Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 17
Cap. 17. Of the holie Supper of Chriſte, and what it auaileth.
FIrſt he deliuereth the ſumme of the doctrine, from the 1. to the 11. And moreouer, hee vnloſeth certaine knots, from the 12. to the 50.
But as touching the firſt: firſt hée ſheweth what it is that God doeth exhibite, from the 1. to the 4. Moreouer, howe and in what ſort it is ours, from the 5. to the 11.
Ioh. 6.51. 1. Cor. 11.24.1 What ſignes they are, and to what end they were inſtituted for vsus, that is to ſay, to teſtifie the Miniſtery of the vnion of Chriſt with the faythfull.
2 A great fruite then of affiance and ſwéeteneſſe there is, which by this Sacrament returneth to godly minds: and what it is.
Mat. 26.26.3 The whole witneſſe therof is commended to vsus in the Supper of the lord: and the ſame doeth manifeſtly appeare in the wordes themſelues.
4 The efficacie thereof is ſuch, as not only ſimply or without higher conſideration, doth reache to vsus the bodie of Chriſte, as it doeth giuegive vsus the ſame for our nouriſhment.
5 Hauing briefly comprehēded again by the former,Ioh. 6.31. what one hee offereth him ſelfe to vsus, & by what reaſon wherin the firſt parte of application conſiſteth, he commeth to the other, that is to ſhewe how we ought to receiue him: truely, by Fayth, yet ſo that we muſt reache a litle further, not only to faith, but alſo to the effecte of Fayth.
6 Which laſt member he confirmeth by the authoritie of Auguſtine & Chryſoſtome. Auguſtine ſayeth,Ham. in Ioh. 31. Act. 2.40. that thrée thouſande men which were conuerted at Peters Sermon, did drinke the blood of Chriſte by beléeuing, which they had ſhed by cruell dealing.
Chryſoſtome ſayth,Hom. …. that Chriſt doth not only by Faith, but alſo in déed make vsus his bodie: meaning that we doe not from any other where, then from fayth obtaine ſuch a benefite.
7 Neither is it ſufficient that many acknowledge this our communiō with Chriſt to be nothing els then ſpiritual, without making mention of the fleſhe and bloud, yet the Myſtery of this thing is ſuch, as he confeſſeth, he can not comprehend howe to determine thereof.
8 But that it may be ſuch, There is no life at all but in Chriſt:Ioh. 6.4…. but he hath this two wayes: firſt of him ſelfe, as he is God. Moreouer by powring the ſame into his fleſh which he put on, that therby the communication of life might flowe foorth vntounto vsus.
9 When he hath taught the ſame out of Cyril, Ciri….and by a ſimilitude, that the fleſhe of Chriſt is by that meanes liuely: therevppon he ſheweth what our Communion is with him, as the father hath life in him ſelfe: ſo he hath alſo giuen to the Sonne to hauehave lyfe in himſelf: whoſoeuer thē enioyeth the partaking of his fleſh, enioyeth alſo the partaking of lyfe, for as out of a fountaine water is ſometime dronke, and ſometime drawne, and ſometime is conueyed by furrowes to the wateryng of groundes, which yet of it ſelfe doth not ouerflowe into ſo many vſes, but from the verie ſpring it ſelfe, with which euerlaſting flowing yeldeth and miniſtreth vntounto it, from time to time, newe abundance: ſo the fleſh of Chriſt is like a rich and vnwaſted fountaine, which powreth into vsus the life ſpringing from the Godhead into it ſelfe.
10 This Communion is letted by no diſtance of place,2. Cor. 10.16. and the ſame is ſo ſealed in the Supper of the Lorde, yt therin we may apprehend not a vain ſigne, but the thing it ſelfe.
11 A concluſion of the things that go before, and ſo of the whole parte of this Chapter, that is to ſay, that the myſterie of ye Supper conſiſteth of two parts: of corporall ſignes, and ſpiritual truth: and they alſo containe thrée thinges, the ſignification, matter, and effect.
The former part of the Chapter performed, he commeth to the other: that is, to examine the exceſſiue mixtures which ſuperſtition hath brought into the Church. And firſt he handleth tranſubſtantiation, from the 12. to the 15. then of conſubſtantiation, from the 16. to the 19. thirdly he ſheweth yt that inſtitution maketh againſt thoſe exceſſiue Doctors, from the 20. to the 25. fourthly by other reaſons taken out of the word of God, he confirmeth his iudgement, from the 26. to the 27. fiftly he taketh away the authoritie of the fathers from them .28. ſixtly he ſubuerteth their preſence, which they imagine, and bringeth in an other, frō the 29. to ye 32. ſeuēthly he ſheweth what communication ours ought to be .33. 34. Eightly, he reproueth Adoration, & hee ſheweth to what end the Sacrament is inſtituted, from the 35. to the 39. Laſt of all, he entreateth of certain other things that happē, which belong to that participatiō, from the 40. to the 50.
