16. nature yet in their use which is now become no longer a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. 2. ordinary but holy and Sacramentall when I say they be thus changed in their use then to partake them without faith endangereth that worthlesse receiver as those lusted after quailes did the faithlesse and unruly Israelites unto a speedy and a sudden overthrow even whiles betwixt their b Num. 11.33 teeth And yet all this too not through the least defect in Sacraments themselves for they have apâ—â—tude and fitnesse in their designation naturall not onely to represent to declare and shew as signes and to confirme as c Rom. 4.11 Seales but even as sacred Instruments to d 1 Pet. 3.21 Save and as effectuall meanes though not by vertue of any opus operatum or * See my Lo. Grace sect 33. p. 271 272 273 c. p. 307. sect 38. p. 327. num 3. intention of the administrer both which as Bel-shazzar in the ballance may bee found too e Dan. 5.27 light yet of Gods owne ordinance to exhibite and convey the very body and bloud of Christ unto the right receiver for they be not empty pageants or naked shewes not theoricall but practicall signes though our grosse Romanists would faine perswade the world that we teach otherwise But all the ill issue is in the defect of the good * Tale cujusque sacrificium qualis est is qui accedit ut sumat omnia munda mundis Aug l. 2. cap. 52. cont Petilian motion of the User The better the meat the worse the nourishment yea the more dangerous the humours and the dropsie more deadly if the liver faile in making of good bloud occasioning the body like some marish grounds in the midst of a waterish bogge to swell and the spleene to puffe and not dispersing proper spirits into the veines which may as 't were embroyder the whole body in native and in azure beauty * Horat. lib. 1. ep 2 Sincerum est nisi vas quodcunque infundis acescit saith the Poet the best wines may sowre and become unsavoury if the But bee not rinsed and the purest streames be corrupted through the muddinesse of the channell Take a seale apply it to a stone it makes no more impression of its owne image then those afflictions did on Pharaohs heart which was in judgment f Exod. 9.35 hardened but stamp it on the wax the yeelding melting faithfull heart loe this seale of the Sacrament leaves there a Character as proper to the Elect of Christ as was to Cesars coyne the g Mat. 22.20 21. image of Cesar Whence is this difference not from the Scale that 's still the same but from the severall hearts so severally disposed that there is no more agreement 'twixt them then there is 'twixt faith and infidelity then was between an Egyptian and a Shepheard betweene Christ and Belial the one saith Moses is an h Gen. 46.34 abomination to the other and betweene the other two saith i 2 Cor. 6.15 16. Paul there is no Communion certainly its true Sacramenta non prosunt sine bono motu utentis And that this is the genuine purpose of our Saviour namely under this expression of flesh and bloud to acquaint us that the provision he intends is Cibus mentis and not Cibus ventris is cleare first in the generall as the k Centur. 1. l. 1 c. 4. p. 125. edit 1624. Magdeburgenses have observed from that reply of Christ to his Disciples to whom this saying was so hard ver 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life not to be taken as Capernaites apprehended it in a grosse and carnall meaning as likewise by those many equipollent phrases tending all of them to expresse the same thing in the former verses for that which he in my Text calleth flesh and bloud in the 51. verse he calleth the living bread which came downe from heaven and if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh that is my flesh shall be as bread to nourish the soule unto life eternall even as the Common bread doth serve to feed the body unto this life corporall and that the eating and drinking is also spirituall and of faith is evident out of ver 40. where the same effect that is here ascribed to eating and drinking viz. eternal life is given unto beleeving so that these tropical speeches rightly takeÌ„ are convertible for in this variety of expression Christ doth but transpose the proposition as l Pet. Martyr loc com class 4. c. 10. sect 34. p. 856. P. Martyr notes for as * Vers 51. before he said that the bread that I will give is my flesh so in the text his flesh having eating adjoyned to it is in stead of bread and in equipollency the very same utque corpore editis paneÌ„ ita mente vescamini carne meâ And to clear it yet a litle more consider we in the business of the supper two things the outward visible part which the Schools call properly Sacramentum in a more strict acception of the word and that which is inward invisible which they term rem Sacramenti the principal thing exhibited in the Sacrament Thus in the