For by this mean we are ingrafted into Christ, and into his body; and by this mean is that true union and communion of Christ with his Church made and in like sort by this mean is the communion of the holy Church, which is a certain spiritual body, made amongst and with themselves; whereof the Apostle writeth, "There is one bread, and we, being many, are one body, seeing we are all made partakers of one bread." 1 Cor. x. 17.

Moreover, we are further taught, that with this ministry, or Sacrament of the Lord, no other thing ought to be done, or taken in hand, than that one thing which was shewed, ordained, and expressly commanded of Christ himself; as when he reached bread, severally and peculiarly, to his disciples, and in express words said, "Take, eat, this is my body:" and in like sort, when he reached to them the cup, severally and peculiarly, saying, “Drink all ye of this, This is my blood." Thus therefore, according to this commandment, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ must be distributed only, and be received in common of the faithful, or believing Christians: but it must not be sacrificed, or set forth, or lifted up, that it may be worshipped, or exhibited, or stored away, or carried about. And both these must be received in several elements peculiarly; his body severally, and also his holy blood severally, as either of them were of the Lord severally instituted, reached forth, and given to all his disciples in common. this doctrine was used in the first holy Church, and this Sacrament was wholly distributed and received in both parts. But he that, beside or contrary to these commandments, and the institution of Christ, dare bring in any other thing, or somewhat more, and use it with this Sacrament, or wantonly invent therein at his pleasure; he doth manifestly and malapertly against our Lord, who instituted this Sacrament, and committeth a thing clean contrary to his holy testament, and last will, which was declared in his own words, and that expressly.

And

Also, this Sacrament ought to be received and administered without adoration, and without that worship which is due to God alone: yet with a due kind of religion and reverence, and chiefly with that which is the greatest of all, namely with faith and examination of one's self, which in this action is most acceptable to Christ our Lord, and most profitable for men; which also St. Paul taught the first Church, and exhorted it hereunto, saying, "Let every man try, or examine, himself, aud so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, doth

eat and drink his own judgment, or condemnation, because he discerneth not the Lord's body." 1 Cor. xi. 28, 29. And, in another place, Prove yourselves, whether ye are in the faith: examine yourselves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Now I pray unto God, that ye do no evil." 2 Cor. xiii. 5; 7. If so be that any man approach to this Table without such a trial, and presenting of himself worthy; who hath not first examined himself, what manner of faith he hath, with what purpose he came to this Sacrament, or how he had prepared himself hereunto: I say, such a man should greatly profane and reproach this Sacrament, yea the whole institution hereof appointed by Christ. For which cause the Ministers of our Churches do admit none to this Sacrament, neither give it unto any, but to such as are noted to come unto it seriously, and do, so much as in them lieth, prepare themselves hereunto after such a manner as becometh Christian godliness.

Now, when the congregation doth come together to celebrate the use of the Lord's Supper, and the participation thereof, then, according to the example of the Primitive Church, our Ministers do teach in their holy Sermons concerning Christ, and concerning the grace which, through him, and in him, is given to sinners; and especially concerning his death, the shedding of his blood, and the redemption and salvation purchased thereby. After that, the whole Church doth join together in faithful prayers unto God, to obtain this, that they may indeed use this Sacrament worthily. Moreover, in the next place, absolution from sin is lawfully administered,* the words of the institution are rehearsed, and the people by exhortation are stirred up to a reverent consideration of this mystery, and to a cheerful and serious contemplation of the benefits of God. The Sacrament is reverently with all godliness distributed, and the people of the faithful, most commonly-falling down on their knees,† do receive this Sacrament with thanksgiving, with gladness, with

See the Eighth Section, upon the Confession of Bohemia, Augsburg, and Saxony.

+ In this rite also we suppose that every Church ought to have her liberty: not that we do utterly in itself condemn this manner, so that the caution be added, whereof we spake of late in the fourth observation; but because that, for the rooting of the superstitious worshipping of the bread out of men's minds, it were more expedient that that ceremony in most places were abolished in the receiving of the signs themselves: whereof look before in the first observation upon the Former Confession of Helvetia.

singing of hymns or holy songs; and they shew forth the death of the Lord, and admonish themselves of all his benefits, to the confirmation of their faith, in a true communion with Christ and his body. And all this we do according to the meaning of those things which are commanded in the holy Scripture, especially according to the saying of Christ, "Do this in remembrance of me:" Luke xxii. 19. and Paul saith, "So often as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall shew forth the death of the Lord, till he come." 1 Cor. xii. 26.

V. FROM THE CONFESSION OF FRANCE.

Art. 36. We affirm that the holy Supper of the Lord, to wit, the other Sacrament, is a witness to us of our uniting with our Lord Jesus Christ: because that he is not only once dead, and raised up again from the dead for us, but also he doth indeed feed us and nourish us with his flesh and blood, that we, being made one with him, may have our life common with him. For although he be now in heaven, and shall remain there till he come to judge the world; yet we believe that by the secret and incomprehensible virtue of his Spirit, he doth nourish and quicken us with the substance of his body and blood,* apprehended by faith. But we say that this is done spiritually, not that we may counterfeit an imagination or thought instead of the efficacy and truth; but rather, because this mystery of our union with Christ is so high a thing, that it surmounteth all our senses, yea and the whole order of nature: to conclude, because that it, being divine and heavenly, cannot be perceived nor apprehended, but by faith.

