A Seale of the promise of the Gospell, instituted by Christ himselfe, wherein God doth seale vnto all those that doe worthelie receive it, all the benefites & blessings, which his own Sonne hath merited for vs through his obedience, by giving vp his body vnto death, and by powering forth and shedding of his bloud.

In generall, note from hence Viz.

1. The word or cōmandement of God the institutour heereof.

2. The externall Signe:

3. The thing promised.

4. Faith answering thereto, and belee­ving the promises.

The Institution, where taught:

Math. 26. cap. Mark. 14. Luk. 22. Ac­cording to the puritie wherof, S ^t. Paule instructeth the Corinthians: viz. 1. Epi­stle: 11. cap. verse 23.24. as followeth.

For I haue receiued of the Lord that, which I also haue delivered vnto you, to vvitte, that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke bread.

And when he had given thankes, hee brake it, and said: Take, eate: this is my body which is broken for you: This doe yee in remembrance of mee.

After the same manner also he tooke the cup, when he had supped saying, This Cup is the new testament in my blood: this doe as oft as yee drink it, in remembrance of mee.

For as often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup, yee shevve the Lords [Page 3]death till hee come.

VVherefore let a man therefore exa­mine himselfe, &c.

Note heere, how S ^t. Paule saith: For I haue receaued of the Lord, which I also haue delivered vnto you, &c.

Wherby it appeareth, that the forme of celebrating the Lordes Supper must be taken from the institution thereof, whose partes are these.

1. First, on the behalfe of the Pastour, to shewe forth the death of the Lord by preaching his word: to sāctifie the bread & wine, the name of God being called on, and his institution being explicated togither with praiers; & then to deliver the bread broken to be eaten: & the cup receaved to bee drunken with giving of thankes.

2. Secōdly on the behalfe of the Peo­ple, to trie thēselvs, that is, to search our aswell their knowledge, as faith & repē ­tance, to shew forth the Lordes death, that is, with a true faith, to yeeld their cōsent vnto Gods word & institutiō: & [Page 4]at length to eate the bread receaved frō the hand of the Minister, and to drinke the vvine vvith giving of thankes vnto the Lord. This was the Liturgie of S ^t. Paule & the Apostles: which word, the Papistes wrest mightely, to bolster vp their Masse.

The first Institution by Christ him­selfe fullie sett downe.

Math 26. cap 26. vers. And as they did eate, Iesus tooke the bread: and when he had givē * thanks, he brake it, & gaue it to the disciples, & said: Take, eat. This is my body.

Also he tooke the Cup, & when he had * given thankes, he gaue it them, saying, Drinke yee all of it.

For this is my bloud of the new Testa­ment, that is shedde for many, for the re­mission of sinnes.

I say vnto you, that I will not drinke from henceforth of this fruit of the Vine vntill that day, when I shal drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome.

And when they had songe a Psalme, they wēt out into the moūt of Oliues &c.

* And when hee had given thankes; [ [...]] in steed wherof S ^t. Mark. vseth [ [...]] which a little after hee expoūdeth also by [...], gratias egi sset, that is, had given thanks, according to S ^t. Mathews wordes.

Therfore to blesse [ [...]] is not heere taken for to consecrate with a magicall murmuring, by vertue of wordes: yet are the bread and wine chaunged, though not in nature, but in quality. For they are made Symbols of the body & bloud of Christ, not by their owne na­ture, nor yet by force of wordes, but by the institution of Christ, which ought to be rehearsed and opened: that faith may haue what to embrace, both in the word, & in the Elements. Muscu. Loc. com. 397.

Now when S ^t. Austen saith; Acce­dat verbum adelementum, & fiat sacra­mentum, that is, Let the word be added [Page 6]to the Element, & it shalbe a Sacramēt.

Hee doth not vnderstand by it, the word rehearsed over the Signes to be a certaine Consecration of the Elemēts, as the Papists doe cogge with their five wordes of Cōsecration, barely though raptissimè, that is, dromedarily as one may say, or as t'is commonly said, with­out any stoppe & turch of breath, pro­noūced: viz. Hoc est enim corpus meum, that is, For this is my body, (and yet I spare to tel, how they foist in [enim] pre­tilie, as it were at the bynne doore to make vp their quinarie number:) but Austen vnderstandeth therby the word of God, who doth, institute, promise, & require faith answerable to his pro­mise. And so indeede this word when it commeth once vnto the Element, it is forthwith, of an Element, become now a Sacrament.

The Institution likewise out of Saint Marke.

Mark. 14, 22. And as they did eate, [Page 7]Iesus tooke the bread, and vvhen hee had given thankes [ [...],] he brake it, & gaue it to them, and saide, Take, eate, this is my bodie. Also he tooke the Cuppe, and when he had given thankes [...]] he gaue it to them: & they all dranke of it.

And hee saide vnto them, This is my bloud of the new Testament, which is shed for many.

Verely I say vnto you, I vvill drinke no more of the fruite of the Vine, vntill that day that I drinke it new in the kingdome of God.

And vvhen they had sung a Psalme, they went out to the mount of Oliues, &c.

The Institution according to Saint Luke.

Luke 22. cap. 19. vers. And hee tooke bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gaue to them, saying, This is my bodie, which is given for you: doe this in remembrance of mee.

Likewise also after supper he tooke the cup, saying, This * Cup is the new Test. in [Page 8]my bloud, which is shed for you.

[...].* that is, This cup [...] the. [...] new Testamēt in my bloud, which is shed for you.

Where a double figure called meto­nymia is to bee observed. For first, the continent or the thing cōteining, is put for the thing conteined therein. As the Cup is put from the vvine.

Secondly the wine is called [...], foedus, that is, the Covenant or Testament: whereas it is but only a Sym­bole and token of the Covenant, or of that thing rather, namely the bloud of our Saviour, by which the Testament is confirmed. And albeit it is a marke, signe, or token, yet is it true & nothing vaine nor idle, & must be distinguished frō that very thing, which is represen­ted by it.

VVherefore by the Papistes leaue, (yea though they tugge and toile out their very harts about this point,) such speeches as these, viz. when Circumci­sion [Page 9]is called the Covenant: Gen 17.10. Acts. 7.8. when the Paschall Lambe is called the Passover: that Baptisme is the Laver of regenera­tion: that Baptisme doth save vs: that sprinkeling of water is the sprinkeling of the blood of Christ: Lastly, that this Cup is the new Testamēt, &c. all these I say, are metaphoricallie and figuratively to be vnderstood. Now I pray, what sense haue they that these wordes, This is my body (I leaue out [enim] for, because both Mathew, Marke, and Luke doe leaue it out) should not bee figuratiuely, sacra­mentally, & spiritually vnderstood also?

But by this even the simplest may soone perceave, how they doe nothing but dodge herein, and most vilely plaie the patchpannels. Yea but some vvill say; if so that the Sacramentes bee but signes and representations: what neces­sitie lieth in thē; seeing the word of God it selfe doth teach vs as much, and ther­fore vvithout the other, were sufficient alone for vs.

First, I answere that the necessity of [Page 10]the Sacramēts stādeth vpon this groūd, that is to say, on the ordinance of God, who will not bee called to accompte of vs for any thing that he doth.

Secondly, I answere, that the word indeede of God is all-sufficiēt by it selfe, had not wee bin insufficient by reason of our dulnes to beleeue the same. And for this cause hee ordained the Sacra­mentes to helpe our weakenes and dul­heartednes to believe any thing, vnlesse we do with S ^t Thomas both see & feele him first, ( Iob. 20.13.) though not cor­porally as he did thē, that is, in his flesh and bodely presence: but Sacramental­ly & representorilie, that is, by Signes. And therfore we are most highly boūd vnto God for the same, seeing he doth debase himselfe so farre by these terre­strial creatures of bread & wine, as ther by to apply and make himselfe familiar to our feeble, to our slēder, & more thē weake, yea childish capacitie, reach, & vnderstanding.

Heere thē we are to note that three­fold [Page 11]difference betwixt the word & the Sacraments, in the order of confirming faith. viz.

1. The word is offered & preached generally vnto all: but the Sacraments are singularly ministred to every of the faithfull.

2. The word is offered in preaching to the eare onely: but the Sacramentes are presented to all the senses: that so we may be every way sensiblie affected, & assured of the goodnes, favour, & mer­cie of our God.

3. God by his word hath revealed, expressed, & set downe his will vnto vs: by the Signe or Sacrament he hath cō ­firmed the same vnto vs. To the end, that that thing which the mind did cō ­ceaue out of the word, might after a sort through the Signe, be presented to the senses, &c.

Now forsomuch as our Adversaries the Papists do still bāgle about moone­shining in the water by standing so stif­ly vppon the grosse and literall sense of [Page 12]these wordes; Hoc est corpus meum, that is, this is my body: (that neither they may be their owne carvers, nor we wax olde in our opinion without reason: reason (I say) such, as they never will haue the like, vnlesse they haue the same) I will oppose against that grosse taking of the wordes, fower especiall thinges to anni­hilate & infringe the same. viz.

1. The iudgment & verdite of the learneder & sounder sort, touching the true meaning of the wordes.

2. The auctoritie of the Scripture, the best interpreters thereof.

3. Reasons, with the contrarie Ab­surdities.

4. Lastly, if that none of these, the least whereof is sufficient, can satisfie such vnreasonable and flint-harted Pa­pists, that do most obstinately put away the true and sincere knowledge of these mysteries: I must be driven to discover to their shame, had they any, the most impure & irreligious doctrine, vvhich they mordicùs, tooth & naile defende, a­bout [Page 13]their Masse.

First of the First, that is, the iudge­ment of the Fathers.

1. The bread taken and given to his Disciples, he made that his body, saying This is my bodie, that is, a figure of my bo­die. Tertullian lib. 4. cōtra Marcionem.

2. After such a maner he saith, that the bread & wine are the flesh & bloud of Christ; as that, both the thinges signifying, and the things signified, are iudg­ed or esteemed by the same words. Cy­prian de Chrism.

3. The Lord, saith Augustine, did not doubt to say. This is my bodie, when he gaue a Signe of his bodie. August. contra Adamant. chap. 12. Againe Cyprian, he calleth it, panem sanctifica­tum, that is, hallowed bread.

