If every Sacrament was called by the thing which it signified, and yet never any Sacrament was taken for the thing it self, what reason have they to take this Sacrament for the thing it self, more than all the rest? It is the consent of all Writers that a Sacrament is a sign, therefore not the thing signified: no more than the bush at the door, is the Wine in the seller. If I call the Prince a Phoenix, the University a Fountain, the Court a Peacock, the City a Sea, the Country an Eremite, why can the Papists understand me, and not understand Christ? What a dark, and strange, and intricate, and incredible speech had this bin for them, to understand grossly, and literally? would they think, that they did eat Christs body, when his body stood before ⟨image 85⟩them, and he had told them before, that his body was like their body? Nay, this would have required moe words, and made them come again, with Master, what is the meaning? for they were 1not so instructed yet before the resurrection, to believe every thing without questioning, if it were contrary to sense and reason: but as they asked, who had 2given him any meat, when he said that he had meat, and they could see none: so they would have asked, what meat is this which we see not? how can every one of us eat his body, and yet he hath but one body, and that body is whole when we eat it? lo, he standeth before us and saith, that his body is like unto ours, and yet he takes bread and breaks it, and gives it unto us to ⟨image 86⟩eat, and when we eat it, he saith This is my body: and yet his body standeth before us still. If his body 3be like ours (as he saith) how can it be eaten and be there, for ours can not? Thus they would have questioned, if they had not bin used to such phrases: but as they could understand him when he called himself a stone, and a rock, and a door, and a window, and a Vine, so they could pick out his meaning, when he said that bread was his body: for he had told them before, that he was the bread of eternal life.4
If euery Sacrament was called by the thing which it signified, and yet neuer any Sacrament was taken for the thing it selfe, what reason haue they to take this Sacrament for the thing it self, more than all the rest? It is the consent of all Writers that a Sacrament is a signe, therefore not the thing signified: no more than the bush at the dore, is the Wine in the seller. If I call the Prince a Phoenix, the Vniuersitie a Fountaine, the Court a Pecocke, the Citie a Sea, the Countrey an Eremite, why can the Papists vnderstande me, and not vnderstande Christ? What a darke, and strange, and intricat, and incredible speech had this bin for them, to vnderstande grosly, and literally? would they thinke, that they did eate Christs body, when his body stoode before ⟨image 85⟩them, and he had tould them before, that hys body was lyke their body? Nay, this would haue required moe words, and made them come againe, with Mayster, what is the meaning? for they were 1not so instructed yet before the resurrection, to beleeue euery thing without questioning, if it were contrarie to sense and reason: but as they asked, who had 2giuen him any meate, when he sayd that he had meate, and they could see none: so they woulde haue asked, what meate is this which wee see not? how can euery one of vs eate his body, and yet he hath but one body, and that body is whole when we eate it? loe, hee standeth before vs and sayth, that his body is like vnto ours, and yet he takes bread and breakes it, and giues it vnto vs to ⟨image 86⟩eate, and when we eate it, he saith This is my body: and yet his body standeth before vs still. If his body 3be like ours (as he saith) how can it be eaten and be there, for ours can not? Thus they would haue questioned, if they had not bin vsed to such phrases: but as they could vnderstand him when he called himselfe a stone, and a rocke, and a dore, and a window, and a Vine, so they could pick out his meaning, when he sayde that bread was his body: for hee had tould them before, that hee was the bread of eternall life.4
- 1Luk. 8. 9.
- 2John. 4. 33.Iohn. 4. 33.
- 3Luk 24. 39.
- 4John. 16. 5.Iohn. 16. 5.
