ftamp her Authority upon it which would make Christianity a most uncertain and endless thing.

The Fourth pretended ground of this Doctrine is, the neceffity of fuch a change as this in the Sacrament to the comfort and benefit of those who receive it. But there is no colour for this, if the thing be rightly confider'd: Because the comfort and benefit of the SacraIment depends upon the blessing annexed to the Inftitution. And as Water in Baptism, without any substantial change made in that Element, may by the Divine bleffing accompanying the Inftitution be effectual to the washing away of Sin, and Spiritual Regeneration; So there can no reafon in the world be given why the Elements of Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper may not, by the fame Divine bleffing accompanying this Institution, make the worthy receivers partakers of all the Spiritual comfort and benefit defigned to us thereby, without any fubftantial change made in thofe Elements, fince our Lord hath told us, that verily the flesh profiteth nothing. So that if we could do fo odd and ftrange a thing as to eat the very natural flesh and drink the bloud of our Lord, I do not fee of what greater advantage it would be to us than what we may have by partaking of the Symbols of his body and bloud as he hath appointed in remembrance of him. For the Spiritual efficacy of the Sacrament doth not depend upon the nature of the thing received, fuppofing we receive what our Lord appointed, and receive it with a right preparation and difpofition of mind, but upon the fupernatural bleffing that goes along with it, and makes it effectual to thofe Spiritual ends for which it was appointed.

The Fifth and laft pretended ground of this Doctrine is, to magnify the power of the Priest in being able to work fo great a Miracle. And this with great pride and

pomp

pomp is often urg'd by them as a transcendent instance of the Divine wifedom, to find out fo admirable a way to raise the power and reverence of the Prieft; that he should be able every day, and as often as he pleases, by repeating a few words to work fo miraculous a change, and (as they love most abfurdly and blafphemously to fpeak) to make God himself.

But this is to pretend to a power above that of God himself, for he did not, nor cannot make himself, nor do any thing that implies a contradiction, as Tranfubftantiation evidently does in their pretending to make God. For to make that which already is, and to make that now which always was, is not onely vain and trifling if it could be done, but impoffible because it implies a contradiction.

And what if after all Tranfubftantiation, if it were poffible and actually wrought by the Prieft, would yet be no Miracle? For there are two things neceffary to a Miracle, that there be a fupernatural effect wrought, and that this effect be evident to fenfe. So that though a fupernatural effect be wrought, yet if it be not evident to fense it is to all the ends and purposes of a Miracle as if it were not; and can be no teftimony or proof of any thing, because it self stands in need of another Miracle to give teftimony to it and to prove that it was wrought. And neither in Scripture, nor in profane Authours, nor in common ufe of fpeech, is any thing call'd a Miracle but what falls under the notice of our senses: A Miracle being nothing else but a Supernatural effect evident to fenfe, the great end and defign whereof is to be a fenfible proof and conviction to us of fomething that we do not fee.

And for want of this Condition, Transubstantiation, if it were true, would be no Miracle. It would indeed be very supernatural, but for all that it would

E

not

not be a Sign or Miracle: For a Sign or Miracle is always a thing fenfible, otherwise it could be no Sign. Now that fuch a change as is pretended in Transubftantiation fhould really be wrought, and yet there fhould be no fign and appearance of it, is a thing very wonderfull, but not to fenfe; for our fenfes perceive no change, the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament to all our fenfes remaining juft as they were before: And that a thing should remain to all appearance just as it was, hath nothing at all of wonder in it: we wonder indeed when we fee a strange thing done, but no man wonders when he fees nothing done. So that Tranfubftantiation, if they will needs have it a Miracle, is fuch a Miracle as any man may work that hath but the confidence to face men down that he works it, and the fortune to be believed: And though the Church of Rome may magnify their Priefts upon account of this Miracle, which they fay they can work every day and every hour, yet I cannot understand the reafon of it; for when this great work (as they call it) is done, there is nothing more appears to be done than if there were no Miracle: Now fuch a Miracle as to all appearance is no Miracle I fee no reason why a Protestant Minister, as well as a Popish Priest, may not work as often as he pleases; or if he can but have the patience to let it alone, it will work it felf. For furely no-. thing in the world is easier than to let a thing be as it is, and by speaking a few words over it to make it just what it was before. Every man, every day, may work ten thousand such Miracles.

