The great necessity of unity and peace among all Protestants, and the bloody principles…

And this is that real and substantial presence, which we affirmed to be in the inward part of this sacred action. For the better conceiving of which mystery, we are to inquire, first, what the thing is which we do here receive; secondly, how and in what manner we are made partakers of it. Touching the first, the truth which must be held, is this: that we do not here receive only the benefits that flow from Christ; but the very body and blood of Christ: that is, Christ himself crucified. For as none can be made partaker of the virtue of the bread and wine to his bodily sustenance, unless he first do receive the substance of those creatures: so neither can any participate in the benefits arising from Christ to his spiritual relief, except he first have communion with Christ himself. We must have the Son, before we have life, 1 Joh. 5. 12. and therefore eat him we must, Joh. 6. 57. (as himself speaketh) that is, as truly be made partakers of him as we are of our ordinary food, if we will live by him. As there is a giving of him on Gods part (for unto us a Son is given, Esa. 9. 6.) so there must be a receiving of him on our part; for as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. Joh. 1. 12. And as we are called by God unto the communion of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, 1 Cor. 1. 9. so it we do hear his voice, and not harden our hearts by unbelief, we are indeed made partakers of Christ, Heb. 3. 14. This is that great mystery (for so the Apostle termeth it) of our union with Christ, whereby we are made members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, Eph. 5. 30, 32. and this is that eating of the flesh of the Son of man, and drinking of his blood, which our Saviour insisteth so much upon, in Joh. 6.

And this is that real and substantial presence, which we affirmed to be in the inward part of this sacred action. For the better conceiving of which mistery, we are to inquire, first, what the thing is which we do here receive; secondly, how and in what manner we are made partakers of it. Touching the first, the truth which must be held, is this: that we do not here receive only the benefits that flow from Christ; but the very body and blood of Christ: that is, Christ himself crucified. For as none can be made partaker of the vertue of the bread and wine to his bodily sustenance, unless he first do receive the substance of those creatures: so neither can any participate in the benefits arising from Christ to his spiritual relief, except he first have communion with Christ himself. We must have the Son, before we have life,