Sermons Upon the Lords Supper — Robert Bruce

Sermons Upon the Lords Supper · Robert Bruce

THE THIRD SERMON, VPONUPON THE LORDS SVPper, preached the 15. of February, 1589.

1. COR. 11. 23. For I hauehave receiued of the Lord, that which I alſo hauehave deliuered vntounto ȝou, to wit, that the Lord Ieſus in the night that hee was betraied, tooke bread: &c.

WE heard (welbeloued in Chriſt Ieſus) in our laſt leſſoun, quhat names was giuen to the Sacrament of the Supper, als wel in the book of God, as bee the Auncients of the Latine and Orient Kirks. Wee heard the cheife ends, quherefore, and quherevnto this haly Sacrament was inſtituted. We heard the things that were contained into this ſacrament, quhat they war, how they are coupled, how they ar deliuered▪ and how they are receaued. Wee heard alſo ſome objections, that might bee caſten in the contrair of this doctrine: wee hard thame proponed, and as God gaue the grace, refuted. And laſt of all, we hard how the faithful ſaul, is ſaid to eat Chriſt his bodie, and to drink his blood: Wee heard the maner how Chriſt is, or can be receaued of vsus: And we concluded in this point; that Chriſt Ieſus, the Sauiour of mankind, our Sauiour, cannot be perceaued, nor ȝit receaued, but bee a ſpirituall way and apprehenſion; nather the fleſhe of Chriſt, nor the bloode of Chriſt, nor Chriſt himſelfe; can be perceaued, but be the eie of faith; can bee receaued, but bee the mouth of faith, nor can be gripped, but be the hand of faith. Nowe faith is a ſpirituall thing: for faith is the gift of GOD, powred downe in the hearts and mindes of men and women, wrought in the ſaull of eueryevery ane, and that bee the mightie working, and operatioun of the halie ſpirite. Sa, the onelyonly way to grippe Chriſt beeing bee faith: and faith of the awin nature beeing ſpirituall; it folowes therefore, that there is not a way to get a grippe of Chriſt, but ane ſpirituall way▪ There is not a hand to grippe Chriſt, but ane ſpirituall hand, there is not a mouth to digeſt Chriſt, but ane ſpiritual mouth. The ſcriptures familiarly be al thir terms, points out the nature & efficacie of faith.

Wee are ſaide to eat the fleſh of ChriſtHow we are ſaide to eat the fleſhe & drinke the blood of Chriſt. be faith, and to drinke his blood be faith in this Sacrament, cheifly in doing of twa thinges. Firſt, in calling to our remembrance, the bitter death and pasſioun of Chriſt, the blood that hee ſhed vponupon the Croſſe, the Supper quhilk hee inſtituted in remembrance of him, before hee gaid to the Cros. The commandement quhilk he gaue: Do this in remembrance of me: I ſay, we eat his fleſh, & drinks his bloodſpiritually. Firſt, in this point, in recording and remembring faithfully, how he died for vsus, howe his blood was ſhed vponupon the Croſſe. This is the firſt point; a point that cannot be remembred trulie, except it be wrought be the mighty power of the halie ſpirit. The ſecond point of the ſpirituall eating, ſtands in this; that I, and eueryevery ane of ȝou, beleeue firmlie, that he died for me in particuler: That his blood was ſhed on the Croſſe, for a full remisſioun and redemptioun of mee, and my ſinnes▪ the cheife and principall point of the eating of Chriſt his fleſhe, and drinking of his blood; ſtandes in beleeuing firmlie, that that fleſh was deliuered to death for my ſins, that that blood of his, was ſhed for the remisſioun of my ſinnes: and except euerie ſaull come neere to him ſelfe, and firmly conſent, agree, and be perſwaded that Chriſt died for him, that ſaull cannot be ſaued; that ſaull cannot eat the fleſh, nor drink the blood of Chriſt. Then the eating of the fleſhe, and drinking of the blood of Chriſt; ſtands in ane faithfull memorie, in ane firme beleife, and in ane true applying of the merites of the death and pasſioun of Chriſt to my awin conſcience in particular.

