Whole Works, Tracts 2 · Tract 4 · Part 7
The Paſcall lambe and our ſacrament are here compared togither.
NOw we ſhall ſhortly expreſſe The Paſchall lambe and our ſacrament cō pared togither.the pith of our matter and borow the figure of the Paſcall lambe which is in all pointes ſo lyke, that the offeryng of the Paſcall lambe did ſigniſie the offering of Chriſtes body is playne by Paul which ſayth, Chriſt our paſchall lambe is offered vp for vsus. When the 1. Cor. 5.children of Iſraell were very ſad and heuye for their ſore oppreſſion vnderunder the power of Pharao (for the more myracles were ſhewed, ye worſe were they handeled). God ſent vntounto them by Moyſes, yt eueryevery houſhold ſhould kill a lambe to be a ſacrifice vntounto God and that they ſhould eate him, with their ſtaues in their handes, their loynes girded & ſhowes on their féete euē as mē yt were going an haſty Iorney. This lambe muſt they eate haſtely The maner of the eatyng of the Paſchal lambe.and make a mery maundye. Now becauſe they ſhould not ſay, that they could not bee mery, for their oppreſſion, and what could the lambe helpe them: he added glad tydynges vnio it and ſayd, this is the paſſing by of the Lord. Which this night ſhall paſſe by you and ſlay all ye firſt begotten, with in the Land of Egipt, & ſhall deliuer you out of your bondage, and bring you into ye land that hée hath promiſed vntounto yourfathers. Marke the proceſſe and conueyaunce of this matter, for euen likewiſe it is in our ſacrament. The Apoſtels were ſad and heauie, The maner of the inſtitution of the Sacrament. Iohn. 16.partlye cōſidering ye bondage of ſinne wherwith they were opreſſed & partly becauſe hee told them that he muſt departe frō them in whō they did put all their hope of their deliueraunce. While they were in this heauynes, Chriſt thought to cōfort thē & to geue them the ſeale of their deliueraunce, and toke in his hande bread, bleſſed & The inſtitution of the Sacrament.brake it, and gaue it to his diſciples ſaying: this is my body which ſhalbe geuen for you. For this night ſhall y• power of Pharao ye diuell be diſtroyed, and to morow ſhall you be deliuered from Egypt ye place of ſinne, and ſhall take your iourney towardes the heauenly manſion which is prepared of God for all that louelove him. Now cō pare them togeather.
1 The paſchall lābe was inſtituted & eaten the night before the children of The compariſon of the Paſchall lambe with Chriſtes Supper.Iſraell were indeede deliuered from Egipt, Likewiſe was the ſacrament inſtituted and eatē yt night before we were deliuered from our ſinnes.
2 The paſcall lambe was a very lambe in deede And ſo is the ſacrament very bread in déede.
3 The paſcall lambe was cauled the paſſing by of ye Lord which deſtroyed the power of Pharao and deliuered thē. The ſacrament is called the body of ye Lord whiche deſtroyed ye power of the deuill and deliuered vsus.
4 ¶ As many as did eate the paſcall lambe in fayth, were very mery and gaue God greate thankes. For they were ſure the next day to be deliuered out of Egipt, as many did eate his ſacrament in fayth, were mery & gaue God great thākes, for they were ſure the next day to be deliuered frō there ſinne,
5. They that did not eate the paſcall lambe in fayth, could not be merye. For they were not ſo ſure of deliueraunce from the power of Pharao. They y• did not eate this Sacrament in fayth, could not be mery: For they were not ſure of deliueraunce from the power of the deuill.
6. They that beleued the worde of the Lord did more eate the paſſing by of the Lord which ſhould deliuer thē, then they did the lambe. They that did beleeue the word of the Lord did more eate ye body of the Lord, which ſhould be geuen for their deliuerance then they did the bread. For y• thing doth a man moſte eate yt he moſt hath in memory & moſt reuolueth in mynd as appeareth by Chriſt, Iohn. 4. I hauehave meate to eate yt ye know not.
