Our Sacraments auouch not the eating of a man.Ad ob. Theod. Anathematis. 11.
Ciprian saith, the Lord calleth bread made of many graines, his 1. book of Epist.bodie, and called wine made of many grapes, his bloud.
Athanasius saith, Christ made In that Gospell, whosoeuer speaketh a word &c.mention of his ascention into heauen, that he might withdrawe his Disciples from corporal and fleshlie eating.
Chrysostome saith, God giueth vsus Hom. 60. to the people of Antioch. To Caesarus the Monk.things spirituall vnderunder things visible and naturall. And againe, being sanctified, it is deliuered from the name of bread, and is exalted to the name of the Lords bodie, although the nature of the bread still remaine.
And because they beleeue that the Pope cannot erre, Pope Gelasius setteth to his hand, and saith with the rest, Neither the substāce of the bread, nor nature of the Against Eutyches the Here.wine cease to bee, more than they were before.
Tell vsus Papist, doo not these Fathers speake as plaine as wee? Canst thou auouch Transubstanciation more flatly than they denie it? How had this heresie been chased, if the diuell had hatched it in their time?
Thus the Scriptures on the one side, and the Fathers on the other side did so trouble three arch Papists, Biel, Tonstal, and Fisher, that Gabriel Biel saith, how the bodie VponUpon the Canon lect. 40.of Christ is in the Sacrament, is not founde in the canon of the Byble.
Tonstal saith, It had been better 1. booke of the Sacrament. pag. 46.to leaue euerie man to his owne coniecture, as they were before the Councell of Laterane, than to bring in such a question.
Fisher saith, No man can proue Against the captiuitie of Babylon made by M. Luther.by the words of the Gospell, that any Priest in these daies doth consecrate the very bodie and bloud of Christ.
Heere is fulfilled, Out of thine Luk. 19. 22.owne mouth I will condemne thee. But wee will not carrie the matter so, because a Iudge must hauehave two eares, therfore now let thē speake. Because they cannot tell how the The Papists allegations for the reall presence.bread and wine should bee turned into flesh and bloud, and yet appeare bread and wine still, they say it is a myracle: but how doo they prooue it? If they contend it is a myracle, they must shewe vsus a signe, for eueryevery myracle may bee seene, like all the myracles of Moses, and Christ, and the Apostles: and therefore a myracle is called a signe, because it may be seene like Exo. 4. 8. & 21.a signe, and the word signifieth a wonder, as though wee did see something to wonder. And the Iewes crauing a myracle, said, Shew vsus a myracle: as though they were Exo. 6.taught to iudge of myracles by sight. All which doth shewe that a myracle may bee seene, but here no myracle is seene.
Againe, a myracle (especially in the time of the Gospell) is an extraordinarie thing, but they make this an ordinarie thing: for if the bread & wine turned into flesh & bloud, then myracles are as common as Sacraments, & so because they hauehave Masse euerie day, they should work myracles eueryevery day. Lastly, this seemeth straunge, that Augustine, whom they so much honour, gathered all the myracles which are written in the Scripture, and yet amongst all, speakes not of this; therefore then it was counted no myracle: but Paule speakes of lying myracles, and this 2. Thess 2. …is one of them.
If they say that Christ can turne Obiect.Bread and Wine into his bodie, and therefore he doth. First they Answ.must prooue that he will: for they can doo many things themselues which they doo not, because they will not: therefore it is an old answere, that from Can to Will, no argument followeth. The Leper did not say to Christ, If thou can, thou will; but, If thou wilt, thou canst.Mar. 1. 40.
But the question which they thinke cannot bee answered, like their inuincible Nauies, is this. If the Bread bee not his bodie, why Obiect.doth he call it his bodie? Resolue this knot and all is cleere. Marke then and wee will loose it as well as we can: He saith, This is my bodie, as he saith after, which is broken Answ.for you. Why? his bodie was not broken before hee suffered, how did he say then, which is broken, before it was broken? There is no sense of it but this, the Bread was broken, and signified that his bodie should be broken. Now, as the breaking of the Bread did signifie the breaking of his bodie, so the Bread must needes signifie his bodie: but as his bodie was not broken indeede when the Bread was broken, so the Bread could not bee his bodie indeed: for then his bodie should hauehave been broken whē the Bread was broken: yet let them obiect what they can.
