The New Covenant, Book 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper.
THe third inward part isaThe third inward part of the Lords Supper, is the body & blood of Chriſt. the body and blood of Chriſt, that is, the body of our Lord deliuered vntounto death for vsus, and his blood ſhed for the remiſsion of ſinnes, and conſequently whole Chriſt. This is the chiefeſt part of this Sacrament. For the body and blood of Chriſt ſignified by the bread and wine are thus made and ſeparated to bee the liuely meat of our ſoules, and hauehave that force and efficacy of feeding in our ſoules, which bread and wine hauehave in our bodies. This is the cauſe whybIoh. 6, 48 50 Chriſt often calleth himſelfe the bread of life, Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life: this is that bread of life which commeth downe from heauen, that hee which eateth of it ſhould not dye; I am that liuing bread, if any man eate of this bread, he ſhall liue for euer. Thus eueryevery receiuer is giuen to vnderſtand, that as God doth bleſſe the bread and wine in his Supper, to preſerue, ſtrengthen, and comfort the body of the receiuer: So Chriſt apprehended and receiued by faith doth nouriſh vsus, and preſerueth body and ſoule vntounto eternall life. He dyed in the fleſh, that he might quicken vsus: and he poured out his blood, that hee might clenſe vsus from our ſinnes. WhereforecHow the ſacramentall rites do ſerue to ſtrengthen our faith. whenſoeuer as the Lords gueſts we ſee the bread on the Lords Table, we muſt ſet our mindes on the body of Chriſt: when we behold the cup of the Lord, we muſt thinke vponupon the blood of Chriſt: when we looke vponupon the bread broken, and the wine poured out, we muſt conſider how the body of Chriſt was pierced, puniſhed, cruſhed, crucified, torne, tormented, and his blood poured out for our ſakes: when we feele, that by bread our bodies are nouriſhed & ſtrengthened, and by the wine our vitall ſpirits are comforted & refreſhed, we beleeue that by the body of Chriſt deliuered to death for vsus, we are fed to euerleſting life, and that by his blood poured out vponupon the Croſſe, our conſciences are ſanctified, and we feele his quickening power, which doth confirme vsus in our communion with him. Thus is this part of the Supper ſpiritually to bee applyed: thus are the bread and wine made a Sacrament to vsus, & not bare ſignes: thus the memoriall of Chriſts death is repeated, which albeit it were once finiſhed on the Croſſe, and now his paſsion is paſt long ago: yet to the faithfull in regard of the force, it is ſtill freſh and alwaies preſent. Now it is not without cauſe and good conſideration, that Chriſt would hauehave the bread firſt deliuered as a ſigne of his body, & then afterward the wine as a ſigne of his blood, ſeuerally and apart adminiſtred, becauſe his body and blood are not repreſented to vsus, as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heauēs, but as he was offered vp a ſacrifice on the croſſe, his blood being ſhed out of his body. For to the ende it may be nouriſhment to vsus, it muſt bee crucified. For as corne of it ſelfe is not fit food for vsus, vnleſſe it be threſhed, winnowed, ground, and baked for vsus: ſo is it touching Chriſt, he muſt ſuffer, be crucified, and dye, that wee may liue by him, and raigne with him.
This is the truth which in this point is to be conſidered. Vſe 1 Now let vsus lay open the vſes which of vsus are to be learned. Is Chriſt the inward part of the Lords Supper repreſented by the bread and wine, offered to all, but receiued only of ſuch as are faithfull: then his body is not incloſed in the bread or in the accidents of bread, nor his blood included in the wine or vnderunder the ſhewes of wine:dAgainſt the real preſence. he is not perſonally, locally, carnally, corporally, naturally, really, ſubſtantially, and ſenſually preſent in the Sacrament. The queſtion is noteThe true ſtate of the queſtion ſet downe. whether the words of Chriſt be true, for they are knowne, confeſſed, and beleeued, ſo that as he is the truth, ſo all his words are words of truth: neither is the queſtion whether the Sacrament be a bare ſigne or bare figure, we ſay Chriſt is truely repreſented, ſealed, and exhibited: neither is the queſtion whether God be omnipotent & almighty, this is a part of our faith & an Article of chriſtian beleefe: neither is the queſtion ſimply of the preſence of Chriſt, whether he be truely and vndoubtedly preſent in the Sacrament of his laſt Supper, we acknowledge and receiue as much. For Chriſt is preſent among vsus ſundry waies, by his Spirit, by his grace, by his diuinity, by faith dwelling in our hearts, he is preſent in his word, he is preſent in the miniſtry of baptiſme, he is preſent in the Sacrament of his body: we onelyonly deny that groſſe and fleſhly preſence which many go about to faſten vponupon vsus. But the whole queſtion is of the meaning and vnderſtanding of the words of inſtitution, and of the manner of his preſence. We confeſſe & teach the people committed vntounto vsus, that ChriſtsfConfeſſ Gal. lic. art. …7. Confeſſ. Anglic. art. 12. Cal inſtit. lib. 4. cap. 17. body and blood are truely, verily, and indeed giuen vntounto vsus, that we truely eate and drinke them, that we are releeued and liue by them, that we are made bone of his bone, that Chriſt dwelleth in vsus, and we in him: yet we ſay not that the ſubſtance of bread and wine is aboliſhed, or that Chriſts body deſcendeth from heauen, or is groſly & corporally preſent in the Sacrament: we are taught to lift vp our hearts to heauen,gCol. 3, 1, 2, 3 where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God the Father, and there to ſeed vponupon him. But heere is the ſtate of the queſtion and controuerſie betweene vsus. The Church of Rome teacheth, that afterhCon. Trid. ſeſſ. 13. cap. 1. the words of conſecration the bread and wine are aboliſhed, and the body and blood of Chriſt come in place, ſo that they make them corporally preſent, not onelyonly in the Sacrament to be eaten with the mouth, but in the pixe, in the Maſſe, and in their ſolemne proceſsions, where is neither eating nor drinking. Yea Berengarius in his recantation was taught to ſay, and forced to ſubſcribe, thatiDe con diſt. 2. ego Bereng. Chriſt is in the Sacrament ſenſibly (or ſenſually) is touched with the fingers, diuided, broken, & rent with the teeth, and not onelyonly the accidents. Moreouer, they make it to be eatē, not only of euill men, but of beaſts, and to fill vp the meaſure of blaſphemy, to be caſt out into the draught, as ſome of them hauehave taught and affirmed. Thus then the difference ſtandeth betweene vsus, they hold that Chriſts body, and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith, of brute beaſts without reaſon: but we deny that Chriſt is thus preſent in the Sacrament, for his body cannot be vnderunder ſo little a quantity of bread and wine: beſides, it is impiety to auouch that the perſon of Chriſt or his bodye and blood can be truely receiued of Dogges, Swine, and Mice, be chewed with the teeth, ſwallowed downe the throat, digeſted in the ſtomacke, and be caſt out into vncleane places. This we deny, this we do not beleeue, this we abhorre and deteſt from the bottome of our hearts. What is it then we teach and profeſſe? We deny that the body and blood of Chriſt are carnally contained vnderunder the ſhewes and ſhaddowes of bread and wine: we deny them to be eaten and drunken of wicked men or vnreaſonable creatures: we deny that they are truely and properly both in heauen and on the earth, in pixes, and on the Altars. Theſe arekAug tract. 25 in Iohan. meate for the minde, not for the mouth: for faith, not for the teeth: for our beleefe, not for the belly: for the ſoule, not for the body. For this cauſe Chryſoſt. hom. 24. in 1 Cor. ſaith well, Vbi cadauer, ibi aquilae, &c. that is, where the carkaſſe is, there are the Eagles: the carkaſſe is the Lords body, becauſe of his death: he calleth vsus the Eagles, to ſhew that he muſt flye vp on high that will come neere to that body.
