Treatise of the Lords Supper, Sermon 1
A TREATISE OF THE LORDS Supper, in two Sermons.
Imprinted at London by R. Field for Thomas Man, dwelling in Paternoſter row, at the ſigne of the Talbot. 1591.
To the Reader.
IN the first ſermon the aduerſarie is confuted.
In the ſecond ſermon the Communicants are prepared.
In both are many obſeruations, and the words of the text expounded.
Now labor for thy ſelfe as I hauehave labored, for thee, I would hauehave thee profit ſomewhat more by this booke; becauſe it hath weakened me more then all the reſt. Farwell.
A Treatiſe of the Lords Supper; in two Sermons.
The firſt Sermon.
1. Cor. 11. 23. 24.
The Lord Ieſus in the night that he was betrayed, tooke bread:
And when he had giuen thanks, he brake it, and ſaid, Take, eate: this is my bodie, which is broken for you: this dayes in remembrance of me.
THE Word and the Sacraments are the two breaſts wherewith our mother doth nurſe vsus.The two breſts of the Church. Seeing euerie one receiueth, and few vnderſtand what they receiue; I thought it the neceſſarieſt doctrine to preach of the Sacramēt; which is a witnes of Gods promiſes, a remembrāce of Chriſts death, & a ſeale of our adoptiō: therfore Chriſt hath not inſtituted this Sacrament for a faſhion in his Church to touch, and feele, and ſee, as we gaze vponupon pictures in the windowes; but as the woman which had the bloudie iſſue,Matth. 9. 20. touching the hemme of Chriſtes garmēt, drew vertue from Chriſt himſelfe becauſe ſhe beleeued: So Chriſt would that we touching theſe ſignes, ſhould draw vertue from himſelf, that is, all the graces which theſe ſignes repreſent.2. Chro. 35. 6. Therefore as the Leuits vnderunder the Law, were bound to prepare their brethren before they came to the Paſſeouer; ſo preachers of the Goſpel ſhould prepare their brethrē before they come to the Supper of the Lord. For which purpoſe I hauehave choſen this place to the Corinthians, which is the cleareſt & fulleſt declaration of this Sacrament in all the ſcripture.
The Lord Ieſus in the night, &c:
The ſumme of all theſe words is,The diuiſion the inſtitution, and vſe of the Lords Supper. Firſt Paul ſheweth the author of it, The Lord Ieſus; then the time when it was inſtituted, in the night that he was betrayed; then the manner how he did inſtitute it, he tooke bread, and when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue vntounto his Diſciples, &c. then the end why he did inſtitute it, for a remembrance of his death.
Touching the author,The Author. he which is ſignified by it, was the author of it. The Lord Ieſus hath bid vsus to ſupper,Iohn. 1. 27. I am not worthy (ſaith Iohn) to looſe his ſhoe; ſo we are not worthy to waite at his trencher, and yet he wil hauehave vsus ſit at his table. To him belongeth the power to ordaine Sacraments in his Church,None but Chriſt may ordaine Sacraments. becauſe he fulfilled the Sacraments of the Law. When Chriſt came the Paſſeouer ceaſed, becauſe he is our Paſſeouer, that is,Iohn. 1. 29. the Lamb by whoſe bloud we are ſaued. When Chriſt came, Circumciſion ceaſed, becauſe he is our Circumciſion, that is, the purifier and clenſer of our ſinnes.Reuel. 7. 14. Now theſe two ſacraments are fulfilled, he hath appointed two other Sacraments for them: in ſteed of the paſchall Lambe, which the Iewes did eate,Iohn. 1. 29. he hath giuen vsus another Lamb to eate, which Iohn calleth the Lambe of God, that is himſelfe, vponupon whom all do feede, whoſoeuer do receiue this Sacrament with an aſſured faith that Chriſt died to poſſeſſe them of life. The breaking of the bread, doth ſignifie the wounding of his bodie: the powring of the wine doth ſignifie the ſhedding of his blood. The eating of the bread, and drinking of the wine, doth ſignifie that his fleſh and bloud doe nouriſh in vsus life eternal, as the bread and wine do nouriſh the life preſent.
In ſteed of Circumciſion,Gen. 17. 10. which began at Abrahā, he hath ordained Baptiſme,Who was therefore called Iohn the Baptiſt. which began at Iohn, a more liuely repreſentation of the true circumciſion of the hart, becauſe it repreſenteth vntounto vsus the bloud of Chriſt which waſheth our ſoules,Matth. 3. 1. as the water in Baptiſme waſheth our bodies.Reuel. 1. 5.Reuel. 22. 14.
Touching the time:Time. In the night (ſaith Paul) therefore this Sacrament is called The Lords Supper, Verſe. 23.becauſe it was inſtituted at night when they vſed to ſup. But what night? euen that night (ſaith Paul) when he was betrayed: that night which he ſhould hauehave curſed,Iob. 3. 3. as Iob did the day of his birth, if he had ſuffred againſt his will: that night when hee ſhould hauehave thought to deſtroy men, as men conſpired to deſtroy him, that night (ſaith Paul) this Sacrament of grace, and peace, and life began. Euen that night when we betrayed him. Manie nights did he ſpend in watching, and praying for vsus; & is there a night now for vsus to kill & betray him? That was a darke night, when men went about to put out the ſonne which brought them light. Who can but wonder, to ſee how Chriſt, & they for whom Chriſt came, were occupied at one time? when they deuiſed miſchief againſt him, & ſought all meanes to deſtroy him, then he conſulted how to ſaue them, and inſtituted the ſame night this bleſſed Sacrament, to conuay all his graces and bleſſings vntounto them, Euen that night when they betrayed him.
The reaſon why this actiō was deferred vntill night,Why this ſacrament was inſtituted at night. is, becauſe that was the time appointed by the Law to eate the Paſſeouer, which was like a predeceſſor of this Sacrament.Why it was deferred till his laſt night The reaſon why he deferred vntill his laſt night, was, becauſe the Paſſeouer could not be ended, before the fulneſſe of time, and the true Paſchal Lambe were come to be ſlaine in ſtead of the other. Therefore how fitlie did Chriſt ende the Paſſeouer, which was a ſigne of his ſuffering, ſo preſently before his ſuffering? And beſide, how ſweetly did he confirme his diſciples faith, when as they ſhould ſee that the next day performed before their eyes, which ouernight both in the Paſſeouer, and in the Sacrament was ſo liuely reſembled vntounto them? If any from this do gather,Why we receiue not the Lords ſupper at night. that we ought to eate the Lords ſupper at night as Chriſt did, he muſt vnderſtand that we hauehave not the ſame cauſe to do ſo which Chriſt had, becauſe of the Paſſeouer. And therefore the Church which hath diſcretion of times and places, hath altered both the time and the place, vſing the temples in ſtead of the chamber, and the morning in ſtead of the euening: for indifferent things are ruled by order & decencie.
