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
downe from heaven WHEN we call to minde the end of his comming When we heare now that he is come from heaven to be our bread to be the salvation of our soules When that truth shall be confirmed vnto vs in the Sacrament if we be not more insensible then stones and rocks we shall all acknowledge our great indignitie all cry vnto God with David r Psal 144.3 Lord what is man that thou takest knowledg of him Or the sonne of man that thou makest account of him When King David called Mephibosheth to eat bread at his table continually Mephibosheth bowed himselfe and said ſ 2 Sam. 9.7.8 What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke vpon a dead dog such as I am confessing his owne vnworthinesse although he was a Kings sonne How much more should we t Eph. 2.3 who are by nature the children of wrath acknowledge our selues to be worse then dead dogs when the King of Kings not onely calleth vs to eat bread at his table but also offereth himselfe vnto vs to be our bread Certainly we should u Origin homil 6. in diversos follow the laudable custom of the auncient Church on the Communion day and say vnto him as the Centurion did x Mat. 8.8 Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my rooffe Thus farre should goe our humilitie TRVE humilitie is the mother of obedience Behold saith he I stand at the doore and knocke y Rev. 3.20 If any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come to him sup with him and he with me When he knocketh shall I refuse to open vnto him because I am not worthy that he should come vnto me z Ioh. 1.11 He came to his owne That was mercie For they were not worthy that he should come vnto them And his owne received him not That was sinne As he said a Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had not had sinne but now they haue no cloake for their sinne b Mat. 22.1 The great King made the mariage of his Sonne and sent his servants to call them that were biddē to the wedding That was favour And they would not come That was ingratitude Therefore he was wroth against them and desiroyed them But he gaue good intertainment to the poore blind maimed halt that came For although they were not worthy to be called he was worthy to be obeyed We we are to day those ghefts too too vnworthy to sit at his Table and to eat of his Supper But seeing he saith this day to my sinfull soule as he said once to the Publicane and great sinner c Luk. 19.5 Zacheus To day I must abide at thy house I le make hast as Zacheus did I le leape downe from the Sycomore of pride I le run home with the seete of faith and of obedience to prepare the lodging of my soule for the Lord of glory I le receiue him ioysully into the house of mine heart And he will say to my soule This day salvation is to come to this house O eternall wisedome of the Father thou cryest vnto vs to day d Pro. 9.5 Come eat of my bread and drinke of the wine which I haue mingled O glorious spoufe of the Church thou vouch safest to be our e Cant. 5.1 honey combe and our honey our wine our milke and our bread and thou cryest againe vnto vs Eate O friends drinke abundantly O beloved In this blessed Sacrament thou sayest the third time f Mat. 26.26.27 Take eate This is my body drinke ye all of it This is my bloud And shall we not obey thee Shall we not follow the example of Mephibosheth Shall we not accept with reverence and thankesgiving the honour of thy Table and the benefit of thy meat Papists call not this pride it is humilitie call it not presumption It is obedience WE WHICH are invited to day to eate of this bread know that to obey is a most acceptable sacrifice to God and therefore let vs try our selues and come and eate The scripture as I haue said maketh mention of three commings of Christ Of his comming in the flesh in the Spirit and in glory The first was visible in infirmitie as the Prophet said g Esa 53.2 When we see him there is no beautie that we should desire him The second is invisible but yet most sensisible in the power of the holy Spirit crying in our harts h Rom. 8.15 Abba Father None seeth the Spirit in another But every true Christian feeleth it in himselfe i 2 Cor. 13.5 know ye not your owne selues saith the Apostle how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And he saith that k Rom. 8.9 if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his because Christ is in vs by his Spirit The third shall be visible in Maiestie when l Esa 52.10 all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord. In the first m Ioh. 1.11 he came vnto his owne and his owne received him not In the second he cōmeth n Vers 23. to them that loue him and keepe his words In the third o Heb 9.28 he shall appeare vnto them that looke for him vnto salvation p Bernard de Adnentu domini serm 5. In primo Christus fuit redemptio nostra In vltimo apparebit vita nostra In isto requies est consolatio nostra In his first comming he was our redemption In the second he is our rest and consolation In the