Head Psa 133. which ran down upon the beard of Aaron and went down to the skirts of his garments the ointment signified the Spirit and its graces In consideration of this Union by those three knots or ligaments just now mentioned the Fathers looked on Christ and his Members and considered them so united as upon one Body or one Man or one universal Person because there is no one man or woman in the World whose nature Christ hath not assumed whereof St. Ambrose saith In Christo summa universalitatis Ambr. de chit Saty. To. 4. p. 146. est portio singulorum Christ is as the total Summ of all men and a portion or parcel of every man To the same purpose Prosper saith Tota Ecclesia cum Christo capite Prosp Ps 102. Id. Ps 131. est unus homo and in another place he saith Tota civitas Dei est unus homo in capite corpore The whole Church with Christ the Head is one Man and the whole City of God is but one Man in the head and body St. Austin is very plentifull and Aug. in Joh. Tra. 108. plain in this matter of Vnion and saith Vnus est Christus caput corpus ipsi sunt ego and in another place Vnus Homo caput Aug. Ps 127. Id. Ps 30. corpus Christi sumus non solum Christiani and again Christus est multa membra unum Corpus The meaning of all is that they are but one Body and are considered as one Person for as the Head and the other parts altogether are but one man so Christ and all his mystical Members are but one whole Christ which whole mystical Body consisting of Christ the Head and Christians the members thereof the same Father often calleth Christum totum and Aug. in Ps 36. 37. alibi Christum plenum and Christum universum and Plenitudinem Christi and Christum diffusum that is the whole full universal diffused Christ or the fulness of Christ St. Paul also useth the same expression concerning Christ and his Members He God Eph. 1. 22 23. hath given him to be head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that filleth all in all So that Christ himself with his Church are here said to be the full Christ or fulness of Ps 82. Christ And as in Scripture many are called 1 Cor. 8. 5. Psal 105. 15. Gods although there is but one God because God distributes his Spirit to them So many are called Christs Nolite tangere Christos meos because Christ hath united himself with them both by his Spirit and by his Flesh of which union of his Flesh himself saith He that eateth my flesh dwelleth John 6. 56. in me and I in him because he hath taken his flesh from the same Original whence our flesh is derived therefore as our flesh dwelleth in him so his Flesh dwelleth in us St. Hilary in his 8. Book de Trinitate Hil. n. 3. declareth the union of the Flesh of Christ with the flesh of Men and those not only holy and spiritual men but also with unholy and carnal men in these words Habemus in nobis carnalibus manentem per carnem Christum we that are but carnal men have Christ by his flesh remaining in us And just so writeth the venerable and blessed Martyr Archbishop Cranmer in his Book against Bish Gardiner That Christ did unite himself with us as Man by his Incarnation But this necessary Doctrine of mutual union of Christ and Mankind hath been too much neglected by late Divines who have but only hinted or lightly touched it whereunto in their Disputes concerning the Eating of the flesh of Christ they have been necessarily driven which Doctrine is of such weighty concernment that it deserveth very serious and diligent inquisition There is a very hard and dark passage of St. Paul concerning Christs delivering up his Kingdom and of his subjection to God in the Exposition thereof many Divines have greatly and dangerously erred in dethroning Christ as if those words did signifie the Period and utter ending of his Kingdom which we are sure must last for ever The words of St. Paul are these When the end cometh he shall deliver up the Kingdom 1 Cor. 15. 24. 28. to God even the Father and then shall the Son himself be subject to him c. These words cannot possibly be rightly understood but only by considering Christ and his Members joyntly as one full and whole Christ for though the Man Christ considered only by himself in his own particular Person and only in his Manhood always was is and for ever will be subject to the Godhead yet the whole Christ that is not only his self alone but his mystical Members even his Saints and his Elect at or after the final Judgment shall be so subject and so perfectly and compleatly obedient to the Godhead as they never yet were nor ever will be during this World of which Subjection and Union I have elsewhere written at large CHAP. VI. BUt why doth Christ require this Eating in these terms and words of the Flesh of the Son of Man Why might he not rather have said Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of God For the flesh of Christ was the flesh of God the Son and God the Word St. John saith the Word was made Joh. 1. 14. Flesh and his Blood is expresly called the Blood of God by the great Apostle Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with Acts 20. 