The holy Apoſtle relating to the Corinthians, what he had received at Gods hands, admoniſhed them of the coming of Jeſus Chriſt; during the expectation whereof, he commands them to communicate of the body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt, by the fraction of bread, and the Cup of Benediction, called the New Teſtament, and New Covenant, contracted by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt: Wherefore, ſeeing we are aſſured of the ſecond coming of Jeſus Chriſt, being aſcended up into Heaven, and ſet at the right hand of God the Father; till the day predeſtinated that he ſhall return to judge the quick and the dead: How, O ye Papiſts, will ye reconcile this paſſage, when by the Magick you utter, you make him deſcend, and return the body of Jeſus Chriſt in fleſh and bone, before the time preordained for his ſecond coming?

This Magick was by you reſtored, ſince the firſt Author of your Miſſal Sacrifice, Numa Pompilius; who by his Magick divulged, that he made his Nymph and Goddeſs Egeria come down from Heaven, as alſo his Jupiter Elicius, by whoſe means there were celeſtial ſecrets and Myſteries revealed to him. If by your Magick the round conſecrated Hoſt, was tranſubſtantiated into the true and real body of Jeſus Chriſt, the bread being no more bread, but the true body, how came ye to be ſo preſumptuous, to break and tear in pieces the body of Jeſus Chriſt, according to the invention of Sergius the 2d. of that Name, your Predeceſſor Roman Pontiſe? Are not you far more execrable Executioners than your Predeceſſors Lieutenants of the Roman Church, which crucified Jeſus Chriſt, and yet they never tare nor rent his body in pieces, as he Propheſied?

And notwithſtanding you are not contented to have broken it into three pieces, but in your Miſſal Sacrifices you preſume to drown and ſteep one portion in Wine, tranſubſtantiated into blood, to be ſwallowed and drunk.

To confirm your Magick of Tranſubſtantiation; why took you no order to preſerve from corruption your little round printed Hoſts, which you keep and lay up ſo curiouſly in reliquaries, and boxes, after they are tranſubſtaniated into fleſh, and bone, and into the real body of Jeſus Chriſt? Is it not an abominable hereſie to believe that the body of Chriſt is capable of corruption? Nay, and often times is eaten, by Worms, Weaſels, Rats, and Mice? Can you interpret this, to be an accident without ſubſtance? When your Hoſts become many times ſtinking and corrupted Cibaries; many times alſo devoured by bruit beaſts of the Earth, which you cauſe to be burned and their Aſhes laid up in Reliquaries?

When Victor the 3d of that Name, Pope of Rome, received Poyſon by your tranſubſtantiated Wine into blood; was this an accident without ſubſtance? or when the Emperor Henry the 7th of that Name, was poyſoned, by eating of a little round conſecrated and tranſubſtantiated Hoſt, was it without ſubſtance, when it procured death? There was much more appearance for the celeſtiall Manna, given to the People of Iſrael, the which though it corrupted, when it was kept, yet that which was reſerved in ſecret, within the Ark of the Lords covenant was preſerved without corruption; but yet for all this was it tranſubſtantiated into Fleſh, and bones to be called celeſtial bread deſcending from Heaven, the bread of Life, or the bread of Angels?

Now it remains for us to conteſt with the ſubtil Reaſons of the Prieſts, who to make a foundation for their magick, inſiſt carnally upon the word Eſt, ſaying, that theſe words were expreſly written, This is my Body, This is my Blood, when Jeſus Chriſt inſtituted the holy Sacrament of his body and his blood, under the Symbols of Bread and Wine. But I deſire all thoſe that are zealous for the honour of God, exactly to weigh the ſacred Inſtitution of this Sacrament, by which God meant to ſymbolize and ſignifie the communion of his body by the Bread, and drinking of his blood by the Wine and Cup. All will confeſs that the true and principal nouriſhment of mans body, is comprehended under the kinds of Bread and Wine: ſo that the term of Bread is often taken in the Holy Scriptures for the nouriſhment and life of man.