7. They that beléeued not ye next day to be deliuered from Egipt, did not eate ye paſſing by of ye Lord, although they did eate the lambe. They y• beleued not the next day to be deliuered from ſinne, dyd not eate the body of the Lorde, although they eate the breade.
8. The children of Iſraell were but once deliuered from Egypt, notwithſtanding they did eueryevery yeare eate ye lambe, to kéepe that facte in perpetuall remembraunce. Euen ſo Chriſt bought and redemed vsus but once for all and was offered and ſacrificed but once for all though ye ſacrament therof be daylye broken amonge vsus to kéepe that benefite in continuall memorye.
9. As many as dyd eate ye Paſchall Lambe in fayth, and beleued Gods word as touching their deliueraunce from Egypt, were as ſure of their deliueraunce through fayth, as they were ſure of the Lambe by eating it. As many as doe eate this ſacrament in fayth, and beleeue Gods word as touching their deliueraūce frō ſinne, are as ſure of their deliueraunce through fayth, as they are ſure of the bread by eating it.
10. As many as did eate of that Paſchall Lambe did magnifie theyr God, teſtifying that he onelyonly was the God almighty, and they his people ſticking to hym, to be deliuered by his power from all daunger. As many as do eate of thys ſacrament doe magnifie their God, teſtifying that he only is the God almighty, and they his people ſticking by him to be deliuered by hys power from all danger.
11. When the Iſraelites were deliuered frō Egypt, they eate neuertheleſſe the Paſchall Lambe which was ſtill called the paſſing by (becauſe it was ye remēbraunce of the paſſing by of ye Lord) and hartely reioyced, offering hym ſacrifice, & acknowledgyng wt infinite thākes, that they were the fellowſhip of thē that had ſuch a mercifull God. Now Chriſtes electe are deliuered frō ſinne, they eate neuertheleſſe the ſacramēt which is ſtill called hys body that once dyed for their deliueraunce, and hartely reioyce, offering to hym the ſacrifice of prayſe, & knowledging with infinite thākes, that they are of the fellowſhip of thē that hauehave ſuch a mercifull God.
12. The Paſchall Lābe after their deliueraunce it was yearely eaten, brought as much myrth and ioye vntounto them that did eate it in fayth, as it did to their fathers which felt Pharao hys fury, and were not yet deliuered. For they knew right well that except God of his mercy and wonderful power had ſo deliuered them, they ſhoulde alſo them ſelues hauehave been bond in the land of Egypt and vnderunder that wicked prince Pharao, of which bondage they greatly reioyced to bee rid already, and thanked God highly becauſe they found thē ſelues in that plenteous land which God prouided for them. The ſacrament which after our deliueraunce is yearely and dayly eaten, bringeth as much myrth and ioye vntounto vsus that eate it in fayth, as it did to the Apoſtles which were not yet deliuered. For we know right well that except God of hys mercye & through ye bloud of hys ſonne, had ſo deliuered vsus, we ſhoulde alſo our ſelues hauehave been bonde in Egypt the place of ſinne, vnderunder yt wicked prince the deuill, of which bōdage we greatly reioyce to be rid already, & thanke God highly becauſe we finde our ſelues in ye ſtate of grace, & hauehave receaued through faith the firſt fruites and a taſte of the ſpirite which teſtifyeth vntounto vsus y• we are the childrē of God.