There was ſundrie things objected againſt this kind of perception; and I will not inſiſt to repeat thame, but beſide all the objections, quhilk ȝee heard objected againſt this kinde of ſpirituall perceptioun bee faith: They ſay, gif Chriſt his fleſhe, nor his bloode, bee not perceaued, nor receaued but be the ſpirit; bee faith in the ſpirite, then ſay they, ȝee receaue him but be ane imagination. Gif he be not receaued carnally, nor corporally, but onelyonly bee the ſpirite, and bee faith: then is he not receaued, but be way of imagination, conceat, and fantaſie. Sa they count faith, ane imagination of the mind, ane fantaſie and opinion, fleeing in the harnes of man. I cannot wite thame to think ſa of faith: for as nane can judge of the ſweetnes ofhony, but they that hes taiſted of it: Sa, there is nane can diſcerne nor judge vppon the nature of faith, but they that hes felt, & taiſted in their harts quhat it is. And gif they had taiſted and felt in their ſauls, quhat faith brings with it; alace, they wald not call that ſpirituall iewell, and onelie iewel of the ſaul, ane imaginatioun; they call it ane imagination, and the Apoſtle deſcriuing it HEB. 11 1. cals it ane ſubſtance, and ane ſubſtantiall ground: Looke howe weill thir twa agrees, an imagination, and ane ſubſtantiall ground; they call it ane vncertaine opinioun, fleeting in the braine and fantaſie of man: He cals it ane euidencie and demonſtration in the ſame definition. See howe plat contrary, the Apoſtle and they are in the nature of faith. VponUpon this, they inferre, that as it is true in the generall, hee cannot bee deliuered nor giuen, but that ſame way that hee is receaued; and looke quhat way, any thing is receaued, that ſame way it is giuen & deliuered: ſa efter thame, he being receaued be way of imagination, hee is alſo in their fantaſie giuen and deliuered, be way of imagination. For gif he be not giuen, ſay they, to thy hand, to thy mouth, nor to thy ſtomach corporall; hee cannot be giuen, but be ane imaginatioun, and fantaſtical opinion. The reaſoun that mouis thame to thinke, that Chriſt cannot be theirs, nor giuen to thame truly, in effect and really, except he be giuen carnally, is this: that thing quhilk is ſa far abſent, and ſa far diſtant fra vsus: as the heuen is fra the earth; cannot be ſaid, to be giuen to vsus, nor to be ours: But with ȝour awin confesſion, ſay they to vsus, Chriſt his bodie, is als far abſent from vsus, as the heauen is from the earth: therefore Chriſt his bodie, nor his fleſh, cannot bee giuen to vsus, except bee way of imaginatioun, and ſo not truelie nor in effect. This argument framed in this ſort, wald appear to hauehave ſome force, and moment in the entrie: Ȝit let vsus examine the propoſition of it. The propoſition is this: that thing quhilk is ſo far abſent from vsus, as the Heauen is from the Earth; cannot be ſaid to be deliuered to vsus, to bee giuen to vsus, or any way to bee ours. Now quhither is this propoſitioun true or fals? I ſay this propoſition is flat fals, and the contrair is maiſt true; a thing may be giuen to vsus, & may become ours, ſuppoſe the thing in perſon it ſelfe be as far diſtant from vsus, as the heauen is from the earth. And how proue I this? Quhat maks ony thing to be ȝours? Quhat makis ony of ȝou to count a thing to be giuen to ȝou? Is it not a title, is it not a juſt right to that thing? And gif ȝee hauehave as juſt right giuen vntounto ȝou, bee him, quha hes power to giuegive it, and ane ſure title made to ȝou, be him, quha hes the power: ſuppoſe the thing that he geuis ȝou, be not deliuered into ȝour hand, ȝit bee the right and title, quhilk hee makis to ȝou, is not the thing ȝours? This is out of queſtioun, for it is not the nearnes of the thing to my bodie and to my hand, that makes the thing mine: for it may bee in my hand, and ȝit not appertaine to me; Nather is it the diſtance, nor abſence of the thing that makes it not to bee mine, but it may be far abſent from me, & ȝit be mine; becauſe the title is mine, and becauſe I hauehave gotten a right to it, of him quha hes power to giuegive it. Sa this ground is true, it is a ſure title, and an juſt right, that makis a thing, ſuppoſe it bee far abſent and diſtant fra vsus, to bee ours. Now ſubſume: But ſa it is, that a liuely & true fayth, in the blood and death of Chriſt, makes vsus to hauehave ane ſure title, and ane good right to the fleſh & blood of Chriſt, and to his merites, looke quhat he merited be his death, & ſheding of his blood vponupon the cros, al that, togither with himſelfe alſo, apperteins to me, and that be a title & ane right, quhilk I hauehave gotten to him of God, quhilk is faith: And the ſurer that my title be, the mair ſure am I of the thing, that is giuen me be the title. Now this Sacrament of the Supper wes inſtituted to confirme our title, to ſeale vp our right, quhilk wee hauehave to the bodie and blood, to the death & pasſioun of Chriſt, and ſa the bodie of Chriſt is ſaid to bee giuen to vsus: the blood of Chriſt is ſaid to be deliuered to vsus, quhen our title, quhilk we hauehave of him, of his death, of his body and blood, is confirmed in our hartes▪ for this Sacrament wes inſtituted, for the growth and increaſe of our faith, for the increaſe of halines and ſanctificatioun; quhilk faith, the greater that it be in our hartes, the mair ſure are wee, that Chriſt his death apertains to vsus. I grant to thee, as I hauehave ſaide, that the fleſh of Chriſt, is not deliuered in my hand, his fleſh is not put in my mouth, nor enters not in my ſtomach: Ȝit, God forbid, that thou ſay, he is not truly giuen. For ſuppoſe Chriſts fleſh bee not put in thy hand, nor mouth of thy bodie (and quherefore ſuld it? Hes he not appointed bread and wine for the nuriture of the body, and may they not content ȝou? are they not ſufficient to nuriſh ȝou to this earthly and temporall life? hee hes appointed Chriſt to be deliuered, to the inward mouth of the ſaull, to be giuen in the hand of thy ſaule, that thy ſaull may feed on him, and be quickned with that life, quherewith the Angels liues, quhairwith the Son of God, and God himſelfe liues: Sa the fleſh of Chriſt, is not appointed to nuriſh thy body, but to nuriſh thy ſaul in the hope, ȝea in the growth of that immortall life) And therefore I ſay; ſuppoſe the fleſh of Chriſt be not deliuered in the hand of my body; ȝit it is deliuered to the part that it ſuld nuriſh; the ſaull is the part that it ſuld nuriſh: Therefore to the ſaul it is deliuered: ȝea that bread, & that wine, are na mair really deliuered to the body, and to the hand of the body; nor the fleſh of Chriſt, is deliuered to the ſaul, & to the hand & mouth of the ſaul, quhilk is faith. Therefore, craue na mair a carnal deliuerie, nor panſe not vponupon an carnal receuing. Thou man not think, that ather God giues the fleſh of Chriſt, to the mouth of the body, or that thou, be the mouth of thy bodie, receauis the fleſh of Chriſt. For ȝee man vnderſtād this principal in the Scriptures of God; our ſaull cannot bee ioyned, nor bound with the fleſhe of Chriſt, nor the fleſh of Chriſt cannot be ioyned with our ſaull, but be ane ſpirituall band; not by ane carnall band of blood or allya, nor bee the twitching of his fleſhe, with our fleſh. But he is conjoyned with vsus, be ane ſpirituall band; that is, bee the power and vertue of his halie ſpirit: And therefore the Apoſtle ſayis, 1. COR. 12. 13. that be the moyan of his halie ſpirite; all wee quha are faithfull men and women, are baptized in one bodie of Chriſt; that is, we are conjoyned, and faſtned vp with ane Chriſt, bee the moyan (ſayis hee) of ane ſpirite; not bee ane carnall band, or be ane groſſe conjunction; but anelie be the band of the halie ſpirite; that ſame halie ſpirit that is in him, is in every ane of vsus in ſome meſure: And in reſpect ane ſpirit is in him, and in vsus: Therefore wee are counted al to be ane body, and to be members of ane ſpirituall, and myſticall bodie: and in that ſame vers he ſayis; We are all made to drinke in ane, and the ſelfe ſame ſpirit, that is: Wee are made to drinke of the blood of Chriſt, and this blood is na vther thing, but the quickening vertue & power that flows fra chriſt and fra the merites of his death. We are made all to drinke of that blood, quhen wee drinke of the liuely power and vertue that flows out of that blood: Sa there is not a bande, that can couple my ſaull with the fleſh of Chriſt, but anely a ſpirituall band, and ane ſpirituall vnioun; & therefore it is that the Apoſtle 1. COR. 6. 17. ſayis: Hee that is cowpled with God, and conjoyned with our Lord, is ane ſpirit with him, and IOHN, in his third chap. ſayis: That quhilk is borne of the ſpirit, is ſpirit: Sa it is onelie, be the participation of the halie ſpirite, that wee are conjoyned with the fleſh and blood of Chriſt Ieſus; that carnall band, quhither it bee the band of bloode, running thorowe ea race; or bee the carnal twitching of fleſh with fleſhe: that carnall band, was neuer eſteemed off be Chriſt, in the time he was conuerſant heere vponupon earth, hee lute nathing of that band; and as he hes left behind him in his booke; he had neuer that carnal band, in ony kind of reuerence nor eſtimation, in reſpect of the ſpirituall band: but as to the ſpiritual band, quhairby we are coupled with him be an ſpirite; he euer eſteemed of this band, in the time that hee was conuerſant in the warld: and in his booke, hee hes left the praiſe and commendation of the ſpirituall band. To lat ȝou ſee, how lightly hee eſtemed of the carnal band, of the blood and alya, quhilk we regard ſa meekle. Ȝee hauehave a place, LVKE. 8. 20. 21. for there they come to him, and they ſay, Maiſter, ȝour mother, ȝour brother and kinsfolks ſtands without, and wald ſee ȝou, and bee at ȝou: ȝee heare his anſwere to their demand; how litle hee eſteemes of that carnall band, he anſwers in the 21. verſe, in a maner, denying that band, and he ſayis: They are my mother and brethren, quha heares the word of GOD and dois it: as gif he wald ſay; it is not that carnall band that I eſteme off, it is not that carnal conjunctioun that I reuerence; it is the ſpirituall conjunction, be the participation of the halie ſpirit, quhairby wee are moued to hear the worde of God, to giuegive reuerence to it, and to obey it. This carnall band, was neuer profitable as that ſame, LVK. 8. dois plainly teſtifie: For gif the twitching of Chriſts fleſh had bene profitable, the multitude quhair of mention is made in that chapter, that thruſted and preaſed him, had bene the better be their carnal twiching: but ſa it is, that ther was neuer ane of tham the better of their carnal twitching: Therefore the carnal twitching profits na thing. Sayis hee not him ſelfe, IOH. 6. to draw tham from that ſiniſter cōfidence, that they had into his fleſh onelyonly; my fleſh profits nathing, it is onelyonly the ſpirite that quickens; as to the vther twitching, to twitch him be the haly ſpirit, & be faith in thy ſaull: this twitching be faith hes ever bin profitable: and wee hauehave a plain exāple of it in the ſam chap. Sicklike, quhair there the poore woman that was lang diſeaſed with ane bloodie iſſue, be the ſpace of twelue yeares, and had waſted, and conſumed ane great part of hir ſubſtance, in ſeeking remeid, ſhee findis no helpe at the naturall and bodelie Phyſition: At laſt, be the vertue of the halie ſpirit, working faith in her hart; be faith ſhe vnderſtands and conceuis, that ſhee is able to recouer the health of her bodie, & the health of her ſaull at Chriſt Ieſus, quha come to ſaue baith bodie & ſaull: and vponupon this perſwaſioun quhilk ſho hes in her hart, that Chriſt may cure both bodie and ſaull, ſhee comes to him, and as the text ſayis, ſho preaſis thorowe the multitude, quhill ſhe come to him, & quhen ſho comes to him, it is not ſaide that ſho twitched his fleſh with hir hand; in cace the Papiſtes wald aſcriue the vertue quhilk come out of him, to her carnal twitching: But it is ſaid, that ſho twitched onelyonly the hemme of his garment with her hand, and with faith, quhilk is the hand of the ſaull, ſhe twitched her ſauiour God and man. And to lat ȝou vnderſtand, that ſho twitched him be faith, he ſais to her in the end: Go thy way, thy faith hath ſaued thee, ſho twitched him not ſo ſoone bee fayth, but incontinent there comes a power out of him, quhilke power and vertue, ſho felt be the effect of it in her ſaull, and he felt it quhen it gaid fra him: The effect quhairby ſho felt it, was the health of hir faull, and the effect quhairby hee felt it, was the ganging fra him, and ſa ſoone as he felt it ga fra him, he ſayis, quha is this that hath twitched me? PETER, quho was ever maiſt ſudden, anſwers, and ſayis: Thou art thrumbled and thruſted be the multitude, and ȝit thou ſpeeris quha hes twitched thee, hee anſwers againe and he ſayis, it is not that twitching that I ſpeak of: It is ane vther kinde of twitching: There is ane hes twitched me, quha hes drawin a vertue and power out of me. The multitude taks na vertue fra me: The poore Woman thinking that ſhe had done amiſſe, and ſeeing that ſho could not be hid, ſho coms trimbling, and ſho ſayis; I hauehave done it: he anſwers her in the end; and he ſayis, depart in peace, thy faith hes ſaued the, thy faith hes thrawin out a vertue and power out of me, that hath made baith ſaul and bodie haill. Sa that this twitching of Chriſt hes ever bene profitable, is and ſall bee profitable. Lik as the twitching of Chriſt with the corporall hand, hes neuer bene, is not, nor ſall never bee profitable; for quhy? Chriſt is not appointed to bee a carnall head, to bee ſet vppon the crags of our bodies, that hee may doe the office of a carnal head thairvnto, to furniſh naturall motioun, and ſenſes to our bodie, na, the ſcriptures cals not Chriſt ane carnall head: But the ſcriptures cals him an ſpirituall head, to be ſet on the crag of ourſaul, that is, to be conjoyned with our ſaull, that out of him in our ſaull, may diſtil haly motions, heauenly ſenſes, & that there may flow out of him to vsus, ane ſpirituall and heauenly life. Then the Scriptures cals him ane ſpirituall head, as they call vsus ane ſpirituall bodie. And as the life, quhilk we get from him, is ſpirituall: Sa all our conjunction with him, is ſpirituall; and in reſpect, hee works that ſame operattion in my ſaull, quhilk the carnal head dois in the bodie: Therefore hee is counted a ſpirituall head; Therefore is he counted the head of his Kirk, bee reaſon he furniſhes to hir, ſpirituall motion and ſenſes, quhilk is the life of the Kirk: Sa to be ſhort, there is nathing in this conjunctioun carnall; there is nathing groſſe in it, there is nathing, that may be compaſt bee our naturall iudgement and vnderſtanding: And therfore, quhaſoeuer wald attaine, to ony ſmall inſight of this ſpiritul conjunction, betwixt vsus and Chriſt; of force he mann bow downe, and earneſtly incall for the ſpirit, or it is not posſible to get ony vnderſtanding, and it were neuer ſa ſmal ane inſight; how the fleſh of Chriſt and wee are conjoyned, except wee hauehave ſome light giuen vsus bee the ſpirit: that is, except our heartes bee walkned, bee the mightie working of the ſpirite of Chriſt, this ſall remaine, as a dead and a cloſedExhortation letter to vsus. Sa ȝee hauehave to craue, that the Lord in his merciemercy, wald walken ȝou, and illuminat ȝour vnderſtandings, and mak ȝou to hauehave a ſpirituall light, to diſcerne on thir ſpirituall things. Nixt, ȝee mann ſtudie and be cairfull to remooue all vain cogitations, and earthly fantaſies, quhen ȝe enter to heare of ſick ane high mater; ȝee mann caſt off all filthy thoughtes, ill motions, and cairs of the warld; and ȝee man ſhake off all things that cloggs ȝour hartes: And thirdlie, ȝee man come with a purpoſe to hear the worde, to giuegive diligent▪ear to the worde, and with a ſanctified harte to receaue it, with ane purpoſe to grow & increaſe in halines, as weill in bodie, as in ſaul, all the daies of ȝour life: And comming with this purpoſe, na queſtion, the halie ſpirit ſal reueal the things to ȝou that ȝee want. And ſuppoſe this word paſſe, and bring not great commoditie for the preſent, ȝit the halie ſpirite hereafter, ſal reueale to thee, the truth of that quhilk thou hes heard nowe. Then this is the point of all, be preſent in ȝour hartes and mindes, and lat ȝour ſauls be emptied of al the cares of the world, that they may receaue that liquour, quhilk is offered in the hearing of this word.

