The Practice of Piety

As thou drinkest the wine, and pourest it out of the Cup into thy stomach; meditate and believe that by the merits of that blood which Christ shed upon the Cross, all thy sins are as verily forgiven, as thou hast now drunk this Sacramental Wine, and hast it in thy stomach. And in the instant of drinking settle thy meditation upon Christ▪ as he hanged upon the Cross: as if ⟨p. 765⟩like Mary and John, thou did see him nailed, and his blood running down his blessed side out of that ghastful wound which the Spear made in his innocent heart: wishing thy mouth closed to his side, that thou mightest receive that precious blood before it fell to the dusty earth. And yet the actual drinking of that real blood with thy mouth; would be nothing so ^*effectual, as this Sacramental drinking of that blood, spiritually by Faith. For one of the Soldiers might have drunk that, and been still a reprobate: but whosoever drinketh it spiritually by Faith in the Sacrament, shall surely have the Remission of his sins, ⟨p. 766⟩and Life everlasting.

As thou drinkest the wine, and pourest it out of the Cup into thy stomacke; meditate and beleeue that by the merits of that bloud vvhich Christ shed vpon the Crosse, all thy sinnes are as verely forgiuen, as thou hast now drunke this Sacramentall Wine, and hast it in thy stomach. And in the instant of drinking settle thy meditation vpon Christ▪ as he hanged vpon the Crosse: as if ⟨p. 765⟩like Mary and Iohn, thou did see him nailed, and his bloud running downe his blessed side out of that gastfull wound vvhich the Speare made in his innocent heart: wishing thy mouth closed to his side, that thou mightest receiue that precious bloud before it fell to the dustie earth. And yet the actuall drinking of that reall bloud with thy mouth; vvould be nothing so ^*effectuall, as this Sacramentall drinking of that bloud, spiritually by Faith. For one of the Souldiers might haue drunke that, and beene still a reprobate: but vvhosoeuer drinketh it spiritually by Faith in the Sacrament, shall surely haue the Remission of his sinnes,