28. his own Blood and St. John calls his life and death the life and death of God Hereby we perceive the love of God because he hath 1 John 3. 16. laid down his life for us And his Virgin Mother is often called by the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Parent or Mother of God 1. To this we answer First That the Son of God considered only and singly as the Son of God in his pure Godhead and only as God the Word and as he was in the form of God only and without Incarnation could not be our Redeemer and if he had continued so as to be only the Son of God as he was from Eternity and had never taken our human Nature upon him so as to be thereby really the Son of Man he could not be the Christ neither could any obligation or engagement have been upon him to perform the Law which Law was imposed only upon Mankind neither could he have redeemed us because he could not die being not mortal otherwise then by assuming our Mortal nature into Personal union with his Immortal and Divine nature Therefore in order to the office of a Redeemer he must become a Man and his flesh must needs be the flesh of the Son of Man 2. Secondly We say That although the Son of God had really assumed a body and
assumpsit carnem sed Filius tantúm So all Divines will assent to this Theological Axiom Divina Cassander Fol. 30. natura non est Redemptrix quia pati non potuit the pure and single Divine nature could not be the Redeemer because it could not suffer or die And we know that Redemption was confined and limited so as to be only by the Seed of the Woman but the Spirit or Holy Ghost is not the Seed of the Woman therefore God the Son took on him that Seed and that form of a Servant and therein he became our Redeemer because thereby he became Mortal and could suffer and die Neither could the human Nature of Christ considered singly and alone without his Divine Nature and by it self only have redeemed us because no meer Creature could possibly be of sufficient worth to ransom the World or to satisfie Divine Justice for the sins of Mankind 3. A third Reason is That other Creatures besides Mankind have the Spirit of God which is the same Spirit with the Spirit of Christ yet those other creatures have no benefit by the Incarnation and Passion of Christ For the blessed Angels are plentifully endowed with the Spirit yet because they are not united with the flesh and blood of Christ they cannot be capable of any benefit thereby or of Redemption if need were more than the evil or Apostate Angels are because the Son of God dit not assume the nature of Angels nor Heb. 2. 16. did any Angels assume the nature of Man Besides other inferiour Creatures are not destitute of the Spirit of God which is said to fill Heaven and Earth The Psalmist Jer. 23. 24. Ps 139. 6 Joel 2. 28 could not tell whether he should go from the Spirit and God by his Prophet had said I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh which is truly performed not only on Mankind but also on other inferiour Creatures for by the vertue and vigour of the Spirit they live and move and have their being yet Acts 17. 28. they are not thereby capable of the benefits or effects which come by the Incarnation because they are not so united with Christ as our Nature is For these reasons I conceive it may appear that the Eating or the Union with the Flesh of Christ is not meant of Receiving only the Spirit or of eating his Flesh spiritually in that sense which is abovesaid 2. Secondly Those words of Eating spiritually in the sense of the Church I conceive to signifie such a kind of Eating as is distinct and different from the literal or Grammatical signification thereof and from any gross carnal or Oral eating and that it signifieth to Eat according to the Spirit that is according to the intent purpose and true inward meaning and sense of the Spirit For we know that the word Spirit in Scripture is often opposed to the word Letter as may appear by those words of St. Paul God hath made us able Ministers of the 2 Cor. 3. 6. New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit Upon which words St. Athanasius Athan. To. 3 n. 26 thus writeth to Serapion Vos si sacras literas evolveritis invenietis Spiritus vocabulum in hoc usurpari ut mentem verborum significet If you will peruse the Holy Scriptures you will find that the word Spirit is used to signifie the Mind or meaning Now the spirit mind or meaning of those words is to be really united with Christ yet without any Oral manducation literally taken The Psalmist saith God hath spoken once twice Psal 6◠11. have I heard this Duo haec audivi that is saith Isychius that he considered not only Isych in Levit. the Letter but also the Spirit or meaning of the words for the Letter is but folium Spiritus as the same Father saith like to the leaf which covereth the fruit or like unto the Vail wherewith the shining face of Moses was shadowed or as the shell is to the kernel Origen in his Tractates upon St. Matthew calls the Letter sepulchrum Prophetarum Orig. Tract 3. 