Lords supper the sacrament is bread and wine in the outward part of this mysticall action we receive this body and bloud but sacramentally the inward thing which we apprehend by faith is the body and bloud of Christ and in the inward part of this mysticall action which contains rem we receive them really and consequently the presence in the one is Relative and symbolical in the other Reall substantiall as that great light of the Church the deeply-learned * My Lord Archbishop Ussher Serm. on 1 Cor. 10.17 pag. 13. vol. 4. Primate of Armagh hath shewen us And now would all good moderate Christians baulking your wrangling Ismaelites being more shye of all that baggage which the School-men soile Divinity withall out of the Philosophers puddles and their own as m Dr Raynolds p. 652. conclus 5. added to the conference with Hart. Dr Raynolds truly speaketh would they poyse their judgements at this ballance of the Sanctuary and pray for the illumination of that Spirit whose grace in the operation is compared to n Mat. 3.11 fire by John Baptist the nature of which fire is both congregare homogenea segregare heterogenea as in Philosophy we use to speak both to conjoyne those things that be of the same and to dis-joyne such as be of a differing kinde and disposition would they set faith to feed spiritually upon the very flesh and bloud of Christ whose physicall and naturall body is personally in the eternall word locally in * Act. 3.21 Heaven onely the first that
Lapide the Jesuite who faith that by the words of consecration Truely and really as the bread is transubstantiated so Christ is produced and as it were generated upon the Altar in such a powerfull and effectuall manner ut si Christus â—ecdion esset incarnatus per haec verba Hoc est corpus meum incarnaretur corpusque humanum assumeret That if Christ had not yet beene incarnate by these foure words This is my body he should be incarnate and take an humane body What is to be mad if this be to be sober yea how doth this grate upon the foundation of the faith of the incarnation And surely much of this proceedeth from their not allowing any Tropes or Figures which yet is contrary to the ancient Fathers of whom notwithstanding they bragge so much in Sacramentall speeches though the Scripture abounds this way so Circumcision is called the Covenant because it was the n Gen. 17.10 11. token of the Covenant and the o Rom. 4.11 Seal of the same and in this very businesse of the Supper its most apparent besides others in that one place of S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse Sacramentall speeches are tropicall is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ In this passage The cup of blessing which wee blesse there are three Tropes 1. First the cup metonymically put for the wine in the cup. 2. The wine by a metonymie of the subject is put for the drinking of the wine 3. It s called the cup of blessing by a metonymie of the adjunct because it hath blessing adjoyned to it and that blessing is put for thanksgiving Prayer declaration of Institution as if he had said The drinking of the wine consecrated which we blesse sanctifie and over which we give thanks Is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ This interrogation affirmeth with more strength Yes it is the communion that is say some the signe say others the seale and obsignation say a third sort the declaration and some the instrumentall meanes of the communion which the true Beleever hath with Christ in his bloud so that the sense amounts to this The drinking of the wine consecrated is a signe of our communion with Christ all which is couched under these Tropicall expressions Besides our Saviour even after consecration calleth it the * Mat. 26.29 fruit of the vine and Saint p 1 Cor. 11.26 Paul after too q See my Lord Bish of Duâ—â— fâ—â—â— c. 15. sect 24. thes 2 p. 403 404. Grand Impost bread and cup. Moreover if we mark it well the subject of that Sacramentall proposition that is the demonstrative particle This can have reference to no other substance but that which our Saviour held in his sacred hands viz. a Pronomen hoc demonstravit panem materialem Franciscus Mason noster l. 5. de minister Anglic cap. 6. p. 604. panem materialem to the materiall bread and wine which are of so different a nature from the body and bloud of Christ that the one cannot possibly in proper sense or but common reason be said to be the other and againe in the predicate or the latter part of the same propositions there is not mention made onely of Christs body and bloud but of his body broken and his bloud shed to shew that his body is to be considered here b My Lo. Primate of Armagh cap. 4. of the Irish Relig. apart not as it was borne of the Virgin or now is in Heaven but as it was broken and crucified for us and his bloud likewise apart not as running in his