then these which is not to be forgot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word for benevolence and charity The Sacrament it self was wont by the Ancients to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Collection a Gathering because there used ever at such gathering of the people to receive to be a gathering for the poor withall Let not this slip call it a Cup of blessing from thence let the poor receive a blessing from you that you may from God Calix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods benevolence and charity to you of yours to his poor members for him The first of these belongs only unto us which have the ministeriall power of consecration We blesse the Apostle speaks it in our persons but the other belongs to you as well as us to blesse God for it to pray for his blessing upon it but then you must remember that your blessing is not operativè but only optativè a wish not a work that belongs to God as I said before but this to us so the words cui benedicimus may be said of all and that is all needs be said of it The first signe the Cup of blessing I passe to the second the Bread which we break Thâ—se signes are The bâ—ead one as Joseph said of Pharoabs dreams one in nature yet two in number they make both but one part of the Sacrament one thing is in effect signified by both yet one was not thought sufficient for usby our Saviour either to shew his death which is the end of the Sacrament or to seal to our faith which is the use of it and by two signes as by twowitnesses will be an end of strife We may yeeld three reasons for it why these and why both these are exhibited by our Saviour First in both these consists the chief maintenance of our life they are the principall supporters of it Bread alone will not serve Man liâ—eth not by bread only nor yet wine alone there is no living alone by the Cup though some make a shift to stay by it long enough yet they cannot live by it man is made of flesh and bloud and needs both to feed him Bread and Wine and in our spirituall food Christ would have no want he takes them both they are the best the cleanest food of our life and so fittest to represent the food of the soul Secondly There are no such things to shew the death of Christ by as these mark how the Bread is thrashed and ground and sifted and baked before it can be fit good And the wine stript and trodden and pâ—essed pressum antequam expressum before it is made fit to drink So was Christs body The Plowers plowed upon his back the souldiers thrashed him the Jews fifted him the teeth of the Lyons to Ignatius the teeth of death to him ground him small enough the grave was the Oven to bake him So was his bloud the Crosse was the presse The Prophet might well ask him why are his Garments red So many thorns and nails such a wound in his side were windows enough to let out all his bloud The Bread and the Wine very aptly intimate all this and this is even all the end of the Sacrament Thirdly The naturall body of Christ is not only signified by the Sacrament but also his mysticall which is his Church which is one made up of many beleevers and is not the Bread one made of many grains and the Cup one made of many grapes no such Symbolls of Vnion as these are So are the faithfull kneaded and knit together so incorporated into one and therefore saith Saint Austine Christ commends unto us his body and bloud in those things quae ex multis redigunt in unum that so the Sacrament might be signum unitatis a very Communion as it shall appear after and to be this is another end of the Sacrament The signes then are both fit other reasons might be given but these are the chief but yet a reason would be given why the Apostle calls not this signe the Bread of blessing as well as he did the other the Cup of blessing it is to be observed besides that in the 11 to the Corinthians Verse 24. where the Apostle fals upon this matter again there he mentions blessing only of the Bread and not of the Cup at all belike he thought once naming it in both was enough for both and that his saying of it once was enough to send us to his quod accepi à Dâ—mina to the first institution of it and there we finde them both blessed a like Matth. 26. 26 27. and it is worth the marking that the word which the Apostle useth for the blessing of the Cup is the same that the Evangelist useth there for the blessing of the Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both and the word which the Apostle useth in the other for the blessing of the Bread is the same that the Evangelist useth for the blessing of the Cup it is Eucharistia in both to shew that the words are both of one sence and that the signes were both alike blessed But besides he speaks not here of the blessing of the Bread because he was to mention a necessary Ceremony belonging to the signe being indeed a part of it which may not be left out and that is the breaking of the Bread and that alone made the words of the Text full The Bread which we break and of this minde is Pareus Breaking of the Bread is a most significant Ceremony annexed to the signe it doth best shew the Lords death of any not that any such thing was done to Christs body a bone of him could not be broken I will not say with Saint Chrysostome he suffereth that to be done in the Sacrament which he could not suffer to be done him upon the Crosse we may not think that he doth suffer any thing there neither doth that Father think so but it is broken to shew his many sufferings of what nature of what number soever they were breaking is a Metaphor to expresse them and the Prophet Isaiah hath it of his passion He was broken for our iniquities Isai 53. and the Apostle speaks it fully Hoc est Corpus meum quod pro vobis frangitur This Ceremony our Saviour himself used at the institution He brake the Bread to shew indeed that he was not only broken in his passion but he was willingly broken that he did break himself for indeed the nails and the thorns and the spear could not have broken him not so much as his skin no more then the souldiers could break his legs had not he been willing to have it done to be broken had not he been principall agent in it as well as sole Patient of it and broke himself As he used it then from his institution we use it still The Bread which we break and indeed the rather to shew that we our selves were chief act ours in his breaking
it was for us for our sakes he was content to be broken we did sit our sins all of us had an hand in breaking him and in sign of that it is stiâ—l The Bread which we break But the chief cause of our breaking of it is that which Saint Chrysostome gives patitur frangi ut omnes impleat every one could not take a little if Christ did not suffer himself to be made so little and to shew he gave his body to be crucified for all he appoints his signe to be broken for all This Ceremony and no other he appointed for this signe we may not so well away with that of the Papists which use round Wafers and give to every one one no breaking at all nor yet so properly allow of that of ours in some places cutting and mangling of the Bread and not any signe of breaking Christ was known at first in the miracle of five Loaves and there was breaking of Bread after the Resurrection he was made known unto the Disciples by breaking of bread The Apostles practice in the Primitive Church was breaking of Bread and in the Sacrament he makes it his Ceremony He brake the bread all Authority all Antiquity makes especially for this Ceremony and being it self of such use it behoves us to make much of it too and so much to be spoken of it and of the first part of the Sacrament The outward signe We be come now to the second part of the Sacrament Res caelestis 1 part The inward Grace The inward and spirituall grace which answers to the signes in number yet is in nature but one Vnus Christus in quo omnis gratia saith Bernard yet Christ gave both His body to be crucified and his bloud to be shed his body to be meat indeed his bloud to be drink indeed and in the Sacrament he instituted signes of both The Cup which we blesse the Bread which we break they are both as yet to be considered severally till we come to the Communion to their coming into one the joyning of them both together As yet we take the Text in parts the second part is now to be taken notice of and in that according to the order of the Apostle 1 The Bloud of Christ Some take it Metaphorically for the soul 1 The bloud of Christ so in the Law Sanguis est anima Christ indeed gave himself and he did consist of soul and body both he had not took upon hiâ— our nature else if he had not had a perfect humane soul neither had he redeemed any soul at all if he had not had a soul himself Tolle animam Christi Praesta quid Deus redemit saith