Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

Is the giuing of the signes and eating them with the mouth and the giuing and eating of the things signified one and the same in number and kinde?

No, in no wise.

1 For as there are two persons administring the Lords sup∣per, on of the pastor, performing that which is done outwardly and without: an other of Christ effecting by his holy spirit that which is done inwardly.

2 And as the whole action of the Lords supper doth consist of two things, one earthly, corporall, and to be perceiued by the senses themselues: Another, heauenly, spiritual, and to be vnder∣stood by a faithfull minde.

3 And as there are two parts of a man, whereof one is the bo∣dy, the other the soule; so there are two diuerse giuings, one to the body, which is done by the minister, and another to the minde, performed by Christ.

And so many eatings, that is to say, one outward corporall, o∣rall, naturall, and sensible, namely of sensible signes, which also is called Sacramental, which is done by the instrumēt of the mouth: the other inwarde, supernaturall, of the things signified, and to be perceiued with the eyes of faith, which is called spirituall. That first, was instituted by Christ that it might be an expresse image, of this spirituall eating and drinking.

This twofold eating Augustine acknowledged. He which eateth within, not without, he which eateth in heart, not which presseth with his tooth.* 1.1 And Lombard, As there are two things of the sacrament, so there are two waies of eating, one sacramentall, whereby the good and bad doe eat, the other spirituall, whereby onely the good doe eat.

For looke what those earthly gifts are to mans body & the in∣struments thereof, that are heauenly giftes to the soule, & the most excellent instrument thereof which is faith. But earthly signes are laid hold vpon with the body, and the instruments thereof, that is to say, sensibly, and corporally: therfore the celestial good things are receiued onely with the soule and with the instrumēt thereof, that is, to say by faith spirituallie and intellectualliea 1.2, frō whence also that may be gathered that the word manducandi, that is of eating, is taken concerning the partaking of the signes, pro∣perly,

but concerning the participation of the bodie of Christ, in a borrowed sence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tractat. 36. vppon Iohn. b. 4. dist. 1.9.
• a 1.2

  Ioh. 6.35