veines but as shed out of his body which the Rhemists have told us to be conditions of his person as he was in sacrifice and oblation Besides they are bid to doe this in remembrance of him Now c Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 25. remembrance is of things absent at least and if in remembrance then which I note by the way we may see whether the Romane Church did ever erre or not when for 600. yeares together it allowed though since indeed it be rejected the sentence of Innocentius the first who enjoyned the Eucharist to be administred even unto d Maldonat Jesuit in Joh. 6.53 Espencaeus de adorat eucharist l. 2. c. 12. Idem probat Binius ex rescript Innoc. Pap. tom 1. concil p. 585. edit 1606. Infants who through want of discretion cannot possibly Remember what they are not yet capable to Know. To conclude this point to shew that all this is to be meant onely in a e Joh. 6.63 spirituall way and that this is a f Convivium tam sublime tam spirituale Rabbi Samuel Israelita ociundus de civitate regis Morochiani ad Rabbi Isaac Magistr Synagogae cap. 20. p. 646. in Parr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sublime and mysticall banquet as even a Jewish Rabbi 600. yeares agoe acknowledged it is to be noted that Christ saith first Take eat and then This is my body to intimate unto us as learned g Hooker lib. 5. 359. Hooker observeth that the Sacrament however changed by consecration from common use yet is never properly to be called the body of Christ till taken and eaten by means of which actions if they bee actions of faith that holy bread and wine doe as really as meanes and instruments convey whole Christ with the vitall influences that proceed from him into the soule as the hand doth them unto the mouth or the mouth unto the stomacke Wherefore is then this so great adoe Surely h Chemnit quâ supra Chemnitius sheweth plainly to be because the Sacrifice of the Masse may be supported asservation circumgestation may be upheld that the Romish * My Lo. of Puresm quae supra p. 403 404. Moloch Christs substance corporally under the colour and species of bread and wine may be adored and that Christ by this dreame being corporally present might though onely as a sacrifice unbloudy be continually offered up upon their superstitious I had almost said Idoll-Altars when yet the Scripture tells us plainly that as men dye but once for all no more is Christ offered up save onely Eucharistically and i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 17 in Heb. commemoratively and by way of k Repraesentatio veri sacrificii P. Lumb l. 4 dist 12 G. confer Du Moulin Art 9. versus fin defence of K. James Representation but once for all hylastically and in propitiation the iteration and repeating of the sacrifice implying imperfection and insufficiency under the old law Christs owne oblation of himselfe upon the Crosse most complete perfection because but once for all Heb. 9.27 28. And as they are thus grossely out in this provision it selfe viz. the flesh and bloud of Christ so doe they become injurious also to it in the usage
erroneously mistaken this doctrine of the Resurrection the more are we all my beloved from this meditation bound to thanke our good God who hath so blessed us with m Ephes 1.3 spirituall blessings in Christ Jesus that he hath given us better eyes by means of the vaile of naturall blindnesse removed to see into this great mystery of godlinesse and hath let this part of the n 2 Cor. 4.4 light of the glorious Gospel of Christ in the knowledge of his Resurrection to shine into our hearts My purpose was not on this occasion to dwell at large upon this Common place of the Resurrection now onely Two things I note as Principally here intended First the Author of the Beleevers Resurrection Christ himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Emphatically I will raise him up What stronger argument of the Divine Nature of our Saviour Noe man meerely such hath ever quickened his o 2 Cor. 3.5 6. owne soule but Christ doth this Potestative by vertue of his own innate Power for so he saith I have p John 10.18 power to lay downe my life and I have power to take it up againe and therefore saith q Bern. ser 10. de Pasch Bernard differencing Christs from all others Resurrection Reliqui suscitantur solus Christus Resurrexit Well may others be raised Christ onely rose hee onely by himselfe could conquer death Wherefore though the originall word in Mar. 16.