Tertullian to Marcion And in his soul he suffered more then in his body the fears the sorrows the wounds of it are past any mans expression witnesse his heavy complaining Anima mea tristis est his strong crying Pater si possibile est his bloudy sweating his fear his whole Agony none but he could ever feel such wounds the guilt of a world of sin the sence of the wrath of God none but his soul could carry such sorrows Something it is meet should be to remember them as well as those of his body the soul cannot be resembled by any thing the bloud carries the neerest resemblance Sanguis est anima or at least in loco animae we may allow of that If not that then take it literally his naturall bloud the very substance of it that which he gave so liberally to be shed upon the Crosse the Bloud of the Paschall Lamb the bloud of all the Jewish sacrifices were but Commonstratives of that that is not now to be had not to be shown again Christ suffered once for all his offering of himself was but once substantially to be made and made by himself his flesh and bloud are now glorified with his Godhead and become impatible Care sanguis usurpà runt regnum Dei in Christo saith Tertullian only we remember that and the Wine in the Cup is the nearest resemblance of it not Commonstrative as the Type but Commemorative of the Truth of his Bloud That We may adde to it the Bloud of Christ Metonimically the merit of his Bloud that which he effected by shedding of his Bloud the remission of sins our reconcilement and peace with God our Righteousnesse Sanctification Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. All these through his Bloud through Faith in his Bloud His Bloud which speaketh better things then the Bloud of Abel this cryed for vengeance his was Sanguis clamans too but it spake Father forgive them it cryed for mercy and reconcilement The benefit is specially intended by the Bloud the purging of sin and purchasing of peace this is chiefly to be remembred and we do this when we say the Bloud of Christ For it is not the substance of his Bloud that cleanseth it comes not to all it comes not at all but the merit of it by the efficacy and vertue of it this was the end of our shewing it and this is the summe of what may be said of the first The Bloud of Christ The next is the Body of Christ we consider that also two wayes 2 The Body and both of them are intensive in my Text First Substantiam Corporis Secondly Efficaciam meritum both are to be remembred in this part First The Body the substance of it The same Body which was crucified Corpus quod pro vobis traditum est are the words of the institution The Syrian interpreter renders it Pagra which saith Beza is properly Corpus mortuum it is to shew his death and it cannot be shewed plainer then by such a word which signifies his dead Body That we must shew the Bread which is broken is his signe Corporis quod frangitur which is broken for you 1 Cor. 11. 24. And when we shew that we shew his wâ—unds and stripes his beating and brusing and bearing all that he did suffer on his body the Commemoration is to be of his passion Secondly we remember the merit of his passion that for which he gave his Body to be crucified the purchase for which he paid such a price the remission of sins they were all laid upon his Body Davids sin upon Davids son Dominus transtulit peccata tua are the words of Nathan to him not abstulit but transtulit from thee upon him and not only his but ours he bare our sins faith Isaiah 53. He bare them on his Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. we were sold to sin to death our body to the grave our soul to hell To corruption to torment he gave himself for us both body and soul ut redimeret saith Saint Paul Tit. 2. 14. Remission Redemption are the main effects of his passion we cannot remember his death but we must remember the desert and merit of it So I have done with the parts severally the outward signe the inward grace
Rem terrenam Câ—lestem we come now to the Communion or their coming into one to make up the Sacrament though the one part be on earth the other in heaven and look how high the heaven is from the earth yet they may meet they must meet else there will be no Sacrament at all Nulla virtus Sacramento saith Cyprian they must be in Common or there will be no Communion and then the Text will not be true which saith The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Bloud of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communiâ—n of the Body of Christ Communion is ever cum unione when two or more meet in one 2 The Coâ—â—â—en there is a Communion It is divers wayes either by nature which is Physicall as when soul and body are united into one person there is Communion between them by reason of thaâ— union Secondly by miracle which is Metaphysicall as when two Natures God and man were united into one Christ There is also Communion between them by virtue of that Union neither of these is this heer for it is no substantiall no Hypostaticall Vâ—ion and yet the Fathers have used both these to illustrate this Communâ—on Thirdly by locall coberence as when many stones are in one heap Fourthly by actuall inexistence as where accidences as colours c. are in one ubject none of these yet for the body and bloud of Christ may not be thought to be Locally Actually any where but in Heaven The Heavens must contain him till his second and last coming There is yet another way Fiftly Intellectually Sacramentally which consists in meer relation which is the nature of Communion Sacramentall Union is that Communion we speak off and it consists in a Mysticall and Mutuall relation between the signes and the things signed Sacramentum est rei Sacrae signum is Saint Austins definition and allowed and approved by all when the signe comes to signifie the sacred thing it comes to be a Sacrament and this coming is the Communion We look to two things 1. The cause of it 2. The effects First Divine institution is the cause The Rain-bow it is generally 1 The cause agreed upon was before the floud yet was not any signe of the promise of God of not destroying the world with a deluge till after the floud it was in nube to be seen there but not signum in nube till God first appointed it his signe to Noâ—h The Wine in the Cup the Bread on the Table were in use before blessed in their creation for temporall food but not in any use to a spirituall life till blessed again at their institution they were not signes of any sacred things till God appointed them his signes to his Apostles and as words which come to the ears are signa rerum of those things which the minde means to expresse if aptly appointed and do conveigh the very things to the understanding of the Auditor if he be quick you would wonder at it to see how soon at a word speaking a thing of never so great distance can come to his knowledge so these earthly things which are signa rei sacrae which come unto the eyes and the other senses being aptly appointed by the first institutor do conveigh unto the faith of the worthy receiver the very things themselves and though they were before at never so much distance they come to be present to our faith as other things expressed by words are to our reason and sence To make signes of such belongs only unto him which can give the things and his body and bloud none can give but himself none can make a signe to be a means to conveigh it to be apledge to confirm it but he the Elements are empty and non significant Accedat verbum ad Elementum saith Austin his word his work that comes and it becomes a Sacrament the signe is made effectually to signifie the sacred thing and that making a signe is the cause of the Relation of the Communion first Secondly being so made by the virtue of the Divine Institution 2 The effects the effects of Sacramentall Communion follow The signes themselves have a Communication of the Proprieties of the things signes Communicatio Idiomatum is the chief effect As by the Hypostaticall Union of the two natures in Christ the humane nature is invested into the Divine the manhood being assumed is allowed to carry away the properties of the Godhead in the person of Christ And thence comes it that the Son of God is called the Son of man and the Lord of life was crucified and slain The Mother of God the Bloud of God are usuall speeches with the Fathers so in this Sacramentall Union by virtue of that Communion in the words of institution the Bread is called the Body of Christ the Wine his Bloud When we give the Bread we say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ c. the Cup we say The Bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ The Bread though it be res terrena is called Panis vitae the food of Angles the Bread which came down from Heaven The