giveth he himselfe vnto vs to be our meate and drinke By his Spirit By what doe we all eate and drinke him By our faith So ye see that all the similitudes doe agree concurre in the manner of our vnion with Christ CONSIDER now how decent yea how glorious this eating of Christ is Seeing we must eate him is it not more decent and comely to lodge him in our hearts which he hath chosen to be his Temple saying c Pro. 23. â—6 My sonne giue me thine heart then in our bellies which are puddles of infection and stincking sinkes Is it not more glorious to contemplate him in heaven sitting at the right hand of his Father and to feed vpon him there where we are certaine to find him then to seeke him in a crust of bread where he is not to be found AND IP we speake of the profit of this eating is it not more comfortable to feele him living and dwelling in our hearts and quickening them then to haue him in our mouths and to keepe him a short space in our stomackes who can tell for what vse He saith of them that eate him that they shall liue for euer and it is certaine that he speaketh of earing by faith because he said in the 47. Verse Verily verily I say vnto you He that beleeueth in me hath everlasting life This is the fourth and last head of this Text the explication wherof I le deferre to another occasion I say onely that he which eateth Christ liveth already for he hath everlasting life and shall liue for ever otherwayes the life which he liveth could not be called everlasting He liveth already for his sinnes are forgiven him and d Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.6 the blessednesse of man in this life is principally in the forgiuenesse of his sinnes He liveth already For e Gal. 2.20 Christ liueth in him and hath made him f Rom. 6.4.11 aliue vnto GOD that he may walke in newnesse of life He shal liue for ever no more on earth but in heaven where the spirituall life of his soul which is begun here shall be perfected where g Aug. in Iohan trac 26 Videbit quod adhuc noÌ„ videndo credidit Manducabit quod esurijt Satiabitur eo quod sitit he shall see that which now he beleeveth shall eate that which now he hungreth after shall be filled with that whereof now he is a thirst as David said h Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures And in the blessed day of the Resurrection i Phil. 3.21 Christ shall change his vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body So he liveth and shall liue a most glorious and blessed life internally in his soule externally in his body and eternally in body and soule together in the kingdome of heaven k Aug. in Iohan trac 17 Tunc quod viuet noÌ„ morietur Tunc quod sanabitur noÌ„ aegrotabit Tunc quod satiabitur non esuriet neque sitiot Tunc quod renouâ—bitur â—on veterascet Then that which shall liue shall never die that which shall be healed shall never be sicke that which shall be satisfied shall never hunger nor thirst that which shall be renued shall never waxe old CHAPTER XIII I. As this bread is most wonderfull so must we consider the most wonderfull mercy of God in the giving of it II. Papists eate not of this bread III. We must value it at the highest rate and desire no other bread IV. A prayer to God for this bread O MOST wonderfull bread l Aug. to 10. Homil 32. Vt panem Angelorum manducaret homo dominus Angelorum factus est homo This is the food of the blessed Angels in heaven This is the food of all true Christians on earth l That man might eate the bread of Angels the Lord of Angels was made man Of it they of it we eate continually and ô wonder m Ibid. Nec deficit vnde pascantur nec minuitur esca ipsorum it is not diminished By it they by it we liue for ever O most wonderfull mercy of God who giveth vs such wonderfull bread Sion was in a pittifull estate when bewailing it she said n Lam. 4.4 The tongue of the suckling childe cleaveth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst The young children aske bread and no man breaketh it vnto them O then how blessed is our estate whose crying for this bread God hath prevented yea who hath prepared it for vs before wee were borne who hath given it vnto vs before we sought it o 1 Ioh. 4.10 Herein is loue not that we loved God but that he loved vs and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes It is a too too little small thing to his bountie yea it hath beene nothing in his eyes to feed with the bread which commeth out of the earth these our vile and mortall bodies which although they starue not yet they must perish by sicknesse by age or by some other mishap In this he hath displayed all the treasures and riches of grace and mercie that to his spirituall children he hath given the true spirituall and heavenly bread whereof if any man eate he shall liue for ever DEPART from vs Papists which know not this bread Your going your coÌ„ming your trotting your running from one Saint to another from one Angell to another sheweth that ye are ever hunger-starved ever dried vp with thirst like a potsheard and therefore that yee haue never eaten of this bread For if yee did eate Christ he would satisfie your hunger according to his owne saying p Ioh. 6.35 I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall never hunger O then O abused Christians when will ye turne your faces to him and goe vnto him O perishing soules listen I pray you to the voyce of him who onely giveth the living bread and who cryeth vnto you q Esa 55.1.2 Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eate Yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Wherefore doe ye spend money for that which is no bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not WHETHER they will heare or whether they will forbeare let vs value this bread at the highest rate and say vnto our Saviour r Psal 73.25.26 Whom haue 1 in heaven but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth But GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Those that are sicke refuse to eate bread and David saith that in his sorrow Å¿ Psal 102.1 he did forget to eate his bread Let vs not refuse to eate this bread when it is offered vnto vs and let let vs never forget to eate it when we haue it It is t Aug. to 10. hom 32 Hac est salus nestra medicina infirmorum Cibus Sanorum Physick to those which are sicke meate to those which be whole strength to those that are weake comsort to those that are distressed life to those that die O EVER-LIVING and most loving GOD thou hast commanded vs u Esa 58.7 to breake our bread to the hungry doe vnto vs that which thou coÌ„mandest vs to doe vnto others and breake this thy bread vnto our hungry soules The Fathers prepare bread for their children And the children looke that their fathers shall giue them the bread which they haue prepared for them x Luk. 11.11 If a Sonne shall aske bread of his Father will he giue him a stone Thou art our heavenly Father and we are thy children Thou hast prepared for vs the most excellent bread that ever was Even thine owne Sonne y RoÌ„ 8.32 Thou hast not spared him but hast delivered him vp for vs all that he might be our bread wilt thou not giue him vnto vs In our bodily necessities we cry vnto thee Giue vs this day our daily bread and thou giuest it not onely vnto vs out even vnto them which know not thee to be the fountaine of all good and therefore cry not for it vnto thee O loving Father thou keepest for vs thy children bread more excellent more rare and more precious Even this living bread which is indeed our bread being sent into the world prepared and given for vs that it may be given vnto vs. This is the daily bread of our soules which thou givest to thy children by thy holy Spirit O Father we are thy children Therefore send thy holy Spirit into our hearts with this our bread and giue vs this day cur daily bread that eating it daily with a true liuely faith we may by it liue with thee for ever To thee who art the giver of this bread To thy Sonne Iesus who is this bread To the holy Ghost who from thee bringeth this bread into our hearts be all prayse glory and honour both now and for evermore AMEN FINIS
Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to doe them Vpon this ground God condemned whatsoever his people did vndertake besides his Word in things belonging to his service Dauid having a purpose to build an house to God Nathan approved it but God said vnto him b 1. Chron. 17.6 Wheresoeuer I haue walked with all Israel spake I a word to any of the Iudges of Israel saying Why haue yee not built me an house of Cedars All things amongst that people were c 1. Cor. 10.11 Heb. 10.1 types and shadowes of good things to come The Temple was to be d Ioh. 2.19.21 a type of Christ as e Heb. 9.11 12. the Tabernacle was Who then in the house of God was to be so bold as to establish a figure of the things of God a type of the Sonne of God without speciall command and direction from God When the people did set vp such Will-worship did not God hew it downe with this sharpe and heavie Axe f Esa 1.12 Who hath required this at your hand When the Iewes through a most fervent zeale vnto God built the high places of Tophet to offer vp their sonnes and their daughters to God in a burnt sacrifice this was a good reason to God why such places should be throwne downe and that vnnaturall devotion abolished that g Iere. 7.31 he commanded not any such thing neither came it into his heart Commanded it not I say in the booke of the Law h Hil. in Ps 132. Quae in libro legis nō continentur ea nec nosse debemus For the things which are not contained in the booke of the Law we should not so much as know them saith S. Hilarie For this cause the Apostle after he had declared to the Church i Act. 20.27 all the counsel of God averred that k Act. 26.22 he had taught none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come and therefore condemned all l Col. 2.23 Will-worship though it had a faire shew of wisdome and humility Thus cōparing Christ with the Angels he asketh m Heb. 1.5 Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Sonne This day haue I begotten thee And againe 13. To which of the Angels said he at any time Sit on my right hand vntil I make thine enemies thy footstoole Reasoning not onely affirmatiuely for Christ and proving that he is the Sonne of God and sitteth at his right hand because the Scripture hath said it but also negatiuely against the Angels proving that no such glory belongeth vnto them because the Scripture saith not any such thing of them This is a perpetuall most forcible manner of reasoning in all substantial points of Religion God hath said it in the Scriptures therfore we must beleeue it God hath spoken nothing of it Therfore we should not beleeue it n Athanas in epist ad Marcellinum de interpret Psal Divina Scriptura est magistra virtutis verae fidei The holy Scripture is the mistresse of vertue and of true faith which are the substantiall points of our Religion For circumstances of time place and persons haue all this generall rule o 1 Cor. 14.30 Let all things be done decently and in order the particulars whereof are committed to the wisdome of the Church OBSERVE this well against Papists who are now taught by Iesuites to aske of you Doe ye not beleeue that Purgatorie is a fable that the body of Christ is not in the Eucharist that the Masse is not a propitiatorie sacrifice that it is not lawfull to pray to the Saints which are in heaven that the Pope is not the head of the Church that there are but two Sacramēts If ye answer that ye beleeue so they intangle you with new questions asking where is it written There is no Purgatorie The Masse is not a propitiatorie sacrifice c For the obiect of your faith is not the written Word of God Neither doe ye or should ye beleeue that wherof God hath not spoken If then God hath not said that there is no Purgatorie how can yee say yee beleeue that there is none So they fetter you with sophisticall interrogations and make you to confesse against your owne profession that ye beleeue many things which are not written in the holy Scriptures Therefore ye must answer farre other-wayes and say What God hath said in the Scriptures that I beleeue What he hath not said that I beleeue not p Orig in Esa cap. 8. homil 12. Non est verbum post verbum Mosi post verbum Prophetarum multo magis post verbum Iesu Christi Apostolorum eius There is no word to be beleeved after the word of Moses after the word of the Prophets much more after the word of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles God hath not said that there is no Purgatorie that the Masse is a propitatorie sacrifice that the Pope is the head of the Church Therefore I will not say I beleeue such things are not But contrariwise I doe not beleeue such things are For where God hath not a mouth to speake I haue not an eare to heare nor a heart to beleeue nor a tongue to confesse What he hath not said in things belonging to the saluation of my soule my soule hath nothing to do with it AS IN this matter which we haue in hand I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the living bread which came downe from heaven because the Scripture saith so I beleeue not that the Saints are this bread I beleeue not that they are the least crumme of it For where the Scripture is dumbe who shall accuse me if I be deafe Where there is no word can I haue any faith seeing q Rom. 10.17 faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God As S. Iohn the Evangelist said of S. Iohn the Baptist r Ioh. 1.8 He was not that light but was sent to beare witnesse of that light and as S. Paul said of David that ſ Act. 13.36 in his owne age he served the will of God So may we say of all the Saints that are now in heaven They were not that bread but they did eate of that bread They were sent to beare witnesse of that bread but they were no part of that bread In their age they served the counsell of God beleeving preaching confessing that Christ Christ onely is the living bread If any man ascribe more vnto them then this t Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. he bringeth strange fire to the Altar of God which God commanded him not and the fire of heaven shall devoure him as it did u Leuit. 10.1.2 Nadab and Abihu And to such a man yee must say with Tertullian x Tertull. de Carne Christi cap. 7. Non recipio quod
them whom he will And again Verily verily I say vnto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Secondly he rendreth this reason why he giveth life to the dead For as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe As the Sunne hath light the fire heat a Well-spring water in themselues not for themselues but for the vse of man and beast So Christ hath life in himselfe that he may giue life vnto vs. For this cause he is called liuing first subiectiuè because he hath life in himselfe Secondly effectiuè because he hath it not for himselfe but giveth it to all those that haue him as S. Iohn saith u 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life Even as the scripture calleth x Gen. 26.19 a Well of living water that which having abundance of water in it selfe springs and flowes and runnes and imparts it selfe vnto all O MOST wonderfull and powerfull bread No other bread hath life in it selfe This hath No other bread giveth life This doth No other bread is a preservatiue against death This is All other bread y Ioh. 6.27 perisheth This endureth vnto euer lasting life Not only it liveth in it selfe but also it maketh to liue eternally the soules of all those that eate it and shall at the last day of the world quicken the bodies of all those whose soules it hath quickened in this world as he saith a Ioh. 6.54 Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day His flesh and his bloud or rather he himselfe by tearing his flesh and renting it from his soule He by shedding his bloud in his death is the living bread b Cusan Excit lib. 4. ex Sermone Qui manducat Ipse est qui est dator vitae conservator Quare est panis vitae giuer and keeper of life and therefore most worthily called the bread of life RIGHT HONORABLE Reverend Worshipfull and beloved Auditours remember I pray you the exhortation of our Saviour to the Iewes of Capernaum and c Ioh. 6.27 labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth vnto everlasting life Alas it is a pitifull spectacle to behold how men labour for the meate which perisheth d Ps 127.2 they rise vp early they sit vp late they eate the bread of sorrowes e Matth. 