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OF THE REAL PRESENCE.

How far the real presence of the body of Christ in the Sacrament, is allowed or disallowed by us, I have at large declared in an ^aother place. The sum ⟨p. 45⟩is this: That in the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, we are to distinguish between the outward and the inward action of the Communicant. In the outward, with our bodily mouth we receive really the visible elements of Bread and Wine: in the inward, we do by faith really receive the body and blood of our Lord, that is to say, we are truly and indeed made partakers of Christ crucified, to the spiritual strengthening of our inward man. They of the adverse part have made such a confusion of these things, that for the first, they do utterly deny, that after the words of consecration there remaineth any Bread or Wine at all to be received: and for the second, do affirm, that the body and blood of Christ is in such a manner present, under the outward shows of bread and wine, that whosoever receiveth the one (be he good or bad, believer or unbeliever) doth therewith really receive the other. We are therefore here put to prove, that Bread is bread, and Wine is wine: a matter (one would think) that easily might be determined by common sense. That which you see (saith ^bS. Augustine) is the Bread and the Cup: which your very eyes do declare unto you. But because we have to deal with men, that will needs herein be senseless; we will for this time refer them to ^cTertullians discourse of the five senses, (wishing they may be restored to the use of their five wits again:) and ponder the testimonies of our Saviour Christ, in the sixth of John, and in the words of the Institution, which they oppose against all sense, but in the end shall find to be as opposite to this fantastical conceit of theirs, as any thing can be.