Mans union with the flesh of the Redeemer 3. The Paschal Lamb signified the Lamb of God And the Eating thereof signified the conjunction or union of the flesh of the Redeemer with the Redeemed 4. The legal Sacrifices represented Christ to be sacrificed on the Altar of the Cross And they were to be eaten except Holocausts The eating of them signified mans union with the Antitype that is Christ even as that which we eat becomes one with us it grows into one bulk with our bodies and is united with us and is animated with the same life and soul with our bodies it lives it dies and is buried and riseth again with us and continueth with us after the Resurrection everlastingly in like manner the flesh of Christ is united with our flesh without which Union there can be no Redemption of us by him nor indeed any resurrection of our Bodies nor Immortality of our Souls more than of the bodies and souls of brute Creatures as will appear hereafter therefore Christ said Except John 6. ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man c. you have no life in you And in the Sacramental sign of this real Mystery he said Take eat this is my Body that is my Mat. 26. Body is to you such a thing as this Bread which you eat is to be which will be concorporated and joyned in One and united with your bodies and will be animated with the same life and soul wherewith all the parts of your body were formerly endued and informed If it be enquired why the very individual flesh of Christ should not be in truth and reality and propriety of speech confessed to be eaten in full correspondence with the Type viz. the flesh of the Paschal Lamb which was really eaten Our Answer is That if there were no other way or signification of Eating the flesh of Christ but only Orally or as the Letter soundeth then of necessity it must be so meant and understood and must be so eaten as the Paschal Lamb and the Sacrifices were But there is another way and meaning thereof wherein the flesh of Christ is truly said to be eaten both before he was incarnate or born and also after his Ascension into Heaven in both which times it was and is impossible to be 1 Cor. 10. 3. eaten Orally For when his Disciples were offended at the mentioning of Eating his Flesh he said What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend Joh. 6. 62 up where he was before as if he had said my flesh must have been eaten so as I mean even before I took human flesh upon me And also after my assumed flesh shall be ascended locally into Heaven and not be any more upon Earth or out of Heaven untill my return at the last Judgment and therefore far out of the reach of any mortal hand or mouth therefore it cannot be meant literally of any oral o◠gross carnal Eating If we shall rest satisfied and seek no farther into this Mysterious Eating than only to believe that Christ doth daily in the Sacrament thereof vouchsafe and condescend to exhibit his very true Body in or under the species or appearance of Bread or Wafer-cakes and that his very Body is so really existant in many thousand distant places in the same minute of time which to human Reason is incredible and contrary to Philosophy and even to our senses If we can swallow this vain impossible and unprofitable Camel it would be a quick expedient and an easie or lazy gloss to unriddle this grand mystery by which hath a long time perplexed and posed the Christian World Concerning which good Christian Reader I do here tender my poor Meditations in humility not Magisterially but with due submission to the judgment of my Superiors most earnestly begging of God instruction illumination and a right understanding herein and wholly trusting and relying upon him who by his Apostle hath thus directed and promised that If any want wisdom Jam. 1. 5. let him ask it of God and it shall be given him in hope therefore of his assistance I proceed to examination of the particulars of Eating the Flesh and Drinking the Blood of our Redeemer CHAP. III. THe words of Christ from whose lips never any guile or untruth fell are these Verily verily I say unto you except Joh. 6. 53 ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you here are two Verilies or Amens which are often used by S. John only whereas the other Evangelists never use but one Amen in the weightiest narrations this double Assertion falling from the mouth of Christ argueth a certain and undeniable truth which because it is hard and mysterious yet necessarily to be received and believed therefore it is thus strongly and vehemently affirmed and must be believed although i◠be not at first understood for this is a character of Christian Faith to confess the Words of God to be true although we do not understand them as Prosper saith Magna fortitudo est consentionis cui ad sequendam Prosp de Voc. Gen. l. 2. c. 2. veritatem autoritas sufficit latente ratione The valiantness of Christian Faith is in consenting to Truth by authority of Gods Word when the reason thereof doth not appear The Jews asked whilest Christ was John 6. 