This carnall eating of Chriſt islSundry reaſons rendred to refel the real preſence. confuted and conuinced by many reaſons. Firſt, Chriſt ſate downe at the Table and the Diſciples with him, afterward he tooke bread, gaue thanks, brake it, gaue it, and ſaid, This is my body: likewiſe he tooke and gaue the cuppe and ſaide, Drinke yee all of this: whereby we ſee, when the Apoſtles receiuedmLuk. 22, 19. the Sacrament, Chriſt ſate at the Table with his true body: but the body which they tooke, ſate not at the Table, therefore they tooke the ſigne of his body. Likewiſe the blood which they receiued was not in the body which ſate at the Table, therefore it was not properly Chriſts blood which was not as yet really and actually ſhedde. The ſame body could not ſit at the Table, and not ſit at the Table: the ſame body could not be in their hands, and out of their hands: the blood of Chriſt could not be out of his veines in the cup, and in his veines within his body: hee could not ſit viſible at the Table, and be inuiſible in the mouths and bellies of the Diſciples. Wherefore the reall prſence bringeth with it reall contradictions which cannot ſtand together.
Secondly, the end of the Lords Supper, is to call his death to a continuall remembrance, as Luke 22. Do this in nLuk. 22, 19.remembrance of me: and the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11. Ye ſhew the Lords death vntill he come. Now to what end ſhould we neede the remembrance of Chriſt, if hee were corporally preſent in the Sacrament, if he were taken in the hands, if he were holden in the mouth, if he were eaten with the teeth? And to what purpoſe ſhould wee ſhew the Lords death till hee come, if he come daily and be preſent bodily in the Sacrament. Beſides, the wiſeſt among the Philoſophers teach vsus thatoAriſt. lib. de memoria. ſence is of things preſent, but remembrance is of ſuch things as are abſēt: as hope is of ſuch things as are to come, not ſeene,pRom. 8, 24. and this the Apoſtle teacheth.
Thirdly, Chriſt receiued a true body with all the naturall properties of an humane body, like to vsus in all things ſinneqHeb. 4, 15. onelyonly excepted, and is therefore called the ſonne of Dauid, the ſonne of Mary, the ſonne of man, our brother partaker of fleſh and blood, he is ſaid to hauehave taken vponupon him the ſeede of Abraham, and not the Angels naturerLuk. 24, …9. to be viſible, Luk. 24, 39. Behold my hands and my feet, for it is I my ſelfe, handle me and ſee, for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones as ye ſee me hauehave. For if he may be in many places together, in ſome place viſible, and in ſome inuiſible: in ſome to be handled, in others not to be handled, hee can hauehave no true body of a true man. And if this were not a ſtrong reaſon, It is not felt and ſeene, therefore no humane body: the Diſciples might hauehave anſwered vntounto Chriſt, why doeſt thou bid vsus behold thy hands, and ſee thy feete, and handle thy body, and therby to try thy humanity, ſeeing thou haſt a body which cannot be ſeene, touched, or handled?
…ourthly, Chriſt hath left the earth with his bodily preſence, and is aſcended vp into heauen, farre aboue all principalities and powers, and is ſit downeſAct. 1, 9. and 3 22. on the right hand of his Father, as Act. 1. While they beheld, hee was taken vp. And Mar. 26. After the Lord had ſpoken vntounto them, he was receiued into heauen, and ſate at the right hand of God, So Act. 3. Whom the heauens muſt containe, vntill the time that all things are reſtored. Likewiſe Phil. 3. Our conuerſation is in heauen, from whence we looke for a Sauiour. And againe, Luk. 24. As he bleſſed them, he departed from them, and was caried vp into heauen. So Ioh. 12. The poore alwayes ye hauehave with you, but me ye ſhall not hauehave alwayes. I am come out from the Father, and came into the world: againe, I leaue the world and goe to my Father. If theſe things be true, that Chriſt istCatechiſm. Triden. in expoſit. Simbo. Apoſtol. departed from vsus, if he be no longer among vsus, if he be taken vp into heauen, if he muſt be contained there vntill the reſtoring of al things, if we muſt looke for a Sauiour frō heauen to change our vile bodies, if he be carried vp to his Father and hauehave left the world: then he is not now preſent with vsus, his body is not in eueryevery Altar, he doth not lurke and lye vnderunder the ſhewes of bread and wine. For to be departed from vsus, and not to be departed from vsus; to be contained in heauen, and not to be contained in heauen; to leaue the world, and yet to remaine in the world; to ſit at the right hand of God, and to lye vnderunder eueryevery Altar, cannot ſtand together any more, then to be a man and no man, to be Chriſt and not Chriſt, to be a Sauiour and no Sauiour, to be God and not God.
Fiftly, Chriſt reproueth the Caparnaits, becauſe they thought his body was to be eaten in fleſhly manner, with the mouth of the body, & ſhould deſcend into the ſtomack, which is the way that all other meates do paſſe: when they heard him preach of eating his fleſh & drinking his blood, they ſaid,uIoh. 6, 60.36. This is an hard ſaying, who can heare it? They murmured and departed from him, becauſe they thought they muſt eate him with the mouth and teeth, chew him, and ſwallow him vp. But Chriſt expoundeth himſelfe, and declareth that he meant not carnally but ſpiritually. I… is the Spirit that quickeneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing: the words that I ſpeake vntounto you are ſpirit and life, that is, the fleſh of Chriſt thus eaten, thus chewed, thus digeſted bodily, carnally, and groſly, cannot profit: but truely and ſpiritually taken it is meat indeed. Whereby it appeareth, that the fleſh and blood of Chriſt are not bodily nouriſhment, for then we ſhould hold his body in our hands, eate it with our mouths, teare it with our teeth, ſwallow it downe our throats, concoct it in our ſtomacks, and hauehave it diſtributed to our fleſhly parts.