Now I go forward, and I come to the diſcriuing of the ſacramēt of the ſupper,The definition of the ſacrament of the Lords Supper. and I call this Sacrament of the Supper, ane halie ſeale, annexed to the couenant of grace and merciemercy in Chriſt, a ſeale to be miniſtred publikly, according alwayis to the halie inſtitutioun of Chriſt Ieſus, that be the lawful miniſterie thereof, the Sacramentall vnioun betwixt the ſignes, and the thing ſignified may ſtande, and this vnion ſtanding, Chriſt Ieſus, quha is the thing ſignified, is als trulie deliuered to the increaſe of our nuriture ſpiritual, as the ſignes are giuen and deliuered to the bodie, to the nuriture temporall. Nowe wee ſall examine the wordes, and partes of this definition. Firſt of all, I callQuhy th…s ſacrament is ca…led a ſeale. this Sacrament a ſeale, bee reaſoun that this Sacrament ſerues to the ſame vſe to our ſaulls, that a common ſeale ſerues to a common evident: As the ſeall quhilk is annexed to the evident, confirmes and ſeals vp the truth conteined in the evident: Sa this Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Chriſt, confirmes and ſeals vpp the truth of merciemercy and grace, conteined in the couenant of merciemercy and grace: for this reſpect it is called a ſeall: It is calledQuhy it is called a haly ſeale. a halie ſeall, quhy? Becauſe it is tane fra the prophane vſe, quherevnto that bread ſerued in the night before, & that bread is applied to ane halie vſe: there is a power giuen to that bread, to ſignifie the precious bodie of Chriſt Ieſus, to repreſent the nuriture & feeding of our ſauls: And in reſpect, it ſerues now in the ſacrament to ſa halie ane vſe, therefore I call it ane halie ſeal. As to this word, it is not mine, it is the Apoſtles word. ROM. 4. 11. quhere he geuis the Sacrament the ſame name, and calls it a ſeall. And to tell ȝou farther, gif the wiſdome of Chriſt in his Apoſtle, had bene followed, and gif men had not inuēted new names of their awn to this Sacrament: but contented and ſatisfied thame ſelfes, with the names that God hes giuen bee his Apoſtle, and that Chriſt himſelfe had giuen to this Sacrament; I am aſſured, nane of thir tragedies nor great ſtormes and debaites (quhilk neuer wil ceaſe) had fallen out: but quher men will ga about, to bee wiſer nor God, and ga beyond God, in deuiſing names, quhilk hee hes neuer giuen; vppon mens awin inuentions, ſicke tragedies and debaits hes fallen out. A leſſon be the way; lat na fleſh preſume to be wiſer nor God, but lat tham ſtoup, and keepe the namesQuhy the ſeal is ſaid to be annexed to the covenaut, quhilk God hes giuen to this ſacrament. I ſay thirdly, annexed to the couenaunt, annexed and hung to the chartour: becauſe it cannot bee called a ſeale properlie, except it be hunging at ane euident. Looke quhat it is bee nature, that ſame thing is it, and na farther; gif it bee not hungin to ſome euident, it is only the appenſioun to the euident, that makes men to count it ane ſeale: therefore it is nathing eſteemed, but being hung to the euident. Euin ſa it is heere, gif that Sacrament be not miniſtred and hungin to the preached word; to the preaching of the couenant of mercy & grace, it cannot be a ſeale; but looke quhat it is be nature, it is na mair: as be nature, it is but a commoun peece bread, ſa it is na mair; gif it bee not hungin to the preaching of the word, and miniſtred therewith as Chriſt hes commanded: Therefore I ſay, the ſeal mann be annexed appended and hungin to the evident, to the preaching of the worde for eſtabliſhing of the evident, vtherwaies it is not a ſeall. But it is not ſa with the evident, quhilk is the worde of God: for ȝee know ony evident will mak faith, ſuppoſe it want a ſeall, and it will ſerue to make a right, gif it be ſubſcriued without a ſeall: but the ſeall without the evident avails nathing: Euen ſa it is with the worde of God, ſuppoſe the Sacraments be not annexed to the worde, ȝit the worde will do our turne, it ſerues vsus to get Chriſt; It ſerues to ingender & beget faith in vsus, and maks vsus to grow vp in faith: but the ſeale without the word, can ſerue vsus to na halie vſe: therfore I ſay, the ſeal man be annexed to the worde preached, to the couenant of merciemercy & grace.

Now there followes in the definition,Quhy the Sacrament, ſuld be miniſtred publicklie. that this ſeale mann be miniſtred publiklie: Quherfore ſay I publiklie? to exclude all priuate adminiſtratioun of this Sacrament: For gif this Sacrament bee miniſtredFirſt reaſon to an priuatly, it is not a ſacrament; quhy? Becauſe the Apoſtle cals this Sacrament a communion; Miniſter ȝee it to ane, ȝee tine the communion: Therefore, gif ȝee miniſter it priuatlie, ȝe tine the ſacrament: For this Sacrament, is a communion of the bodie & blood of Chriſt; therefore, of force it mann bee, be way of communication, and ſa the action mannSecond reſon be publiklie miniſtred. Secondly, this Sacrament mann bee publiklie miniſtred; quhy? Becauſe Chriſt Ieſus, quha is the thing ſignified in this Sacrament, is not ſick a thing as pertenis to ane man anely; gif it were ſa, hee might bee priuatlie giuen and miniſtred: But ſeeing Chriſt, quhilk is the thing ſignified in the Sacrament, is a common thing, appertaining to euerie faithfull man and woman: therfore, he aught to be commonlie giuen to all, in a common action; in a ſocietie and congregatioun of the faithfull. Thirdly, this Sacrament is compted a thankesgiuing to God the Father for his benefits: Now it appertains not to ane or twa, to thanke God onelie; but as we are all partakers of his temporall and ſpirituall benefits: ſa we aught all publiklie, to giuegive him thanks for the ſame. Therefore I ſay, in the definitioun, this ſeale aught to bee publicklie, and not priuatlie miniſtred, as the Papiſts dois in their priuate Meſſe. This ſeale mann bee publiklie miniſtred, according to Chriſts inſtitution: quherefore ſay I, Chriſts inſtitutioun mair, norQuhy this ſeal man be miniſtred according to Chriſts inſtitution▪ mans inſtitution, or Angels inſtitutioun? quhy hauld I my ſelfe at Chriſts inſtitution? I ſall tell ȝou quhy; becauſe, a man hes not power, to inſtitute or make a Sacrament; becauſe an Angel hes not power to make or inſtitute a Sacrament: For nane hes power to make nor inſtitute a Sacrament, but he that hes power to giuegive Chriſt, quha is the thing ſignified in the Sacrament: But ſa it is, that nane hes power to giuegive Chriſt, but ather the Father or himſelfe: therfore nane hes power…a…e hes power to inſtitute a Sacrament but …od onelyonly. to make or inſtitute a Sacrament, but ather the Father or the Sonne; onelyonly God mann make a Sacrament. Secondlie, this Sacrament is a part of Gods ſeruice and worſhipping: But ſa it is, that nane hes power to appoint ony part of his ſeruice, or preſcriue ony part of his worſhipping, but onelyonly GOD himſelfe: Therefore nane can make a Sacrament, but God himſelfe. There is na Prince in the earth will be content, to be ſerued efter ane vther mans fanteſie: but hee will preſcriue his ſeruice, according vntounto his awin fantaſie: Howe meekle mair is it meet, that God ſuld appoint his awin ſeruice and worſhipping: Therefore there is nather man nor Angell, hes power to inſtitute a part of the ſeruice of God; the ſacraments are ane part of his ſeruice; therfore, there is na Angel nor man, hes power to inſtitute a Sacramenr. The greateſt ſtyle, that ony man in the earth gets in the Miniſterie of the woorde and Sacramentes, is that ſtyle, quhilk the Apoſtle giues thame. 1. COR. 1. 4. There wee are called Stewardes, and diſpenſours of the graces of God; Miniſters of thay myſteries and halie things. It followes then of this, that wee are not Authours, Creators, or makers of thame; but onelyonly Miniſters and diſpenſers of the Sacraments. Swa it is cleare, that na man, nor creature hes power to make a Sacrament: Then it mann bee according to the inſtitution of Chriſt; his inſtitution mann bee keeped: Looke quhat he ſaid, looke quhat he did, looke quhat he commanded thee to do: all that, mann be ſaid, done, and obeyed: Leaue thou a iote of that vndone, quhilk hee commaunded thee to doe, thou peruerts the inſtitution: for there is nathing left in regiſter of that inſtitution, but it is eſſentiall. Sa, in the celebration of Chriſts inſtitution, we mann take tent, to quhatſoeuer he ſaid, did, or commanded to be done: thou mann firſt ſay, quhatſoeuer he ſaid; and then do, quhatſoeuer he did; For the miniſterie of the Sacrament, man follow efter the worde. Firſt thou mann ſay, that quhilk Chriſt commanded thee to ſay, and thou man teach, that quhilk hee commanded thee to teach, and thenWe call the word in the ſacrament, the haill inſtitution. miniſter the Sacrament. Then to keepe this inſtitution, we man begin at the ſaying, & ſay, quhatſoeuer Chriſt commanded vsus, thaireſter faithfullie doe all that quhilk he commanded to be done. Swa, quhat call we the word? I call the word, the haill inſtitution of Chriſt Ieſus, preached and proclaimed, denounced diſtinctlie, clearlie, and ſenſiblie to the people: In ſick ſort, that gif we leaue ony kind of circumſtance or ceremonie of this inſtitution vndone, wee peruert the haill action.

It is agreed & condiſcended vponupon, betwixt vsus, quha celebrats this inſtitutiounWord and element man continue to the conſtitution of a Sacrament. and all the ſects of this warld, quha hes ſeparat thame ſelues fra this inſtitution, that twa things are neceſſare, and mann concur to the nature and conſtitution of a ſacrament; to wit, there man be a word, and there man bee ane element concurrand; there is not a ſect, but they graunt this, that the worde man concurre with the element, or wee get a Sacrament. As they are eaſie to admit this generall, look how eaſie they are to admit this general, and howe weill wee agree with thame in the generall, quhen it comes to the ſpeciall, and that wee enter into particular in the handling & treating of the word, looke how weil we agree in the generall, in the particuler we loope als far ſundry: For quhen wee come to diſpute, & reaſon on thir particulers; firſt, quhat wee mean be the word: Secondlie, howe this word ought to bee intreated: Thirdlie, quhat vertue this worde hes: Fourthlie, howe farr the vertue of this worde dois extend the ſelfe: and laſt of all, to quhome the words ought to be directed & pronounced: In all thir particulers, wee are als far ſundrie, as ever wee appeared to agree in the generall.

I leaue my conference with any vtherQuhat wee vnderſtand be the word in the Sacrament. ſect, and halde me with the Papiſtes, becauſe wee hauehave maiſt adoe with thame. And firſt of all wee hauehave to vnderſtande, quhat wee mean be the word, and quhat they meane be it: wee be the worde, as I hauehave ſaid, vnderſtands the haill inſtitution of Chriſt Ieſus, quhatſoeuer hee ſaid, quhatſoeuer hee did, or commanded to be done, without eiking, without paring, without alteratioun of the meaning or ſens of the word: This wee mean bee the worde in the Sacrament. Quhat vnderſtands the Papiſtes bee the worde? They preach not the inſtitution of Chriſt, nor taks not the haill inſtitution, as he left it: but in ſtead thereof they ſelect, and pyksQuhat the papiſts vnderſtande be the word in the Sacrament. out of his inſtitution, four or fiue words; and they make the haill vertue of the inſtitutioun, to ſtand in the foure or fiue words: & it maid noght gif they contented thame with they words, becauſe they are the words of the inſtitution: but they eike to they wordes, they paire fra the wordes and alters, the meaning of they ſame wordes, quhilk they keepe as they pleas. That ȝee may ken this; In their Meſſe quhilk they cal the Supper, wee ſal lat ȝou ſe the ſubſtance of it. I deuide the Meſſe in ſubſtantiall things, and accidentall things: To the ſubſtance of the Meſſe there ar three things craued. There man of force be a preiſt, that is ſick a ane, as taks vponupon him the office of our mediator Chriſt Ieſus, to intercead betwixt God & man. Secondlie, to the ſubſtance of the Meſſe is craued, that the Preiſt offer the bodie and bloode of Chriſt: Wee come heere to receaue thay thinges; there the Prieſt offers thame to GOD the Father. Thirdly, bee this worke, (ſay they) they obtaine all good things; bee this worke, wrought they obtaine remisſion of ſins, als weill to the dead, as to the quick; but in ſpeciall, they obteine remisſioun of ſins to the Prieſt, quha is the diſtributer, and to him quhom to the Preiſt applies that ſacrafice: And as to the reſt of the Kirk, quha are abſent, they obteine this remisſioun of their ſinnes, be this worke generally. Thir three things are neceſſare to the ſubſtance of the Meſſe. As to the accidents that mann concurr to the making of a Meſſe, they are of twa ſortes: Some of thame are alwaies neceſſar, with out the quhilk that actioun cannot bee: Some are not neceſſare againe, and the action may bee without thame, but not without a deadlie ſinne: Thir things that are neceſſare, concernis partly the preiſt, and partelie the action it ſelfe. The accidents that are neceſſary to the Preiſt, are of twa ſorts, an ſort are ſik, as without the quhilk he cānot be a preiſt, the vther ſort the quhilk without he cannot be free of dedlie ſin: The things without the quhilk hee can not be a Preiſt are thir: Except he hauehave power giuen of his Biſhop to conſecrate, quhilk power is iuſtified be the vnctioun, and ſhauing of his croune; except againe hee hauehave power to ſpeake, & that the roofe of his mouth be haill, that hee may ſpeake, he cannot bee a Prieſt. Thir twa are alwaies neceſſare, and concurs to the perſon. Vther things againe, are not ſo neceſſare: as the Prieſt man be free fra ſuſpenſion, fra curſing, deadlie ſinne, and all eccleſiaſticall pane and cenſures, thir things are neceſſare to the perſon. There is againe, twa things neceſſare to the action; ane ſort without the quhilk the action cannot be, without the Lords prayer it cannot bee, without the fiue words of the inſtitutioun it can not bee. Vther things againe are not ſa neceſſare, as the conſecration of the place, quhere the Meſſe is ſaid, the Altar ſtane, the bleſſing of the Chalice, the Water, the Murgeons, ſinging, hee that ſuld help to ſay Meſſe, and the reſt. Swa they and wee in na waies agreis concerning the worde, quhat is meaned be it.

