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
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 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
end of meate and drinke yet the preserving of this life should not be our principall care Doe ye not all know b 1. Cor. 6.13 that meates are for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them And therefore ye should all sigh and groane for a better life not of the body but of the soule not of this world but of the world to come Wherfore listen I pray you to the Sonne of God who assureth you both by his word which now I preach vnto you and by his Sacrament which after this Sermon shall be given vnto you that he is the blessed bread of that blessed life for you and vnto you Come then come to the Table of the Lord thanking him that he vouchsafeth to be your bread and crying vnto him with a more religious and holy desire then the Iewes did c Ioh. 6.34 Lord evermore giue vs this bread FOVRTH CHAPTER I. The excellency of this bread shewed by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both living and quickening II. And therefore is well translated both wayes III. Christ as he is Mediator is living in himselfe quickning vnto vs. IV. This bread is wonderfull aboue all other bread V. Exhortation to labour for this bread THis desire will increase and like a woman with childe we will more and more long after this bread if we know more clearely and fully the excellent vertue and vse of it set down in the word living For Christ saith I am the living bread according to our translation Or according to the Latin translation of d Ego sum panis vivificus Beza and e Ie suis le pain vivifiant the French translation I am the quickning bread f Cotton an plagiaire de Geneue The Iesuites of France barke most spightfully against this last translation saying that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all Greeke Authors signifieth liuing and is never taken from quickening But as we say in a common Proverbe The dog that barkes much bites but little For to discover to you their impudency both in affirming too boldly that which they know not and in denying shamelesly that which they know I. The Greeke word hath both significations in the Septuagint Interpreters whose words the Evangelists and Apostles follow when ye reade in the booke of the Psalmes g Psal 41.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord will keepe him aliue h Psal 119.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy word hath quickned me i Ver. 40.48 quicken me after thy loving kindnesse quicken me in thy righteousnesse k Psal 134.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake and other such like places the Greeke word is the same which is in this Text. 2. The words preceeding and following doe shew that living signifieth quickening In the 33. verse he saith The bread of God is he which commeth downe from heaven and giveth life vnto the world In the 35 verse he saith I am the bread of life He is so called saith l Tolet. 161. Dicitur panis vitae quia alio viuere facit Tolet because he maketh others to liue The words following He that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall neuer thirst are an evident proofe that it is so In my Text he saith I am the living bread which came down from heauen and addeth in the second part of the verse If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever calling this bread Living because it maketh them that eate it liue for ever In the 57. verse He saith in the same sence He that eateth me even he shall liue by me 3. Many Roman Doctors Thomas Aquinas and Ferus two learned Monkes Ianssenius Emmanuel Sa Maldonat Tolet Iesuits writ vpon this Text that m Vivus pro vivificans Living is put for Quickening 4. But the Iesuites now adayes feare leaft Christ be called quickning in this verse because they expound it and all the verses following of the bodily presence of CHRIST in the Eucharist wherein they confesse that he is not quickning seeing in the Sacrament not onely many wicked men but also rats mice wormes dogs asses toads often eate him and are not quickened by him Which saying is a most horrible blasphemy WHAT then Doe I condemne our own translation God forbid The Greeke word signifieth living And is not Christ living If he were not living how could he giue life n Cusan Excit lib. 5. ex Serm. Nou in solo pane vivit bomo Panis qui noÌ„ vivit non vivificat For the bread which liveth not cannot giue life Therefore our translation is good and on it dependeth the truen of the French translation as the effect on the cause And as the first excludeth not the last â—o the 〈…〉 the first is the cause is included in the effect and the word Living signifieth both and must signifie both that the words of our 1. 