Now to ſhewaWhat it is to eate the body of chriſt ſpiritually. what it is to eate ſpiritually, and to pull off the garment of this ſimilitude that the truth may more plainely appeare, by ſpiritual eating we do not vnderſtand, that which is fained, ſtanding in a conceit, opinion, or imagination; neither that the body and blood of Chriſt are turned into a ſpirit, but we meane by ſpirituall eating ſuch a communion and participation of Chriſt, as is wrought by the powerfull working of the Holy-Ghoſt, inaſmuch alſo as it is attained by faith onelyonly, and pertaineth to a ſpirituall and eternall life. And howſoeuer the benefit of this coniunction reach vntounto the body, which thereby is mortified, and ſanctified, and afterward ſhall be glorified: yet this fruition of Chriſt is not called corporall, but ſpirituall, becauſe this food doth not pertain to the maintaining of this preſent life, but it is referred to the life which is eternall. Now this life euerlaſting is called ſpirituall, albeit the bodies themſelues ſhall be partakers thereof which thereforeb1 Cor. 15, 44 by the Apoſtle are called ſpirituall bodies. Thus then ſtandeth the compariſon, as there is a preſent life that is bodily,cSadcel de Spirit. Mand. cap. 1. ſo there is another life to be thought vponupon which is ſpirituall and eternall: as we are borne to this preſent life, ſo are we borne againe to life eternal: as this bodily life is ſuſtained by bodily meat and drinke, ſo Chriſt with all his merits and mercies is the food of the ſpirituall life: as the body hathdCompariſon betweene the bodily & ſpiritual eating. his mouth, whereby the meat and drinke is receiued, and ſo paſſeth into the body by bodily feeding: ſo the ſoule hath her mouth, namely faith, which apprehendeh the moſt holy nouriſhment of the body & blood of Chriſt: and laſtly, as the meat by a naturall force is concocted and digeſted that it may paſſe & diſperſe it ſelfe into the whole body, ſo the efficacy of the Spirit beginning faith in vsus, doth ſo powerfully and mightily worke in our ſoule, that it quickeneth vsus through Chriſt, to whom we are neerely vnited. Thus we ſee we hauehave no carnall communion with Chriſt, nor bodily eating of Chriſt. Wherefore let the capernaiticall Papiſts, or popiſh Capernaits, prepare their faith, not their teeth, their ſoules, not their bellies, to eat the fleſh of Chriſt, and drinke his blood. And if they be aſhamed of the name of the Capernaits, let them alſo be aſhamed of the error of the Capernaits: but if they cleaue to their error, they muſt bee content to borrow their name, for the name and opinion muſt go together.
Sixtly, Chriſt exhorteth the people to beware of falſe Prophets, that come in ſheepes cloathes,eMat. 7, 15. but indeed hauehave Wolues hearts, ſaying, If any ſhall ſay vntounto you, Loe heere is Chriſt, or there, fMat. 24, 23.beleeue it not: behold he is in the deſart, go not forth: behold he is in the ſecret places, beleeue it not. And the Apoſtle Paul exhorteth, Col. 3. To ſeeke thoſe things that are aboue, where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God. But if Chriſt lurke and lye hid vnderunder the accidents of bread and wine, thē we might beleeue ſuch as ſay, Loe, heere is Chriſt, there is Chriſt, he might be pointed out with the finger on eueryevery Altar, and ſo often as the Prieſt lifteth vp his Idoll, he might ſay to the people, behold heere is Chriſt whom wee hauehave newly made, looke vponupon him whom wee hauehave newly faſhioned: but then we muſt anſwere with Chriſt, beleeue i… not.
Seuenthly, the Fathers vnderunder the law, did eate the ſame ſpirituall meate and drinke the ſame ſpirituall drinke that theg1 cor. 10, 1, 2 Corinthians and other Chriſtians did, though they had differing ſignes, they had the ſame Chriſt ſignified. But they did not eate the fleſh of Chriſt and drinke his blood bodily, for as yet he was not come in the fleſh, therefore he is not preſent in his natural body in our Sacraments. This Paul ſetteth downe, 1 Cor. 10. They did all eate the ſame ſpirituall meat, they did all drinke the ſame spirituall drinke: for they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them, and that rocke was Chriſt. Where the Apoſtles purpoſe is to prouehAug. tom. 6. tract. in Ioh. 26 and in Pſal. 77 Gratian can. inquit. 80. that the Iſraelites were not in feriour to the Corinthians in reſpect of the Sacraments of Gods fauour, and therefore had no more to boaſt of, then the Iſraelites had: whereupon he ſaith, they had the ſame meat, the ſame drinke, the ſame Chriſt. Now if they did not eat the ſame in ſubſtance which the Corinthians did eate, then the Iſraelites were farre inferior to them touching their Sacraments, and ſo the Apoſtles reaſon ſhould be of no force.
Eightly, Chriſt is in ſuch ſort in heauen in his humanity, as that he is not on the earthiMat. 9, 15. Ioh. 13. &c. with his body, and conſequently not in the Sacrament, as we ſee, Mat. 9. Can the children of the bride-chamber mourne as long as the bride-groome is with them? But the daies will come, when the bride-groome ſhall be taken from them, and then they ſhall faſt. But if hee were remaining on the earth and contained in the pixe, the bride-groome could not nor would not be takē away. And the ſame Euangeliſt,Mat. 26, 11. chap. 26. ſaith. Ye hauehave the poore alwaies with you, but me ye ſhall not hauehave alwaies. Likewiſe Ioh. 13.Ioh. 13, 1. and 14.2, 3.28. & 17, 11, 12, 13. When Ieſus knew that his houre was come, that hee ſhould depart out of this world vntounto the Father, he riſeth from Supper, & cha. 14. I go to prepare a place for you, but I will come againe: If I go away to prepare a place for you, I will receiue you vntounto my ſelfe, that where I am, there may ye be alſo: and verſe 28. Yee hauehave heard how I ſaid vntounto you, I go away and will come vntounto you. And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world, but theſe are in the world, and I come to thee. Againe, Act. 1. Yee men of Galile, why ſtand ye gazing into heauen? This Ieſus which kActs 1, 11.is taken vp from you into heauen, ſhall ſo come as yee hauehave ſeene him goe into heauen. If then Chriſt according to his humane nature be not on earth, how can his true body bee on eueryevery Altar? How can they eate him with their teeth? How can they ſwallow him downe their throat?
Ninthly, ſuch an eating and drinking of the body and blood of Chriſt muſt be holden, as is profitable and comfortable to the receiuers: for nothing is more auaileable & fruitefull then theſe, being rightly receiued Mat. 26, 26.hauing thereby remiſsion of ſinnes aſſured, and eternall glory ſealed vp vntounto vsus. But no fruite to our faith can come vntounto vsus by this kind of bodily eating the body, carnall drinking the blood of Chriſt: for wicked men hauehave as great a portion in this as the godly. Nay, by their owne doctrine it may bee eaten of Birds, of Beaſts, of Mice, of Dogs, of Hogs, of vermine: to whom no profit, no comfort, no benefit can come: whereas God would hauehave the fleſhmIoh. 6.50. of the Sonne of man to be eaten of thoſe to whom it ſhall be auaileable to life and ſaluation, as Ioh. 6. I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen, if any man eate of this bread, hee ſhall liue for euer: and the bread that I will giuegive it my fleſh, which I will giuegive for the life of the world.