food of the soul Panem Dominum S Cyprian calls it and not only Panem Domini and all this per Metonymiam signi because of the Communion it hath with the things signed with the Body of Christ Neither is this Communion only nominall but also reall the very substance of Christs Body and Bloud is by it communicated to worthy receivers they are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull saith our Church Not in the signes essentially but by the signes effectually for we must hold us to this that the Union is not Physicall nor Metaphysicall not Essentiall nor Locall but Intellectuall and Sacramentall and yet reall and not only nominall Ask what the Bread and Wine is I answer the Body and Bloud of Christ Ask me how or which way I answer Sacramentally because they are the Communion of the Body and Bloud of Christ and not that properly neither for a substance cannot be a Relation but by a Metonymy of the effect because they make us partakers of the Body and Bloud of Christ they are called the Communion of his Body and Bloud And being Communis substantiae they are also Communio efficaciae they make us partakers of the merit of Christs Body and Bloud those things ever bring their worth and dignity with them remission of sins redemption sanctification salvation all graces come along with Christ in quo est omnis gratia Habent omnia qui habent deum habentem omnia St August And as there is Communion with them so there is communition from them we may not amisse take the word Communio a Communiendo that is to be reckoned among the benefits we receive so our Church reckons it the strengthening of our souls Vis semper fortior in Vnione nothing can prevail against earth when heaven
derived from the head that it may be set on And of what nature they are you have heard bâ—fore Spiritus sanctus est nexus and thence is this union called spiritull Thirdly Again ut sit verum debet esse vivum a true head must be endued with the same soul the rest of the members are and such is Christ our head the Spirit is the life of both in the lead that is fully we have all received from his fulnâ—sse that member which hath not his Spirit is not of his body his children are led by his spirit We may know by this whether we be in him or no by the Spirit which he hath given us A true head we may know him by this The second is a perfect head such an one which hath First 2 Perfectum Reason Secondly Sence Thirdly Motion Fourthly Soundnesse Fifthly Beauty in it Aâ—l are in him First The faculties of the soul understanding will prudence providence he knoweth all things sustaineth quickneth governeth all things Secondly he seeleth our miseries seeth our wants heareth our prayers smelleth our sacrifices tasteth our charities he speaketh and pleadeth for us makâ—th intercession for us Thirdly he moveth us all spirituall motion in the body comes from him holy dâ—sires good works pure thoughts in nature in religion life and motion is a Capite We see it in those Creatures which are insectilia cut them in pieces that part lives longest which cleaves to the head the other soon dyes so it is in others so in our spirituall body whatsoever is from the head is dead presently Fourthly He is a sound and perfect head ill humours which do infect the body flow not from him All is like Aarons oyl which runs down from the head to the skirts of the cloathing or like Hermons Dew which waters the Vallies His Influence haâ—h no malignity in it but rather healing to the members Fifthly he is a fair and beautifull head admits of no deformity The fairest of ten thousand fairer then the children of men All these shew him to be a perfect head The third he is an only head to have no head acephali to have 3 Vnicum more heads policephali are both a like monstrous privations of one divisions into many ever tend to desolation God and nature ever affect one and but one God himself being Principalis Vnit as loves unity best especially in the best And de ratione capitis est unum esse and therefore God after all things had been scattered both in Heaven and Earth by division by hearkening unto more heads then one to the Serpents hâ—ad in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time would gather them altogether again into one the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that is properly a gathering together unto one head all gathering together is into one as of sheep into one flock of materialls for building into one pile of many numbers into one summe of many grains into one loaf but none so emphaticall so fit in expression as of many members unto one head and that one head is Christ Him God hath given to be head of his body which is the Church and he is caput unicum only one head all the heads of divinity as great Maps in a little compasse as many plots in a small Module bring them together contract them to one they make but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one head and that is Christ The fourth is he is an head that never dieth death hath no dominion 4 Perpetuam over him even in Heaven when his body shall be removed thither he will do the part of an head And while there is life in him he will preserve it in his body the Church cannot dye while her head lives nor want while it hath sense and motion and speech and understanding to provide for it Summe up all that need be said of an head all is in him Verum Vaum Perfectum Perpetuum all to be said to be seen of him We have made this to appear sufficiently the Communionis not yeâ— full if all come from the head to the body and nothing back again from the body to the head two things it owes to the head at least 1. Obedience 2. Maintenance First Obedience to be ruled and governed and moved by the head 1 Obedience it hath the eyes to see the brain to counsell the will to put on and all to be sit to govern if it go without the head Mole ruit suâ shall the soot or the hand say unto the eye we have no need of thee the Apostle makes this his chief argument for obedience Ephesians 5. 22 23. Let Wives be subject to their Husbands for the Husband is the head of the Wife as Christ is of the Church The head wheresoever it be in the body Naturall Politicall Spirituall is to be obeyed The second is Maintenance if the head be hurt or gone as good all Mainâ—â—nance the members be away be the body never so entire the members right in their places if the head hap to be away as good they all asunder Therefore all Creatures strive most to defend their head they had rather receive blows any where else then there The Serpent her self exposeth her whole body to keep her head from bruising you may mark how she gardeth it with her whole train the rather because she knows that is laid at most her head was to be broken ever since the prevarication so it is in others In the body Politique the enemy gives that charge that the Kings of Aram did not to fight against great or small but only against the King 1 Kings 22. 31. Therefore Davids men had a care of him ten thousand of them were not so good as he the light of Israel was out if he were gone So it is in other heads All fencers play is most against it it concerns the body to defend it most ibi fortiter opponere ubi fortiter oppugnatur So do Pagans Infidels Hereticks strike at our head our chief care if it be right must be to defend it against them These are due from the body to it and then there will be Communis cum Vnione which is best on both sides of spirit and life from the head Of Duty and Defence from the body it to guide this to guard it to lead this to be lead this agreement if it be in all things will make the union to appear sufficiently which is corporis cum capite with Christ our head Let us look back once to the ground of this union which is in the Sacrament by which we that are many are one one with Christ because we have all partaken of one bread The Communion was for this union he comes to the outward signes that by them he may come neerer unto us if we eat we have him in us nisi manducaveritis Yee shall not have him in you and manducantibus verè ac realiter