15.17 It entreth in at the mouth it goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught If men labour exceeding hard for such bread how should we labour for this living bread Not to purchase it for it groweth not in the earth it is not sold in the Shambles it is not to be bought in the Shops But to reach vnto it where it is but to receiue it where and when it is offered It is offered every where in the towne in the fields in our houses in our closets But namely in the Church when the Gospell is preached and particularly when the blessed Sacrament is given as to you this day The preaching of the Gospell is f Exod. 25.23 the golden Table wherevpon this shew bread is set This holy Sacrament is as it were g Ve. 29.30 the golden dish wherein it is offered vnto vs. We know what we must doe to receiue the outward Sacrament h Panem domini the bread of the Lord If we receiue it from the hand of the Minister for he is no better then i Ioh. 6.32 Moses who gaue not the true bread from heaven When we haue received it we eat◠it we let it downe into out stomacks we disgest it Nothing is more easie But 〈◊〉 receiue k Panem dominum the bread which is the Lord another worke more difficult is required l Ioh. 6.29 This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent Your soules must goe vp to heaven There the Table is covered There is the bread which is the Lord set vpon the Table of the Mercie of God There God the Father giveth it by his eternall will and decree There the Sonne giveth it by his merite and consent There the holy Ghost taketh it as it were in his hands entreth with it into your hearts and offereth it vnto your famished soules The Cherubims and Seraphims stand by and wonder Send your faith thither and there your faith shall receiue it This is the worke which God commandeth 1 Ioh. 3.23 This is the worke which God himselfe worketh in you Eph. 1.3 Phil. 1.29 This is the worke which if ye want all your workes are sinnes Rom. 14.23 and it is impossible that yee should please God Heb. 11.6 Which if ye haue by it Iesus Christ will dwell in you Eph. 3.17 and liue in you and quicken you so sensibly that ye shall say as truely as S. Paul said m Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I but Christ liveth in me And this life of Christ or Christ living in you shall be so powerfull in you that as n 1. Kings 19.20 Elijah by the strength of that bread and of that water which the Angel of God prepared for him went fortie dayes and fortie nights without hunger without thirst without wearinesse till he came vnto Horeb the Mount of God So by the vertue of this living bread which no Angel of God but o Luk 2.31 God himselfe hath prepared ye shall walke couragiously and constantly all the dayes of your life till ye come to the kingdome of heaven where ye shall p Mat. 8.11 sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and there be abundantly satisfied with these q Ps 16.11 pleasures which are at the right hand of God for evermore FIFT CHAPTER I. Christ came not downe from heaven as man II. Neither as God by a locall motion III. Neither as sent and approved of God IV. But as God incarnate V. Three commings of Christ VI. What should be the order of our conceptions concerning Christ WE HAVE yet the last part of my text to consider concerning the cause of the excellency of this bread For ye may aske how any bread can be so excellent that it liveth or so powerfull that quickneth And certainely no other bread can But this can because it came downe from heaven What is the meaning of these words Valentin said that he brought his body from heaven But that is false For the Scripture beareth record that r Heb. 2.16 he tooke on him the seed of Abraham ſ Rom. 1.3 was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and t Luk. 1.27.35 was borne of the Virgin Mary IF any say that his divine nature came from heaven by a locall motion That also is false u Iere. 23.24 Doe I not fill
heauen and earth saith the Lord He is infinite and without going without comming without alteration without generation without corruptioÌ„ without any motion whatsoever x August ad Volusian Epist 3. Nouit vbique totus esse nullo contineri loco Nouit venire noÌ„ recedendo vbi erat Nouit abire non deserendo quo venerat he filleth the whole world not as the water not as the aire not as the light it selfe as if with the lesser part of himselfe he did sill the lesser part of the world and with the greater part of himselfe the greater part thereof He can he all every where and contained no where He can come and not leaue the place wherein he was He can goe away and not leaue the place wherevnto he came IF WE say that he came downe from heaven because he was foreordeined sent anointed approved confirmed of God So were all the Apostles So are all the true Ministers of God Yet the Scripture saith not of any of them that they are come downe from heaven Christ saith that y Mat. 21.25 the Baptisme of Iohn was from heaven And S. Iames saith that a Iam. 1.17 every good gift and every perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the Father of lights Yet S. Iohn comparing himselfe with Christ saith of himselfe He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth But of Christ he saith exclusiuely to all creatures He that commeth from heaven is aboue all All Gods servants are borne on earth and called from heaven but they come not downe from heaven They receiue from heaven but from heaven they bring not the doctrine which they teach vs. Likewise all the gifts of God are created on earth by God who is in heaven And therfore S. Iames saith that they come from him But they are not in heaven nor elsewhere before God create them on earth Whereas Christ was in heaven before he came downe from heaven as he said to his Disciples b Ioh. 6.62 What and if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend vp where he was before And being on earth he feared not to say to Nicodemus that even then c Ioh. 3.16 he was in heaven Which cannot be said of the gift of God which when they are come from heaven and are on the earth are not in heaven Yea the Angels themselues when they come from heaven vnto vs are no more in heaven till they returne vnto it againe THIS then is a particular speech and a phrase of the Scripture appropriated to God who is said to come downe from heaven when he maketh himselfe knowne vnto the world by some strange and vnaccustomed worke as d Serm. of the righteous mans evils and of the Lords deliveraÌ„ces Serm. 9. Sect. 3. 