Tenthly, nothing can be more groſſe, barbarous, or inhumane then to deuoure mans fleſh, and to drinke mans blood. What doth more transforme men into ſauage and cruell beaſts? Nay worſe then beaſts which deuoure not their owne kinde? What is more contrary to the purenes and holines of Gods lawnPſal. 12, 6 and 19, 9. then this? The words of the Lord are pure words, as the ſiluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined ſeauen fold. The feare of the Lord is cleane: the law of God is ſpirituall, holy, iuſt, and good. And the Goſpell bringeth ſaluation to all degrees, and teacheth vsus, that we ſhould deny all vngodlines and worldly luſts, and that we ſhould l…ue ſoberly, r…ghteouſly, and godly in this preſent wo…ld. But what can be more repugnant to godlines, ſobernes, and righteouſnes, then to teare with the teethoCyril. anot. 11. and iawes mans fleſh, and to drinke his blood, from which the Capernaus abho…red? What more croſſeth the religion of Chriſt, the law of God, & the light of nature, then man to deuoure man, and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another? And are not their ſtomacks ſtrong to digeſt this meat? Did not God in the law cōmandpLeuit. 17, 13 to abſtaine from eating the blood of beaſts & from ſtrangled? Did not the Apoſtles for a time renue itqAct. 15, 20. among the Chriſtians, in reſpect of the weakenes of the Iewes, becauſe Moſes was read in their Synagogue eueryevery Sabboth day? To what end ſhould this be done, if the Church had taſted the blood of Chriſt with their mouth, or ſwallowed his bodye in their bellies? And do not the Scythians and all the Gentiles that are not vtterly voide of humanity, abſtaine from mans blood, and from deuouring his fleſh? Wherefore theſe men are worſerHom Odiſ. li. 10. Virg aeneid. l…b. 3. Plin. nat hiſt. lib. 7. cap 2. …d M…t. li. 3. then the Scithians, Barbarians, & Gentiles, yea worſe then the Canibals and Indies that eate their enemies: but theſe deuoure Chriſt, whom they call their Lord and Maiſter, like Acteons hounds (to compare one fable with another) onelyonly heere lye the differences, they deuoured their Lord vnderunder the ſhape of a Stag or Hart, they eate their maiſter vnderunder the formes of bread & wine: theſe faſtened their mouths vponupon their maiſter becauſe they thought him abſent and not preſent vnderunder that ſhape, they openly confeſſe their Maiſter to be preſent, and yet odiouſly profeſſe to deuoure him with their iawes, and ſwallow him in their ſtomacks, wherefore theſe men are more cruell then they: yea heerein they paſſe the Idolatrous Gentiles; for the Egiptians did not eate thoſe creatures which they adored as Gods: but theſe doe deuoure their God and Sauiour like bread.
Eleuenthly, if Chriſt be preſent in the Sacrament bodily and carnally: in what body ſhall he be preſent? Whether in his glorified body as he is in the heauens, or in his mortall body as he was vponupon the earth? In one of theſe he muſt be preſent neceſſarily, if hee bee preſent fleſhly. Whatſoeuer they anſwere, they are taken on both hands, and are ſtrokē downe as with a ſword that hath two edges. Dare they ſay he is preſent in his mortall body? This cannot be. For it is certaine he hath not now a mortall body but a glorified body: this corruptible hath put on incorruption,t1 Cor. 15, 54 this mortall hath put on immortality, and death is ſwallowed vp in victory. This theuRom. 6, 9.10 Apoſtle confirmeth▪ this the Scripture teacheth, this Chriſtian faith beleeueth▪ Chriſt being raiſed from the dead, dyeth no more: death hath no more dominion ouer him: For in that he dyed, he dyed once to ſinne, but in that he liueth, he liueth to God. Likewiſe Heb. 7, 25. This man becauſe he endureth euer, hath a Prieſthood which cannot paſſe from one to another, ſeeing he euer l…ueth to make interceſsion for them. And chap. 9. of the ſame Epiſtle, he is entred into heauen, not that he ſhould: offer himſelfe often, but he was once offered to take away the ſins of many. Theſe teſtimonies duely conſidered, hee cannot bee preſent in a mortall body. What then, will they be helped to ſay he is preſent in his glorified body? Then he cannot now be preſent in the Sacrament of the Supper, as hee was preſent to the Apoſtles, ſitting at the table with them, and preaching vntounto them of his death: he cannot be preſent in the ſame body that he did deliuer to his Diſciples in the inſtitution of his laſt Supper. For the body of Chriſt was then mortall and not glorified, then he had not ſuffered death vponupon the Croſſe, he was not riſen and aſcended into the heauens, to ſit at the right hand of his Father: ſo that they muſt ſeeke another place then theſe words of Chriſt,aMat. 26, 26. This is my body, this is my blood, to build their reall preſence and tranſubſtantiation, for they pointed out his mortall body, becauſe his body was not yet glorified, when the Sacrament was inſtituted. Beſides, what a miſerable glorified body ſhould this be, to be ſubiect to the pleaſure of eueryevery Prieſt, to come at his call, to ſtay till he commandeth, nay to ſuffer himſelfe to be torne with the teeth of eueryevery receiuer? Wherefore the preſence of his glorified body, cannot be grounded vponupon theſe words of Chriſt touching the Sacraments, This is my body. Neither let them ſay as Camp…on that boaſting Champion like another Goliah, b1 Sa. 17.10.challenging the hoaſt of God, ſometimes ſaid in the Tower-conference, that this is a fallation,cConferēc… day 3. inaſmuch as his glorification maketh it not a diuers body, and that a man whole, & a man ſicke, at ſundry times make not a ſeuerall man. This Ieſuiticall deuice hath no colour of reaſon, but a tricke of euaſion. For we ſpeake not of the difference between Chriſts glorified and mortall body, but of the meaning of the words, This is my body: whether Chriſt vnderſtand his naturall and mortall body wherein ſhortly he was to be glorified, or whether he vnderſtand it of his body glorified? Either it muſt be vnderſtood of the one, or of the other, or of both: or rather indeed of neither, except they will hauehave the words taken and ſpoken one way to the Diſciples, and another way to vsus. Thus the meaning of them when they were firſt vttered ſhould be, This is my mortall body: but now ſpoken to vsus, they ſhould be taken in another ſenſe of vsus to the end of the world, This is my glorified body. So then the ſame words ſpoken to the Diſciples ſhould be falſe as we are to vnderſtand them: and the Diſciples ſhould be deceiued, vnderſtanding them as we do take them. What is this but to bring vsus back againe to the reproachfull compariſons and blaſphemous aſſertionsdPighi. Hierar. lib. 3, cap 3. Conſur. colon dial 4. pa 112. Cuſan. epiſt. 2. and 7. of ſundry popiſh writers, to compare the Scriptures to a noſe of wax, and a rule of leade, that they may be expoū ded diuerſly, and framed to times, ſo as at one time they may be vnderſtood one way, and at another time they may be interpreted another way. Theſe things being duely conſidered, we may ſafely conclude, that Chriſt is not preſent in his naturall body.
Laſtly, the preſence of Chriſt in his naturall body, aboliſheth the light of reaſon, and confoundeth the nature of things, and bringeth in an heape of abſurdities and impoſſibilities. For what is more repugnant to reaſon, then for a man to beare himſelfe in his owne hands? that a man ſhould eate vp himſelfe? that another ſhould eate him, yet he remaine vntouched, vntaſted, and vncorrupted? that one and the ſame man ſhould be viſible and inuiſible, preſent and abſent, in the teeth of the Diſciples, and at the table with the Diſciples, be a man of ſtature, and yet be contained and comprehended in a little Cake and cantle of bread?