Touching the maner,Verſ. 23. 24. He tooke bread, and when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue it vntounto them. He would not eate it, nor breake it, before he had giuē thankes to God. What neede he which was God, giuegive thankes to God, but to ſhew vsus what we ſhould doe, when we eate our ſelues?1. Theſ. 5. 18. In all things giuegive thankes (ſaith Paul) whereby we declare, that all things come from God:Note. but the wicked beleeue eaſier that God doth take, than that he doth giuegive, and therefore they neuer pray heartily vntounto him for any thing, nor feelinglie thanke him for it. For which the Lord complaineth, ſaying: I hauehave loued you, Mala. 1. 2.yet ye ſay, wherein haſt thou loued vsus? Shewing, that we are worſe than the Oxe,Eſay. 1. 3. which knoweth his feeder. And if we acknowledge all things from God,Gene. 19. 20. yet we do like Lot, Is it not a little one (ſaith he) when he craued to go vntounto Zoar, as though it were not much which he asked: ſo we mince and extenuate the giftes of God, before we receiue them and after; like them which hauehave a grace for dinner, and none for breakfaſt, as though they had their dinners from God, and breakfaſtes of their owne. Our exāple did not ſo: Although it was but bread which he receiued, yet he was more thākfull for bread, than many which burie the fowles, and fiſhes, and beaſts, in their belly: for if a coūt of all were kept, for one that prayeth,Luke. 11. 3. GiueGive vsus this day our dayly bread, a hundred take their bread, and meate, & ſleepe to, which neuer pray for it.
After he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue vntounto them, and ſayd, Take, eate: for when he had giuen thankes to God, then it was ſanctified, and bleſſed,Note. and lawfull to eate. So when thou ſerueſt God, then it is lawfull for thee to vſe Gods bleſſings, then thou mayſt eate and drinke as Chriſt did, but not before, for theſe things were created to ſerue them which ſerue God; if thou doeſt not ſerue him for them, thou encrocheſt vponupon Gods bleſſings, and ſtealeſt his creatures, which are no more thine, than thou art his, for the good God created all things for good men, as the deuils poſſeſſions are reſerued for euill men.
Therfore as Chriſt would not breake the bread, before he had giuen thankes to the founder; ſo know, that there is ſome thing to be done before thou receiue any benefite of God, and preſume not to vſe his creatures with more libertie than his Sonne did, which did not eate without giuing thankes, nor riſe againe without ſinging of a Pſalme.Mat. 26. 30.
It followeth, This is my body. Here is the fruite of his thāks before, he prayed that the bread and wine might be bleſſed,Gene. 27. & they were bleſſed. As Iſaaks bleſſing ſhewed it ſelfe vpō Iaakob whō he bleſſed; ſo Chriſtes bleſſing appeared ſtraight vpō theſe myſteries: for it could not be ſayd before, This is my body, becauſe it was meere bread; but now it may be called his body, becauſe his bleſſing hath infuſed that vertue into it, that it doth not onlie repreſent his bodie, but conuey his bodie, and himſelfe vntounto vsus. The efficacie of this bleſſing is in this Sacramēt euer ſince, ſanctifying it vntounto vsus as well as it did to the Apoſtles,Luke. 22. 32. euen as Chriſts prayer ſtayed Peters faith after Chriſt was dead.
Now ye hauehave heard the meaning of theſe wordes, He tooke bread, and bleſſed it, and brake it, and gaue it: you ſhall ſee with what a myſticall reſemblance they vnite Chriſt and vsus. Firſt, as Chriſt in the Supper tooke bread to feede vsus:Heb. 2. 16. ſo in his birth he tooke our fleſh to ſaue vsus. Secondlie as Chriſt when he had taken the bread, bleſſed the bread to make it a ſpirituall foode: So Chriſt, when he had taken our fleſh, powred forth moſt rich & precious graces into it, to make it food of life vntounto vsus.Iohn. 17. 19. Thirdly, as Chriſt when he had bleſſed the bread, brake the bread: ſo Chriſt when he had filled his bodie with moſt precious graces, brake it vp like a rich treaſure houſe, his hands by the nayles, his backe by the ſtripes, his head by the thornes,1. Pet. 2. 24. his ſide by the ſpeare; that out of eueryevery hole a riuer of grace and goodnes might iſſue & flow forth vntounto vsus.Epheſ. 3. 17. Laſtly, as Chriſt gaue the bread when he had broken it: ſo Chriſt by a liuely faith cōmunicateth his bodie after he hath crucified it. Hereby we are taught, that when we ſee the Miniſter take the bread to feede vsus, we muſt conceaue that Chriſt being God from euerlaſting tooke our fleſh to ſaue vsus. When we ſee the Miniſter bleſſe the bread to a holy vſe, we muſt conceaue that Chriſt by vniting the Godhead vntounto it, ſanctified his fleſh for the work of our redemption. When we ſee the Miniſter breake the bread to ſuſtaine our bodies: we muſt conceaue that Chriſt in his death brake his body to refreſh our ſoules. When we ſee the Miniſter giuegive the bread to our hāds, we muſt conceaue that Chriſt as trulie offereth himſelf to our faith to be receiued of vsus.
Becauſe vponupon theſe wordes the Papiſts ground their Tranſubſtantiation, that is, that the bread is changed into Chriſts fleſh, and the wine is turned into Chriſtes bloud, whereby we eate the ſame bodie which died vponupon the croſſe, & drinke the ſame bloud which iſſued out of his ſide; that you may ſee the blindnes of this popiſh dreame, I would hauehave you but marke eueryevery word of this Scripture how they make againſt Trā ſubſtantiation, that you may ſee them ſlaine like Goliah with their owne ſword.1. Sam. 17. 51. Euē as god made Caiphas ſpeake againſt himſelf;Iohn. 18. 14. ſo the Scriptures which heretickes alleage, do make againſt thē ſelues,1. King. 18. 28. like the Baalites which wounded their owne fleſh.Heretickes alledge ſcripture like the deuill. I may liken their allegations to Sathans, when he tempted Chriſt in the Wilderneſſe, he alledged but one ſentence of Scripture for himſelfe,Matth. 4. 4. and that Pſalme out of which he borrowed it,Pſal. 91. 11. makes ſo plaine againſt him, that he was fayne to picke here a word, & there a word, & leaue out that which wēt before, & skip in the middeſt and omit that which came after, or elſe he had marred his cauſe. The Scripture is ſo holy & pure, & true, that no word, nor fillable therof cā make for the deuil, or for ſinners, or for heretickes: yet as the deuill alledged. Scripture, though it made not for him, but againſt him; ſo doe the libertines, and Epicures, and heretickes, as though they had learned at his ſchoole. Now there is no ſentence of the Scripture, which the wiſer Papiſtes alledge boldlie for their Tranſubſtantiatiō, but this, that Chriſt ſayd, This is my bodie, Matth. 26. 26.by which they may proue as well that Chriſt is a doore, becauſe he ſayth,Iohn. 10. 7. 9. I am the doore: or a vine, becauſe he ſaith,Iohn. 15. 1. I am a Vine; for his ſayings are like. Figuratiue ſpeaches muſt not be cōſ…ued litterally, but this is heretickes fashion. If you marke, you ſhal ſee throughout, that all the teſtimonies which the Papiſts alledge for their hereſies,Note. are either tropes, or figures, or alle gories, or parables, or alluſions, or darke ſpeaches; which when they preſume to expounde allegoricallie, or litterallie, without cōference of other Scriptures, then they wander, and ſtray from the marke, or elſe it is impoſſible that the truth ſhuld maintaine error, that is, that the Scripture ſhould ſpeake for hereſie, if it were not peruerted: therfore we ſee that Eue neuer erred,Gene. 3. 3. vntill ſhe corrupted the text.