divels verse 20 21. Neither indeed can there be any communion between Christ and Belial now they might possibly except Though they did eat of things sacrificed to Idols yet they did not beleeve they had any communion with divels or that they were in so doing made partakers of the table of divels The Apostle answers that reply by a double argument The one taken from Israel after the flesh which did still observe the ceremonies of the Law and the legall sacrifices are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the Altar verse 18. and if of the Altar then of the Idol which is over the Altar and though the Idol be nothing yet of the Divell to whom the Gentiles sacrifice in the Idol verse 19. The other argument taken from the Christians which are after the spirit which have an Altar too Heb. 13. 10. though only mysticall and far superiour to theirs because more spirituall of which they which are partakers all worthy receivers have a communion with the things signified upon the Altar The Corinthians themselves were not ignorant of that the Apostle speaketh unto them as men that understood it was so verse 15. he carries it not out upon his own authority buâ— with their knowledge and assent The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ and if there be communion in these there is communion in those if with God and Christ in his Altars then with the Idoll and the Devill in his Altars This is the coherence and the inference of the Text. This being already affirmed by the Apostle and acknowledged by the Corinthians for his interrogation is it not is Emphatica affirmatio the whole argument is grounded upon an Hypothesis which must not be denied we maâ—e no more work to prove it but waite upon the Holy Ghosts further illustration of it as he shall enable me and your patience permit There is one word for the most part praedominant in every Text in this the word Communion is it it is the chief veine in the body of it and runs through every line and part and it is very fit for the season Communion now especially to be spoken of when there is so much need of Communion when faction and division have made the thoughts of our hearts otherwise too great there to have some thoughts of communion That you may know what it is the better you may consider three Communions in the Text they make each of 3 Communions them a severall part The first is Sacramentall between the signs and the things signed 1 Calicis The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The second is the Spirituall between the things signed and the 2 Capitis receivers We are all partakers of one bread which though last in the Text is the second to be inserted because by the Apostle it is made the cause of The third Communion which is mysticall between the receivers 3 Corporis and themselves one with another for we that are many are one bread and one body or to read the words more agreeable to the originall and therein I have the judgement of Beza Because there is but one bread we that are many are one body The first of these is peculiar to the season the Sacrament at the solemnity of the Sacrament and the ground of the other two For first there is Communio Calicis and from thence springs the second our Communion with Christ which is Capitis and the third our communion one with another which is Coâ—poris Saint Austine affirms them all Sacramentum Pietatis vinculum charitatis signum unitatis in Johan Tract 27. I call them all Communions because they are all cum unione and where there is union there needs must be communion Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall be sayd only of the first which is Sacramentall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the other which is mysticall yet they are made to differ but as the effect and the cause the ancient translations know no difference between them these last ought to have as full and as firm communion as the first the end of that being to effect these the Sacramentall Communion for our spirituall which is with Christ our head and for our mysticall which is with one another our body Ideo institutum ut corpus in terris capiti quod est in Coelis coadunetur Aug. Ser. 28. in Erem I begin with the first Communio Calicis the Sacramentall Communion and that because it is the seale of all the rest the cement of all our 2 Calicis Communions the Union of Communion The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break c. Now a Communioniâ—s rightly defined a relation between two or 2 Paciâ— union of two or more in one thing which is common In the sacrament are two things 1 The signes 2 The things figned These two by the 1 Outward signe vertue of Divine operation are made one and thence is the Sacrament rightly styled A Communion untill this Union come there is no Communion at all res terrena Coelestis which Iraeneus makes the parts of the Sacrament never come together they are at distance look how high the heaven is from the earth nec verit as signo nec virtus Sacramento saith Cyprian till they meet in one conjunction no truth there 2 I ward gracâ— in the signe no mercy here from the things signed till mercy and truth both meet all the vertue in the Sacrament is in the Union of the parts and when that Union is there is then a Communion Take we a view of the parts we must know them first before we can say any thing of their Union or of the Communion of them The first is res terrena the outward and visible signe which is in 1 Ouâ—waâ—d fight effect but one though in number two even as the thing signed one invisible grace or as St. Bern saith rather unus Christus in quo est omnis gratia formally the signes and the things figned are but one but materially two saith the School They are two in number so delivered by Christ at the first Institution so exhibited by the Apostle at the reinstauration and so received by our Church and all places where rightly received at the Solemnization and these two severally considered and not joyntly the Bread asunder from the Wine the better to illustrate the death and passion of our Saviour which was in the separation of his Blood which is the life from the Body but after they are received they come together again as they did this day the Resurrection Christ now dying no more The Commemoration is of Christs death butthe Communion of
is joyned to it if God be with us who can be against us and he is with us heer by Sacramentall Union he comes into the Communion Thus have we made the signes and the things signed to meet and but to meer for we may go no further my Text calls it but a Communion and I take it to be a full exposition of our Saviours words at the Institution This speaking of the Bread is my Body saith he A Communion of his Body saith the Text This the Wine is my Bloud A Communion of his Bloud saith the Apostle If a Communion of it then not it as the Papists will have it Sacramentally we allow it to be it signum rei not it substantially but onely a Communion of it Had it been it grossely carnally The Apostle should have said not the Cup but the Bloud not the Bread but the Body For the Bread and the Wine both according to their Doctrines are gone only accidences remains then he had committed no small Tautology The Bread which is my Body is the Communion of the Body of Christ The Wine in the Cup which is the Bloud it self is a Communion of the Bloud of Christ Indeed they do not well away with the Communion it crosseth them too much therefore they almost crosse it out It may appear by other particulaâ—s Their private Masse shuts it out quite Their publique Masse justles it out not a little They have no Communion of the Cup at all The Laity are not allowed it and if there be no Cup there is no Communion there neither is there any Eucharist if not it I do only observe that by the way for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence comes the name of Eucharist is no where used at the Institution but at the Cup and if no Cup no giving of thanks for it of the Peoples part none which have part of none So Communion and Eucharist they shuffle out and worse then this Christum denuo crucifigunt while they separate his Bloud from his Body without any Communion without any coming together again But this is no place for controversies be we sure to keep it right as we do call it right and from this very Text we call it a Communion And that we may keep it right there must be on our parts a coming on to the Communion where the dead body is there the Eagles will be gathered together and no where is the dead Body of our Saviour more plainly represented Gâ—t we up upon the Wing of pure Devotion of holy Meditation sore we aloft like Eagles Sursum Corda if we come not there may be Communion for others none for us for only those that receive are of the Communion those that cate of the things of the Altar are partakers of the Altar if yee cat not you are not of the Communion of the Body of Christ If you drink not you are not of the Communion of the Bloud But yet look how you come for if you come unworthily you will not be of that Communion neither we may not so tye the things signed to the signes the Body and Bloud to the Bread and Wine as if whosoever receives the one must also receive the other Saint Cyprian resolves it well Tantum utilitatis quisque reportat quantum Vasculo fidei Colligit others which come without faith Lambunt Petram sed nec inde mel sugunt nec oleum They go away without joy because they came without faith Like Mary Magdalen they see the Lord Corporall