The Mystery of the Lords Supper, Sermon 2

The Mystery of the Lords Supper · Sermon 2

p. 29THE SECOND Sermon, vponupon the Lords Supper in particular.

1. Cor. 11.23.

For I hauehave receiued of the Lord, that which I alſo hauehave deliuered vntounto you: to vvit, that the Lord Ieſus, in the night that hee vvas betrayed, tooke bread, &c.

WE ended the conſideration of the Sacraments in generall, in our laſt Exerciſe, welbeloued in Chriſt Ieſus: now it remaines that we proceed, to the conſideration of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper in particular. Of the Supper of the Lord in particular.And that yee may the better attaine vntounto the knowledge and conſideration of the great varietie of matter, that is cōtained in this Sacrament of the Lods Supper, I ſhall endeuour, Heads to be intreated of.as God ſhall giuegive me grace, to ſet downe certaine things, for the eaſier vnderſtanding of it. And firſt of all, I vvill let you ſee, 1what names are giuen vntounto this Sacrament in the Bible; and I will ſhew you ſome names, that are giuen to this Sacrament, by the Ancients. 2Next, I will let you vnderſtand, for what chiefe ends & reſpects, this Sacrament was inſtituted, and appointed by Chriſt Ieſus. 3Thirdly, I will come to the things, that are contained in the Sacrament; how theſe things are coupled; how they are deliuered; and how they are receiued. 4And laſt of all, I will anſwere certaine obiections, which may be obiected, to the contrary of this doctrine: and as God ſhall giuegive me grace, I will refute them, and ſo end this preſent exerciſe.

Now, Firſt head generall.we finde ſundry names giuen vntounto the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, in the booke of God; and eueryevery name carries a ſpeciall reaſon with it. Of the names giuē vntounto this Sacrament, both in the Bible, and by the ancients.Wee finde this Sacrament, called the body, and bloud of Chriſt. This name is giuen vntounto it, no doubt, becauſe it is a heauenly, & ſpiritual nouriture; it containes a nouriture of the ſoule, that is able to nouriſh, and traine vp the ſoule, to a life ſpiritual, to that life euerlaſting: for this cauſe it is called the body, & bloud of Chriſt. It is called alſo the Supper of the Lord, to put a difference betwixt p. 30it, & a profane ſupper: for this is the Lords Supper, a holy ſupper; not a profane, or common ſupper: a ſupper, appointed for the increaſe of holineſs, for the food of the ſoule in holineſs, to feede the ſoule vntounto life euerlaſting. Not a ſupper appointed for the belly; for he had ended that Supper, that was appointed for the belly, or euer he began this ſupper, which was appointed for the ſoule. A ſupper, no doubt, hauing reſpect to the circūſtance of time, by reaſon it was inſtituted, in the article of that time, when they vſed to ſuppe. It is called alſo in the Bible, The Table of the Lord. It is not called the Altar of the Lord: but the Apoſtle calleth it a Table, to ſit at; and not an Altar, to ſtand at: a Table, to take, and receiue at; & not an Altar, to offer at. It is called alſo, the Communion, and participation of the body, and bloud of Chriſt: we hauehave theſe names giuen vntounto it, beſide ſome others, in the Scriptures of God. The Ancients of the Latine, & of the Greeke Churches, gaue it ſundry names, for ſundry reſpects. They called it, a publique action; and this vvas a very generall name. Some-times they called it a Thankſgiuing. Some-times they called it a banquet of louelove; and ſometimes they gaue it one name, and ſometimes another. And at the laſt, in the declining eſtate of the Latine Church, & in the falling eſtate of the Romane Church, this Sacrament began to be peruerted; and with this decay, there came in a peruerſe name, and they called it the Maſſe. They trouble themſelues much, concerning the deriuation of this name: ſometime they ſeeke it from an Hebrew original; ſometime from a Greeke; and ſometime from a Latine originall: but it is plaine, that the vvord is deriued from the Latine; and it is a word which might hauehave been tollerable, when it was firſt inſtituted: for, no doubt, the Sacrament, at the firſt inſtitution of this word, was not then wholly peruerted; but now, in proceſſe of time, corruption hath preuatied ſo farre, that it hath turned the Sacrament into a ſacrifice; and where we ſhould take from the hand of GOD, in Chriſt, they make vsus to giuegive.

This is plaine Idolatry: and therefore, vvhereas the vvord vvas tollerable before, now it ought not to be tollerable any way, it ought not to be ſuffered. And certainly, if wee had eaten, and drunke, as oft p. 31the body & bloud of Chriſt in our ſoules, as wee hauehave eaten that bread, and drunke that wine, which are the ſignes of his body and bloud, we would not hauehave ſuffered this word of the Maſſe, much leſſe the very action of it, to be ſo riſe in this Countrey: But becauſe we hauehave but played the counterfaits, and defrauded our ſoules of the body, and bloud of Chriſt, and tooke onelyonly the outward Sacrament; therefore it is that our zeale decayeth; therfore it is, that our knowledge, and light decayeth: and for want of zeale, louelove, and knowledge, the word of the Maſſe, is becom cuſtomable vntounto you, and not onelyonly the word, but the very action. I will not runne out heerin: I onelyonly tell you, what commeth of the abuſe of the hearing of the vvord, vvhat iudgements follow vponupon the abuſe of the receiuing of the Sacraments.

Now, Secōd head generall. Of the ends why this Sacrament was inſtituted.I come to the ends wherefore the Sacrament was appointed. This Sacrament was inſtituted in the ſignes of Bread, and Wine; and was appointed chiefely for this end, to repreſent our ſpirituall nouriture, 1the full and perfect nouriture of our ſoules: that as he who hath Bread & Wine, lacketh nothing for the full nouriſhment of his body: ſo hee, or that ſoule vvhichwhich hath the participation of the body, and bloud of Chriſt, wanteth nothing for the full and perfect nouriſhment of the ſoule. To repreſent this full and perfect nouriſhment, the ſignes of bread and vvine in the Sacrament, were ſet downe and inſtituted. The ſecond end, 2wherfore this Sacrament was inſtituted, is this; That we might teſtifie to the world, and to the Princes of the world, who are enemies to our profeſsion; that we might openly avow, and teſtifie vntounto them our Religion, and our manner of worſhipping, in the which we avow, and worſhip Chriſt: and that wee might alſo teſtifie our louelove towards his members, our bretheren: this is the ſecond end vvherefore it was inſtituted. 3The third end, wherfore it was inſtituted, is this; to ſerue for our ſpeciall comfort, and conſolation; to ſerue as a ſoueraine medicine, for all our ſpirituall diſeaſes, as wee finde our ſelues, either readie to fall, or prouoked to fall, by the diuell, the fleſh, or the world; or after that we hauehave fallen, and are put to flight by the diuell, and would faine flee away from God; GOD of his merciemercy, and of his infinite pitie, and bottomleſſe p. 32compaſsion, hath ſet vp this Sacrament, as a ſigne on an high hill, whereby it may be ſeene on eueryevery ſide, farre, and neere, to call all them againe, that hauehave run ſhamefully away: and hee clucks to them, as a Henne doth to her chickens, to gather them vnderunder the wings of his infinite merciemercy. The fourth end, vvherefore this Sacrament was inſtituted, is this, that in this action, wee might thanke him for his benefites, and render to him hartie thanks, that he hath come downe ſo familiarly to vsus, bowed the heauens, as it were and giuen vsus the body and bloud of his owne Sonne, that wee might render vntounto him harty thanks, and ſo ſanctifie his benefits vntounto vsus: for this thankſgiuing, this Sacrament was alſo inſtituted. Thus far concerning the ends briefely.

