Two treatises. 1. The holy exercise of a true fast, described out of God's…

3 Thirdly, that this is the nature of all sacraments, ⟨p. 48⟩that the elements and rites used in the same, be true and effectual, not signs only, but testimonies and pledges of these things, for the signifying and subjecting of which unto our senses they were ordained: and yet when I use the word, Sign, I would not be taken as though I meant that they are bare, vain, or unprofitable Signs, such as Painters commonly use to make, but even thus far-forth effectual, that it is no more true & certain, that we see the same with our eyes, touch them with our hands, receive them with our mouths & eat them; then that is also as true and certain, that the Lord exhibiteth and offereth unto us, what ⟨p. 49⟩so ever they represent unto us; that is, the very body and blood of our Saviour Christ. These rules being thus then observed, I gather and put down this true & holy sense of these words: This is my body: that is to say, This Bread which Christ took, blessed, brake; & gave unto his Disciples, and appointed to be the element of this action, is sacramentally & spiritually, being received & eaten by Faith, a sure sign & an effectual pledge, that Christs body is become the spiritual food & nourishment of our souls. And I use these words, sacramentally & spiritually, that thereby I might meet with their gross slander, who when they ⟨p. 50⟩hear of a sign, and a thing signified, say that we do evacuate and make of no force the Lords Supper. No, we are so far off from holding any such conclusion, that we know and believe, that the believers, do beside the outward signs and elements, truly receive by the mean of faith, after a spiritual sort, that which is represented by the outward elements; to wit, whole Christ, with all his gifts and graces. And yet we do not imagine, either transubstantiation, or any such like devise; but only think upon and believe, the sacramental conjunction of the sign and the thing signified, For those things can not stand with the truth ⟨p. 51⟩of Christs humanity; as hath been bef re showed: neither indeed are they necessary for salvation. For, that we may be made partakers of Christ, it is not of necessity required, that his Body should be really present upon the earth;