52. with them on earth How can this Man give u◠his Flesh to eat We may now much rather ask the same question seeing his Flesh is now in Heaven far remote from us and certainly his Flesh since his Ascension never was on Earth to this day Therefore to eat his Flesh orally grosly and literally understood is both unpossible and as Christ affirmed unprofitable The Flesh profiteth nothing or if to eat his Flesh orally John 6. 63. were necessary and profitable how can we come at it The Apostle adviseth Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Ro. 10. 6. Heaven that is to bring Christ down That which is meant by Eating his Flesh is done already and brought home to us Eating in Scripture phrase doth not always signifie Oral eating nor doth it so signifie in those Words of Christ David Abraham and the Antediluvian Patriarchs must so have eaten Christ as Eating here signifieth else they could not have been redeemable by him Christ said Blessed Mat. 5. 6. are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness upon which words S. Austin asketh Quis dilaniat justitiam and addeth nè putetis morsibus fieri Who can eat Righteousness think not that this Eating is done by morsels So Pharisees devoured widows Mat. 23. 14. houses yet they did not Eat them Men are often said to feed their eyes Pascere oculos Virg. Aen. 1. and Animum pictura pascit inani in the Poet yet neither our Eyes nor our Souls can eat The Church exhorteth to feed on Christ in our hearts this is done without a
a common Man and that afterwards God the Word united himself with his flesh for that was done in the Virgins Womb his Flesh was never existing alone but ever was the Flesh of God his Body always was Corpus Dei the Body of God as the Scripture calls his Blood the Blood of God Acts 20. 28. And Acts 20. 28. 1 John 3. 16. his Death the Death of God as St. John saith Hereby we perceive the love of God because he hath laid down his life for us The laying down of the life of Christ is called the laying down the life of God The vertue and efficacy of the Flesh of the Son of Man and that which makes his flesh so benificial to Mankind consisteth in this Vnion viz. Because his Flesh is joyned and personally united with the Word or Son of God for his Flesh if it were nothing else but only flesh it could not profit us as Christ said the Flesh profiteth nothing for it is the Union of his Divine Spirit with his Flesh that maketh his flesh Vivifical or Quickening as Christ said It is Joh. 6. 63 the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the Words that I speak they are Spirit and they are Life the meaning is that the whole efficacy of his Flesh consisteth only in and by the conjuction of his Divine Spirit with it who is not only Vivifical but also Life it self therefore the Apostle saith the last Adam was made a quickning 1 Cor. 15. 45. Spirit The last Adam signifies Christ who is called Adam only because his Human nature was derived from Adam which human Nature was made Vivifical by being united with the Divine quickning Spirit and because this last Adam and the Divine Spirit or Godhead were personally united in Christ therefore he saith of him The Second Man is the Lord from Heaven The flesh Vers 47. of Christ thus being sweetned by his Divine Spirit is like that Leaven mentioned Mat. 13. 33. in the Gospel wherewith the whole lump of Mankind is seasoned the efficacy power and operation whereof may more easily be apprehended by this similitude As wood or a dead coal or iron do noâ— of themselves alone burn or heat a man but if they be joyned with fire and made red hot thereby they will heat and burn The flesh of the Son of Man alone is like the wood and iron and the Divine Spirit united with the flesh is like the fire as he once appeared in Cloven tongues like as of Acts 2. fire by which Spirit only the flesh is actuated and made operative hence proceed those effects and productions mentioned in the Gospel where Christ said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven and John 6. 33 41 51 giveth life to the World we know that only his Divine Spirit came from Heaven not his flesh of which effects we shall say more in their due place CHAP. XII ANother Question to be disputed concerning the Modus the way or manner of this mysterious Eating is how Men can be truly said to eat the Flesh of Christ And this because those that disavow and abhor the Dream of Transubstantiators of a gross carnal and Oral eating have conceived another way which they call Eating Spiritually which word is used in this question by the Church of England declaring to the penitent and faithfull Communicants that They Spiritually eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood They dwell in Christ and Christ in them They be One with Christ and Christ with them which is true By those words of Dwelling in Christ and being One with him and Eating his Flesh this Church declareth 1. First a true and real Union of our flesh with his very Flesh although she utterly denieth the gross and Oral eating and tearing of his Flesh 2. Secondly she declareth by the word Spiritually That this Eating is to be understood only Mystically or Spiritually and not carnally or Orally for Oral eating is only of the Sacrament but not of the very real Substance which is signified by that Sacrament So we are now to enquire what is meant by the Eating the flesh of Christ spiritually To this we Answer That this word Spiritually hath a double signification for D. Vshers Serm. ad Parl. 1620. 