26. like a sepulcher in which the prophetical Mysteries are hid but the signification and meaning of the Letter is saith he Regalis dignior intellectus which he calls animam spiritum Literae the more noble and more worthy understanding of the Prophetical Writings and the very life and spirit of them In the Levitical Law those Creatures are Lev. 11. 3 accounted clean which divided the hoof and chewed the Cud which in the Spirit or meaning signified those Persons who in their Meditations on Scriptural Figures did distinguish or divide the outward Letter from the inward Spirit or meaning thereof And St. Austin was bold to say Aug. in Ps 103. Quaedam quasi absurda miscet Spiritus sanctus ut ex eo quod non possumus accipere ad literam cogat nos spiritualiter quaerere It hath pleased the Holy Ghost to mingle some passages with his Word which seems uncomely and absurd that thereby he might compell us to search out the Spirit or meaning of that which we cannot conceive fit or true according to the bare Letter As If thy right eye offend thee c. or Mat. 5. If thy right hand offend thee c. The great Oratour observeth Scriptum sequi Calumniatoris Tul. pro Caecina N. 14. est boni judicis voluntatem scriptoris He is but a Wrangler who urgeth only the bare letter of a Writing but a good Judge will consider the will and meaning of the Writer So say we that because to eat the flesh of Christ literally taken is impossible and unprofitable and undecent therefore we deny that way and acknowledge the other way of Eating spiritually which according to the intent Spirit and meaning of Christ signifieth the real Vnion of us with him both in flesh and soul so as is above shewed and will be more hereafter CHAP. XIII THere are others that think that the Eating and Drinking the flesh and blood of Christ is by Believing in him which they call Eating by Faith without any consideration of any other Vnion with his Flesh and Blood But these men do not rightly weigh and ponder the order and method which our most wise most just and most mercifull God designed for the acquitment of lapsed Mankind that their Redemption might be wrought not only by his Mercy but also with a strict observance of exact Justice which could not be performed without an Union of the Redeemer and the Redeemed as is before shewed This Union which Christ called Eating is not performed only by Faith or Believing for the Blessed Angels believe yet cannot be said to eat his Flesh or to be united so with him as is here required even the Apostate Angels do also believe every Article of the Christian Faith and this upon more certainty and evidence than many good Christians have knowledge of and with their
necessarily to have been united in soul as well as in body otherwise he could be but an Half-Redeemer and we but Semiredempti i. e. redeemed but in one part or half-redeemed for it would prove but a Redemption of our Bodies only and not of our Souls Gregory Nazianzen in an Epistle to Cledonius Naz. Orat 51. a Priest which goes under the title of the 51 Oration thus writeth The Son of God took upon him the Nature of Man and all that of Man which needed help and recovery therefore he must needs have taken the Soul as well as the flesh from Man for otherwise he would be like to a Man who having a sore eye and a sore foot and should apply a Medicine to the foot only and quite neglect the eye Thus he so that although our bodies were well provided for by having a Redeemer yet the souls would want a Redemption for themselves and so the sentence of God would be executed on them The Soul that sinneth it shall die Eze. 18. 4 But the Mercifull Godhead took care both of our bodies and of our Souls and therefore sent God the Son as the Apostle saith in the likeness of sinfull Flesh and Rom. 8. 3. for sin condemned sin in the flesh So likewise did he send the same Son of God in the likeness of a sinfull Soul thereby to condemn sin in the Soul the Lord Jesus is a Saviour not only of bodies but of souls also and is therefore called by the Apostle the Sheepherd and Bishop of Souls 1 Pet. 2. 25. as Moses and Aaron had formerly stiled him The God of the Spirits or Souls of all Num. 16. 