4. I haue shewed else-where And therefore when Christ saith that he is come downe from heaven he will haue vs to vnderstand and beleeue 1. that he is God 2. that he hath made himselfe manifest to the world by an extraordinary worke even the most wonderfull that ever was or ever shall be in the world He meaneth his Incarnation whereby e 1 Tim. 3.16 God was made manifest in the flesh not by conversion of the Godhead into the manhood or of the manhood into the Godhead not also by confusion of the two natures into one But by that most wonderfull vnion whereby f Paul Aquileienf contra Felicem l. 1. Totus in suo Totus in nostro Idem in vtroque Non alter in suo alter in nostro remaining whole in that which is his and whole in that which is ours he is the same in both Not another in that which is his and another in that which is ours And g Leo in Natiuit domini serm 2. De coelesti sede descendens a paterna glorianoÌ„ recedens c. so coÌ„ming downe from the heavenly seat and not departing from the glory of his Father being inuisible in that which is his was made visible in that which is ours the incomprehensible was comprehended he that was before all times tooke his being in time the Lord of all tooke the forme of a servant God impassible disdained not to be a passible man and the immortall to be subiect to the Lawes of death This is his comming downe from heaven h Bernard de Aduentu demini serm 3. Non venit qui aberat sed apparuit qui latebat He was not absent from vs before he came But he was hid till then and then he appeared TO MAKE this more cleare let vs either learne or remember that the Scripture maketh mention of three commings of Christ the first is past the second is the third shall be Venit His first comming was in the infirmity of the flesh wherein i Heb. 9.26 once in the end of the world he hath appeared to put away sinne Of this comming Saint Iohn saith that k Ioh 13.3 Iesus knew that he was come from God and went to God l Bernard de Coenâ domini serm 2. A deâ— exiuit non eum deserens Et ad Deum vadit non nos derelinqueâ—â— He came from God saith Bernard not leaving him And he goeth to God not leaving vs. He came from God when being the Sonne of God in heaven without a mother he became the son of a woman on earth without a Father For his Father knew not a woman and his mother knew not a man This is a most wonderfull comming And the end of it was to take away sinne or as S. Iohn speaketh * 1 Ioh 3.8 For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the Devill and so redeeme vs He went to God when triumphing over the Divell he carried his glorified body into heaven and sate on the right hand of God When he said to his Disciples Venit that m Ioh. 16.5 he was to goe his way to him that sent him sorrow filled their heart But he to comfort them said n Ioh. 14.18 I will not leaue you orphanes I will come to you Speaking of his second comming by the holy Spirit into our hearts The end of which comming is to be vnto vs o Ioh. 16.13 a Doctor to instruct vs in his truth p Rom. 8.14 A conductor to lead vs in his wayes q Ioh. 14.16 17. A comforter to abide with vs for ever and comfort vs in all our troubles He spake of his third comming Venturus est when he said to his Disciples I will goe and prepare a place for you and I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also The end of this comming shall be to saue and glorifie vs For x Col. 3.3 when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory THIS Text is of his first
the body and the Spirit the manhood and the Godhead of Christ for he is one with vs in both natures Even as the same author saith that f Idem adv Nestor lib. 4. cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are sanctified and revived spiritually and corporally that is to say not onely in our spirits but also in our bodies because saith he g 1 Cor. 15 53. this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie h Ex Theodoreto dialogo 2. So S. Ignace saith that Christ is ioyned to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carually and spiritually i.e. both in his humane and divine nature and not partly by a carnall partly by a divine manner For the manner of the vnion of Christ with the Father is wholly divine And so also the manner of our vnion with him is altogether divine and spirituall Dare Papists say that we are ioyned with Christ naturally although Cyrillus saith that our vnion with him i Cyril in Iohan lib. 11. cap. 26. is naturall Yet he speaketh so because our nature is ioyned with his natures as he prooveth because k 1 Cor. 10.27 the Church is Christs body and we are members of Christ in particular So then in regard of the obiects which are vnited this vnion is naturall reall substantiall corporall spirituall because his whole person is ioyned with ours And therfore I say that we must eate Christ not onely as bread but also as living And if as man he is bread and as God is living we must eate him in both natures together For in both natures he is our Mediatour and the bread whereby we liue YET in this eating wee must obserue an order Like l Gen. 28.11 Iacobs ladder by his manheed he toucheth the earth By his God head he toucheth heavē And by both vnited together he ioyneth the earth with heaven reconcileth man with God obtaineth to vs the service of the Angels of God which m Ioh. 1.51 ascend and descend vpō him and by him vpon vs But in such sort that by him as he is man they alcend from vs and goto him as he is God and from him as he is God descend vnto vs by him as he is man In the same order doe we cate him and abide in him and he in vs. n Aug. in Ioh. trac 42. Adnentus eius humanitas eius Mansio eius diuinit as eius Diuinitas eius quo imus Humanitas eius qua imus Nisi nobis fieret qua iremus nunquam ad illum manentē perueniremus He commeth vnto vs saith S. Austin by his humanitie He abideth with vs by his divinitie His divinitie is that wherevnto we goe His humanitie is that whereby we goe If he were not vnto vs the way whereby we may goe we should never come vnto him in that wherein he abideth with vs. But because I haue spoken of this bread largely inough vpon the first part of the Verse I leaue it to come to the third part of my division which is OF THE EATING of the living Bread and of the manner thereof CHAPTER V. I. To eate Christ is to be vnited vnto him II. Necessitie of our vnion with Christ III. Expressed in the Scripture by many similitudes and in the sixt of S. Iohn by the similitude of Eating IV. All Papists hold that Christ is eaten in the Sacrament with the mouth of the body V. The liter all sence is not alwayes to be followed VI. When it is lawfull when not to aske How VII Papists agree not among themselues concerning divers circumstances of the bodily eating TO EATE is to chew and worke the meate with our teeth if it be solide and strong to sup and swallow it downe if it be liquid to receiue it into our stomackes to disgest it there till it be turned into blood and changed into the substance of all the parts of our bodies that thereby this our mortall life may be maintained which otherwise should decay and perish Even so saith Christ a Ioh. 6.53.54 Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you And of those that eate him he saith Who so eateth my stesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Whereby it is easie to be vnderstood that this eating and drinking is a certaine action whereby Christ is vnited vnto vs so neere that we sucke life out of him yea that he himselfe beōmeth b Col. 3 4. our life as the Apostle calleth him c Aug. Confess l. 7. c. 10. Nec tu me in te mutabis sicut cibum carnis tuae sed tu mutaberis in me It is true that the bread of the earth when we eate it cannot feed vs till it be changed into our bodies because we are more excellent then it is But the bread which came downe from heaven is more excellent then we are and therefore that we may be fed by it we are changed into it made members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Even as the fire turneth into fire all things that feed on it THIS leadeth vs by the hand to the consideration of the necessitie of the eating of this bread that is to say of our vnion and communion with Christ Our felicitie is to be ioyned with GOD d Psal 36.9 with whom is the fountaine of life But e Esa 59.2 sinne separateth betweene vs and our God For f 1 Ioh. 1.1.5 he is light and in him there is no darknesse at all g Eph. 5.8 we are darkenesse and in vs by nature there is no light at all h 2 Cor. 6.15 What communion hath light with darknesse O Lord thou hast made vs for thine owne selfe that sticking fast vnto thee we may be blessed by thee But loe by our sinne we i Eph. 2.11.12.13 are far off and k Psal 73.27.28 loe they that are far from thee shall perish But it is good for vs to draw neere vnto thee neither is our heart at rest till it returne vnto thee Tell vs then ô Lord how shall we be againe ioyned with thee The Sonne the Word the Wisedome of God answereth l Ioh 14.6 No man cōmeth vnto the Father but by me And S. Paul telleth vs why and how saying m Eph. 2.13 Now in Christ Iesus ye who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Aske ye why Because by the blood of his sacrifice he hath satisfied the iustice of God asswaged the burning fire of his indignation and made attonement for vs as n Heb. 7 22. Suretie and o Heb. 9.15 Mediatour of the new Testament Aske ye how Because we are in him He is our p Exod. 28.11.12.30 high Priest who beareth vs vpon his shoulders and vpon his heart before the Lord q 1