4. The bread vpon the Alter, onely is a Signe, as Baptisme is: and it proffit­eth nothing, vnlesse the bread be nowe eaten within. Lut. in Serm super Iohan. 6. Anno 1523.

5. The Latine Church speaketh; Nulla rei fit scissura, signi tantum fit fractura, qua nec status, nec statura sig­natiminuitur: that is, no rēting is made of the thing; onely there is a breaking of the signe; whereby neither the state not stature of the thinge signified is dimini­shed.

And they hold this to bee the defini­tion of a Sacrament: That it is a Signe of an holie thing.

6. The destroying or taking avvaie the Proprieties, is a denying of the Na­ture. Theodoret. Dial. 3.

7. The natural & essential Proprie­tie beeing cutte of, the verie whole na­ture also it selfe is overthrowen there­with. For a nature cannot be found out anie way, but by the essentiall Proprie­tie that doth designe and note out the same. Vigilius in Epist. Synod. adversus Monothel.

He that denieth the Proprieties, denieth the nature. Luth. in lib. Concil.

If then the bodie of Christ is not vi­sible [Page 15]and circumscribed, it cannot bee a bodie. For take away the essentiall Ad­iunct, and take away the Subiect also: & once put the Adiūct, & forthwith adde the Subiect toe.

Vbiquitie therefore is not communi­cated vnto the body: because it is a Pro­prietie of the divine Nature.

8. Do thou not (saith Austen) doubt that the man Christ Iesus is there now, from whence hee shall come; and print it firmelie in thine heart, & keepe faith­fullie the Christian confession: because he hath risen from the deade, he ascen­ded vp into heaven, hee sitteth at the right hand of the Father, neither shal he come else-where, then from thence to iudge the living and the deade. And he shall so come, the evangelicall voice ( Act. 1.) bearing witnes heereto, as he was seene to goe into heaven, that is, in the same forme & substāce of his flesh: to which flesh he gave immortality in­deede, but yet tooke not away the na­ture. According to this forme he is not [Page 16]to bee thought to bee spredde every where: For we must beware, that we do not so maintaine the divinitie of man, that wee should take away the truth of his bodie. Besides it fol [...]oweth not, that that which is in God, should bee everie where so, as God. For the scripture saith most true thinges to vs, that wee live in him, move, and haue our being: yet are wee not everie where as he is. But that man is otherwise in God, because God is also otherwise in that man, after a certaine proper and singular manner. For one person is God and man, & both is one Christ Iesus, Every where by that that he is God: but (in Coelo) in heavē, by that that he is man, August in Epist. ad Dardanum. Althi (que) dicit Sacramen­tum premi dentibus.

In a word, all this contention (saith Mulculus) standeth on the right sense of the wordes of Christ, viz. This is my bodie, where the true meaning of them is held, there those arguments do make nothing at all to the purpose, by which [Page 17]they labour in laying on Hampton load of sophismes & fooleries, to proue that the body of Christ can be in many pla­ces at one time, yea vbi (que) every where.

1. Sophisme.

The Vbiquitaries when they woulde proue that the body of Christ is in the bread, they haue nothing poore souls to bring but the literal words of Christ, be cause he hath said, This is my body. But in the meane time, petunt principium, that is, they begge of vs this favour to grant the whole matter that is in controversie betwixt vs. For who seeth not that a­bout these wordes of Christ lyeth the whole question, how or after what sorte they are to be vnderstood? Therfore the proofe of this point cannot be taken frō them. For the approbation of the true sense is not to be drawne out of the ve­ry wordes themselues, whose meaning we doe explicate and seeke for: but frō that which goeth before & that which followeth after, or els, from other like places, that so the Analogie of faith [Page 18]may be obserued.

2. Sophisme.

Againe, will ye heare an other acute reason of theirs; acute did I say? one may terme it so, aswel as some do mons à mo­vendo, that is, fine cute & cote. the body of Christ, say they, is every where, be­cause the proprieties of the diuine na­ture, are communicated to it. But wee finde here petitionem principij, that is, a begging of the argument: because the argument is as vncertaine & doubtful, as the thing it selfe, which is had in que­stion. They must first proue, & not as mendicant Friars begge, that it be free­ly granted to them.

1. Argument.

But one argument now against thē; viz. Whosoeuer do take away the pro­prieties of the body of Christ, they doe take away the bodie it selfe: They who say that the bodye of Christ is euery where, doe take away the proprieties of the bodie of Christ: therefore whosoe­uer say that the bodie of Christ is every [Page 19]where, they take awaie the body it selfe.

Here the Vbiquitarians deny the cō ­clusion: but tell them of answering the argument; & surdo narras fabulam, that is, it doth please them so well, as though you had broken both their shinns with a crab-tree cudgel.

2. Argument.

The bread is changed into the bodie of Christ, either substantially or sacra­mētally: but not substātially; for Christ, according to Theodoret, hath honoured the visible Symbols by the names of his bodie and blood, not changing the na­ture, but adding grace vnto the nature. Therefore it is changed only sacramen­tally, that is, it is made and turned out of common bread into a Sacrament of his bodie.

3. Argument.

The bodie is spokē de pane, of the bread, either properly or tropically: non pro­perly; because so al might be said of the bread properlie and truelie, whatsoeuer are said of the bodie, (according to that [Page 20]axiome; Quicquid dicitur de praedicate, dicitur etiam de subiecto:) which absur­ditie deserues an hissing. Therefore it is of necessity spoken of the bread [...], that is, tropically.

4. Argument.

Poison cannot bee mingled with the natural bodie & blood of Christ: but it may with the Eucharisticall bread and wine: as experience hath taught. For a certaine Monke of the Iacobin order named Bernhard de monte Politiano de Doncastro, gaue vnto the Emperour Henry. 7. an intoxicated or poisoned Host, which hauing receiued he died. Therfore the Eucharistical bread is not made the natural bodie, and the wine is not likewise the natural blood of Christ.

5. Argument.

This particle hoc (in the words of the Supper) which signifieth this; either de­monstrateth bread: or the only accidēts of bread: or els the body it self of Christ: or lastly, (as Thomas Aquinas saith p. 3. Q. 78. Artic. 5.) some wandring and in­determinat [Page 21]kinde of substance. For be­sides these, there was nothing, of which Christ, touching his body, might bee spoken.

1. First then this particle doth not de­monstrate substantiam vagam, that is, a wandering or roaming substance: be­cause, it was a determinate & setled sub­stance, (not a rouing substaunce) euen that which Christ held in his handes, which he brake; and which he gaue to his Disciples.

2. Next, it doth not demonstrate the bodie it selfe of Christ, neither visible nor invisible. For the visible body Christ himselfe had on, but hee gaue vnto his Disciples, (after hee had broken it,) a plaine, evident, and demonstrate thing. An Invisible or Vbiquitarie bodie in the Supper Christ had none: yea & the Pa­pists too doe confesse, that the body of Christ is not yet presēt vnder the forme of bread, when the Priest doth begin to pronounce this Particle [ [...]] this, but then it is present at last cast, as they say, [Page 22]euen after the chaunge is made: nowe they say that the immutation of breade into the body of Christ is made, in the very last gaspe of the cōsecratiō, wherin the syllable [VM] is pronoūced in these fine words; Hoc est (yet the change is not,) enim (nor yet) Corpus (nor yet) me- (now tis neere,) um here tis, Lo now he hath stroken it dead, now in deed hee hath kild the cow, and neuer before, till this syllable [VM] flue mee out of his chaps.

Hence you may take a short surview of Popery in graine, that is, in his right stampe, couler, and cue, as men com­monly saie.

3. Thirdly & lastly, this particle (hoc) this, doth not demonstrate the shew on­lie or accidents of bread, aswel because Christ held not in his hand neither did he breake bare accidents, but the verie materiated thing it selfe clad and boun­ded about with accidentes: as also be­cause it was false, that the shew or re­semblance of bread should be the body [Page 23]of Christ. For this were to make a body of the aire, nay marry it is not so wel by a great deal; because that the aire though it be [...], that is, a most moist & fluid body, yet it is a body: but accidents are immateriall things & are no subiect of themselues, but they doe inhaerere subiecto, that is, they are fast­ned in some Subiect, which must sup­port and beare them vp.

It is a common saying that beggers repeate their Pater noster so oft, till at length they cleane forget it so the fabu­lous massing wittals doe beat about the bush of Sophistrie and quirkes so long till at last they leese the bird it selfe, that is, they forget the maine groundes and rules of Logike. Wherfore to conclude; this Particle (Hoc) doth demonstrat no­thing els, then the bread alone: neither doe the words of Christ; this is my bodie sound any other thing, then Hic panis, that is, this bread is my bodie.

Let this suffice for the first: the two other middle motiues, (against that [Page 24]grosse interpretation of the words, this is my body,) namely the authority of the Scriptures, & the reasons with the cō ­trary absurdities, shalbe set downe (as occasiō offereth) in the particular hand ling and discussing of this Sacrament.

In the meane space you haue heard the definition and nature of the Lordes Supper: you haue heard howe many things do generally belong thereto. you haue had and heard the sweete and har­monical institution out of the three for­mer Evangelists with some notes there­on; according to the truth whereof S ^t. Paule schooleth the Corinthians, & re­formeth the corruptions which they v­sed in celebrating the Supper, by bring­ing them home againe vnto the first au­thor and institutour thereof Christ Ie­sus: you haue likewise receiued the iudg­ment of graue and renowned learned men for the right vnderstāding of these words; This is my body: I haue given you a little taste of their cunning shiftes and false arguing: that as men do vsually see [Page 25]day through a litle hole, so you also may conceiue and gather an huge masse of cogging, deceipt, and iugling with fast and loose, as it were, by the glimmering shine of two or three sophismes and fallacies of theirs.

Lastly, I haue opposed there against some few obiections of ours, for a bone vnto them to gnaw vpon, that so they may not scape scot-free away, but may haue an Oliver for a Rowland, that is, as good, nay better, then they bring.

Q. Now let vs enter into the Particu­larities of this Sacrament: Howe many things are specially to be observed in the Supper of the Lord?

A. Three thinges; as,

1. What it is in his nature and partes.

2. What the Analogie and what the coniunction is of the Signe with the thing signified.

3. What the meditation hereof is.

First.

Q. First cōcerning his nature, it hath already bin defined: tell now what [Page 26]are the parts of the Supper?

A. Two, as;

• 1. The outward signe:
• 2. The indward holy thing.