12 As touching the firſt, he ſheweth what a preſēce of Chriſt thoſe Biſhops doe imagine, that is to ſay, groſe & carnall, but ſome amongſt them hauehave bene aſhamed thereof: neither néede we any ſuch participation. S. Paul teacheth vsus that Chriſt dwelleth in vsus,Rom. 8.9.11. none otherwiſe than by his ſpirit, whereby yet hée taketh not the communion of the fleſhe and blood, but teacheth that the ſpirit alone worketh that wee poſſeſſe whole Chriſt, and hauehave him dwelling with vsus.
13 The ſchoolemē thought more ſhamefaſtly, but he calleth to mind afterward the reaſon wherby they place Chriſt in the forme of bread, as they tearme it.
14 Herevpon came forth the error of trāſubſtantiatiō fained againſt ye ſcripture and old conſent, but many hauehave vſed the word of cōuerſion, but in ye ſenſe which admitteth no tranſubſtantiatiō, neither can the ſignification of the Supper otherwiſe agrée,Ioh. 6. except the ſubſtāce of the outward ſignes remaine, for there muſt be viſible bread vſed for a meane, wherby that ſpirituall bread may be figured, which in the ſcripture is mentioned.
15 This alſo did helpe very much to driue them into this error: that cōſecratiō was as much among them, as Magicall inchantment, not knowing in the meane while this principle, that the breade is a Sacrament, to none but to men, to whome the worde is directed: their ſtarting hole which they take out of the worde of Moſes & place of Ieremy, is of no waight. The water ſpringing out of the Rocke in the deſert was to the fathers a token and ſigne of the ſame thing which the wine doeth figure to vsus in the Supper,Ex. 17.6. 1. Cor. 10.4. 1. Cor. 10.16. Act. 2.4.for Paul teacheth that they dronke the ſame ſpirituall drinke, but it was a common watering for beaſtes and cattell of the people, ſo that the earthly Elements when they are applied to a ſpiritual vſe, there is made no other turning but in reſpect of men, inſomuche as they are to them ſeales of the promiſes. Where they alledge that which the Prophet complaineth of,Ier. 11.9. that wood is put in his bread: therby is ment nothing els, but that by the crueltie of his enemies his breade was infected with bitterneſſe, the lyke complaint hath Dauid,Pſal. 69.21. that his meate was corrupted with gall, and his drink with Vineger.
16 Other ſéeing them ſelues cōſtrained with the proportional relatiō of the ſigne and the thing ſignified: nor yet ſuſtaining to enterpriſe or conceaue any other then a groſſe participation, flée to the ſuccour of conſubſtantiation.
17 And that they may maintain their errour, ſome of them contende that the meaſures of Chriſts bodie doeth extend ſo farre and wide as heauen and earth reacheth, ſome ſomewhat more ſubtilly ſay, that this bodie that is giuen in the Sacrament, is glorious and immortall▪ but it may be aſked what manner of bodie Chriſte gaue to his Diſciples the day before he ſuffered: doe not the wordes ſounde that he gaue the ſame mortall bodie which was within a litle after, to be deliuered? but he had, ſay ye,Mat. 17.… ▪ ſhewed his glorie to be ſéene to thrée diſciples. true it is, but his will was by ye brightneſſe, to giuegive them a taſte of immortalitie for an houre.
18 But of this errour of conſubſtantiation, it muſt neceſſarily folow, yt the body and bloud of the Lord (becauſe the ſignes are diſtant, the one from ye other by ſpace) muſt bee ſeuered the one frō the other: but the ſame participation which we ſtand vponupon, doeth verie well ſhut the gates againſt this errour.
19 On the cōtrary, he ſheweth what preſence of Chriſts body we ſhould aſſigne in the Supper of the Lord: which alſo he thinketh it néedfull, diligently to be defended and aſſured.
20 The better he may performe the ſame, he taketh vponupon him to entreat of this inſtitution, ſpecially to ſhewe with how falſe enuy the aduerſaries doe burthen vsus,Mat. 26.26. Mar. 14.22. when they crye out that we depart from the words of Chriſt: but this reproch may be caſt vppon their owne pates, as hee manifeſtly ſheweth by a naturall interpretation of the wordes, and certaine other arguments.
21 For no other cauſe then for affinitie, which the things ſignified, hauehave with the ſignes, is the name of ye thing giuen to the ſigne, which he ſheweth by certaine places of ſcripture and by Auguſtine. Circumciſiō is a couenant: the Lambe is the Paſſeouer, the ſacrifices of the lawe are expiations, the rock out of which water flowed in ye deſerte was Chriſte: God appeared to Moſes in a buſh, the arke of couenāt is called God the face of God, & the one is called the holy Ghoſt. Meruellous ſaith Aug. is the patience of Chriſte, that he receiued Iudas to the banquet,Aug. in Pſal. 3. whē he committed & deliuered to his Diſciples the figure of his bodie and blood.