Into the ſecond member, wee are als far ſundry, how this worde ought to bee intreated: Wee ſay the word tane as ſayd is, for the hail inſtitution, ought to be intreted efter this maner: Firſt there ought a lawfull Paſtour, quha hes his calling of God to intreat it▪ and this lawful Paſtour aught to intreat the word lawfully; quhat is that? he aught to preach it, to proclaim it, and publicklie, with a cleare voyce to denounce it. He aught to open vpp, and declare the haill parts of it; quhat is the peoples part: and quhat is his awin part; how hee aught to deliuer and diſtribute, that bread and that wine: how the peple aught to receaue off his hand, that bread and that wine, to informe theirfaith; how they aught to receaue Chriſt his bodie and his bloode, ſignified bee that bread, and that wine; as alſo, he aught to teach thame, howe they ſuld come with great reuerence to that Table, and communicate with the precious bodie and blood of Chriſt. This he aught to doe in ane familiar language, that the people may vnderſtand him, that they may heare him, that they may perceaue and take vpp in their hearts, the things that he ſpeakes: For quhat auailes it to ȝou, to heare a thing quhiſpered, and not ſpoken out, or gif it be ſpoken out; quhat availes it ȝou to heare it, gif ȝee vnderſtand it not? For except ȝe heare Chriſt in an familiar and hamelie language, ȝe cannot vnderſtand: And except ȝee vnderſtand, it is not poſſible to ȝou to beleeue; and without beliefe, there is na aplication of Chriſt; and except ȝe beleeue, & apply Chriſt to ȝour ſelfis; ȝour comming to the Sacrament, is in vaine. Sa of force, gif this Sacrament be lawfullie handled; the Paſtour mann preach the inſtitutioun of Chriſt, that it may be hard, & in ane familiar language, that it may bee vnderſtood; in ſicke ſort, that the faithfull peple may be informed how to receaue; & the Miniſter may knaw his part, howe to deliuer and diſtribute. This we ſay, ſuld be the right handling of the halie inſtitutioun of this Sacrament.

Now quhat doe they? They in place of a Miniſter, Paſtour, or Biſhop, call him as thou pleaſis, quha is called lawfullie of God: they ſubſtitute a Prieſt, and ſurrogates an hireling, quha hes na calling, or office now in the Kirke of God. For the office of a Prieſt, as they vſe their Prieſthead, is na vther thing, but the office of Chriſt Ieſus, the office of the Mediatour betwixt God and vsus. For they make their Prieſtes, dailie to offer vp Chriſt Ieſus to the Father. Nowe this is the Mediatour, Chriſt his office; and he did it ains for ay, and ains for all, ſayis the Apoſtle: ſa that, they can hauehave na entry, to doe this turne over againe: And in reſpect, that their Prieſts preaſis to do this turn ouer again, quhilk hee hes done already; they doe it without a cōmand, they hauehave not a warrand in the word of God, but givand that they had a warrand of their calling, in the booke of God; ȝit they handle the ſacrament al wrang: for quhair they ſuld ſpeak forth clerly, they whiſper, & they conjure the elements be an certain kind of quhiſpering, quhair they ſuld ſpeak it in ane knawn language, that the people may vn derſtand; they ſpeak it in an vn knawn lan guage; and ſuppoſe they ſpak it in an knawin and familiar language: ȝit in reſpect they quhiſper it, the peple cannot be the better of it. And quhat ſall I ſay, ſeeing they handle the worde this way; ſuppoſe it be the very inſtitutioun it ſelfe: ȝit they ſa ſpill it in the handling, that it is not an halie Sacrament: Then we differ als meekle in the ſecond point; howe the worde aught to be handled and intreated.

Now the third point comes in, to wit:Third head controuerred. quhat vertue this worde hes, how far the vertue of this worde extends the ſelfe. In this hed we grant & acknawlege, that the word hes a virtue, & the word tane, as ſaid is, workes ſomething, euin towardes the ſame elements of bread and wine; for we acknawledge, that they elements, be the vertue of this worde are changed, not in thair ſubſtance, not in thair nature, nor ȝit in thair ſubſtantiall and naturall properties: But we grant, that the elements are chaunged in ane qualitie, quhilk they had not off before: In ſick ſort, that thir elements are tane fra the commoun vſe, quhairvnto they ſerued of before; and be the inſtitution of Chriſt, they are applyed now to ane halie vſe: Looke howe far, the haly vſe differs fra the commoun vſe; thair is als great difference, betwixt the elements this day in the actioun, and the thing that they wer ȝiſterday. For I grant that the elements are chaunged; and ȝit, this element proceeds not of the nature of the elements, fra an cloſed vertue, ſuppoſed to be in the words▪ nor fra the whiſpering of the words; but it proceeds, fra the will of Chriſt, fra the ordinance and appointment of Chriſt, ſet downe in his awin inſtitution: for that thing is halie, quhilk GOD cals haly, and that thing isThird head controuerred. prophane, quhilk God cals prophane.

To lat ȝou vnderſtand, how thir ſignes are made haly, it is neceſſair that thir twaHowe the Elements a… ſanctified. thinges bee conſidered. Firſt, quha is hee that makes thame halie, quhither God, Angell, or man: Secondly, quhaeuer hee be that marks thame halie; be quhat mean and way makes hee thame halie. And be the conſideration of thir twa, we ſal com to the conſideratioun, and right weying of the ſanctification of the elements: As to the firſt, we ſay; that God is onelie he, that may make a thing, quhilk was common, to be halie: So wee ſay, that God be his will and ordinance, declared and ſet downe in his word; hes made the things that were common be his appointment to bee haly. As to the way and meane, quhairby they are made halie; it is the word of GOD, the inſtitution of Chriſt, the will of Chriſt, declaired in his inſtitutioun, that makes thame halie: For the preachinge and opening vpp of the worde, and inſtitutioun of Chriſt, lats vsus ſee, that God hes made thir things halie; & not onelyonly, that he hes made thame halie, but lats vsus ſee ane halie manner, how they ſuld be vſed; in quhat place, at quhat time, with quhat heart, and to quhat end. Sa it is the will of Chriſt, declared in his inſtitutioun, quhairby the thinges that were commoun before, are nowe made halie. There is vther twa things alſo, that maks the ſame elements halie, and thir twa, are vſed in this inſtitutioun: there is praier and thankeſgiuing; for praier and thankſ giuing, makes the creatures of GOD to our vſe halie: quhair vtherwayis, gif wee receaue the creatures of God like dogs, and thanke him not for thame; it is ane ſure taken, that they were neuer Sanctified to our vſe.

Be praier, we obtain grace and ſtrength from God, to vſe the creatures, and this hail action halilie and lawfullie, as it ſuld be: And therefore, not onelyonly in this haly action, ſuld wee begin with God, and at the incalling vppon his name; but in all actions of the warld▪ wee ſuld beginne in Gods name. Sa it is the will of God, praier and thankſgiuing conjoyned with the elements, that makes thame halie: al thir three, contained in the action of the Supper, makes the ſeales halie: for beſide the will of God, declared in his inſtitutioun; In the ſupper, we vſe ane incalling, and in this incalling, wee vſe ane thankſgiuing: the Sa the Elements are not made halie bee the worde of God onelie: but be the vſe of prayer and thankſgiuing, quhilk three are the onelie mean and way, quhereby thir things are ſanctified.

To expreſſe and declair the ſanctificationThe word of blesſing & thanksgiuing vſed in differentlie, the ane expreſſed be▪ the vther. of the elements: the Evangeliſts & the Apoſtle PAVLE, vſes indifferentlie the word TO BLES, and TO GIVE THANKS, and commonlie they place the one word for the vther: for ȝee ſee that MARKE, and PAVLE, vſis the worde BLES: MATHEVV & LVKE, vſes the word TO GIVE THANKS, and all in ane ſignification: And MARKE himſelfe in the 14. of his Goſpell 22. vers ſpeking of the ſame action of the ſupper, he vſes the word TO BLES, and in the 23. verſe, he vſes the word, TO GIVE THANKS, and baith in ane ſignification; to lat ȝou ſee that the Apoſtle, Chriſt himſelfe, and the Evangeliſts, vſes the worde TO BLES, & TO GIVE THANKS, indifferentlie, to ſignifie the ſanctification, and conſecration of the Elements: except ȝee take the ane for the vther, it ſall bee hard to get ane good mening out of the Apoſtles words: for I remember the Apoſtle 1. CORINTH, 10. 16. hee ſayis: the cuppe of blesſing quhilk wee bleſſe; quhat is that? I take the worde to ſignifie as I hauehave ſaide, quhilk wee bleſſe, that is, quhilk wee ſanctifie & prepares bee blesſing. Sa to bleſſe and to giuegive thanks in the Supper, ſignifies navther thing, but to ſanctifie; or vtherwaies gif ȝee take the worde in ane vther ſignification, ȝee ſall fall in ane errour: for quhy? God is ſaid to bleſſe, and Man is ſaid to bleſſe: God is ſaid to bleſſe, quhen he giues good thinges to his creatures, for God his blesſing is ever effectuall, & therefore he is ſaide to bleſſe, quhen hee giues good things. Man againe is ſaide to bleſſe, ather priuatlie or publiklie, quhen he crauis blesſing at the hands of God to any man, quhen he bleſſes in the name, and at the commaund of God, any perſone or people. Nowe if ȝee aſcriue blesſing in ony of thir twa ſignifications to the cuppe, it is all wrang: for wee vſe nather to craue blesſing to inſenſible Elements, nor ȝit to bleſſe thame in the name of God. And God vſes to giuegive good thinges to the Sonnes of men, and not to inſenſible creatures: Therefore wee are compelled to vſe the word, bleſſe, in the third ſignificatio: The cup quhilk we bleſſe, that is, quhilk wee ſanctifie and prepares be blisſing. This far wee vnderſtand, for the ſanctification of the elements.

