Meditations on the holy sacrament of the Lords last Supper Written many years sinceMeditations on the holy sacrament of the Lords last Supper Written many yeares since

But why are not the instruments more glorious where the effects are so admirable? whence is it that there should lie so much power in the narrow room of so small and common elements? It had been worth the creating of a new creature, to be made the pledge of a new covenant; the first fruits are of the same nature with their crop, and earnest useth to be paid in coin of the same quality with the whole after-sum. If then Sacraments are the earnests of our glory, why are not the faithful instead of eating a morsel of bread, taken up with St Paul into the third heavens? why are they not in stead of drinking a sip of wine transformed with their Saviour; and have with Steven a vision of him at the right hand of the father? how discursive is foolish pride when it would prescribe unto God? vain man who undertakest to instruct thy maker in stead of praising him? to censure his benefits when thou shouldst enjoy them? wilt thou not receive salvation without thine own counsel, or art thou so foolish as to ⟨p. 16⟩conceive nothing precious without pomp? and to judge of the things conveyed by the value, and quality of the instrument that conveys it? tell me then, why it is that water a vulgar element, is held in a Cistern of lead, and thy wine a more costly liquor, but in a vessel of wood? Tell me the reason why that wax which in the shop haply was not prized at a penny, should by cleaving unto a small parcel of parchment be valuable unto a million of money? Tell me why should that clay, which while it lay under foot was vile and dishonourable dirt,