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be passive yet must it bee understood actively as a Reverend r Bp. Lake on 1 Cor. 15.20 p. 157. Prelate hath observed This power manifested in Christs Resurrection was prefigured say ſ Albinus quaest in Gen. Albinus t Julianus Pomerius lib. 1. contr Judaeos p. 556. in Patr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julianus Pomerius and others greatly learned in that prophecy of old Jacob Gen. 49.9 where Juda is said to stoupe down and to couch as an old Lyon and yet saith the same great Patriarch as a Lyons whelp from the prey my sonne thou art gone up this is a cleare Type of our Lord and Saviour who by S. John is called the u Apoc. 5.5 Lion of the Tribe of Judah who during the Time of his passion and his humiliation seemed to couch as it were and to lie downe in his grave as an old and weakened Lyon but as a Lyon that is young in much strength hee rouzeth up himselfe againe having broken the bonds of x Act. 2.24 31. Death and Hell in his victorious Resurrection so that this taking up of his life againe sheweth the Truth of his Divinity and omnipotent consubstantiality y Phil. 2.6 equall with his eternall Father and the holy Ghost that hee was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely like unto but verily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same substance with his Father against that damnable heresie of Arrius under which though the n Haeresis Arrii prorupit totumque orbem invecto errore turbaverat Sulpic. Severus l. 2. sacr hist p. 144. in 8o. cum Drusio world seemed in the dayes of Athanasius the Great in a sort to o Ingemuit totus orbis Arrianum se esse miratus est Hieron cont Luciferian Confer Hooker l. 5. p. 266. ad p. 274. Et Dr Field l. 1. c. 10. in medio My L. of Duresme c. 15 sect 5. p. 368. qua supra Et Mr Wotton serm 2. in Joh. p. 77 78 c. groane yet was it condemned in the first generall Councell at Nice and himselfe at last voyded with his p Ruffin l. 1. c. 13. hist Eccles bowels and entrals as he was about to go to maintaine his blasphemy his soule out of his body being smitten by the immediate hand of Divine Justice for his obstinacie herein Now as this sheweth the Divinitie so in that in the former part of the Text he mentioneth his flesh and his bloud it 's cleare also that hee had likewise an humane nature too even hee tooke part likewise saith the q Heb. 2.14 Apostle of the same flesh and bloud with the rest of the children and so became a Eph. 5.30 flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and all this too not in b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Philip. p. 5. opinion onely and fancie as the old exploded c Vide Estium ad cap. 2. in Philip. ver 7. p. 79. Marcionites and Manichees conceited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius saith but Really and in Truth for so the Scripture plainely The word was d Joh. 1.14 made flesh Made I say and that not brought downe along with him out of heaven as the Apollinarian Heretickes imagined but made out of the flesh of the Virgin Mary so Saint Paul expresly Gal. 4.4 Factus ex muliere made of a woman for that preposition ex or of noteth the materiall cause of his incarnation and that our Lord and Saviour was substantialiter factus as d Theophyl ad 1. Mat. ver 23. Theophylact notes made of the very substance of the Virgin which overthroweth also that Valentinian heresie which taught that Christ passed onely as water through a conduit-pipe through her wombe but took nothing Really of her substance for St. Paul elsewhere Rom. 1.3 saith expresly that he was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the seed of David according to the flesh Factum propriâ significatione intellige saith e Beza ad Rom. 1. ver 3. Beza the word made is there properly to be understood as shewing the very substance of Christs flesh to be made of the very substance of the Virgins And indeed had it not been so he could never have been capable of f Heb. 2.14 Death or suffering thereby to overcome him that had the power of Death the Devill as St. Paul disputes most strongly the Godhead being as not passionate as the Vorstian blasphemie was so neither passible or subject unto death or shedding of bloud g Heb. 9.22 without which yet there was no remission of sinnes possible Sometimes indeed the Holy Ghost speaking in concreto of Christs Person which had united to it a twofold Nature by that which Divines call a Communication of properties that is given to the whole person which is proper onely in abstracto to the one nature So we read Act. 20.28 God is said to have purchased the Church with his owne bloud Now God himselfe is a h Joh. 4.24 Spirit saith the Scripture and a Spirit saith our Saviour hath not flesh and bones as yee see me have Luk. 24.39 and if there be no flesh nor veines to hold and containe bloud which for the remission of sinnes i Heb. 9.22 must be shed then surely there can be no purchase of the Church by bloud therefore that speech and the like in the language of the Scripture is to be understood in Trope or sacred