Now lat ſee, how they ſanctifie ther elements, and quhat is the forme of their conſecratioun; ſa far as I vnderſtand of it, ſtands in thir fiue wordes: Hoc eſt enim corpus meum. It ſtands in thay fiue words; and in the quhiſpering of thame; for gif ȝee quhiſper thame not, ȝe tine the faſhion of incantation: for the thing that wee call ſanctifieng, they call quhiſpering: And the quhiſpering of they fiue words, they cal the cōſecration of the elements. And quhen the wordes are efter this way quhiſpered, they preſuppone ſick ane hid and monſtrous vertue, to bee incloſed in the ſyllabs; that the vertue and power quhilk flowes fra they wordes, is able to chaſe away halely, the ſubſtaunce of the bread: Sa that the verie bread, and ſubſtaunce of it, is altogither deſtroyed bee this power. Secondly, that this power that flowes fra thir words, is able to rugg and pull downe ane vther ſubſtaunce; to wit, the fleſhe and blood of Chriſt Ieſus, that ſits at the right hand of his Father, and is able to put it within the compaſſe of that bread; that is a ſtraunge and ane great vertue, that not onelie will thrawe downe that ſubſtance, but put it within the compaſſe of that bread. They ſame fiue words, quhiſpered in this maner, hes ſick a monſtrous operation, ſay they, that they are able baith to chaſe away the ane ſubſtance, to rug downe ane vther, and to put it within the compaſſe of that bread. We altogither deny, that ther is ſik a vertue in thir wordes: for as I hauehave ſaid before; we deny not that the word hes a vertue, but wee deny that there is ſick a vertue incloſed in the wordes: wee deny the qualitie of the vertue, and the quantitie of the vertue, or that it flowes from ſic a fountaine. For we graunt that the word hes a vertue, there is neuer a woorde that God ſpake heir, but it hes a vertue joyned with it: but we deny that this vertue is incloſed in the ſillabs, in the whiſpering or pronouncing of the words: for gif there were ſic a vertue and power incloſed in the ſillabs, be that reaſon it ſuld followe, that there were a vertue in the figure and ſhape of the letter that makes vp the wordes. Now there is na man will thinke, that there is any vertue in the figure, or ſhape of the letter, and there is as litle vertue in the ſillabs, or in pronouncing of the words themſelues: Sa wee deny that there is any vertue incloſed in the ſillabs, or reſident in the worde; but wee ſay, that there is a power conjoyned with the worde, and this power is not reſident in the word, but is reſident in the eternal worde, in the eſſentiall worde, quhereof IOHN makes mentioun in the firſt of his Evangell. The worde quhilk wes fra the beginning, that is, the Son of God Chriſt Ieſus. We ſay there is not a dram weight of this vertue, and power reſident in na creature that ever God created: but it is onelyonly reſident in Chriſt Ieſus: And therefore there flowes na vertue from the ſyllabs, nor fra the wordes that ar ſpoken, but fra Chriſt & his ſpirit, quha giues the vertue to thay words. Swa wee differ in this, wee ſay that there is not a vertue reſident in the ſyllabs; wee ſay that the ſyllabs & pronouncing of the ſillabs, works nathing: but we ſay that the vertue is reſident in the perſon of the ſonne of God, and he workes be his awin word.

Now we ſay, there cannot be ſik a monſtrous chaunge, as to ſay, that the whiſpering ofſa mony words, ſuld change the…futation of …e doctrine of inſubſtanti…ion be three …ts of argu…ents awin ſubſtance of the bread, Rug doune the ſubſtance of the bodie of Chriſt, and put his body in ſa narrowe ane compas: wee ſay that cannot bee, and this I ſall preiue bee thir three rules: to wit, be the veritie of the fleſh of Chriſt Ieſus, be the articles of our beleif, and be the true end of the inſtitution of this Sacrament; and ſa wee ſall ſee be Gods grace, the infinit abſurdities that followes vponupon their opinion.

The firſt principle that I lay, is this; ſeing that Chriſt Ieſus the ſonne of God, in…e firſt ſorte argument, the time appointed, toke true fleſh of the wembe of the virgin, and vnited himſelfe with our nature in ane perſonall vnioun, to the end, that our nature, quhilk fell altogither fra integrity in the firſt Adam; might recouer the ſame in the ſecond Adam; ȝea, not only the ſame; but ſa meekle the greter, as our ſecond Adam excels the firſt in all degrees; and in reſpect he took on ane body, like vntounto ours in al things, (ſinne excepted:) Sa, of necesſitie it mann folow, that the definition of ane true bodie, and the inſeparable properties therof, mann be competent to him. But thir are the inſeparable properties; to wit, to be in ane certaine place, to bee finit, circumſcriued, viſible and palpable: For all thir conueines (quarto modo, as the Logicians ſayis) to ane body; ſa that they cannot bee ſeperate fra the ſubject, without the diſtructioun thereof. Then I reaſon on this maner; All true humane bodie, is in a certaine place: Chriſt Ieſus bodie is a true humane bodie: therefore it is in a certaine place. I call a place, a certaine condition of ane organical bodie, quherby it comes to paſſe, that quherever the bodie be, of necesſitie, it is limitat within that place, and quhill it is there, it cannot be els quhere. Craue ȝee the probation of my propoſition, of the Doctors? Read AVGVSTINE, writand to DARDANVS, ſpekand of this ſame bodie of Chriſt: Take away a certaine rome fra the bodies, and they ſall be in na place; and gif they be in na place, they are not. This ſame AVGVSTIN writand vponupon IOHN in his 30. treatiſe: the bodie (ſayis he) into the quhilk the Lord raiſe; of necesſitie it mann be in ane place; but his diuine efficacie and nature, is diffunded eueryevery quhere. And in his third Epiſtle, hee ſayis, howe meekle that euer the bodie be, or how little that euer the bodie be; it behooues to occupy the bounds of a place. And beſides thir, the hiſtorie of the Acts, prooues maiſt euidentlie, Chriſts bodie to be in a certain place, as ACT. 3. 21. the wordes are thir: Quhom the heauen muſt containe, vntill the time that al things be reſtored, quhilk God had ſpoken be the mouth of all his Prophets. Suppoſe I need not to inſiſt, in the probation of thir things; ȝit I follow foorth. Secondlie then, I reaſon efter this maner; All humane bodie is finite and circumſcriued: but the bodie of Chriſt is a humane bodie: Quhat warrands of the Doctours hauehave I for this? I leaue many purpoſlie, and takes me onelie to AVGVSTINE: he writ and to DARDANVS; beleeue ſayis he, Chriſt to bee eueryevery quhere, in ſa far as he is God, but onelie to be in heauen according to the nature of a true bodie; and in his 146. Epiſt. I beleeue ſayis he, the bodie of Chriſt to be ſa in the heauen, as it was in the earth, quhen he gaid vp to heauen: but it was circumſcriued in a certaine place in the earth: Ergo, it is ſa in the heauen, and conſequently, it cannot be in the Meſſe bread, and ther baith at ane time. The laſt reaſon is this: al humane bodie, is viſible and palpable; but Chriſt hes a humane body, and he is corporally preſent, as ȝe ſay: therfore Chriſts bodie is viſible and palpable. I prieue my propoſition, be Chriſts awin words, tane out of LVK. 24. 39. Into the quhilk place, to perſwade the Apoſtles of the veritie of his bodie, and to prieue euidently, that it was not fantaſticall; he vſes the argument tane fra thir twa qualities, and hee commaunds his Apoſtles to feele and ſee, latting thame to witt thereby, that as thir twa ſenſes are the maiſt certaine of all the reſt: ſa are they maiſt able to diſcerne, quhither gif he was ane body, or ane ſpirite: as gif he wald ſay; gif I be viſible and palpable, ȝee may be out of doubt, that I hauehave an true bodie. For as the Poet ſayis, quhilk TERTVLIAN cites alſo to this ſam purpoſe. Tangere enim & tangi, niſi corpus, nulla poteſtres. Be thir arguments, it may be euidentlie ſeene, how this tranſubſtantiatioun may na wayis ſtand with the veritie of the bodie of Chriſt Ieſus.

And as it fights with the fleſh of Chriſt Ieſus, ſa it repugnes directlie againſt the articles of our beleife: for into our beleife, wee profes that Chriſt aſcended outSecond ſort of argument of this Earth to the Heauen; quhere hee ſits at the right hand of the father; quher he gouernes and directs all things in heuen and earth; fra the quhilk place, hee is to come in the laſt day to judg the warld▪ This article lats vsus ſee, that he hes fleeted his dwelling, quhilk he had amangs vsus in the erth, & hes aſcended into the heuens, quhere hee ſits at the right hand of his Father, and ſal remaine there, according to the teſtimonie of PET. quhilk I cited out of Act. 3. 21. vntounto the laſt day. Gif he ſits at his Fathers right hand, & be to remain in heuen quhil the laſt day, he is not corporally into the bread: but the article ſais, that he ſits at the right hand of his father & PET. ſais in that place, that he is to be conteined in the heauens vntounto the laſt day: therefore this tranſubſtantiatioun fightes directlie agains the articles of our beleife, & the manifeſt place of the ſcripture.

Thirdlie, that it fightes agains the endThird ſorte of argument. quherfore this ſacrament wes inſtituted, it is mair nor evident: for the end of the Sacrament is ſpirituall, as the effect that flowes thereof is ſpiritual, and the inſtrument quhereby this ſpirituall foode is aplyed to vsus, is alſo ſpirituall: But of ane naturall and corporall preſence, ane ſpirituall effect can neuer flowe: therefore the corporall and naturall preſens of the bodie and blood of Chriſt Ieſus, repugns directlie to the end of this ſacrament: for the corporall preſence mann hauehave a corporall eating, of this eating, follows a digeſtion in the ſtomach, & the thing that is digeſted in the ſtomach, is neuer able to feede thy ſoule to life eternall: Sa, this corporall preſence mann ay tende to ane corporall end, quhilk is directlie contrair to the ende, quherefore this Sacrament wes inſtituted.

Attour, gif the bred were tranſubſtantiate,Vther arguments to the ſame effect. it ſuld become the thing ſignified; gif it becomes the thing ſignified, this ſacrament ſuld wante a ſigne, and ſa it ſuld not be an ſacrament: for eueryevery ſacrament as ȝe hard, is ane ſigne. Now to ſay, that the accidents of true bread, as the hew & the roundnes of it, that they may ſerue as ſignes, that is mair nor follie: for betwixt the ſigne and the thing ſignified, there man be ane conformitie: but there is no conformitie betwixt the accidents, and the bodie and blood of Chriſt Ieſus: for gif ſa were, the accidents be houed to nuriſh vsus corporally, as the body and blood of Chriſt Ieſus, is appointed to nuriſh vsus ſpiritually. Farther, gif the bread become the bodie of Chriſt Ieſus, it ſulde followe that hee had ane bodie without bloode: for hee hes inſtituted ane ſigne, a pairt to repreſent his blood. Alſwa, gif there had bene ſick a wonderfull thing, as they ſpeake of, in this ſacrament, there walde hauehave bene plaine mention made thereof in the ſcripture: For God himſelfe works neuer a notable worke, but hee vtters it ather in opin tearmes, or priuat termes in the ſcripture, that thereby he may bee glorified in his wonderfull works; as ȝee may reade in the Evangell IOHN, 2. 8. quher the water wes changed into wine, GENE. 2. 22. quhere the Ribbe of ADAM wes changed into HEVA. EXOD. 7. 10. quhere AARONS rodde wes turned in a Serpent. There ȝee ſee, that chaunging is manifeſtlie expreſſed: Therefore I ſay, gif there had bin ſic a monſtrous change in thir elements of the Supper, as they affirme, the ſcripture walde not hauehave concealed it, but expreſſed it: but in reſpect, there is na mention made of this change in the ſcripture: therefore there is na ſic change in this action. Farther, gif there were ſic a change, as they ſpeake, ather it is before their words of conſecration be ſpoken, or followes efter that ſame word be ſpoken; gif the change bee before the words of the conſecration be ſpoken, the conſecration is ſuperfluous, & their propoſition is fals; gif the change bee efter the word be ſpoken, This bread is my bodie; their propoſition is fals alſo, becaus the worde bread is ſpoken, or the laſt ſillab of their fiue words bee pronounced. Thir, and infinit ma abſurdities followes of this doctrine.