If (say they) the Bread & Wine Obiect.be not changed into his bodie and bloud, why dooth hee speake so darklie? he might hauehave spoken pla…ner.
I answere, though this seeme Answ▪darke to Papistes, yet it was not darke to the Apostles, they vnderstood his meaning well enough, and all the rest for 1215. yeares after Christ, before Transubstanciation was spoken of. If the Apostles had not vnderstood his meaning, they would not stick to aske him as their manner was, vntill they were acquainted with Christes phrase, whēsoeuer they doubted vponupon any of his speeches, they were wont to come vntounto him, & say, Master, what is the meaning? but Luk. 8. 9.they were vsed to such phrases: for it was Christs manner to teach by similitudes, shewing one thing by another, which is the plainest manner of teaching, and most vsed in holy Scripture, especiallie in the types and shadowes of this Sacrament. For example, Christ calleth the Lambe the Passeouer, in Math. 26. 17.place wherof this Sacrament succeeded, and therefore presentlie after they had eaten the Passeouer, Christ instituted this Sacrament to be vsed for it. Christ (I say) called the Lambe the Passeouer, and yet the Passeouer was this, an Angell passed ouer the houses of the Exo. 12. 27.Israelites, and strooke the Egiptians, this was not a Lambe, and yet because the Lamb was a signe of this Passeouer, as the bread and wine is of Christs body, therefore Christ called the Lambe the Passouer, as he calleth the bread and wine his body.
Againe, Circumcision is called Gen. 17. 13.the Couenant, and yet Circumcision was nothing but the cutting away of a skin: but the Couenant is, In Abrams seede all nations shall be blessed, I will be their God, and they shall be my people, I Gen. 12. 3.will defend and saue them, and they shall serue and worship mee. This is not Circumcision, and yet as though Circumcision were the Couenant it selfe, it is called the Couenant, because it signified the Couenant, so Bread and Wine are called Christs body, because they signifie Christs body.
Againe, Baptisme is called regeneration, Tit. 3. 5.and yet Baptisme is a dipping of our bodies in water, but regeneration is the renewing 1. Cor. 6. 11.of the mind, to the image wherein it was created: this is not Baptisme, and yet as though Baptisme were regeneration it selfe, it is called regeneration, because it signified regeneration: so the bread and wine are called Christes bodie, because they signifie Christes body.
Againe, the Cup is called the Luc. 22. 20.new Testament, and yet the Cup is but a peece of mettall, filled with Wine: but the new Testament is, Hee which beleeueth in the Iohn. 3. 36.Sonne, shall be saued: this is not a Cup, and yet as though the Cup were the new Testament it selfe, it is called the new Testament, because it signifieth the new Testament: so the bread and wine are called Christes body, because they signifie Christes bodye. They which knewe that the Lambe is not the Passeouer, though Christ called it the Passeouer; that Circumcision is not the Couenant, though God called it the Couenant; that Baptisme is not regeneration, though it be called regeneration; that the Cup is not the new Testament, though Christ called it the new Testamēt; could they not aswell vnderstand, that the Bread and Wine were not Christes body, though Christ called them his body? As they vnderstoode these speeches, so they vnderstood this speech, therefore they which saye, that the bread and wine are Christes body, because Christ sayth, This is my bodie: Math. 26. 26.may aswell saye, that the Lambe is the Passeouer, because Christ calleth it the Passeouer, that Baptisme is regeneration, because Paule calleth it regeneration, that the Cup is the new Testament, because Christ calleth it the new Testament.