Now, Third head generall.I come to the things contayned in this Sacrament. Yee ſee with your eyes, there are corporall things, viſible things, as the Bread, and Wine. There are againe hid from the eye of your body, but preſent to the eye of your minde, ſpirituall things, heauenly, and invvard things: both theſe are in the Sacrament.

The corporal, viſible, & outward things, are the things which are appointed, Of the things contained in this Sacrament, outward and inward: wherin ſundry heads are intreated.to ſignifie the ſpirituall, heauenly, and inward things. And why? Nothing without a reaſon. Theſe corporall ſignes, are appointed to ſignifie the ſpirituall things, becauſe we are corporall, we are earthly bodies, we hauehave our ſoule lodging within a carnal body, in a tabernacle of clay, a groſſe tabernacle, which cannot be wakened, nor moued, except by the things that are like to it ſelfe. It cannot be induced to the conſideration of heauenly things, except by groſs, temporall, and corporall things. If we had been of the nature of the thing ſignified, that as the thing ſignified, is ſpirituall, and heauenly; ſo wee had been ſpirituall, and heauenly, we had not needed a corporall thing: ſo, if the thing ſignified, had been as wee are, corporall, earthly, and viſible, we had not needed a ſigne, to lead vsus to cō ſider of it: But becauſe the thing ſignified, is ſpirituall, and we are corporall, therfore to bring vsus vntounto the ſight of theſe ſpirituall things, he vſeth a corporall means, and an outward ſigne. This is the reaſon, wherefore theſe corporall ſignes, are appointed to ſignifie the ſpirituall thing.

The ſpirituall thing in both the Sacraments, p. 33is one, and the ſelfe ſame, Chriſt Ieſus, ſignified in both the Sacraments: yet in diuerſe reſpects, he is the thing ſignified in Baptiſme, and hee is the thing ſignified in the Lords Supper. This Chriſt Ieſus, in his bloud chiefely, is the thing ſignified in the Sacrament of Baptiſme: and why? becauſe, that by his bloud, hee waſheth away the filth of our ſoules; becauſe, that by the vertue of his bloud, he quickneth vsus in our ſoules, with a heauenly life: becauſe, that by the power of his bloud, hee ingrafteth, and incorporateth vsus, in his owne body. For, that Sacrament, is a teſtimonie of the remiſsion of our ſinnes: that is, of the cleaneneſſe of our conſciences, that our conſciences, by that bloud, are waſhed inwardly. It teſtifieth alſo, our new birth, that wee are begotten ſpiritually, to a heauenly life. It teſtifieth alſo, the ioyning of vsus in the body of Chriſt. As it is a teſtimony, ſo it is a ſeale: it not onelyonly teſtifieth, but ſealeth it vp in our harts, and maketh vsus in our harts, to feele the taſte of that heauenly life begun in vsus, that wee are tranſlated from death, in the which wee were conceiued, and ingrafted in the body of Chriſt.

Marke then: Chriſt, in his bloud, as hee is the waſhing of our regeneration, is the thing ſignified in Baptiſme. In this Sacrament of the Lords Supper, againe, this ſame Chriſt is the thing ſignified, in another reſpect; to wit, in this reſpect, that his body and bloud, ſerue to nouriſh my ſoule to life euerlaſting: for this Sacrament, is no other thing, but the image of our ſpirituall nouriſhment; GOD teſtifying how our foules are fed, & nouriſhed to that heauenly life, by the image of a corporal nouriſhmēt. So in diuerſe reſpects, the ſame thing, that is, Chr. Ieſus, is ſignified in Baptiſme, and is ſignified in the Lords Supper. In this Sacrament, the fruits of Chriſtes death, whereof I ſpake, the vertue of his ſacrifice, the vertue of his paſsion, I call not theſe fruits & vertues only, the thing ſignified in the Sacrament of the L Supper: but rather I call the thing ſignified, that ſubſtance, & that perſon, out of the which ſubſtance, this vertue, & theſe fruits do flow, and proceed. I grant, and it is moſt certain, that by the lawfull vſe, & participation of the Sacrament, thou art partaker of all theſe fruites: yet theſe fruites, are not the firſt, and chiefe thing, whereof thou art partaker p. 34in this Sacrament; but of force, thou muſt get another thing firſt. It is true, that no man can be partaker of the ſubſtance of Chriſt, but the ſame ſoule, muſt be alſo partaker of the fruites that flowe from his ſubſtance: yet notwithſtanding, thou muſt diſcerne betwixt the ſubſtance, and the fruites that flowe from the ſubſtance; and thou muſt be partaker of the ſubſtance in the firſt roome; then in the next place, thou muſt bee partaker of the fruites that flowe from his ſubſtance. To make this cleere; in Baptiſme, the fruites of Baptiſme, are remiſsion of our ſinnes, mortification, the killing of ſinne, and the ſealing vp of our adoption, to life euerlaſting. The ſubſtance out of the which theſe fruite, doe flowe, is the bloud of Chriſt. Ye muſt heere, of force, diſcerne between the bloud, vvhichwhich is the ſubſtance, and betweene remiſsion of ſinnes, waſhing, and regeneration, which are the fruites, that flow from this bloud: ſo in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the fruits of that Sacrament, are, the growth o… faith, & the increaſe in holineſs. The thing ſignified, is, the ſubſtance; that is, the body & bloud of Chriſt is the ſubſtance, out of which, this growth in faith, and holineſſe, doth proceed. Now, ſee ye not this; That you muſt diſcerne betweene the ſubſtance, and the fruites, and muſt place the ſubſtance in the firſt place? So that the ſubſtance of Chriſt, that is, Chriſt himſelfe, is the thing ſignified in this Sacrament. For your owne experience will make this plaine vntounto you: Before your ſtomack be filled with any foode, yee muſt eate the ſubſtance of the food firſt; before you be filled with bread, yee muſt eate the ſubſtance of the bread firſt; before your drouth bee quenched with any drinke, yee muſt of neceſsitie, drinke the ſubſtance of the drinke firſt: Euen ſo, after this maner; before the hunger of your ſoules be ſatisfied & the thirſt thereof quenched, yee muſt eate the fleſh of Chriſt, and drinke his bloud firſt, and that by faith. So, conſider the one by the other; looke to what vſe bread and vvine ſerue to thy body, to the ſame vſe, the body and bloud of Chriſt ſerue to thy ſoule; and he that appointed the one to ſerue for thy body, the ſame God appointed the other, to ſerue for thy ſoule. So, looke how impoſsible it is for thee, to be fedde with that foode that neuer commeth into thy p. 35mouth, or to recouer health, by thoſe drugges which neuer were applyed; it is as impoſsible, for thee to be fed by the body of Chriſt, & to get thy health by the bloud of Chriſt, except thou firſt eate his bodie, and drinke his bloud. Then yee ſee, that the thing ſignified in the Lords Supper, is not the fruites, ſo much as the body, and bloud, and Chriſt Ieſus, which is the fountaine, and ſubſtance, from which theſe fruites doe flowe, and proceed.