And ȝit they obſtinatly perſeuere, and vrges vsus with the letter, affirming that the wordes of Chriſt are ſa plaine, that they admitte na figure. They wald hauehave ſpoken mair aduiſedlie, gif they hadde ſought counſall of AVGVSTINE, to hauehave diſcerned betwixt ane figuratiue ſpeache and ane proper: for hee into the thirde booke, and 16. Chap. of Chriſtian doctrine, ſpeaks efter this ſort, gif the ſpeach ſays he, appear to command a wickednes or a miſchiefe, or to forbidd ane happines, or ane welfair, it is not proper, it is not figurate, and he ſubjoynes for ane Example, a place out of IOHN. 6. 53. Except ſayis our Maſter, ȝee eat the fleſhe of the ſonne of Man, and drinke his blood, ȝee hauehave na life in ȝou: quhereunto AVGVSTINE adjoynes, this ſpeach ſayis hee, apeares to command a miſchiefe, therefore it is a figurat ſpeach, quhereby wee are commanded to communicate with the ſufferings of Chriſt Ieſus, and with gladnes to locke vp in perpetuall memorie, that the fleſh of the Lord wes crucified and wounded for vsus: for vtherwaies it were mair horrible (as this ſame AVGVSTINE, maks mention in the ſecond book agains the aduerſaries of the lawe) to eat the fleſhe of Chriſt Ieſus reallie, then to murther him, and mair horrible, to drink his blood, then to ſhed his blood; ȝit notwithſtanding, they hauld ay ſtill, on ea tune, and ſayis, that thay words aught to bee tane properlie. Sa that it appeares, that of verie malice, for contradictions cauſe, to the ende onelyonly, that they may gainſtand the truth, they will not acknaledge this to be ane ſacramentall ſpeach. For they are compelled, nil they, wil they in vther ſpeaches of the like ſorte, to acknowledge ane figure, as GENE. 17. 10. circumciſion is called the couenant: and EXOD. 12. 11. the lambe is called the paſſouer, and MATH. 20. 28. the cupp is called his blood, and LVKE 22. 20. the cupp is called the newe teſtament, and 1. COR, 10. 4. the rocke is called Chriſt. All thir ſpeaches are ſacramentall, and receauis a kinde of interpretation, ȝit they malitiouſly preas to deny vsus this in thir words; (Hoc eſt corpus meum) quhilke they are compelled to grant in the reſt, as ſpecialy quhere PAVL cals the rocke Chriſt.

Nowe quhen they are dung out of this fortres, they flie als vnhappely to the ſecond: to wit, that God bee his omnipotency, may mak the body of Chriſt baith to be in heauen, and in the bread baith at ane time: ergo, ſay they, it is ſa. Gif I denied their conſequent, they wald be weil faſhed to proue it: but the queſtiō ſtands not heir, quhither God may do it or not: but the queſtioun ſtands, quhither GOD wil it or not, or may wil it or not. And we ſay reuerently, that his majeſty may not wil it: for ſuppoſe it be true, that he may, mony things quhilk he wil not: ȝit it is as true; that there is mony things, that hee may not will, of the quhilk ſort, this is: & thir are reduced to twa ſorts. Firſt hee may not will they thinges, that are contrare to his nature, as to be changeable, as to decay, & ſic vthers. For gif he might will thir things, they ſulde not be arguments of ane puiſſance, or of ane power, but rather certaine arguments of his impotencie and infirmitie: And therefore ſuppoſe he may not will thir things, hee leaues not of to bee omnipotent: but ſa mekle the rather, his conſtant, and invincible power is knawin. Secondlie God may not wil ſome things, be reaſon of an preſupponed conditioun, as ſick thinges, quher of he hes concluded their contrair of before: of the quhilk ſort, is this, whilk is now controuerted: For ſeing that God hes concluded that all human body, ſuld conſiſt of organicall partes, and therfore to be comprehended, and circumſcriued within ane, and the awin proper place: And als, ſeeing he hes appointed Chriſt Ieſus to hauehave the like body, and that not for ane time, but eternallie. In reſpect of this determined will, I ſay, God may not will the contrair now, ather to aboliſhe this bodie quhilk hee hes appointed to be eternall; ather ȝit to make it at ane time, in reſpect of ane thing a bodie and not a bodie, quantified & not quantified, finite and infinite, locall and not locall. For to will thir thinges, quhilk are plaine contradicent in thame ſelfes, hee may not, na mair nor it is posſible to him to will a lie. Swa, it may bee ſeene of al men, that wee preſerue the omnipotencie of God, and with reuerence from our harts, acknawledges him onelyonly, to bee onelie omnipotent, and wils all men to eſteeme thame as calumniators, quha abuſes the ears of the ſimple anes, to perſwade tham the contrair of vsus.

They are not content with this, but they ſay, that the Lord may wil a contradiction, and make baith the parts to be true at ane time. And to prooue this, they wald bring in, the miracles quhilk GOD works; as they wald ſay, eueryevery miracle includes a contradiction. As for example: God made a virgine to beare a ſonn, they thinke this warke brings with it a contradictioun; to beare a ſonne, ſay they, is the ane part of the contradictioun, and to bee a virgine, is the vther pairt of the contradictioun. This warke is a miracle, but it implies na contradictioun: For concerning the halie virgins birth, therein is na contradiction. There was a miracle indeede, that a Virgin ſuld bear a ſonne contrare to the cours of nature; for to be a virgin, and ȝit to hauehave a child, are not contradictorie, gif ſhe hauehave conceaued and brought furth be miracle, as did the bleſſed virgin: but to bee a virgin and not a virgin at ane time, this is the contradictioun. Sa Chriſts bodie to bee viſible and inviſible, locall and not local, at ane time; is in everie reſpect the like contradiction: and therefore imposſible to be true.

Their vther Example of Chriſts entering in, the doors being cloſed and ſhut, quhat apearance of contradiction hes it? Can they preiue that he entered through the doores? and gif hee did, then there wes ane alteration of qualities, and that be miracle; ather in Chriſts bodie or in the doores, but na contradiction in nature: vnles ȝou know not quhat is a contradiction. Their third and laſt example of the fier in NABVCADNEZERS Oven, quhilk conſumed the miniſters, but hurt not thame that were in the middeſt of it; apears to be of na weight, be that quhllk hes already bene anſwered. They imagin as apears, that in every miracle, a contradiction is implied, quhilk is abſurde. Gif they can prooue that this fier wes baith hotte and cold, then they ſay ſome thing to the purpoſe: but that it burns vp ſome and hurts not vthers, is na contradiction; becauſe, bee miracles, the force thereof wes repreſſed. Swa, this ſecond ground halds faſt; God may not will that thing, quhilk implies a contradiction: but ſa it is, that the reall preſence of the bodie of Chriſt in the Sacrament, implies a contradictioun; for it makes the bodie of Chriſt, viſible, and inuiſible, compaſt and not compaſt at ea time: therefore, GOD may not will ſick a thing.

Quhen they are dung out of this, theyTheir laſ… refuge. make their laſt refuge, to an peremptour defence in their opinioun; for ſay they, Chriſts body is exemed fra phyſical rules; for Theologie is not ſubject to phyſicall rules. It is a verie il gathered cōſequence, to ſay, that we ſubject Theologie to Phyſicke; becauſe that wee firſt, according to Theologie, quhilk is the law of God, and nixt, according to Phyſicke, quhilk is the lawe of nature, defends the naturall properties, of the true and naturall bodie of Chriſt Ieſus. Then I grant this, that Theologie is not ſubject to Phyſick; quhat of this? Ergo, Chriſts bodie is exemed fra phyſicall rules. How followes that I pray ȝou? Be quhat law may ȝee exeme, or can ȝee exeme the bodie of Chriſte? Bee the law of nature, ȝe cannot: for he was maid of the ſeed of DAVID, and tooke on true fleſh of the wembe of the virgin: And far leſſe, be the law of God: quhilk is Theologie: For ȝee knaw, that Chriſt was appointed from all eternitie, to take on our nature, and to become true man. Indeed it is true, that the law of God, cannot bee ſubject to the law of nature: For the law of nature, flows of the law of God, as out of the awin ſpring: but it is als true, that gif ȝee exeme Chriſtes bodie, fra the lawe of nature, ȝee ſall exeme it alſo fra the law of God. For I affirme, that the ſcriptures ſa conſents with the law of nature; that gif ȝee denie the ane, ȝee ſall denie the vther; and gif ȝee admitte the ane, ȝee ſall admit alſo the vther. Therefore, gif ȝou looke weil about ȝou; ȝee ſall finde the bauke in ȝour awin eie: for ȝee peruert, baith the law of God, & the lawe of nature, bee ane new inuented phyſicke of ȝour awin: for quhaſoeuer he be, that attributes to ane, and the ſelf ſame body, natural and vnnatural properties, quhilk directlie feights agains thame ſelfs; I ſay, this man peruerts baith true Theologie, and Phyſicke: but ȝee, to ane and the ſelfe ſame bodie of Chriſt Ieſus, attribute naturall and vnnaturall properties: therfore it is ȝee that peruerts, baith the vſe of true Theologie, and the ordour ſett downe, and eſtabliſhed in nature. Craue ȝee the reaſon of my propoſition? I ſay, it behooues als weill in Theologie, as in Phyſicke of necesſitie, ane of the contradicent enunciations to be falſe. But ains to make ane end with ȝou; we ſal anſwer to ȝour laſt ſubterfuge.

For ſa ȝee reaſon; a glorified bodie, is not ſubject to phyſicall rules; but Chriſts bodie is glorified: therefore it is not ſubject to phyſicall rules. Firſt of all, or wee anſwer directly, we man conſider, quherin ſtands the glorification of ane bodie: & then, I ſay, the anſwere ſall be eaſie: the Apoſtle PAVL, 1. COR. 15. 42. ſpeakes efter this maner. Sa alſo, ſayis he, is the reſurrection of the dead. The body is ſawen in corruptiō, & is raiſed in incorruption; It is ſawin in diſhonor, & is raiſed in glorie: It is ſawin in weaknes, and is raiſed in power. And a litle efter; this corruption mann put on incorruption, and this mortality, mann put on immortalitie. Be this cleare Antitheſis, PAVLE clearlie deſcriues, the glorification of ane bodie: for hee oppones thir twa; the vnglorified bodie, and the glorified bodie: And to the vnglorified body, he aſcriues corruption, ignominie, infirmitie, carnallitie, & mortalitie. To the glorified bodie againe, he attributes incorruptioun, glorie, power, ſpiritualitie, and immortalitie. Of this oppoſition, wee may gather eaſilie, quhat the reſurrection & glorification apports to the bodie. Shortly, bee thame we ſee, that the body is onelyonly ſpoiled of corruptioun, ſhame, infirmitie, naturalitie, and mortalitie: And to take vp all in an word, it becomes, onelyonly ſpoyled of all the infirmities of our nature; that it may be cled, with ane mair glorious apparrell; as with incorruption, power, glorie, ſpiritualitie, and immortalitie. Wee ſee then that this glorification imports ane change indeed; but I beleue na man will be ſa mad, as to eſteme this change to be made in the ſub ſtance: for gif ſa wer, the aulde ſubſtance behoued to decay, and ane newe ſulde ariſe: but wee hear na worde of ſic things in this deſcriptiō, & as litle is the change made, in the quantitie: for wee hear na word, nather of augmentatioun, nor diminution of any ſubſtance, quhilk behoued to be, gif it were in the quantitie. The fardeſt that wee can perſaue; this mutatioun conſiſts in the qualities, bee the quhilk, the bodie caſts of the auld coate of infirmitie, and cleathes it ſelfe, with the coate of Glorie: For Chriſt efter hee rais, he baith gaide and come, wes ſeene and twitched. Of the things before deduced, it clearlie followes, that in reſpect the glorie of the bodie of Chriſt, hes wrought na change in his nature & ſubſtance; and conſequently, in his naturall dimenſions; nather ȝit in any vther eſſentiall propertie: that therefore the glorificatioun of his bodie, exemes it not fra the rules of phyſicke. For ſa lang as the nature of ane true bodie remaines, there is na ſupernaturall gifts, quherewith it may be glorified; war they neuer ſa high, ſa farre as may bee gathered of the ſcriptures of GOD, that may hurt, ather the nature, or the natural propertie of it. For ther is na gift nor qualitie, that may hurt natur, but that gift that is agains nature: but the ſupernaturall gift, is nather vnnaturall, nather ȝit agains nature: therefore it cannot hurt nor impaire nature. And my reaſoun is this: They gifts, that decores and beautifies nature, they cannot hurt nor impair nature: but al ſupernaturall gifts, beautifies and decores nature: Therefore they cannot take away, nather nature, nor ȝit, the naturall propertie.

