Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

The Cup of Dlef ing. preef nce of Chrift : And therefore certainly it is not needful' for the uniting of us to Chrift, becaufe this union is fpirituall, it is done by faith, by communi- cating the Spirit of Chrift in us ; and therefore in this regard it is not neceffary that there should be a cor- porall prefence in the Sacrament. Laft of all, is it necefïary to encreafe our faith, for that likewife is one end of the Sacrament, that our faith may be ftrengthned : Why furely,it is not need - full for this purpofe, No, I fay, it cannot ftreagthen faith, becaufe the meanes, you know, is fubordinate to the end, it is leffe than the end, whereas the faith that is required to beleeve the Tranfubflantiation, is far beyond the higheft pitch of faith expreffed in all Scripture: I fay, it cannot bee, that that fhould bee made a meanes to helpe faith, that is beyond the thing that is to be beleeved, (marke it) confider what it is we are to beleeve, we are to beleeve that Chrift tooke mans nature on him for us, that his fufferings and crucifying belong unto us, &c. Is it not much eafier to beleeve this, than to beleeve that a peece of bread is turned into the body of Chrift e Though you fee nothing, though youtafte nothing but. bread : I fay, it is much eafier : Now as we fay, we muff no: blow a fparke too much for putting it out ; now to have fuch meanes as thefe to helpe faith, that cherith eth not the fparke of faith, but blower it out, it doth not helpe faith, but over- whelmes faith, when the meanes uf-d to ftrengthen are fuch as are beyond the thing to be ftrengthsed: Therefore in regard of the thing there is no neceífity, that there fhould be any corporall pretence of Chrift in the Sacrament. But let 477 SEAM. I 4 To in. create our faith,

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