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
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
unitur corpus Christi sicut panis though the manner differ This corporally the bread is that spiritually Christ is It concerns us much then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may be of the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse participes ut simus consortes to be of the Communion that which is Sacramentall to be of it to be at it to eat to eat often that we may be of this union with Christ here quae justificat which will bring us to that quae glorificat our blessed union with God hereafter Whither he bring us all Amen THE FIFTH SERMON 1 COR. 10. 17. We that are many are one Bread and one Body WE are still upon this theam Bonum est nobis esse hic therefore what the Apostles would we have done Aedificavimus tria Tabernacula We have staid a time in two of them we must not dwell there Tents are not for mansions we must remove to the third Communio corporis which is mysticall will now take up our Communio Corporâ—s employment Yet we pitch this upon the same ground we did the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is still causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our spirituall Communion which is capitis our mysticall Communion which is corporis spring from thence from the Sacramentall which is calicis we are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread One body there it is we need not seek it by induction from the Text which is there literally as we did the other our Communion with Christ cum capite that was as much intended as truly effected as this though not so fully expressed And that must have been first if not for honour which is ever due to the head yet for necessity we must have premised that there could be no talk of the members growing into one body if they be not first united into one head and in this sence Christ is caput Ecclesiae because all begin there as the branches at the root if they be not held to it by Ligaments and Nerves the skin the flesh and the veins never grow to them never feed and nourish them But we have done with that and now the body in its right place comes next to be thought on One body is but one term of the Communion duas oportet esse essentias ad minus ut sit Communio seu unitio two at least are required to all relation the Relatum is one but the correlata are many as many as we are many there are many members but one body though we retain unity there for the body can be but one yet we must admit of Multiplicity here the members must be many Si omnia essent unum membrum ubi corpus saith the Apostle and so they are in the Text. We that are many are one Body The ground of this Relation is necessarily to be thought on to make it up and it comes into the Text one Bread that is it the Sacramentall Communion is the cause of the Mysticall that hath ever been considered in all the parts of the Text and the Apostle will not have it left out here two wayes it comes to be considered 1. As it is the signe of it bread of the body one bread of one body signum unitatis Saint Austin calls it for many grains go to make up that many members to make up this Bread and Wine both of them ex multis rediguntur in unum so we that are many are one body this is Sacramentall and if we read the Text right as both the Originall hath it and all the Ancient both Translators and Expositors render it t is thus for there is one bread we also that are many are one body one as that is one say Chrysostome and Ambrose c. Yet I doubt not but a good Spirit moved our modern Translators to render it as my Text reads it We that are many are one bread and one body one bread first because we all eat of one bread and vi fidei are in a manner become one with that as alimentum Alitum are one and one body by virtue of that one bread spiritually one body mystically yet the other is easier lesse strained and therefore we will keep to that 2. It is not only as a signe but also as a cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a causall because that is but one the bread as the Paschall Lamb was but one to all the house of Israel one in a Mysticall and Spirituall sence though Numerically many and we all partake of this one all the Church of God all over the world partakes of one and the same bread in civill commerce to eat of one bread at one board hath ever been a pledge of unity and concord so it is in our mysticall society we are all of one Corporation one body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because we all partake of one bread All these will come to be considered in their places We begin with the Text The Correlatives We that are many To the Church at Corinth are the words directed but may be assumed by us by all that are in the Church of God wheresoever they be place and time matter not in this matter nos illi multi so Beza reads it we are those many We the Jews and Turks cannot read this Text illi multi t is true too many they are but such which come together into one they are not materialls of this building not sheep of this flock not grains of this bread not members of this body at the best they are but of those other sheep our Saviour speaks of Qui non sunt hujus Ovilis or nondum sunt in Gods good time they may be brought but as yet are not Besides them the Schismatiques cannot read it illi multi many they are so many as that the world wonders at it The Arians and Donatisâ—s never overspread the East and West part of the Church more in their times then these in ours Like Egypts frogs the whole Land is full of their croakings But yet they are many still there is some good in that they come not into one Quot homines tot sententiae their perpetuall differences among themselves shew they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not animated with one Spirit they would be fearfull to the whole Church if they could be that and like the Cake of Barly in the seventh of Judges they might tumble down into the Hosts and Armies of Israel and overturn them but that they cannot be their Cake which a flash of zeal hath heated will prove dough or rather like grains not ground they will not be kneaded or knit into one Loaf if at any time they come together it is with the sowre leaven of malice and uncharitablenesse or of hereticall and Pharisaicall doctrines the Leaven of the Law which was to be cast out not with the Leaven of the Gospel the
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
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
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
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