The Badges of Christianity, Book 3 · Chapter 7
Chap. 7 Of the words of … in the sacrament of the Lords supper.
ALthough we hauehave spoken before sufficiently of consecration, aBook. 1. ca. 8what it is, and how it is wrought, to satisfie all such as are sober minded and simple Louers of the truth: yet be cause special points are heere to be obserued, and that the aduersaries turn the true consecration into a taine magicall incantation, to worke a miraculous or rather a monstrous transubstantiation: it shall not be amisse to assure and handle this point againe, that therby the truth of God may be cleered, the ignorant instructed, the aduersaties satisfied, and consequently their mouthes stopped. Consecration is bconsecration, what.a change or conuerting of the outward elementes into another vse, by obseruing the whole institution of Christ, which giueth it his effect. We confesse a turning and changing, not of one substance into another, not by abolishing of natures, not by close pronouncing of certaine wordes: but in the vse and in respect of vsus, cThe vse of the elements is changed: the substance is not changed.and in regard of the promise of God. … he water which floweth out of the rock in the wildernesse, signified the same to the fathers, which the Wine … to vsus in the supper. Notwithstanding, it was a common watering to the beasts of the fielde, and to the people of God, the cattell dranke thereof as well as the people, and therefore there could be made no change there in but in respect of men, dNum. 20, …to whom God gaue his gratious promise; which teacheth vsus to account of the outward signes otherwise then of common meats and common drinks. The stones hammered in the quarrey, the timber hewed in the forrest, the gold tryed in the furnace, were common stuff, before they were layd in the building of the Temple, eMatt. 23, 16and so made holy and sanctified to God and man. The sayings and sentences fAct. 17, 28of the heathenish poets were prophane, before they had passed through the pen of God, and were taken vp by the holy ghost. So wee teach of the bread and wine, before the institution of christ is vsed and obserued, they are common: but afterward they are holy. We confesse and … not, but say plainely, there is a change in the sacramentes: the elements which before were ordinary meates, now become spiritual in respect of the vse: before they serued only to feede the belly, now they serue to seale vp the nourishment of our soules.
The discussing of this question, gTwo meās of consecration, to wit the word and praier.together with the foundation of this consecration and sanctification of the creatures, is taken out of 1 Tim. 4. 4. EueryEvery creature of God is good, and nothing ought to be refused, if it be receiued with thanks giuing: for it is sanctified h1 Tim 4, 4, 5by the word of God and prayer. These are the two meanes, the word and prayer, whereby the elementes are changed, though not transubstantiated, yet they hauehave a dignity and preheminence, which they had not before, they are no iIust in. in Apol. 2more common bread, common Wine, common meate, but a Sacrament of Christes body, a warrant of Gods promises, an holy Mystery, and seale of the couenant between God and vsus. The first meanes of this consecration, and setting a part of the creatures to our vse, is by the word of God. If we hauehave the euident and expresse word to warrant our vse of the creatures of God, we may vse them for our necessity and comfort: if we hauehave no word to beare out the practise, they are not sanctified vntounto vsus. The tree of knowledge of good and euil, was not sanctified vntounto. Adam, though it were good in it selfe (as all kGene. 1, 31creatures are) because he had a word of commaundement not to eate of it, lGenes. 2, 17Of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill, thou shalt not eate of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt dye the death. After the fall and after the flood, all creatures were not sanctified, some were accounted mGene, 7, 2vncleane, all might not be eaten, all might not be offered: as vnderunder the law, nLeuit. 11. 3among the beastes, onelyonly they were cleane that did chew the cud and diuide the hoofe: and among the fishes of the Sea, onelyonly such as had skales and finnes were called cleane, the rest were vncleane vntounto them, because the word did not allow but restraine the vse of them.
So likewise for this Sacrament of the Lords Supper, not eueryevery creature is sanctified, not a …, not any flesh, not any fish, not oyle: but onelyonly bread and Wine. These two are consecrated, all the rest are cancelled by the word. The second meanes, whereby the creatures are sanctified, is by prayer. For albeit that God by the comming of his sonne into the world hath sanctified all meates and drinkes, that nothing of it selfe is vncleane, oRom. 14, 15but to him that counteth it vncleane: yet something must necessarily be done on our partes, otherwise that which is holy, we may prophane: and that which is good, we may turne into euill: and therefore the apostle addeth praier, which is both a thanksgiuing to the Lord that he hath sanctified and prepared them for vsus, and likewise a petition that they may bee healthfull for vsus, and we thankefull for them, whereby our foode, our apparell, and all the succours of this life are sanctified to his glory and our comfort.