the clean Linnen lye wherein our Saviour was wrapped but finde him not and say without any comfort They have taken away the Lord. Panem Domini they finde but not Panem Dominum neither do I know how they should he is present only to the eye of faith not of sence Non ventris sed mentis cibus est The hand the mouth the teeth the stomack of Faith Credere est edere Come with this then and we come right we shall no doubt be of the Communion And as you come with Faith so you must come with Love giving and forgiving are the tenour of it both are done to you heer by Christ he gives you his Body and Bloud and they are given for the remission of sins both must be done by you unto your brethren Then there will be a full Communion on all sides of Christ with us by mercy and trueth of us with Christ by Faith and Love of the outward signes and the inward graces of both with the worthy receivers of the receivers with themselves for so from this Sacramentall Communion will spring our spirituall with Christ our head and from thence our Mysticall with hâ—s Body the Members till at last we come to a perfect Union with the Communion of the Saints which are compleate in Heaven which with our Saviour still drink of the fruit of this Vine new in the Kingdom Whither he bring us all for his Infinit merits and mercies Amen THE FOURTH SERMON 1 COR. 10. 17. For we that are many are one Bread and one Body because we are all partakers of one Bread WE be come now to the second part of the Text the second Communion that which is spirituall between the things and the receivers Vnus Christus in quo est omnis gratia he is the thing signed between him and us and it is properly called Communio Communio Capitis Capitis Communio Calicis was well premised because it is the ground and foundation of the other Communions for thence issues this our Communion with Christ They that eat of the Sacrifices are partakers of the Altar Verse 18. By eating we enter into it and upon that we pitch it in the last words of the Text We that are many are one Bread because we are all partakers of one Bread Alimentum fit Alitum saith the Phylosopher so it is in our spirituall food Except we eat the Body of Christ he dwelleth not in us but if we eat him if we digest him both which are to be done by faith as hath been shewed before Participatione ea a Respectu Communicationis Idlomatum dictum corporaliter nobis inerit Christus saith Cyrill his very flesh is made ours as we are in him by a certain Physicall Identity in the Hypostaticall Vnion our humane nature and his Divine made one so he shall be in us though neither by transubstantiation nor by consubstantiation not by naturall nor corporall contract but by spirituall and reall Union his person and ours made one Sacramentally he is in his signe Spiritually in the receiver The receivers are all those which do worthily partake of one Bread their Union with Christ was the end of that Iâ—stitution of Christ that Sacramentall Communion was to be a mean to â—ffect and a seal to confirme our spirituall ideo institutum ut Corpus in terris capiti quod est in Coelis coadunetur saith Saint Austen Panis Daminus to the right
receiver comes along cum pane Domini They that eate of the Sacrifices are partakers of the Altar is a Proposition unquestionably true and then by consequence if they partake of one Bread they also partake of one Body and of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith my Text. We are all partakers of one Bread And it needs not trouble us that the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when before it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there Communion but partaking hâ—re as if the Communion between the signes and the things signed were fuller then it is between the receivers and them Take one as the effâ—ct and the other as the cause so Beza will have it because by the partaking of the Bread we come into the society and Communion of Christ So the Apostle seems to intend it we are one body one with him because we are all partakers of one Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 symbolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rerum we place not our Union with Christ in participation but in the effect of that which is Communion we fetch it thence not seat it there and as from Christs participation with our nature where the Apostle useth the same word because the Children were partakers of flâ—sh and bloud he also likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took part Heb. 2. 14. did result the Hypostaticall Union of our nature with him So from our participation of one Bread the Symboll of the Sacrament of which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth result the spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Union of his person with us Saint Ambrose upon my Text saith it non participatione taniùn acceptatione sed Vnitate Communicamus Quemadmodum enim corpus unicum est Christo ita nos per hunc panem unione conjungimur So that though not in that the act of partaking of that one Bread yet by that we come to the Communion of Christ though the Bread be but the Symboll of this Society yet upon the partaking of that we come into the Communion of the thing it sâ—lf which is signed by it so that there is full out as firm Communion hence as was before And being a Communion between Christ and us we call it rightly Communio Capitis in the Allegory of a Body which the Apostle heâ—r alludes unto Christ will not away with any other place then the head in the Body Mysticall the supream Head In all other Allegories as of the Vine and the branches he will be the Râ—ot which bears all Rom. 11. 18 and Radix arboris Caput est of the family he the Master and Dominus is ever Capuâ— domus In the Building caput Anguli in the Book in Capite libri and our tenour if it be right must hold in Capite too All the Communion we have with him depends upon this Relation and it is enough we need desire no more Communio Capitis is neer enough This Communion of the Head with the Body is neither Physicall nor Corporall but Spirituall the naturall man cannot perceive it how the Head in Heaven may be united to a Body in Earth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a riddle to humane reason Who shall fetch down Christ from above or if he must be above still Quomodo tenebâ— absentem saith Saint Austen in the person of a naturall man This is chiefly to be explained and about it two things 1. What this Union is 2 Parts 2. Wherein it doth appear 1. Esse 2. Cognosci are the materiall points about it 1. It is Spirituall the eye of Faith and not of Sence can discern 1 Esse it Mitte manum fidei tractasti saith Austen in answer to Quomodo tenebo absentem That there is a Union a being one with Christ is plain from that prayer of our Saviour for his Disciples and not for them only but for all beleevers Father I pray thee that they may be one in us as thou art one in me and I in thee John 17. 21. but that being one is tantiâ—m spiritu fide saith Maldonate and that sicut there is not aequalitis but cujusdam similitudinis saith Chrysostome for â—ssentiall Union which is eternall between the Father and the Son or Hypostaticall Union which is substantiall between the Sonne and our nature it cannot be our personall Union is spirituall and no more Spirituall because it is wrought by the Spirit Faith is the fruit of Spirit and it is that which is the very essence of this Union the neerest symbolically quality that can be between Christ and us In every Union of naturall things vis unitiva some quality or other there must be by which they agree in one something Medie Naturae Fire and water can never be reconciled alone because they have none in that greatest union of all of God and Man Christ himself was factus Mediae Naturae a Mediator Earth and Heaven had never met but by his being exalted in Medium locum the Crosse was between both and Heaven there was content to stoop lowest Earth being able to rise no higher In this Union of our persons with Christ cum Capite Faith is that vis unitiva the Cement by which Caput Anguli is joyned to the building and yet that is but a conjunction no thing is conveyed into the other parts from it it is therefore more the Ligament and sinew by which the Head is united to the Body and thorow which is conveyed all the benefit of being and motion to the members Similitudo imaginis that likenesse after which man was created had united him to God but that was so defaced by the fall God knew him not for his Creature nothing like in the world was left all similitude between God and him lost till Christ repayred that Image again washt it with his Bloud and set Faith in the face of it by that they may meet there is something like to bring them into liking to make an union Neither is this Imaginary a device for speculation but reall spirituall things have the best and truest reality in them The Fathers Illustrate it divers wayes as fire is united to red hot Iron actually and virtually both it is no where more visible more powerfull for the time as the Beams of the Son are united to the ayre as Wine and water contemperated and mixt together as wax to wax and made into one lump The Apostle giveth a plain instance he that is coupled with an Harlot is one body Erunt duo in carne una is the cousummation of marriage in that sence it is called a Mystery between Christ and his Church So he that is joyned unto Christ is one Spirit One Spirit is but Metalepsis one spirituall body is the meaning Faith on our parts the Spirit on his part concurre and make a union You may see more the ground of this will confirme the truth of it and it is in the words of the Text. We are all partakers