Q. What is the outward Signe?

A. Bread and Wine, (annexed to the preaching of the Gospell:) which are re­ceaved by the mouth.

Q. Sett downe an evident place that the preaching of the word is to be ioyned with the administration of the Supper.

A. Act. Apost. 20. ca. 7. vers. And the first day of the weeke, (which is called the Lords day Apocal. 1. 10. & 1. Cor. 16.2.) the Disciples being come togea­ther to breake bread, Paule preached vn­to thē, ready to depart on the morrow, & continued preaching vnto midnight.

Q. What is the inward holie thing?

A. The body, & blood of Christ: which must be receaued by faith, the spirituall mouth of our Soules: according to this rule; omnis promissio fide accipitur, that is, everie promise must bee receaved by faith.

Q. Whie were two Signes instituted?

A. The Lord did that to helpe our in­firmitie, signifying that he is aswell the drinke as the meate of our soule, to the end wee might bee content to seeke our nourishment fully & wholly in him, and no where else.

Q. Doth the Cuppe belong indiffe­rently to all?

A. Yea, and that by expresse comman­dement of our Saviour himselfe: contra­rie to which, we may in no wise presume to doe. For it is written Math. 26. chap. v. 27. Bibite exeo omnes, that is, drinke yee all of it. Item 1. Cor. 10. ca. 16. v. Yet for al this, the Papists forsooth are such braue Marchants in chopping & chan­ging what they list, that they come with a countermaund against this, namelie that the Priests lips alone must kisse the chalice: as for Lay-men, they may goe with drie lippes home.

Againe, because they will not seeme in each degree to countervaile their holy Father the Pope, for whom it is suffici­ent [Page 28]& soūd if he say no more but; Sic vo­lo, sic iubeo, stat pro ratione volūtas: they haue beaten their braines for to search out many prety reasons, why the laytie ought not to participate of the wine: which one of their side committeth to writing, whereof these following are a few. viz.

1. The lay People, say they, do eate of the body of Christ, but the body hath blood also in it: therefore it is superstiti­ous for them to haue the Cuppe.

2. Wine, say they, is hard to bee come by in many places, and yet when they haue it, all cannot drinke or well a­way with it: and therevppon partlie to saue charge, and partely to end strife, they haue taken a good easie methode; that none shall drinke it.

3. It is a daungerous thinge for the Laitie to haue the cup, because of infe­ction: for what can one tell, what desea­ses his fellow communicāts may haue. Wherevpon in so much as Christ was not wise enough to foresee this deepe [Page 29]conceipte, they will like subtill whore­sons prevent one mischiefe and broch a worse that is, the overthrow of the ve­ry Institution it selfe, which is a thinge most vile and horrible.

4. Indecorum est propter barbas, that is, It is an vnseemely matter for the Lai­ty to communicate in the wine, by rea­son of their beards: which being so thick and bushie, would bee an occasion that the bloud might be wasted, by sticking thervpon. Oh most block-headed gros­nes and blasphemie.

To these adde the rest, as; Periculum in effusione, that is, it is dangerous in the powering forth, lest it should be shedd: In deportatione de loco ad locum, that is, It is danger likewise in the cariage of it from place to place; In vasorum sordi­datione, that is, in the foulnes of the ves­sels, which should be consecrated, and not so commonly handled by the Laitie and clouted sort, and much lesse ought the consecrate wine be sould in bottels: In conservatione pro infirmis, that is, in [Page 30]keeping the same for the sicke, which a biding some time in the vessell might be turned into vineger, & so might cease to be there the bloud of Christ, & therfore should not be takē, nor yet consecrated anew without a masse: addito quod in aestate bibliones aut muscae generarētur, that is, in Summer, gnats & flies would breede therin, although the vessell were stopped never so closely: besides, putres­ceret, that is, it would corrupte and be­come a thing abominable to be drunke, Et haec ratio (saith Gerson,) est efficax valdè, It is a right substantiall & knock­ing reason, feare yee not.

There are moe yet behind, but I had rather referre the reader vnto Gerson himselfe, who being for his time a verie learned man, was thought to doe this Ironicè, that is, closely girding at the councell of Constance, who being there in place, was inioyned by the Synod to set downe his minde herein.

Q. Whie did Christ institute the Sa­crament of the promise of the [Page 31]Gospel vnder the Signes of bread and wine?

A. Forsooth, that by comparing of their severall effects togeather, (accor­ding to their analogie,) the very force & strength of our faith might welneere sensiblie be perceaved, as whereby wee take holde, apprehend, keepe, and pos­sesse in our harts & mindes, the promi­sed good thinges thereof.

Secondly.

Q. VVhat is the analogie, by which worde is vnderstood a likenes or proportion?

A. As bread and wine, when man is in case to die and perish for want of foode, do lift him vp againe, cherish, comfort, quicken and refresh his languished and fainting bodie: so our faith, sure trust, & confidence reposed in Christ, (who de­livered his body, powred forth, & shed his bloud for the remissiō of our sinnes, when we were in case of misery, wholie trodden downe and vanquished of the Devill, and lying as it were groveling in [Page 32]our filthines) doth raise vs vp again, free vs from death, nourish, comfort, refresh and quicken our farre, yea whole spent soules vnto life not temporal but eter­nall.

Q. What is the Coniunction, namelie of the Signe with the Thing sig­nified?

A. It is a most true and spiritual con­iunction, grounded on the promises of Christ, and wrought by the holy Ghost.

Q. Is there no mutation then of the bread and wine: or at least no phy­sical copulation?

A. There is no change of the Elemēts in respect of their substaunce: but yet there is a mutation of them, in respect of the end. viz.

The bread & wine are no more novv prophane or common meate & drinke, but do serue and are applied rather vn­to a proper, sacramentall, and sacred vse and end.

And that learned and worthy man M. Beza. Dial. 2. saith, that the mystical [Page 33]Symbols bread and wine, even after the sanctifying of them, doe not leese their proper nature: For S. Paule, saith he, e­uen after the giuing of thankes calleth bread stil by the name of bread. 1. Cor. 11. vide locum.

Q. Can you instance in such a change?

A. Verie wel. For wax which is affix­ed to euidēces differeth nothing in sub­stance from that which is vnsealed: but in the vse there is such a change or alteration, that the one doth signifie & confirme the writings whereto it is an­nexed, whenas the other which is re­moued and not applied to that vse, doth not.

Q. If there be no physicall copulation or Consubstātiation as the Lutherās hold, neither mutation of the sub­stance of the Signes, which the Pa­pists call transubstantiation: why doth S ^t. Iohn Chap. 6. say that wee must eate the flesh of Christ, and drinke his blood?

A. S ^t. Iohn doeth by this manner of [Page 34]speaking set downe most perspicuouslie vnto the eies as it were of our soules the verie summe of the promise of the Gos­pel, as namelie, what faith is, by which wee doe enioie those promised good things: to the end, we might vnderstand how the vertue thereof doth beareful sway in our hearts cheering and lifting vs vp to buckle mightelie against the frontiers of sinne, the world, and the Deuil.

Q. Then by this it seemeth, that to eate the flesh of Christ, and to drinke his blood, are taken for one & the selfe same thing, as to beleeue in Christ?

A. It is so. And therefore S. Austen saith plainely; Crede, & manducasti, that is, beleeue and thou hast eaten.

Q. But can you proue that to eate, and to beleeue, are one thing in the Scriptures?

A. Easilie out of the sixt chap. of Iohn and the 40. 47. verses: as, verely, verely I say vnto you, hee that beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life.

Now vers. 51. of the same chap. hee expresseth this another way, that is, by eating of his flesh. As, I am that living bread, which came downe from heaven: if any man eate of this bread, he shall liue for ever: and the bread that I will giue is my flesh, which I will giue for the life of the world.

Here you maie see, that both these manner of speeches, though diverse in words, yet al one in sense and meaning, do obtaine likewise one & the selfesame promise, euen life eternal.

Moreouer hence it riseth, that the Fa­thers oftētimes treating vpon the Sup­per of the Lord, do cite those places out of the sixt of Ioh; not that they thought the Lord to haue spoken there precisely strictlie or solelie of the Supper of the Lord: but that rather, because in the right & lawful vse of the Supper, faith of the thing promised is there sensiblie, as one may say, expressed by the Lorde vnder the names of eating & drinking: of which promise, the Supper is a pledg [Page 36]and seale.

Q. Seeing there is now no physicall ap­plication: doe wee receiue onlie the bare tokens of the things signified: or els are they effectuallie there gi­ven vs?

A. For so much as Christ is the verie truth it selfe, and therfore most faithful in all his promises: so vndoubtedly ac­cording to his promise made at his Supper, and as the Signes do represent, he maketh vs partakers of his verie sub­stance, to make vs grow therby into one life with him. Calu.

Q. Christ is in heaven: (as, Act. 3. cap. 21. verse, sci. VVhom the heaven must containe vntill the time, that all things be restored, besides, looke all these places, as Hebr. 7.26. Eph. 4.10. Act. 1.11. Act. 7.56. Act. 1.9. Ioh. 6.62. Colloss. 3.1. Act. 2.33 Psal. 110.1. Luk. 22.69. Luk. 24.51. Ioh. 12.8. Heb. 10.12. 1. Tim. 3.16.) and we are heere Pilgrims on the earth. How then can this Vni­on [Page 37] of substance bee?

A. This Vnion is not in respect of the place; for so indeede is the body of Christ in Heauen [...] or circum­scriptible: but it is in respect of our faith, by which we do worthily receiue this holy mysterie.

For Christ, although he be in heaven according to his humane nature, and so sitteth glorified at the right hand ( Iohn 17.5.) of his Father, both our Mediatour and Intercessour vnto God for vs: yet is hee also these fiue waies present in the earth with vs. viz.

• 1. By his Godhead and Spirit.
• 2. By our faith in him.
• 3. By mutual loue.
• 4. By his vnion with humane nature, that is, in Coniunction of his Soule and body with ours.
• 5. By hope of our Consummation & glorification. Or,

According to others, thus; the presēce of Christ now with vs, is twofolde; the one in respect of his person, the other in [Page 38]respect of his office.

In Person, hee is with vs as true God filling both heauen and earth.