If eueryevery Sacrament was called by the thing which it signified, and yet neuer any Sacrament was taken for the thing it selfe, what reason hauehave they to take this Sacrament for the thing it self, more than all the rest? It is the consent of all Writers that a Sacrament is a signe, therefore not the thing signified: no more than the bush at the dore, is the Wine in the seller. If I call the Prince a Phoenix, the Vniuersitie a Fountaine, the Court a Pecocke, the Citie a Sea, the Countrey an Eremite, why can the Papists vnderstande me, and not vnderstande Christ? What a darke, and strange, and intricat, and incredible speech had this bin for them, to vnderstande grosly, and literally? would they thinke, that they did eate Christs body, when his body stoode before them, and he had tould them before, that hys body was lyke their body? Nay, this would hauehave required moe words, and made them come againe, with Mayster, what is the meaning? for they were Luk. 8. 9.not so instructed yet before the resurrection, to beleeue eueryevery thing without questioning, if it were contrarie to sense and reason: but as they asked, who had Iohn. 4. 33.giuen him any meate, when he sayd that he had meate, and they could see none: so they woulde hauehave asked, what meate is this which wee see not? how can eueryevery one of vsus eate his body, and yet he hath but one body, and that body is whole when we eate it? loe, hee standeth before vsus and sayth, that his body is like vntounto ours, and yet he takes bread and breakes it, and giues it vntounto vsus to eate, and when we eate it, he saith This is my body: and yet his body standeth before vsus still. If his body Luk 24. 39.be like ours (as he saith) how can it be eaten and be there, for ours can not? Thus they would hauehave questioned, if they had not bin vsed to such phrases: but as they could vnderstand him when he called himselfe a stone, and a rocke, and a dore, and a window, and a Vine, so they could pick out his meaning, when he sayde that bread was his body: for hee had tould them before, that hee was the bread of eternall life.Iohn. 16. 5.
Now the bread of eternall life is not eaten with teeth, for the body cannot eate spiritually, no more than the soule can eate corporally, and therefore hee is such a bread as is eaten with faith, and so himselfe faith in the Gospell of Iohn. Ioh. 6. 35.Marke this eating by faith, and all the strife is ended. Flesh and bloud indeede neede not faith to chewe them, for the teeth can chew them well enough. Therefore, if the Bread and Wine were the body of Christ, then we need not faith to eate it, but all which hauehave teeth might eate Christs body, yea, the Mice might eate it aswell as men, for they eate the same bread that we doe, aswell after it is consecrated, as before.
If this be not enough to batter the ruines of this vpstart heresie, I will come to interrogatories, and see whether they hauehave learned it by rote, or by reason. If they ground their Transubstantiation vpō these words of Christ Math. 26. 26.This is my body, which he spake to his Disciples, I aske them, whether they receyue that body which was mortall, or that body which is glorified, because one of Neyther Christs mortall body, nor his immortall body, can be in the same.these bodyes they must needes receyue, eyther his mortall body, or his glorified body. If they say, that it is his mortall body, the mortall body wil not profit them: for you see that mortall foode is but for this mortall life, neyther hath Christ a mortall body now to communicate vntounto them, because it is chaunged to an immortall body, therefore they can not receyue the mortall bodie, because Christ hath not a mortall body to giuegive them. If they say that they receyue his glorified body, then they must flie from this text, for at that time Christ had no glorified body.
When this Sacrament was instituted, and Christ sayd This is my body, his body was not glorified, because the Sacrament was instituted before his death, and his body was glorified after his resurrection. Therefore if they receyue the same body which the Apostles receyued, as they saye they doo, they cannot receyue a glorifyed bodye, because then Christ had not a glorified body to communicate vntounto thē. Thus the rocks and sands are of both sides them, they receyue a body neyther mortall, nor immortall: if Christ hath any such body, iudge you. Here they stand like a foole, which cannot tell on his tale. Nebuchadnezar dreamed a dreame Dan. 4. 15.and knew not what it meant.
Beside, I aske them to whome Christ spake when he sayd, This Mar. 14. 24is my body. Marke sayth, hee spake them, that is, to his Disciples: well then, if these wordes, This is my body, were not spoken to the signes, but to the persons, not to the bread & wine, but to the receiuers: as the words which follow, Do this in remembrance of mee: if Christ spake not to the bred, and wine, but to his Disciples.these words were not spokē to the bread and wine, then it is playne that they doo not change the nature of the bread and wine. If the nature of them be not altered, then the substance remaineth, and then wee receyue no other substance with them, because two substances cannot be in one place.