of one Bread There are foure sorts of unions both Scriptures and Fathers use to Illustrate First Eternall between the Father and the Sonne Secondly Hypostaticall between the divine nature and humane Thirdly Conjugall and Matrimoâ—iall between husband and wife Fourthly Allegoricall as between the Vine and branch between Head and Members between Bread and the receivers each would afford matter for a Sermon I must insist only on that last That which we eate turns in carnem sanguinem alimentum fit alitum if so be it be digested first else it doth not Cibus Iadigestus famem satiat animalem non naturalem It comes not into union with the body by which it might grow stronger but is forceably cast out though it stay the stomack for a time So it is in our spirituall food they which know not how to digest it by faith have their appetite staid not their groweth and strength augmented but if it be digested it comes into one it becomes one with us Thus are Christ and we made one We have the Symboll the Sacrament the Seal of it of which we all eate and wherefore do we eate but ut uniamur What is more ours then that we have eaten A neerer Symboll could not possibly be thought on of our incorporation and making one with him and yet St Bernard saith more Et manducat nos mâ—mducatur à nobis quo arctiùs illi astringamur In one and the same action he feeds on us we feed on him his joy fills us our faith feeds him his body his bloud his suffâ—rings his righteousnesse are meat and drink to us our faith our repentance our obedience our salvation are meat and drink to him and those are one though the comparison be without compaâ—isâ—n yet our Saviour himself prayes it may be so John 17. St Bernard proves it is so between Christ and us we one with him abiding by faith and love he one with us aâ—iding by peace and truth yet not in that manner one as they are the dâ—fferâ—nce of our nature and substance still remains which are one in the Father and the Sonne only the diversity of our a Non câ—hrrent aâ—essennarum sed coâ—tinentia voluntarâ—m Lern. wills reconciled makes us one one with the Father and the Sonne and so one ut Deus homo unus spiritus certa absoluta veritate dicantur si sibi glutino amoriâ— inbâ—reant So sure are we one so reall is our spirituall Union with Christ our Head if we eat the Bread if we digest it we are sure of it in reason that we eat is the same with us in Religion it is so too and eat it we do we all are partakers of one Bread That this union is we are sure of the Scripture every where beareth witnesse of it we could not be branches he the Vine not members he the head not pretious stones built upon him he the foundation the cheif corner stone we need not eat his flâ—sh nor drink his bloud the Cup which we blesse need not be the Communion of his Bloud the Bread which we break the Communion of his Body no Communion at all indeed but for this union 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might well be spared but for this ut uniamur it is the signe of it the seal of it the ground of it the cause of it ut corpus in terris capiti in caelis to make them one to make this union between Christ and us Christus erat faciens utrumque in unum Christs whole work was to do this to make us one our nature one in the Hypostaticall union our persons one in the spirituall nec prâ—judicat rerum pluralitas huic unitati for we that are many are one bread and one body one bread partaking all of one bread one body united all to one head one signe one thing we all though never so many partake of it All the beleevers bad one heart and one minde Acts 4. All of them are joyned into one head That this is that was the first I have been the longer because it is a matter of so much importance and not so easily conceived all our hope of that union Quae glorificat which the blessed Angels and Saints enjoy consists in this our spirituall union quae justificat which is with Christ by faith illa praemium haec meritum est saith Bernard all curâ—m rit is to be joyned with Christ There is yet another work to be done to make this appear else non apparentis non existentis eadem est ratio as good not be at all And yet appear we cannot make it to the eye of sence Caput in 2 Cognosci coelis corpus in terris est it is much too weak to be able to ken so farre neither indeed is it necessary that the hand or foot should see the heal if they feel it if they finde the use and benefit of it that will be appearance enough to them and that is to be had of him Two wayes it will appear 1. By that which the head is to the body 2 Wayes 2. By that the body is to the head There are foure things required to our head all four to be known 4 Wayes of him That it be 1. Verum 2. Perfectum 3. Vnicum 4. Peâ—petuum Christ is all these unto the body 1. Verum of the same nature with the body not like Nabuchadnezzars 1 Verâ—â— Image whose head was of Gold the breasts of Silver the thighes of Brassâ— the feet of Iron and Clay And that he might be of the same nature you know he took upon him our nature and therefore God saith the Apostle hath made him head of the Church Ephes 1. and that he is of the same nature appears First by his suffering for us he had not what to offer till he had Corpus aptatum Heb. 10. he had not been the Saviour of the body if he had not had that Tolle caruem Christi praesta quid Deus redemit saith Tertullian to Marcion He redeemed not the Angels quia non assumpsit he took not upon him their nature Secondly By his suffâ—riâ—g with us therefore saith the Apostle it behoved him to be in all things like his brethren that he might be a mercifull high Priâ—st And again that by the things which he suffered when he was tâ—mpted he might succour them that are tempted for he is not an high Priest which may not be touched with our infirmities when he cryed out upon the way Saul Saul why peâ—secutest thou me he was neerly touched he could not be an head if he had not this a sence of the bodies griâ—vances Secondly Again to make him a true head he must be united to the body An head sâ—vered from the body is not the head as good no head at all a wrong head set on a right head cut off are much a like the Joynts and Ligaments and Nerves are all for that end
Leaven of Faith and Charity They soon fall of having not the right Leaven into many pieces being not united by the cement of the Spirit into one Body sowing is all they are fit for and to that imployment the enemy of the Church puts them the whole field is every where over-sown with them These are many but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those many the Apostle speaks of for those being many are one bread and one body But besides all these there are many of whom this Text may be said which are Materialls of one building sheep of one sold branches of one Vine grains of one bread members of one body Which though they be dispersed on the Mountains are of one flock belong to one shepherd and know and understand his call though they be as divided members here one and that a little one on this Page and over leaf another yet being cast up make but one sum are reckoned to one head though they ly scattered like the dryed bones in Ezekiels vision yet they shall come bone to bone and the sinews and the flesh and the skin shall come unto them and their breath that they may live and shall be made up into one body though they be but as an handfull in comparison of others in the world yet like the gleanning of Ephraim they are better then the whole Vintage of Aâ—iezer A little flock a remnant and other such terms the holy Ghost calls them by when he opposeth them against the numerous multitudes of others yet they are many enough stones for the building enough members for the body God will not let any part be lacking and there must be many members to one body and here they are many in the Text. And that which is above all nos illi multi we for our parts and whosoever else which is of the Sacramentall Communion which is Calicis and of the spirituall which is Capitis it needs not be disputed in what places we are while we are parts whether the ear or the eye or the hand or the foot whether of the honourable or lesse honourable while we be members the administrations and functions are divers but they all serve the necessities of the body The whole Church is the Body of Christ and we for our parts members of it 1 Corinth 12. 