THE WORTHY COMMUNICANT REWARDED LAID FORTH IN A SERMON ON JOHN 6.54 PREACHED IN THE Cathedrall of St. PETER in Exeter on Low-Sunday being the 21. of Aprill Anno 1639. BY WILLIAM SCLATER MASTER Of Arts late Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge now Chaplaine of the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop's Baronry of Saint Stephens and Preacher also at S. Martin in the same City 1 COR. 11.27 Whosoever shall eate this Bread and drinke this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord. Aug. apud P. Lumb l. 4. dist 9. C. Non manducans manducat manducans non manducat quia non manducans sacramentaliter aliquando manducat spiritualiter è converso LONDON Printed by R. Y. for G. LATHUM at the Bishops head in Pauls Church-yard TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL Doctor PETERSON Dean and Canon residentiary of St. Peter in Exeter Chaplaine in ordinary to his Majesty c. my worthily honoured friend the exuberancie of all blessings Reverend Sir THat which was graced with your audience in preaching with your thanks when preached be pleased now to honour with your noble Patronage in print which is a kind of preaching too that as a 2 Sam. 18.23 Ahimaaz did Cushi and Saint b John 20.4 John Saint Peter doth out-run the vocall by so much farther as it can lengthen out its strides as Procrustes stretched his guests in c Plutarch in vita Thesei Plutarch that were for his bed otherwise too short to reach it self unto the hands and eyes of those good Catholike Christians unto whose ears my voice had it bin Stentorian or as a d Mar. 3.17 Boanerges could not come To preach by the pen which in the expression of Clemens Alexandrinus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as usefull sometimes as to doe so by the tongue and this instruction by the e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand like to a wedge of gold beaten into a plate spreads more abroad and often with as large emolument to the Church as that which is by lively f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens Alex lib. prim Strom. speech or sermocination I may seeme perchance by this to light a candle to the Sun and to cast my spoonfull into that vast Ocean of knowledge which we though sitting upon the very lees and dregs of time for Atheisme and ill practice which with bleeding hearts we view abroad and wonder at have lived to see make up that prophesie of great Daniel who foretold it should g Dan. 12.4 abound and of the Kingly Prophet whose prediction is now at its full height and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of accomplishment God gave the word and great are the company of the h Psal 68.11 Preachers when thus comparatively I lay me in the ballance I finde most others to preponderate sith I must on the generall audit of my selfe confessedly with Paul bring in my account with i 2 Cor. 12.11 I am nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with good Calvin mine empty k Calvin Inst lib. 2. cap 5. sect 13. in fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying of all my best parts and performances as S. Andrew of the five loaves and two fishes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alas l John 6.9 What are these They reach not as I reade of Davids later Worthies unto the dignity of the m 2 Sam. 23.19 former who did not more outstrip in worth then Saul did overgrow in n 1 Sam. 9.2 stature his under brethren or Zacheus o Luke 19.4 climb'd up on the Sycamore o'relooke the company in the way below with Christ But when againe I meditate that even a paire of p Luke 2.24 Turtles and the two q Mar. 12.42 43. Mites where there was no more to give were valued by that God who measureth more by quality then by a Non de patrimonio sed de animo opus ejus examinans considerans non quantum sed ex quanto dedisset S. Cypr. lib. de opere cleemosyn sect 14. quantity as a rich oblation and a large additament to the common corban and the treasurie of the Church and when I think that my little light though but as a candle or a glimmering ray of that orient b Mal. 4.2 Sun of righteousnesse is given and derived to me not to be hidden under the c Mat. 5.15 bushell whether of covetousnesse or obscurity nor to be set under the d Luke 8.16 bed of lazinesse or sluggish ease much lesse to be dipped in the liquour of what is e Isa 5.20 called good but is the worst of fellowship till it be quite extinct but as Saint Paul saith even of the commonest gift of the Spirit that it s bestowed not for ostentation of the haver but for to f 1 Cor. 12.7 profit withall the whole Church Why should I be shie to pay though but my g Eccles 1.7 rivulet as in tribute to this Ocean and to improve though but my one talent to the best advantage of my Lord and Master Christ who is wont to give to him that h Luke 8.18 hath and having doth employ the i Mat. 25.28 more by how much more the good alreadie given spreadeth and doth become diffusive to communitie I would not therefore with the