Leaving then this as a fleshly conceit, we come to a fourth Presence of Christ which is by Energy and power; thus where two or three be gathered together in his Name,1 Christ is in the middest of them by the powerful working of his holy Spirit; even as the Sun is present to the Earth, in as much as by its influence and benignity it heateth and quickeneth it. For all manner of operation is by some manner of Contact between the Agent and the Patient, which cannot be without some manner of presence too; but the last manner of Presence is a Sacramental Relative, mystical Presence. Understand it thus, The King is in his Court or Presence-chamber only locally, and physically; but representatively he is wheresoever his Chancellor or subordinate Judges are, in as much as whatsoever they in a Legal and judicial course do determine, is accounted by him as his own personal act, as being an effect of that power, which though in them as the instruments, doth yet originally reside no where but in his own Person; just so Christ is locally in Heaven, which must contain him till the restitution of all things, yet having instituted these Elements for the supply as it were of his absence, he is accounted present with them, in as much as they which ⟨p. 95⟩receive them with that reverend and faithful affection as they would Christ himself do together with them, receive him too, really and truly, though not carnally or physically, but after a mystical and spiritual manner. A real Presence of Christ we acknowledge, but not a local or physical; for Presence real (that being a metaphysical term) is not opposed unto a mere physical or local absence, or distance, but is opposed to a false imaginary, fantastic presence; for if real presence may be understood of nothing but a carnal and local presence, then that speech of Christ, Where two or three be gathered together in my Name, there am I in the middest of them; cannot have any real Trueth in it, because Christ is not locally in the middest of them. This real Presence being thus explained may be thus proved, The main end of the Sacrament (as shall be showed) is to unite the faithful unto Christ, to which union there must of necessity be a Presence of Christ by means of the Sacrament, which is the instrument of that union. Such then as the union is, such must needs be the presence too:
Leaving then this as a fleshly conceit, wee come to a fourth Presence of Christ which is by Energy and power; thus where two or three bee gathered together in his Name,1 Christ is in the middest of them by the powerfull working of his holy Spirit; even as the Sunne is present to the Earth, in as much as by its influence and benignity it heateth and quickeneth it. For all manner of operation is by some manner of Contact betweene the Agent and the Patient, which cannot bee without some manner of presence too; but the last manner of Presence is a Sacramentall Relative, mysticall Presence. Understand it thus, The King is in his Court or Presence-chamber onely locally, and physically; but representatively he is wheresoever his Chancellour or subordinate Judges are, in as much as whatsoever they in a Legall and judiciall course doe determine, is accompted by him as his owne personall act, as being an effect of that power, which though in them as the instruments, doth yet originally reside no where but in his owne Person; just so Christ is locally in Heaven, which must containe him till the restitution of all things, yet having instituted these Elements for the supply as it were of his absence, hee is accompted present with them, in as much as they which ⟨p. 95⟩receive them with that reverend and faithfull affection as they would Christ himselfe doe together with them, receive him too, really and truly, though not carnally or physically, but after a mysticall and spirituall manner. A reall Presence of Christ wee acknowledge, but not a locall or physicall; for Presence reall (that being a metaphysicall terme) is not opposed unto a meere physicall or locall absence, or distance, but is opposed to a false imaginary, phantasticke presence; for if reall presence may bee understood of nothing but a carnall and locall presence, then that speech of Christ, Where two or three bee gathered together in my Name, there am I in the middest of them; cannot have any reall Trueth in it, because Christ is not locally in the middest of them. This reall Presence being thus explained may bee thus proved, The maine end of the Sacrament (as shall be shewed) is to unite the faithfull unto Christ, to which union there must of necessity be a Presence of Christ by meanes of the Sacrament, which is the instrument of that union. Such then as the union is, such must needs bee the presence too:
- 1Matth. 28.