1. First It is by many Learned Men thought to signifie only the Receiving the Spirit of our Lord Jesus by which we are united with him because the same Spirit which is in Jesus is from him the Head derived and communicated to his Members Of this Union of the Spirit or spiritual Union of us with Christ the great Apostle often speaketh He that is joyned to the Lord 1 Cor. 6. 17. 12. 13. Eph. 4. 4. is one Spirit and By one Spirit ye are all bapzed into one Body and There is one Body and one Spirit By vertue of this one Spirit so communicated the whole multitude of the Church or Members of Christ are accounted but one Mystical Body But this Spiritual Vnion or Union in Spirit although it is true and real yet this alone may not be thought to be so plenary or so sufficient an Union as is necessarily required for expediting that great Work for which the Blessed Godhead designed Mans Union with Christ as may appear by the Reasons following 1. First If to eat Spiritually should signifie to receive the Spirit of Christ only and no more and be only so by us apprehended utterly disowning the eating or the real Union of his Flesh with our flesh in truth and reality we shall thereby disturb and null the Order of the grand and mercifull work of Redemption which could not be wrought only by an union or conjunction of the Spirit of the Son of God with us but also with the Union of his blessed Flesh and Blood with our flesh and blood because the Spirit alone is not a Redeemer for the Spirit could not suffer and die for us as a Redeemer must it was the vital blood and death of the Redeemer that was necessarily required for Mans Redemption 2. Secondly The Son of God as only so was a Spirit from Eternity for God is a Spirit But if the Son of God will vouchsafe to become a Redeemer he must needs be first the Son of Man and Emanuel as the Church in her Hymn confesseth When thou tookest upon thee to deliver Man thou didst not abhorr the Virgins Womb. For if God the Son or God the Word had so continued in his pure Divinity and had not assumed our Human nature so as to be the Son of Man and the Word made Flesh he could not have been Christ nor Jesus nor Priest nor Sacrifice nor Redeemer for otherwise we might as well say that the Person of the Father or the Person of the Holy Ghost were our Redeemers although neither of those Persons assumed our nature as Austin or rather Gennadius observed Aug. T. 3. n. 72. Nec Pater nec Spiritus
Christ was bred in the Body of his Mother without Copulation as worms are in other Bodies and therefore without sin Eve her self was made of Adam's Body and Soul without any Copulation or lust and therefore without any derivation of sin indeed her Extraction was before the Fall and before Concupiscence was entred into the Man which yet I conceive would have so been although the Woman had not been so made till after the Fall of the Man For certain then the blessed Mother of our Redeemer was a pure Virgin untill the Birth of her Son Jesus but whether she continued and persevered in her Virginity untill her death is not necessary or much pertinent to be considered in this Question it being a full and sufficient argument of the pure and sinless Conception and Birth of Christ that he was born of the Virgin Mary during her Virginity Mariam Joseph concubitu nec cognoverat nec cogniturus erat August To 7. N. 52. Yet in the Primitive Church both Eastern and Western it was generally received as a Truth that she persisted in her Virginity to her death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeks said and the Latines as Austin declares Aug. de Catechi Rudib. c. 22. Tc. 4. Maria Virgo concipiens pariens moriens It was so near an Article of their Faith that such as denied her perpetual Virginity as Helvidius in St. Jerome and Jovinian Hier. con Helv. Au. To. 7. n. 55. Epiph. Haer. 78. in St. Austin were accounted Hereticks and such are out by Epiphanius in his Catalogue of Heresies under the title of Antidicimarianitae with us since her departure she is called to this day the Virgin Mary There is a Prophetical Allegory recorded Isa 29. 11. by the Prophet in these words The Vision of all is become unto you as the words of a Book that is sealed which Men deliver to one that is Learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed This Allegory is thus unriddled by St. Chrysostome Chry. n. 59 Greg. Neo. n. 2. and before him by Gregory Neocaesaria except one of them or his Scribe borrowed it from the other they expound it of the Virgin Mary and Lyranus saith it was indeed Lâ—ra in Ice meant of the secret Coming of Christ The Book signifieth the Virgin Mother the Sealing of it was the design of God to preserve her in a Virgin Estate to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Palace and Temple to entertain God the Man to whom this Book was delivered signified Joseph who is said to be Learned sciens literas because he had a former Wife and also Children by her as some say yet he could not or might not open or read this new Book because it was sealed or kept shut for a great and Heavenly purpose such as is before said Thus they just so St. Ambrose and St. Austin expound that Vision of Ezechiel concerning tâ—e shut Gate by which Ezek. 44. 