Let us enter into an Examination of the paſſages of the Bible. Was not the firſt Man, created after Gods ſimilitude, for the penalty of his offence, told, that he ſhould eat his bread with the ſweat and labour of his body? Can any man be ſo ignorant as not to confeſs, that this was underſtood by the living and life of man? When Jacob prayed unto God to give him bread and raiment, did not he underſtand by Bread whatſoever was requiſite for his whole nouriſhment? when we hear recited, that God rained bread upon the People of Iſrael being in the Deſert, and that the Iſraelites were repleniſhed with this celeſtial bread; this term of bread was it not conceived by the Celeſtial Manna ſent by God to ſuſtain the People of Iſrael? Is this Manna called the bread of Heaven, and the bread of Angels, given to the People without labour or travel?

When Melchizedeck meant to furniſh good Father Abraham's Army, did he not preſent him with Bread and Wine?

When Abraham was to gratifye and refreſh three Angels that appeared unto him, did he not expoſe unto them bread baked upon the Embers? Did not he give Agar Bread for her nouriſhment? Iſaacs mother to favour her beſt beloved ſon, gave him bread. Joſeph in Egypt offered Bread to his Brethren for their nouriſhment.

When we go about to deſcribe a Famine and ſcarſity of Victual, do we not ſay, there wants bread? when God promiſed any mercy or favour to his people that did keep his Commandments, did he not give them an aſſurance of Bread in ſufficiency? when he recommends unto us the poor, as his members, commands he us not to give them bread? Its bread therefore which nouriſheth and ſatisfieth the heart and life of man.

When Satan enterpriſed to tempt Jeſus Chriſt to teſtifie that he was true Man; did not he make choice of Bread, when he invited him to make the ſtones bread?

When Jeſus Chriſt celebrated his Banquets to give bodily nouriſhment, once to 5000 men, and then again to 4000 perſons, did he not ſhew his power under the Symbol of bread? when he taught us to addreſs our prayers to God, did he not expreſly ordain in the Lords Prayer, that we ſhould requeſt of God to give us our daily Bread? and Bread is not only mentioned in the Holy Scriptures for vulgar and corporal nouriſhment, but alſo in Sacrifices celebrated by the Hebrew Prieſts, and the preſcript Law of Sacred Bread ordained by God, that was Azimal bread without Leaven, other Bread was termed the Bread of propoſition, which the Prieſts every week renewed and eat, which David uſed, preſented to him by Achimilech the high Prieſt.

Contrariwiſe the term of bread, (Hoſ. 7.) is appropriated to the Bread of iniquity, of Lies, of Sorrow, to polluted bread of Idolaters, to bread of Coinquination offered upon the Altar; to bread of Mourning, and to bread of Trembling. The Ephramites alſo called Aſhy and unturned Loaves, that is to ſay, half-baked, half circumciſed, and Idolaters.

And therefore, O ye Popiſh Capernaites, you muſt not be ſo obdurate and inveterate in your Carnalities, as not to obſerve the Phraſes of the Holy Scripture, in which bread is oftentimes taken for Terreſtrial and Corporeal bread; as when it was ſaid, that Man did not live by bread alone, but alſo by whatſoever proceeded out of the Mouth of God.

Sometimes alſo bread is taken for the Word of God, & Doctrin: when Jeſus Chriſt commanded his Apoſtles from eating Leavened bread with the Phariſees; theſe terms of bread and leaven, are they not expreſſed by the Doctrin of the Heretical Phariſees? when the Canaanitiſh Woman demanded Grace & Mercy for her Daughters health, detained in a long Malady of ſickneſs; did not Jeſus Chriſt anſwer her, how it was not lawful to take the Childrens bread, and to caſt it to Dogs? Was not the bread in this anſwer taken for Life and Health, and not only for Corporal nouriſhment? Wherefore if bread is taken for the Life of Man, which depends principally upon bread and wine, and that Gods goodneſs, accommodating it ſelf to our infirmities, made choice of theſe two Signs and Symbols, or notable marks, to ſignifie his Body or his Blood; that is to ſay, the bread, and the wine, theſe two Proviſions being common to all Nations, was this any reaſon, to build upon it a Carnal Tranſubſtantiation, as if God without it were not mighty enough, really to figure, and repreſent unto us Sacramentally, that Life was given us: Yea, Life Eternal, by the Communion of conſecrated bread and wine of benediction; theſe being Figures and Symbols of his Body, and of his Blood?