In of fice, he is with vs by his grace & Spirit. Math. 28.20. And loe, I am with you alway, vntill the end of the world. A­men. But Christ in his Humanity is not with vs, but so hee sitteth at the right hand of the Father and of the throne of his Maiestie in Heauen. Heb. 8.1.

Q. So then this commeth to passe by the wonderous and vnsearchable wor­king of Gods Spirit powring faith into vs, which faith coupling vs with the Son of God, causeth, that wee are more neerely ioined vnto the flesh and blood of Christ, then we are vnto the bread which we eat, & the wine which we drinke.

A. Iust. For indeede such is the effe­ctualnes of faith, which it hath frō the powerful working of Gods holy Spirit: that it doth most neerly cōioine things, which are in place farthest remoued a­sunder.

Concerning this Coniunction there­fore of ours with Christ, it is manifest that the Fathers doe all agree with this which hath bin said, for the right recei­ving and vnderstanding of this Sacra­ment: and more especially for the words of our Sauiour Christ, Ioh. 6. cap. verse 53.56. As, Then Iesus said vnto them, verely, verely I say vnto you, Except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man, & drinke his bloode, yee haue no life in you. He that eateth my flesh, & drinketh my blood, dwel­leth in me, and I in him.

And Corinth. 10. chap. vers. 16. The cup of blessing which wee blesse, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ: the bread which we breake, is it not the Com­munion of the body of Christ? For we that are many, are one bread and one bodie be­cause we are all partakers of one bread.

So yee see heere, that S ^t. Paule saith that the bread, which we breake, is the Cōmuniō of the body of Christ, which is, it is the thing whereby we are recea­ved into Communion and fellowship [Page 40]with the body of Christ, and doe growe togither into one with him.

Therfore al the Fathers iointly teach, that the very true flesh of Christ, not that which was feigned of the Heretiks to be invisible, but that which is like to ours in all things except sinne, is truelie eaten of vs in the Supper of the Lord: & is so eatē, that we wholy grow into one whole Christ, how great soeuer we bee, being made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. Eph. 5.30. See Zanchius in his treatesse of spiritual wedlocke.

Herevpon, saith Zanchius: Cyrill, and other of the Fathers affirmed that Christ dwelleth corporally and naturally in vs. Which words, saith he, must bee vnderstoode, not of the manner howe Christ dwelleth in vs, as if he were in vs in any naturall and fleshly manner: but they are to be vnderstood of the things whereto we are vnited. For we are vni­ted to the true & natural body of Christ and that by a true and reall vnion, but yet if you respect the manner how this [Page 41]is wrought; surely then it is accomplish­ed and done by these two means, name­ly by the spirit and by faith. Now this is farre of, I thinke, from that carnall, grosse, and fleshlie manner, which the Papists dreame of.

This Doctrin, (touching our incorpo­ration into Christ by a spiritual māner) all the Fathers taught. Wherefore Au­gustin in his 50, tract vpō Iohn: Let thē, saith he meaning the Iewes, heare & lay hold of Christ, who sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heavē. They answere; whom shall I lay hould on? him that is absent? Howe shal I lifte vp my hand into heavē to lay hold on him sit­ting there? lift vp thy And in the Primi­tiue church they vsed to say these words vnto the people. Sursum cor da in tokē that they were to pearce the very hea­vens, (with St. Steven Act. 7 56.) by their faith, and there be­hold Christ as he is man: and not in the earth. faith and thou hast laid hold on him. Thy Fathers held him in the flesh, doe thou holde him in thy heart: because Christ beeing absent is yet nevertheles also present. vnles he were present he could not be held of vs. Augustine sheweth at large, that Christ is absent in the flesh, but is present with vs in Maiestie.

Whence it is manifest, that this Vni­on is essentiall and reall, if we respect the thinges that are vnited, and the truth of the vnion: but if we cōsider the manner [...] vel [...], that is, how it is made, it is spirituall.

Q. VVhat? is there no Coniunction thē, where faith is not?

A. Noe, doubtles; but a Sacramentall Cōiunction onely: which returneth in­to iudgmēt to him that doth receine it.

Q. If it bee so, vvhy doth S ^t. Paule af­firme those to become guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord, vvhich doe eate this bread, and drinke the Cup vnworthelie. 1. Corint. 11.27. & 1. Corint. 10.16.17.

A. This may easily bee answered with the like, because hee that beleeveth not the word of God, but heareth it vnwor­thely, is guiltie of the word of God. For why, whosoever beleeveth not, shal bee condemned. Looke Marke, 16.16. Item Iohn, 12. ca. vers. 47.48.

Q. Yea S ^t. Austen hath the like kinde [Page 43]of speech; As he which eateth, (saith he) the bodie & drinketh the blood of Christ vnvvorthely eateth and drinketh his owne dānation: so he, that receaveth Baptisme vnvvor­thelie, receaveth iudgment and not salvation.

A. Where this learned Father speak­eth sacramentally, attributing vnto the Signe, the name of the thing it selfe.

Q. Howe are the wicked then guilty of the body & bloud of Christ: whenas they receave but the bare Elements or Signes alone?

A. Because the disgrace & reproach, which they doe to the sacred signes and symbols, doth redound even against the thinges themselues signified thereby.

Q. Can you make this plaine and fami­liar by some instance or other?

A. Yes surely, it may be gathered frō the experiēce of affaires in this life. For whosoever doth spue vpon, doth teare and trample vnder foote the Image or letters-Patents of an Emperour and [Page 44]mightie Prince, is foorthwith adiudged guiltie of hie treason: againe the ill en­treaty or vsage of Embassadours doth returne and fall out vnto the contempt & contumely of the king that sent thē. But of how much sorer punishmēt sup­pose yee, (according to the Apostles wordes Heb. 10.29.) shal he be worthy, which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God, and counteth the bloode of the Testament as an vnholy thinge, where­with he was sanctified, & doth despight the Spirit of Grace? Looke besides, 30.31. verses of the same chap. Item. Heb. 6.6. Item, 1. Cor. 11.7. where you shall finde the like phrases.

Notwithstanding it is but absurdlie gathered out of 1. Corint, 11. chap. 27. vers. that the vnbeleevers cannot ther­fore bee guiltie of the bodie and bloode of Christ, because they doe not reallie eate Christ in the Sacrament; as though they could no otherwise be guiltie of it, and namely by their vnbeleife: whenas yet S ^t. Paule speaketh not there of vn­beleevers, [Page 45]but even of the verie belee­vers themselues, vnreverētly handling this Sacrament.

Thirdly.

Q. VVhat is the Meditation of the Supper?

A. This is twofold; consisting

• 1. In the Endes.
• 2. In the Vse.

Q. VVhat are those speciall Endes?

A. They be fiue: as;

• 1. A remēbrāce of the Lords death.
• 2. A Sacrament of our incorporatiō.
• 3. A Sacrament of our spiritual repast and nourishment.
• 4. A pledge of for­givenes of sinnes.
• 5. A bond & true knotte of loue.

Of these in order as they lie.

First.

The Supper of the Lord is memoria mortis, that is, a Sacramēt ordained for a remembrance of the body of Christ [Page 46]delivered vp to death for vs, and of his blood shedde for many for the remissiō of sinnes. S ^t. Paule 1. Cor. 11. ca. 26, v. describeth this end most perspicuouslie: For as often (saith he) as yee shall eate this bread, and drinke this Cup, yee shewe the Lords death till he come.

And Christ himselfe. Luk. 22 cap. 19. vers. Doe this, saith he, in remembrance of mee.

Iustine the Martyr (Colloq. cum Tri­phon. Apolog. 2.) saith that the Eucha­risticall bread is committed to vs ad re­cordationem passionis Christi, that is, for a remēbrance of the passion of Christ,

Now marke heere, how shamefully the Papistes are besides their beades in going wide from the marke and ende of the institution. For Christ willeth vs to take this Sacrament, and to take bread and wine in remembrance of him.

Therefore the bread is called the bo­die of Christ, not really, but in that it is a memoriall of his bodie, that is, the bread is a remembrance vnto vs of Christs bo­die, [Page 47]even as it is also commanded in the wordes of the institution; hoc facite in mei commemorationem. Doe this in re­membrance of mee. According to the truth whereof S ^t. Paule is content to be ordered saying, 1. Cor. 11.26. mortem domini annunciatis vsquequo venerit; that is, ye shew the Lords death till hee come. Yea & in the two former verses; this doe yee in remembrance of me. But the Papists will not bee tied to this with the holy blessed Apostle S ^t. Paule, and therefore they wisely invented another way, (which is a knacke more then or­dinarie,) viz.

1 To make their Christ of bread.

2 To adore him in the bread: after they haue once made him, to eat part of him carnallie, & grosly to reserue part of him in their Pixes, for other holy vses &c.

3 To offer him vp a Propitiatorie sa­crifice pro viuis & defunctis, both for the quicke and deade, as that pelting and peevish toy of theirs, Purgatorie I meane, an errour, yea an heresie rather [Page 48]being flatly against the Articles of our faith, doth testifie vnto vs.

It is a Proverb, that a man shal soone know a ratte by his clawing: so may one as soone & sooner too smell out, (I will not say a knaue, it is to good a name for thē,) what madd shavers these Papists are, by their strange and vncooth do­ctrines. But to our purpos [...] againe.

In the institutiō we read that Christ bidding his Apostles to doe this in re­membrance of him, he did before verie apparently breake the bread. VVhere­fore the breaking of bread, is a necessa­rie ceremonie for three causes, (for it signifieth the passion and separation of his soule from the body:)

1. Because Christ hath commaun­ded it: for it is a part of the Institution.

2. Because it tendeth to our Conso­lation, knowing that his bodie was brui­sed (Crucifixum non fractum) thus for our sakes.

3. That this monster of transubstā ­tiation may bee taken away, according [Page 49]to the iudgement of Vrsinus, pag. 688. and thus much of the first end.

Secondly,

Sacramentum est incorporationis no­strae, that is, it is a Sacrament of our in­corporation into Christs body. And this is that which hath the promise, Iohn 6.56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. So Eph. 5. cap. 30. verse. For wee are mem­bers of his bodie, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Thirdly,

Sacramentum est spiritualis nutritio­nis nostrae, that is, a Sacrament of our spiritual education and nutrition in the body of Christ. For as we are through Baptisme washed with the bloode of Christ: so being washed and regenera­ted, wee are likewise continually nouri­shed by the bodie and blood of Christ, as appeareth Iohn 6. cap. ver. 35, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, &c.