These be the two meanes of consecration: if these or any of them be wanting, there can be no true consecration. If then in the time of the law they should hauehave eaten swines flesh, which indeed pLeuit. xi, 7part the …, but chew not the cud: they should hauehave sinned, because it was not sanctified: and therefore albeit they had prayed for a blessing all the day longe, and giuen thankes neuer so much, yet could it not make their practise lawfull, which the word of God had made vnlawfull.
Or, if they had offered a cleane and holy sacrifice, and not made humble and earnest prayers to God to accept them and their oblations, it could not hauehave due effect, but the worde of God had beene hindred by their vnworthynesse. So, in the administration of the Lordes sacred Supper, we vse the word of God which warranteth vsus to take the bread and Wine, out of this word wee alledge the promises of God to the true beleeuer: and heerevnto wee ioyne prayers and thankesgiuing, that God would … vsus and … vsus in the participation of his owne ordinance. Thus, albeit we hauehave no forged transubstantiation, wee hauehave a true consecration: if the word of God and prayer of the church can worke it, which are the meanes left vntounto vsus for this purpose: if wee be qIerem. 20, 7any way deceiued, it is the Scripture which hath deceiued vsus.
It remaineth now, to marke the vses of this point for our vse. 1farther instruction. If by vsing the whole … of Christ according to his commaundement, we confesse a change and conuersion wrought in the vse of the signes: then we are falsely charged and slandered, to hauehave no consecration. We pronounce the same wordes of consecration that christ pronounced: we obserue the same thinges that christ obserued, and charged vsus to do: we shew forth plainly the death of Christ as it rGal. 3. 1he were described in our sight and among vsus crucified: we speak openly in a known tongue and the people vnderstand vsus: we pray vntounto God to accept vsus, and render him thankes for the worke of our redemption: lastly, we take the outward elementes and ioyne the word vntounto them, and thus they are made to vsus a sacrament.
Nay, if to offer vp to God, our selues, our soules, our bodies, our almes for the poore, our prayers and thanksgiuinges vntounto God the father for our redemption, be an oblatiou and a sacrifice: We hauehave both a Sacrament and a sacrifice in our Churchés, though we offer not vp Christs body, to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead, vntounto his father. We offer vp as much as swe offer vp as much as christ coman ded vsusChrist commaunded vsus to offer: but that sacrifice was once offered vp vponupon the Crosse: he wasthe priest, hee was the altar, he was the sacrifice, there is no other sacrifice left to be offered for sinne: and he which presumeth to offer him againe, is an enemy to the Crosse of Christ, treadeth the sonne of God vnderunder his foote, counteth the blood of the new Testament vnholy, and hath renounced saluation by Iesus Christ.
Now if we, cleaning precisely to the institution of Christ, doe not consecrate: what may be thought of the Popish priestes, who whisper their wordes closely, that no man heareth: vse a strange tongue, that no man vnderstandeth: bring in pryuate Masses, whereat none communicate: deliuer dry Communions, wherein no man drinketh: exhorte no man, speake to no man: and if they doe consecrate, they consecrate onelye for themselues, and not for others. Wherefore we detest the opprobrious and blasphemous speaches of the prophane pistes, who in t2 Sam, …, … 2 King. 1839 …the spirit of Shemei and of Kahshaketh, raile falsely, vilely, and slanderously against our communions, affirming that they are no other then common bread and wine, without grace, without vertue, without sanctification, bare signes of Christ absent, no better then our common breakfasts, dinners and suppers. Thus they speak basely, proudly, and scornefully of our communions, but all the world knoweth they speake vntruely. We hold an effectuall consecration in both the sacramentes, though we deny a reall conuersion into the body and blood of Christ: the water in baptisme is no more common water, uGal. 3, 2 …it is not void of a spirituall effect, it is not without grace and sanctification. So the bread and wine are changed, not from one substance into another, but from one vse to another; not in themselues, but to vsus: not in their owne nature, but in their end; and thus they are not the same they were before.