¶ Thys Maundy of remēbraunce was it that Paule receaued of the The maū dy of remē braūce that Paule receaued of the Lord, & deliuered to the Corinthians.Lorde and deliuered to the Corinthians in the xi. chapter. For though he borrowe one propertie and ſimilitude of the ſacrament in the x. chapter, that in my minde maketh neither with vsus nor againſt vsus, albeit ſome thinke that it maketh whole for the expoſition of Chriſtes wordes, this is my body. But in my minde they are 1. Cor. 10.deceaued. For ye occaſion that Paule ſpake of it in the x. chapter was thys. The Corinthians had knowledge that all meates were indifferent, and whether it were offered to an Idole or not, that the meate was not the worſe, and they might lawfully eate of it, whether it were ſolde thē in the Shambles, or ſet before them when they dyned and ſupped in an vnfaithfull mans houſe, aſking no queſtions: except ſome man did tell them that it God hath ordeyned all meates to be indifferent.was offered to an Idoll, and then they ſhould not eate of it for offendyng his conſcience that ſo tolde them (albeit they were els frée and the thing indifferent) thys knowledge becauſe it was not annexed with charitie was the occaſion of great offending. For by reaſon thereof they ſatte downe among the Gentiles at their feaſtes, where they eate in the honor of their Idols, and ſo did not onelyonly wound the conſcience of their weake brethrē, but alſo committed Idolatry in déede: And therfore S. Paule ſaid vntounto thē: Paule.My deare beloued flée from worſhipping of Idols, I ſpeake vntounto them ☜which hauehave diſcretiō. Iudge ye what I ſay. Is not ye cup of bleſſing which we bleſſe, the fellowſhip of the bloud of Chriſt? Is not the bread which we breake the fellowſhip of the bodye of Chriſt? For we though we be many, are yet one bread and one body, in as much as we are partakers of one bread. Chriſt did call him ſelfe bread, Chriſt called hym ſelf bread, and Paule calleth vsus bread.and the bread his bodye: And here Paule calleth vsus bread, and the bread our body. Now may you not take Paule that he in thys place ſhould directly expound Chriſtes minde. And that the very expoſition of Chriſtes wordes, when he ſayd, this is my body, ſhould be that it was the fellowſhip of hys body (as ſome ſay which ſeeking the key in this place of Paule locke them ſelues ſo faſte in, that they can finde no way out): For Chriſt ſpake thoſe wordes of his owne body which ſhould be geuen for vsus, but the How the wordes of S. Paule are to bee vnderſtād.fellowſhip of Chriſtes body (or congregation) was not geuē for vsus. And ſo he ment not as Paule here ſayth, but ment his owne bodye. For as Paule calleth the bread our body for a certaine propertie, euen ſo doth Chriſt call it his body for certaine other properties. In that ye bread was broken, it was Chriſtes owne body, ſignifying that as that bread was broken, ſo ſhould hys body be broken for vsus. In that it was diſtributed vntounto hys diſciples it was hys owne bodye, ſignifying that as verely as y• bread was diſtributed vntounto them, ſo verely ſhould the death of his body and fruit of his paſſion bee diſtributed to all faythfull folke. In that the bread ſtrengtheneth our bodyes it is hys own body, ſignifying that as our bodyes are ſtrengthened and comforted by bread, ſo are our ſoules by yt fayth in hys body breaking: And likewyſe of the wine in that it was ſo diſtributed, and ſo comforteth vsus and maketh vsus mery. Furthermore the bread and wine hauehave an other propertie, for Why the bread is called our body.the which it is called our body. For in that the bread is made one bread of many graines or cornes, it is our body, ſignifying that we though we bee many, are made one bread, that is to ſay, one body: And in that the wine is made one wine of many grapes, it is our bodye, ſignifying that though we are many, yet in Chriſt & through Chriſt we are made one body & members to ech other. But in thys thyng Paule and Chriſt agrée. For as Paul calleth the bread our body and vsus the bread becauſe of thys propertie, that it is made one of many: euen ſo doth Chriſt call it hys body becauſe of the proporties before rehearſed. Furthermore in thys they agrée, that as Paules wordes muſt be taken ſpiritually (for I thinke there is no man ſo mad, as to iudge that the breade is our body in deede, although in that We muſt vnderſtand the Sacrament ſpiritually