What then, is there nothing in More in the Lords Supper thā bread and wine.the Sacrament but bread & wine, like a hungrey nunscion? Nay we say not that the Sacrament is nothing but a bare signe, or that you receyue no more than you see: for Christ sayth, that it is his body, and Paule sayth, that it is the communion of Christs body & bloud. 1. Cor. 10. 16.Therefore there is more in Sacramentall bread, than in common bread: though the nature be not changed, yet the vse is changed; it doth not only nourish the body as it did before, but it bringeth a bread with it which nourisheth the soule: for as sure as we receyue bread, so sure we receyue Christ: not only the benefits of Christ, but Christ, although not in a Popish manner: yet we are so ioyned vntounto him, as though we were but one body. As the spouse A similitude.doth not marry with the lands and goods, but with the man himselfe, and being partaker of him, is made partaker of them: so the faithfull do not only marry with Christes benefits, but with Christ himselfe; and being partakers of him, they are made partakers of his benefits: for Christ may not be deuided from his benefites, no more than the Sunne from his light. It is sayd, the Father gaue vsus Rom. 8. 32.his Sonne, and so the Sonne geueth vsus himselfe. As the bread is a signe of his body: so the geuing of the bread is a signe of the geuing of his bodie: like a Pellican which letteth her yong ones suck her bloud: so that we may say, the Lord enuited vsus to Supper, and he himselfe was our meate. But if you aske how this is? I must aunswer, it is a mysterie: but if I could tell it, it were no mysterie. Yet as it is sayd, when three men walked in the middest of the fornace, one like the Sonne of GOD D…. 3. 25.walked amongst them. So, when the faithfull receyue the Bread and Wine, one like the Sonne of God seemeth to come vntounto them, which fils them with peace and ioy, and grace, that they maruell what it was which they receyued, besides bread and wine. For example, thou makest a bargaine A similitude.with thy neighbour for house or land, and receyuest in earnest a peece of goulde, that which thou receyuest is but a peece of goulde, but now it is a signe of thy bargaine, and if thou keepe not touch with him, happely it will claspe thee for all that thou art woorth, so that which thou receyuest is bread, but this bread is a signe of an other matter, which passeth bread.
Againe, thou hast an Obligation Another similitude.in thy hand, and I aske thee, what hast thou there, and thou sayest, I hauehave heere an hundreth pounds: why (say I) there is nothing but paper, inke, and waxe: oh but by this sayst thou, I will recouer an hundreth pounds, that is as good. So beloued, this is as good, that vnderunder these signes, you receyue the virtue of Christes bodie and bloud by faith, as if you did eate his body, and drinke his bloud indeede, which is horrible to thinke that any should deuoure their God, thinking thereby to worship him, neuer any Heretike nor Idolater conceyued so grosly of their God, before the Papist. We reade of a people which did eate men, but neuer of any people which did eate their God. All the Apostles say, that it was needfull that Christ should take our flesh, but no Apostle sayth, that it is needefull that wee shoulde take Christes flesh; for all the blessings of Christ are apprehended by faith, and nothing is fit to apprehend him whome we see not but faith: and therefore one of their owne pillars said, Beleeue, and thou Augustine.hast eaten. Faith doth more in religion than the mouth, or else we might say with the woman, Blessed Luk. 11. 27.are the breasts which gaue thee sucke, and so none should be blessed but Mary: but Mary was not blessed, because Christ was in her body, but because Christ was in her hart, and least this should seme incredible vntounto you, because Mary is called blessed among Women. When Christ hard the woman say, Blessed are the brests which gaue thee sucke, he replied vntounto her, Blessed are they which heare the word of God, and keepe it, these are my Brethren, and Sisters, and Mother Luk. 8. 21.(saith Christ) as though the rest were no kin to him in heauen, though they were kin in earth. Thus if Christ were in thy body, and thou shouldest say as this woman, Blessed is the body which hath thee in it, nay would Christ say, Blessed is the hart which hath me in it. If Mary were no whit better for hauing Christ in her armes, nor for hauing him in her body, how much better art thou, for hauing him in thy belly where thou canst not see him? must the sunne needes come to vsus, or else cannot his heate and light profit vsus, nay, it doth vsus more good, because it is so farre off: so this sunne is gone from vsus, that he might giuegive more light vntounto vsus, which made him say, It is good for you that I goe from you; therefore Ioh. 16. 7.away with this carnall eating of spirituall things. Many daughters hauehave done virtuously, but thou (saith Salomon) surpassest them all. So, Pro. 31. 29.many Heretikes hauehave spoken absurdly, but this surpasseth them all, that Christ must be applied like phisicke, as though his bloud could not profit vsus, vnlesse we did drinke it, and swallowe it as a potion. Is this the Papists vnion with Christ? is this the manner whereby we are made one flesh with Christ, to eate his flesh? Nay, when he tooke our flesh vntounto him, and was made man, then we were vnited to him in the flesh and not now. Christ tooke our flesh, we take not his flesh, but beleeue that he tooke ours, therefore if you would knowe whether Christes body be in the Sacrament, I say vntounto you as Christ sayde vntounto Thomas, touch, feele, Ioh. 20. 27.and see. In visible things, God hath appoynted our eyes to bee iudges, for as the spirit discerneth spirituall obiects, so sense discerneth of sensible obiects. As Christ taught Thomas to iudge of his bodie, so may wee, and so shoulde they: therefore if you cannot see his bodie, nor feele his bodie, you may gather by Christes saying to Thomas, that he would not hauehave you beleeue that it is his bodie, for my bodie (saith Christ) may be seene, and felt. And thus Transubstanciation is found a lyar.