the Word was made flesh c. is a most horrible sinne a August ad Volusian Epist 3. In talibus rebus Iota ratio factiest potentia facientia For in such things all the reason of that which is don is the power of the doer And therefore Zacharias sinned when he asked b Luk. 1.18.20 How shall I knew this for I am an old man and my wise well strucken in yeares But when any thing is to be done by vs it is not diffidence is not curiositie it is docilitie it is dutie to aske How we should doe it that we may doe it well and according to the will of the commander so that wee goe to him and aske counsell at his mouth how he will haue it to be don The Iewes of Capernaum c Cyrill in Ioh. lib. 3. cap. 30. Et lib. 4. c. 14. through presumption and arrogancie asked d Ioh. 6.52.60.67 how Christ might giue them his flesh to eate and calling his speech an hard saying went backe and walked no more with him whereas e Chrysost in Ioh. hom 46. they should haue remained with him and not departed they should haue asked and not despaired O thrice and foure times happie had they been if they had propounded to Christ an How of docilitie as Nicodemus did when having a good conceit of Christ esteeming him so wise that he said nothing absurdly and not vnderstaÌ„ding his words asked of him f Ioh. 3.4 How they should be vnderstood was instructed How more happie had they beene if they had come to Christ with an How of faith as Maneah did to the Angel saying g Iudg. 13.12 Now let thy words come to passe How shall we order the childe and how shall we do vnto him And as the Virgin Mary did when beleeving the words of the Angel Gabriel that she should be the mother of the Sonne of God not knowing if any action of hers should concurre with the power of God in that work she asked h Luk. 1.34 How shall this be seeing I know not a man So we beleeue that we must eate Christ For seeing he hath said it is there any Christian that dare deny it This eating is commanded vnto vs and to be done by vs. Therefore to aske how we should doe it and to be carefull that we sinne not by doing it amisse is docilitie and faith THIRDLY Papists themselues when they are hoarse with crying against vs because we aske and teach how Christ is eaten seeke in their owne braines the exposition of this How and decide the question in words so monstrous that we could not beleeue it if they were not written in their own books NICOLAS the II. Pope of Rome and a Councell of an hundred and foureteene Bishops which he assembled at Rome in the yeare of Christ 1059. constrained Berengarius to confesse that i Decret 3. parte de consecrat dist 2. can 42. Ego Berengarius Scilicet paneÌ„ vinum quae in altari ponuÌ„tur post confecrationem non sâ—luÌ„ sacramentuÌ„ sed etiam verum corpus sanguineÌ„ domini nostri Iesu Christi esse sensualiter non solum sacramentum sed in veritate manibus sacerdotuÌ„ tractari frangi fidelium dentibus atteri not onely the SacrameÌ„t but also the true body of our Lord Iesus Christ is truly and sensibly handled and broken with the hands of the Priests and is brayed with the teeth of the faithfull This canon is against the Scripture which saith Ioh. 19.36 that a bone of him shall not be broken And therefore the Romane Doctours departing from their maxime That the Pope and the Councels approved by him cannot erre say that Christ without any such bruising goeth down from the mouth to the stomacke whole and intire but hid vnder the accidents of the bread There is in S. Bernards workes a Sermon de Coenadomini of the Lords Supper but it is none of his In it the author saith Speciem panis rodit aliquando sorex paruissimus Christianus recipit etiam pessimus virtutem gratiae spiritualis non nisi praedestinatus recipit A little mouse sometimes gnaweth the spece of bread a lewd Christian receiveth it also whereas he onely who is predestinated receiueth the vertue of the spirituall grace By the speces of bread he vnderstandeth the accidents thereof such as are the colour the smell the sauour the weight and such like but it would be a good peece of learning to tell vs how a mouse can gnaw and a wicked man eate accidents THOMAS the Angelicall Doctor of the Roman Church maintaineth that not onely wicked men but also fowles Tho. 3. parte q. 80. art 3. ad â—ni De defectibus occurrentib circa Missam beasts and wormes may eate Christs body in the Sacrament and in all the Masse-bookes many instructions are given to the Priests what must be don with the mouse which hath eaten Christs body and with the body of Christ which the Priest or a sicke man hath vomited If ye aske how long he continueth there They answere to that also The Priest praying in the Masse that k Adhareat visceribus meis it may sticke fast to his bowels thinketh that he continueth for ever in his body l Glossa in can 23 Tribus gradibus Certum est quod species quam cito dentibus teruntur tam cito in coelum rapitur corpus Christi The Canonists say that as soone as the species or visible accidents are bruised with the teeth his body is rauished into heauen as if he were afraid of a snatch by the way m Thom. 3. parte q. 80. art 3. conclus Bellarm. de Eucharist lib. 14. c. 1. Thomas and the most part of the rest say that he abideth in the stomacke till the species or accidents vnder which his body was hid be consumed that is as long time as would be needfull to the naturall heat to disgest the bread whereof they are the accidents if it were in the stomacke This is their explication of the how the body of Christ is eaten in the Sacrament wherin they omit to tell vs how it goeth out againe But we say that this manner of the eating of the body of Christ is impossible in it selfe indecent and iniurious to Christ and vnprofitable to the eaters CHAPTER VI. Six reasons why it is impossible to eate Christ with the mouth of the body YE haue sundry wayes to know that it is impossible 1. n Chrysost 1 Cor. 11. homil 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysostome exhorteth vs to eate to drinke to put on Christ Shewing that those three must be done by one and the same action But by the mouth we cannot put him on Therefore by the mouth we cannot eate and drinke him Extend this argument to all the rest of the similitudes whereby our vnion with Christ is expressed The vnion of clothes with the body and of stones with