Againe, are these signes sanctified and consecrated, that are deliuered and receiued: then heereby wee learne, what vse.is to be thought of the remnants and leauings remaining after the Lordes Supper. For who seeth not heereby, that the bread and wine of the holy vse and lawfull participation appointed, are not a Sacrament? They differ nothing from common bread and wine sold in other places, and taken in our houses. Therfore, aHosich. in leuit. lib. 2, c. 8among diuerse, the remainder was accustomably vsed to be burned; bEuagri, lib. 4 cap. 8 Niceph. lib. 17, cap 25among some it was giuen to little children that were in the schooles; among others, they did eate in the chieron. com. in, 1, Cor. XIcommon assembly at their feastes of louelove: so that out of the sacred vse of the Sacrament they did eate it as common bread, they did drinke it as common wine. We see in baptisme, the water remaining and not vsed, is no part of the Sacrament, but may be applyed to common vses. So it is in the Lords Supper (for the Sacramentes of the new testament are alike and of the same worthinesse) no more is consecrated then is receiued and applied. This also is euident by dNumb 20, … 1 cor, X. 4the rock in the wildernesse: where the waters flowing from thence, represented the blood of Christ to the Isralites that dranke thereof, not to the beastes and cattell that were … by it. So much was consecrated water as they receiued, not all the rest. So when Iohn eMatth. 3. 6baptized in Iordan, not all the Rvuer, but all that which was applyed was sanctified. So when he baptized in fIohn 3, 23Enon, because there was much water …, not the whole streame was hallowed, but so much as he vsed. Wherefore, whatsoeuer remaineth after the celebration of the sacraments, may be … lawful y to common and ordinary vses.
Moreouer, if the sanctification of eueryevery creature, whether Vse. 3in the sacraments or out of the sacramentes, be by the word and prayer, as appeareth by the Apostle: it teacheth a profitable instruction, namely, that no creature of God is to be receiued, no gift to be vsed, no blessing to be enioyed, tending to the health of the body, or comfort of the soule without this duty of prayer and thankesgiuing to the Lord. Indeede eueryevery creature of God in it seife is good, and eueryevery gift is holy: yet if we partake them without praysing the name of the giuer and creator, to vsus they become vnholy, vncleane, and vnpure. Now, if this be needefull in vsing the common creatures and guiftes of God: much more is it necessary in receiuing these pledges and … of feeding our soules to eternall life. Beholde heere, the cause that moued Christ when he had taken the bread, to giuegive thanks to his father: wherin he sheweth what belongeth to the duty of the minister and of the communicantes, to wit, that we ought to lift vp our hearts to God, to praise him fo giuing his onelyonly begotten Sonne to bee our redeemer, and humbly to pray vntounto him that our vnworthynesse hinder not the effectuall working of his Sacrametnes, but that through his goodnesse and mercy they may hauehave their full force in our heartes, for the pardoning of our sinnes, for the increase of his graces, for the confirming of our faith, for the quickning of our obedience, and for the preseruing of body and soule to eternall life. Thus wee blesse God when we praise him, and giuegive him the honour due vntounto his name, We blesse the meates we eate, the drinkes we drinke, the thinges wee receiue, as Paule saith, g1 cori. x, 16The cup of blessing which wee blesse: hHovv the signes in the Sacrament are blessedwhen prayer is made to God, that they may be healthfull to vsus, and we thankefull for them.