Now if you aske mee, why Christ calleth the signe by the Why christ calleth the bread his bodie.name of the thing it selfe, I aske thee againe, Mayest thou saye when thou seest the picture of the Queene, this is the Queene, and when thou seest the picture of a Lion, this is a Lion: and may not Christ say when he seeth a thing like his bodie, This is my body?
I shewed you before, that eueryevery Sacrament is called by the name of the thing which it doth signifie, and therefore why should we stumble at this, more than the rest? The reason why the signes hauehave the name of the things, is to strike a deeper reuerence in vsus to receiue this Sacrament of Christ reuerently, sincerely, and holyly, as if Christ were there present in body and bloud himselfe. And surely, as he which defaceth the Queenes Seale, is conuicted of contempt & treason to her owne person, so hee which profaneth these seales of Christ, doth not worship Christ, but despise him, and that contempt shall be required of him, as if he had contemned Christ himselfe. This is the reason, why Christ calleth the signes of his body, his body, to make vsus take this Sacrament reuerently.
It followeth, Doo this in remembrance of me. That is, these signes Vers. 24.shall bee a remembrance of my death: when you breake the bread you shall remember the wounding of my bodie; and when you drinke the wine, you shall remember the shedding of my bloud. If we must do this in remembrance of Christs body, which was broken like the bread, it is an argument that his bodie is not there, because remembrance is not of things present, but of things absent, we remember not, but we see that which is before vsus. This might put the Papists in remembrance that Christ is not sacrificed now, when wee doo but remember his sacrifice: this is not Christs sacrifice, but a remembrance of his sacrifice; he was sacrificed before, and now he is applied, least his sacrifice should bee in vaine. This was done once really, when hee offered himselfe vppon the Crosse, therfore that offering was called a sacrifice, because he was If Christs body were in the Sacrament, it were not a Sacramēt but a sacrifice.sacrificed indeede; but this offering is called a Sacrament, because it is but a signe of his sacrifice. If Christ in this Sacrament were offered indeed, then it should be called a sacrifice as his once offering was; but because it is but a remembrance of his sacrifice, therefore it is called a Sacrament. This is not a sacrifice of Christ, but a sacrifice of our selues. Least wee should take it to bee a sacrifice of Christ, Christ himselfe calleth it a remembrance of his sacrifice, Doo this in my remembrance. Here is our worke as Christ hath done, so must we doo, so we minister, and so you receiue: wee can giuegive you nothing but that which wee hauehave receiued from him, as Paule saith. Therefore if Christ did not giuegive his mortall body which stood before them, and could not profite thē, nor his glorified body, which was not glorified then, and when it was glorified ascended vp vntounto heauen, & there abideth, how can these iugling Priests make their God againe which made them? They can no more turne wine into bloud, and bread into flesh, than they can commaund a Gnat to become a Cammell: for it is a greater worke to make GOD, than to make the worlde. Therefore as Christ saith, When they tell you, here Math. 24. 23.is Christ, and there is Christ, beleeue them not: So, when they tell you that Christ is in heauen, and that Christ is in earth, in this place and that place, beleeue them not: for Elias ascention was a figure of Christs ascention: when Elias was ascended, yet some sought for his 2. King. 2. 17.body vponupon earth: so though christ bee ascended, yet many seeke his body vpō earth: but as they could not finde Elias bodie, so these can not finde Christs bodie, although they hauehave sought 300. yeares. But if his bodie were vppon earth, as they say, should wee handle it and touch it, now it is glorified? After his resurrection he sayd to Mary, Ioh. 20. 