Jeſus Chriſt produced theſe words, that the bread is his Body, and the wine is his Blood; he alſo ſaid, that himſelf was the bread of Life, the living bread, and that he was the living bread come down from Heaven. Further he ſays, that he who eats of that bread ſhall live eternally: Doth this infer by the word Eſt, that Jeſus Chriſt is converted and tranſubſtantiated into bread, and that he is no more Chriſt, but an accident without ſubſtance. O abominable Hereſies! have you any more reaſon, Oh you Obdurate Popiſh Prieſts, to interpret theſe words carnally: This is my Body, to tranſubſtantiate the bread into the Body, than when he teſtifies, that himſelf was the bread, to tranſubſtantiate him into bread, conſidering that it is written, how the Communion of this bread gives Eternal Life? Jeſus Chriſt ſaid, Hoc eſt corpus meum, he alſo ſays of himſelf; Hic eſt panis qui de calo deſcendit, in both theſe places, is not this word eſt uſed? and yet muſt we needs hereupon infer that tranſubſtantiation, inſtead of Orthodoxly interpreting the ſame by Metonymy, a familiar compariſon of bread to Jeſus Chriſt, that we might apprehend how Eternal Life was given us by him, and likewiſe by him our ſpiritual Food is Miniſtred, even as by bread a nouriſhment corporal?

Howſoever we muſt allwayes have recourſe to the true expreſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, the abſolute Law-giver, and Author of this holy Sacrament, who expounding his own inſtitution ſaith in the firſt place, that he is the bread of life, then afterwards he ſayes that his bread is his fleſh, and his body, which muſt be offered for the ſalvation of the world; he ſaid, his fleſh is true meat, and his blood true drink, he ſayes, that whoſoever eats of his fleſh, and drinks of his blood, he will remain in him. How doth he himſelf expound this manducation? Jeſus Chriſt his own words expreſſeth himſelf; Whoſoever comes to me, ſhall never hunger; and he that believes in me, ſhall never thirſt, (Joh. 6.) Is not this a true eating, and a true drinking, never again to be hungry, nor never to thirſt? muſt not we in this have faith, which conſiſts in Spirit?

To addreſs our ſelves to Jeſus Chriſt, our celeſtial bread, our ſpiritual drink, wherewith to be ſatisfied for ever, to quench our thirſt of ſin perpetually, muſt we run to the Magick of Tranſubſtantiation, and forge an accident without a ſubſtance? Wherefore, O Popiſh Prieſts, do ye preſume to invent any other interpretation, than that of Jeſus Chriſt, who witneſſeth that the fleſh profiteth nothing; but the Spirit quickens? and that his words are not carnal, but ſpiritual, giving ſpirit and life, by faith and confidence, that he is our Saviour, incarnate, dead, and crucified, to purchaſe for us eternal life; and then raiſed up again, he did aſcend into Heaven, ſits at the right hand of God his Father, remaining an eternall Prieſt, Propitiator, Mediator and Redeemer.

To return to this term, Eſt, that does ſo moleſt the Prieſts Brains, that they dream out of it a Tranſubſtantion: If Jeſus Chriſt uttered how he was the true Vine, that God his Father was the Keeper, and that we are the Branches; can we hereupon conclude by this word, Eſt, a magick of the Tranſubſtantiation of God, into the Keeper of a Vine, of Jeſus Chriſt into a Vine, and of our ſelves into branches?

If Jeſus Chriſt was ſaid to be the immaculate Lamb that takes away the ſins of the world; (John 16.) can we hereupon induce a Tranſubſtantiation? If Jeſus Chriſt ſaid, that he was the door of the Sheepfold, by whom we muſt enter to be ſaved; and that he is the good Paſtor, and we his Sheep; muſt we needs ſo ſtrain and wreſt theſe places of the Holy Scripture, as to think it neceſſary, becauſe the word Eſt is mentined, to believe a tranſubſtantiation?

When Jeſus Chriſt admoniſhed his Apoſtles, ſaying, that they were the Salt of the Earth, did he therefore tranſubſtantiate or convert them into Statues or Pillars of Salt, as he did Lots wife?

If the Holy Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10. wrote, that Jeſus Chriſt is the Rock, out of whom came living water, to waſh and purge us from our ſins; muſt we wreſt out of this a tranſmutation of Jeſus Chriſt into a Rock, or a material Stone?

If the Holy Apoſtle teſtifieth that we are the body of Chriſt, may we by this infer, that we are tranſlated, and now no more men, but tranſubſtantiated into an accident without a ſubſtance?