or els we receaue it not to our comfort.propertie it repreſenteth our body): euen ſo muſt Chriſtes wordes be vnderſtand ſpiritually, that in thoſe properties it repreſenteth his very body. Now when we come together to receaue thys bread, then by the receauing of it in the congregation, we doe openly teſtifie that we all (which receaue it) are one body, profeſſing one God, one fayth, and one baptiſme, and that the body of Chriſt was broken and his bloud ſhed for remiſſion of our ſinnes. Now ſith we ſo do, we may not company nor fit in the congregation or fellowſhip of them that offer vntounto Idols and eate before thē. For as Paule ſayth: ye cā not drinke Paule.the cup of the Lorde, and the cup of the deuils: ye can not be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of the deuills. I would not that you ſhould hauehave fellowſhip with deuills. The heathen which offered vntounto Idolls were the fellowſhip of deuils, not becauſe they eate the deuills body or dranke the deuils bloud, but becauſe they beleued & put their confidence in the Idoll or deuill as in their God, and all that were of that fayth had their ceremonies, and gaue hartye thākes to their God with that feaſt which they kept. They came to one place and brought their meate before the Idoll and offered it: and with their offering gaue vntounto the deuill godly honour. And then they ſat down and eate the offering together geuing prayſe and thankes vntounto their God, and were one body and one fellowſhip of yt deuill which they teſtify by eating of that offering before that idole. Now doth S. Paule reprehend the Corinthians for bearyng the gentiles companye in eating before the Idole. For they know that the meate was like other meate. And therefore thought them ſelues frée to eate it or leaue it. But they perceiued not that The Gentiles offered theyr meate to Idolies.that congregregation was the fellowſhip of deuiles which were there gathered (not for the meat ſake) but for to thanke and prayſe the Idole there God in whō they had their confidēce. And all that there aſſembled and dyd there eate, and did openly teſtifie, yt they al were one body, profeſſing one fayth in their God that Idole, So Paule rebuked them, for becauſe yt by there eating (in that place and fellowſhip) they teſtefied openly, that they were of the deuils body and reioyſed in the Idole their God in whō they had fayth and confidence. And therfore fayth Paule, that they cā not both drinke the cup of the Lord teſtifying hym to be their God in whom onelyonly they hauehave truſt and affiaunce, & the cup of the deuill teſtifiyng yt Idole to bée their God and refuge.
Here you may note that the meate To drynke of the cup of the Lord & to drinke of the cup of the deuill, how it is to be vnderſtand.and the eatyng of it in this place & fellowſhyp is more thenyt cōmon meate and eatyng in other places. For elles they myght lawfully hauehave dronkē the deuils cup with them the one day, & the cup of the Lord the next day with hys Diſciples. What was it more, verely it was meate which by the eatyng of it in that place and felowſhip, dyd teſtifie openly vntounto all men, that he was their God whoſe cuppe they dranke, and before whom they eate in that felowſhyp: and ſo in their eating they prayſed and honored the idole. And therfore they that had their truſt in the lyuing God and in the bloud of his ſonne Chriſt, might not eate with them. And lykewiſe it is the in ſacrament, the bread and the eatyng of it in the place and felowſhyp where it is receiued, is more then common bread. What is it more? Ʋerely it is bread which by yt eatyng of it in that place and felowſhyp, doth teſtifie openly vntounto all men, that he is our very God whoſe cup we drinke and before whom we eate in that felowſhip, & that we put all our afſiaūce in hym and in the bloud of hys ſonne Chriſt Ieſu, geuyng God all honour & infinite thankes for his great louelove wherwith he loued vsus, as it is teſtified, in the bloud of hys ſonne, whiche was ſhed for our ſinnes. So that in this place and felowſhyp may no mā eate nor drinke with vsus, but he that is of our fayth and knowledgeth the ſame God that we doe. As by example, if a mā were well beloued among hys neyghbours (albeit he hauehave ſome enemyes) and were long abſent from hys frendes in a ſtraunge countrey: when he were come home, his neighbours A proper example.that loued hym would greatly reioyſe and