Now we will enter the liſts with our aduerſaries, & ſee whether theſe words do prooue that the bread and wine are turned into Chriſtes bodie.Arguments againſt Popiſh Trāſubſtantiation. Paule ſaith, Ieſus tooke bread well thē, yet it is bread: when he had taken it, then he bleſſed it; what did he bleſſe? the bread which he tooke; well then, yet it is bread: when he had bleſſed it, then he brake it, what did he breake? the bread which he bleſſed; well then, yet it is bread; when he had brokē it, then he gaue it; what did he giuegive? the bread which he brake, well then, yet it is bread: when he had giuen it, they did eate it; what did they eate? the bread which he gaue them; well thē, yet it is bread: when they did eate it, thē he ſaid, This is my body: what did he call his bodie? the bread which they did eate; well then, yet it is bread. If it be bread all this while, when he did take it, and bleſſe it, and breake it, and giuegive it, and they did eate it, when is it turned into his bodie?Matth. 22. 34 here they ſtand like the Sadduces, as mute as fiſhes.
Now that ye may ſee that not we onelie ſay it is bread and wine after the conſecration; in the 27. Verſe Chriſt himſelfe doth call it bread and wine after he had giuē it, as he did before. And in Marke he ſaith,Mar. 14. 25. I will drinke no more of the fruite of the vine. Here Chriſt ſaith, that it was the fruite of Vine which he dranke, but his bloud is not the fruite of Vines, but Wine; therfore wine was his drinke, and not bloud.
Beſide, if you would heare Paule expound Chriſt, he ſheweth, that all our Fathers had the ſame ſubſtāce of Chriſt in their Sacramentes, that we hauehave in ours,1. Cor. 10. 4. for he ſaith, They all did eate the ſame ſpirituall meate, and all drinke the ſame ſpirituall drinke. Verſ. 3. 4Straight he ſayth, that this meate and this drinke was Chriſt. Verſ. 4.Marke that he ſaith not onelyonly, They did eate the ſame meate that we eate, but he ſaith, that this meate was Chriſt: and not onelyonly ſo, but to ſhew that Chriſt is not a corporall meate, as the Papiſtes ſay: he ſaith, he is a ſpirituall meate, as we ſay; therfore you ſee that we do not eate him corporally, no more than our Fathers, but that as they did eate him ſpiritually, ſo do we; for ſpirituall meate muſt be eaten ſpiritually, as corporall meate is eaten corporally.
Agayne, for the ſignes to be turned into the thing ſignified by thē, is vtterly againſt the nature of a Sacrament, & makes it no Sacrament, becauſe there is no ſigne: for eueryevery Sacrament doth cō ſiſt of a ſigne, and a thing ſignified; the ſigne is euer an earthly thing, and that which it ſignifieth is a heauenly thing. This ſhall appeare in all examples, as in Paradiſe there was a verie Tree for the ſigne,Gene. 2. 9. and Chriſt the thing ſignified by it.Gen…. 17. 11. In Circumciſion there was a cutting off of the ſkin, and the cutting off of ſinne. In the Paſſe-ouer there was a Lambe,Exod. 12. 3. and Chriſt. In the Saboth there was a day of reſt,Exod. 23. 11. & eternall reſt. In the Sacrifices there was an offering of ſome beaſt,Heb. 9. 13. and the offering of Chriſt. In the Sanctuarie there was the holy place,Exod. 30. and heauen.Exod. 25. 24. In the Propitiatorie there was the goldē couering▪ & Chriſt our couer. In the Wilderneſſe there was a Rocke yeelding water,Exod. 17. 16. and Chriſt yeelding his bloud.Mat. 3. 16. In the Apparition there was a a Doue,Iohn. 6. 49. & the holy Ghoſt. In the Manna there was Bread, and Chriſt. In Baptiſme there is verie water which waſheth vsus,Iohn. 1. 33. and Chriſtes bloud waſhing vsus; ſo in the Supper of Chriſt there is very Bread & Wine for the ſigne,1. Cor. 11. 19. & the body and bloud of Chriſt for the thing ſignified, or elſe this Sacramēt is againſt the nature of all other Sacraments.
Againe, there muſt be a proportion betweene the Paſſe ouer and the Lords Supper, becauſe this was figured by the other.Exod. 12. Now, the Iewes had in their Paſſeouer, Bread, and Wine, and a Lambe; ſo Chriſt inſtituting his Supper,Mat. 16. 26. left bread and wine, and a Lambe, which name is giuen to himſelfe,Iohn. 1. 29. becauſe he came like … Lambe, and died like a Lambe.
Agayne, if Chriſtes verie bodie were …ffered in the Sacramēt, thē it were not a Sacrament, but a Sacrifice; which two differ as much as giuing, and taking: for in a Sacrifice we giuegive, & in a Sacrament we receiue, and therefore we ſay our Sacrifice, and Chriſtes Sacrament.
Agayne, euerie Sacrifice was offered vponupon an Altar.Exod. 27. Now marke the wiſedome of the holy Ghoſt, leaſt we ſhould take this for a Sacrifice, he neuer names Altar when he ſpeakes of it, but, The Table of the Lord. Therefore it is no doubt but the deuill hath kept the name of Altar, that we might thinke it a Sacrifice.
Agayne, if the bread were Chriſtes fleſh, and the wine his bloud, as theſe two are ſeparate one from the other; ſo Chriſtes fleſh ſhould be ſeparate from his bloud, but his bodie is not deuided, for then it were a dead body.