2. no Man might enter because the God of Israel hath entred in by it This Gate signified Mary who was semper intacta Joseph vir non Ambr. n. 49. Aug. T. 10. n. 51. transit per eam Deus Israel ingressus est eam The Virgin Mother is often called by the Fathers Porta Coeli and a Book hath the name of the Writer as the Eunuch read Isaias Acts 8. 28. And Moses is read every Sabbath-day Acts 15. 21. Aug. Ps 121. St. Austin calls himself a Book Nos sumus Codex eorum qui legere non noverunt So the Virgin Mary is that Book This I trust is enough to shew the meaning of those Mysterious words of Christ concerning the Eating of his Flesh and Drinking his Blood The CONCLVSION HItherto we have shewed the Real Vnion of Christ with Mankind both in Flesh and in Soul and the Modus or manner how it is brought to pass And that it doth not consist in Eating and Drinking the Sacramental Bread and Wine for without that Men may be Redeemed and Saved but not except they Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood Now for Conclusion I shall only enquire what effects and issues are produced by this Vnion which is signified by Eating and Drinking And these I find to be Two 1. Immortality of all Human Souls whatsoever because all Men good and bad are united with Christ in Soul 2. The Resurrection of all Human Bodies both of holy and unholy Persons because all are united with Christ in Flesh Both the effects may clearly appear by the words of Christ For First he saith Except ye Eat the Flesh John 6. 53. c. ye have no life in you therefore they that have so eaten his Flesh c. have life in them Secondly In the very next words he saith Whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood 54. hath Eternal Life and I will raise him up at the Last day 1. Eternal Life is meant of the Immortality of all Human Souls 2. Raising up at the Last day signifieth the Resurrection of Human Bodies at the last Judgment From these Premises we may easily collect that because all Men both Good and Bad are really united with Christ both in Soul and Flesh as hath been proved before therefore all Men both good and bad shall have Eternal life viz. Immortality of Souls and Resurrection of Bodies If it be questioned whether the Damned may be said to have Eternal life because they have been united with Christ so as is said We answer Yes For their Souls are Immortal as really as the Souls of the Blessed and their Bodies shall be raised to Life at the general Resurrection as truly as the Bodies of the Saints both the Blessed and the Damned in Bodies and in Souls shall then have Everlasting life the one in happiness the other in Misery And although the Miserable State and condition of the Damned as Beza saith Bez. Cat. p. 31. is not worthy to be called Life and is therefore called Eternal Death and Everlasting Damnation yet it is such a death as is called Mors sine morte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it Aug. T. 13. n. 31. Letan Longa sic morte necabat Virg. Aen. l. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 26. is a living death and endless living in misery it is a life though worse than death or annihilation and such an everlasting life as Devils have The mention of Everlasting fire implieth everlasting Bodies and in that it is said that Death is to be destroyed this argues that then there will be no more Dying and therefore it is said The Dead shall be raised incorruptible And this mortal shall put on Immortality and this is true both of the Good and of the Bad for all must stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ and Rom. 14. 10. Apost Nicaen Athan. this is confessed in all our Church Creeds The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting and
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
our Souls can be by him redeemed I will not at present engage or meddle with the doctrine or meaning of the words in the mystery of the holy Supper of our Lord which was but the sign of the grand and real mystery of the Eating the flesh of Christ of which only I am now to treat in relation to those Words of Christ in the 6. Chapter of St. John before the Holy Supper was instituted of which words my purpose and earnest endeavour is to find out and to discover the meaning and true sense and my hearty desire and prayer that my Labours herein may in some measure conduce to an agreement between dissenting Parties The Roman and also the Reformed Church-Writers men of great wisdom Learning and sobriety have spent their precious time and labours something as I humbly conceive besides the matter purpose and intent of those words of Christ 1. The Romanists have laboured too much to assert and prove a carnal gross and literate eating of the very flesh of Christ orally grounding their Doctrine of Transubstantiation upon those two Speeches of Christ before mentioned but with ill success having so much been perplexed in answering and excusing the impossibilities and the unprofitableness of such an Exposition that they were forced to flie to the old Poetical refuge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or miracles whereof they say there are eleven in