peraduenture would bye a Capon or an other péece of meate to geue hym his wellcom home, and get them to ſome honeſt mans houſe or to a Tauerne, and make good cheare together, to teſtifie openly that he is welcome home, & that they all which are at yt banket reioyſe of his cōming home. Now I ſay, that this banket is more then an other meale, for at this banket hys enemies may be loth to come, becauſe they can not reioyſe at his comming home, and therfore can not make good chere among thē, teſtifiing that he is welcome home? but rather abhorreth the meate and drinke yt is there eaten becauſe their hart doth not fauour the perſon for whoſe ſake it is prepared. Notwithſtanding if a capons legge were reſerued for one of his enemies and afterward geuen him when the banket were done, he might lawfully eate it. For then it were but bare meate ſuch as he eateth at home. And likewiſe ye enemies of Chriſt which beléeue not that they hauehave remiſſion of ſinnes through his bloudſheding, can not reioyce The enemyes of Chriſt can not reioyce in Chriſtes bloud ſhedding.of his body breaking. And therfore can make good chere among thē, but if any be reſerued after the maundy, he may lawfully eate it for is but bread. And his louers that are there preſēt do rather come thether to geue him his welcome home then for the meate, and they more eate his welcome home then the meate. But if anye of his enemies fortune to be there they eate onelyonly the meat, and not his welcome home. For they reioyce not at his comming home. Likewiſe the faythfull that are there preſent, do rather come thether to reioyce in ye faith of his body breaking, thē in breaking or eating of the bread or meate. But if any of the vnfaythfull fortune to be there they eate onelyonly the bread, and not his body breaking. For they reioyce not at his bodie breaking. Here peraduenture ſome will ſuppoſe that I were cōtrary to my ſelf. For before I ſayd, yt it was more then meate yt was eaten at ye gentiles feaſt & more then meate yt was eaten at my neighbors welcome home, & more thē bread that is eaten at the receiuyng of the ſacrament of the body and bloud of Chriſt. And now I ſay, that if a mās enemye be there, he eateth onelyonly the The faythfull and vnfaythfull do not eate alike.meate and not ye welcome home. And lykewiſe the vnfaythfull eateth onelyonly breade and not the body and bloud of Chriſt. How may theſe wordes ſtand together? I aunſwere, that they eate but ouely bread or meate yt profiteth them, but indeede they eate more to their hinderaunce, & euen their owne damnation. For they that did eate in yt fellowſhip of yt gentiles, did but onlye eate the meate to there profite but in eating theyr meate their facte dyd openly teſtyfye that they honoured yt Idole for their God (although their hart were otherwiſe) wherein they 1. Cor. 8.committed idolatry. And beſides that they wounded the cōſciences of their weake brethren and ſo ſinned againſt God. Beſides that, he that enuyeth hys neighbour and commeth to that banket, eateth but onelyonly ye meate that profiteth hym: notwithſtandyng in hys owne hart, he eateth the rancor & malice of his mynde, to his great greuaūce, when he ſéeth them ſo reioyſe. And of hys owne companions which are alſo theſe mans enemyes, he doth purchaſe hym ſelfe hatred, becauſe with his fact hee teſtifieth that hee loueth him, although his hart be otherwiſe, and of God ſhalbe condemned. For hee that hateth his brother, is a murtherer. Furthermore, he that is 1. Iohn 3.vnfaithfull and commeth to the maū dy, The vnfaythfull and wicked eate their owne damnation.eateth but onelyonly yt bread that profiteth hym, notwithſtādyng he eateth beſide that, his owne damnation, becauſe he beleueth not that the body of our Sauiour whiche the Sacrament repreſenteth, is brokē for hys ſinnes, and his bloud ſhed, to waſhe them away. This I am compelled to doe, to ſtop the chateryng mouthes of Sophiſters, albeit to them that be ſober, it bad been inough to hauehave ſayd, they eate onelyonly bread, & not the body broken &c. For they right well vnderſtand it by the contrary Antitheſie, & know that I meant not by that (onelyonly) that he ſhould eate the bread & nothyng els but onelyonly bread: but that I meant by this worde (onelyonly) that hee ſhould eate the bread without the body. And ſo lykewiſe in other exāples. Thus hauehave we ſufficiently declared Paules mynde in the. 10. Chapter.