Agayne, that which remaineth doth nouriſh the bodie, and reliſh in the mouth as it did before, which could not be, but that it is the ſame foode which it was before.
Agayne, I would aske, whoſe are this whitenes, and hardnes, and roundneſſe, and coldneſſe? None of them ſay that it is the whiteneſſe, and hardneſſe, and roundneſſe, and coldnes of Chriſtes bodie: therefore it muſt needes be the whiteneſſe, and hardneſſe, and roundneſſe, and coldneſſe of the bread, or elſe qualities ſhould ſtand without ſubſtāces, which is, as if one ſhould tell you of a houſe without a foundation.
Agayne, as Chriſt dwelleth in vsus, ſo he is eaten of vsus, but he dwelleth in vsus onelyonly by faith. Epheſ. 3. 17. Therefore he is eaten onelyonly by faith.
Agayne, none can be ſaued, without the communion of the body of Chriſt: but if all ſhould communicate with it corporally, then neither infants nor any of our Fathers, the Patriarkes or the Prophets ſhould be ſaued, becauſe they receiued it not ſo.
Agayne, Chriſt ſayth not, this wine, but this cup, and therefore by their concluſion, not onelyonly the wine ſhould be …urned into bloud, but the cup to.
Again, Paul ſaith, They which receiue vnworthilie, receiue their owne damnation. But if it were the fleſh of Chriſt, they ſhould rather receiue ſaluation than dā nation, Iohn. 6. 54.becauſe Chriſt ſayth, He that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlaſting.
Agayne, if they would heare an Angell from heauen: when Chriſtes bodie was glorified, an Angell ſaid to the women,Mat. 28. He is riſen, and is not here, as if he ſhould ſay, his body is but in one place at once, or elſe he might hauehave been there, though he was riſen.
Agayne, why doe they ſay in receiuing this Sacrament euer ſince the Primitiue Church, Lift vp your hearts, if they hauehave all in their mouthes? To end this controuerſie: Here we may ſay as the Diſciples ſaid to Chriſt,Iohn. 6. 68. Whither ſhall we go from thee? I meane we need not to goe to any other expoſitor of Chriſt than Chriſt himſelfe. Therefore marke what he ſayth:Iohn. 6. 60. At firſt when Chriſt ſaid, that he was the bread of life, & that all which would liue muſt eate him, they murmured vntill he expounded his words; and how did he expoūd his wordes?Iohn. 6. 35. Thus, He that commeth vntounto me hath eaten, and he that beleeueth in me hath drunke. After whē he inſtituted this Sacramēt, in like wordes they murmured not, which they would as before, if he had not reſolued thē before, that to eate his body, and to drinke his bloud, was nothing but to come to him, & beleeue in him. After he had ſayd ſo, they murmured not, becauſe they did ſee ſome reaſon in it. As it is plainlie ſayd, This is my body; Iohn. 6. 63.ſo it is plainlie ſaid, theſe wordes are ſpirite: that is, they muſt be vnderſtood ſpiritually, and not literally. But if it be fleſh indeed, why do they not ſatisfie the ſimple people, how they may eate this fleſh in Lent, when they forbid thē to eate any fleſh, they muſt needes eate it doubtfully, and he which doubteth ſayth Iames, receaueth nothing: therefore he which eateth the Maſſe receiueth nothing.
I did not alledge the Fathers in my Sermon, but if any ſuſpend his aſſent, till they bring in their verdit, let him heare thē make cōfeſſiō of their beleefe. Auguſtin ſayth,Aug. vpō the 3. Pſalme. the Lord doubted not to ſay, this is my body, when he gaue onelyonly a ſigne, or Sacrament of his body.
Tertulian ſaith,Tert. againſt Marcion the 4. booke. 4. booke 4. ca. of Sacraments. this is my body, that is, a ſigne of my body.
Ambroſe ſayth, the bread and wine remayne ſtill the ſame thing that they were.
Theodoret ſaith,In his firſt Dialogue. after the conſecration, the myſticall ſignes do not caſt off their own nature, but abide ſtill in their firſt ſubſtance and forme.
Origene ſayth,VponUpon the 15. of Mat. the bread that is ſanctified with the word of God, as touching the materiall ſubſtance thereof goeth into the bellie, and forth agayne like other meates.
Irenaeus ſaith,Irenae. 4. book cap. 34. against Valē tinus. that it hath two things in it, one earthly, and the other heauenly.
Cyrill ſaith,Ad ob. Theod. Our Sacraments auouch not the eating of a man.Anathematis.
Cyprian ſayth, the Lord calleth bread made of many graines,1. booke of Epi. his body, & called wine made of many grapes, his bloud.
Athanaſius ſaith,In that Goſpel whoſoeuer ſpeaketh a word, &c. Chriſt made mention of his aſcention into heauen, that he might withdraw his diſciples from corporall and fleſhly eating.
Chryſoſtome ſaith,Hom. 60. to the people of Antioch. God giueth vsus things ſpirituall vnderunder things viſible & naturall.To Caeſarus the Monke. And againe, being ſanctified, it is deliuered from the name of bread, & is exalted to the name of the Lords bodie, although the nature of the bread ſtill remaine.
And becauſe they beleeue that the Pope cannot erre,Againſt Eutiches the Heretike. Pope Gelaſius ſetteth to his hand, and ſaith with the reſt, Neither the ſubſtance of the bread, nor nature of the wine ceaſe to be, more thā they were before.
Tell vsus, Papiſt, doe not theſe Fathers ſpeake as plaine as we? Canſt thou auouch. Tranſubſtantiation more flatly than they denie it? How had this hereſie bene chaſed, if the diuel had hatched it in their time?
Thus the Scriptures on the one ſide, and the Fathers on the other ſide did ſo trouble three arch papiſts, Biel, Tonſtal, and Fiſher, Vpō the Canon lect. 40.that Gabriel Biel ſaith, how the body of Chriſt is in the Sacrament, is not found in the canon of the Byble.
Tonstal ſaith,1. book of the Sacr. pag. 46. It had bene better to leaue euerie man to his owne coniecture, as they were before the Councell of Laterane, than to bring in ſuch a queſtion.
Fiſher ſaith,Againſt the captiuitie of Babylon made by M. Luther No man can proue by the words of the goſpel that any Prieſt in theſe dayes doth conſecrate the verie bodie and bloud of Chriſt.