last he shall be our life O then O let vs thanke him for his first comming whereby he hath redeemed vs Let vs examine our selues if we loue him and keepe his words that thereby we may be assured of his second cōming into our hearts by his blessed and holy Spirit to comfort vs. And because he is to come once againe vnto salvation q 2 Tim. 4.8 vnto all them that loue his appearing r Heb. 9.28 and looke for him let vs ioyne our selues with the Church and with the Spirit and cry with heart mouth ſ Rev. 22.17.20 Come quickly Even so come Lord Iesus For then if we be found having the oyle of faith and charitie in our t Math. 25.10 Lampes we shall enter with the bridegroome to the mariage and know by experience that which now we know by faith that u Rev. 19.7 blessed are they which are called vnto the mariage-supper of the Lambe These are the true sayings of God To whom with the Sonne the holy Ghost be all prayse all glory and all honour both now and evermore AMEN THE SECOND PART OF THE EATERS AND OF THE EATING OF THE LIVING BREAD Preached at Otlans before the KINGS Maiestie the twelfth of Iuly 1625. IOHN VI. 51. If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever
VIII I. Wee must learne of Christ how he giveth himselfe and how we receiue him II. Christ giveth himselfe vnto vs by his Spirit III. To be in Christ and to haue the Spirit of Christ are equivalent in the Scriptures IV. We haue no reall vnion with Christ in the Sacraments but by the Spirit V. It is easie to the Spirit to vnite vs vnto Christ VI. We must pray for the Spirit WE shall not goe astray if in this point and all others we follow the counsell of S. x Cyrill in Ioh. lib. 4. c. 13. Quaerendum enim ita semper est vt apud cum habitemus ad alienas sententias non defer amur Cyrillus and make inquirie in such sort that we dwell with God and be not caried about with the opinions of men Papists beleeue that they must eat Christ because he hath said it We beleeue it likewise But when he telleth vs also how he giveth himselfe and how we must eate him they stop their eares and will not heare we must not doe so we must say vnto him as Samuel did to GOD y 1 Sam. 3.9 Speake Lord for thy servant heareth He of all can best tell how he giveth himselfe and how we receiue him And what he answereth to both questions must be true TO THE first he answereth in the 63. verse of this Chapter saying It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you they are Spirit and they are life i. they must be vnderstood of the spirit which is a Rom. 8.2 the Spirit of life quickning the flesh of Christ and b Aug. in Iohan. tract 27. Ergospiritus est qui viuificat Spiritus euim facit viua membra making all the members of his body to liue by a spirituall vnion with him He had said before vers 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And S. Iohn saith that c 1 Ioh. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath given vs of his Spirit It is then by the Spirit that he giveth himselfe vnto vs and dwelleth in vs. And this giving of himselfe vnto vs by his Spirit is so incompatible with his bodily presence that he averred for a most certaine truth that d Ioh. 16.7 it was expedient that he should goe away For if I goe not away said he the Cemforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And what to doe e Ioh. 14.16.17.18 To abide with you for ever And this abiding of his Spirit with vs is his abiding with vs as he saith in the next verse I will not leaue you comfortlesse I will come to you THIS IS so true that in the new Testament to be in Christ and to haue the Spirit of Christ are equivalent The Apostle averreth that f Rom. 8.9.10 if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Wherevnto he addeth If Christ be in you because Christ is not in vs but by his Spirit This vnion of Christ with vs extendeth it selfe to our bodies g 1 Cor. 6.15 Know ye not saith the Apostle that your bodies are the members of Christ If ye aske of him How He answereth h Vers 17. He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one Spirit i. e. he is made one with the Lord by the holy Spirit as he sheweth when he asketh againe i Vers 19. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye haue of God WE haue no other kinde of vnion with Christ in the Sacraments It is written of our Baptisme that k 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body because it is the Spirit that in our Baptisme incorporateth vs in Christ It is also written of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 12.13 that we haue bin all made to drinke into one Spirit because that in that holy Sacrament he giveth his body vnto vs by his Spirit Although that his body should come downe from heaven and enter into our bodies it could not vnite vs vnto him as I haue said for the flesh profiteth nothing But that which is impossible to his flesh is easie to his Spirit which if he send from heaven into our hearts it will vnite vs vnto him more truely and neerely then our soules are vnited to our