effecting their Transubstantiation we may ad a twelfth which to me seemeth the greatest of all viz. that so many wise and learned men should profess and believe such unnecessary and manifest impossibilities 2. The Writers of the reformed Church have imployed their time and labour in a negative way principally in confuting the impossibility of that Roman Doctrine and in proving that we do not Orally eat the very flesh of Christ for although they acknowledge that Speech of Christ to be true when he said Except ye eat the Flesh c. yet they truly affirm that they are not to be understood of a gross carnal and oral Eating This negative Doctrine occasioned a pretence to the adverse Party to accuse them of an attempt to confute and gainsay the words of Christ These practices on both sides I conceive have bin the cause of hiding or obscuring the most gracious and comfortable doctrine of our Union with the body or flesh of Christ and consequently of the doctrine of our Redemption by him both of them being certainly implyed in those words of Eating and Drinking It is therefore to be wished that such Learned men for the future would imploy their studies in a positive Way in shewing how those Mysterious Words of Christ are true and to be rightly understood rather than in a negative confutation of a wrong Sense which work solidly performed would clear the darkness of that Mystery and be exceedingly comfortable to pious Souls and evidently declare the Wisdom Righteousness and Mercy of our ever Blessed Redeemer CHAP. II. IN order to the opening of this Mystery we are first to enquire what our Redeemer meant by those words of Eating and Drinking my Flesh and Blood which certainly are not to be understood literally but figuratively The Reader may observe that the grand Mysteries of our Religion in the Holy Scripture are represented and exemplified darkly as under a cloud or veiled with the similitude of Eating 1. The Tree of life in Paradise was planted to be eaten of it was the figure or type of Christ who called himself a Tree Luk. 23. 31. and a Vine John 15. 5. and the Life John 14. 16. and is called Rev. 2. 7. The Tree of Life The typical Tree was ordained to preserve and continue a worldy life as Christ the substantial Tree to procure an Eternal and heavenly Life Although that Tree of life was permitted by the Godhead to be eaten of by our first Parents yet they never did eat of it because in the state of their Innocency they perceived not any need thereof being in a condition of not dying as Divines say Potuit Adam non mori nor was any malady upon them so as to need any medicine to cure them of any disease But afterward when by their transgression they had incurred the curse of Mortality they were excluded from that Tree of life least they should take of the Tree of Life and live Gen. 3. 22. Gen. 2. 17. for ever whereby the Commination of God should have failed who had said In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die There was another Tree in Paradise called the Tree of Knowledge of which the Gen. 2. 9. Man was forbidden to eat although it is said that the Woman saw that the Tree was good for food and pleasant to the eye and to be desired to make one wise So though they abstained from the Tree permitted yet Gen. 3. 6. they did eat of the Tree forbidden The Tree of Life represented Christ the Tree of knowledge represented the Law as Tertullian very judiciously affirmeth and proveth That law concerning the Tree Tert. adv Judaeos was Primondialis Lex the first Law that was imposed on Man and had been large enough saith he if it had been obeyed Lex data Adae Aevae est quasi matrix omnium Id. ibid. praeceptorum Dei quae pullularunt postea data per Mosem It was as the Womb out of which sprang the Ten Commandments given by Moses and in that first Law all those Moral laws are couched and implied As the Tree of Life signifieth Christ with all his Evangelical mercies And the Eating of that Tree signified the Union conjunction and inherence of Mankind in him So the Tree of knowledge signified the Law with all its strictness rigour and penalties And the forbidding to Eat of that Tree signified that we should not trust to or rely on it or expect to obtain life by performance of the law or justification and Salvation by the works thereof This I conceive to be the meaning of forbidding the Tree of knowledge as relating to the Law because I find divers passages concerning the said law even in the Gospel which to me signifie the same as by the works of the Rom. 3. 20. Law shall no flesh be justified and The Law worketh Wrath it is called also Rom. 4. 15. The Ministration of death and the Ministration 2 Cor. 3. 7 9. of condemnation Therefore we are to depend on and feed and nourish our hope and faith only by Christ who is the only true Tree of Life and not to confide in the Law because we cannot possibly by our own selves perform it nor by any other way but only in by and through Christ and this by that interest which we have in him by our union with his Flesh and Soul 2. The Manna every one knows signified Christ The eating of Manna signified the union of Manna with the Bodies or flesh of the Israelites which was a type of the necessity of