And thus I have dispatch'd the First part of my Difcourse, which was to confider the pretended grounds and Reasons of the Church of Rome for this Doctrine, and to fhew the weakness and infufficiency of them." I come in the

SECOND

SECOND place, to produce our Objections against it. Which will be of fo much the greater force, because I have already fhewn this Doctrine to be deftitute of all Divine warrant and authority, and of any other fort of Ground fufficient in reason to justifie it. So that I do not now object against a Doctrine which hath a fair probability of Divine Revelation on its fide, for that would weigh down all objections which did not plainly overthrow the probability and credit of its Divine Revelation: But I object against a Doctrine by the mere will and Tyranny of men impos'd upon the belief of Chriftians, without any evidence of Scripture, and against all the evidence of Reafon and Senfe.

The Objections I fhall reduce to these two Heads. First, the infinite fcandal of this Doctrine to the Chriftian Religion. And Secondly, the monftrous and infupportable abfurdity of it.

First, The infinite fcandal of this Doctrine to the ChriStian Religion. And that upon thefe four accounts. 1. Of the ftupidity of this Doctrine. 2. The real barbaroufnefs of this Sacrament and Rite of our Religion upon fuppofition of the truth of this Doctrine. 3. Of the cruel and bloudy confequences of it. 4. Of the danger of Idolatry; which they are certainly guilty of, if this Doctrine be not true.

1. Upon account of the stupidity of this Doctrine. I remember that Tully, who was a man of very good fenfe, inftanceth in the conceit of eating God as the extremity of madhefs, and fo ftupid an apprehenfion as he thought no man was ever guilty of. When we call,* De Nat. De lays he, the fruits of the earth Ceres, and wine Bacchus, orum. L. 3. we ufe but the common language; but do you think any man fo mad as to believe that which he eats to be God? E 2

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RO. drt. 1.

It seems he could not believe that so extravagant a folly had ever entred into the mind of man. It is a very fevere faying of Averroes the Arabian Philofopher (who lived after this Doctrine was entertained among Chriftians) and ought to make the Church of Rome *Dionyf.Car- blush, if the can; I have travell'd, fays he, over the thuf.in 4.dift. world, and have found divers Sects; but fo fottish a Se& or Law I never found, as is the Sect of the Chriftians; because with their own teeth they devour their God whom they worship. It was great ftupidity in the People of Ifrael to fay, Come let us make us Gods; but it was civilly faid of them, Let us make us Gods that may go before us, in comparison of the Church of Rome, who fay, Let us make a God that we may eat him. So that upon the whole matter I cannot but wonder that they should chufe thus to expose Faith to the contempt of all that are endued with Reason. And to speak the plain truth, the Chriftian Religion was never fo horribly exposed to the fcorn of Atheists and Infidels, as it hath been by this most abfurd and fenfeless Doctrine. +2 Theff. 2. But thus it was foretold that † the Man of Sin should come with power and Signs and Lying Miracles, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, with all the Legerdemain and jugling tricks of falsehood and imposture; amongst which this of Transubstantiation, which they call a Miracle, and we a Cheat, is one of the chief: And in all probability thofe common jugling words of hocus pocus are nothing elfe but a corruption of hoc eft corpus, by way of ridiculous imitation of the Priests of the Church of Rome in their trick of Tranfubftantiation. Into fuch contempt by this foolish Doctrine and pretended Miracle of theirs have they brought the most facred and venerable Mystery of our Religion.