Then I ſay, ſuppoſe Chriſt, The thing ſignified in both the Sacramēts, is one: the ſignes are not one.who is the thing ſignified, remaine alwaies one, and the ſame, in both the Sacraments: yet the ſignes, whereby this one Chriſt is ſignified in the Sacraments, are not one, nor of an …quall number. For in Baptiſme, the thing that repreſenteth Chriſt, is Water. In the Lords Supper, the things that repreſent Chriſt, are Bread, and Wine. Water is appointed to repreſent Chriſt in Baptiſme, becauſe it is meeteſt to repreſent our vvaſhing with the bloud of Chriſt: for, what is fitter to waſh with, then water? ſo there is nothing meeter to waſh the ſoule, then the bloud of Chriſt. In this Sacrament he hath appointed Bread, and Wine: why? Becauſe there is nothing more meet to nouriſh the body, then bread and vvine, ſo the Lord hath not choſen theſe ſignes without a reaſon. As the ſignes in the Sacrament are not alwaies one; ſo the ſame in both, are not of one number: for, in Baptiſme, wee hauehave but one element; in this Sacrament, wee hauehave two elements. Now, what is the reaſon of this diuerſitie, that the Lord in the one Sacrament, Why in Baptiſme there is but one ſigne, and in the Lords Supper two.hath appointed two ſignes, and in the other but one ſigne? I will ſhew you the reaſon. He hath appointed onelyonly one ſigne in Baptiſme, to wit, Water; becauſe Water is ſufficient enough for the whole. If Water had not been ſufficient, to repreſent the thing ſignified, hee would hauehave appointed another ſigne: but in reſpect that water do… the turne, and repreſenteth fully the waſhing of our ſoules, by the bloud of Chriſt, what need then hauehave we of any other ſign? Now, in this Sacrament, one ſigne will not ſuffice, but there muſt be two. And vvhy? Wine cannot be ſufficient alone; neyther can Bread be ſufficient alone: for, he that hath Bread onelyonly, and Wine onelyonly, hath not a perfect corporall nouriſhment; therefore, that they might repreſent, and let vsus ſee a perfect nouriſhment, hee hath p. 36giuen vsus both Bread & Wine (for the perfect corporall nouriſhment, ſtandeth in meat and drinke) to repreſent the full and perfect nouriſhment of the ſoule. Marke how full, and perfect a nouriſhment hee hath to his body, that hath ſtore of Bread and Wine: So he that hath Chriſt, lacketh nothing of a full, and perfect nouriſhment for his ſoule. Then you ſee the reaſon, wherfore there are two ſignes appointed in this Sacrament, and onelyonly one ſigne in Baptiſme.

There remaineth yet, concerning theſe ſignes, two things to be inquired. Firſt, Two queſtions: What power the bread hath to be a ſigne in this Sacrament: And how long that power indureth.what power hath that bread in this Sacrament, to be a ſigne, more then the bread, which is vſed in common houſes: from whence commeth that power? Next, if it hauehave a power, how long indureth and remaineth that power, with the bread? For the firſt, concerning the power which that bread hath, more then any other bread: I will tell you.

That bread hath a power giuē vntounto it by Chriſt, & by his inſtitutiō; Anſwer. 1 by the which inſtitution, it is appointed to ſignifie his body, to repreſent his body, & to deliuer his body. That bread, hath a power flowing frō Chriſt, That bread hath that power from Chriſts inſtitution.and his inſtitution, vvhichwhich other common bread hath not: ſo that if any of you would ask, whē the Miniſter, in this action, is breaking, or diſtributing that Bread, pouring out, and diſtributing that Wine; if you would, I ſay, aske, what ſort of creatures thoſe are? this is the anſwere: They are holy things. Yee muſt giuegive this name, to the ſignes, and ſeales of the body and bloud of Chriſt. That bread of the Sacrament, is a holy bread; and that vvine, is an holy vvine: Why? Becauſe the bleſſed inſtitution of Chriſt, hath ſeuerd them from that vſe wherevnto they ſerued before, and hath applied them vntounto an holy vſe; not to feed the body, but to feede the ſoule.

Thus farre concerning the power of that bread: it hath a power flowing frō Chriſt, and his inſtitution. Anſwer. 2 Now, the ſecond thing is, how long this power continueth vvith that bread; how long that bread hath this office. That power continues during the ſeruice of the Table.In a word, I ſay, this power continueth with that bread, during the time of the action; during the ſeruice of the Table. Look how long that action continues, and that the ſeruice of the Table laſteth, ſo long it continueth holy bread; ſo long p. 37continueth the power with that bread: but, looke how ſoone the action is ended, ſo ſoone endeth the holineſſe of it: looke how ſoon the ſeruice of the Table is ended; ſo ſoon that bread, becomes cōmon bread againe, & the holineſſe of it, ceaſeth. Then this power continueth not for euer, but it continues onelyonly, during the time of the action, and ſeruice of the Table. Thus far concerning the Elements.

There is beſides the Elements, an other ſort of ſignes in the Sacrament: there is not a ceremonie in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, but is a ſigne, and hath it owne ſpirituall ſignification with it: as namely, looking to the breaking of that bread, it repreſenteth vntounto thee, the breaking of the body, & bloud of Chriſt. Not, that his body, and bones were broken, but that it was broken with dolour, with anguiſh, and diſtreſſe of hart; with the weight of the indignation, and furie of God, that he ſuſtained for our ſinnes, which he took vponupon him. Then, the breaking, is an eſſentiall ceremonie: the pouring out of the wine alſo, is an eſſentiall ceremonie. For, as yee ſee cleerly, that by the wine is ſignified the bloud of Chriſt; ſo, by the pouring out of the wine, is ſignified, that his bloud was ſeuered from his fleſh; and the ſeuering of thoſe two, maketh death: for, in bloud is the life; and conſequently, it teſtifieth his death. The pouring out of the wine, then, tells thee, that he dyed for thee, that his bloud was ſhed for thee; ſo this is an eſſentiall ceremonie, which muſt not be left out. Likewiſe, the diſtribution, giuing, and eating of that bread, are eſſentiall ceremonies. And what doth the eating teſtifie vntounto thee? The applying of the body & bloud of Chriſt vntounto thy ſoule. So that there is none of theſe rites, but hauehave their own ſignification; and there cannot one of them be left out, but ye ſhal peruert the whole action. Thus farre concerning the ſignes.

Now, An obſeruation.what profit can ye make of all this diſcourſe? Learne this leſſon, and yee ſhal make profit by theſe things. In reſpect that eueryevery ſigne and ceremonie, hath it owne ſpirituall ſignification, ſo that there is not a ceremonie in this whole action, that wants it owne ſpirituall ſignification; conſider this, and thinke with your ſelues, at that time eſpecially when yee are at the Lords Table, & in the ſight of that action, p. 38that looke vvhat thou ſeeſt the Miniſter dooing outwardly, what euer it be: (Is he breaking that Bread? is hee dealing that bread? is he pouring out, and diſtributing that vvine?) Thinke aſſuredly vvith thy ſelfe, that Chriſt is as buſie, dooing all theſe things, ſpiritually vntounto thy ſoule: hee is as buſie, giuing vntounto thee, his ovvne bodie, vvith his owne hand: hee is as buſie, giuing to thee his owne bloud, with the vertue, and efficacie of it. So, in this action (if thou be a faithfull Communicant) looke vvhat the mouth doth, and hovv the mouth of the body is occupied outwardlie: ſo is the hand, and mouth of the ſoule (vvhichwhich is faith) occupied invvardly. As the mouth taketh that Bread, and that Wine; ſo the mouth of thy ſoule, taketh the body, and bloud of Chriſt, and that by faith. For by faith, and a conſtant perſwaſion, is the onelie vvay to eate the bodie, and drinke the bloud of Chriſt invvardly: and dooing this, there cannot but follow a fruitefull eating. Thus farre, for the conſideration of the ſignes.