They leaue vsus not ſa, but out of this ſame doctrine of PAVLE, concerning the glorification of the bodie, they draw ane objection, to preaſe vsus. PAVL grants, that ane glorified bodie, is ane ſpirituall bodie: but ane ſpirituall bodie, is ane inuiſible bodie: therefore ane glorified bodie, is inuiſible; and bee the conſequent, the bodie of Chriſt is inuiſible. Suppoſe the argument bee not formall; ȝit to make ſhort, I denie ȝour aſſumption: For gif there were na mair, but that ſame worde bodie, that word might be ane argument to ȝou, that the ſpirituall bodie is not inviſible. But ȝit, to open vpp the matter mair clearlie, according to the minde of PAVL in that place. PAVLE in ane word, as it were, in the 44. verſe of that ſame Chap. ſhewes the change that ſal become in the qualities of the body, be the reſurrection: For he ſayis of ane naturall bodie, it ſall become ane ſpirituall bodie. He ſtraight way in the nixt verſe, immediatlie following, expones thir twa qualities: for in the 45. verſe, that is called an natural bodie, ſays he, quhilk is maintained and quickned, be an liuing ſaul only; ſic as Adams was: and againe, that is ſaid to bee ane ſpirituall bodie, quhilke togither, beſide the ſaul, is quickned with ane farre mair excellent vertue, to witt; with the ſpirite of God, quhilk deſcended fra Chriſt, the ſecond Adam vntounto vsus. Then according to this ground, I anſwere with AVGVSTINE ad Conſtantium: As the naturall bodie is not ane ſaull, but ane bodie; euen ſa, the ſpiritual bodie, is not ſaid to be a ſaull, but ane bodie; and bee conſequent, it is not inuiſible.

But to take vpp this head, I ſall giuegive thame onelie ane knot to looſe, and ſa make an end of this point. Then I reaſon, gif therefore Chriſts bodie is naturallie and really in the Supper, be reaſon that it is glorified, it follows conſequentlie, that quhen it was not glorified, it culd not be reallie preſent: but it wes not glorified quhen this Supper wes firſt inſtituted: therefore it wes not reallie preſent in the bread, at Chriſts firſt ſupper. Gif his body wes not naturally preſent in the bred at the firſt Supper, it cannot be naturally preſent nowe: For quhatſoeuer ȝee vſe nowe in the adminiſtration of ȝour Supper, or of ȝour Meſſe, call it as ȝe will, according to ȝour awin confesſioun, ȝe vſe it according to the ordinance, forme and maner, that Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe vſed in his firſt Supper: For ȝee ſay plainelie in ȝour diſputatioun at POYSSIE▪, and in all the reſt of ȝour workes; That Chriſt Ieſus firſt of all obſerued that form, quhilk ȝee vſe in ȝour Meſſe, and left it to his Apoſtles, and to their ſucceſſors, that they ſulde doe the like: and ſa bee ȝour awin words, ȝee hauehave drawne ȝour ſelfes in a Hoſe-net, & crucified ȝour Meſſe. Quhat can ȝe anſwere to this? Ȝe will not ſtande dumbe I am aſſured; for maintenance of ȝour religion, ȝee man ſay ſomthing: for gif this reaſon bear it away, ȝe hauehave done with it.

Then wee ſay, quod the Papiſtes, that ſuppoſe the bodie of Chriſt, quhilk wes locallie preſent with the reſt of his diſciples wes not glorified, ȝit the bodie quhilk he exhibite in the bread wes glorified. Ȝee might as weill hauehave halden ȝour peace, and ſaide nathing: For take tent to the wordes of the text, as they are written. Luk. 22. 19. quhere it is ſaide, & hee toke the bread, and quhen he had giuen thanks, hee brake it, & gaue to them ſaying, this is my bodie quhilke is giuen for ȝou, and PAVL. 1. COR. 11. 24. hes thir wordes, Take, eate: This is my bodye, quhilke is broken for ȝou. This relatiue quhilk, is relatiue to the bodie, quhilke wes exhibited in the bred: for according to ȝour awin confesſion, they words are pronounced vponupon the bread, & directed to it. But that ſame bodie wes giuen and broken for vsus, that is to ſay, crucified and demayned with anguiſh & dolors. Then I reaſon efter this ſorte. To be crucified and broken with anguiſhe and dolours, can on na waies agree and conueine with a glorified bodie: but the bodie that Chriſt exhibite in the bread, is ſayd of the Evangeliſts, to be crucified and broken for vsus: Ergo, that bodie wes not glorified.

Now laſt of all, they are not ȝit content, but ſayis, Chriſt can make the bread his body, and therfore his bodie is really preſent. That Chriſt can make the bread his bodie, wee grant: for Chriſt beeing God, can do quhatſoeuer hee will: Onelie let them ſhewe, that Chriſt will make of reall bread, his reall fleſhe, and then this controuerſie is brought to ane end. Chriſt indeed makes the bread his body, not reallie, but ſacramentallie: For Chriſt hes not a bodie made of bread, his body wes made ains of the pure ſubſtance of his bleſſed Mother: ane vther bodie then this, or oftener made then ains, hes hee nane: quherefore all doctrine that teaches Chriſts bodie to be made of bread, is impious, and hereticall: The Papiſts doctrine of reall preſence teaches, that Chriſts bodie in the Sacrament is made of bread, bee changing the bread into his bodie, through force of conſecration: quherefore wee may bauldlie & truelie conclude, that their doctrine of reall preſence, is baith wicked and hereticall. Now in concluſion of this head, I beſeke thame, ſeeing that reaſoun failes thame, that they fight not agains God, for maintenance of a lie, how auld that ever it be, (for the Diuell is auld aneugh, and ȝit he coulde neuer change his nature) but lat thame rather glorifie God, in confesſing thir ſpeaches to be ſacramentall.

Then quhat is the reaſon and ground,The reaſon that moues the Papiſ…es to thinke▪ that Chriſts bodie cannot be preſent in the Sacrament, except it be reallie, corporallie, & ſubſtantialy preſent. quherefore the papiſts pulles downe the ſubſtance of the bodie of Chriſt, and the blood of Chriſt, and makes the very ſubſtance to be corporallie, reallie, and ſubſtantiallie in the Sacrament? The reſon is this, becauſe they cannot ſee be their naturall judgement, nor cannot vnderſtand be their natural wit, the trueth of this, to wit, how Chriſtes fleſh and blood can be preſent in the Sacrament, except hee bee preſent to their corporall hand, to their corporall mouth and ſtomach. Gif they had an light to inform them, that Chriſt might be preſent in the Supper, and not to the hande, to the mouth or ſtomach: they walde neuer hauehave thought of ſick a monſtrous preſence, as they compt to be there: but being deſtitute of the ſpiritual light, they followe their naturall reaſons and maks a naturall and carnall preſens. Swa that ȝee hauehave this leſſoun to note ofobſeruation this: There is na man that hes not the ſpirit of God to vnderſtande this word: this is my bodie, but out of queſtion, he will doe as the Papiſtes does; that is, he will vnderſtande it carnally: and ſa they miſknowing the right meaning of it, it is na maruell, ſuppoſe they and wee differ in this mater.

For will ȝee ſpeare at the Papiſt firſt,The diuerſe opinions concerning the preſence of the bodie of Chriſt in the ſacrament. gif the true bodie of Chriſt be there, or gif the true fleſhe and blood of Chriſt be there: he wil ſay, it is there. Wil ȝe ſpeare quherein? He will ſay in, and vnderunder, the accidents of the bread and wine, vnderunder the hewe and roundnes of the breade. Will ȝee ſpeare againe at him, be quhat inſtrument it is receaued? he will tell ȝou be the mouth and ſtomach of the bodie: ſa this is their gros vnderſtanding of the bodie and blood of Chriſt. Will ȝe ſpeare at the VBIQVITER, gif the true bodie of Chriſt be preſent? he will ſay it is. Will ȝe ſpear gif it be in, with, or vnderunder the bred? hee will anſwere, it is in the bread, contentiuè, that is, that the bread conteines it. Wil ȝee ſpeare at him, to quhat inſtrument it is offered? hee will anſwere, that the bodie of Chriſt, is offered to the mouth of our bodie, and that the blood of Chriſt is offered to the mouth of our bodie, as the Papiſts dois. Will ȝe ſpeare at vsus again, how Chriſt Ieſus his true boandOur opinion. blood is preſent? wee wil ſay, that they are ſpirituallie preſent, reallie preſente, that is preſente in the Supper, and not in the bread: we will not ſay, that his true fleſhe is preſent to the hande, or to the mouth of our bodie, but wee ſay, it is ſpirituallie preſent, that is, preſent to thy ſpirit and faithfull ſaull; Ȝea even als preſent inwardlie to thy ſaull, as the bread and wine, are preſent to thy bodie outwardelie. Wil ȝe ſpeere then, gif the bodie and blood of Chriſt Ieſus bee preſent in the Supper? Wee anſwere in a word, they are preſent in the Supper: but not in the bread and wine, nor in the accidents nor ſubſtance of bread and wine: And we make Chriſt to be preſent in the Supper, becauſe he is preſent to my ſaull, to my ſpirit and faith. Alſwa, we make him preſent in the Supper; becauſe I hauehave him in his promeis, This is my body, quhilke promeis is preſent to my faith, and the nature of faith, is to make thinges that are abſente in thame ſelues ȝit preſent: And therefore, ſeeing he is baith preſent be fayth in his promeis, and preſent bee the vertue of his halie ſpirit, quha can ſay but hee is preſent in the Supper.