that ye abstain from Blood This Decree was directed to the Gentiles for the Jews were then and before zealous enough in abstaining from Blood by vertue of the old Law and the Christian Gentiles by vertue of this Apostolical Decree did absolutely forbear Blood for some Ages of the Church and it became one of the common Disciplines of Christians and was so esteemed in the days of Tertullian and after him Thirdly It being granted that the Christians upon this reason did abstain from the blood even of beasts which is true and easily proved how can it be imagined that they should eat or drink the blood of Man or which is less credible the Blood of that Man whom they believed and knew to be their most High and only Lord God Fourthly If it were possible for us Men now to drink the very Blood of Christ orally and literally understood it could not in the least advantage us in order to our Redemption because it was not the meer Blood of Christ literally taken that was the price of our Redemption although one drop of his precious Blood was worth more than the whole World for he shed his Blood at his Circumcision but that Blood was not Redemptive suppose he had opened a vein and presented or offered that Blood yet this could not have redeemed us neither could that Blood which issued out of his Body in Agony and bloody Sweat or at his Scourging or Crowning with thorns or that at the piercing of his Hands and Feet all these Bloodsheddings together could not redeem Mankind but the Blood of Christ which was really redemptive was his Vital Blood whereof the words of St. Peter are rightly to be understood Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible 1 Pet. 1. 18. things but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb and St. John declareth that it was of a Lamb considered as a Lamb slain and we know that the Paschal Rev. 13. â— Lamb slain was the Type or figure thereof It was not then his meer Blood-shedding that redeemed us but it was the pouring out of his Life and Soul that was the ultimate act and consummation thereof of which all the four Evangelists have carefully informed us St. Matthew St. Mark St. Luke after the narration of all his grievous Sufferings adds this as the principal and most concerning and beneficial to us that he gave up the Ghost for Christ himself had said before The good Shepherd layeth John 10. 11 17 down his life for the Sheep and Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for the Redeemer was engaged not only to perform the Law actively in his life time but also passively by his death to undergo the penalty due to the Transgressors of the prime Original Law which was In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt Gen. 2. 17. surely die The great Apostle often mindeth us of this great Truth saying We are reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Ro. 5 10. 8. 34. Phil. 2. 8. and Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died and He became obedient to death And for our remembrance and acknowledgment thereof the holy Sacrament was set up as the same Apostle saith Ye shew the Lords death till he come and Christ had before 1 Cor. 11. 26. John 15. 13. declared Greater love than this hath no Man than to lay down his Life for his friend surely his own love was the greatest love CHAP. XV. THe Law of abstaining from Blood was enacted by God in a typical reference to the Blood of Christ which was to be shed in after times upon the altar of the Cross for Expiation of the sins of Mankind which Expiation was before the death of Christ typically represented by the death and blood of certain Creatures appointed by God whereby the legal or ceremonial Atonement was to be performed for which purpose God did except and reserve the blood of those Sacrifical Creatures from being eaten by Men which reason is declared by God himself evidently as to me seemeth in these words I will set my face against that Soul that eateth Blood and Lev. 17. 10 11. will cut him off from among his People for the life of the flesh is the Blood and I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your Souls for it is the Blood that maketh an Atonement for the Souls this was the law for the Blood of the Sacrifical Creatures And as for the blood of other Creatures which were profane and not to be used for Sacrifices their blood was also forbidden to be eaten by Men but by another Law Lev. 17. 13. Deut. 12. 16. was commanded to be poured out upon the earth as water and to be covered with dust this Law being but a ceremonial and Typical law must be confessed to become void and antiquated when the Type was fulfilled by the blood-shedding and death of Christ and that fully declared and published But then we are to enquire what moved Quest. the Apostolical Council to revive that Antiquated law of abstaining from Blood more than the other Ceremorials of Sacrifices Circumcision Paschal Lamb Sabbatizings c. And why they imposed this Decree or Canon upon the converted Gentiles 1. To this we answer First That the Answ Apostles directed by the Holy Ghost did impose this Abstinence on the converted Gentiles in the Pedagogy of the Church on purpose for compliance with the converted Jews least they should be soandalized or offended with Christianity it self when they should see Christians eating Blood from which themselves in the time of their Judaism were by their law debarred and could not suddenly be withdrawn from so old a Custom untill they were more fully instructed in Christian Religion for it might seem to them a disparagement and a contempt of Moses and his Laws which reason is intimated by St. James in that he said Moses is read in the Synagogues every Acts 15. 