Now commeth in the matter wherein greateſt difficulty ſtandeth, wherof I ſpake the laſt day, How the ſignes, and the thing ſignified, are conioyned in the Sacrament.as God gaue me the grace; yet in the particular, I muſt ſpeak, as wel as in the generall, but ſomewhat more ſhortly. Then ye hauehave to vnderſtand, for the better information of your conſciences; and for the better preparation of your ſoules, yee hauehave to vnderſtand, how that bread, and that vvine, which are the ſignes, are coupled with the body, and bloud of Chriſt, which are ſignified thereby: What ſort of coniunction this is, and from whence this coniunction floweth, I ſhall be briefe; becauſe I hauehave already, in my laſt Lecture, ſpoken of it at large.

Take heede: for if ye giuegive not good attention, it is not poſsible, that ye can conceiue this coniunction. Concerning this coniunction, would you knowe how theſe two are coupled? Then muſt you firſt marke the nature of the ſignes, and the nature of the thing ſignified; yee muſt obſerue both their natures: And why? Becauſe nothing can be coupled, nor conioyned with other, but ſo farre, as the nature of it will ſuffer; if the nature of it will not ſuffer a coniunction, they cannot be conioyned: or, will the nature of it ſuffer a coniunction? looke how farre it will ſuffer p. 39a coniunction, ſo farre are they conioyned. Seeing then ye muſt obſerue the nature of the things that are conioyned, firſt marke the thing ſignified, what the nature thereof is; marking that, ye ſhall ſee, that the thing ſignified, is of a ſpirituall nature; of a heauenly, and myſticall nature: then may ye conclude, that this ſpiritual thing, will ſuffer a ſpirituall coniunction, a myſticall, and ſecret coniunction.

Againe, obſerue the ſigne: The ſigne, of his nature (as I hauehave told you) hath a relation vntounto the thing ſignified; & the thing ſignified, of his nature, hath a relation vntounto the ſigne. So then the ſigne, & the thing ſignified, will ſuffer to be conioyned, by a mutuall relation: both the ſigne, and the thing ſignified, in reſpect they hauehave a mutuall relation, the one vntounto the other, they will ſuffer themſelues to be conioyned by a relatiue coniunction. Now if ye ask me, what ſort of coniunction, is betweene that bread, and that wine, and the body, and bloud of Chriſt: To tell you in a word, I ſay, it is a ſecret, and ſpirituall coniunction; ſuch a coniunction, as ſtandeth in a mutuall reſpect, betwixt the bread, and the body of Chriſt, and betwixt the wine, and the bloud of Chriſt: then I ſay, it is a ſecret, & a ſpirituall coniunction. Ye would not be ſo inquiſitiue of this coniunction, if it were corporall, viſible, or locall: if you ſaw them both before your eyes, you would not aske how they are conioyned; or if thou didſt ſee them both in one place. But, becauſe you ſee but the one with your eyes, and the other is hid, this maketh the coniunction the more difficult to be vttered, and vnderſtood. And how is it poſsible, that ye can conceiue this ſecret, and hid coniunction, except you hauehave the eyes of your minde illuminated by the ſpirit, whereby ye may come to the right vnderſtanding? But if yee hauehave any inſight into theſe ſpirituall matters that come by faith, this coniunction will appeare as cleerely, by the eye of your faith, as the phyſicall coniunction dooth, to the eye of your body.

Novv, to hauehave this matter made more plain; there is another coniunction, which ſerueth to make this coniunction very cleere: namely, the coniunction betwixt the vvord, which I ſpeake, and the thing ſignified by that ſame word. As if I ſpeake to you, of things in this language, which p. 40yee vnderſtand, bee it of things paſt, though neuer ſo long ſince; of things to come, though neuer ſo far off; of things abſent, though neuer ſo farre diſtant; yet ſo ſoone as I ſpeake the vvord, vvhether it be of things paſt, or to come, the thing it ſelfe will come into your minde. The vvord is heard no ſooner by your eare, but the thing ſignified by the ſame vvord, commeth into your minde. What maketh the thing ſignified, though abſent, to come into my mind? This could not be, except there were a coniunction, betweene the word, and the thing ſignified by the word.

As for example; If I ſpeak of the King, who is now a great way diſtant from vsus (I pray God bleſſe him) yee will no ſooner heare the word, but the King, vvho is the thing ſignified by the word, will come into your minde. If I ſpeake of things paſt, though they be already expired, yet the thing ſignified, vvill preſently come into your minde: ſo there is a coniunction yee ſee, between the word, and the thing ſignified by the word. Marke this coniunction, and yee ſhall gette the nature of the coniunction, and coupling of the ſigne, which is the thing ſignified in the Sacrament.

For obſerue, what ſort of coniunction is between the vvord, and the thing ſignified by the word, the ſame ſort of coniunction, is between the Sacrament, which is ſeene to the eye of your body, & the thing ſignified by the Sacrament, which is ſeene to the eye of your ſoule onelyonly. As for example; ſo ſoone as thou ſeeſt that bread, taken in the hand of the Miniſter, thou ſeeſt it not ſo ſoone, but incontinent, the body of Chriſt muſt come into thy mind; theſe two are ſo conioyned, that they com both together: the one, to the outward ſenſes; the other, to the inward ſenſes. This is not enough now, becauſe in the inſtitution, ye are commanded to goe further; & not onelyonly to looke to that bread, and that wine, but to take that bread, and that wine: incontinent, as your hand takes the one, ſo your hart takes the other; as your teeth eates the one, ſo the teeth of your ſoule, which is faith, eates the other; that is, applyeth Chriſt vntounto your ſoule. So yee ſee there is a coniunction heere, ſecret, and myſticall: and therefore, Chriſt cannot be conioyned, but by a ſecret, and myſticall coniunction. The coniunction betweene Chriſt, and vsus, is a ſecret, and myſticall p. 41coniunction; which the Apoſtle, in the fift of the Epheſ. calleth that ſpirituall coniunction, ful of an high myſterie: this coniunction cannot be taken vp at the firſt. So, ſeeing the coniunction is ſecret, and ſpirituall, and not perceiued, but by the ſpirit of God; all is as nothing, except ye hauehave ſome portion, and meaſure of his ſpirit. All that is taught in the word, and Sacraments, will neuer doe you good, will neuer carry your ſoules to heauen, except the ſpirit of God illuminate your mindes, and make you to finde in your ſoules, the thing that ye hear in the word. Then learn this, ſeeing the word cānot be vnderſtood, but by the ſpirit of GOD, craue that the Lord would illuminate the eyes of your mindes, by his ſpirit; and be you as careful to get the ſpirit, as yee are carefull now in the hearing of the word. Thus farre concerning the coniunction.

Now ye hauehave heard, how the ſigne is cō ioyned with the thing ſignified, what remaineth for you to knowe? This reſts yet to knowe, how the ſigne is receiued, How the ſigne, & the thing ſignified, is receiued.and how the thing ſignified is receiued; vvhether they bee both receiued with one mouth, or not; whether the ſigne, and the thing ſignified, be receiued after one faſhion, and manner, or not. And marking the diuerſe manner of receiuing, and the diuerſity of the inſtruments, yee ſhall not eaſily erre in the Sacrament. The ſigne, and the thing ſignified, are receiued by two mouthes: for ye ſee the ſignes, that is, that bread, and wine, wherunto they are giuen; they are giuen to the mouth of the body. Then the mouth of the body, is the inſtrument that receiueth that bread, and that vvine, which are the ſignes. As that bread, and that wine, are viſible, and corporall: ſo the mouth, and inſtrument, whereby they are receiued, is viſible, and corporall. The thing ſignified by the bread, and wine, is not receiued by the mouth of the body: no, the Scripture denieth that plainly, but it is receiued by the mouth of the ſoule. Then there are two mouthes: that bread, and that wine, which are the ſignes, are receiued by the mouth of the body: Chriſt, vvho is the thing ſignified, is receiued by the mouth of the ſoule; that is, by a true faith.