Now as by theſe reaſons and ſundry other that might be alledged, the reall preſence is ſufficiently conuinced: ſo the arguments brought to maintaine and vphold it, are eaſilyeObiections alledged to maintaine the real preſence are anſwered. anſwered. For as the doctrine is falſe: ſo the reaſons are weake and fooliſh. Firſt they obiect the words of inſtitution, for the defence of this cauſe. For as in queſtions of the ſupremacy, of Peters pretended, of the Popes vſurped, (which are many) they alwayes alledge the words of Chriſt to Peter, Paſce oues meas, fBellar. tomo. primo.feed by ſheepe: ſo do they deale in controuerſies of the Supper, where we miſſe not Obiection 1 long, Hoc eſt corpus meum, This is my body. His words (ſay they) are true therefore we muſt beleeue them: he is a man of his word, therefore we muſt credite him: if then we be deceiued holding his body to be preſent, he hath deceiued vsus. I anſwere, Anſwere. the queſtion is not of the truth of the words whether they be true or falſe, but of the interpretation and meaning thereof, which we ſay is figuratiue, and yet no other then is vſuall when the Scripture ſpeaketh of other Sacraments of the Church,gGen. 17, 11. as circumciſion is the couenant: the lambe is the Paſſeouer: the cuppe is the new teſtament; the breaking of the bread is the communion of the body of Chriſt: the rocke is Chriſt: baptiſme is the waſhing of our new-birth. Are not all theſe places like to the words of Chriſts inſtitution? Or can they deny them to be vnderſtood figuratiuely and not properly? So the meaning of thoſe words is, that the bread which he had taken, broken, and giuen, is a ſigne and figure of his body: it is now no longer common bread, but a repreſentation of his body truely offered to all, and truely giuen to al the faithfull. Our Sauiour Chriſt ſpake many things vntounto his Diſciples figuratiuely, not litterally to be taken: he ſaidhMath. 5, 13. they were the ſalt of the earth, the light of the world, a citty ſet on a hill: he ſpeaketh of cutting off the hand, & pulling out the eye: he calleth himſelfeiIohn 10, 9. a doore,kIohn 15, 1. a vire,lIohn 14, 6. a way: are not theſe figuratiue and metaphoricall ſpeeches? Againe, the circumſtances of the text, the nature of a Sacrament, and the Articles of our faith will not ſuffer vsus to take them properly: beſides this, that they ſhould command vsus an horrible and wicked thing, to eate mans fleſh, & drinke his blood, and therefore when we are commended to eate his fleſh and to drinke his blood, it is a figure (as Auſtine, teacheth) requiring of vsus to be partakers of his paſsion, & to keepe in remembrance that his fleſh was crucified for vsus.
Moreouer, the Euangeliſts neuer ſay the bread is tranſubſtantiated into his body, or the wine into his blood, or that the body and blood of Chriſt are in the bread, or vnderunder the bread, or with the bread: all the circūſtances teach, that the bread is a Sacrament of his body, the wine is a Sacrament of his blood, as circumciſion was a ſigne of the couenant, the lambe a ſigne of the Paſſeouer, the rocke a figure of Chriſt.
Laſtly, as Chriſt ſpeaketh to the euill ſeruant,mLuk 19, 22 Out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee: ſo the aduerſaries thēſelues giuegive ſentence on our ſide, and one arch-papiſt condemneth another. Biſhop Fiſher writing againſt Luther, affirmeth thatnFiſh. cont. capti. Babilon. no man can proue by the words of the Goſpell, that any Prieſt in theſe dayes doth conſecrate the very body and blood of Chriſt, and thereforeoLindan. pa. nopl. lib. 4. Liudanus among the rablement of traditions which he reckoneth, rehearſeth the real preſence. Likewiſe Tonſtall, another Biſhoppe of the ſame birth holdeth, that it werepTonſt. lib. 1. de Sacr p 46. better to leaue eueryevery man to his owne coniecture, as they were before the counſel of Lateran, then to bring in ſuch queſtions. And Biel a man of the ſame ſtampe, not inferior to the reſt,qGab. Biel in can. lect. 40. confeſſeth that it is not found in the canonicall Scriptures, that Chriſts body is in the Sacrament. And let them tel vsus their opinion whether that Hildebrand held this bodily preſence,rBen. in vit. Greg. 7. when he caſt the Sacrament into the fire, contrary to the liking of certaine Cardinals preſent with him? Thus wee ſee, Counſels, Fathers, Reaſons, Doctors, Schoole-men, Biſhops, Cardinals, Popes, & others of the aduerſaries themſelues fight againſt the carnall preſence of Chriſt; and the Scriptures themſelues ouerthrow it.
Obiection 2 Secondly they obiect the words of Chriſt, Except ye eate ſIoh. 6, 53.the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his blood, yee hauehave no life in you. I anſwere, Anſwere. theſe words are not vnderſtood of the Sacrament, they were vttered long before the inſtitution of the Supper, and therefore could not be referred vntounto that which as yet was not: ſo that Chriſt ſpeaketh of ſpirituall eating, not of carnall: by faith, not by the mouth, whereby we abide in him and he in vsus: but many eate the Sacrament of his body that hauehave not him abiding in them, nor themſelues in him. Againe, without this eating of his fleſh heere ſpoken off,tIoh 6, 54. no man can attaine eternall life: but many have eternall life, that never are partakers of the Lords Supper as the theefe crucified with Chriſt, and many others. Beſides, how abſurd is it for thoſe to imagine that Chriſt naming bread, ſpeaketh of the Sacrament of the Altar? for they would hauehave no ſubſtance of bread to remain, but onelyonly the figure, ſhew, and likeneſſe of bread: ſo that according to the deuice of their new-found doctrine, hee might more truely ſay, I am no bread, or, I am the ſhewes of bread, then as he doth, rIoh. 6, 32.I am the true bread. Moreouer, if Chriſt promiſing to giuegive bread for the redemption of the world, had pointed out the Sacrament of his Supper: then he ſhould hauehave giuen his fleſh for the ſaluation of mankind, not vponupon the Croſſe, but in his laſt Supper. Wherefore then ſerued his death? What neede was there to ſhed his blood on the Croſſe?
Furthermore, if theſe words be referred to his Supper, then the Supper may be celebrated without materiall bread and wine, without giuing of thankes, without bleſsing, without conſecration, without breaking and diſtributing of the bread, without pouring out, and deliuering of the wine, and without remembrance of the death of Chriſt. For in this place we hauehave no mention of theſe things. And ſhall wee imagine that the Sacrament is ſpoken off, where neither the matter, nor forme, nor word of inſtitution nor Miniſter, nor externall rite is once remembred? Laſtly, to eate the fleſh of Chriſt and to drinke his blood, is nothing elſe but to come to Chriſt, and to beleeue in Chriſt, as appeareth in the Text,ſIoh. 6, 35, 4…. I am that bread of life he that commeth to me ſhall not hunger, and he that beleeueth in me ſhall neuer th…rſt. And ſpeaking of faith he ſaith. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me, draw him. This truthtBle… ſect. 84. ſuper cam… ▪ is ſo cleere and euident, that many of the aduerſaries are driuen to confeſſe it, howſoeuer ſome of them ſeeke to caſt miſtes before the eyes of men, that they may not eſpie it, among the which are Sanders and Bellarmine. And as we hauehave ſhewed before, how the Schoole-men and Doctors of the Church of Rome are together by the eares in ſundry controuerſies about the Supper: ſo are they about the true interpretation of Ioh. 6. Some vnderſtanding it of the ſacramentall eating, ſome of the ſpirituall eating,uHoſ C… de …u…. and ſome of both.
