The reasons of a pastors resolution, touching the reuerend receiuing of the holy communion: written by Dauid Lindesay, D. of Diuinitie, in the Vniuersitie of Saint Andrewes in Scotland, and preacher of the gospell at Dundy

SECT. 4. So likewise our fellowship amongst our selues is expressed sufficiently, by eating the same Bread in the Sacrament.

AND thus much for our fellow∣ship & communion with Christ: Our communion and fellowship a∣mongst our selues, is in the same place of the Epistle to the Corinths, most euidently, not shadowed, but demonstrated in these words:* 1.1 Be∣cause the Bread is one, wee many are one Bodie; for we are all partakers of one Bread. Cyprian in the sixt Epistle of his first booke, thinketh that our vni∣on amongst our selues is onely de∣clared by this similitude; As many graines are made one Bread, and many grapes one Vine: so the Church, that is a multitude of people, is made one spiri∣tuall Bodie. But the Apostles reason

is demonstratiue, the ground where∣of is, that the Bread is one, whereof wee are all made partakers: one, not in forme and kinde onely; for so ma∣ny persons and bodies may bee fed with one bread; but one bread in number, and therefore all that feed thereon, must bee one bodie: for two bodie in number cannot feed on the selfe-same bread in num∣ber; the bread that I eate, cannot feed thee; and the same bread in number that thou eatest, cannot feed mee. It is one bread in number that feedeth thee, and another bread in number that feedeth me: but all the members of my body that are many, are fed with one and the selfe-same bread, that I receiue and eate; and therefore although they bee many, yet are they all but one bodie. Euen so all the members of the Church which are many, are fed with one and the selfe-same Bread in number, that is Christ, and therefore they must

all bee one Bodie. This is a demon∣stration of the cause by the effect: It is the proper effect or affection of one bodie, to be fed with one bread, and therefore to whomsoeuer this effect agreeth, they are one body: And contrariwise, the vnitie of the body, or the vnion of the members in one body by one forme, as the immediate and proper cause, that all these diuers mēbers are fed with one bread. As this therefore is a demon∣stration of the effect by the cause, all that are one body, feed on one bread: All the members of the Church, are one Bodie; Ergo, all the members of the Church feed on one Bread. So this is a demonstratiō of the cause by the effect: Al that feed on one Bread, are one Bodie; all the members of the Church feed on one Bread, therefore all the members of the Church are one Bodie. Here you may perceiue the ground of the rea∣son to bee, that the Bread whereof

all are partakers is One: And this is manifest, whether by the bread, the signe, or the thing signified bee vn∣derstood; for if by the Bread, the elementall bread bee vnderstood, al∣though that materially it bee diui∣ded in many parts, and distributed, yet all these parts and pieces are for∣mally one and the selfe-same Sacra∣ment. So that, although thou receiue not the selfe-same piece of bread in number, which I receiue; yet thou, and I, and all of vs receiue the selfe-same Sacrament in number. But if by the Bread, the Bodie of Christ, which is the Bread of life, be vnder∣stood, as principally and chiefly it must, seeing the Bread which wee breake, is (as the Apostle saith) the communion of Christs Bodie, which we participate in breaking of the Sa∣cramentall Bread: then the ground of the demonstration is strong and sure, That the bread is one in num∣ber whereof wee are all partakers, be∣cause

the Bodie of Christ is not diui∣ded, and giuen by pieces, but is all and whole, one and the same in number, giuen to all and euery one that worthily receiueth. As for the breaking of the elementall bread, it signifieth not the distribution of the Bodie of Christ by pieces, but the breaking of his Body on the Crosse, with the sorrowes of death for our sinnes. And here marke by the way, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth not alway signi∣fie to receiue with others by parts; for if the thing be such as cannot be di∣uided, then it doth signifie the same that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to receiue in common with others: So in the third chapter to the Hebrews, ver. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and vers. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the participation of Christ, & of the heauenly Calling, importeth not a diuision of Christ, and of the hea∣uenly Calling, whereof wee are par∣takers, but a communion of Christ, and of the heauenly Calling. And

so in this place 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sig∣nifieth to receiue, not by parts, but in common with others, the selfe-same Bread of life in number, to wit, the Bodie of the Lord Iesus Christ, and the selfe-same Sacrament thereof in num∣ber; whereon it followeth most ne∣cessarily; that wee who are partakers of that Bread, must bee one Bodie. Here contention being laid aside, I would demand, whether the Sacra∣mentall elements, and actions that are vsed about them, do not suffici∣ently and fully declare our commu∣nion with Christ and amongst our selues, or need they any accessarie gesture to supply their defects: For is there, or was there euer any ges∣ture, that can signifie so straite a con∣iunction, as is represented in this Sa∣crament? First, betwixt Christ and vs; and next amongst our selues, by the participation of that one and selfe-same Bread, which first shew∣eth the vnion betwixt Christ & vs to

be such, as is betwixt the body and the food whereby it is nourished: and next, the vnion amongst our selues to bee such, as is amongst the members of the same body.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Cor. 10. 17.