Then, bring not to the Lords Table, one mouth onelyonly (for, if yee bring the mouth of your body onelyonly, it auaileth p. 42nothing) but bring with you alſo, the mouth of your ſoule, a conſtant perſwaſion in the death of Chriſt, for that is availeable.

Novv, concerning the manner hovv the ſignes are receiued, and the manner how the thing ſignified is receiued; yee may eaſily knowe, that theſe corporall, & naturall ſignes, muſt be receiued after a corporall, and naturall maner: they muſt be taken with the hand, or mouth of the body. Againe, a ſupernaturall thing, muſt be receiued after a ſupernaturall manner: A ſpirituall thing, muſt be receiued, after a ſpirituall manner. So, as the ſignes are corporall, and receiued after a corporall manner, with the hand, or the mouth of the body; In like manner, the thing ſignified, is ſpirituall, and receiued after a ſpirituall manner, with the hand and mouth of the ſoule, which is true faith. Thus yee hauehave briefely deliuered vntounto you, the whole preparation, that is neceſſary for the vnderſtanding of this Sacrament.

Now, what doctrine gather I from this? Of this laſt point, vvhere I ſay, that Chriſt is the thing ſignified, and cannot be preceiued, but by faith, cannot be receiued, nor digeſted, but by a faithfull ſoule: what kinde of receiuing confirme I in this Sacrament? I eſtabliſh no kind of receiuing of Chriſt, What kinde of receiuing Chriſt, is eſtabliſhed in the Sacrament.but a ſpiritual receiuing: he can not be perceiued, nor receiued, but by faith, and faith is ſpirituall: Therefore in this Sacrament, I eſtabliſh onelyonly a ſpiritual taking of Chriſt; & not a carnall, or fleſhly receiuing. This is the ground: Novv let vsus ſee, what inconuenience can follow vponupon this ground. Inconueniences caſt in by the Papiſts, againſt the ſpirituall receiuing of Chriſt in the Sacrament.The Papiſts ſay, that vponupon this ground, this inconuenience ſhall follow. If there be no receiuing of Chriſt, but a ſpirituall receiuing, then (ſay they) your Sacrament is in vaine; this Sacrament of the Lords Supper, was inſtituted to no end. And what is their reaſon? If there be no way to receiue Chriſt (ſay the Papiſts) but by faith, what need you then a Sacrament? Yee receiue Chriſt, by faith, in the word: by the naked and ſimple preaching of the word, ye get faith. So the ſimple word, may ſerue the turne. What need hauehave ye of a Sacrament, if ye get not ſome new thing in the Sacrament, which yee could not get in the word?

This is their Argument; whereof ye ſee their concluſion to be this: Wee get no p. 43other new thing in the Sacrament, Firſt inconuenience: That the Sacrament is ſuperfluous.then we doe in the vvord, if there be no receiuing but ſpirituall. Ergo, The Sacrament is ſuperfluous.

VVee admit the Antecedent to bee true: vvee get no other thing, nor no new thing in the Sacrament, but the ſame thing which we got in the word. I would hauehave thee deuiſe, and imagine vvith thy ſelfe, what new thing thou vvouldeſt hauehave: let the hart of man, deuiſe, imagine, and wiſh, he durſt neuer hauehave thought to hauehave ſuch a thing, as the Sonne of GOD; hee durſt neuer hauehave preſumed, to hauehave pearced the clowdes, to hauehave aſcended ſo high, as to hauehave craued the Sonne of GOD in his fleſh, to be the foode of his ſoule. Hauing the Sonne of God, thou haſt him, who is the heire of all things; who is King of heauen, and earth; and in him, thou haſt all things. What more then canſt thou wiſh? What better thing canſt thou wiſh? Hee is equall with the Father, one in ſubſtance with the Father, true GOD, & true man, vvhat more canſt thou wiſh? Then, I ſay, vvee get no other thing in the Sacrament, then wee had in the vvord: content thee vvith this. But ſuppoſe it be ſo; yet the Sacrament is not ſuperfluous. But wouldeſt thou vnderſtand what new thing thou obtaineſt? what other thing thou getteſt? I will tell thee. Refutation of the firſt Inconuenience.Suppoſe thou get that ſame thing which thou haddeſt in the vvord, yet thou getteſt that ſame thing better. What is that better? Thou obtaineſt a greater, and ſurer hold of that ſame thing in the Sacrament, then thou hadſt by the hearing of the vvord. That ſame thing, which thou poſſeſſedſt, by the hearing of the word, thou dooſt poſſeſſe now more largely; it hath larger bounds in thy ſoule, by the receiuing of the Sacrament, then other-wiſe it could hauehave, by the hearing of the word onelyonly. Then wilt thou aske what new thing wee get? I ſay, wee get this new thing: we get Chriſt, better then before; we get the thing which we had, more fully: that is, with a ſurer apprehenſion then we had it before; we gette a greater hold of Chriſt now. For, by the Sacrament, my faith is nouriſhed, the boundes of my ſoule are enlarged: and ſo, whereas I had but a little hold of Chriſt before, as it were betweene my finger, and my thumbe, now I get him in my whole hand; and ſtill the more that my faith groweth, the p. 44better hold I get of Chriſt Ieſus. So the Sacrament is very neceſſary, and if it were no more but to get Chriſt better, and to get a faſter apprehenſion of him, by the Sacrament, then vvee could hauehave before.

Now, if it were true, that the Sacrament is ſuperfluous: by the ſame reaſon it ſhold follow alſo, that the repetition of the Sacrament is ſuperfluous. For, when yee come to the Sacrament the ſecond time, ye get no other thing then yee did the firſt time: vvhen ye come vntounto the Sacrament the third time, yet get no other thing then yee did the firſt time: and yet no man will ſay, that the third, and ſecond comming, is a ſuperfluous thing. And vvhy? Becauſe by the ſecond comming, my faith is augmented, I vnderſtand better, I growe in knowledge, I growe in apprehenſion, I grow in feeling: and in getting the growth of all theſe, as oft as I come, there is no man will ſay, that the oft comming to the Sacrament is ſuperfluous, & if it were euerie day once. So, their firſt inconuenience auailes not: Wee get no new thing in the Sacrament; Ergo, the Sacrament is ſuperfluous.

Thus farre for the firſt. Then there depends another thing on the ſame ground. If Chriſt be not perceiued, but by faith; then, ſay we, no wicked body can perceiue him; hee that lacketh faith, cannot perceiue him. He that lacketh faith, may perceiue that Sacrament, of that bread, and that vvine, and may eate of that bread, and drinke of that wine; but hee that vvanteth faith, may not eate & drink of the body & bloud of Chriſt, ſignified by that bread, & by that wine. So this is the groūd: no faithleſſe people can perceiue Chriſt, nor eate the body of Chriſt in the Sacrament.

Againſt this ground, they bring their Argument out of the ſame words of the Apoſtle, which I hauehave read; the words are theſe; Hee that eateth of this Bread, vnvvorthily (ſaith the Apoſtle) and drinketh of this Cuppe vnworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt.