Here is fulfilled,Luk. 19. 22. Out of thine owne mouth I will condemne thee. But we will not carry the matter ſo, becauſe a iudge muſt hauehave two eares, therefore now let them ſpeake.The Papiſtes allegations for the reall preſence. Becauſe they cannot tell how the bread and wine ſhould be turned into fleſh and bloud, and yet appeare bread and wine ſtill, they ſay it is a myracle: but how do they proue it? If they contēd it is a myracle, they muſt ſhew vsus a ſigne, for euerie myracle may be ſeene, like all the myracles of Moſes and Chriſt, and the Apoſtles: and therefore a myracle is called a ſigne,Exo. 4. 8. & 21 becauſe it may be ſeene like a ſigne, and the word ſignifieth a wōder, as though we did ſee ſome thing to wonder. And the Iewes crauing a myracle, ſaide, Shewe vsus a myracle: Exod. 9.as though they were taught to iudge of myracles by ſight. All which doth ſhew that a myracle may be ſeene, but here no myracle is ſeene.
Againe, a myracle (eſpecially in the time of the Goſpell) is an extraordinary thing, but they make this an ordinarie thing; for if the bread and wine be turned into fleſh and bloud, then myracles are as common as Sacramēts, and ſo becauſe they hauehave Maſſe euerie day, they ſhould worke myracles eueryevery day. Laſtly, this ſeemeth ſtrange, that Augustine, whom they ſo much honor, gathered all the myracles which are written in the ſcripture, & yet amongſt all, ſpeakes not of this; therefore then it was counted no myracle: but Paul ſpeakes of lying myracles, 2. Theſſ. 2. 9.and this is one of them.
If they ſay that Chriſt can turneObiect. bread and wine into his bodie,Obiect. & therfore he doth.Anſwere. Firſt they muſt proue that he will: for they can doe many things themſelues which they doe not, becauſe they will not: therefore it is an old anſwere, that from Can to Will, no argument followeth.Mar. 1. 40. The Leper did not ſay to Chriſt, If thou can, thou will; but, If thou wilt thou canſt.
But the queſtion which they thinke can not be anſwered, like their inuincible Nauies,Obiect. is this. If the bread be not his bodie, why doth he call it his bodie? Reſolue this knot & al is cleere.Anſwer. Marke then and we will looſe it as well as we cā: He ſaith, This is my bodie, as he ſaith after, which is broken for you. Why? his bodie was not broken before he ſuffered, how did he ſay then, which is broken, before it was broken? There is no ſenſe of it but this, the bread was broken, and ſignified that his body ſhould be broken. Now, as the breaking of the bread did ſignifie the breaking of his bodie, ſo the bread muſt needs ſignifie his bodie: but as his bodie was not broken indeed when the bread was broken, ſo the bread could not be his body indeed: for then his bodie ſhould hauehave bene broken when the bread was broken: yet let them obiect what they can.
If (say they) the bread and wine be not changed into his bodie and blood,Obiect. why doth he ſpeak ſo darkly? he might hauehave ſpoken plainer.
I anſwere,Anſwer. though this ſeeme darke to Papiſts, yet it was not darke to the Apoſtles, they vnderſtood his meaning well enough, and all the reſt for 1215. yeares after Chriſt, before Tranſubſtā tiation was ſpoken of. If the Apoſtles had not vnderſtood his meaning, they would not ſticke to aske him as their manner was, vntill they were acquainted with Chriſts phraſe, whenſoeuer they doubted vponupon any of his ſpeeches, they were wont to come vntounto him, and ſay,Luk. 8. 9. maſter, what is the meaning? but they were vſed to ſuch phraſes: for it was Chriſts manner to teach by ſimilitudes, ſhewing one thing by another, which is the plaineſt manner of teaching, and moſt vſed in holy Scripture, eſpecially in the types and ſhadowes of this Sacrament. For example, Chriſt calleth the Lamb the Paſſeouer,Mat. 26. 17. in place wherof this Sacrament ſucceeded, and therefore preſently after they had eaten the Paſſeouer, Chriſt inſtituted this Sacrament to be vſed for it. Chriſt (I ſay) called the Lambe the Paſſeouer, and yet the Paſſeouer was this, an Angel paſſed ouer the houſes of the Iſraelites, and ſtrooke the Aegyptians: Exod. 12. 27.this was not a Lambe, and yet becauſe the Lamb was a ſigne of this Paſſeouer, as the bread & wine is of Chriſts body therfore Chriſt called the Lambe the Paſſeouer, as he calleth the bread and wine his bodie.
Againe,Gen. 17. 13. Circumciſion is called the Couenant, & yet Circumciſion was nothing but the cutting away of a skin: but the Couenant is, In Abrahams ſeede all nations ſhall be bleſſed, Gen. 12. 3.I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people, I will defend and ſaue them, and they ſhall ſerue & worſhip me. This is not Circumciſion, & yet as though Circumciſion were the Couenant it ſelfe, it is called the Couenant, becauſe it ſignified the Couenant, ſo bread and wine are called Chriſts bodie, becauſe they ſignifie Chriſts bodie.
Againe,Tit. 3. 5. Baptiſme is called regeneration, and yet baptiſme is a dipping of our bodies in water; but regeneration is the renewing of the minde,1. Cor. 6. 11. to the image wherein it was created: this is not Baptiſme, and yet as though Baptiſme were regeneration it ſelfe, it is called regeneration, becauſe it ſignified regeneration: ſo the bread and wine are called Chriſtes bodie, becauſe they ſignifie Chriſts bodie.
Againe,Luk. 22. 20. the Cup is called the new Teſtament, and yet the Cup is but a peece of mettall, filled with wine: but the new Teſtament is,Iohn. 3. 36. He which beleeueth in the Sonne, ſhall be ſaued this is not a Cup, and yet as though the Cup were the new Teſtament it ſelfe, it is called the new Teſtament, becauſe it ſignifieth the new Teſtament: ſo the bread & wine are called Chriſtes bodie, becauſe they ſignifie Chriſts body. They which knew that the Lambe is not the Paſſeouer, though Chriſt called it the Paſſeouer; that Circumciſion is not the Couenant, though God called it the Couenant; that Baptiſme is not regeneration, though it be called regeneration; that the Cup is not the new Teſtamēt, though Chriſt called it the new Teſtament; could they not as well vnderſtand, that the bread and wine were not Chriſts body, though Chriſt called thē his bodie? As they vnderſtood theſe ſpeeches, ſo they vnderſtoode this ſpeech; therfore they which ſay, that the bread and wine are Chriſtes bodie, becauſe Chriſt ſaith,Matth. 26. 26. This is my bodie. may as well ſay, that the Lambe is the Paſſeouer, becauſe Chriſt calleth it the Paſſe ouer, that Baptiſme is regeneration, becauſe Paul calleth it regeneration, that the Cup is the new Teſtament, becauſe Chriſt calleth it the new Teſtament.