21. Sabbath day which he spake in that very Council so we our selves at our Tables forbear the setting on of certain meats which our selves like because they would be offensive to some of our invited Guests as Swines flesh Cheese and such like Yet this Discipline of abstaining from Blood was not intended to be a continual and standing Law in Christianity but only a temporary Ordinance and to last no longer than there was danger apparent of occasioning a Schism or Division between the Converted Jews and the Christian Gentiles 2. This Discipline did as well become the mildness of Christianity as that old Law did the Religion of the Jews whereby they were restrained from using such cruelties to Creatures as possibly might be practised by Eating some parts of the bodies of Beasts whilst other parts were preserved alive which kind of cruelty was acted by the Romans upon the bodies of the captive Jews at the last destruction of
was put down by K. Hen. 8. they had certain Signs painted on the walls of those Houses to be known by whereof one was a Cardinals Hat as J. Stow reports Now let us return to the signification of Blood CHAP. XVI IT will not I suppose be denied that the Apostolical Council did forbid the Eating of Blood so as is said And that the Apostles and the Converted Jews and the Christian Gentiles did abstain from blood by vertue of this Decree Add yet notwithstanding that Apostolical Constitution the Apostles themselves and other Christians did drink the Blood of Christ in that sense which Himself meant before the Sacrament John 6. And also in the Sacrament of which he said This is my Blood and Drink ye all of this All this being true and confessed we are next to enquire diligently what our Redeemer meant by this word Blood which certainly did not signifie his own very natural Blood literally and grammatically taken but some other thing which for some weighty reason he was pleased to call Blood That other thing which he meant by Blood we confidently affirm to be his Soul his Human or reasonable Soul and this we doubt not to make clear and apparent with Gods Assistance by the Holy Scripture because we find by many overtures and plain expressions that the Life or Soul in Holy Writ by the Mouth of God is called Blood At the Creation of Man God appointed to Adam and so to the Ante-diluvian Patriarks for their food only the herbs bearing seed and every tree in which is the Gen. 1. 29. fruit of a tree yielding seed But after the Flood he gave to the Patriark Noah and his Sons every Moving thing that liveth to be Gen. 9. 3. meat for them and although he gave them the flesh of his Creatures yet so early he forbad the Eating of the blood with the flesh giving this reason Flesh with the life thereof which is the Blood thereof shall you not eat V. 4 The Blood we see is there called Life although we know that Blood in propriety of speech is not the Life or Soul of Man or Beast but only signifieth the Life or Soul for one may loose some Blood by a wound or otherwise yet the life may continue and because the Soul it self is invisible therefore that which is visible is named for the Soul and because the blood is the companion and also the chariot of the Soul and because the letting out or spilling the Vital blood carrieth out with it the life and Soul therefore God presently after called Mans Blood the Blood of our lives which V. 5 he will require at the hand of every Beast and at the hand of every Man who shall commit homicide at the hand of every mans Brother will he require the life of Man by which words it appeareth that Blood and Life here signifie only the Soul In another place where Blood is forbidden it is said The life of the flesh is in the Blood and The life of all flesh is the Blood Lev. 17. 11 14 thereof and more plainly God saith The blood is for the life thereof whereby it may appear that Blood was not esteemed to be really the life or Soul but only to represent or signifie or to stand for the life or Soul St. Austin considering that place in Deut. Deut. 12. 23. where it is said Be sure thou eat not the blood for the Blood is the life saith Sanguis Cont. Adimant C. 12. T. 6 pecoris ejus anima sc in signo The blood of the creature is the Soul but only in sign he addeth Our Lord doubted not to say this is my body when he gave the sign of his Body The same Father on the like words Lev. 17. 14. saith Anima est sanguis non Aug. con Adv. legis L. 2. c. 6. quia hoc erat sed quia significabat sicut dicitur Petra est Christus Blood is the Soul not that blood is really the Soul but because blood signifieth the Soul even as St. Paul speaketh the Rock was Christ and it is usual 1 Cor. 10. 4. in Heathen Writers to put blood for the Soul and the Soul for blood as in Virgil. Purpuream vomit ille animam And Virg. Aen. 9. Sanguine quaerendi reditus Animâque litandum As Hugo Grotius hath observed to be frequent Grot. de Satisf n. 10. 