In the xj. chapter Paule maketh much mencion of the maundye & dyſcribeth 1. Cor. 11.it to yt vttermoſt. Frſt he ſaith when ye come together in one place, a man can not eate the Lords ſupper. For eueryevery man beginnyth afore to eate his owne ſupper, and one is hungry and an other is dronken. HaueHave ye not houſes to eate and drinke in? or els deſpiſe ye the congregation of God and ſhame them that hauehave not what ſhall I ſaye vntounto you? ſhall I prayſe you? In this I prayſe you not. Paule did inſtruct according to Chriſtes mynde, yt the Corinthians ſhould come togither to eate the Lordes ſupper. Whiche lyeth not ſo much in the carnall eatyng as in the ſpiritual: and The true eating of the Sacrament is the ſpirituall eating of the ſame.is greatly deſired to be eaten, not by the hunger of the body, but by the hū ger of the faithfull hart, which is gredy to publiſhe the prayſe of the Lord and geue hym harty thankes, & moue other to the ſame that of many, praiſe might be geuen vntounto our moſt mercyful father for the louelove which he ſhewed vsus in the bloud of his owne moſt deare ſonne Chriſt Ieſu. Wherewith we are waſhed from our ſinnes and ſurely ſealed vntounto euerlaſtyng lyfe. With ſuch hūger dyd Chriſt eate the Paſchall lambe, ſaying to hys Diſciples: I hauehave in wardly deſired to eate Luke. 22.this Eaſter lāde with you before that I ſuffer. Chriſtes inward deſire was not to fill hys belly with his diſciples, but hee had a ſpirituall hūger: both to prayſe his father with them, for theyr bodely deliueraūce out of the land of Egypt: and ſpecially to alter the Paſichall lambe and memory of the carnall deliueraunce, into the maundy of myrth and thākeſgeuyng for our ſpirituall deliueraunce out of the bondage of ſinne. In ſo much that when Chriſt knewe that it was his fathers will and pleaſure, that he ſhould ſuffer for our ſinnes (wherin his honor, glory and prayſe ſhould be publiſhed) then was it a pleaſure vntounto hym, to declare vntounto his Diſciples that great benefite, vntounto his fathers prayſe and glory: & ſo did inſtitute that we ſhould come together and breake the bread in the remēbraunce of his body breakyng and bloud ſhedyng: and that we ſhuld eate it together reioyſing with ech other & declaryng hys benefites.
Now were the Corinthians fallen from this hunger, and came not together The maner of the comming of the Corinthians together.to the intent that Gods prayſe ſhould bee publiſhed by them in the middeſt of the congregatiō, but came to féede their fleſh and to make carnal cheare. In ſo much that yt rich would hauehave meate and drinke inough, and take ſuch aboundaunce yt they would be dronke (and ſo made it their owne per & not the Lordes, as Paule ſaith, and did eate onelyonly the bread & meate, and not the body breaking, as I hauehave before ſaid, & the poore which had not (that is to ſay that had no meate to eate) were aſhamed and hungry, and ſo could not reioyſe and prayſe the Lord: by the reaſon that the delicate fare of the riche was an occaſion for the poore to lament their pouertie and thus the rich dyd neither prayſe God them ſelues, nor ſuffered the poore to doe it, but were an occaſion to hynder them.