Lastly, if in the Sacrament there bee a consecration and separation of the outward elementes to so holy an Vse. 4end: it warneth vsus to be carefull to vse and receiue iWe ought often to receiue the lords supper.oftentimes this Sacrament of the Lordes Supper. For heere are not bare signes, bare tokens, bare figures without fiuite and without grace: they are consecrated signes, and hallowed elements, effectually sealing vppe remission of sinnes. And what is more plaine then that which the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 11. As k1 cor. xi, 25often as ye shall eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, ye shew the Lordes death till he come. Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh, Doe this, as oft as ye shall drinks it in remembrance of me. And hauehave we not many worthy and effectuall lReasons rédred to moue vsus to frequét the Lo. tableconsiderations, to moue such as professe the same doctrine, to resorte oftentimes to the same Table of the Lorde? It is the commaundement of Christ, so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty, as of other commaundementes prescribed vntounto vsus. It is a commaundement of God mExo. 20, 13Thou shalt not steale. Few, but to make some conscience thereof, because it is Gods commaundement. So is this heere, often to come to the Lordes Table: yet what little account is made heereof all the yeare long, eueryevery one seeth, and the faithfull soule agreeueth. The high God possessor nGene. 14, 12of heauen and earth hath required and commaunded it: yet who regardeth? The Lorde hath spoken, and yet who obeyeth? If a father should command a duty of his son, or a maister of his seruant, he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed: oMal. 1, 6and shal we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands? Againe, to his commaundement he hath annexed a promise, which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater, if we shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty. Besides, seeing this sacra, is a speciall prop to stay vp our faith, and geth with it Christ and all his merits and heauenly treasurs: we are vtter enemies to our owne selues, to our own souls, and to our owne saluation, if we neglect …o great mercy offe…e… vntounto vsus. Wherefore, it is not left free vntounto vsus, and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty, but vnlawfull lycentiousnesse. Heere in the faithfull find very great comfort, and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith. Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sickenes, and knoweth his own weaknes, shoulde hauehave a speciall care to looke to his stomacke, that therby he may receiue norishment & gather strength: so we are all spiritually diseased, assaulted of Satan, tempted of the flesh, ouercome after…imes of sin, and must seeke strength of saith from this heauenly nourishment. God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament, as a signe vponupon an high hill, whence it may be seene farre and neere on eueryevery side, to raise vp such as are fallen, to strengthen such as stand, to comfort such as are weak, and to call vntounto him such as run away from him, whereby hee gathereth them vnderunder his winges. It is as the brazen Sepent, pNum. 21. 9that comming vntounto it with a faith to be healed, we might liue and not perish. It is a banner displayed, that eueryevery Ch…stian souldi…r should resort vntounto it as vntounto his owne comfortable Supper, to be had in often vse and continuall remembrance, to put vsus in mind of his continuall mercy laid vp for vsus in the blood of Christ, and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely, then the ba…e word onelyonly. When the words of Christs institution are spoken, qMath, 26. 26 28.This is my body which is broken for you: this is my blood which was shed for you: When these words I say, are reade vntounto vsus our of the scriptures, they confirme our faith: but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes, that we behold the bred broken, and looke vponupon the wine poured out: but most of all when we tast and handle, when we eate and drinke the outwarde signes. We see, when one maketh a bare promise to another, with wordes onelyonly betweene themselues, he beginneth to doubt (to whome the promise is made) of the performance thereof: if he adde an oath for confirmation, the promise is more assuredly ratified: but if he giuegive his hande writing, and seale it to the party, the matter is made out of doubt. Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith. We hauehave the promises of God, wee hauehave the oath of God, we hauehave the wordes and writinges of God, we hauehave the seales and Sacramentes of God, these are not reserued in the Lords keeping, but are put into our owne handes to see them, to keepe them, to vse them for our comfort and assurance. I speake after the manner of men, if wee hauehave a free promise from an honest man, penned fairely in writing, ratified vnderunder his owne hand and seale, and all giuen vntounto vsus to locke and lay vp, we doubt not of the possession.
Now, let vsus consider the Lords doing, and see what hee hath done for vsus: who is not as man, that rNum, 23. 19he shoulde lie, nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue. God sent his sonne sGai. 4, 4into the world to take our nature vponupon him, to be like vsus, tHeb 4. 15euen in his infirmities, hee named himselfe uMath 1, 21Iesus, that is, a Sauiour, because he shoulde saue his people from their sinnes: after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation: he ordained his last supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vntounto vsus, not onelyonly by sounding them in our eares, but by beholding, tasting, smelling, feeling, and feeding to seale them in our hearts, and also daily to be repeated and ministred vntounto vsus. Seeing then, we hauehave both his promises and oath, his worde and writings, his seales and Sacramentes in our keeping, what would we hauehave more? He would not make halfe so much adoin assuring his promises, if he loued vsus not: he would not set such authentike seals to his deede and obligations, vnlesse he ment good earnest. His bare worde and naked promise is verie good paiment: but he respecteth our weakenes, whose mercifull kindnesse must not be neglected through our vnthankefulnes. Thus much of consecration, and the vses thereof.