If euerie Sacrament was called by the thing which it ſignified, and yet neuer any Sacrament was taken for the thing it ſelfe, what reaſon hauehave they to take this Sacrament for the thing it ſelfe, more than al the reſt? It is the conſent of all writers that a Sacrament is a ſigne, therefore not the thing ſignified: no more then the buſh at the dore, is the wine in the ſeller. If I cal the Prince a Phoenix, the Vniuerſitie a Fountain, the Court a Peacocke, the Citie a Sea, the Countrey an Eremite, why can the Papiſts vnderſtand me, and not vnderſtand Chrſt? What a darke and ſtrange, and intricate, and incredible ſpeech had this beene for them to vnderſtand groſly, & literally? Would they think, that they did eate Chriſtes body, when his bodie ſtoode before them, and he had told them before, that his bodie was like their bodie? Nay, this would …aue required moe words, and made …hem come againe, with Master, what … the meaning? Luk. 9. 8.for they were not ſo …ſtructed yet before the reſurrection, …o beleeue euerie thing without que…ioning, if it were contrarie to ſenſe and reaſon: but as they asked, who had giuen him any meate,Iohn 4. 33. when he ſaid that he had meate, and they coulde ſee none: ſo they would hauehave asked, what meate is this which we ſee not? How can euerie one of vsus eate his bodie, and yet he hath but one bodie, and that bodie is whole when we eate it? Loe, he ſtandeth before vsus and saith, that his bodie is like vntounto ours, and yet hee takes bread and breakes it, and giues it vntounto vsus to eate, and when we eate it,Luk. 24. 39. he ſaith This is my bodie: and yet his bodie ſtandeth before vsus ſtill. If his bodie be like ours (as he ſaith) how can it be eaten and be there, for ours cannot? Thus they would hauehave queſtioned, if they had not beene vſed to ſuch phraſes: but as they could vnderſtand him when he called himſelfe a ſtone, and a rock, and a dore, and a window, and a Vine, ſo they could picke out his meaning, when he ſaid that bread was his bodie: for he had told them before,Iohn 16. 5. that he was the bread of eternall life.
Now the bread of eternall life is not eaten with teeth, for the bodie cannot eate ſpiritually, no more then the ſoule can eate corporally, and therefore he is ſuch a bread as is eaten with faith, and ſo himſelfe ſaith in the Goſpel of Iohn. Iohn. 6. 35.Marke this eating by faith, and all the ſtrife is ended. Fleſh and bloud indeed need not faith to chew them, for the teeth can chew thē well enough. Therfore if the bread and wine were the bodie of Chriſt, then we need not faith to eate it, but all which hauehave teeth might eate Chriſts bodie, yea the Mice might eate it as well as men, for they eate the ſame bread that we do, as well after it is conſecrated, as before.
If this be not enough to batter the ruines of this vpſtart Hereſie, I will come to interrogatories, and ſee whether they hauehave learned it by rote, or by reaſon. If they ground their Tranſubſtantiation vppon theſe wordes of Chriſt,Marth. 26. 26. This is my bodie, which hee ſpake to his Diſciples▪ I aske them, whether they receiue that bodie which was mortall, or that bodie which is glorified;Neither Chriſts mortal bodie, nor his immortal bodie, can be in the ſame. becauſe one of theſe bodies they muſt needs receiue, either his mortall bodie, or his glorified bodie. If they ſay, that it is his mortall bodie, the mortal bodie wil not profite them: for you ſee that mortall food is but for this mortall life, neither hath Chriſt a mortall bodie now to communicate vntounto them, becauſe it is changed to an immortall bodie, therefore they cannot receiue the mortall bodie, becauſe Chriſt hath not a mortall bodie to giuegive them. If they ſay that they receiue his glorified bodie, then they muſt ſhe from this Text, for at that time Chriſt had no glorified bodie.
When this Sacrament was inſtituted, and Chriſt ſaid This is my bodie, his bodie was not glorified, becauſe the Sacrament was inſtituted before his death, and his bodie was glorified after his reſurrection. Therefore if they receiue the ſame bodie which the Apoſtles receiued, as they ſay they do▪ they cānot receiue a glorified body, becauſe then Chriſt had not a glorified bodie to communicate vntounto them. Thus the rocks and ſands are of both ſides them, they receiue a bodie neither mortall, nor immortall: if Chriſt hath any ſuch bodie, iudge you. Here they ſtand like a foole, which cannot tell one his tale; Nebucadnezar dreamed a dreame and knew not what it meant.Dan. 4. 15.
Beſide, I aske them to whome Chriſt ſpake when he ſaid,Mar. 14. 24. This is my bodie. Marke ſaith, he ſpake to them, that is, to his Diſciples: well then, if theſe wordes, This is my bodie, were not ſpoken to the ſignes, but to the perſons,Chriſt ſpake not to the bread and wine, but to his diſciples. not to the bread and wine, but to the receiuers: as the words which follow, Do this in remembrance of me: if theſe wordes were not ſpoken to the bread and wine, then it is plaine that they doe not change the nature of the bread and wine. If the nature of them be not altered, then the ſubſtance remaineth, and then we receiue no other ſubſtance with them, becauſe two ſubſtances cannot be in one place.
What then,More in the Lords Supper than bread and wine. is there nothing in the Sacrament but bread and wine, like a hungrey nunſcion? Nay we ſay not that the Sacrament is nothing but a bare ſigne, or that you receiue no more than you ſee: for Chriſt ſaith, that it is his bodie, and Paul ſaith, that it is the Communion of Chriſts bodie and bloud. 1. Cor. 10. 16.Therefore there is more in Sacramentall bread, than in common breade: though the nature be not changed, yet the vſe is changed; it doth not onelyonly nouriſh the body as it did before, but it bringeth a bread with it which nouriſheth the ſoule: for as ſure as we receiue bread, ſo ſure we receiue Chriſt: not only the benefites of Chriſt, but Chriſt, although not in a Popiſh maner: yet we are ſo ioyned vntounto him, as though we were but one body.A ſimilitude As the ſpouſe doth not marry with the lands & goods, but with the man himſelfe, & being partaker of him, is made partaker of them: ſo the faithfull do not onelyonly marry with Chriſtes benefites, but with Chriſt him ſelfe, & being partakers of him, they are made partakers of his benefites: for Chriſt may not be diuided from his benefites, no more than the Sunne from his light.Rom. 8. 32. It is ſaid, the Father gaue vsus his ſonne, and ſo the Sonne giueth vsus him ſelfe. As the bread is a ſigne of his bodie: ſo the giuing of the bread is a ſigne of the giuing of his body. Thus he lyeth before vsus like a Pellican which letteth her yong ones ſucke her bloud: ſo that we may ſay, the Lord inuited vsus to Supper, and he himſelfe was our meate. But if you aske how this is? I muſt anſwere, it is a myſterie: but if I could tell it, it were no myſterie. Yet as it is ſaid, when three men walked in the middeſt of the fornace,Dan. 3. 25. One like the Sonne of God walked amongeſt them: So, when the faithfull receiue the Bread and Wine, one like the Sonne of God ſeemeth to come vntounto them, which fils them with peace and ioy, and grace, that they maruell what it was which they receiued, beſides bread and wine.A ſimilitude For example thou makeſt a bargaine with thy neighbour for houſe or land, and receiueſt in earneſt a peece of gold, that which thou receiueſt is but a peece of gold, but now it is a ſigne of thy bargaine, & if thou keep not touch with him, happelie it will claſpe thee for all that thou art worth; ſo that which thou receiueſt is bread, but this bread is a ſigne of another matter, which paſſeth bread.