22 How litle it helpeth them, ye they ſtand ſo much vponupon the worde (this is) and by many examples conuinceth thē: becauſe they ſay that the vehemencie of the verbe ſubſtantiue (is) is ſo great, that it admitteth no figure, which is falſe,1. Cor. 10.16. as by many places of Scripture is proued. In the words of Paul is the ſubſtantiue verbe, where he calleth the bread, the communicating of the bodie of Chriſt, but the communicating is an other thing then the body it ſelf. Again, this ſhall be to you a couenaunt wt mée. This Lambe ſhall be to you a Paſſeouer, the Rocke was Chriſt.Gen. 17.13. Ex. 1.12.43. The holie Ghoſt was not yet, becauſe Ieſus was not yet glorified:Ioh. 7.39. if they abide faſtened to their rule, the eternall eſſence of the holie Ghoſt ſhalbe deſtroied, as though it tooke beginning at the Aſcention of Chriſt.1. Cor. 11.12. Paul ſaieth that the Church is Chriſt, for bringing a ſimilitude of the bodie of man, hée addeth ſo is Chriſte, in whiche place hée vnderſtandeth, the only begotten ſonne of God, not in him ſelfe, but in his members.
23 Thoſe labour no otherwiſe in ſilables than the Anthropomorphites. truely ye Apoſtles thought not of ſo prodigious a matter. there wil alſo follow an other abſurditie, if they ſtand ſo preciſely in wordes.
24 But the better to purge the infamie of this lye, hée wipeth away an other lyke cryme: that is to ſay, that wee are ſo addicted to humane reaſon, that we may attribute nothing more to the power of God, than the order of nature ſuffereth, and common ſenſe, treateth: and he ſheweth that they doe very euil, becauſe preaching the power of God beſides his will, they doe peruerte the order of Gods wiſedome.
25 Which hee proſecuteth more at large, where he ſheweth that they hauehave no word, whereby to be taught of that will of God: reproouing them alſo of a mad preiudice.
26 Now to proue the doctrine which he deliuereth out of the pure worde of God, he proueth that the bodie of Chriſt hath ſo left the earth according to the ſcriptures, and ſo to remain in heauen,Iob. 14.22. Mat. 26.11. that by no meanes hée can hauehave ye carnall preſenſe which they dreame of in the earth.
27 The name of aſcending ſo oftē repeted,Act. 1.9. Luk. 24.2. and the admonition of the Angel at that time he did aſcende, doeth manifeſtly declare the ſame.
28 And bicauſe they brag ye the Fathers are of their ſide, auoyding tediouſneſſe ſake, this one thing he ſaith, whatſoeuer they ſcrape out of Auguſtine, the ſame doth make nothing for them but for vsus wholly: Auguſtine ſaieth,In Pſal. 3. that bodies if ſpaces & places be taken frō them, ſhall be no where, & becauſe they ſhall be no where, they ſhall not be at all.
29 But ſéeing what ſo euer is alledged out of the ſcriptures & Fathers againſt their minde,Luk. 3.21. Luk. 24.39. Ioh. 20.17. they are wont to deceiue in this lurking hole, ſaying that the preſence which they determine, is inuiſible: firſt this ſtarting hole he ſhutteth cloſe from them, by certaine arguments which are in number foure, and they begin [And whē: Moreouer if: Or to conclude, for to what purpoſe. Moreouer he waſheth away thoſe argumēts which they doe obiecte, but chiefly the fourth, and concludeth that they by trifling, although not by one word in déede, yet by circumſtance doe make the fleſhe of Chriſt a Spirite.
30 That we may giuegive them yt which they prate of the inuiſible preſence, yet do they in vaine aſſay to include Chriſt vnderunder the bread, vnleſſe they ouercome or conuince the vnmeaſurableneſſe or the vbiquitie of his bodie, but the ſame is verie neare the hereſie of Eutiches & Seruetus. Hee anſwereth alſo the places which they are wōt to cite for themſelues.
31 There can be no other preſence of Chriſts fleſh, than that groſe preſence which they imagine, while they place the ſame in bread by a ſecrete vnion of the holie Ghoſt.
32 Hee ſheweth what the ſame is, where he confeſſeth that he dareth affirme nothing of the manner.
33 And ſo hauing contayned thoſe things which ſéemed to belōg to the holy Supper on Gods behalfe exhibiting: Nowe he cōmeth to thoſe things which moreouer belong to our partes, that is to ſay, our cōmunicating is brought to paſſe by the worke and power of the holy Ghoſt, although that be ſet againſt the true and reall eating, what ſo euer we teach of ſpirituall, yet the ſame reſpecteth nothing els but whatſoeuer we teach of the ſpirituall: here vpō it foloweth, that dogs & reprobats as they wold hauehave it, receiue not ye body of the Lord.