22. Flesh The Son of God was the Creator not only of bodies but also of souls and the Son of Man was and is the Redeemer of both For this gracious purpose only God did unite himself with Mankind not only in Flesh but in Soul also and thereby he became a Compleat Emanuel And this union or conjunction of God with Man was effected by the Propagation or Traduction of the Flesh and Soul of Christ from the flesh and soul of the first Man as all our Bodies and Souls have been and now are and will be to the end of the World Of the Traduction of our bodies no Man boubteth but of the Original and Traduction of Souls great disputes have been and yet are of which we are next in order to consider CHAP. XX. THE Doctrine of the Original of the Soul of Christ and of all human Souls and consequently the Doctrine of the Redemption of our souls by the Soul of Christ hath been much obscured by the vain and trifling Arguments of some natural Philosophers and as much by the frivolous Queries of some late Theologues whereas some learned Physicians to whom Jacobus Horstius Geor. Horstius Animas propagari ab animabus parentum putat Keckerman Phys p. 630. Truth is more beholding in this point have with great judgment and by their Experiences shewed and proved that our Souls are derived by Traduction from the Souls of our Mothers in the Womb as the Soul of Christ certainly was and as one of them saith Instar surculi ex trunco as a young grift sucketh life from the stock And the Souls of all Mothers as is beforesaid are derived from the Soul of the first Man unto which Doctrine all men who do rightly apprehend and understand the order and method of Redemption to consist in the Vnion of Christ with Mankind will be driven at last to consent Those Men that oppose the Traduction of Souls from the Soul of Adam demand how it is possible that such an innumerable company of Souls can be derived from one single Soul seeing the Soul is a Spirit and indivisible and therefore not to be parted by Decisions and mincings into such several parcels for so in time it would have nothing left to it self but would be utterly annihilated But these Men may as reasonably doubt how so many thousands of Bodies could proceed from that one single Body of the first Man during the 930 years of his life without any diminution of the quantity or dimensions of his Body seeing they were all Originally in his Loyns Or how the Sun communicates his light to every star in Heaven without any diminution or lessening his Light nothing is more like the Soul than light The Philosophers called the Soul of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter cognationem cum lumine as Plutarch saith because it is Plut. con Colot so like to light and Christ is said to Enlighten every Man because he hath given a John 1. 9. reasonable Soul to all Men as Expositors agree St. Austin resembles the traduction of the Soul to the Light of a lamp Ignis Aug. cont Pelag. T. 7. n. 63 lucernae integer manet licet altera de illa accendatur Millions of Tapers may receive light from one single Taper without diminishing the light of that one Taper and so our Souls are propagated from that one Original Soul without any division or diminution thereof Let it be considered that the Soul of the first Man was created immediately by God of which it is said God breathed into his Gen. 2. 7. Bucan p. 86. 88. nostrils the breath of Life or of Lives this Breath of God was Spiraculum Omnipotens of which the Psalmist saith By the Breath Psal 33. 6 of the Lord the Heavens were made and all the Host of them by the Breath of his mouth The human Soul hath a prerogative of its Original above other inferiour Animals of whom it is never said that God breathed into them the Breath of life That first Soul of Man especially was like unto Fire as one saith of all Human souls Igneus est Ollis Virg. Aen. 6. vigor It surely had the vigour of fire and did extend it self into the grand Corporation of all Mankind as one spark of fire may enflame a whole City The brute Creatures ever since their first Creation did propagate their Souls to their kind and to this day those Creatures do receive their souls by Traduction from their Dams The greatest Sciolists in Natural Philosophy cannot reasonably prove any other Original of those brute Souls but only by propagation which yet they deny to human Souls It must be confessed by Christians that the souls of brute Creatures were at the beginning created by God as the reasonable Soul of Adam was yet the souls of Brute Creatures are mortal but the reasonable Souls of Men are immortal the reason is because the Divine Nature did personally unite it self with our whole human Nature which is the only reason why human Souls do not die and that human Bodies after death shall rise again to Life at the general Resurrection But the Divine Nature did not so unite it self with the nature of those other inferiour Creatures which are therefore left to perish utterly Of which something