There is their ground: Second incōuenience.So that their Argument will ſuffer this forme: No man can be guiltie of that thing, vvhichwhich hee hath not receiued: they hauehave not receiued the body, and bloud of Chriſt: therefore, they cannot be guiltie of the body, and bloud of Chriſt: but ſo it is, that the Apoſtle ſaith, they are p. 45guilty, therefore they hauehave receiued the body, and bloud of Chriſt.

I anſwere vntounto the Propoſition, Refutation of the ſecond inconueniēce obiected, wher in are ſundry reaſons giuen, why the wicked are counted guilty of the body, and bloud of Chriſt.and I ſay, it is very falſe: They could not bee guiltie of that body, and bloud, except they had receiued it; for they may be guilty of that ſame body, & of that ſame bloud, ſuppoſe they neuer receiued it. But marke the Text: The Text ſaith not, that they eate the body of Chriſt vnworthily; but it ſaith, that they eate that bread, and drinke that wine vnworthily: And yet, becauſe they eate that bread, and drinke that wine vnworthily, they are counted before God, guiltie of the body, and bloud of Chriſt. Now wherefore is this? Not becauſe they receiue him; for, if they receiued him, they could not but receiue him vvorthily, for Chriſt cannot be receiued of any man, but woorthily: but they are accounted guiltie of the body and bloud of the Son of GOD, becauſe they refuſed him. For vvhen they did eate that Bread, and drink that wine, they might, if they had had faith, hauehave eaten and drunke the fleſh, and bloud of Chriſt leſus. Now, becauſe thou refuſeſt the body of Chriſt, offered to thee, thou contemneſt his body, offered vntounto thee, if thou hauehave not an eye to diſcerne, and indge of this body, that is offered. For if they had had faith they might hauehave ſeen his body, offered with the bread; by faith they might hauehave taken that ſame body, & by faith, they might hauehave eaten that ſame body. Therefore, lacking their wedding garment, wanting faith, whereby they ſhould eate the bodie, and drink the bloud of Chriſt; wanting faith, which is the eye of the ſoule, to perceiue, and the mouth of the ſoule, to receiue that body, which is ſpirituallie offered; they are counted guiltie of that ſame body & bloud.

Now, let vsus make this more cleere by a ſimilitude. Ye ſee among worldly Princes, their cuſtome is, not to ſuffer their maieſtie to be impeached in the ſmalleſt thing that they hauehave. VVhat meaner thing is there that concerneth the maieſtie of a Prince, then a ſeale? for the ſubſtance of it is but wax: yet, if thou diſdainfullie vſe that ſeale, and contemne it, and ſtampe it vnderunder thy feet, thou ſhalt be eſteemed as guilty of his body, and bloud, as hee that laid violent hands on him, & thou ſhalt be puniſhed accordingly. Much more, if thou come as a ſwine, or as a dog, to handle the p. 46ſeales of the bodie, and bloud of Chriſt; much more maieſt thou bee rockoned guilty of his body, and of his bloud.

Thus farre of the eating of the body of Chriſt: The vvicked cannot eate the bodie of Chriſt; but they may bee guiltie of it. The Apoſtle maketh this more plaine yet, by another ſpeech, vvhichwhich I hauehave ſometimes handled out of this place. In Hebr. 6.6. it is ſaid, that Apoſtates, they that fall away, they crucifie the Son of God againe; and their falling away, maketh thē as guilty, as they were who crucified him. He is now in heauen, they cannot fetch him frō thence, to crucify him: yet the Apoſtle ſaith, they crucifie him. Why? Becauſe their malice is as great, as theirs that crucified him, becauſe they match in malice, with thē that crucified him; ſo that if they had him on the earth, they vvould doe the like: therefore they are ſaid to crucifie the Sonne of GOD. So in Heb. 10.29. there is another ſpeech: the wicked are ſaid to ſtampe the bloud of Chriſt vnderunder their feet. Why? Becauſe their malice is as great, as theirs that ſtamped his bloud.

Now, they are accounted for this reaſon, to be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt, not becauſe they eate his body, but becauſe they refuſed it, vvhen they might hauehave had it.

Now, the time remaines yet, wherein we may hauehave the body, Exhortation.and bloud of Chriſt. This time is very precious, and the diſpenſation of times is very ſecret, and hath it owne bounds: if yee take not this time now, it will away. This time of Grace, and of that heauenly foode, hath been diſpenſed vntounto you very long: but how ye hauehave profited, your liues and behauiours teſtifie. Remember therefore your ſelues in time, and in time make vſe of it; for yee knowe not how long it will laſt: craue a mouth to receiue, as well the food of your ſoules, that is offered, as ye doe the food of your bodies: and take this time while yee may hauehave it, or aſſuredly the time ſhall come, when yee ſhall cry for it, but ſhall not get it; but in place of Grace, and merciemercy, ſhall come iudgement, vengeance, & the diſpenſation of vvrath.

They will not leaue this matter ſo; but they inſiſt yet, and they bring more Arguments, to prooue, that the vvicked are partakers of the bodie, Third incōuenience.and bloud of Chriſt; That Bread (ſay they) yee vvill p. 47grant, vvhichwhich the vvicked man eates, is not naked bread, but is that bread vvhichwhich is the Sacrament. Thus then they make their Argument; The Sacrament hath euer conioyned vvith it, the thing ſignified: But the Sacrament is giuen to all, therefore the thing ſignified is giuen to all.

What if I grant to them all this Argument? Refutation of the third inconuenience.There ſhould no inconuenience follow. For, the thing ſignified may be giuen to all; that is, offered to all, as it is offered to all men, and yet not receiued of all. Giuen to all; therefore receiued of all, it followeth not. I may offer you tvvo things; yet it is in your owne will, whether you will take them, or no, but ye may take the one, and refuſe the other: and yet hee that offers, offered you the thing that ye refuſed, as truely, as the thing which ye tooke. So, GOD deceiueth no man: but with the word, and Sacraments, aſſuredly hee giueth two things, if they would take them. By his vvord, hee offers the word to the eare, hee offers Chriſt Ieſus to the ſoule. By his Sacraments, hee offers the Sacraments to the eye, hee offers Chriſt Ieſus to the ſoule.

Now, it may be, that where two things are truly, & conioyntlie offred, a man may receiue the one, and refuſe the other. Hee receiueth the one, becauſe he hath an inſtrument to take it: he refuſeth the other, becauſe he wanteth an inſtrument. I heare the word, becauſe I hauehave an eare to heare it with: I receiue the Sacrament, becauſe I hauehave a mouth to receiue it with: but as for the thing, which the word, and Sacraments repreſent, I may refuſe it; becauſe I hauehave not a mouth to take it, nor an eye to perceiue it: and therefore, the fault is not on Gods part, but on our part. The wicked get the body, and bloud of Chriſt offered to them conioyntly, with the word, & Sacraments; but the fault is on their part, that they hauehave not a mouth to receiue him, and God is not bound to giuegive them a mouth. Mark this: That if it were not of Gods ſpeciall grace, and merciemercy, that he giueth mee an eye to perceiue him, and a mouth to receiue him; I would refuſe him, as well as they. So, this Argument holdeth not: Chriſt is offered to all; Ergo, hee is receiued of all. Happy were they, if they could receiue him. Thus far for the 3. Argument.