the foundation is artificiall and outward The vnion of the head with the members of the vine with the branches is naturall and inward The vnion of the husband with his wife is ciuill and inforceth not any proximitie or touching of bodies as the rest doe For they remaine one flesh although they be as far separated as the East is from the West If a bodily manner of coniunction with Christ cannot be inforced by those similitudes because it should be at one time outward and inward naturall civill and artificiall which is impossible Let Papists tell why it should be inforced by the similitude of eating If by the similitude of eating why not also by the rest Here they are muffled and cannot answer * Cusan epist 7. ad Bohemos Crâ—dere igitur baptizari manducare bibere et quicquid similiter per Christum dicitur non habet in spirituali intellectu differeÌ„tiam sed vnuÌ„ solum est quodper omnia talia varie exprimuÌ„tur scilicet quotquot receperuÌ„t eum dedit eis potestâ—tem filios dei fieri ijs qui credunt in nomine eius Cusanus one of their owne confesseth that all those similitudes and whatsoever Christ saith after that manner hath no difference in the spirituall vnderstanding but it is one thing which by all such things is diversly expressed to wit As many as received him to them gaue the power to become the Sonnes of God to them that beleeue on his Name SECONDLY in the Sacrament he giveth himselfe not as glorified in heaven but as dead vpon the crosse as he said o 1 Cor. 11.24 This is my body which is broken for you p Mar. 14.24 This is my blood which is shed for many Doe this in remembrance of me Which commandement the Apostle explaineth saying q 1 Cor. 11 26. For as often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come He did giue himselfe to the Apostles so and they received him so For he was not then glorified Should we desire to receiue him otherwayes then they did To receiue him so with the mouth of the body it is impossible because he is not now dead but r Rom. 6.10 liueth vnto God This argument prevents all replyes THIRDLY if Christ were in the Sacrament wicked men yea worms mice dogs asses and other beasts might eate him But that is impossible saith Å¿ Origin in Math. 15. Verus cibus quem nullus malus potest edere Origines because if they did eate him they should abide in him as he saith vers 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and abiding in him they should liue for ever as he saith in my Text If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever and so often in the verses preceeding and following Which moved t De coÌ„secrat dist 2. caÌ„ 65 Qui discordat a Christo nec carnem eius manducat nec sanguinem bibit etiam si tantae rei SacrameÌ„tum ad iudiciuÌ„ suae praesumptionis quotidiè indifferenter accipiat S. Austin to say that he who is discordant from Christ eateth not his flesh and drinketh not his blood although he receiue daily the Sacrament of so great a thing to the condemnation of his owne presumption As likewise he saith of the Apostles that u Idem in Iohan trac 59. Illi manducabaÌ„t panem dominum Ille panem domini contra dominuÌ„ Illi vitam ille poenam they did eate the bread which is the Lord and of Iudas that he did eate the bread of the Lord against the Lord They life he paine FOVRTHLY the Lord himselfe seeing that many of his Disciples tooke his words carnally as if he had spoken of a corporall eating of his body x Athan. de verb. Christi Qui dixerit verbum contra filiuÌ„ hominis Quomodo fieri posset vt totus mundus ederet de carne ipsius quae non sufficeret paucis hominibus Ideo dominus de carnis suae manducatione loquens sui in coelum ascensus meminit vt a corporali eos manducatione abstraheret vel inde discerent carnem Christi esse cibum coelestem et in alimoniaÌ„ spiritualem dare to draw them away from bodily eating and to teach them that his flesh is a heavenly meate and is given to be spirituall food he maketh mention of his ascension into heaven saying vers 61.62 Doth this offend you What and if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend vp wher he was before arguing This is a strong reason that y IbideÌ„ trac 27. Vel tunc videbitis quod non eo modo quo putatis erogat corpus suum Certe vel tuÌ„c intelligetis quod gratia eius non consumitur morfibus he giueth not his body after the maÌ„ner which they imagined z For the heavens must receiue him vntill the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets because there a he appeareth in the presence of God and b maketh intercession for vs and cannot come out of that Holy place till his intercession be ended which will not be till the worlds end For c Heb. 8.4 if he were on earth he should not be a Priest But he is a Priest and therefore saith he himselfe d Math. 24.23.26 If any man say vnto you Loe here is Christ or there beleeue it not Behold he is in the desert goe not forth behold he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z Act 3.21 a Heb 9.24 in the secret chambers b Ro. 8.34 as when Papists say he is in the chappell on the Altar in the box beleeue it not Beleeue rather S. Paul who saith that e 2 Cor. 5.6.16 whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord and henceforth know him no more after the flesh and according to his exhortatioÌ„ f Col. 3.1 2. seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right haÌ„d of God set your affection on things aboue not on things on earth g Bernard de Aduentu domini serm 1. Incassum laboraret erigere corda nostra nisi collocatuÌ„ in coelis salutis nostra doceret autorem In vaine would he labour to heaue vp our hearts to heaven if the authour of our salvation were not in heaven Yea most preposterously should he endevour to withdraw our hearts from the earth if Christ were on earth For h Math. 6.21 where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Fiftly if the eating of Christ with the mouth of the body were possible his manhood might be separated from his Godhead his soule from his body and the life which is in him from his person Can his Godhead which is infinite be receiued in our bodies Can his soule which is a spirit enter into our stomackes Can his quickning
life which cannot be without his Godhead goe where the Godhead will not goe Certainly if it were possible to eate him the mouth of our body could eat nothing of him but his body And what is a body without a soule but a corps if then Christ i Rom. 6.9 being raised from dead he dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him it is impietie to thinke it is blasphemie to say that his body may be eaten corporally AND why I pray you doth the Priest when he sheweth the hoste to the people cry Sursum corda Why doth the people answer Habemus ad dominū but because they acknowledg that even when the Sacramēt is given Christ is in heaven and is not in his body else-where So all that they prattle of the possibilitie and realitie of his bodily presence in the Eucharist is like a spiders web which is swept away with the first blast of the truth CHAPTER VII I. The bodily eating is indecent and iniurious to Christ II. The reply of the Adversaries impertinent III. The same eating is vnprofitable to the eaters CERTAINLY although it were possible it is vndecent and iniurious to Iesus Christ Are the accidents of a crust a convenient garment to cover the Sonne of God Is it fit that he who vpholdeth all things by the word of his power should be borne betweene the fingers of a Priest who is in perpetuall feare least he fall Are the stomackes of men which are puddles of infection Temples well suting the Lord of glory The Cherubims and Seraphims all the Angels of God worship and serue him in heavē The divels themselues stoop and bow downe their heads before him from the lower hels and men which are no better then Grashoppes put him to an open shame maintaining as I haue said that not onely wicked men but also fowles beasts wormes may eat him l Thom. 3. q. 80. art 3. Quidā dixerunt quod statim cum Sacramentū tangitur a mure vel cane desinit ibi corpus esse Christi quod etiam derogat veritati Sacramenti Alexan. Halens part 4. sum q. 45. in 1. q. 53. in 2. To let you see how farre the God of this world hath blinded them they dare say that this blasphemous divinitie derogateth nothing from the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ WHY m Thom. ibi Because forsooth he was crucified by sinners without any diminution of his dignitie yea was by n Math. 4.5.8 the divell transported from one place to another But these things did befall him in the dayes of his flesh Then he came to be tempted to be abused and crucified by wicked men Then o Heb. 4.15 he was in all things tempted like as we are yet without sinne But now p Eph. 1.20.21 he sitteth at the right hand