1 dol Sariour may be found true For what comfort should it be vnto vs that Christ liveth in vs if he did not quicken vs And this is the drift of this whole Chapter to shew that he liveth in all them that eate him and giveth eternall life to all those in whom he liveth least we should thinke him to be like vnto o Iudg. 14.8 the swarme of Bees which did liue and make honey in the carkasse of the Lyon which Sâ—â—pson had killed but did not giue life to the Lyon War doe we fight for a word when no Christian dare deny but that Christ is both living and quickning It is safer for vs to consider how Christ is living wherefore he is so called If ye consider him as he is p Ioh. 1.1.4 the Word which was in the beginning i.e. as he is true God coessentiall and coeternall to his Father in him was life He was living formally For in God to liue and to be are one thing But in this sence we are all strangers from God For what communion can carkasses dead in sin as we are all by nature haue with God who liveth for ever ever Therefore he speaketh of himselfe as he q Ioh. 6 27.5â— is the Sonne of man that is to say the Mediator between God man for so is the Mediator called by r Dan. 7.13 Daniel or as Å¿ 1. Tim. 3.16 God made manifest in the flesh For as he is the Sonne of man or as he is Mediator between God and man the Father hath given him to haue life in himselfe not to keepe it to himselfe but to communicate it to all the members of his mystical body This is cleare by his owne words in the fist chapter of this Gospel where first he sheweth that he giveth life saying t Ioh. 5.21.25.26 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickneth them even so the Sonne quickneth
comming and of the end thereof He came from heaven when y Mansit quod erat factus est quod nonerat nunc est vtrumque being still that which he was he became that which he was not and now is both Being God he became man and now is both God and man in one person So ye haue the constitution of his person necessary to the fulfilling of the worke for which he came The end of his comming was to be liuing bread vnto vs that is to redeeme and saue vs. Ye finde in his person all things requisite to do that for which he came He came to be bread Bread he could not be but by his death die he could not for man if he had not beene a man Therefore in that wherein he is equall vnto vs he is bread a Gerhard Lutphan lib. de Reformat virium animae cap. 28. And this must be your first conception of him when ye consider those good things which ye receiue by him and which are all comprehended in this word Bread The breaking of the bread in the Sacrament sheweth vs that he was broken in his death to be our bread And therefore we must say He who is our bread is man The second conception must be that he is also God for this bread is called liuing who is liuing in the sence which I haue explaned but God And therefore in that wherein he is equall vnto his Father he is liuing as he himselfe saith b Ioh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth The flesh profiteth nothing The flesh is his humane nature wherein by death he is become our bread The Spirit in his divine nature which maketh his flesh to liue and which giveth a quickening vertue to this bread The third conception must be this The excellencie vertue of this bread floweth from the dignitie of his person And therefore this man this God are in him one person otherwise he could neither be bread to nourish vs nor liuing to quicken vs. As indeed he saith of himselfe not as of two as Nestorius dreamed but as of one Ioam the liuing bread which came downe from heaven Hence it is that whatsoever God did in Christ we beleeue that the man did it because Christ is a man And whatsoever the man did in Christ we beleeue that God did it because Christ is God Example When Christ was on earth speaking to Nicodemus as he was a man he said that even then c Ioh. 3.13 he was in heaven because in him man is God Againe the Apostle saith that d Act. 20.28 God hath purchased the Church with his owne blood because in Christ God is a man Christ in the Sacrament leadeth you to this consideration when he saith This is MY body broken for you This is MY blood shed for you meaning that it is the body and blood of him who is God and therefore it is no wonder if the body of God be bread if the blood of God be drinke If I say the death of so wonderfull and so excellent a person be your life e Luk. 1.37 For with God nothing shall be impossible SIXT CHAPTER I. Seeing Christ is God we must stand in awe of him and obey him II. We should be alwayes rauished in admiration with his comming downe from heaven III. His most wonderfull humiliation should be vnto vs a patterne of humilitie IV. In his comming to be our bread we should acknowledge our owne indignitie V. And neverthelesse accept with obedience of faith the honour of his Table VI. Exhortation and Consolation THIS Doctrine is fertile in instructions comforts which may be taken some from the person of Christ some from the end of his cōming vnto vs. When we consider that he which came downe from heaven is the true God we must with f Esa 6.2 the Seraphims and with the man of GOD g 1 Kings 19.13 Elijah cover our faces stand as we do this day before his Maiestie with feare trembling heare his Word with reverence receiue the Sacrament which he