Thirdly, they obiect the omnipotency of God: that he Obiection 3 is able to turne the bread into the body, and the wine into his blood: he is able to make it really preſent in heauen & earth, a…d whereſoeuer Maſſe is ſaid: he is able to make a body to be in many places at once, and yet not occupie a place. I anſwere,A…ſwere. when all other reaſons faile, they ſlye to Gods omnipotency as vntounto a ſanctuary and place of refuge. But this will not proue a reall preſence. For albeit God be omnip…tent and almighty: muſt he therefore doe all things, yea offer violence to his owne body, to maintaine their a…urd and hereticall opinions of the reall preſence and of tranſubſtantiation? Muſt his power attend vponupon their fancies and dreames? Cannot he be omnipotent except their poſitions and aſſertions be granted? There is no …e…e of Gods power, albeit we withſtand their carnall preſence. For touching the omnipotency of God,aTwo rules to obſeru… … Gods o…po…ency. we muſt obſerue theſe two rules and concluſions. Firſt, Gods power is neuer to be oppoſed and ſet againſt his expreſſe w…ll, plainely and certainely knowne: for God is not contrary to himſelfe. Now then it is not enough to prooue that God can turne bread and wine into the bodye and blood of Chr…ſt, vnleſſe they proue he will turne them into his fleſh and blood. We our ſelues can doe many things which we do not, and which we will not do: ſo we muſt know it is with God; he c…uld hauehave added wings to man, hee might hauehave made many worlds if it had pl…aſed him, Chriſt ofbMat 3.9. the ſtones could hauehave rayſed vp children vntounto Abraham. Chriſt could hauehave prayed to his Father in his afflict…on, to ſend himcMat. 26, 3. more then 12. legions of Angels, but how then ſhould the Scriptures be fulfilled? Wherefore we …e n…t to reaſon of his power, vnleſſe we be aſſured o… his w…ll reuealed in his word; as we ſee Chriſt diſputing againſt the …du…es ſaith, Ye are deceiued, not knowing the …r ptures, n… the power of God. dMat. 22, 9.Where we ſee he ioyneth the Scriptures and the power of God together: ſo that he is truely ſaid to be omnipotent.eA … 1…. becauſe he can bring to paſſe whatſoeuer he will: neither can the effect of his will be hindred or reſ…ed. Now it is the knowne will of God that Chriſt ſhoul… hauehave a true body, that he might be a true man with his quantity and dimenſions. The ſecond rule to be remembred is,fNo contradiction is in God. that in God there is no contradiction: and that whatſoeuer neceſſarily implieth a contradiction, is an argument not of power, but of weakneſſe. This the Scriptures decree, this the Fathers d…liuer, this their owne Schoolemen determine. Forg2 Cor. 1.59. in God is not yea and nay: he abideth ſaithfull, he cannot deny himſelfe: hee cannot dye, he cannot lye he cannot deny his word, he c nnot ſin, he cannot deceiue, hee cannot be deceiued. Theſe and ſuch like he cannot do: which if he ſhould doe, he were not omnipotent. For thishAug de trin. cap 15 l…b …. … l…b. 2. cap 1…. were a token of impotency, not of omnipotency: of debility, not of ability: of want and weakeneſſe, not of ſtrength and power. For in eueryevery contradictioniAriſt … … terp li 1 ca. 5. there is …a…ſhood and a lye which cannot agree to God, who is truth it ſelfe, and therefore he cannot make affirmation and negation, truth and falſhood yea and nay to be true together which things are impoſsible. Yea the popiſh Schoole-menkThom contra gent. lib. … cap. 84. …n… lib. 2. …a. 25. confute this popiſh fancy of the reall preſence, when they teach that God cannot doe any thing wherein a contradiction is implyed, and that al other things he can do, and therefore is omnipotent. Now who ſeeth not that heerein is a manifeſt and notable contradiction? that Chriſts body is made viſible and inuiſible together; finite and infinite; circumſcribed and vncircumſcribed; to hauehave dimenſion and to want dimenſion; to be cō paſſed in one certaine place, and to be in a great number of Sacraments in many places; to be included in a litte bread on earth, which is contrary to the nature of a mans true body, and not to be contained therein; as ſitting in heauen, and there hauing the naturall properties of a true body, which cannot be brought within ſo narrow a compaſſe as the wa…er-cake. Wherefore, the abſurd conceit of the reall preſence cannot be maintained without many contradictions. For if Chriſts body be viſible how can it bee inuiſible? If it hauehave all the properties of a naturall body, how can it be without the properties of a naturall body? If it be finite how can it be infinite. Laſtly, if it be an inſeparable and neceſſary adioynt to a true body to be contained in one certaine place: how then can it be true, that his body is in ten thouſand places without any circumſcription? So then Gods omnipotency cannot build vp the mō ſtrous worke of the reall preſence: inaſmuch as the body of Chriſt cannot be brought within the ſlender compaſſe of a piece of bread, without falſhood and deſtruction of all the properties incident vntounto a true and naturall body.
Obiection 4 Laſtly, as an effect of Gods omnipotent power, they obiect, the bread and wine are turned into the fleſh and blood of Chriſt (appearing bread and wine ſtill) by a wonderful miracle which is wrought by the words of conſecration and by a mighty worke of God. This obiection hath beene ſufficiently anſwered already.
Anſwere. Wee hauehave proued that eueryevery miracle may bee ſeene and diſcerned by the outward ſenſes, as the miracles of Moſes, of the Prophets, of Chriſt, and the Apoſtles: and therefore the I wes ſaid vntounto ChriſtlIoh. 1, 18. Shew vsus a miracle, teaching that miracles are to be iudged by ſight and ſenſe. When Moſes turnedmE…o …, &c the waters of the Egiptians into blood, the ſight perceiued, the taſte diſcerned it. The miraclesnIoh. 2 9. of Chriſt appeare euidently, and were apprehended by the ſenſes of the body. He turned water into wine: the taſte iudged thereof 'the dumbe ſpake, the eare heard them ſpeake. The lame walked, the dead were raiſed: the eyes perceiued the motion, all maruelled and were aſtonied. In like manner, if the bread and wine were changed, either the eye or taſte ſhould perceiue it, and all the Diſciples would be aſtonied.
Againe, after the Goſpell was plentifully confirmed and had taken roote, and the Apoſtles were dead, ſuch miracles ceaſed, as experience teacheth. Beſides, the holy Supper is an ordinary Sacrament of the Church: but eueryevery miracle is extraordinary, or elſe it is no miracle: ſo that vnleſſe we will turne ordinary into extraordinary, and make miracles as common as Sacraments,oNo miracle in the Lords Supper. we muſt remoue miracles from the Supper. Furthermore, if the real preſence were wrought by a miracle, eueryevery Prieſt ſhould be a worker of miracles & wonders, and an ordinary calling ſhould alwayes bee accompanied with extraordinary guifts. But their office of Prieſthood hath not this guift (in their owne iudgement) generally giuen vntounto it. Wherefore miracles beingpChryſoſt. in 5. Cor. ca. 2. hom 6 now ceaſed, are not found in the Supper. Laſtly, Auguſtine gathering all the miracles written in the Scripture,qAug. de Trin. lib. 3. cap. 10. yet ſpeaketh not of this: nay he not onelyonly omitted it, but flatly denyeth any miracle to be in the Sacrament, when hee ſaith, It may hauehave honour or reuerence as an holy thing, but cannot be wondred at as a ſtrange or miraculous thing. If then it be a miracle, it muſt bee in the number of lying miracles ſpoken off by ther2 Theſ 2, …. Apoſtle: ſo that tranſubſtantiation and the reall preſence are reall contraries or contradictions, repugnant to the Scripture, to faith, to reaſon, to learning, to ſenſe, to nature, to Gods ordinance, abſurd and impoſſible: and therefore of all Gods people to be abhorred and abiured, being a renewing of the olde hereſie ofſThe errors of Eutiches & Marcion. Eutiches, who held that Chriſts body after his incarnation, was made equall with his diuinity: and likewiſe of Marcion, who held that Chriſt appeared not in the very natural body of a man, but onelyonly in a fantaſie or ſhew of a mans body.