Q. For so much as this our continuall nourishment in the body of Christ, [Page 50]floweth frō himselfe the head ther­of, and that by reason of our spiri­tuall mariage, coniunction, or vniō with him: set downe directly for our stay and comfort herein, places out of the holy scriptures for this so exceeding, excellent, and heavē ­ly doctrine.

A. Looke, 1, Cor. 10, cap. 15, 16, 17. Iohn, 17, cap. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23 26, verses, Item, Iohn, 15.4, 5, 6, 7.1, Cor. 12.12, 13, 14, Item, 1. Cor. 6.15, 16, 17 Item, 1, Iohn, 4 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, Item Eph. 2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Item Rev. 21, 2, Item Isay, 54, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c.

Moreouer I wil set downe these vn­derneath at large.

Hose, 2, cap. 16, 19, verses, And in that day (saith the Lord) thou shalt cal me [...], that is, my husband, and shalt call me no more [...], that is, my Lord or Ma­ster.

And I will marry thee vnto mee for euer: yea I wil marry thee vnto mee in righteousnesse and in iudgement, and in [Page 51]mercie, and in compassion. And verse 20. I will even marrie thee vnto mee in faithfulnes, and thou shalt knowe the Lord. Item Hose. 3. cap. 2.3. verse. Item 2 Cor. 11. cap. 1.2. verses. viz. VVould to God, yee could suffer a little my foolishnes, & in deede, yee suffer mee.

For I am gealouse over you with godlie gealousie: for I haue prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure Virgine to Christ.

Looke Ezech. 16.8. Ezech. 23.4. Ezch. 16. chapter but especially these verses following 6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14. viz.

And when I passed by thee, I saw thee polluted in thine owne bloode, and I saide vnto thee, when thou wast in thy bloude, Thou shalt liue: even when thou wast in thy blood, I said vnto thee, thou shalt liue. I haue caused thee to multiplie, as the budde of the fielde, & thou hast encrea­sed and waxen great, and thou hast got­ten excellent ornaments, thy breastes are fashioned, thine haire is growen, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

Now when I passed by thee, and loo­ked vpon thee, behold, thy time was as the time of loue, & I spredd my skirtes vpon thee, & covered thy filthines: yea I sware vnto thee, & entered into a co­venant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

Then washed I thee with water: yea, washed away thy blood from thee, and I annointed thee with oyle.

I cloathed thee also with broithered worke, and shodde thee with badgers skinne: & I girded thee about with fine linnen, and I covered thee with silke.

I decked thee also with ornamentes, and I put bracelets vpon thine handes, and a chaine on thy necke.

And I put a frontlett vpon thy face, and earings in thine eares, and a bew­tifull crowne vpon thine head.

Thus wast thou deckte with golde & silver, & thy rayment was of fine linnen, and silke, and broidred worke: thou didst eate fine floure, and honie, and oyle, & thou wast verie bewtifull, & thou didst [Page 53]grow vp into a kingdome.

And thy name was spred among the Heathen for thy bewtie: for it was per­fect through my bewty, which I had set vpon thee saith the Lord God. &c.

Item Zach. 1, chap: 14: Isay 62.1. Ier. 2.1: 2: 3: 32: Can a maide forgett her ornament, or a bride her attire? yet my people haue forgotten mee, daies with­out number.

Item Salomons songe, 2. cap. 5: verse. Stay me with flagons, & comfort me with apples: for I am sicke of loue.

His left hand is vnder mine head, and his right hand doth embrace mee.

Ibid. verse 15.16. Take vs the foxes, the little foxes, which destroy the vines: for our vines haue smale grapes.

My welbeloued is mine, & I am his: he feedeth among the Lillies.

Item, Cant, 5, cap, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. And Cant, 7, cap, 10, 12, verses,, I am my welbeloueds, & his desire is towards mee.

Item, Iohn, 6.35, 47, 48, Coloss. 3.15, Heb, 3, 14.

Likewise Revelation, 3. cap, 20, verse as, Behold, I stand at the doore, & knocke, if any man heare my voice, and open the doore, I will come in vnto him, and vvill suppe with him, and he with mee.

Besides, Revel: 12: ca: 1, 2, verse. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman cloathed with the Sunne, & the Moone was vnder her feete, & vpon her head a Crowne of 12 starres.

And shee was vvith childe, and cried traveyling in birth, & was pained readie to bee delivered. This is not properlie meant (as some will) of the Virgin Ma­ry, but of the Chruch, for these reasons;

1 The Church is in this manner of speaking figured out aptly vnto our per­ceavance vnder the name of moone: as also Christ is by the word Sunne, Mal. 4

2 From a certaine relation betwixt the Sun & the moone. For the moone is a lesser light, yea which borroweth al her light from the Sunne: so this womā or church being the weaker vessell reli­eth vpon Christ her strength & stay, frō [Page 55]whome as from a loving husband, shee receaveth all her glorie.

Furthermore, in this most sacred and inviolable mariage betweene Christ & his Church, we must note three especi­all things; 1. The precontract: 2. The solemnization: 3. The full accomplish­ment and vpstroke thereof.

First, the precontract is done by the immediate working of the holy Ghost, powring faith into our hearts, by which we willingly giue our consent.

Secondly, the solemnizing heereof was and is celebrated both in the cere­monies of the old and new law; as then by Circumcision, Paschall lambe: now by Baptisme, and the Lords Supper: where all the graces of Christ the true and faithfull husband of his church, are and were as in a rich Treasure-house most firmely sealed, confirmed, & made vnto vs on his behalfe: and where we a­gaine our selues, doe plight most invio­lably, our owne fidelitie and obeysance to him.

Thirdly, the consummation or the accomplishment and vpstroake hereof is done two kinde of waies; 1. In the dis­solution of this our earthly Tabernacle: 2. In the ful particular enioying the pre­sence of the lambe our Bridegroome, whenas we shal behold him as he is, e­uen face to face.

Then shall this woman (which is the Church) be truely & perfectly cloathed with the Sun, that is, shee shal be clad a­bout with the rich and glorious robes of Christs owne righteousnes. And this must bee vnderstoode two waies as the Schoolemen hold; tam privativè quàm positivè.

The first, is a not imputing, that is, a pardoning & forgiuenes of our sinnes, by which we are let to goe scotfree and are deliuered as wel from the guiltines of sinne, as from the punishment there­of, namely, death eternall.

The second is an imputatiō of Christ his righteousnes, by which even for the righteousnes of Christ attributed vnto [Page 57]vs through Faith and made ours by im­putation, we are allowed for iuste in the sight of God, and which is more, we are accompted worthie to ascend vp into the high habitation of the most omni­potent and mightie Iehovah, even into that most holy hill of Sion & new Ieru­salem. Revel. 21.12. cap.

This thing doth David point out vn­to vs, whē he saith, Ps. 32.1, 2. verses as, Blessed ( [...]) is hee whose vvickednes is forgiven, and whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man, vnto whō the Lord imputeth not iniquity, & in whose Spirit there is no guile.

Out of whēce, behold [...], that is, a definitiue, certaine, & resolute sen­tēce: the summe wherof is, that the bles­sednes of man doth consist in the remi­ssion of sinnes and in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse, whose effect is sāctification, which is taught in the end of the second v: & ( [...]) in whose spirit there is no guile.

Now Iustification is heere declared in a threefolde manner:

1 That our sinnes be so taken away, as that they are not.

2 That they are so covered, as not the prints & filth thereof may appeare. v. 7.

3 That God doth not impute them, after he hath taken them away, but im­puteth onely the righteousnes in Christ by faith, as did vnto our father Abra­ham, Gen. 15. ca. 6. v. And Abraham be­leeved the Lord, & he coūted that to him for righteousnes.

Well, we see nowe that by vertue of this our Mariage with CHRIST, we are invested & covered with Christs in­nocencie, and cloathed vppon with the garments ( Ezech. 16. reade the chapter) of his righteousnes. Looke Ierem. 23. c. 6. vers. 1. Cor. 1.30. Rom. 4.6.7.8.

And hence is it, whie S ^t. Paule exhor­teth vs so instantly to put on the Lorde Iesus Christ. As, Rom. 13.14. Ephes. 4.24. Ephes. 6.11. Coloss. 3.10.12. Againe, 1. Thes 5.8. we are willed to put on the [Page 59]brestplate of faith, & loue, and the hope of salvation for an helmet. For by this faith we are mistically inserted & vnited into Christ, seeing he is the vine it selfe, we are the braunches: he is the tree, we the fruit: he the Sunne, we the beames: he is the head, wee the mēbers: he is the Bridegrome, & we the Spouse.

This espousage and coniunction is so sure, as shal not, nay cānot be dissolved. For the Spirite of GOD is the Scribe, which drawes the bandes betwixte vs: the word of God is the band: his mercy, the seale: the deliverance, benefite, and freedome that wee haue by it, is our peace. Peace with God, who hath re­conciled vs to himselfe in Christ: peace with our neighbour in shewing all du­ties of Christian charity now vnto him: peace with our owne selues, not daun­ted any more with the dreadful horrour and power of the Devill: Lastly, peace against our enemies, nothing apalled nor fearing, what man can doe vnto vs. For if God be on our side, who then can [Page 60]be against vs. Rom, 8. wherefore such & so great is this faith & the force therof, that it is called a brestplate, a shield, yea even victorie it selfe. 1, Ioh, 5, Ca, 4, ver. And right excellētly speaketh a learned man heereof: Fide, inquit, tantum possu­mus, quantum credimus, that is, By faith wee can doe so much, how much vvee doe beleeue.

But wheras we are vnited vnto Christ by faith, we must not misconceaue, and vnderstand presently a bare, historicall, temporarie, or idle faith, that is to faie, dead in it selfe: but rather that which is accompanied or attended on from eve­rie side by all good works, namely, a iu­stifying, a liuely, an effectual, a working, and fruitful faith. It must not be like vn­to those appels mētioned by S ^t. Austin, which grewe in the place of Sodome & comorrha: such as shewed faire with­out, but so soone as one toucheth them [trāseunt in fumum,] they vanish away to nothing. But, is verè credit (as a Fa­ther speaketh) qui verè exercet opera bo­na [Page 61]credendo that is, hee doth beleeue a­right, who in beleeving is carefull to shew forth good workes with all.