I readily foreſee, O ye Obdurate Prieſts, that ye will object all theſe prealledged Places, wherein this word Eſt is, and make no mention of the Sacrament, which muſt the more exactly be obſerved, in that theſe be ſacred Myſteries ordained of God, which is moſt true.

And this word Eſt is not found only in the Holy Scriptures formerly cited; but when we ſpeak of Holy Sacraments firſt inſtituted by God for his People Iſrael; it is written, that circumciſion is Gods alliance and covenant?

In the Sacrament of the Communion of the Paſchal Lamb, was it ſaid that the Lamb was the Paſſover, which is to ſay the paſſage? but ſhall we induce hereupon a magick of Tranſubſtantiation? will not you confeſs, O obdurate Tranſubſtantiators, that in theſe paſſages of the Holy Scriptures, ſpeaking of Holy Sacraments, that this word Eſt, cannot be otherwiſe interpreted, than to ſignifie ſome real performance, and that Circumciſion was a ſign and a mark of the Covenant and alliance contracted by God with Abraham; the Paſchal Lamb was alſo a Sacred Sign of the Paſſage, for a remembrance of their delivery out of Egypt? The Ark of alliance for another Sacrament, of which it is written, That it is the Truth and Power of the Lord; muſt we underſtand by this, that it was tranſubſtantiated into the real Majeſty of God? We muſt, we muſt, I ſay, interpret the holy Scriptures with diſcretion, and in humility and ſincerity, without ſophiſtication, and without Magick, ſoundly to apprehend the conception of words, and not ſtick ſo cloſe to the Letter, which kills; but receive the word of God in lively ſpirit.

If then the ſacred Ark is called the Lord, and Nominated God, becauſe in it he exerciſed his omnipotent power, and declared his Oracles and Myſteries by exterior ſigns, to draw the Iſraelitiſh people to be mindfull of God, and to fear and obey him: If Jeſus Chriſt ſaid alſo, that he is Bread that came down from Heaven, the bread of Life, and the Wine was his Blood; that the Cup is the New Teſtament; by the External ſigns of Bread and Wine, to give us to underſtand, that our life and ſaving Nutriment depended only on Jeſus Chriſt, and that by his Death and Bloodſhed we have aſſurance of eternal Life, even as Bread and Wine ſerve for corporal nouriſhment, and that he meant and ordained theſe ſacred ſigns, to be to us for Sacraments to approve and confirm our Faith; did he determine we ſhould hereby Capernize and Nicodemize, to enquire or make doubt of God's power, how it is poſſible to eat the Body, or drink the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt? How we can poſſibly be born anew? ſeeing the promiſe was made unto us by the word, wherefore, O ye blind Prieſts of the popiſh Idolatry, have ye conceived a carnal tranſubſtantiation, diſtruſting in the incomprehenſible power of God? May it not ſuffice you ſimply to believe, that the body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt was really and Sacramentally offered, to communicate thereof for our ſpiritual nouriſhment the Bread, being truly his body, and the Wine his blood, to the faith of the worthy receiver, which we muſt worthily receive by faith, and purity of conſcience, as ſacred ſigns and marks of the Divine character, without ſearching too ſubtilly after the means, other than the plain interpretation of Jeſus Chriſt, that the fleſh profits not, but the Spirit quickens, that his words are Spirit and life? Should we doubt whether God hath power by the Symbols of Bread and Wine conſecrated, to make us communicate of the body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt, though the bread remain bread, and the Wine wine? if it were otherwiſe, this could be no Sacrament, but rather called a Miracle, as when Jeſus Chriſt converted the Water into Wine, he then uſed the Miracle of tranſubſtantiation, changing the water into wine; but he ordained not this for a Sacrament, as he did the communion of his body and blood, by the ſacred figures of bread and wine.

Was it not alſo as eaſie for God to change the wine into blood, or the bread into fleſh, as for Moſes and Aaron to change the water of the River into blood to confirm the hardneſs of Pharaohs heart; or when the clouds were turned into the fleſh of Quailes, that rained upon the people of Iſrael? Nevertheleſs, God did not ordain that theſe Miracles ſhould ſerve for ordinary Sacraments; but herein he applyed himſelf to our infirmity, exhibiting to us Sacred but not Tranſubſtantiated ſigns, and yet are not vain or fantaſtical; but ſigns external, that we may Behold, Touch, Eat, and Taſt, remaining ſtill in their ſubſtance: and nevertheleſs they repreſent Sacramentally what is by them comprehended, and intimated, wherein conſiſts the approbation of our faith, to manifeſt by a Sacramental work and Miniſtration, that we are in the number of the regenerate, and ſuſtained by the holy Sacraments of Baptiſm and the Supper.