that we look for both and that all Men shall rise with their Bodies and shall give an account All therefore Good and Bad. This being evident we are further to enquire what is the efficient or true cause of the Immortality of Human Souls and of the Resurrection of Human Bodies more than of the souls and bodies of other inferior Creatures although their bodies and souls were at first Created by God as ours were and therefore the Mahumetans say that there shall be a Resurrection of Brute creatures as Armachanus reporteth and Arm. f. 161. Heathens said that in their Elysium a place was for Birds as Ovid. Amorum L. 2. Eleg. 6. Colle sub Elysio nigra nemus illice frondet Ovid. Amorum li. 2. El. 6. Vdaque perpetuo gramine terra viret Si qua fides dubiis volucrum locus ille piarum Dicitur obscoenae quo prohibentur Aves To this our Answer is That because Human bodies and Souls are united with the Body and Soul of Christ in the first Original Soul and Body therefore our Souls are Immortal and our Bodies shall rise immortal but so shall not the other Creatures because they are not so united The reason is clearly declared by Christ himself in these words He that eateth me even he shall live John 6. 57. by me For as the Body and Soul of Christ are now Immortal because united with the Divine Spirit as himself saith I live by the Ibid. Father so our Souls are and our Bodies shall be Immortal because they are united with the Body and Soul of the Son of God and this not by vertue of his meer Soul and his meer Flesh both of them being of themselves but Creatures but because his Soul and Body are and ever were personally united with the Divine Spirit or Godhead that is it only which caused this kind of Vitality in all Mankind for of his meer Flesh alone Christ saith The Flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6. 63 But of the Spirit or Godhead united with his Flesh he saith It is the Spirit that quickneth the words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life and therefore the Apostle saith of the whole Person of Christ The last Adam was made a quickning 1 Cor. 15. 45. Spirit that is He was made so by Union with the Godhead for the Flesh of Christ alone was mortal but by this Union it became both Vital and Vivifical They that say that our Souls are Immortal only by Creation being Reasonable Souls and should have been Immortal though God the Son had not united himself with our Nature These to me seem to gainsay the words of Christ for it is not by the Reasonabless but their Union with the Soul of Christ that makes them immortal I suppose they will not say that our Bodies shall rise from death only because they are human Bodies No for both these are the effects of this Union which Christ called the Eating his Flesh and Drinking his Blood and nothing else and therefore St. John saith God hath given to us Eternal Life and this 1 John 5. 11. 12. Life is in his Son he addeth He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life To this most Holy Son of God and Son of Man our ever blessed Redeemer and Saviour together with the Eternal Father and the Divine Spirit of both Benediction Honour and Thanksgiving for ever and ever Amen Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS Chapter 1. THE Vnion of Christ with Mankind in Adam in order to our Redemption signified by the Eating and Drinking the Flesh and Blood of Christ the different understanding thereof by Romanists Lutherans and Zuinglians from the Church of England 2. The signification of eating of the Tree of Life of the Tree of Knowledge of Manna of Sacrifices and of the Paschal Lamb. 3. That Eating the Flesh of Christ is not meant of Oral Eating of St. Peters Eating parallel'd with our Eating of Christ 4. That the necessity of our real Vnion with the Flesh of Christ is called Eating how we are united with his Body and the benefit thereof 5. The Doctrine of the Fathers concerning our Vnion with the Body of Christ of his Body natural mystical Of the Subjection of Christ 6. Why this Vnion is described by eating the Flesh of the Son of Man and not rather of the Son of God 7. That the Redeemer was necessarily to be the Son of Man and also the Son of God 8. Why this Vnion is expressed by such Tragical words of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood Why the Primitive Church mingled water with Wine in the holy Chalice 9. The practice of some Hereticks in eating Human flesh in their Sacrament compared with the Doctrine of Transubstantion The calumny of Anthropophagy charged upon Christians and removed 10. That this Eating the Flesh of Christ is now to be done for that it was performed at our first Conception in the Womb that the Fathers and all other Latin Translators render those words of Eating the Flesh of Christ otherwise then we do 11. How our Vnion with the Flesh of Christ is more beneficial to us than our Vnion with the flesh of the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles 12. Of Eating the Flesh of Christ Spiritually what is meant by it and whether such an Eating be sufficient to the right end 13. Of Eating by Faith whether believing the Articles of Faith be that Eating which is thereby meant Of those words of St. Austin Crede Manducasti how to be rightly understood The three states of Mankind 14. Of the Blood of Christ that it is not literally to be understood nor to be drank Orally 15. Of the forbidding of Blood by the Law and the Gospel that it was but a Temporary Discipline Why Fornication was forbidden to the Gentiles converted by the Apostolical Council 16. That the Blood of Christ signifieth the Life or Soul of Christ 17. That Drinking the Blood of Christ signifieth only the Vnion of our Souls with