27. We may sure say the Text We that are many are one Body But then that we may say it right and it concerns us much we must know what it is to be one body what tyes and bonds belong to this union how necessary it is to be of it what danger there is in being out of it And this discourse will take up the second part of my Text The Relatum in which all the Correlates meet into one We being many are one Body There are divers wayes for many to come into one First Naturall so the soul and the body are made one Secondly Conjugall so man and wise Thirdly Politicall so all the Inhabitants within one City or house are made one Fourthly Morall so friends are made one Fifthly Hypostaticall so Christ and our nature were made one Sixthly Sacramentall so the signe and the thing signed are made one Lastly Mysticall so all the faithfull like so many members are made one being many are one Body I am not to say any thing of any one of them but the last our Mysticall making one one Body in Christ And this the Scriptures and Fathers have sought divers wayes to illustrate by other Allegories one building the Materialls many one flock the sheep many one tree the branches many and many such yet it is but one The last of these I must insist upon We being many are one Body Yet there are three sorts of Bodies especially considerable First the Body Naturall Secondly the Body Politicall Thirdly the Body Mysticall The two first of these we cannot be no man will imagine it in a literall sense one Body or in a civill sense one Body the Church of Christ cannot be one so which consists of many naturall bodies it self and is in many remote places never likely to come into one civill Polity The Body Mysticall is only to be considered And that is but Metaphoricall so called by a similitude taken from the naturall body otherwise it is not properly a body which is made up of many bodies But so the holy Ghost is sain to speak improperly to condiscend to our capacity to shew us what the Body of Christ is his Church by that we know already what the body of man is Visibilibus rapere ad invisibilia saith Gregory That is his way That way we take and consider four things belonging to a body naturall and under that similitude observeable in the Mysticall 1. A sufficiency of parts 2. The Union of them into one 3. Their Symmetry and Agreement 4. Their Offices and Administrations I begin with the first A sufficiency of parts No body can be without them trina dimensio belongs to every body at least but a perfect body such as the naturall body of man is or the Mysticall Body of Christ is cousists of many parts All the body is not one member Multa membra unum corpus It belongs to the Philosopher and when he hath done to the Physition to take an exact survey of all the parts which do belong to a body it is enough for us that there are parts enough God in framing of the naturall body would not suffer any redundancy or dâ—fiâ—iency we may not but think the same of the Mysticall In thy Book saith David unto him are all my members written he keeps a Book of all the members of his body the Church as well by him they are numbred and to him only known we may not deny the Body of Christ to be perfect which hath a full enumeration of parts But yet the parts are not come together to make it perfect God hath a day Book Liber vitae bujus wherein lye some scattered mâ—mbers not yet recollected they are not yet summed up till God comes to his verbum abbreviatum yet they are to be reokoned in the accompts In nature the generation of the form is in an instant but the parts stay their time of production and when they are all come the body is not perfect till it have the degrees the state of this life is but the womb of the body of Christ there is a still repairing of the Saints and an edification of the Body till we all meet together unto a perfect man Here as in the Mount the Materialls are all cut out and squared for that great building no noise of any instrument shall be heard hereafter but such stones as will serve shall be laid upon the pile the rest put away with the rubbish God only knows how many and which they be will serve we take all that are any way prepared to belong to it wheresoever the Axe of the Gospel and the Hammer of the Law
have come till the great builder shall have reprobated them There shall no stone be lacking to this building no member to this Body though they lye scaâ—terred yet there will be a Collection Boâ—â— to his bone though they be wounded yet there is a repairing not one of them shall be lost the hair and nail and such excrements may well be let fall and perish but no part shall be missing A sufficiency of parts there will be Thaâ— is the first But yet they make not a body unlesse they come together the dryed bones till they were new set and the Nerves and flesh and skin came upon them could not be said a body tiâ—l the Union of the parts in one come there is no Communion many members there be but by that and that is the next they come to be one body In the naturall body there are Nerves and strings and ligaments and irteries by which all the parts are firmly united Such there are in the Mysticall by which the body is knit and coupled together in every joynt Ephes 4. 16. 1. Spirit us saâ—ictus est nexus he is the prime principall bond The Tendon by which all the parts are knit and coupled The Body to the head by him and the members to the body he is the sap which runs from the root into all the branches that aâ—me dyes and withers and soon falls off which hath not him He is the Leaven by which the whole lump is compacted and grows into one loaf nothing keeps soul and body together but he all would soon fall off like ears of Corn if not by him bound up into one sheaf he is the cement of the whole building there is nothing else to hinde too the Materialls if they bâ— laid loose they cannot last long no Union can be firm without the spirit And to this quasi ad Tendonem all the Nerves and other joyntures tend here they meet they are many as in the naturall body 2. Religâ—on is a main tye it is a religando like Gordions knot it will not be untyed it may well be forc't There is a story how true I know not yet of no mean Author how four strong horses in an whole houres space were not able to strain the joynts of one man in his severall quarters and not then till the executioner with his sword hackt them in peeces it is in nothing so true as in this tye of Religion Non dissolvi possunt quos vera religio conjunxit it only makes true Yoak-followes which like the two Kine as Saint Bernard sweetly compares them bare the Arke of God to Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. though their Calves were left behinde them and kept one path and went up lowing together Neither Policy nor Villany can make so firm brethren as Religion Fratrum gratia is no where kept so sure as between these Quos Deus Conjunxit is said of marriage knot Let no man put asunder let them not but if they will do it and it hath been done who shall let them from it And it is likeliest done where both the parties are not of one Religion or if they professe one yet they are not what they professe both but of these which by it are made one quis separabit Like Saul and Jonathan they are lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death not divided neither indeed can they be divided see but what strings they are tyed together with 1. One Faith quisquis fidem se tenere credit unitatem teneat saith St Cyprian He falls from that which falls out of this Faith is imitatis Monimentum Munimentum Therefore the Ancients hold that the Apostles Creed Summa fidei was made for that purpose ut esset unanimitatis indicium that all professors might there meet in one though dispersed never so much in place The Doctrine of Christian Religion is but one one Faith materially The giâ—t of Faith by which we have Faith in the Faith to speak with Athanasius Creed though it be numerically Diverse yet is in all but one one Faith formally one Faith there is union by that 2. One Hope Heaven and our eternall inheritance we all hope for one mark the prize of our high calling we all contend to in the world men take divers wayes because they pitch upon divers ends he saith unto gold thou art my hope another to his honour but they that hope all for one thing like a ship under sail where there be many passengers steer their course unto one and the same Port Can they think to meet there and go every one their own wayes heer As if we had many heads as one said of the Christian Armies Quid absurdius quà m nos in terris dissidere qui fruituri sumus omnes eadem felicitate in coelis By one hope there comes more strength to this Union 3. But the Bond of perfection is love Coloss 3. 