bodies THIS then is the true How Christ giveth himselfe to be eaten 1. Vse wherevnto we must submit our minds and cogitations without any further inquirie following the example of the blessed Virgin who when the Angel had instructed her that l Luk. 1.35.38 the holy Ghost should come vpon her and make her to conceiue brought into captivitie all her thoughts to the obedience of the Word of GOD and said Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy Word Behold I pray you how the Sunne budgeth not out of his heavenly tabernacle and neverthelesse darting his beames from heaven to earth communicateth it selfe to all the creatures that are on earth And shall we say that m Mal. 4.2 the Sunne of righteousnesse must leaue his celestiall and glorious palace to make good the word which he hath spoken of our communion with him O blasphemy He hath said that by his Spirit he will come vnto vs and dwell with vs He will doe it as he hath said it n Luk. 1.37 For with God no word shall be impossible WHEREFORE fettering our curiositie with the shackles of the word of God let vs cry to heaven o Veni creator Spiritus Et infunde coelitus Lucis tuae radium Come O most holy and blessed Spirit into our hearts assured that if we pray so earnestly God will heare vs p Luk. 11.13 For saith Christ if ye being evill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father giue the holy Spirit to them that aske him CHAPTER IX I. We must learne of Christ himselfe how we eate him II. Such bread such eating III. Such man such eating IV. Such sences and instruments to apprehend him such eating V. Such end of our eating such eating LET Vs in the next place goe againe vnto Christ and aske and learne of him how we must eate this bread which came downe from heaven For q August in Ioh tract 27 Patitur enim nos non contradicentes sed nosse cupientes he beareth with vs when we aske of him not to contradict but to learne O ye that haue an eare to heare heare r Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God Å¿ 1 Sam. 6.19 Looke not with the men of Bethshemesh into this Arke of the Lord t Iob. 33.13 He giueth not account of any of his matters u Deut. 29.29 But
THE TABLE OF THE LORD WHEREOF 1. THE VVHOLE SERVICE IS THE LIVING BREAD 2. THE GVESTS ANY MAN 3. THE MOVTH TO Eate FAITH ONELY By GILBERT PRIMEROSE Doctour of Divinitie one of his Maiesties Chaplaines in Ordinary and Pastour of the French Church at London LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nicholas Bourne and are to be sold at his shop at the Royall Exchange 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE S ir IAMES FOVVLERTON First Gentleman of his MAIESTIES Bed-chamber c. RIGHT HONOVRABLE SOoner shall the heaven be without stars the stars without light the fire without heat the aire without moisture the Sea without agitation a faire meddow without grasse then the Church without the poisonous tares and noysome weeds of hellish heresies which springing vp with the wholesome and soule-feeding wheat the Lord Iesus hath sowed in the heavenly field of his Church hast to smoother it ere it grow to any beautiful and fruitfull perfection For a 1 Cor. 11.19 there must be heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest Therefore as God foretelling that b Zach. 1.18.19.20.21 foure hornes should arise to scatter Iudah Israel and Ierusalem foretold also that he had appointed foure Carpenters to fray them even so foreseing that by the ever-watching craft of the ever-waking divell the venemous seed of deadly errors should grow with the good corne of the Gospell to choake it he ordained diligent and faithfull 1 Cor. 3.9 Labourers to weed and plucke them out by the roote These Labourers are the Pastours of the Church who should be not onely d 1 Tim. 3 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach good and sound doctrine but also e Tit. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to convince the gainesayers And certainely if it be the dutie of all Christians not onely f Athenag in legat pro Christianis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speake of the truth but also to dispute for the truth How much more should the man of God the Doctour of the Church be g Aug. de Doc. Chri. lib. 4. c. 4. Veritatis propugnator erroris expugnator defender of the truth and over-commer of errour Never was there in the Church greater need of both then now that the Whoore of Babylon giues to the Kings and great men of the earth great bowles of her phyltres to drinke farre more dangerous then the waters of Aethiopia i Ovid. 15. Metamorphos Quos si quis faucibus hausit Aut furit aut patitur mirum gravitate soporem For assoone as they haue set that golden cup to their heads they are possessed with a dizzinesse and as if they had drunke a worse Nepenthé then that which k Homer Odys lib. 4. Helena gaue to Telemachus they forget their owne name of Christians and never speake of Iesus Christ but to seeke vnder a Herodian colour of worshipping him to kill him againe in his members