his Soul Of the 3 Ingredients in Christ The Godhead Flesh and Soul 18. To what end and special purpose the Holy Supper was instituted the abuse by witholding the Chalice from the People that the corporal Presence of Christ is not in the Saments but in the Communicants 19. That the Soul of Christ and all other Human Souls are derived from the Original soul of Adam that the Doctrine of daily Creation of new Human Souls is erroneous that our Souls proceed immediately from our Mothers and in the Womb. 20. Of the Traduction or Propagation of the Soul of Christ and of all other Human Souls from Adam Some doubts and objections cleared The true cause of the Immortality of Human Souls and of the Resurrection of our Bodies more than of brute Creatures 21. Of the time when Conceptions receive life and soul in the Womb which is called Quickning Of Barrenness That the Vnion of our souls with the Soul of Christ is at our Quickning in the Womb the Doctrine of the Church of England therein 22. That the Soul of Christ must as necessarily have proceeded from Adam as his Flesh Of some Heresies which gainsayed the Traduction of Souls The Doctrine of daily Creation of new Souls examined 23. The judgment of the Fathers concerning Traduction of Souls The error of the Pelagians therein and the evil consequences thereof 24. That Christ was free from Original sin although his Soul and Body were derived from Adam 25. That although the Mother of Christ were conceived in sin yet her Son Jesus was free from her Sin and how That she was a pure Virgin at the Birth of Christ That her perseverance in Virginity to her Death though it is true yet it is not necessarity pereinent to this question Conclusion The Effects of our Vnion with Christ viz. 1. The Immortality of all Human Souls 2. The Resurrection of all Human Bodies which are called Eternal Life and Raising at the last Day FINIS
Bread and Wine so as that after Consecration to that Spiritual use they are to be considered not as only Bread and Wine or only as Elements so far we assent because of meer Elements they are made Sacraments Thus Theodoret very judiciously Theod. in Eranist Dial. 1. observeth that Christ in the Holy Supper changed the names of the Elements Non mutans naturam sed adjiciens gratiam viz. that he graced those signs or Sacraments with the title or appellation of his own Body and Blood although they still retained their former substance figure and form for so he expresly declares in his third Dialogue Manent in priore Id. Ibid. Dial. 3. substantia figura forma In like manner the words of St. Austin Aug. Psal 33. hom 1 on the 33. Psalm are to be understood where he saith Christus in manibus suis ferebatur quando dixit hoc est Corpus meum i. Christ was carried in his own hands when he said This is my Body That which he then bare in his hands was only the Sacrament of his Body which yet he called his Body although the Sacrament is but the sign thereof signum rei but as other signs often are it is called by the name of the thing signified Res signi The former is mentioned and meant in the Institution of that Sacrament Mat. 26. 26. The latter is mentioned Mat. 26. 26. John 6. 53. John 6. 53. which is the very reality of the thing it self for by those words of Eating and Drinking Christ declared the necessity of an Union or Conjunction of our flesh and blood with His in order to our Redemption and so to Life saying Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man c. ye have no life in you It may reasonably be thought that many learned Romanists do not really believe that impossible Doctrine of Transubstantiation who yet either for fear or hope of profit do profess and teach the same for great are the privileges and profits that arise from it and as the Prophet saith the Priests teach for hire and the Prophets Mich. 3. 11. divine for money The Fathers often observed that evil spirits used to speak from the belly of Pythonists who are therefore called Ventriloqui upon those words of Isaias Quaerite ventriloquos Isa 8. 19. Orig. in Loc. Origen saith that the Prophet pointed at such Ecclesiasticks as would teach for their own belly or profit for ever since the Curse was laid on the Serpent That he should go Gen. 3. 14 Phil. 3. 19. on his belly Satan hath got advantage by such of his Instruments whose god is their belly Surely if that doctrine were not profitable to the Teachers thereof it would soon be as despicable at Rome as it is now with us One Cassius a Roman Judge when Tul. Orat. pro Roscio Amer. n. 4 any Man was accused at his Tribunal for some heinous fact he would first enquire Cui bono what profit might accrue thereby to the accused if his accusation were true And when Rullus a Tribune very earnestly urged for the Lex Agraria i. for power to make sale of all the Roman Provinces he was first required to quit himself from suspicion of his own Covetousness Si Populo Consulis remove Id. Orat contra Rullum te à suspitione commodi tui If the Roman Priests would faithfully instruct the People in this gracious and comfortable Mystery they should forbear making such gain as they do by the consequences of their Doctrine thereof which otherwise may be thought to be the Diana of Rome like that other of Ephesus a craft by which they have their wealth for of Acts 19. 