And further I would leave with you, for your further confutation in this Horrid Hereſie of Tranſubſtantiation, this apt Similitude of the Sun; ſeeing by ſome Apoſtles, Chriſt is called the Sun of Righteouſneſs, to whom the Son may not unfitly be compared, becauſe Light comes down from Heaven by this luminous and glorious ſpherical Planet; and ſo ſpiritual Light is exhibited to us by Jeſus Chriſt, who out of the night and darkneſs of Sin hath brought us into the brightneſs and clear Sun-ſhine of of his Grace. You may now therefore underſtand, carnal and groſs Capernaites, this ſufficient and evident compariſon, to intimate that the Infinite power of God is much more compleat and perfect, than your abominable invention of Tranſubſtantiation.

Will you not acknowledge, except your Eyes be blinded, and obfuſcated with the palpable darkneſs of Obſtinacy, that the Sun gives us his light, his force, his heat and vigor, and yet nevertheleſs, the Body it ſelf of the Planetal Sun remains & continues in his Spherical Orb? Do you not uſe to ſay in ordinary common Language, when the Window of an Houſe is open on that part where the Sun ſhines, that the Sun is come into the Houſe, although the Sun remains ſtill in the Firmament? Muſt we therefore hale and violently pull the Body of the Sun, to make it deſcend, and be tranſubſtantiated into this Earthly ſubſtance, before it can afford its heat, beams, light and nouriſhment to Plants, Trees, Herbs, and Beaſts of the earth? are you ſo bruitiſh, O Capernaites! as not to recognize, that the true Sun of Righteouſneſs Jeſus Chriſt, hath more power than this Aſtral Sun, being but Mortal and Created?

If then a Mortal Creature hath this power to infuſe into us the virtue and efficacy of his Body by his Beams, Light and Heat extend really and effectually over the whole Earth, the Body remaining ſtill in its Heaven; and ſhall we not believe that God an immortal Creator hath much more power to grant unto us the true Sun of Righteouſneſs Jeſus Chriſt, to give us the virtue and power of his Body and Blood ſhed for us by the beams, light, and heat of his Holy Spirit, except he be by your Magick plucked from the right hand of God, and his Body drawn out of Heaven, to be tranſubſtantiated upon Earth? Why ſhould not Jeſus Chriſt have this power to afford us his light, and to offer his Body and Blood to enter into us, if by Faith and a pure Conſcience we be ready to receive him, by the efficacy of his Holy Spirit, as well and much better than the Spherical Sun can enter into our Houſes with his force and power, and never be drawn out of its Heaven, to be tranſubſtantiated?

The Sun is an entire Body created, reſiding in Heaven, the cauſe of the generation of Plants, Trees, and Herbs, which by its force and calidity, gives ſuſtentation to whatſoever lives upon the Earth, and in one and the ſame moment, hath power to quicken, heat, and nouriſh an infinite number of Plants, Trees, and Beaſts of the Earth; and yet his Body is never ſeparated, divided, drawn out of his Sphere, nor tranſubſtantiated. The Body alſo of Jeſus Chriſt which he aſſumed up into Heaven, ſet at the right hand of God; hath not that more force, more virtue, more power, to regenerate, nouriſh, and ſuſtain us; to give us his virtue, light, and beams; to inſpire, quicken, illuminate and nouriſh us, and in a moment to make us all by Faith partakers of his Body and Blood; to make us his Members, united in and by him, through his true promiſe, comprehended under the Symbols and ſacred Signs commended to us, till the ſecond coming of his humanity be revealed upon Earth?

Wherefore then, O ye Popiſh Prieſts, have you deviſed this Magick of tranſubſtantiation, to blaſpheme againſt God, to impair his Omnipotency, and diſable his virtue more than you do that of the Spherical Sun, but his Creature?

Thus do I conclude, praying that God would be pleaſed to open their blind Eyes, if it may be; but becauſe they are wilfully blind and ſee not, becauſe they will not ſee; O Lord, if thou wilt not turn them, for the good of thy Church, and for the glory of thy Power, overturn them, and haſten their utter fall, and Eternal overthrow.