offereth vnto vs with humilitie and thankesgiving and shew a cheerefull and holy readinesse to doe with obedience whatsoever he commandeth vs. WHEN we heare that he who was h Heb. 7.26 higher then the heavens i Eph. 4.9 descended into the lower parts of the earth was there crudled like Cheese clothed with skinne and flesh fenced with bones sinewes When we are taught that he who k Phil. 2.6.7 being the Son of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet notwithstanding made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a servant how can we chuse but wonder and be astonied at his humiliation whereat the Angels themselues are amazed l Ioh. 1.51 euer ascending descending vpon the sonne of man m 1. Pet. 1.12 ever desiring to looke into this mysterie which passeth all knowledge Because man in his pride n Gen. 3.5.22 would needs be like vnto God God to make amends for that fault by a most wonderfull humiliation would needs be like vnto man yea o Psal 22.6 be a worme no man the reproach of men and the despised of the people p Ioh. 13.6.8 Peter was astonied when he saw Christ comming vnto him with water in a Bason and kneeling at his feete to wash them The Creator to wash the feet of his creature the Lord of his servant the master of his disciple God of man he that made all things of nothing the feete of a worme which he had made of clay Haue we not greater matter of astonishmēt when we heare and see that the same Creator of all things became a creature he who is the eternall possessor owner of heaven earth came downe from heaven and was made man on earth that he might be the bread of man in heaven O wonderfull loue O inestimable bounty O new O never heard of before O peerlesse humilitie WHAT president what patterne of humilitie can we find in heaven or in earth so perfect to follow so worthy to be followed as this is I cannot teach you any better preparatiō to come this day to the Table of the LORD then this is O man the Son of God descēded so low that he came down from heaven and was made the Sonne of man for thee And wilt thou who art nothing but the fonne of a man or rather a man of sin wilt thou heape vp the summe of thy sinnes by taking vnto thy selfe the wings of pride to say with the King of Assur q Esa 14.13.14 I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my throne aboue the starres of God I will be like the most high Of whom wilt thou learne humilitie if thou refusest to learne it of the author of humilitie These and many moe may be our meditatiōs when we consider the excellencie of the person which is come
not perish but haue eternall life THE graces of God belonging to this life are differently and in severall fashions distributed vnto men to some in a lesser to some in a greater scantling Some haue one thing some haue another Great is the glory of the King That glory doth not belong to any of his Subiects Some are rich moe are poore some learned moe ignorant some honourable a great deale moe are without honour God will haue it to be so and it is necessary that it should be so for the preservation of the societie of mankinde It is not so in spirituall graces which belong to salvation For as the Sunne the Moone the stars the fire the aire the water the earth which are the most vsefull creatures of God are common to all yong and old men and women Subiects and Kings poore and rich wise and ignorant so Gods saving graces are enioyed in common of all his elect For p 1 Tim. 2.4 God will haue all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth that is men of all conditions and qualities Kings Governours men of note as well as other men Not rich men only For q Mat. 11.5 the poore haue the Gospell preached to them Not men by age only For Christ said r Mat. 19.14 Suffer little children and forbid them not to come vnto me For of such is the kingdome of heaven Not men only as opposed to women For S. Peter saith of women that ſ 1 Pet. 3.7 they are heires together of the grace of life And of all conditions S. Paul saith t Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 that there is neither Iew nor Greek there is neither Circumcision nor vncircumcision there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but we are all one in Christ Iesus All are baptized with one and the same water All heare the same word All in the Lords Supper are partakers of one bread and drinke of one cup and when our night shall come we shall all receiue one penny of eternall life u Act. 10.34.35 For God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him WHEREFORE let not the great ones despise the little ones 1. Vse They haue nothing more Let not the little ones repine at the excellency of the great ones They haue nothing lesse We are all x Eph. 2.19 fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God We are all ſ Rom. 8.17 heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ Let vs all rather seeke the conversion of those which as yet come not to one table with vs. 2. Vse For t Iam. 5.20 he that converteth a sinner from the errour of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes And when God hath opened the eyes of any one and turned him from darknesse to light let vs giue thanks for him u Gal. 1.22.23.24 as the Churches of Iudea which were in Christ glorified God in Paul when they heard that he preached the faith which once he had destroyed And looking for a blessing vpon our godly endevours carefull labours that way 3. Vse let vs in the meane time bow the knees of our hearts and open our mouthes with thanksgiving to the heavenly Father x Col. 1.12.13 who hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritāce of the Saints in light hath delivered vs from the power of darkenesse hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne there hath covered the Table vnto vs that there we may eate perpetually of this bread CHAPTER IV. I. Christ is the bread whereof we must eate II. As he is God and man in one person III. In this sence S. Cyrillus saith that we are vnited with Christ corporally and spiritually IV. Our vnion with him beginneth by his manhood WHAT this bread is Christ hath shewed in the first part of this Verse saying I am the liuing bread which came down from heaven wherevnto he addeth in this second part of the Verse If any man eate of this bread speaking still of himselfe And therfore y Eras in Loc. Hunc locum veteres interpretantur de doctrina coelesti this bread is not this doctrine as Erasmus saith although he alledge the authoritie of the Fathers Why Christ is called bread Why living how it is said that he came downe from heauen I declared in the exposition of these words yet not so fully but that I left a gleaning for this place SEING Christ speaketh of the eating of this bread we must exactly distinguish betweene the obiect of our eating and the action whereby we eate For nature it selfe teacheth vs that bread is one thing and to eate is another Bread is a bodily substance out of vs. To eate is an action of ours whereby bread is applyed vnto vs and changed into our substance Therefore we must first know what and next how we must eate That which we must care is this bread It is Christ as he is God and man Not as he is God onely For so he is not bread But is so farre from vs that we cannot come neere him Not also as he is man onely For so he is not living Saith he not that it is a Ioh. 6.63 the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing It is his Godhead called the Spirit which quickneth his manhood and maketh it quickning vnto vs. For b Heb. 9.14 through the eternall Spirit he offered himselfe without spot to God And c 1 Pet. 3.18 being put to death in the flesh he was quickened by the Spirit and so was enabled to quicken vs. Similitude As wood in it selfe is not able to warme vs But if fire come vnto it it receiveth heat in it selfe and by that heat warmeth all those that come neere vnto it Even so the manhood of Christ hath no quickning life of its owne selfe but by the vertue of the Godhead vnited vnto it it is able to quicken all the men of the world if they did come neere vnto it THIS was the meaning of S. Cyrillus when disputing against Nestorius who divided Christ he said that we are vnited vnto Christ d Cyrill advers Nestor lib. 4. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely and humanely e Idem in Ioh lib. 11. cap. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corporally and spiritually that is to say according to his own interpretatiō which Papists haue omitted in their translations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intirely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And corporally as he is MAN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritually also as he is GOD. This is worthy to be observed against Papists which will haue the words corporally and Spiritually to be expoūded of the manner of our vnion with Christ whereas S. Cyrillus expoundeth them of the obiect of this vnion which is
those things which are revealed belong vnto vs and to our children for ever that we may doe all the words of this Law Conformably whervnto an ancient hath said wisely x Ambros de Vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 7. Quae deus occulta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda quae auteÌ„ manifesta fecit non sunt neganda ne in illis illi citè euriosi istis damnabiliter inueniamur ingrati that those things which GOD will haue to be hid must not be searched and those which he hath made manifest must not be denyed least in those we be found vnlawfully curious and in this be condemned as vnthankfull Of these things is the manner of the eating of the bread which came down from heaven FIRST Such as the bread is and as it is given to be eaten so must it be eaten If it be come downe from heaven from heaven also must come the mouth that eateth it If it be given vnto vs by the holy Spirit the mouth which receiveth it must be a spirituall mouth If Christ who is this bread giveth himselfe vnto vs as dead haue we any mouth that can eate him so but the mouth of the soule This is his own doctrine For after he had said Take ye eate ye