25. all their Legend of Romances none are so profitable to them as this as Pope Leo the Tenth profanely said of the whole History of Christ Quantas opes nobis peperit illa fabula de Plat. Christo We that are but By-standers or Lookers on may wonder at their Priests as Cato sometimes did at the old Aruspices how one of Tul. de Divinat lib. 2. them meeting with another can forbear laughing in their sleeves considering how grosly they have abused the People This little Essay concerning the Flesh and Blood of Christ is like to find such entertainment with them as himself had on Earth To be for a Sign that shall be spoken against and possibly it may find as little acceptance with some among us particularly in that part hereof wherein the propagation or traduction of our Souls is asserted the denial whereof I esteem to be a Philosophical Heresie as much disturbing the Doctrine of our Church concerning Vniversal Redemption for so Epiphanius accounts Epiph. Haer. 8. the errors of Epicureans Stoicks and Pythagoreans among his Heresies But yet because our Church doth not expresly define that or limit and declare the Modus or Way of Eating the Flesh or Drinking the Blood of Christ therefore the pious and diligent Disquisition of the truth and manner thereof without gainsaying the Doctrine established herein I conceive should be freely permitted neither should any mans private Opinion although of another Judgment prescribe to us or hinder this our Inquisition seeing it is not Magisterially dictated but humbly offered as an Essay And also because many of the right Pious and Learned Fathers have with great judgment and industry described and directed us in this very way as will appear to the Reader of this Book THE PREFACE IN order to the profitable Perusal of this Book we are first to consider how the Son of God came to be concerned and interested in the Affairs of Mankind especially in the grand work of Redemption and Salvation This Work was resolved and concluded before the Creation either of Mankind or of the World by vertue of a Secret but a most Gracious Covenant transacted between the Father and the Son from Eternity which Covenant is often mentioned in the Gospel under the title of the Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 2. Eph. 3. 11 Rev. 14. 6 and is called the Eternal Purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord and the Everlasting Gospel In all which places the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used We cannot apprehend any other Conditions in this Covenant but only that the Godhead in the Person of the Eternal Father required performance of the future Laws to be imposed on Mankind the intended Creature with promise of Life to the Performer and the penalty of Death to the Transgressor To these covenanted Conditions the same Godhead in the Person of the Eternal Son restipulated and agreed that Mankind should either perform the said Laws or so suffer This we conceive to be that Covenant and also to be attested by the same Godhead in the Person of the Eternal Spirit of the Father and the Son who also untill this day as the Apostle speaketh beareth witness with Rom. 8. 16. our Spirit And so do all the
Three Divine Persons all of them being but One God of Truth as St. John saith There are Three 1 John 5. 7. that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these Three are One. Vpon these premised Reasons it is as I conceive that the Apostle calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Surety or Fide-jussor Heb. 7. 22. In order to the performance of this Covenant we are next to consider that God the Son assumed our Human Nature and became perfect Man and in that Human Nature did actually and perfectly perform that whole Law or Covenant for which he was engaged in the behalf of Mankind whereupon it is said of the Son In the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Heb. 10. 7. will O God in Capite libri that is in notitia Praedestinationis aeternae saith the Dionys Car. in loc Expositor The Writing in the Volume of the Book signifies that he was preordained or predestinated from Eternity so to do He had said before Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a Body thou hast prepared for me then said I lo I come all which words were taken out of the 40th Psalm From hence it is that God the Son is called the Angel or Messenger of the Mal. 3 1. Govenant because he was interested and sent for performance of the said Covenant And therefore the whole Flock of Mankind was committed to him as his Sheep to be ordered and governed for so it is expresly said that the Father gave them to him John 10. 29. 1 Pet. 2. 