It behooveth vs therfore now, being receaved into the favour of God againe by & through Christ: that we leese not the same any more, but let vs lay sure hold on our Lord & Sauiour, and as Si­meon Luc. 2.28. tooke him vp in his armes: so let vs take him vp also not in our armes without, but inwardly in our heartes, and then may we boldly come before, and praise his holy name.

One sometime that could not tell how to escape losse of life from a cer­taine king, because the king was provo­ked against him, tooke vp the kings son, who was enwrapte with the loue which he bare to his sonne, that he cleane for­gate the hatred hee bare to his enemie: so we must pray Christ Iesus to bee our advocate to his Father, beeing assured that God is well pleased in him, and we must take CHRIST as it were in our armes, and then God looking on vs, for­getteth [Page 62]our sinnes. For by this means it will come to passe, that wee shall haue iust cause to reioyce at all times, yea even then, when God is saide to iudge the worlde with righteousnesse. For though wee bee not righteous in our selues: yet Christes righteousnes is im­puted for ours.

And as Parents loue their children, though they bee never so deformed: so God louing his Sonne lookes on vs, and loues vs. This is called ( Rom. 13, 14, Gal. 3, 27,) a putting on of Christ. And as Iacob hauing putte on Esaues apparell wan the blessing: so wee putting on Christs garments of righteousnes shall obtaine the blessing and fauour of God for evermore.

Lastly, vnto this our spirituall mari­age and coniunction, it shall not be vn­conuenient to annexe three necessarie obseruations, rules, or conclusions; as followeth.

First, this coniunction, heere spoken of, must be substantiall or essentiall, and [Page 63]not only energeticall, that is to say, Vir­tuall: namely whole man with whole Christ (yea and by meanes of him) even with the whole Trinitie and Godhead. See these places. 2, Epist, Pet, 1, cap, 4, ver, Ioh, 17, 22, 23, Ioh, 14, 23. 1, Ioh, 4, ca, 12, 13, 15, 16. v.

Secōdly, it must be reall & true, ther­fore not imaginatorie or accidentall: namely as the braunches with the vine, as the stones of the wall with the whole building, as the members of mans body with the head, and as the coupling of man and wife [ [...]] in one flesh (according to Gods ordinance) be they never so far a sunder in respect of place. Ephes, 5, cap, 29, 30.

Thirdly, which must ever diligentlie be marked; It must, ( quoad modum, that is, in respect of the māner) be a spiritual, and no corporall or carnall cōiunction.

This is over hard to bee comprehen­ded of flesh and bloud, nay it surpriseth cleane mans sense, his witte, and reason: in-somuch, that S ^t. Paule himselfe, cal­leth [Page 64]it ( Ephes, 5, 32. [...] a great secret,, which we cannot attaine vnto but by a sure and liuely ( Ephes, 3, cap, 3, 9, v,) faith: yea which is more, the verie Angels themselues [1. Pet, 2, cap, 12, vers,] doe desire [...] intro­spicere, that is, to behold or (more neerely to the Greeke word) to see and prie into this mystery of the salvation of mankind, purchased and wrought by Christ, wherof this spirituall vnion with him is the very sūme, interest, & earnest of the holie Ghost givē to his elect chil­dren for their most ful assurance, which they doe enclose & lay vp in their harts by faith.

What shal one say then to these bus­sardly Papists, that bee they convinced by the scriptures never so plainely, yea though the Apostle S ^t. Paule so won­derfully endewed with the Spirit, doth not omitte to say and confesse that it is a great mysterie: moreover that the holy Angels too thēselues do even long to know this secret: yet for all this they [Page 65]are neverthelesse caried and ledd away still with a carnall or fleshly vnderstan­ding of this so spiritual & deepe a mysterie, avouching that they doe eate orally the transubstantiated bodie of Christ made by the cunning slipper-devise and incantation (I should haue saide conse­cratiō,) of the maskinglike attired mas­sing-Priest.

Hitherto we haue handled the three first special endes of the Lords Supper, the two latter whereof tended to our mysticall incorporation or inauguratiō with Christ, as also vnto a spirituall re­past & food, wherby we gather strength and growe vp continually from faith ( Rom. 1.7.) to faith, vntill we bee made a perfect man in him.

It resteth now that we should declare the two other ends, but that present oc­casiō vrgeth vs to interlace certain rea­sōs against the orall & fleshely eating of Christes body in the Sacrament, with the absurdities, that doe rise therevpon.

Q. You said before in the third speciall [Page 66]ende, that this Supper is a Sacramēt of our spirituall nourishment: do you then make a difference of eating, seeing you adde, spirituall?

A. It is right meete so to distinguish, least wee shoulde bee caried away with the sweepe of grosse errour, as to to many are. For māducatio or eating is some­time sacramentall: sometime spiritual onely: sometime both spiritual & sacra­mentall.

Q VVhat is sacramentalleating?

A. It is the externall & sēsible eating & drinking of the bread & wine, with­out faith.

Q. VVhat is spirituall eating?

A. It is that, which is done onely by faith, and it answereth (ex opposito) vnto that first: which is nothing else but a signe & symball heereof.

Q. Then these two are not alwaies ioy­ned togither.

A. No. For as the externall & cere­moniall eating may be without the spi­ritual: so the spiritual also may be with­out [Page 67]the externall. As saith S ^t. Austen, de Ciuit lib. 21. cap. 23.

Q. VVhat is the Sacramentall & spi­rituall eating togither?

A. It is the very right vse of the Sup­per, which is required in the institution of Christ.

Q. How is carnall eating convinced by the word?

A. Christ himselfe doth overthrow it by two arguments, Iohn 6. ca. 62.63. v. The one drawen from the signe: the o­ther from the vse. viz.

1. A signo, or from the signe:

Doth this offend? what then, saith he, if yee should see the Sonne of man as­cend vp where he was before? Signify­ing therby (as Athanasius rightly think­eth) that his ascension & carnall eating of his flesh can in no wise stād togither.

2. Ah vsu, that is, from the vse.

It is the Spirit, (saith he,) that quick­neth: the flesh profiteth nothing: the wordes that I speake vnto you are Spi­rit and life. That is, (as the naturall and [Page 68]proper sense of the Text inferreth,) ear­nall eating is vnprofitable: but the spiri­tuall doth giue life and quickneth.

Now the Papistes doe checke these words of Christ, and cavill stoutly, or rather stubburnely & spitefully with vs, that it is the orall & fleshly chamming and grinding of Christ betwixte their teeth, that profiteth.

But it is in vaine to reason the cause which these drawe-latches and corner­lurkers. For as the Proverbe goes; an Ape will be an Ape still, putt him into a coate of velvet or what you will: so is a Papist no changling in opinion, but will liue and die a Papist, speake, write, read, reason, or do what ye list, nay what you can.

Notwithstanding how obstinate and selfe-willingly wedded soever they bee to their opiniōs: yet it standeth vs great­ly vpon, to be obedient and yeeld vnto the truth, demonstrated vnto vs by vn­deniable testimonies out of Gods most holy word, & let vs pray the Lord both [Page 69]night & day to be constantly grounded and established heerein. And in deede it is a shame for vs to bee inferiour to our Adversaries heerein, which are so pur­posedly & stiffely nayled vnto their ima­ginarie devises & dreames of men; who after saying once, it is my Conscience, looke for no more, they haue told you all: it is a shame, I say, of all shames, that wee should not most resolutely liue and die heerein. For wee haue more to al­leadge for our selues, then, It is my Con­science; (and who knowes not that con­science must bee grounded on science, which science too commeth from the word of God, otherwise it will proue but a bare buckle and thong, that is a verie meere conceipte.) For wee haue these three thinges to stand in our behalfe.

1 First the worde of God which is truth it selfe & cannot lie this they haue not, because they derogate therefrom, saying, that the authority of their church is aboue the same, yea they sticke not to make their trashie traditions equal with [Page 70]it, yea they abuse it and blaspheme it with the rankest Atheistes of our time, the one tearming it a nose of waxe, a shipmans hose, a blackincky Gospel: the other belching out this blasphemie, va­luing it to be no more but a wittie poli­cie of wise men to keepe fooles in awe: but let them walke togither as never a barrell of them better hering.

2. Secondly, Besides the word which is our warrant from God himselfe, wee haue also his holy Spirit to ascertaine vs therein, powring faith into our heartes, whereby we do assuredly beleeue it: this they haue not neither, because they rob him of his proper effect and operation, which is immediatly frō the Father & the Sonne to illighten our minds giving to vs the right meaning and vnderstan­ding of his worde, which they most ba­stardly appropriate to their Pope, whose power is such, as that he may racke thē at his pleasure. And no marveile, seeing they haue made a quarter God of him, to rule the rost in the world as his holi­nes [Page 71]listeth, according to this blasphe­mous verse of him.

Yea, hee is become such a sawcie Syr, that he can change the Articles of faith and giue auctority to general councels, as it is saide: ‘Articulos soluit, synodum (que) facit ge­neralem’

3 Thirdly & lastly, Besides the word and spirit of God, we haue our owne spi­rit, that is, our whole soule and consci­ence to testifie with vs that what we do, we do it as his adopted children, that is, not hypocritically, but faithfully, truly, and sincerely.

This doth S ^t. Paule teach, Ro. 8.16. The same Spirit beareth witnes with our Spi­rit, that we are the children of God.

Let them then cast of this deceavea­ble maske of a sleeueles and pretended conscience of theirs, and let thē sound­ly groūd it on Gods word, desiring him to vonchsafe them of his Spirit to illu­minate [Page 72]their mindes, nowe darkened with errours and superstition, that so, they may ioine togither in one with vs, to professe & beleeve the same. Which I pray God to graunt, according to his good pleasure and will.

But to the Purpose, where I doe mean to shew partly ab impossibili, that is from the vnpossibilitie of the thinges partly a consequente absurdo, that is, frō the notorious absurdities which must follow: that this carnal eating may not nor cannot at any rate stand with the a­nalogie of faith, which was as effectuall vnto the Fathers before Christes com­ming: as it is to vs since his comming.