To conclude this vſe, we do not exclude all preſence of Chriſt out of the Sacrament: but diſtinguiſh the manner of his preſence: which we hauehave ſhewed to bee in the Supper truely, not groſly: effectually, not fleſhly: ſpiritually not bodily: ſacramentally, not carnally: myſtically, not naturally.
The former vſe was touching knowledge and faith, inſtructing Vſe 2 what to hold of the reall preſence. The next vſe is touching our obedience and duty. For is Chriſt the chiefe ſubſtance of this Sacrament, and his body and blood giuen vsus for the food of our ſoules: a guift farre aboue heauen and earth? Then we are bound to hunger after him, to deſire him with an earneſt appetite and deſire, as wee come to our meate and drinke. Hunger is a great thing, and we ſay it maketh men lea…e ouer a ſtone well: he that is hunger bitten, will eate his owne fleſh from his armes. In this corporall hunger then are two things that pine and pinch men: firſt, a paine in the lower part of the belly, ariſing from emptineſſe: Secondly, an exceeding appetite to be filled and ſati…fied: ſuch hauehavetDeut 28.53 57. killed, dreſſed, and deuouted their owne children, rather then they would ſtarueKing 6, 29. Lam 4, 10, this paine hath beene ſo great, this longing hath bin ſo extraordinary. So muſt it be with vsus in the ſpirituall hunger after Chriſt: we muſt be inwardly pained in ſoule for ſinne, and for the wrath of God kindled for our ſinne: and then hauehave an hungring deſire & longing appetite, that we may poſſeſſe Chriſt, and lay hold on him to our ſaluation. Whoſoeuer commeth to his ordinary meat without hunger, it were better not to eate: it ingendreth groſſe and euill humors, and bringeth a ſurfet to the body. So whoſoeuer deſireth not Chriſt with an hungry ſoule, earneſtly longing after him, and crauing nouriſhment from him, cannot be filled with good things. The want of this hunger is a cauſe why ſo few receiue Chriſt, and profit not by the meanes ordained to that end, as the word and Sacraments: theſe come to them of cuſtome rather then with conſcience, and for faſhion rather then with faith: theſe men are not fit to be Chriſts gueſts, that hunger not after him. WhereforeuE…ay 55, 7, the Prophet calleth all ſuch as faint in their ſoules through hunger and thirſt of this food, Ho, eueryevery one that thirſteth, come to the waters, and ye that hauehave no ſiluer, come buy and eate: come I ſay, buy wine and milke without ſiluer and without money. And the Apoſtle, Reu. 22, 17. Let him that is athirst come, and let whoſoeuer will, take of the water of life freely. Likewiſe the Euangeliſt, Luke 1, 53. Hee filleth the hungry with good things, and ſendeth the rich empty away. But where is the deſire of theſe things? Where is the hunger after this heauenly food? Where is the thirſt after the waters of life? Truely of all gifts this is the greateſt: yet the greateſt number care nothing for Chriſt nor for his guifts. As the Iſrael tes in the wilderneſſe loathedNum 11, 5. &c. Manna, and deſired to returne into Egipt: ſuch are there among vsus, no deſire, no affection, no zeale this way: they ſpend their cogitations & indeuors to gaine honour, they thirſt after ſiluer and gold, they delight in earthly pleaſures, they couet houſes, lands, and wealth of the world: theſe things they abound in, theſe things they make their happineſſe and their heauen. Such as theſe there are thouſands in the boſome of the Church, that hunger more after theſe tranſitory things, then after heauenly: Such arebHeb. 12, 16. prophane perſons as Eſau, who preferred a meſſe of pottage before the bleſsing: and as the Gadarens, who preferred their ſwine before Chriſt, and therefore beſought him to depart out of their coaſts, But let vsus learne better things: for all theſe ſhall vaniſh & come to nothing. And what ſhall it profitcMat. 16, 26. a man if he winne the whole world, and looſe his owne ſoule? Let vsus not labour for the meate thatdIoh 6, 27. periſheth, but for the meat that endureth to euerlaſting life, which the Sonne of man ſhall giuegive vntounto vsus. All the dainties and delicates in the world cannot be compared to that which is heere offered to bee eaten of the ſoule. Therefore let vsus remember whenſoeuer we come to his table to be partakers of this Supper, to come with a great longing after life & ſaluation from him, as we deſire bodily meate when we are hungry, and drinke when we are thirſty: then ſhall we by him be ſatisfied and ſaued, otherwiſe we cannot lay hold on him: we may recei…e the outward ſigne but we cannot receiue the graces o Chriſt offered vntounto vsus.
Laſtly, conſider with me, that if Chriſt be an inward part of the Sacrament of the S ppe…, as it were the hidden Manna, Reuel. 2, 17.then no man by nature, I meane which is a meere naturall man, doth know, deſire, o… ſeeke after him, to be fed and nou…iſhed by him to eternall life, but he is concealed from the wiſeſt men of the world, and ſuch as hauehave deepe vnderſtanding in earthly things. Nay, there are many brought vp in the boſome of the Church, and preſume to approach to the Table of Chriſt, that do not know Chriſt to be their heauenly …ood, for if they did know him aright, they would quickly feele the ſpirituall want of him. They would vnderſtand that they do not more want the ayre to breathe, the earth to tread vponupon, the Sunne to ſhine, their meat to put in their bellies their garments to cloath and attire their bodies, then they ſtand in need of Chriſt, to make him as their food, and to put him on as their apparell, A man that is not hungry knoweth not what meat & drinke meaneth, or at leaſt conſidereth not the neceſsity of them: ſo a man that ſeeleth not what lacke he hath of Chriſt, doth not indeed know what Chriſt is, nor what benefits he hath obtained for him. What a ſhame is this, that any ſhould be found ſo ſimple and ignorant! and what danger is this vntounto themſelues! Alaſſe, alaſſe, how many ſilly ſoules and ignorant people are there, that bleſſe themſelues in their blindneſſe, and thinke themſelues happy men, who neuer ſelt the want of Chriſt, they were neuer troubled in minde to finde him, they were neuer hunger-bit for him, they neuer regarded to know Chriſt and him crucified for the redemption of their ſoules, for the remiſsion of their ſinnes, and for their deliuerance from the gulfe of hell? It is noted touching the church, whē Chriſt had for a ſeaſon withdrawne himſelfe from her,Can. 5, 4, her bowels were moued for him, her ſoule failed and fainted within her, and ſhe was ſicke of louelove to f…inde him againe. We muſt account all things but dung that we may winne Chriſt, after the example of the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.Phil. 3, 8. We muſt not labour for the meat that periſheth, but for the meat which endureth to euerlaſting life, which the Sonne of man will giuegive vntounto vsus, Ioh. 6, 27.Ioh. 6, 27. We are bound to endeuour earneſtly, and to vſe all good meanes to hauehave him as the moſt excellent food and moſt precious guift in the world, far aboue al the riches of the whole earth. Let vsus ſeeke him where he is to be found,Where Chriſt is to be found. that is, in the word and Sacraments: in them he is as it were daily crucified before our eyes, Gal. 3.1. Conſider heerein I pray you the prophaneſſe of this wretched world, of which we ſpake in part before. He is the moſt worthy portion that can befal vsus, the moſt royall feaſt that euer was prepared, the moſt coſtly banket that euer was furniſhed: he is the bread that cāe downe from heauen: the water of life; the meat & drinke that endureth to euerlaſting life: the heauenly Manna giuen to eate:… 12.