This is my body he shews how we must eate him saying doe this in remembrance of me These words saith y August de Doct. Christ lib 3. cap. 15. Figura est ergopracipiens passioni domini esse coÌ„municandum suaniter at que vtiliter recoÌ„denduÌ„ in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vulnerata est Augustin are a figure commanding vs to communicate to his passion and to record profitably that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs which we cannot do but by an action of the soule SECONDLY Such man such eating If he who eateth Christ be nothing but a naturall man let him eate and drinke with his naturall organes But if Christ be meate for Christians if the Christian be z Eph. 4.24 a new man a 1 Cor. 2.1 a spirituall man b RoÌ„ 2.19 Rom. 7.22 an inward man if all his organes be spirituall and inward shall we not say truly with S. Augustin that he he alone eateth Christ c August in Ioh. tract 26 in verba Vt si quis manducat ex ipso non meriatur Quiâ— manducat intus nonforis qui maÌ„ducat in corde non qui pren it deâ—â—e that eateth inwardly not outwardly who eateth in his heart not he that thrufteth his tooth into the Sacrament THIRDLY to apply this to all the sences and parts of the inward man Christ saith d Math. 5.8 blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnes Is not he he himselfe e Ier. 23.26 THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNES Such then as is our hungring and thirsting after him such is our eating of him If this hunger be in our stomackes if this thirst be in our throates then let vs satisfie our gnawing stomacks with him let vs drinke him with our throates But if this hunger and thirst be proper to the soule as David saith f Psal 42 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my scale after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the living God What can the eating of his flesh be but as S. g Cyprian de Coena domini Esus igitur carnis huius quaedam auiditas est quoddam desiderium manendi in ipso Cyprian saith a certaine greedinesse and eager desire to abide in him Such as are our eyes wherewith we see him such is our mouth wherewith we eate him If we see him with our bodily eyes with our bodily mouth we must eate him But he expoundeth our seeing of him by our beleeving in him saying h Ioh 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth on him may haue everlasting life Therefore I say that to beleeue in him is to eate him He said to the belly-god Iewe i Ioh 6.27.28.29 Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that which endureth vnto everlasting life O Lord we aske of thee as the Iewes did What shall we doe that we may worke the workes of God for such as is our labouring for this meat such is our eating thereof And thou answerest O Lord This is the worke of God that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent k August in Ioh. tract 25 Hoc est ergo manducare â—ibum qui non perit sed qui permanet in vitam aeternam Vt quid paras ventrem dentes crede mandacasti This then also saith S. Austin is to eate the meate which perisheth not but endureth vnto everlasting life For what vse makest thou readie thy teeth and thy belly Beleeue and thou hast eaten him 4. l 2 Cor. 5.16 We know him no more after the slesh For m Vers 6. we are absent from the Lord. And neverthelesse he saith n Ioh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Such then as are our seete wherewith we goe vnto him such is our eating of him Goe we vnto him with our bodily feete When he was in the world many did walke with him in their bodies to whom he said o Ioh. 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might haue life shewing that even then when they were present with him in body they were absent from him because they beleeved not in him For p 2 Cor. 5.7 we walke by faith not by sight Therefore the Centurien abiding at home in his body went abroad vnto him with his faith and said vnto him q Luk. 7.6.7.8.9 Lord trouble not thy selfe For I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe Wherefore neither thought I my selfe worthy to come vnto thee but say the word and my seruant shall be healed And to that faith which did not regard the bodily presence of the Lord the Lord gaue this commendation I haue not found so great faith no not in Israell Christ himselfe saith that to goe thus vnto him is to eate him r Ioh. 6.35 I am faith he the bread of life He that commeth to me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeveth on me shall neuer thirst In stead of eating he putteth comming in stead of drinking he putteth beleeving because the eating of him is to come to him the drinking of him is to beleeue in him And these two are one Å¿ August de verbis domini serm 2. Vbi credis ibi venis Where thou beleevest there thou commest 5. Such hands to receiue him such mouth to eate him The hand wherewith we receiue him is the hand of faith as it is written t Ioh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gaue he power to become
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