If Christ cannot bee receaved or ea­ten but after a carnal and grosse kinde: then I pray how did the Patriarkes and Fathers eate Christ? whenas Ioh. 6. c. 53. our Saviour Christ saith; Verely, verelie I saie vnto you, vnlesse yee shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, yee haue no life in you.

But the fathers had life in them, be­cause [Page 73]they had an vndoubted faith in Christ to come; which was as effectuall to them for their salvation & receiving vp into glorie: (as was Enoch, Heb. 11, cap 5, vers. and Elias 2, Kings. 2, cap. 11. verse.) as our faith is effectual in him, now that he is come. For which cause they must needes grant another māner of eating, differing altogither from car­nal, which is spirituall onely & done by faith.

Now, as they did eat Christ then be­ing not yet come in the flesh so doe, nay so must wee also eate him nowe, (for if there be any difference, it is in circum­stance and Signes not in Substance,) as S ^t. Paule wel declareth, 1. Cor. 10 c. 1.2.3.4. verses: viz.

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud, & al passed through the sea.

And did all eate the same spirituall meate, And did all drinke the same spiri­tuall drinke (for they dranke of the spi­rituall [Page 74]Rocke that followed them: and the Rocke was Christ.

According to which spirituall kinde of eating both ours and theirs, S ^t. Au­sten saith thus; Vt quid dentes & ventrē parasti: crede & manducasti, that is, why hast thou prepared teeth & a bellie, be­leeue and thou hast eaten.

Ab Absurdo.

[...], saith the Philosopher, that is, grant one absurditie, and others do follow straight vpon. Wherefore if the reprobate should eate the body of Christ: al these and a great many moe absurdities must needes follow; as that the reprobate are made the members of Christ, that the reprobate are ingraffed into the bodie of Christ, that Christ doth dwell in the reprobate, that they can bee made par­takers of Christ & Belial togither, which is horrible to speake. For which cause one saith: Iudam panem Domini, sed non panem Dominum comedisse, that is, Iudas did eate the bread of the Lord, but hee [Page 75]did not eate bread the Lord.

Reasons against carnall eating.

To make short of the matter, these reasons following doe all make against carnal eating of Christ.

1. First, he tooke a true humane na­ture: so that we can eate him no other­wise, then did his disciples in the first supper.

But here do the Vbiquitaries giue vs the slippe, wringing themselues out of the briars with a sophisme de falso sub­iecto elenchi; whē they teach that Christ in these words of the supper, take, eate: gaue commaundement for the orall or fleshly eating of his bodie: & yet those wordes are not spoken of the body of Christ, because hee tooke not that into his hands, neither did he breake his bo­die and giue it to his disciples: but they are spoken de pane, of the bread, which he tooke into his hand, over which hee gaue thankes, which he brake and gaue to his disciples.

But against this & such like dotages [Page 76]of theirs Christ himselfe forewarneth his disciples, that they should not suffer themselues to bee deluded therewith, Math. 24. cap 23.24.25. verses. viz.

Then if any shall say vnto you, Lo here is Christ, or there, beleeue it not. For there shal arise false Christs, & false prophets, and shall shew great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible, they shoulde de­ceiue the very elect.

Behold, I haue told you before. See 26, 27, 28, verses of the same Chap.

2. Secondly, he ascended visibly from the earth into heauen: where he remai­neth til the time that al things be resto­red, which God hath spoken by the mouth of al his holy Prophets since the world beganne. Act 3.21.

3. Thirdly, such is our eating of him, as his dweliing is in vs: but he dwelleth in vs by faith. Eph. 3. cap. 17. As, That Christ may dwell in your harts, by faith.

4. Fourthly, al the Saints both of the old and new Testament haue one & the same vnion with Christ, which is spiri­tual.

5. Fiftly, Christ onlie is able to offer himselfe vnto the Father for vs, & nee­deth not the helpe of any man.

Blush then yee frapling massing-Priestes to offer him vp so often by ma­king it a common art amongst you, and remember what a grievous accompt ye are to render for thus crucifying againe vnto your selues the Sonne of God, and making a mocke of him. Heb. 6. cap. 6. v. Which place though it be directly spo­ken against such as doe malitiouslie and finally spurne at the truth of the good word of God, after they haue tasted thereof, and beene once lightned and made partakers of the holy Ghost: yet apply it to your selues, who though yee doe not quite forsake the word: notwith­standing yee doe alter the word by glos­sing and corrupting the perfect sense and meaning thereof, as your Rhemish Testament can witnesse it here to your faces, and elsewhere (except yerepent) to your endlesse derision and shame.

Wel as you alter the word, so yee add & diminish too, the one by bringing in an hundred knacks of knauerie, as Pur­gatorie hole, praier for the dead, pray­ing vnto Saints; I wil not speake of your paradoxes, scil. Children dying with­out baptisme are al condemned, ad pae­nam damni, as ye cal it, but not ad paenā sensus; of your Limbus Patrum before Christs comming, of your innumerable Masses, dirges, Trentals, Popes Pardōs, Canons, Decretal Epistles which you make to be authentical with the worde of God. These be your owne additions, wee cannot tel what to doe with them, and therfore take them home to you & sweepe your chymnies with them.

Doe ye aske me wherein ye do dimi­nish? I neede neither goe farre a field for this; seeing yee diminish from the very institution it selfe of Christ, by taking a­way the cuppe from the Laitie: yee di­minish it, when yee doe so impudentlie impaire the credit and autoritie by cap­tiving it to your owne hellish censures [Page 79]and most ouglie practises. But remem­ber, (if ye be not voide yet of al feeling) what is denounced against al such wic­ked & heynous practitioners, Revel. 22 cap. 18, 19, verses. Deut. 4.2. Deut. 12, 32, Prov. 30, 6. Ioshua, 1, 7, 8, &c.

I wil passe ouer to speake how the pa­pistes doe diminish from the office of Christ the one and onlie mediatour be­tweene God and man, (1 Tim. 2.5.) by imperfecting stil of that, which hee by one oblation & sacrifice of himselfe vp­on the crosse hath made for euer per­fect, Heb 7. cap. 25. VVherefore he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him, seeing he euer liueth, to make intercession for them. Againe, that Christs one only sacrifice is suffici­ent without this toyish elevating him in their Host, looke these places: as,

Ioh. 10, 15, Heb. 2, 17, 18, Heb. 4, 14, 15, Heb. 5, cap. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, verses, Heb. 9, cap. 11, 12, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, verses, Heb. 10.10, 14, Ephes. 5, 2, Item Mark. 10, 45, Psal. 110, 4, &c.

And Heb. 8, cap. 4, verse, Jt is most e­vidently taught, (which I woulde haue thoroughly and thoroughly to be mar­ked,) that if Christ were on the earth, he were not then a Priest, seeing (saith he) there are Priests that according to the law offer giftes, who serue vnto the patterne of heauenlie things, as Moses was warned by God, whē he was about to finish the Tabernacle: See, said hee, that thou make all things according to the patterne, shewed thee in the moūt.

Further, 2, Cor. 5, cap, 16, ver. VVher­fore henceforth know we no man after the flesh, yea though wee had knowne Christ after the flesh, yet nowe hence­forth know we him no more.

First then by these two places wee finde, that if Christ were on the earth now in his humane nature, he could be no Priest.

Secondlie, that we may not hence­foorth knowe him any more after the flesh, much lesse as Papistes so grosly minded would, to eate him fleshly. But [Page 81]the Papists being so slipper as any eele, doe whip in and out by the backe dore, saying: that Christes body is vpon the earth per modum invisibilem, that is, af­ter an invisible manner but this delusi­on is not worth the smoke of a ladle, be­cause Christs body is not anie where in­visible, seeing it is wholy against the na­ture of a bodie. For once take away the proper adiunct: and take the Subiect af­ter. I hasten to the other reasons.

6 Sixtly The blessings promised in the Supper are spiritual.

7 Seventhly and lastly, The Analo­gie of the signe with the thing signified doth manifestly refell transubstantiatiō: because it were not a Sacrament at all, did it not consist of these two thinges, the signe and the thing signified. Wher­fore most notable is that saying of Ma­carius the Moonke: Bread & wine (saith hee) are a correspondent type of his flesh, and they who receaue the bread vvhich is shewed, eate the flesh of Christ spiritually.

Hither to of the reasons: I wil returne [Page 82]to the two other special endes of the Supper yet remaining behinde, namely the 4. and the 5.

The fourth Ende.

It is that, that standeth vs insteeed as a pledge of the new Testamēt, that is, of the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes. And so are the verie wordes of the institutiō. Math. 26. ca. 28. ver. For this is my blood of the new Testament, that is shedd for many, for the remission of sinnes. So do the wordes implie, Luc. 22. cap. 20. vers. This Cuppe is the newe Testament in my blood, which is shedd for you: That is, This Cup is a pledge & seale of the promise of remission of sinnes purchased for you by the shedding of my bloode.

Places for remission of sinnes.

1. Iohn 3. cap. 5. And yee know that he appeared that hee might take away our sinnes, and in him is no sinne.

1. Iohn 4.10. Herein is loue, not that we loved God but that he loued vs, and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes.

Isayas, 44. ca. 21.22. ver. Remember these (ô Iacob and Israel) for thou art my servant: I haue formed thee: thou art my servant: ô Israel forget mee not. I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude, and thy sinnes as a miste, turne vnto mee, for I haue redeemed thee.

1. Ioh. 1. ca. 9. v. If we acknowledge our sinnes, he is faithful and iust, to for­giue vs our sinnes, & to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes.

Looke these places: Micheas, 7. c. 18. v. 1. Pet. 3.18. Eph. 1.7. Act. 10.43. Act. 13.31. Coloss. 2.13.14. Ioh. 1.29. 1. Ioh. 2.1.2. Psal. 103.1.2.3.4. verses.

The fift ende.

It is Vinculum dilectionis, that is, a Sa­crament of our mutual society amongst our selues, as the members of one & the same bodie, whose head is Christ; (and not the Pope, as the Papists doe paulter and keepe an illfavourd coyle about it.) For these places commonstrate Christ to be our head alone.

1. Corint. 10. cap. 16.17. ver. Coloss. 1.18. [Page 84] Ephes. 5.30. Ephes. 4.15.16. As for the Pope, let him be an head where hee can currie favour best: wee for our parts are absolutely prohibited by Christ our onely head, to become the members of an harlotte according to the Apostle, 1. Cor. 6. cap. 15. v. much more are we for­bidden to make our selues the bodie of that spiritual strūpet & whore of Rome, that is, to receave the marke, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name, Revel. 13. cap. 17. verse.