of his Father in the heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and power and might and dominion Now q Heb. 2.7 he is crowned with glory and honour Now r Phil. 2 9 10. God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is aboue every name that at the Name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth And shall he now now be in a worse case then he was in his greatest infirmitie For then he did not enter into mens bellies and did not feare the gnawing of wormes nor the teeth of mice nor the intrals of beasts What say Papists is not God every where and is not defiled True But the body of Christ is not It is a true body Therefore if it be in the body of a man or of a beast it must touch them And it cannot touch them but it must be defiled by them They aske againe Doth not the light of the Sunne inlighten the whole aire Is it not spread over the whole earth Shineth it not in the most infected places and is not infected True also For the light in the Sunne and in the aire is not a body it is an accident But the body of Christ is a true body If the Sunne it selfe were vpon a dunghill it should be soyled as well as the aire wherein the light is So the body of Christ if it touch our bodies must necessarily be contaminated And although it were not I say that it cannot be lodged in the stincking bellies of men or beasts but it must be dishonoured Wherefore I conclude that this eating of the body of Christ is not onely impossible but also indecent outragious to Christ WHAT although it were possible What although Christ were not dishonoured by it I aske cui bono The least of the workes of GOD hath some vse This which is thought to be one of the most wonderfull hath none at all Christ must over-turne the whol order of nature he must be subiect to the intention of a Priest he must be at once in heaven on earth he must contract his body to the capacitie of a little round crust and haue his head in his feete and all the parts of his body pellemelled He must be kept in a boxe and often tarry there till he get a white coate To what purpose so many monstrous wonders To saue men No no. Many men since the beginning of the world till Christ haue benne saved without this eating Many every day goe to heaven without it Many wicked men are damned with it Those who communicate every day reape no profit by it For no meate doth good except it sticke to him that eateth it Whereas the body of Christ doth not continue in them But it must scoure to heaven as fast as it came from it having no longer leaue to stay then till the accidents be consumed and giving no oddes in Paradise to them who are every other day so carefull to receiue it For what end doe wee eate our daily bread To sustaine our liues For what end must we eate the bread which came downe from heaven must Iesus Christ enter into vs He himselfe answereth saying ſ Ioh. 6.57 He that eateth me even he shall liue by me and that for ever as he saith in my Text. And yet Papists confesse that to haue his body in our bodies bringeth no such advantage to any man The Virgin Mary had him nine moneths in her wombe and Elizabeth said vnto her t Luk. 1.45 Blessed is shee that beleeved And when a woman said vnto Christ u Luk. 11.27.28 Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the papes which thou hast sucked he reiected that saying with this answere Yea blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it shewing that it is not the having of his body in our bodies but the having of him and of his word in our hearts by faith and obedience that quickeneth and blesseth vs. Which I will proue declaring first the true manner how CHRIST giveth this bread and next how we receiue it CHAPTER
VIII I. Wee must learne of Christ how he giveth himselfe and how we receiue him II. Christ giveth himselfe vnto vs by his Spirit III. To be in Christ and to haue the Spirit of Christ are equivalent in the Scriptures IV. We haue no reall vnion with Christ in the Sacraments but by the Spirit V. It is easie to the Spirit to vnite vs vnto Christ VI. We must pray for the Spirit WE shall not goe astray if in this point and all others we follow the counsell of S. x Cyrill in Ioh. lib. 4. c. 13. Quaerendum enim ita semper est vt apud cum habitemus ad alienas sententias non defer amur Cyrillus and make inquirie in such sort that we dwell with God and be not caried about with the opinions of men Papists beleeue that they must eat Christ because he hath said it We beleeue it likewise But when he telleth vs also how he giveth himselfe and how we must eate him they stop their eares and will not heare we must not doe so we must say vnto him as Samuel did to GOD y 1 Sam. 3.9 Speake Lord for thy servant heareth He of all can best tell how he giveth himselfe and how we receiue him And what he answereth to both questions must be true TO THE first he answereth in the 63. verse of this Chapter saying It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you they are Spirit and they are life i. they must be vnderstood of the spirit which is a Rom. 8.2 the Spirit of life quickning the flesh of Christ and b Aug. in Iohan. tract 27. Ergospiritus est qui viuificat Spiritus euim facit viua membra making all the members of his body to liue by a spirituall vnion with him He had said before vers 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And S. Iohn saith that c 1 Ioh. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath given vs of his Spirit It is then by the Spirit that he giveth himselfe vnto vs and dwelleth in vs. And this giving of himselfe vnto vs by his Spirit is so incompatible with his bodily presence that he averred for a most certaine truth that d Ioh. 16.7 it was expedient that he should goe away For if I goe not away said he the Cemforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And what to doe e Ioh. 14.16.17.18 To abide with you for ever And this abiding of his Spirit with vs is his abiding with vs as he saith in the next verse I will not leaue you comfortlesse I will come to you THIS IS so true that in the new Testament to be in Christ and to haue the Spirit of Christ are equivalent The Apostle averreth that f Rom. 8.9.10 if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Wherevnto he addeth If Christ be in you because Christ is not in vs but by his Spirit This vnion of Christ with vs extendeth it selfe to our bodies g 1 Cor. 6.15 Know ye not saith the Apostle that your bodies are the members of Christ If ye aske of him How He answereth h Vers 17. He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one Spirit i. e. he is made one with the Lord by the holy Spirit as he sheweth when he asketh againe i Vers 19. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye haue of God WE haue no other kinde of vnion with Christ in the Sacraments It is written of our Baptisme that k 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body because it is the Spirit that in our Baptisme incorporateth vs in Christ It is also written of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 12.13 that we haue bin all made to drinke into one Spirit because that in that holy Sacrament he giveth his body vnto vs by his Spirit Although that his body should come downe from heaven and enter into our bodies it could not vnite vs vnto him as I haue said for the flesh profiteth nothing But that which is impossible to his flesh is easie to his Spirit which if he send from heaven into our hearts it will vnite vs vnto him more truely and neerely then our soules are vnited to our bodies THIS then is the true How Christ giveth himselfe to be eaten 1. Vse wherevnto we must submit our minds and cogitations without any further inquirie following the example of the blessed Virgin who when the Angel had instructed her that l Luk. 1.35.38 the holy Ghost should come vpon her and make her to conceiue brought into captivitie all her thoughts to the obedience of the Word of GOD and said Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy Word Behold I pray you how the Sunne budgeth not out of his heavenly tabernacle and neverthelesse darting his beames from heaven to earth communicateth it selfe to all the creatures that are on earth And shall we say that m Mal. 4.2 the Sunne of righteousnesse must leaue his celestiall and glorious palace to make good the word which he hath spoken of our communion with him O blasphemy He hath said that by his Spirit he will come vnto vs and dwell with vs He will doe it as he hath said it n Luk. 1.37 For with God no word shall be impossible WHEREFORE fettering our curiositie with the shackles of the word of God let vs cry to heaven o Veni creator Spiritus Et infunde coelitus Lucis tuae radium Come O most holy and blessed Spirit into our hearts assured that if we pray so earnestly God will heare vs p Luk. 11.13 For saith Christ if ye being evill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father giue the holy Spirit to them that aske him CHAPTER IX I. We must learne of Christ himselfe how we eate him II. Such bread such eating III. Such man such eating IV. Such sences and instruments to apprehend him such eating V. Such end of our eating such eating LET Vs in the next place goe againe vnto Christ and aske and learne of him how we must eate this bread which came downe from heaven For q August in Ioh tract 27 Patitur enim nos non contradicentes sed nosse cupientes he beareth with vs when we aske of him not to contradict but to learne O ye that haue an eare to heare heare r Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God Å¿ 1 Sam. 6.19 Looke not with the men of Bethshemesh into this Arke of the Lord t Iob. 33.13 He giueth not account of any of his matters u Deut. 29.29 But
the living God but the Father which is in heauen and it is as difficile yea as impossible to beleeue in Christ as to resolue to be a Martyr for Christ Therefore the Apostle conioyneth them as two most wonderfull rare gifts of God saying h Phil. 1.29 For vnto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake Yea he saith that God displayeth the same i Eph. 1.19.20 might of his power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead to make vs beleeue WHEREFORE let vs all cry to God with David k Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may beholde wondrous things out of thy law Let vs all pray for our selues as the blessed Apostle did for the Ephesians that l Eph. 1.17.18 the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may giue vnto vs the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of our vnderstanding being inlightened that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints AND when we haue received this faith from aboue let vs acknowledg the weaknesse of it cry to the Lord with teares as did the Father of the lunatick child m Marke 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe thou mine vnbeliefe and with the Apostles n Luk. 17.5 Lord increase our faith Yet resting still assured that as the Pilots trembling Diall in a shippe tossed to and fro with the waues of the tempestuous Sea looketh straight to the North Pole as the shaking hand of a poore man sicke of the Palsey stretcheth it selfe forth to receiue the rich almes of a bountifull King and as a dying man will open his wanne and withered mouth to let downe the restoratiue whereby his life is restored So our trembling shaking and weake faith will in the midde◠of the most tempestuous and blustery Sea of temptations fasten her eyes vpon Christ receiue him and eate him that in the middest of death and in the belly of the graue we may be saved by him CHAPTER XII I. The eating of Christ by faith is possible II. It is not hindred by the distance of time III. Nor of place IV. It may be fitted to all the similitudes which expresse our vnion with Christ V. It is decent VI. It is profitable CHRIST said to the father of the Lunarike child o Marke 9.24 If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeveth Then say I to him that beleeveth it is possible to eate Christ by his faith I say more that to eate him so is decent and glorious vnto Christ and most profitable to the eater If there were any impossibility in this eating it should come either from the distāce of time or from the distance of place We eate him as dead And wee reckon from his death 1625. yeares which is a long time He died in Golgotha which is far removed from vs and we must goe to his crosse eate him there From thence we must goe vp to heaven where he now is and feed vpon him there Between the heavens where he is and the earth where we are the distance is almost infinite Behold now how all that is not any impediment to faith To BEGIN by the distance of time Between the promise made to Abraham and Christ there is 1927. yeares and he had eyes not in his head but in his heart to see Christ as Christ said p Ioh. 8.56 Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad From the first Passeover which was kept in Egypt till Christ there is 1497. yeares At that time q Heb. 11.27.28 Moses by faith kept the Passeover for sooke Egypt and endured as seeing him who is inuisible At that same time the Fathers in the desert r 1. Cor. 10 3.4 did eate the same spirituall bread and drinke the same spirituall drinke which was Christ How but by faith For Christ is ſ Rev. 13.8 the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world in the efficacy of his death towards all the faithfull which were from the beginning So the Apostle saith that t Gal. 3.1 Christ is euidently set forth before our eyes and is crucified among vs Crucified certainely to the eyes of our faith which seeeth the things past from the beginning of the world and all those that are to come till the end of the world For u Heb. 11.1 faith is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene it giveth a being in the heart to that which hath no being in the world and maketh visible that which is inuisible AND THEREFORE the distance of place also cannot hinder it For although we traile these our mortall bodies on the earth yet x Phil. 3.20 our conversation is in heaven and our y Heb. 6.19.20 hope is an anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the vaile whither Iesus Christ as forerunner is entred for vs. There by faith z Eph. 2.6 wee sit together with him There our faith seeth him eateth him imbraceth all the promises of God in him O the most wonderfull efficacy of faith It seeth all things past and to come It imbraceth the two ends of the world It flyeth backward to Golgotha and according to the saying of Christ a Math. 24.28 Wheresoever the carkasse is there will the Eagles be gathered together like a spirituall Eagle it stoopeth vpon him hanging on the Crosse It fastenth her clawes vpon his wounds it drinketh the blood streaming out of his side it feedeth on him with a greedie stomacke and leaveth him never till it be satisfied and because it is vnsatiable and never hath enough of him it leaveth him never Forthwith and at the same instant it flyeth aboue all the visible heavens it entreth boldly into Gods closet it b Rev. 3 2◠sitteth downe with him in his throne and raigneth with him most gloriously in heaven THE EATING of Papists cannot be sitted to any of the other similitudes this can to them all By what is Christ our head and we his members He the vine and we the members By his Spirit and by our faith By what is he the foundation and we the Temple built on him By his Spirit and by our faith By what doth he giue himselfe to be our Garment By his Spirit By what doe we put him on By our faith By what is he borne in our hearts By his Spirit By what are we borne againe made new creatures in him By our faith By what are we washed in his blood By his Spirit and by our faith By what doth he wed vs to himselfe that we may be his wife By his Spirit By what doe we espouse him that he may be our husband By our faith By what