What reſteth now for the ful vnderſtanding of the Sacrament? Theſe things remain; p. 48That we vnderſtand the Sacramentall ſpeeches, that are vſed in the Sacrament: for, we vſe to ſpeake of them: God vſeth to ſpeake of them: and the Ancients vſe to ſpeake of them. Wee vſe to ſay, that the ſoule eateth the body of Chriſt, and drinketh the bloud of Chriſt. How the ſoule is ſaid to eate the body, and drinke the bloud of Chriſt.Theſe ſpeeches wold be opened to you, how the ſoule is ſaid to eate the body, & drink the bloud of Chriſt: theſe ſpeeches are Sacramental; yet yee are not the wiſer: but I will make it plaine, by Gods grace. They are Sacramentall; what is that? Ye knowe it is proper to the bodie to eate and drink, they are the proper actions of the body only. Now they are aſcribed to the ſoule by a tranſlation, by a figuratiue maner of ſpeaking. That which is proper to the body, is aſcribed to the ſoule, and it is ſaid that the ſoule eateth & drinketh. The eating of the ſoule, doth reſemble the eating of the bodie: then the eating of the ſoule, is no other thing, but the applying of Chriſt to the ſoule; to belieue that he hath ſhed his bloud for mee; that he hath purchaſed remiſsiō of ſins for me. Wherfore then cal you this an eating? what call you the eating of the body? They body eateth, when thou applieſt the meat to thy mouth. If then the eating of the body be no other thing, but the applying of meat to the mouth; the eating of the ſoule is no other thing, but the applying of the nouriſhment to the ſoule. Then yee ſee what is meant by the eating and drinking of the ſoule: no other thing, but the applying of Chriſt to my ſoule, and the applying of his death & paſsion to my ſoule; and this is onelyonly done by faith: therefore he that lacketh faith, cannot eate Chriſt. Thus farre for the eating and drinking of the ſoule, vvhichwhich are Sacramentall ſpeeches.

There remaineth now, of all theſe great things, Obſeruation.and of all this doctrine which hath bin taught, but this one leſſon: That thou learne to apply Chriſt rightly to thy ſoule. Thou art a great Diuine, if thou haſt learned this wel: for, in the right applicatiō of Chriſt, to the ſick ſoule, to the wounded conſcience, and diſeaſed heart, heere beginnes the fountaine of all our felicitie, & the wel-ſpring of all our ioy. And I wil tell you, what this application worketh: Obſerue, what the preſence of thy ſoule within thee (ſuppoſe thou want Chriſt in thy ſoule) doth to this earthly body, to this p. 49lump of clay; as by the preſence of the ſoule, it liueth, it mooueth, it feeleth: as the ſoule giueth to the body, life, mouing, and ſenſes: that ſame very thing, dooth Chriſt vntounto thy ſoule. Haſt thou once laid hold of, and applyed him to thee? As the ſoule quickens thy body, ſo hee quickens thy ſoule; not with an earthly, or temporal life, but with the life which hee liueth in heauē: he makes thee to liue that ſame life, which the Angels liue in heauen: hee maketh thee to moue, not with worldly motions, but with heauenly, ſpirituall, & celeſtiall motions. Againe, he inſpires in thee, not outward ſenſes, but heauenly ſenſes; he worketh in thee, a ſpiritual feeling, that in thine own hart & conſcience, thou mayſt find the effect of this word. So, by the coniunction of Chriſt with my ſoule, I get a thouſand times greater benefits, then the body doth by the ſoule: for the bodie, by the preſence of the ſoule, getteth onelyonly an earthly & temporall life, ſubiect to continual miſery: but by the preſence of Chriſt in my ſoule, I ſee a bleſſed life, I feele a bleſſed life: & that ſame life, takes daily more & more increaſe in me. Then the ground of all our perfection, & bleſſednes, ſtandeth in this coniunction: & ſuppoſe thou mighteſt liue Methuſhelaes yeeres, and wert euer ſeking; yet if in the laſt houre, thou get this coniunction, thou maiſt thinke thy trauel well beſtowed; thou haſt gotten enough: for if we hauehave obtained Chriſt, wee hauehave gotten all with him. Then the applying of Chriſt to my ſoule, is the foūtaine of all my ioy & felicitie. Now, let vsus ſee how we get this coniunction. This is a ſpirituall coniunction, a coniunction hard, & difficult to be purchaſed, obtained, & gotten of vsus, How then is this coniunction brought about? which are the means of this cōiunction on Gods part? & which are the means on our part to get Chriſt, to put Chriſt in our ſoules, & to make Chriſt one with vsus? There is one means on Gods part, that helpeth vsus vntounto Chriſt, & there is another on our part. On Gods part, there is the holie ſpirit, which offereth the body, & bloud of Chr. to vsus: and on our part, there muſt be a means, or elſe, though he offer, we will not receiue. Therefore of neceſsity, there muſt be faith in our ſoules, to receiue that which the holy ſpirit offers, to receiue that heauē ly food, of the body & bloud of Chr. which ſhe holy ſpirit offers. Thē faith, & the holy p. 50ſpirit, are the two means of this ſpiritual, & heauenly coniunction. By theſe 2. means, by faith, & by the holy ſpirit, I get the body of Chr. the body of Chr. is mine, & he is giuen to my ſoule. Now, heer comes in the queſtion; How canſt thou ſay, that the body of Chriſt is giuen, or deliuered to thee, ſeeing the body of Chriſt is ſitting at the right hand of God the Father? & look how great diſtance is betwixt heauen and earth, as great diſtance is there, betwixt the body of Chriſt, and thy body: how then ſay yee, that the body of Chriſt is giuen to you? The Papiſts vnderſtand not this; & therefore they imagin a groſs & carnal coniunction. Except the ſpirit of God reueale theſe things, they cannot be vnderſtood. The ſpirit of God muſt illuminate our mindes, and be planted in all our harts, before wee can come to the vnderſtanding of this. Then wouldeſt thou vnderſtand hovv Chriſt is giuen thee? This ground is true, that the bodie of Chriſt, is at the right hand of the Father; the bloud of Chriſt is at the right hand of the Father: yet notwithſtanding, though there be as great diſtance betwixt my body, and the bodie of Chriſt, as is betwixt heauen and earth, yet Chriſtes body is giuen to me, becauſe I hauehave a title to his body giuen to mee: the right, and title which is giuen to me, of his body, and bloud, makes me to poſſeſſe his body and bloud. The diſtance of the place, hurteth not my title, nor my right: for if any of you, hauehave a peece of Land lying in the fartheſt part of England, if ye hauehave a good title to it, the diſtance of the place cannot hurt your title: ſo I ſay, the diſtance of place, hurts not my title, and my right, that I hauehave to Chriſt. But, though he be ſitting at the right hand of the Father, yet the title, and right, that I hauehave to him, makes him mine; ſo that I may ſay trulie, this Chriſt is my property. Then Chriſt is not made mine, becauſe I fetch him out of the heauens: but he is mine, becauſe I hauehave a ſure title, & right to him; & hauing a ſure title, and iuſt right to him, the diſtance of place, how farre ſoeuer it be, can no wayes hurt my title, nor right; but where-euer he be, he is mine, becauſe I hauehave a right & title to him. Yea, not onelyonly hauehave I a title to him, but this title is confirmed to mee: For, as I gette a title to him in the vvord (and if I got not that title to him in the word, I durſt not come to the Sacrament) p. 51ſo in the Sacrament, I get the confirmation of my title, I get the Seale, which confirmes my title. Then to come to the point, Chriſts bodie, is ſitting at the right hand of the Father, and yet he is mine, and is deliuered to me, becauſe I hauehave right to his bodie, be it where it will: hee was borne for mee, giuen to mee, and deliuered to mee: So diſtance of place, hurts not the ſuretie of my title, as propinquitie of place, helpes not the ſuretie of the ſame. Though Chriſt would bow the heauens, and touch thee with his bodie, as he did Iudas: yet this could not helpe thee, for if thou haſt not a title to him, thou dareſt not call him, thine. So it is not the neerneſſe, nor proximity of place, that makes Chriſt mine: It is onelyonly the right, that I hauehave to him: I hauehave right to him, only by faith: So by faith only, Chr. is made mine. But they thinke, they hauehave gotten a great vantage of vsus, if we be ſo farre from Chr. as the heauen is, frō the earth; but this ſhal be anſwered, by Gods grace: I hauehave a title to his body, his body is diſtant frō my body: yet his body is not diſtant from me, that is, from my ſoule, I ſay his bodie and my ſoule are conioyned. It is a ſtrange ladder, that will reach from the earth to the heauens, yet let me tell you, there is a corde that extendeth from the earth to the heauens; Faith is that which couples vsus and Chriſt.and coupleth mee and Chriſt together, and this is onelyonly true fayth: By true faith, Chriſt, though he be in the heauens, is coupled, and conioyned with me, who am heere on earth: I will ſhewe you this by a ſimilitude. Similitude taken from the ſunne.Is not the bodie of the ſunne in the firmament? It is imposſible for you, to touch the bodie of the ſun, yet the bodie of the ſunne, and yee are conioyned, How? By thoſe beames that ſhine on you; by that light, that ſhineth vponupon you: Why may not the bodie of Chriſt then, though it be in the heauens, be conioyned with mee, that am on the earth, namelie, by the beames, by the light, and gladnes, that floweth from his bodie? My bodie, & Chriſts body are conioined, by the vertue, and power, flowing from his bodie: which vertue, and power, quickneth my dead ſoule, maketh me to liue the life of Chriſt, to beginne to die to my ſelfe: and euer the more I die to my ſelfe, the more I liue to Chriſt: This coniunction nowe is the ground as I told you, of all our felicitie, and happineſſe, and I hauehave made it cleere p. 52to you at this time, ſo farre as God hath giuen me inſight: Alwaies yee ſee, this coniunction is brought to paſſe, by two ſpeciall meanes; by the holy ſpirit, and by faith, If there bee no other meanes, but theſe two, what needeſt thou a carnall, or a viſible coniunction? Faith is inviſible, and the ſpirit is inuiſible, therefore thou canſt not ſee it, nor take it vp with the eye of thy bodie: The power of the holy ſpirit is ſo ſubtile, ſecret, and inuiſible, that thou canſt not perceiue it, nor take it vppe, with the eye of thy bodie, and it will worke great effects in thy ſoule, or euer thou perceiueſt his working: In reſpect therefore, that the meanes of this coniunction, are ſo ſubtill, ſecret, and ſpirituall, why thinkeſt thou to get a ſight of this coniunction, with the eye of thy bodie? why imagineſt thou, ſuch a carnall coniunction, as this, which would doe thee no good, if thou hadſt it? knowſt thou not, that the ſpirit, that coupleth vsus, and Chriſt, is infinite? ſo that it is as eaſie for the ſpirit, to couplevs and Chriſt, how farre diſtant ſoeuer wee bee, as it is eaſie for our ſoules, to couple our head and the feete of our bodies, though they be diſtant. Then ſeeing this coniunction is the ground & fountaine of all our happineſſe: And ſeeing this ground of happineſſe is ſo ſubtil, and ſo ſpirituall, What is your part? Remoue all your outward ſenſes, remoue al your naturall motions, remoue your naturall diſcourſes, and your naturall reaſon, and follow the ſight and information of the ſpirit of God: Craue that it would pleaſe him, to illuminate your vnderſtanding, that by the light of his ſpirit, yee may ſee cleerely, the ſpirituall coniunction: Except the eye of the ſpirit be giuen you, to perceiue this ſpirituall coniunction. It is not posſible, that yee can get any inſight in it. But if the Lord of his mercy, will beſtowe ſome meaſure of his holy ſpirit vponupon you; out of queſtion, yee ſhall ſoone come to the vnderſtanding of it, and yee ſhall thinke the time happie, that euer yee heard this word. Except yee hauehave ſome part of this ſpirit, it is not posſible that yee canne bee ſpirituall.