Againe,Another ſimilitude. thou haſt an Obligation in thy hand, & I aske thee, what haſt thou there? and thou ſaieſt, I hauehave here an hundreth pounds: why (ſay I) there is nothing but paper, ynke, and waxe: oh but by this ſaieſt thou, I will recouer an hundreth pounds, that is as good. So beloued, this is as good, that vnderunder theſe ſignes, you receiue the vertue of Chriſts body & bloud by faith, as if you did eate his bodie, and drinke his bloud indeede, which is horrible to thinke that any ſhould deuour their god, thinking thereby to worſhip him: neuer any Heretike nor Idolater conceiued ſo groſly of their God, before the Papiſt. We reade of a people which did eate men, but neuer of any people which did eate their God. Al the Apoſtles ſay, that it was needfull that Chriſt ſhould take our fleſh but no Apoſtle ſaith, that it is needfull that we ſhould take Chriſts fleſh; for all the bleſſings of Chriſt are apprehended by faith, and nothing is fit to apprehēd him whom we ſee not but faith: and therfore one of their own pillars ſaid,Auguſtine. Beleeue, & thou haſt eaten. Faith doth more in Religion than the mouth, or elſe we might ſay with the woman, Bleſſed are the breſts which gaue thee ſucke, Luke. 11. 27.and ſo none ſhould be bleſſed but Mary: but Mary was not bleſſed, becauſe Chriſt was in her bodie, but becauſe Chriſt was in her heart, and leaſt this ſhould ſeeme incredible vntounto you, becauſe Mary is called bleſſed among women. When Chriſt heard the womā ſay,Luke. 8. 21. Bleſſed are the breſts which gaue thee ſucke, he replied vntounto her, Bleſſed are they which heare the word of God, and keepe it, theſe are my brethren, and ſiſters and mother (ſayth Chriſt) as though the reſt were no kin to him in heauen, though they were kin in earth. Thus if Chriſt were in thy body, & thou ſhouldeſt ſay as this woman, Bleſſed is the bodie which hath thee in it, nay would Chriſt ſay, Bleſſed is the heart which hath me in it. If Mary were no whit better for hauing Chriſt in her armes, nor for hauing him in her bodie, how much better art thou, for hauing him in thy bellie, where thou canſt not ſee him?Note. Muſt the Sunne needes come to vsus, or elſe cannot his he… and light profite vsus, nay, it doth vsus more good, becauſe it is ſo farre off: ſo this Sunne is gone from vsus, that he might giuegive more light vntounto vsus, which made him ſay,Iohn. 16. 7. It is good for you that I go frō you; therfore away with this carnall eating of ſpiritual things.Prou. 31. 29. Many daughters hauehave done vertuouſly, but thou (ſaith Salomon ſurpaſſeſt thē all. So, many hereticks hauehave ſpokē abſurdly, but this ſurpaſſeth thē all, that Chriſt muſt be applied like Phiſicke, as though his bloud could not profit vsus, vnles we did drinke it, and ſwallow it as a potion. Is this the Papiſtes vnion with Chriſt? Is this the manner whereby we are made one fleſh with Chriſt, to eate his fleſh? Nay, when he tooke our fleſh vntounto him, and was made man, then we were vnited to him in the fleſh and not now. Chriſt tooke our fleſh, we take not his fleſh, but beleeue that he tooke ours, therfore if you would know whither Chriſtes body be in the Sacrament,A way to know whither Chriſts body be in the Sacrament. I ſay vntounto you as Chriſt ſayd vntounto Thomas, touch, feele, and ſee. In viſible things, God hath appointed our eyes to be iudges, for as the ſpirite diſcerneth ſpirituall obiectes,Iohn. 20. 27. ſo ſenſe diſcerneth of ſenſible obiectes. As Chriſt taught Thomas to iudge of his body, ſo may we & ſo ſhould they: therfore if you cānot ſee his body, nor feele his body, you may gather by Chriſt ſaying to Thomas, that he would not hauehave you beleeue that it is his bodie, for my body (ſaith Chriſt) may be ſeene, & felt. And thus Trāſubſtātiatiō is foūd a lyer.
Now if you aske me,Why Chriſt calleth the bread his bodie. why Chriſt calleth the ſigne by the name of the thing it ſelfe I aske thee agayne. Mayſt thou ſay▪ when thou ſeeſt the picture of the Queene, this is the Queene, and when thou ſeeſt the picture of a Lyō, this is a Lyon: and may not Chriſt ſay when he ſeeth a thing like his bodie, This is my bodie?
I ſhewed you before, that euerie Sacrament is called by the name of the thing which it doth ſignifie, and therefore why ſhould we ſtūble at this, more thā the reſt? The reaſon why the ſignes hauehave the name of the things, is to ſtrike a deeper reuerence in vsus to receiue this Sacrament of Chriſt reuerentlie, ſincerelie, and holilie, as if Chriſt were there preſent in bodie and bloud himſelfe. And ſurelie, as he which defaceth the Queenes Seale, is cōuicted of contempt and treaſon to her owne perſon; ſo he which prophaneth theſe Seales of Chriſt, doth not worſhip Chriſt, but deſpiſe him, and that contempt ſhall be required of him, as if he had contemned Chriſt him ſelfe. This is the reaſon, why Chriſt calleth the ſignes of his body, his body, to make vsus take this Sacrament reuerentlie, becauſe we are apt to cōtēne it, as the Iewes did their Manna.