25. and He is therefore called by St. Peter the great Shepherd of the Sheep This Engagement of the Son as Surety for Mankind occasioned those words of the two great Apostles for thus St. Paul writeth of God He hath chosen us in him Eph. 1 4. Christ before the Foundation of the World and He hath saved us according 2 Tim. 1. 9. to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And In hope of Eternal Tit. 1. 2. life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Just so St. Peter saith upon the same reason You were not 1 Pet. 1. 18. redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious Blood of Christ who 19. 20. was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World These expressions of Chosing us in Christ and of Grace given us in Christ and of Christ fore-ordained and of Life promised and that before the Foundation of the World And all these only in and for Christ must needs relate to that aforesaid Eternal purpose Covenant or Agreement beeween God the Father and God the Son before the Creation For to whom could the Promise be made before either Man or Angel or Archangel or any Creatures were made but only to the Eternal Word or Son of the Father And why to him but only because the Son entred into that Covenant and thereby became the Surety and Vndertaker for Mankind Therefore to him only was this Promise made and in him and for him to Mankind And by vertue of this Covenant the Lord Jesus became necessarily obliged both to perform the Law and also to under go his bitter passions of death as himself often acknowledged Mat. 16. 21. and all the four Evangelists have recorded Mar. 8. 31 Luke from his mouth that He must suffer many things and be killed 24. 46. Joh. 3. 14 All this being presumed and granted there is yet one thing more of the greatest concernment to us to be considered viz. how his Obedience in performing the Law and his Death for the transgressions thereof can be satisfactory to Divine Justice for us seeing God hath often declared that one shall not be punished for another especially an Innocent for a malefactor which seems to be our case for we are the Transgressors but Christ is innocent yet he is punished and we quitted Our Answer is that Christ and Mankind are not to be looked on as Two but as One. Nor is his death the death of one for another but of the same He as a Surety and we as the principal Debtor He as the Head and we as the Members of the same Body The Surety and the principal are but one Person in Law and the Head and the other parts are both one and the same Body in Nature Therefore that the proceedings of the Godhead concerning the work of Mans Redemption might appear to be contrived not only with infinite Mercy but also with exact Justice God at the beginning so ordered that the Redeemer and the Redeemed should be united in One original Fountain who to that end planted all the Bodies and Souls both of Christ and of all Mankind in that One First Man from whose Flesh and Soul both Christ and all Mankind have derived their Bodies and their Souls In this consisteth our Union with Christ and hence it is that Christ and we are accounted but One and this is that Union which was meant and described by Christ under those figurative words of Eating his Flesh and Drinking his Blood The clear demonstration and proof whereof is the whole and only design of this ensuing Treatise The learned Romanists I conceive do perfectly understand that the benefits which come by Christ cannot otherwise with justice be communicated to Mankind but only by the Vnion of Christ with us viz. of his Flesh with our flesh and of his Soul with our souls And therefore they have phansied this Vnion to be effected by an Oral and carnal Eating of his living Flesh and Drinking his Blood in the Sacred Eucharist by their way of Transubstantiation For the learned French Cardinal of Perron in his Book of the Eucharist written in French affirmeth that the real natural Presence of Christ in the Sacrament is to greatest purpose because the Residence of Christs Natural Body in our bodies doth really and substantially joyn us unto God establishing a true and real Vnity between God and Men. Thus far he which is observed by Dr. Jer. Taylor in his Book intitled The Real Presence and Spiritual of Christ in the Sacrament pag. 50. We also confess the necessity of this Vnion but by another way which is plain evident and comfortable as it is described in this Book as I trust will appear to the Reader So that no need will be of that Roman Subterfuge and pretence of their horrid unreasonable and impossible Mode by an Oral gross carnal and literal Eating of his Flesh and Drinking his Blood with which Imposture a great part of the Christian World hath been a long time abused but by the cool and sober perusal of this Discourse the Ingenuous Romanist may happily in some measure be undeceived The most compleat and perfect Vnion of Christ with Man consisteth in five things 1. Carne in Flesh 2. Anima in Soul 3. Spiritu in Spirit 4. Vadimonio