Now from hence, (by reason of that strict cōmunion between al the Saints, which commeth wholie from the foun­taine of our coniunction with Christ,) is set forth that Christian band of loue betweene the Spouse and Christ, Cant. 1, cap, 3, v. Fide adhe remus Christo: di­lectione tū Christo, tum nobis ipsis mutuò 1. Cor. 10. ca. 16. 17. v. Ephes. 4.3.4. 1: Cor. 12.12. ad finem cap. 13. Ephes. 3.6.9. Rom. 13.8. Colos. 3.14. Rom. 8.17. Drawe mee, wee will runne after thee. Where note presently vpon the singular number followeth the plu­rall. For the Church is as one building, but many stones: one wine, but many grapes: one bread, but many graines: to be short, one body & yet many mēbers. [Page 85] VVherfore loue is the very bōd of our Cō ­munion, that is, by which we both worship God in a liuly faith, & do likwise loue our selues most soūdly & sincerely. Fran. Iun.

Lastly adde this one Ende more: Te­stimonium Resurrection is est, that is, It is a sure testification of our resurrectiō, by the vertue of Christ raysed againe. For he is our head, and therfore wil raise vs vp to blisse, which are his members.

And in sooth vnto this string or brāch tend all the former. For which cause Christ saith, Ioh 6. cap, 5 [...]. ver. VVhoso­ever eateth my flesh, & drinketh my blood, hath eternall life, and I will raise him vp at the last day.

Q. Thus much of the endes, which are the first parte of the Meditation of the Lords Supper: vvherein doth the second consist?

A. In the right vse thereof, viz.

A right and sincere examination of our owne selues: by which we are either to be receaved to it, or excluded frō it.

That we may be admitted thervnto; [Page 86]we must consider whether wee bee the true members of Christ, or no. Concer­ning which, S ^t. Paule giueth vs this rule to follow, 1. Corint. 11. cap, 28, ver.

Let every man therfore examine him­selfe; and let him so eate of this bread, & drinke of this Cuppe.

For he that eateth & drinketh vnwor­thely, eateth and drinketh his owne dam­nation, because hee discerneth not the Lords body.

Observation.

He is saide to discerne the Lords bo­die, who hath a iust regard of the worthi­nes thereof: and therfore doth with due reverence come and draw neere to eate the foode of his Soule.

2, Corint, 13. ca, 5. verse, the Apostle doth explaine his minde perfectly, how this examination should be had:

Proue your selues, vvhether yee are in the faith: examine your selues: knovv yee not your ovvne selues, hovve that Iesus Christ is in you, except yee be reprobats?

By which words he doth most pithi­lie [Page 87]exhort the people of Corinth, and in them all Christians, that they would or should rather now, not onely abstaine from schismes and vnreverent gurman­dizing and feasting, as though this were sufficient, (& no more a do to be made) vnto the worthy receaving of the Sup­per: but he proceedeth a degree higher, and teacheth how that everie man stan­deth bound in cōscience, to descend in­to the very depth and secrets of his hart and thoughts, and in a most narrow and orderly sort, to sieft as it were, to search, and trie himselfe throughly; as namelie, whether he doth fullie & resolutely, (af­ter he hath sorrowed for his sinnes past) beleeue in Christ the onely Mediatour and satisfier of Gods wrath for our wic­kednes committed: whether he hath an earnest intent and purpose to hate sinne ever afterward, and to live iustly, holily, and purely, that hee may shew himselfe acceptable and thankeful vnto God for those his so many and inestimable bene­fits towards vs in his only begotten Son [Page 88]Christ Iesus.

This we shall performe, if wee come prepared vnto this spiritual repast and banquet, having about vs our wedding robes: as faith, repētance, loue vnfeign­ed, thankfulnes, &c. seeing indeede that the Evāgelicall wedding garment, (spo­ken of by our Saviour himselfe, Mat, 22 cap, 10, 11, 12, ver.) is principally deck­ed and bewtified with these, that is to say, with faith and the like.

The vsuall formes & names of faith.

It is called sometime [...]: sometime scutum fidei, [...]: that is, trust, boldnes, strength, shield of faith, confi­dence, Eph. 6. c. 10. 16. v. Eph. 3.12. Hebr. 10.21.22. 1 Ioh 3.19.20.21. 1 Ioh 4 17. 2. Ioh 5.14. full assurance: which the Latins expresse fitly by fiducia & it doth direct ly answere vnto the Greeke [...]; which is a Metaphore drawen from ves­sels or shippes vpon the sea, that when they once haue their iust fraught, charg and lading it is after still caried cum ple­nis velis, that is to say, more evenly and [Page 89]sleddily then before it was, being emp­ty: semblabelie our faith whilst it is yet weake and little, or greene in the blade as they say, it may be compared in sorte with an emptie vessell; which after it hath growen vp in degrees and encrea­sed from faith to faith, vntill it comes ad [...] ipsam, that is, to her iust and even waight: it after hoisseth it selfe vp cum plenis velis with ful sailes, & cutteth her way along most stedily, throughout all the dangerous syrtes & gulses of this swelling and raging world, without ( Iac. 1.6.) anie farther scruple, The Pa­pists teach men to be alwaies doubtfull of their salvation: surely a cō ­fortable, & pelting po­pish do­ctrine. But vnlesse it were so with these caterpillers of mens soules: how were it pos­sible, that they shold picke vp so many pēce as they do. doubte, or wavering for the matter.

The subiect or proper seate of which forenamed faith must be [ [...]] the verie noblest part, the hart it selfe of man. Eph. 3. cap. 17. verse. And hence we may know the cause, why the Lord requireth it, and maketh so often menti­on thereof. As, Prov. 23.26. My Sonne giue me thy heart. Besides, see these pla­ces, Psal. 119, 1, 2. Deut. 4, 29. Deut. 6, 5 6. 1, Sam. 16, 7. Rom. 10, cap. 10, verse.

In which faith of ours, before it takes deepe roote and so drawes neere vnto his ripenes; it doth in the meane vvhile some and some, as they saie, grow vp by three stemmes or kinds of motions, that is:

1 First, Intellectus Cognitione by know ledge issuing frō the vnderstanding part of the Soule. But we may not rest here onlie, for it is not enough to know: be­cause this is common to Diuels & wic­ked men, aswel as to our selues. The Di­vels also beleeue it, (namelie that there is one God,) and tremble. Iac. 2.19.

2 Secondlie, voluntatis summo deside­rio, studio, & assensu by an earnest desire or longing, by a careful endevour & as­senting of the wil: and this onlie is pro­per to the Elect alone, Philip. 2, cap. 13, verse. Yea it is right worthelie spoken by the Spouse Cant. Cantic. 1. cap. 2.3. verses, As. Therefore the Virgins loue thee. Draw me, we will runne after thee. Where note a cōformity of the Spouse the Church with Christ her husbande, [Page 91]consisting in two things:

1. An open and plaine confession of her own weaknes and infirmitie, saying; trahe me, draw me.

2 A readines or willing minde & for­wardnes of the Spirit, which saith; post te curremus we wil run after thee. Thus speaketh S ^t. Iohn: No man can come to mee, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him.

3 Thirdlie, Plena tum demum cordis fi­ducia, which is that [...], a most an­ker-like, a sure, and vnremoueable con­fidence and setled perswasion in God through Christ: against which, the gates of Hell shal neuer bee able to pre­vaile, Math. 16, cap. 16, 17, 18, verses.

Q. Lastly, who must be excluded from this banquet?

A. All such, as are vnworthie therof.

Observation.

Those therefore are vnworthie, that are without the couenant: as are Turks, Iewes persisting still in obstinacie. A­theists or the dāned crew, as they tearm [Page 92]themselues, (when this sect began, I thinke Hell was rakte for them:) to whō Papists also as birds of a feather, (quate­nus inquam, Papistae, semper dum viuant malitiosi ac pertinaces,) though after an odde kind of sort they belong vnto the visible Church, may be added, to make vp the quaternitie of sworne brothers in iniquitie.

Besides, Children at no hande maie come, because they yet want iudgment to trie themselues.

Ideots also & fanaticall people must be put by, because they want the vse of reason, to examine themselues.

But for hypocrits; the Minister ought not to exclude them as vnworthie: til it pleaseth God to reueale their wicked­nes & make it knowne. For which cause Iudas was admitted by Christ, vnto his Supper. For albeit his wickednesse was knowne well enough to the Lord him­selfe: yet was it not notorious, and so knowne vnto men.

Recapitulation.

Thus much so brieflie as I coulde of the three former general points, which I promised at the entrance of this trea­tise, touching:

1 The iudgement of the Fathers for the right exposition of the words of the institution, This is my bodie.

2 The autority of the holie Scriptures, the verie touchstone and triall of trueth to confirme the same by manifolde and most manifest places.

3 The reasons such as the best writers do vse to approue the same with the ab­surdities likewise, that doe follow in the contrarie sense and taking of the words. Which if none can go downe nor make impression into their heartes, it seemes that they are vēgeably hard laced at the stomacke; & I am sorie withall to haue had so much to doe with them, as in the ende to loose my labour: though I am glad and do still reioice to haue spoken the truth, and no more then the truth.

Nowe the fourth and last thing for which I am yet behinde with them, is, [Page 94]brieflie to vnswathe vnto the view of o­thers (that wil loath their shamelesse shame,) euen this detestable impuritie, prophanenes, with the most odious and deformed monster of their homeborne brat and inbred Romish Masse. And so in the ende vnrolling one little clue of their paralogising arguments & craftie cōveyances they vse in smothering the matter and blearing the eies of the sim­ple: whereof their Arch-leader Bellar­mine hath rolde vp whole bottomes in store for them of riffe-raffe and all other sircere-sorcere: I wil cōclude al by pray­ing vnto the Lord both to amend them and turne their hearts (if it bee his vvill) from these darke and muddie errors: & also to defend vs from them, and from their wickedly intended complotments and whatsoeuer villanies els they pra­ctise still against vs. Which do, O Lord, of thy great and vnspeakable mercy, we beseech thee in Christ Jesus our onlie Saviour and redeemer.