Of what pestilent herbes that loue-drinke is made who knowes not How all those that call themselues Catholiques are bewitched with it who sees not Where these mishapen and ougly plants whose bane-giving liquor banishes the wisest men from their best wits doe grow who hath read in the seventeenth chapter of the Revelation of S. Iohn what is written of the woman arrayed in purple scarlet of the golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornications of the name written on her forehead in capitall Letters MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH of the blood of the Saints wherewith she is drunken of the beast with seaven heads she sits vpon of many waters she rules over and will not affirme boldly that S. Hierome strayed not from the Truth when he said it is l Hierony ad Marcel linam viduam Rupes Turpeia the Towne builded on seaven Mountaines Rome even that Rome where in Hieromes dayes was the true Church the Trophies of the Apostles and Martyrs the true confession of Christ and was then decaying then beginning to be m Rev. 18. the habitation of devils the hold of every foule Spirit and a cage of every vncleane and hatefull bird There is the devils garden and his Gardener the man of sinne the Sonne of perdition whose emissaries runne abroad sowing every where the aconit of his most venemous doctrine the only Marchandise these Mountebankes of the fourth vow fetch from that dungeon of infernal fiends which being n Rev. 11.8 spiritually Sodom and Egypt hath nothing but faire shewes of rotten and stinking drugges like the o Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 5 cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apples of Sodom which at the first touching vanish away in smoake and ashes and worse then Egypt p Odyss lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aboūds in evill weeds hath few or no good hearbes Of these loathsome and infectious hearbs the best whereof is but Swines-grasse at my attendance at Court in Iuly last I laboured to grubbe vp with the hooke-weed of the word of GOD that poysonous Toad-stoole called Transubstantiation the last and the foulest master-piece of work of the divels husbandry and wherein he delights most because it is most like vnto himselfe For by it Ceres Bacchus are worshipped vnder the name of Christ poore Christians blind-folded by the Corybantes of Babylon are holden in hand that a round and thin crust of the breadth of a shilling is Christs owne selfe as big as tall as perfect a man as he was on the Crosse that at the Masse they see him that at Easter they eate with the mouths of their bodies his flesh bones blood and whole body that therefore they must worship that crust with the worship of Latria due to none but God So he makes them the greatest or at least as great idolaters as ever were in the world This seemed so barbarous to the Ambassadours of the Towpinambauts in Frāce not long since that although they be the most barbarous people of the world and eaters of mens flesh yet to the naturall light that hath remained in their brutish minds this went beyond all brutishness that reasonable men should eate that which they worship or worship that which they eate And certainely said they if Our God were as beneficiall to vs as your Christ is to you we would honour him the best we could but we would not eate him And one of them made a Proselyte by the Capuchin Friars of Paris being asked if he was now a good Christian Yes said he for every day for my breakefast I eate one of your Christs What I then preached in two Sermons both for the truth against this most abominable errour I haue set down in this little Booke which I dare to send abroad cloathed with the livery of your honourable most worthy Name that appearing to the common view with such a goodly face it may
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
the living God but the Father which is in heauen and it is as difficile yea as impossible to beleeue in Christ as to resolue to be a Martyr for Christ Therefore the Apostle conioyneth them as two most wonderfull rare gifts of God saying h Phil. 1.29 For vnto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake Yea he saith that God displayeth the same i Eph. 1.19.20 might of his power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead to make vs beleeue WHEREFORE let vs all cry to God with David k Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may beholde wondrous things out of thy law Let vs all pray for our selues as the blessed Apostle did for the Ephesians that l Eph. 1.17.18 the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may giue vnto vs the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of our vnderstanding being inlightened that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints AND when we haue received this faith from aboue let vs acknowledg the weaknesse of it cry to the Lord with teares as did the Father of the lunatick child m Marke 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe thou mine vnbeliefe and with the Apostles n Luk. 17.5 Lord increase our faith Yet resting still assured that as the Pilots trembling Diall in a shippe tossed to and fro with the waues of the tempestuous Sea looketh straight to the North Pole as the shaking hand of a poore man sicke of the Palsey stretcheth it selfe forth to receiue the rich almes of a bountifull King and as a dying man will open his wanne and withered mouth to let downe the restoratiue whereby his life is restored So our trembling shaking and weake faith will in the midde◠of the most tempestuous and blustery Sea of temptations fasten her eyes vpon Christ receiue him and eate him that in the middest of death and in the belly of the graue we may be saved by him CHAPTER XII I. The eating of Christ by faith is possible II. It is not hindred by the distance of time III. Nor of place IV. It may be fitted to all the similitudes which expresse our vnion with Christ V. It is decent VI. It is profitable CHRIST said to the father of the Lunarike child o Marke 9.24 If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeveth Then say I to him that beleeveth it is possible to eate Christ by his faith I say more that to eate him so is decent and glorious vnto Christ and most profitable to the eater If there were any impossibility in this eating it should come either from the distāce of time or from the distance of place We eate him as dead And wee reckon from his death 1625. yeares which is a long time He died in Golgotha which is far removed from vs and we must goe to his crosse eate him there From thence we must goe vp to heaven where he now is and feed vpon him there Between the heavens where he is and the earth where we are the distance is almost infinite Behold now how all that is not any impediment to faith To BEGIN by the distance of time Between the promise made to Abraham and Christ there is 1927. yeares and he had eyes not in his head but in his heart to see Christ as Christ said p Ioh. 8.56 Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad From the first Passeover which was kept in Egypt till Christ there is 1497. yeares At that time q Heb. 11.27.28 Moses by faith kept the Passeover for sooke Egypt and endured as seeing him who is inuisible At that same time the Fathers in the desert r 1. Cor. 10 3.4 did eate the same spirituall bread and drinke the same spirituall drinke which was Christ How but by faith For Christ is ſ Rev. 13.8 the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world in the efficacy of his death towards all the faithfull which were from the beginning So the Apostle saith that t Gal. 3.1 Christ is euidently set forth before our eyes and is crucified among vs Crucified certainely to the eyes of our faith which seeeth the things past from the beginning of the world and all those that are to come till the end of the world For u Heb. 11.1 faith is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene it giveth a being in the heart to that which hath no being in the world and maketh visible that which is inuisible AND THEREFORE the distance of place also cannot hinder it For although we traile these our mortall bodies on the earth yet x Phil. 3.20 our conversation is in heaven and our y Heb. 6.19.20 hope is an anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the vaile whither Iesus Christ as forerunner is entred for vs. There by faith z Eph. 2.6 wee sit together with him There our faith seeth him eateth him imbraceth all the promises of God in him O the most wonderfull efficacy of faith It seeth all things past and to come It imbraceth the two ends of the world It flyeth backward to Golgotha and according to the saying of Christ a Math. 24.28 Wheresoever the carkasse is there will the Eagles be gathered together like a spirituall Eagle it stoopeth vpon him hanging on the Crosse It fastenth her clawes vpon his wounds it drinketh the blood streaming out of his side it feedeth on him with a greedie stomacke and leaveth him never till it be satisfied and because it is vnsatiable and never hath enough of him it leaveth him never Forthwith and at the same instant it flyeth aboue all the visible heavens it entreth boldly into Gods closet it b Rev. 3 2◠sitteth downe with him in his throne and raigneth with him most gloriously in heaven THE EATING of Papists cannot be sitted to any of the other similitudes this can to them all By what is Christ our head and we his members He the vine and we the members By his Spirit and by our faith By what is he the foundation and we the Temple built on him By his Spirit and by our faith By what doth he giue himselfe to be our Garment By his Spirit By what doe we put him on By our faith By what is he borne in our hearts By his Spirit By what are we borne againe made new creatures in him By our faith By what are we washed in his blood By his Spirit and by our faith By what doth he wed vs to himselfe that we may be his wife By his Spirit By what doe we espouse him that he may be our husband By our faith By what