They ſhould hauehave brought theyr meate and drinke and hauehave deuided it with their poore brethren, that they might hauehave been mery together, and ſo to hauehave geuen them occaſion to be mery and reioyſe in the Lorde with thankes geuyng. But they had neither luſt to prayſe God nor to comfort their neighbour. Their fayth was féeble and their charitie cold, and had no regard but to fill their body and féede their fleſh: And ſo deſpiſed yt poore cō gregation of God whom they ſhould hauehave honoured for yt ſpirite that was in them & fauour that God had ſhewed indifferently vntounto them in y• bloud of hys ſonne Chriſt. When Paule perceiued that they were thus fleſhly mynded and had no mynde vntounto that ſpirituall maundy which chiefly ſhuld ther bee aduertiſed, hée reproueth thē ſore, rehearſing yt wordes of Chriſt. That which I gaue vntounto you I receiued of the Lord. For the Lord Ieſus the ſame night in the which hee was betrayed, tooke bread and thanked and brake it and ſaid: take ye and eate ye, this is my bodye which is broken for you, this do ye in the remembraunce of me. After the ſame maner hee tooke the cup when ſupper was done ſaying, this cuppe is the new Teſtament in my bloud, this doe ye as ofte as ye drinke it in the remembraunce of me. For as oft as ye ſhall eate this bread & drinke of this cup, ye ſhall ſhew the Lordes death, til he come. As though hée ſhould ſay, ye Corinthians are much to blame whiche at this Supper ſéeke the foode of your fleſh. For it was inſtitute of Chriſt, Why Chriſt did inſtitute the Sacrament.not for the intent to noriſhe the belly, but to ſtrēghten the hart and ſoule in God. And by this you may know that Chriſt ſo meant. For he calleth it hys body which is geuen for you, ſo that the name it ſelfe might teſtifie vntounto you, that in this ſupper you ſhould more eate his body whiche is geuen for you (by digeſtyng that into the bowels of your ſoule) then the bread which by the breakyng, and the diſtributyng of it, doth repreſent his body breakyng and the diſtributyng therof vntounto all that are faythful. And that bée ſo meaneth is euident by the wordes folowyng, which ſay, this do in the remembrance of mee: and likewyſe of the cuppe. And finally concludyng of both, Paule ſayth, as often as ye ſhall eate this bread & drinke of this cuppe The ſacrament was ordained to feede our ſoules, and not our bodyes.(in this place and felowſhyp) ye ſhall ſhew yt Lordes death vntill hée come, prayſing the Lord for the death of his ſonne and exhortyng other to doe the ſame, reioyſing in hym with infinite thākes. And therfore ye are to blame whiche ſéeke onelyonly to féede the belly with that thyng which was onelyonly inſtitute to féede the ſoule. And theruppon it foloweth.
Wherfore who ſoeuer doth eate of this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthely, is gilty of the body and bloud of the Lorde. He eateth this bread vnworthely, which regardeth The worthy and vnworthy eating of Chriſtes body.not the purpoſe for the which Chriſt dydinſtitute it, which cōmeth not to it with ſpirituall hūger, to eate through fayth his very body, which the bread repreſenteth by the breaking and diſſtributing of it: which commeth not with a mery hart, geuing God harty thankes for their deliueraunce from ſinne: Which doe not much more eate in their hart yt death of his body, then they doe the bread with their mouth. Now ſith the Corinthyans did onlye ſéeke their belly and fleſh, and forgat Gods honour and prayſe (for which it was inſtituted, y• thākes ſhould be geuen by the remembrance of his body breaking for vsus) they eate it to Gods diſhonour & to their neighboures hinderaunce, & to their owne condemnation, & ſo for lacke of fayth were giltye of Chriſtes body which (by fayth) they ſhould there chiefely hauehave eaten to their ſoules health. And therefore it followeth.