Art. 37. We believe, as was said before, that as well in the Supper, as in Baptism, God doth indeed, that is, truly and effectu

*The French Churches have witnessed in General Synods, that they, after the example of the ancient Fathers, do use the word substance: not as if the very substance of Christ were infused into the bread, or conveyed into us any manner of way, either corporal, or unspeakable; or that it were applied to our corporal substance, (seeing that it verily is now in heaven, and nowhere else, unto the last day, and we in earth, and nowhere else:) but to meet the slander of those men, which think that we, instead of the very body and blood of Christ, do place only his merits, or his spiritual force and operation; whereas notwithstanding we do teach, that we (though spiritually and mystically, yet notwithstanding truly) do participate Christ himself, not so that either we do cleave essentially unto him, or he unto us, but that his life is derived into us. Look also, concerning this matter, in the first observation upon the Confession of Augsburg, in this Section.

ally, give whatsoever he doth there sacramentally represent: and accordingly with the signs we join the true possession and fruition of that thing, which is there offered unto us. Therefore we affirm, that they which do bring pure faith, as it were a certain vessel, unto the holy Supper of the Lord, do indeed receive that which there the signs do witness; namely, that the body and blood of Jesus Christ are no less the meat and drink of the soul, than bread and wine are the meat of the body.

Also, out of Article 38. A little after the beginning :

And also that that bread and wine, which is given us in the Supper, is indeed made unto us spiritual nourishment; inasmuch as they do offer unto our eyes to behold, that the flesh of Christ is our meat, and that his blood is our drink. Therefore we reject all those fantastical folk, which do refuse these signs and tokens, seeing that Christ our Lord hath said, "This is my body:" and, "This cup is my blood."

VI.-FROM THE CONFESSION OF ENGLAND.

Art. 12. Near the beginning. We say that the Eucharist (that is to say, the Supper of the Lord) is a Sacrament; that is, an evident representation of the body and blood of Christ; wherein is set, as it were, before our eyes, the death of Christ, and his resurrection, and whatsoever he did, whilst he was in his mortal body: to the end we may give him thanks for his death, and for our deliverance, and that, by the often receiving of this Sacrament, we may daily renew the remembrance thereof; and to the intent that we, being fed with the body and blood of Christ, may be brought into the hope of the resurrection, and of everlasting life, and may most assuredly believe, that, as our bodies be fed with bread and wine, so our souls be fed with the body and blood of Christ. To this banquet we think the people of God ought to be earnestly bidden, that they may all communicate among themselves, and openly declare and testify both the godly society which is among them, and also the hope which they have in Christ Jesus. Chrysost. ad Ephes. Serm. 3. Cap. 1. For this cause, if there had been any which would be but a looker-on, and abstain from the holy Communion, him did the old Fathers, and Bishops of Rome in the Primitive Church, before private Mass came up, excommunicate, as a wicked person, and as a Pagan. Neither was there any Christian at that time which did communicate alone, whiles other looked on.

For so did Calixtus in times past decree, 'That after the consecration was finished, all should communicate, except they had rather stand without the Church-doors. For thus (saith he) did the Apostles appoint, and the same the holy Church of Rome keepeth still,' De Consecr. Dist. 1. Cap. Omnes. Dist. 2. Cap. Seculares. Dist. 2. Cap. Peracta. Moreover, when the people cometh to the holy Communion, the Sacraments ought to be given them in both kinds; for so both Christ hath commanded, and the Apostles in every place have ordained, and all the ancient Fathers and Catholic Bishops have followed the same. And whoso doth contrary to this, he (as Gelasius saith, De Consecr. Dist. 2. Cap. Comperimus.) com. mitteth sacrilege. And therefore we say, that our adversaries at this day, who, having violently thrust out and quite forbidden the holy Communion, do, without the word of God, without the authority of any ancient Council, without any Catholic Father, without any example of the Primitive Church, yea, and without reason also defend and maintain their private Masses, and the mangling of the Sacraments; and do this, not only against the express commandment of Christ, but also against all antiquity; do wickedly therein, and are very Church-robbers.

We affirm, that the bread and wine are the holy and heavenly mysteries of the body and blood of Christ; and that by them Christ himself, being the true bread of eternal life, is so presently given unto us, as that by faith we verily receive his body and blood. Yet say we not this so, as though we thought that the nature and substance of the bread and wine is clearly changed, and goeth to nothing; as many have dreamed in these latter times, and yet could never agree among themselves upon their own dreams. For that was not Christ's meaning, that the wheaten bread should lay apart its own nature, and receive a certain new divinity: but that it might rather change us, and (to use Theophylact's words, In Joan. Cap. 6.) might transform us into his body. For what can be said more plainly, than that which Ambrose saith; De Sacram. Lib. 4. Cap. 4. The bread and wine remain still the same they were before, and yet are changed into another thing?' Or that which Gelasius saith; In Dialogis 1 et 2. The substance of the bread, or the nature of the wine, ceaseth not to be?' Or that which Theodoret saith, In Sermone ad Infantes; After the consecration, the mystical signs do not cast off their own proper nature: for they remain still in their former substance, form, or kind?' Or that which Augustine saith, De Consecr. Dist. 2. Cap. Qui manducasti; 'That which ye see, is the