34 And although they brag that Auguſtine doeth fauour them, becauſe hée hath written, that nothing is abated from the Sacramentes by the malice and infidelitie of men: yet by many ſuch places he proueth that he far otherwiſe thought, & Cyrill is of the ſame iudgement. Auguſtine vponupon theſe words,Ioh. 6.1. Hom. in Ioh. 26. He that eateth my fleſhe, and drinketh my blood, ſhall not dye for euer, ſayeth namely, the power of the ſacramēt, not only ye viſible ſacramēt & verely within, not without, he that eateth it with heart, not hee that preſſeth it with toothe: Wherevpon he concludeth, that the Sacrament of this thing, that is to ſay, of the vnitie of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt is ſet before men in the ſupper of the Lord, to ſome vntounto life, to none vntounto deſtructiō, whoſoeuer be partakers of it.Hom. Ioh. 59. Hom. 62. …. Cor. 12.…. Auguſt. ſaieth, What maruelleſt thou, if to Iudas was giuen the bread of Chriſte, by which he might be made bounde to the Deuill; when thou ſeeſt on the contrary ſide, that to Paule was giuen an Angell of the Deuill, by whō he might be made perfect in Chriſt?
35 From thence he goeth to reproue adoration, & firſt he ſheweth how weak their cōiecture is of accompaniyng together. Moreouer what raſhnes it taſteth, and how far of it is from true humility to fall downe flat & worſhip the ſignes.
36 Thoſe things that are aboue ſaid, the Nycen councel, old councel, and the whole order of ſcripture doe faſten our mindes, not with ſignes lift vp to heauen, to ſéeke Chriſte: but the adoration of the Sacrament is manifeſt Idolatrie.Col. 1.1.2.
37 Hée goeth further, and firſt he denieth that that fourme of Adoration is agréeable to the Sacrament. Moreouer through their owne default, it is no ſacrament,Pſalm. 50.1… becauſe they hauehave no reuerence of the commandement, whereby onelyonly the promiſe is boulſtered & borne vp: Therefore this Sacrament is not giuen to bée adored, but for certaine other profitable ends: firſt,Luke. 2.1… to ſtirre vp our mindes to giuing of thanks. Moreouer to exerciſe vsus in calling to minde the death of Chriſt.
38 Thirdly to encourage and flame vsus both to pureneſſe,1. Cor. 10.1… and holyneſſe of life, and alſo to charitie, and peace towardes all men: the laſt, wherof he only entreateth in this place. Auguſtine calleth this Sacramente the bonde of charity.
39 Héereby it appeareth howe farre it is from the nature of the Sacrament which they make a dombe action, and lay vp I know not how oft that which they diſtribute to the ſicke.
40 Paſſing to them which come to the Supper of the Lorde:Titus. 1.15 1. Cor. 11.29 firſt he ſheweth what they are that come vnworthily, and how great iudgement hangeth ouer them. Moreouer he therby concludeth that eueryevery man muſte examine him ſelfe:…. Cor. 11.28 and what that examination is.
41 The examination which commonly the Papiſtes had, was rather a cruell torment, than an examination, and debarred altogeather from the Supper of the Lorde.
42 What that true examination is, and who are they that come worthily.
43 As concerning the outwarde vſus… of doing, there is much difference, and therefore of ſome euilly reſtrained to a certaine neceſſitie:Luke. 22.17 and how the Supper of ye Lorde may moſt decently be adminiſtred.
44. 45 The participation of the ſupper ought to be had in often vſe of all Chriſtians,Acts. 2.24 as is ſhewed by the practiſe of the olde Churche, and the decrees of the olde Fathers: and how ſeuerely ſome of the Fathers did condemne in this behalfe, the ſlouth of the people.
46 The cuſtome that commandeth to communicate once eueryevery yéere, is a moſt certaine inuention of the Diuell, albeit it coulde not ariſe at the firſt, of a very euill fountaine.
47 It was alſo an inuention of the Diuel, that in the Supper of the Lord, the cuppe was denied the layitie: and it doth nothing auaile them, that by this meanes they ſay they auoide many dangers, neither is it néedfull for the accompaning of the blood in the body to diſtribute both.
48 He ſhutteth againſt them two other ſtarting holes, and the laſt thereof is, that the cup did belong to the ſacrificers only: this he proſecuteth to the end of the Chapter, ſetting before them fiue requeſtes: two in this place.
49 The ſecond whereof, hee expoundeth at large, & ſtrongly confirmeth it.
50 The other thrée.