…. the tree of life in the midſt of the Paradice of God, which yeeldeth fruite eueryevery month, and the leaues of it are for the healing of the Nations: yet not one among an hundred doth ſeeke after him, or any whit ſeeme to regard him, or this Sacrament, which may fitly be called the marriage Supper of the Lambe. We are like the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, who preferred the Onions and garlicke of Egipt before Angels food more ſweet then hony. Such Onion-mungers, or rather earth-wormes are we, that delight our ſelues in ſerpents food, breaking our braines, beſtowing our ſtudies, and imploying our wits and thoughts day and night, to obtaine the treaſures of this life and the riches of this world, but care not to be rich in God through Ieſus Chriſt. How can we perſwade our ſelues that this will be anſwered at the day of iudgement, thus to diſgrace and diſhonour the Lord Ieſus, like Iudas that ſold his maiſter for thirty pence, or like the Iewes that preferred a murtherer before the Lord of life, or like Eſau that ſold his birth-right for a meſſe of pottage. Hence it is, that many hauehave fat and full bodies, and abound with plenty of outward things, that hauehave poore, and leane, and ſtaruen ſoules, like to periſh and pine away. The wiſe man ſaith,Prou. 29, 18. When viſion faileth, the people periſh: and Chriſt chargeth Peter againe and againe, to feed his ſheepe and his Lambes, to wit,Ioh. 21.15. with wholeſome doctrine of the word, and ſound nouriſhment by the Sacraments. For the ſoule hath need of meat and drinke as well as the body, and doth oftentimes decay and dye eternally for want of this ſpirituall food as well as the body doth through the want of temporall food.1 Sam. 30, 12▪ This hath made the faithfull from time to time acknowledge, that there is no bodily food ſo ſweet, ſo delicate, ſo delightſome, and ſo to be deſired as the immortall food of the ſoule. The Apoſtle ſaith, All fleſh is as graſſe, 1 Pet. 1, 24, 25and al the glory of man as the flower of graſſe, the graſſe withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for euer, &c. The Prophet Dauid declareth as much. Pſal. 19.Pſal. 19, 10. The iudgements of the Lord are more to be deſired then gold, yea then much fine gold: ſweeter alſo then hony and the hony-comb. And Pſal. 84.Pſal. 84, 2. My ſoule longeth, yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord; my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the liu ng God. Likewiſe in another Pſalme,Pſal. 41, 1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoule after thee, O God. Wherefore we ought all of vsus to bee more carefull to ſeede our ſoules then our bodies, and to frequent with great deſire and delight the heauenly and precious feaſts that are kept and ſolemnized in the houſe of God. We are content to take long walkes, & wearyſome iournies, & great paines to feed our hungry bodies,Gen. 42, 1, 2. as we ſee by the example of Iacob and his ſonnes in the time of famine. God hath richly prepared his Table for vsus, and giuen vsus his owne and onelyonly Sonne to be meat indeed and drinke indeed: howbeit it is not made ready for ſuch carrion-creatures as hop below vponupon the earth, and minde onelyonly their backe and belly, but it is furniſhed for Eagles that flye vp aloft to heauen and minde eſpecially ſpirituall things. Woe then to the fearefull negligence, or rather open and odious contempt of many diſſolute profeſſors that come ſildome to the Lords Table: ſome once a yeare, ſome ſcarce ſo often, if they could tell how handſomely to ſhift it off and to couer their fault that they might not be eſpied: ſome cut off themſelues quite and cleane from the houſe of God and the place of his worſhip. Let all ſuch take heed, leaſt when they would enter into the kingdome of heauen, they bee ſhut out and cut off from Gods mercy for euermore.
Thus then we ſee, that ſo often as we reſort to this Sacrament, we muſt call to minde that we are going to a ſpirituall feaſt appointed to feed the ſoule, and not to fill the body. He that taſteth of this banket aright, hath eternall life.Iohn 6.54. Now ſuch as the meat and drinke is, ſuch alſo is the manner of eating and drinking; the meate is ſpirituall, the partaking of it therefore muſt needs bee ſpirituall. For the fleſh of Chriſt which is meat indeed, and the blood of Chriſt which is drinke indeed, hath the conſideration of meate and drinke, not as it is fleſh and blood, or in regard of the ſubſtance thereof, for ſo it ſhould be corporall food, but as they were giuen for the life of the world, inaſmuch as he ſuffered for all the elect of the whole world. Hee ſuffered the moſt bitter death of the Croſſe, and was as it were broken with paines that cannot bee expreſſed; hee ſweat drops of blood in great meaſure, Math. 26.31. and 27.46.Mat 26, 31. & 27, 46. and complayneth that he was forſaken of God and men; his Soule was exceeding ſorrowfull euen vntounto death. Reuel. 19.15.Reuel. 19, 15. and he trod the wine-preſſe of the fiercenes and wrath of almighty God. If the Church did lament and complaine thus. Lament. 1, 12.Lamen 1, 12. HaueHave ye no regard, O all ye that paſſe by the way? Conſider and behold, if euer there were ſorrow like my ſorrow which was done vntounto mee, wherewith the Lord did afflict mee in the day of the fierceneſſe of his wrath: much more may Chriſt renue this complaint, to whome it doeth more fully and fitly agree, then vntounto any other: for he was in ſuch great diſtreſſe as neuer was any, and in that diſtreſſe he had no man to regard him, no man to pitty him, no man to comfort him, no man to care for him. Now whereunto tend al theſe his ſorrowes and ſufferings, but to make vsus a feaſt of his owne fleſh? For all this he endured for our ſakes, that he might bee made a moſt pleaſant meat to refreſh vsus, and a moſt comfortable drink to quicken vsus, according to the teſtimony pronounced from his owne mouth: Hee that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life: Ioh 6, 54.which he hath giuen to death for the life of the world.
Seeing therfore Chriſt Ieſus hath done ſo great thinges for vsus, ſhall we doe nothing againe vntounto him? Or rather ſhall we doe nothing for our ſelues? Shall we abſent our ſelues from the feaſt that he hath furniſhed? And will wee not taſte of the meate which he hath prepared at ſo deare a rate? Doubtleſſe we deſerue to periſh for euer, and are worthy to hauehave our ſoules famiſhed vntounto death, that refuſe to come to his holy Supper.
And if we will not ſuppe with him heere in his Church, he will neuer ſuppe with vsus heereafter at his Table. If we will none of his banket prouided on earth, we ſhall be ſure to bee ſhutte out of his banket that hee will make in heauen.
And if we will not bee his gueſts to eate the bread of the LORD ſet foorth for them that will receiue it, wee ſhall neuer eate breade in his heauenly kingdome.
Thus much of the third inward part of this Sacrament, to wit, the body and blood of Chriſt.