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Gen_40:9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine [was] before me;
Ver. 9. Behold, a vine was before me.] God, of his infinite grace and wisdom, gives men such signs as excellently answer and agree to the thing thereby signified; those two sacraments of the New Testament, for instance; which the Greek fathers (in the apostle’s sense, Heb_9:24) call áíôéôõðá , signs and symbols of better things, signified and sealed up thereby to the believer. The Lord, saith venerable Beza, knowing well the vanity of our natures, prone to idolatry, hath appointed us two sacraments only; and those consisting also of most simple signs and rites. For signs, he gave us water, bread, and wine. The rites are no more than to sprinkle, eat, drink (things of most common use); and a very little of these too, that men may not too much doat on the elements, or external acts in the sacrament, but be wholly raised up to the mystery, and by faith mount up to Christ thereby set forth and exhibited - fetching him down, as it were, that we may feed on him. Hence the outward sign is no further used than may serve to mind us of the inward grace. {a} The minister also stirs up the people to look higher than to what they see, with Sursum corda; Lift up your hearts. A thing in use among the primitive Christians. {b}
{a} Nempe ne miseri mortales in istorum mysteriorum usu in rebus terrestribus haereant, et obstupescant. - Bez. Confess.
{b} Sacerdos parat fratrum mentes, dicendo, Sursum corda. - Cyprian.