14. and that is also one it is called Christs garment Faith and Hope never go apparreld in any other and that was non de parte consutilis sed per totum textilis saith Cyprian without any seam not to be ript nor rent but delivered whole If we have that on and we being Christians would not be thought without it it will not be too little for us to put on sufficit mihi tihi tuniâ—â— Christi saith Bernard it will cover us and withall a multitude of sins of offences of breaches which must else make us fall off on all sides And indeed the cause of all our rents is the want of having that on and it is not such charity which we commonly reckon of such which hath but a thread between it and emnity or so little difference as that they might not be distinguished asunder Christs Garment is not like Jeroboams wherein were made twelve rents at once Integra vestis accipitur the souldier to whose lot it fell took it whole men of that calling seldomest of any have it yet then it was had to shew that it may be had by men of any condition â—â— of that and being had whole it will serve to cover the whole body the ear from hearing the eyes from spying the lips from speaking the hands from practising any thing that may tend to the breach of Union to differences and discention now a threefold cord is not easily broken one Faith one Hope one Love make the bond of perfection make the Union firm But besides these three are other which are as Nerves and Sinews to unite all the parts The Apostle reckons them up in Ephes 4. 4. One Baptisme The Font is the wombe of our new birth sumus fratres As Abraham said to Lot It was strange to Rebecca to have striving in her womb but there was some reason for that two nations and two manner of people were in her bowels But they are all of one people whom the womb of the Church bears if they be right bred Indeed it is not
the Baptism of Water which makes them one many Lepers might have washed in Jordan and yet not come out as Naaman the Syrian did The Baptisme of the Spirit doth only that and those that are so born not of flesh nor of water only but of the spirit will keep this union will be one as that is one 5. One House where we are all brought up together the Church Domus Dei is but one I speak not of the materiall house but of the mysticall one Catholike Church in which we suâ—k of the same breasts we are fed with the same milk are tutored under the same Government partake of the same Sacrament Habitare fratres in unum to be of one minde which be of one house this is no small strengthening of the Union These all of them and many more are Ecclesiastica vincula and belong to the chief Tendon by which this union is made the spirit There are others not to be past ore with silence Humane necessity Civill Commerce naturall Relations are all of them Ligaments to bring the parts together to make up this union Religion and Nature both leane to it Their main intendment is to effect it And yet when this is done and the parts joyned the body is not perfect if there be not a Symmetry and agreement between them if they be not of the same nature all t will be but Humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam if not of a just proportion both will be a like monstrous Their nature we have touched already being in one wombe we doubt not of that of the other there may be some question made in the naturall Body it is the wonder of the Creation to see in what perfect meeter all the parts are made yet there may be some aberrations there the same should be in the mysticall Body The Body of Christ can be no lesse perfect and yet the jarring of the parts as if they had not that Symmetry we speak of their falling into pieces as if they were not in their places makes us make a question of it Look a little into the cause of it God saith the Apostle hath so tempered the parts of the body that there might be no schisme no division in it but that the members should have the same care one for another he hath done the like sor the Church Apostles Prophets Teachers workers of miracles gifts of healing helpers governors diversity of tongues c. are all of them members of this body all of them set by him in their right places to their right offices There are divers causes of the schisme that is among them Dislike of their own places The foot would be the hand or else not of the body it aspires higher yet to be the eye or the ear in the seat of Magistracy as it did of late among the Anabaptists in Germany and in the seat of Ministery as in the experience of our times So it was in that great rent of the Body of Israel in Jeroboams dayes the meanest of the people Mechanicks among them were made their Priests and if they may not be that they will not be of the Body and indeed Gratulandum est cum tales de Ecclesia separentur saith Cyprian Vtinam abscindantur was Saint Pauls hearty prayer Such were Corah and his company Moses answer might serve their turns Seemeth it a small thing that the Lord hath separated you to take you neer to himself Is it not enough that you are of the Body Were all the body an eye where were the smelling Hath not he placed lesser lights in the Firmament as well as great ones All are not there primae Magnitudinis hath not he ordered meaner servants in his family as well as greater ones All are not there primae distributionis There will be degrees of glory in Heaven as there are of places in earth Besides to avoide this dangerous schisme hath not God so tempered the body that he hath given the more honour to that part which lacked the onus is ours the hones yours The head cannot say unto the feet I have no need of you nor the eye to the hand I have no need of thee This scisme whether it be in Church or state one Menenius Agrippa in Livy very fitly confuted by telling to the factious Romans the tale of the falling out of the Belly and the members because it seemed to devour all the hands would not work the feet would not stirre the mouth refused to receive any food till they sound themselves to languish thorough the emptinesse of the stomack and by bad experience proved the belly no lesse profitable to the body then the other members and that the safety of the whole depended upon the society and concord of the parts This Emulation hath been the cause of the dissentions which have ever been in the Church Yet there are some others causes The neglect of their own offices and impertinent surview of others which belongs to the head to censure and not to the parts The want of Sympathy with the infirmities of the fellow members if one suffer not careing to suffer with him not considering if a Joynt be loosed or strained all the parts ought to be painted with it neither of these but are causes of this scisme and these lead me to the fourth particular the offices and administrations of the body A sufficiency of parts a uniting of them into one body a placing them in a true Symmetry and Proportion are all of them for this for their administrations and functions and for them they have received diversities of gifts and by them are to be exercised in severall operations all three are specified by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. All the Body is not one member but many all the members have not the same gifts but divers all their gifts are not for the same operations but severall altogether are most wisely disposed both in the naturall and mysticall Body for the furniture thereof edifying of it self in love Ephes 4. 16. We have not leasure now to take a short view of them in particular All that hath been said tends to this conclusion we are the Body of Christ and Members in particular We that are many are one Body a Body in the parts in the union of the parts in the Symmetry and Agreement of the parts in the offices and Administrations of the parts and if we be of his body in earth we shall be sure to be joyned to our head in Heaven Vsurpavimus regnum Dei in Christo we hold Heaven in Câ—pite already But then if we be all one body there must be no scisme between us no falling off from the parts no falling out without them Ad regnum pervenire non potest qui eam quae regnatura est pacem derelinquit saith Cyprian Hath God tempered them all that there be no division and shall we distemper them by scisme and dissention Will it be enough to