Spider weave this web to thrust it to a corner but with the Silk-worme rather spinne my thread so that it might help to cloath at least some younger children of the Church I must confesse the Presse may now well begin to surfet and as k Gen. 49.14 Issachar to couch down under the burdens of those sons of Anak those Giant-like voluminous writers on this my subject those are your bulky Elephants that with whole l 1 Mac. 6.37 castles-full of paper on their backes occasion the common Readers to keep aloofe their purse-strings are too weake to tye and hold them and the acies of their eie-sight hebetated by so too-big objects I have not written m Tenuis mihi campus aratur such Iliades after Homer Many before me have done worthily this * Est illud magnae fertilitatis opus Ovid. Trist lib. 2. larger way in Ephratah and for it are become as the people in the gates told Boaz very n Ruth 4.11 famous in our Bethleem I have chosen to present my Mother-Church as Saint Austin did Laurentius with an enchiridion onely as having limmed out what is more copiously pourtraied by others into a smaller draught and so doe offer it as were Homers Iliades to that mightie Monarch in a Nutshell to her I must expect having thus hoised up my saile to steare amaine some surges some whistlings of your windy spirits that like to summer flies will blow corruption on the sweetest of provision Wee are fallen into those times wherein all Sermons are most sure of censure most of all unsure of practice
building the two chiefe Pillars of which building as h 1 Kin. 7.21 Jachin and Boaz in Solomons Temple are the two maine Articles of our Christian faith viz. the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting And that which as John Baptist did to Christ fore-runneth and i Mat. 3.3 prepares the way to solid comfort in them both is to eat the flesh and to drinke the bloud of Christ whose flesh is meat indeed and whose bloud is drinke indeed verse 55. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed because no food in shadow or in type but truely and in substance indeed because not provant for the body but spirituall nourishment of the soul indeed because not k Col. 2.22 perishing with the using but an heavenly viond a food l 1 Cor. 8.8 commending us to God and nourishing up for ever unto life eternall These four then viz. The division 1. The manducation of the flesh of Christ 2. The compotation of the bloud of Christ 3. The resurrection of the body And lastly 4. The possession of eternall life the certain issue of the other three These foure like the foure rivers in the garden of m Gen. 2.10 Eden doe all spring from the pure fountaine of this Scripture and must now flow abroad into so many severall streames of discourse which in their present spreading shall make glad I hope this City of God The same hand that gave the opportunity vouchsafe to give successe to this businesse Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day I shall begin in that n Singula quaeque locum teneant dicenda decenter Horat. de Arte Poetica order which the Text presenteth the parts in and in the former generalls observe 1. The guest invited to this heavenly Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whoso or as the Genevians render it Whosoever answering to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint o 1 Cor. 11.27 Paul the parallel Scripture unto this 1 Cor. 11.27 2. The provision made to entertaine these guests the flesh and bloud of Christ for meat and drink 3. The two actions with their relation to their severall object eating the flesh and drinking the bloud of Christ 4. And fourthly the conjunction of both these together for which cause I called it a compotation not flesh onely without bloud but bloud also as equally as the flesh and both respectively to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning Of these in their order This Whoso is not either so universall The first particular or indefinite that pell mell promiscuously by vertue of it all commers or intruders were to be admitted to this sacred soules-repast though it be true that every worthy and accomplished guest may take p Isa 55.1.2 freely of the heavenly Supper and without cost Come saith the Prophet eat ye that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse and all without money and without price Isa 55.1.2 Procul hinc procul ite profani For if he that thrust himselfe in without his q Mat. 22.11.13 wedding garment to the Kings Feast was shamefully bound hand and foot and cast into outer darknesse where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth if there bee a Nolite sanctum canibus r Mat. 7.6 holy things and pearles be interdicted unto dogges and swine unto persons of a currish and swinish disposition that still as a 2 Pet. 2.22 Peter saith are turning backe to their vomit and to their wallowing