But ȝit the word wald bee opened vp, quhat wee mean bee the worde preſent,How a thing is ſaid to be preſent and abſent. howe a thing is ſayde to bee preſent and abſent? And knowing this, ȝee ſall finde all the matter eaſie. I ſaye, thinges are ſaide to bee preſent, as they are perceaued bee ony outwarde or inwarde ſenſe, and as they are perceaued bee ony of the ſenſes; ſa are they preſent, and the farther they bee perceaued, the farther preſent; and be quhat ſenſe ony thing is perceaued, to that ſame ſens it is preſent. As gif it be outwardlie perceaued, be ane outward ſenſe; that thing is outwardlie preſent. As for example, gif it bee perceaued bee the outward ſight of the eie, be the outward hearing of the ear, be the outwarde feeling of the hand, or taiſt of the mouth; it is outwardlie preſent: Or gif ony thing be perceiued be the inward eie, be the inward taiſt and feeling of the ſaull; this thing cannot bee outwardlye preſent: but it mann be ſpirituallie, and inwardly preſent to the ſaull. Sa I ſay, euerie thing is preſent, as it is perceaued. Sa that gif ȝee perceaue not a thing outwardlie, it is outwardlie abſent; and giff ȝe perceaue not a thing inwardlie, it is inwardlie abſent. It is not diſtance of place that maks a thing abſent, nor propinquitie of place, that makes a thing preſent: but it is only the perception of ony thing be ony of thy ſenſes, that makes a thing preſent, & the not perception, that maks a thing abſent. I ſay; ſuppoſe the thing it ſelfe, were neuer ſa farre diſtant, gif thou perceaue it bee thine outward ſenſe, it is preſent to thee. As for example, my body and the Sunn, are als far diſtant in place, as the heauen is fra the earth; and ȝit this diſtaunce ſtaies not his preſens to mee: Quhy? Becauſe I perceaue the Sunne be mine eie and vther ſenſes; I feele him and perceaue him bee his heat, bee his light, and bee his brightnes: Swa, gif a thing were neuer ſa far diſtant, gif we hauehave ſenſes to perceaue the ſame, it is preſent to vsus. Then the diſtance of place makes not a thing abſent to thee, & thou hauehave ſenſes to perceaue it. Siclike, the propinquitie of place makes not a thing preſent, & it were neuer ſa near, gif thou hauehave not ſenſes to perceaue it. As for example, gif the ſunne ſhine in thy verie eine holes, gif thou bee blinde, hee is not preſent to thee, becauſe thou cannot perceaue him. A ſweete tune will neuer bee preſent to ane deafe ear, ſuppoſe it bee ſung in the eare of that mā, becaus he hes not a ſens to perceaue it: And a weill tauld tale will neuer be preſent to a foole, becauſe hee cannot vnderſtand it, nor hes not judgement to perccaue it. Swa, it is not the neernes, northe diſtāce of place that makis any thing preſent or abſent, but onelie the perceauing, and not perceauing of it.

Nowe the worde being made cleire, ſpeere ȝee howe the bodie of Chriſt isHow the bodie of Chriſt is preſent. preſent? To giuegive our judgement in aword, as ȝee hauehave hard fra time to time, he is preſent, not to the outward ſenſes, but to the inwarde ſenſes, quhilk is faith, wrought in the ſaull. For this actioun of the Sacrament and of the Supper, is partlie corporall, and partelie ſpirituall. I call this actioun partely corporall, not in rereſpect only, that the objects, that is, that bread and wine are corporall: but alſo in reſpect my mouth, quhervnto thir things are offered; the inſtrument quherby, and the maner how thir things are receaued, are al corporall & natural. I call the ſame action againe, partlie ſpirituall; not only, in reſpect of Chriſt Ieſus, quha is the heauenlie and ſpirituall thing of the Sacramēt; but alſo in reſpect of my ſaul, quhervnto Chriſt is offred and giuen: in reſpect the inſtrument quhereby, and the maner how he is receaued, are all ſpirituall: For I gett not Chriſt corporallye, but ſpirituallie. Swa, in thir reſpects, I call this action, partlie corporall, and partlie ſpirituall.

Now confound me not thir twa ſorts of actions, the corporall and naturall ſigns, with the ſpiritual thing, ſignified therby: Confound not againe, the mouth of the bodie, with the mouth of the ſaull: Confound not thirdlie, the outward manner of receauing bee the hand of the bodie, with the ſpirituall maner of receauing, be the hand of the ſaull. And ſa it ſall be exceeding cleare to ſee, that ilke thing ſal be preſent to the awn inſtrument, that is; the bodie of Chriſt, quhilk is the ſpirituall thing ſignified, ſall be preſent to the ſpirituall mouth and hand; and the bread and wine, quhilk are the corporal ſignes, are preſent to the corporall mouth and hand. Then howe is any object preſent? A corporal object, is corporallie preſent, and ane inwarde object, is inwardly preſent: Of quhat nature is the thing ſignified? It is of ane heauenlie nature. Then ſpeare ȝe, how he is preſent? He is ſpirituallie and heauenlie preſent to thy ſaull, & the mouth of thy ſaul; quhilk is faith. For it were a prepoſterous thing, to mak the thing ſignified preſent to thy bellie, or to the mouth or eie of thy body; for gif ſa were, it ſuld not be ſpirituallie preſent: Becauſe eueryevery thing is preſent, as it accords to the awin nature: Is it a bodily thing, it is bodilie preſent, and gif it be a heauenlie thing, it is ſpirituallie preſent. Sa I thinke, na man can doubt, how the bodie of Chriſt is preſent; hee is not carnallie preſent, but ſpirituallie preſent to my ſaull, and to faith in my ſaull. This far concerning the manner of his preſence.

Now the laſt part of our conference, isThe laſt head in … trouerſie betwixt vsus and the papiſts. this; we hauehave to conſider, to quhome the words aught to be directed & pronounced: For we and the Papiſts differs in this laſt head. Wee ſay, that the words aught to be directed and pronounced vntounto the people, to the faithfull communicants. They, be the plat contrair, ſayis, that the words aught not to be directed, nor pronounced to the people, but to the elements; and not to bee clearely pronounced, but quhiſpered on the elements: Sa that, gif they be ſpoken to the people, or ſpoken openlie, their charme auails not. Now I ſay, as the actioun is peruerted be thame in all the reſt; ſa they peruert it in this point alſo; in ſpeaking that to the dumb elements, quhilk they ſuld ſpeake to the people of God. For I ſall prooue it clearly be three arguments, tane out of the Scriptures, that the words aught not to be ſpokē to the bread, but to the people of God.

And firſt I ſay, the promiſes of merciemercy and grace, aught to bee directed and pronounced to thame, in quhome the Lord performes thame, and makes tham effectuall. But ſa it is, that the promiſes of mercy and grace, are performed and made effectuall, not in bread and wine, but in faithfull men and women: Therefore, thir promiſes ſuld bee directed to faithfull men and women. Now heere is the promiſe of merciemercy & grace. This is my bodie, quhilk is broken for Ȝou. And this promiſe, is made to na vther thing, but to faithfull men and women; and ſa to tham onelyonly, it aught to be directed. Secondly, we hauehave to conſider, that this ſacrament, ſeales vp a couenant of grace and mercy. Now quhom with makes God his couenant of merciemercy and grace? Will he make a couenaunt with a peece bread, or anie dumb element? There is na man will enter in a couenant with his ſeruant: lat be to enter in a couenant with a dumbe element. Sa in reſpect, this Sacrament ſeals vp a couenant; this couenaunt of necesſity, man be knit vp with ane faithfull ſaul, and not with the dumbe element: and therefore, thir words cannot be directed to the elements. Thirdlie, looke to the end, quherefore this Sacrament was appointed: Is it not to lead vsus to Chriſt? Is it not to nuriſh my faith in Chriſt? Is it not to nuriſh mee in ane conſtant perſwaſioun of the Lordes merciemercy in Chriſt? Was this Sacrament appointed to make the elements Gods? Na: For will ȝee marke Gods purpoſe in this inſtitution; ȝe will find, that Chriſt hes not ſet down his inſtitution, to nobilitat the elements, to fauor and reſpect the elements, quhilk were bread and wine ȝiſterday, to bee Gods to day. Wee on the contrair, ſayis plainelie, that the inſtitutioun of Chriſt, lookes not to the elements, to alter their nature. Indeed, it is appointed to alter vsus, to chaunge vsus, and to make vsus mair and mair ſpirituall, and to ſanctifie the elements to our vſe. But the ſpecial end, looks to this; to make vsus halie, and mair and mair to growe vpp in a ſure faith in Chriſt, & not to alter the elements, nor to make thame Gods. And therefore, be all thir three argumentes, it is euident, that the words, aught not to bee directed to the elements, but to the people & faithfull communicants.

Now to make an end of this, there isConcluſion with an exhortation. ane thing, without the quhilk, wee cannot profit; lat vsus diſcourſe neuer ſa lang, vppon the right vnderſtanding of the Sacrament. Ȝee ſee nowe, all that is ſpoken, concerning the Sacrament, is grounded and depended vppon fayth: HaueHave a man faith, albeit it were neuer ſa ſmall, hee getts ſome grippe of Chriſt, and ſome inſight in the vnderſtanding of this Sacrament: but lacking faith, ſuppoſe a man paine him ſelfe, to make the Sacraments neuer ſa ſenſible, it is not posſible, that hee cann gette a grippe of Chriſte, or onie inſight in him: For without faith, wee can not bee Chriſtians; wee can nather get a ſight of God, nor feele God in Chriſt, without faith. Faith is the onelie thing, that tranſlates our ſaules out of that death and damnation, quhereintill wee were conceaued and borne, and plants vsus into life. Swa the haill ſtudie and indeuour of a chriſtian ſulde tend to this. To craue that the Lorde in his merciemercy walde illuminat his minde, with the eie of fayth, and walde kendle in his heart a louelove of fayth, and worke in his hart, a thirſt and deſire of the object of fayth, and mair and mair to thirſt and hunger, for the food of fayth, that nuriſhes vsus to life eternall.

Without this fayth, (howſoeuer the naturall man, and vnderſtanding natural wald flatter thy ſelfe,) ſurely there is na bleſſednes, but all his life is mair nor terrible miſerie. For quhatſoeuer it be that flatters and pleaſes thee nowe, bee it a thought or motioun of the minde, or an action of the bodie, that pleaſes the now without fayth: the ſame verie motioun cogitatioun, and actioun, ſall torment thee efter this: Swa without faith, it is not posſible to pleaſe GOD: and quhatſoeuer pleaſes not GOD, is doone to torment thee. Therefore craue merciemercy, for quhatſoeuer motioun, cogitatioun, or actioun, quherein thou hes offended GOD, or bee that ſame, GOD ſall offend and torment thee: And to eſchew the offence of God, there is na moyane, but be true faith. Therefore the ſtudy of a Chriſtian ſuld be, to grow in faith. Now bee hearing of the woorde, thou gets faith, and bee receauing of this Sacrament, thou getts the increaſe of fayth: and hauing faith, the receauing of the Sacrament ſall bee fruitfull: But without faith, thou eats thine awin condem. nation. Sa, the haill ſtudie of ane Chriſtian, is to get faith; and this faith cannot be obtained with idlenes, but be earneſt praier: Therefore lat eueryevery ane of ȝou, fall downe, and craue earneſtlie this faith, and the increaſe of it, quhereby, ȝe may bee worthie receauers of this ſacrament, and that for the righteous merits of Chriſt Ieſus: To quhome with the Father, and the haly Spirit: be al honour, praiſe, and glory, for now and euer.

Amen.

Sermons Upon the Lords Supper, Sermon 3

THE THIRD SERMON, VPONUPON THE LORDS SVPper, preached the 15. of February, 1589.