17.Touch me not, because his bodie was glorified, that is, not to bee touched with fingers any more, but with faith. Therefore wee reade of none which touched his bodie after it was risen, but onelyonly Thomas to setle his faith. Thus you see we need to suborn no witnesses; for euerie worde in this text which they alleage for Transubstanciation, doth make against Transubstanciation, whereby if Antichrist doth signifie thē which are against Christ, you see who may be called Antichrist. There is no question in Poperie (except Purgatorie the Popes publican & tasker) about which the Papists are at such ciuill warres among themselues, as about this Transubstanciation. They cannot tell when the chaunge beginneth, nor what manner of chaunge it is, nor how long the change continueth, some hang one way, and some an other, like the Midianites which Iudg. 7. 22.fought one against another. And no meruaile though their consciences stagger about it: for to shewe you the right father of it, it was one of the dreames of Innocentius the 3. in the yeare of our Lord 1215. so many yeares passed A Monster of his age.before Transubstanciatiō was named, and then a Pope set it first on foote: so it came out of Rome the grandame of all heresies, and for want of Scriptures, hath been defended with fire and sword, and swallowed more Martirs, than all the gulfes of the Papall sea beside.
Now when the doctrines of men goe for scripture, you shall Eight absurdities which follow Transubstantiation.see how many errours rush into the Church: for graunt but this to Innocentius, as the Papists doe, that the bread and wine are changed into Christes bodie. First, it 1will follow, that Christes bodie is not ascended vp to heauen, because it remaineth vppon earth, and so one of the articles of our faith shall be falsified, which saith, He is ascended into heauen, or if he Act. 1. 9. 11be ascended, and descended againe, an other article will be falsified, which saith, that he sitteth Rom. 8. 34.at the right hand of his father, that is as Peter saith, he abideth in heauen. Act. 3. 21.Secondly it will follow, that 2Christ hath not a true body, but a fantasticall body, because it may be in many places at one time; for if his body be in the Sacrament, he must needes hauehave so many bodies as there be Sacraments; nay, he must hauehave so many bodies as there be bits in eueryevery sacrament. Thirdly it will followe, that his body is diuided from his soule, 3and consequently is a dead body, because the bread is only changed into his body, and not into his soule. Fourthly it wil follow, that 4the wicked and prophane, and reprobat, may receiue Christ as well as the godly, because they hauehave a mouth to eate as well as the best. Fiftly it will follow that Christes 5 Hebr. 9. 28. &. 10. 12.sacrifice once for all was not sufficient, because we must sacrifice him againe, and breake his body and shead his bloud, as the Iewes crucified him vppon the Crosse. Sixtly it wil follow that the bread 6being turned into the body of our redeemer, hath a part in our redemption as well as Christ. Seauenthly it will follow, that Christ 7did eate his owne body: for all the Fathers say that he did eate the same bread which he gaue to his Disciples. Lastly it will follow, 8that a Massing Priest shall be the creator of his creator, because he makes him which made him, all these absurdities are hatched of Transubstantiation.
Thus when men deuise articles of their owne, while they strike vponupon the handuill the sparkes flie in their face; and they are like the man which began to builde and could not finish it. When I see the Papists in so many absurdities for intertaining one error, mee thinkes he seemeth like a Collier which is grimed with his owne coales. Therfore as in manners we should thinke of Peters saying, Whether is it meete to obey GOD or men? So in doctrines wee should thinke, whether it be meete to beleeue Act. 5. 29.God or mē? Thus you hauehave heard the author of this Sacramēt, the Lord Iesus, the time when it was instituted, in the night that he Conclusion.was betraied, the manner how it was instituted, after thankes giuing, the ende why it was instituted, for a remembrance of his death, and the discouerie of Transubstanciation, one of the last heresies which Babylon hatched. Now, they which hauehave been Patrons of it before, should do like the father and mother of an Idolater, that is, lay the Deut. 13. 6. & 9.first hand vpō him to end his life. Thus I end. Think what account ye shall giuegive of that ye hauehave heard.
In this Sermon, leafe C. section 11. lin. 3. for he spake them, reade, he spake to them.