That which is borne of fleſh and bloode, will remaine fleſh and bloud, except the ſpirit come in and make it ſpirituall.

Therefore yee muſt bee borne againe p. 53of the ſpirit, yee muſt bee borne in the bodie of Chriſt, his ſpirit muſt quicken you.

This is called the quickning, and liuing ſpirit of Chriſt, by Iohn. And ſo ſoone as this ſpirit cometh, what doth it? It chaſeth away darkneſſe out of the vnderſtanding: whereas before, I knewe not God, now I ſee him, not onelyonly generally, that he is a God, but that he is my God in Chriſt: what more doth the holy ſpirit? It opneth the heart, as well as the minde: and what doth it there? Thoſe things, whereon I beſtowed the affection of my heart, and imployed the louelove of my ſoule, are by the working of the holy ſpirit, made gall to mee, he makes then venome to mee, and to bee as deadly hated of mee, as poyſon: Hee worketh ſuch an inward diſpoſition in my ſoule, that hee makes mee to turne, and flie from thoſe things whereon I imployed my louelove before, and to imploy it vponupon God: This is a great perfection. Alwayes in ſome meaſure, he makes mee to louelove God better then anie other thing: Hee changeth the affections and inclinations of my ſoule, he changeth the faculties, and qualities of my ſoule: And though our hearts & minde be made new, yet the ſubſtance of them is not changed, but onelyonly the faculties, and qualities are changed, in reſpect of the which change, wee are called new creatures, & except you be found newe creatures, Concluſion with an exhortation.yee are not in Chriſt.

Now to come to the poynt. This ſecret Coniunction is brought to paſſe, by faith, and by the holy ſpirit: by faith wee lay hold on the bodie, and bloud of Chriſt: And though wee bee as farre diſtant, as heauen and earth are; the ſpirit ſerues vsus, as a ladder to conioyne vsus with Chriſt: As the ladder of Iacob, which reached from the ground to the heauen, to the ſelfe ſame vſe, ſerueth the ſpirit of God, to conioyne the bodie of Chriſt, with my ſoule. Then obſerue the whole in a word: what makes you to hauehave anie right, or title to Chriſt? Nothing, but the ſpirit: Nothing, but faith. What ſhould bee your ſtudie then? Seeke by all meanes posſible, to gett faith: That as Peter, Acts the 15.9. ſayeth, your hearts and conſciences, may be ſanctified by faith: And if you endeuour p. 54not, as well to get faith in your hearts, as in your mindes, your faith auaileth not. What auaileth the faith, that fleeteth in the fantaſie, and brings a naked knowledge, without the opening of the heart, and conſent of the will? So, there muſt be an opening of thy hart, and conſent of thy will, to doe that thing, that God commandeth, or elſe, thy faith availeth not: Then ſtriue to get faith in your hearts, and mindes; and doing ſo, yee doe the duties of Chriſtians: This is not done, without the diligent hearing of the word, and diligent receiuing of the Sacrament. Then be diligent in theſe exerciſes, and be diligent in prayer: Praying in the holy Ghoſt, that hee would nouriſh your ſoules inwardlie, with the body, and bloud of Chriſt: That hee would increaſe faith in your hearts, and mindes, and make it to grow vp more and more daily, vntill you come to the full fruition of that bleſſed immortality: VntoUnto the which, the Lord of his merciemercy bring vsus; and that for the righteous merits of Chriſt Ieſus: To whome with the Father, and the holy Ghoſt, bee all honour, praiſe, and glorie, both now and euer: Amen.