It followeth,Vers. 24. Do this in remembrance of me, that is, theſe ſignes ſhal be a remē braunce of my death: when you breake the bread you ſhal remember the woū ding of my body; and when you drinke the wine, you ſhall remember the ſhedding of my bloud. If we muſt do this in remembraunce of Chriſts body, which was broken like the bread, it is an argument that his bodie is not there, becauſe remembraunce is not of things preſent, but of things abſent; we remember not, but we ſee that which is before vsus. This might put the Papiſts in remembrance that Chriſt is not ſacrificed now, when we do but remember his ſacrifice: this is not Chriſtes ſacrifice, but a remembraunce of his ſacrifice; he was ſacrificed before, and now it is applied, leaſt his ſacrifice ſhould be in vayne.If Chriſtes bodie were in the Sacrament, it were not a Sacrament but a ſacrifice. This was done once reallie, when he offered himſelf vpō the Croſſe, therfore that offering was called a ſacrifice, because he was ſacrificed indeed; but this offering is called a Sacrament, becauſe it is but a ſigne of his ſacrifice. If Chriſt in this Sacrament were offered indeed, then it ſhould be called a ſacrifice as his once offering was: but becauſe it is but a remembrance of his ſacrifice, therfore it is called a … This is not a ſacrifice of Chriſt, but a ſacrifice of our ſelues. Leaſt we ſhould take it to be a ſacrifice of Chriſt, Chriſt himſelfe calleth it a remembrance of his ſacrifice, Do this in my remembraunce. Here is our worke; as Chriſt hath done, ſo muſt we doe, ſo we miniſter, and ſo you receiue we can giuegive you nothing but that which we hauehave receiued from him, as Paule ſaith. Therfore if Chriſt did not giuegive his mortall body which ſtood before them, and could not profit them, nor his glorified body, which was not glorified thē, and when it was glorified aſcended vp vntounto heauen, and there abideth, how cā theſe iugling Prieſtes make their God again which made them? They can no more turne wine into bloud, and bread into fleſh, than they can commaund a Gnat to become a Cammell: for it is a greater worke to make God, than to make the world.Mat. 24. 23. Therefore as Chriſt ſaith, When they tell you, here is Chriſt, and there is Chriſt, beleeue them not: So when they tell you that Chriſt is in heauen, and that Chriſt is in earth, in this place and that place, beleeue them not: for Elias aſcention was a figure of Chriſts aſcention,2. King. 2. 17. when Elias was aſcended, yet ſome ſought for his bodie vpō earth: ſo though Chriſt be aſcended, yet many ſeeke his body vponupon earth: but as they could not finde Elias body, ſo theſe can not finde Chriſtes bodie, although they hauehave ſought 300. yeares. But if his bodie were vponupon earth, as they ſay, ſhould we handle it and touch it, now it is glorified? After his reſurrection he ſayd to Marie, Iohn. 20. 17.Touch me not, becauſe his bodie was glorified, that is, not to be touched with fingers any more, but with faith. Therefore we read of none which touched his bodie after it was riſen, but onelie Thomas, to ſettle his faith. Thus you ſee we need to ſuborne no witneſſes; for eueryevery word in this text which they alledge for Trāſubſtantiatiō, doth make againſt Trāſubſtantiatiō, whereby if Antichriſt doth ſignifie thē which are againſt Chriſt, you ſee who may be called Antichriſt. There is no queſtion in Poperie (except Purgatorie the Popes Publicā & tasker) about which the Papiſts are at ſuch ciuill warres among themſelues, as about this tranſubſtātiatiō. They cannot tell whē the chāge beginneth, nor what manner of chāge it is, nor how lōg the chāge continueth, ſom hang one way, & ſome another, like the Midianites which fought one againſt another.Iudg. 7. 22. And no maruaile though their conſciēces ſtagger about it: for to ſhew you the right father of it, it was one of the dreames of Innocentius the 3. in the yeare of our Lord▪ 1215.A monſter of his age. ſo many yeares paſſed before Trāſubſtātiation was named, & thē a Pope ſet it firſt on foote ſo it came out of Rome the grādame of all hereſies, and for wāt of Scriptures, hath been defended with fire, and ſword, and ſwallowed moe Martirs, than all the gulfes of the Papall ſea beſide.
Now, when the doctrines of men go for Scripture,Eight abſurdities which follow Trā ſubſtantiation. you ſhall ſee how many errours ruſh into the Church: for graūt but this to Innocentius, as the Papiſts do, that the bread and wine are changed into Chriſtes body. Firſt, it will follow, that Chriſts body is not aſcended vp to heauen, becauſe it remaineth vpō earth, and ſo one of the Articles of our fayth ſhall be falſified,Acts. 19. 11. which ſaith, He is aſcē ded into heauē or if he be aſcēded, & deſcended agayne, another Article will be falſified,Rom. 8. 34. which ſaith, that he ſitteth at the right hand of his Father, Acts. 3. 21.that is as Peter ſaith, he abideth in heauen. Secondly, it will follow, that Chriſt hath not a true body, but a fantaſticall body, becauſe it may be in many places at one time: for if his body be in the Sacramēt, he muſt needes hauehave ſo many bodies as there be Sacraments; nay, he muſt hauehave ſo many bodies as there be bits in euerie Sacramēt. Thirdly, it will follow, that his bodie is diuided from his ſoule, and conſequētly is a dead bodie, becauſe the bread is onelyonly changed into body, and not into his ſoule. Fourthly, at will follow, that the wicked and prophane, and reprobate, may receiue Chriſt as well as the godly, becauſe they hauehave a mouth to eate as well as the beſt. Fiftly, it will follow,Heb. 9. 28. & 10. 12. that Chriſts ſacrifice once for all was not ſufficient, becauſe we muſt ſacrifice him againe, and breake his bodie & ſhed his bloud, as the Iewes crucified him vponupon the Croſſe. Sixtly, it will follow, that the bread being turned into the body of our redeemer, hath a part of our redemption as well as Chriſt. Seauenthly, it will follow, that Chriſt did eate his owne bodie: for all the Fathers ſay that he did eat the ſame bread which he gaue to his Diſciples. Laſtly, it will follow, that a Maſſing Prieſt ſhalbe the creator of his creator, becauſe he makes him which made him: all theſe abſurdities are hatched of Tranſubſtantiation.
Thus when men deuiſe articles of their owne, while they ſtrike vponupon the handuill, the ſparkes flie in their face; & they are like the man which began to build and could not finiſh it. When I ſee the Papiſt in ſo many abſurdities for intertaining one error, me thinks he ſeemeth like a Collier which is grimed with his owne coales. Therefore as in manners we ſhould think of Peters ſaying,Act. 5. 29. Whether is it meete to obey God or men? So in doctrines we ſhould thinke, whether it be meete to beleeue God or men. Thus you hauehave heard the author of this Sacrament,Concluſion. the Lord Ieſus; the time when it was inſtituted, in the night that he was betraied; the manner how it was inſtituted, after thanks giuing; the end why it was inſtituted for a remembrance of his death; and the diſcouery of Tranſubſtantiation, one of the laſt hereſies which Babylō hatched. Now they which hauehave been Patrons of it before, ſhould do like the father and mother of an Idolatrer,Deut. 13. 6. & 9. that is, lay the firſt hand vponupon him to ſhorten his life. Thus I end. Thinke what account ye ſhall giuegive of that ye hauehave heard.
The end of the firſt Sermon.