in the mire of all impenitency Was a beast slain for touching the b Heb. 12.20 mount and shall not a person that is embrutished and sunke below his species in vile affections bee punished for touching that Table where the Lord is present Loe He that eates Christs flesh with a foule mouth and receives him into an uncleansed and sinfull soule doth as one saith well all one as if he should sop the bread he eates in dirt or lay up his richest treasures in a sinke No such unworthy and undressed guests are to touch here yea if they should all that they eat or drinke is but sure c 1 Cor. 11.29 judgement and damnation to themselves by such a presumptuous impreparation laying themselves open to the strokes of Gods displeasure of which Nadab and Abihu in a parallel case are exampled out for our warning being suddenly destroyed for offering d Lev. 10.2 strange fire at Gods Altar and no lesse are those endangered that present strange souls and a false faith at Christs Table for surely as Moses said to Aaron God wil be e Ver. 3. sanctified in them that come nigh him Wherefore our Saviour whose essence was Purity it self in abstracto when he meant though not to lay downe any thing which he had before to wit his Divinity save only as f Pantolcon tract de lumin sanct pag. 587. in patrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pantoleon hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the act and time of his exinanition he seemed awhiles to shadow the manifestation and as it were to hide the glorious splendour of the same yet to assume unto his divine Person another Nature and that not of Angels for some of them stood but of Man whose whole species was quite lost as say the School-men in the fall of Adam In this his incarnation or assumption of his humanity he chose the wombe of none but of a pure Virgin to be lodged in for as no uncleane thing can enter into the kingdome of Heaven no more would the King of Heaven enter into any uncleane thing hee was a Lamb without h 1 Pet. 1.19 spot or blemish and could not therefore enter into a leprous soule yea his very body and his flesh so pure that those two noble Converts of his Joseph of Arimathea and his i 1 Joh. 7.50 night-Disciple Nicodemus thought it fittest as Primasius noteth out of St. John to be wound up onely in linnen cloaths and with sweet spices and fragrant odours to be interred in a new sepulchre never soyled by a sinfull body Joh. 19.40 41. And when himselfe was now about to give this same body of his in Sacrament at the first institution of his last blessed Supper unto his Disciples its noted by the same Evangelist chap. 13.4 5. that he riseth from supper that is if I misconceive not from the second and common supper now begun next to the eating of the Passeover which was the first and legall supper which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rising up partly intimates For the legall Passeover as we may gather from Exod. 12.11 was to be eaten standing with staves in their hands and at which common supper it was before it was wholly ended that Judas eate the sop and had his traiterous hand with his Master in the dish after which sop no Sacramentall sop as I beleeve with a n
11.28 Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let every particular man examine himselfe and as the word imports put himself upon the tryall Examination is the eye of the soul by which reflexively it seeth it selfe and knoweth what it hath done Other meates saith St. Chrysostome are e're they be taken to be first proved lest they hurt us but here lest this heavenly meat prove noxious to thee thou must first goe prove thy selfe Judge p 1 Cor. 11.31 your selves therefore Brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord let us be impartiall in the scrutiny of our hollow and q Jer. 17.9 deceitfull hearts and like the woman that sought her groat in the Gospel light up the candle of our best faculties and leave no corner of our soules a Luk. 15.8 unswept till we have found out that sin of our soules that doth as Paul speaks so b Heb. 12.1 easily beset us and as that Jebusite in Canaan that will not out of our coasts and when we have discovered it to c Col. 3.5 mortifie it and to d Gal. 5.24 crucifie it with the affections and lusts thereof And as the speciall sacrifice that was offered upon the Altar in Jerusalem was wont diligently to bee looked into by the high Priest and his Ministers to spy out the blemishes or otherwise of it before the actuall oblation so let us S. e S. Clement epist ad Cor. pag. 53 54. Clement in his Epistle to the Corinthians a late and * See Mr Mede Serm. of the reverence of Gods house p. 14. genuine monument of antiquity set forth hath expressed it to the life thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is interpreted by e Philo Judaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo Judaeus thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it implyeth such a disquisition so exact as if Momus himselfe with a Lincean eye were to come after hee should not finde a thing to carpe at in the very entrails of our sacrifices of our soules The same word is used by St. f Chrys Hom. 20. in Rom. Chrysostome upon this occasion of pre-examination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus we should doe from the bottome of our soules wherefore g Jam. 4 8. cleanse your hands you sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Thus if we doe at least in * Tota vita boni Christiani est sanctum desiderium desire and endevour we then come under this same ὠWhoso in my Text and are the men whosoever we be for externall condition in state or place that be all invited hither to eat and to drinke and that of no meaner cheare then the very flesh and bloud of Christ Jesus himselfe And thus I passe from the guests unto the provision made ready for them the flesh and the bloud of Christ Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud The second particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh and bloud these are strange cates to make a banquet of We read in the Scripture that h 1 Cor. 15.50 flesh and bloud cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven but that 's meant of flesh corruption not of flesh the substance as the words ensuing shew for as there is Iron so the rust of Iron how much lesse shall he that feeds upon it for his food Satia te sanguine quem sitisti saith Tamyris as I remember in i Justin hist lib. 1. Justins history to Cyrus when his head was off and cast into a vessell full of bloud Now surfet on that bloud which thou so much thirstedst after It was a law of Gods owne enacting He that sheds k Gen. 9.6 mans bloud by man also shall his bloud be shed My flesh and my Bloud Surely what the Israelites said of Manna when first they saw and tasted it crying out in admiration l Exod. 16.15 Man-hu What is this portion or meat prepared for us for they wist not saith Moses what it was so may many a man that knowes not how to discerne the Lords Body such an one is apt to thinke with that monster Cacus in the Poet who from his wickednesse in abstracto had his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith * Foribusque affixa superbis ora virûm tristi pendebant pallida tabo Virg. Aeneid 8. Servius that nought but * Servius ib. fol. 505. mans flesh must be drawn into his den and as some savage Cannibal professing anthropophagie as some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man-hating Miso some Minotaure or bloudy * Sen. Tragaed in Thyeste Atreus or the like prodigies of nature that man was made to be m 2 Pet. 2.12 taken as St. Peter saith of brute beasts and to be destroyed and as the n Judg. 19. Levites concubine to be chopt in pieces Thus surely may your dull Capernaites and unilluminated men imagine for so they strove among themselves saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat John 6.52 yea more then so ver 60. many even of Christs owne Disciples when they heard this said Durus est hic senno this is a hard saying who can beare it And the very truth is this its that which poseth nature utterly and makes her stand as he without his wedding garment in the Gospel upon conviction o Mat. 22.12 speechlesse But though the words as they are in the shell be hard to pierce into yet when as our Saviour hath to our hands broken it for us we may easily take out the kernell of them The main scope of the Text. The mind of our Saviour in this Text which is but repeated from the former verses is to shew us the sweet effect of the spirituall eating of his body and drinking of his bloud by faith above that other orall eating and drinking of the bread and wine which are but the Sacraments thereof and may be taken as well by Hypocrites as by True believers This mysticall partaking instrumentally procureth eternall life after the resurrection whereas the other which is meerly outward and no more may yet engage to p 1 Cor. 11.29 judgement and damnation the reason is because the one partakes of the Lord himselfe who is the Bread of life Joh. 6.35 whom to know and with whom to have communion aright is life eternall Joh. 17.3 The other onely of the bread of the Lord which hath no vertue without faith at all to procure such endlesse blisse yea more Dum Sacramenta possunt obesse as St. Austin truly when those elements of Bread and Wine once consecrated by the lawfull minister and changed by that act of his duely and as it ought performed though not from their q Neque enim id Christus egit ut panis friticeus abjiceret naturam suam ac novam quandam divinitatem indueret sed ut nos potius immutarer utque Theophylactus loquitur in Joh. 6. transe lementaret in corpus suum Juel Apol. p. 41 vol.