14. that because that Blood is instead or place of the Soul often put therefore it is called the Soul so that by offering the blood of Beasts they meant the life or Vital blood of those Creatures killed and sacrificed When the Scripture saith Whoso sheddeth Mans blood by Man shall his blood be shed Gen. 9. 6. every one knows that by shedding of Blood in that place is meant the taking away a Mans life Est animae non parcere Isych in Lev. saith Isychius upon these words Judas said I have sinned in betraying Innocent Mat. 27. ◠Blood he meant his betraying his Masters life to death The Jews said His Blood be 25. upon us and our children that is let his death or murther be laid to our charge The Apostle saith to his Hebrews Ye have not yet Heb. 12. ◠risisted unto Blood that is to Martyrdom or loss of your lives So when Christ spake of drinking his Blood he spake of his Soul for so his Blood signified and must necessarily be so understood But how we can be truly said to drink a Soul seeing the soul of Man is a meer Spirit and incorporeal and therefore not literally drinkable and yet that these words of Christ must really be performed How both these can stand together is next to be enquired CHAP. XVII THat the Blood of Christ in those words signifieth the human Soul of Christ I nothing doubt and to drink his Soul orally is as impossible as it is for us to drink his Blood literally taken which is now in Heaven therefore as I have shewed before that the Eating of his Flesh signifieth only the Union of his Flesh with our flesh so the Drinking of his Blood or Soul signifieth only the union of his Soul with our Souls which two Unions viz. of our flesh and souls with his Flesh and Soul are so necessary in order to the redemption of our bodies by his Body and of our souls by his Soul that otherwise we could not with Justice be redeemed by him This Union which seemeth so secret and mysterious is declared to us by Christ in this Figurative or Metaphorical speech of Drinking his Blood which is all one as if he had said except my Soul be united with your Souls so as that wine which you drink for your food and nourishment is turned into your Blood and then is joyned and united with your Persons and becomes One with you otherwise your Souls cannot be redeemed by me for the word Blood signifies the Soul of Christ and drinking his Blood
eat bread therefore the mother doth first digest and so incarnate the bread and uniteth it with her own body and of it by her mild and tender Breast she produceth milk by which the Infant is mediatly so fed with the said bread Such is the Union of the Flesh of Christ with our flesh because both he and we received our flesh from that one Original lump of the first Man wherein both he and we were united and thereby he and we became one Body just as our food becomes one flesh and one body with that Body of ours which we had before any new Addition was made to it by any new food which is the reason why the Scripture accounteth Christ and his Members to be but one Body as the Apostle saith We being many are one Ro. 12. 5. 1 Cor. Body in Christ and We are the Body of Christ and Members in particular and Ye are all one in Christ Jesus and We are Members 12. 27. Gal. 3. 28 Eph. 5. 30 of his body of his flesh and of his bones By vertue of this Union the obedience of Christ both Active and Passive is and justly may be accounted ours because Christ and his Members are One. And for this consideration only and for this resemblance only Christ said of the Sacramental Bread This is my Body which is given for you Likewise of the Wine Christ said This is my Blood Drink ye all of this We know that by Blood the life or soul is signified as is before proved therefore the Sacramental Wine represented his Soul the Wine which we drink as well as the Bread which we eat becomes our nourishment and so unites it self with our Persons and grows into one bulk with us and is really one with us and thereby it becomes to us such as the Soul of Christ is already to us for our souls and the Soul of Christ are really united because his Soul and our souls and the souls of all our Ancestors and Posterities ever were and still will be derived and propagated from that one Original Soul of the first Man in whose Soul at its very Creation and Insufflation the Soul of Christ and all our Souls are virtually included and united Therefore surely the meaning of those words of Christ must be this that his Soul and our Souls must have been so united as well as his Flesh and our flesh that so he may be fitly the Redeemer both of our Bodies and of our Souls for certainly no man can have Redemption by him except as a necessary Preparative thereunto he be really united with him both in Flesh and in Soul which is that very thing which Christ called the Eating of his Flesh and Drinking his Blood This Doctrine is not new but hath been long ago taught by the School in those times when Truth might be declared without danger of the Fagot For Pet. Lombard Sent. 4. Dist 11. about the year of Christ 1150. which was before Transubstantiation was established in the Church of Rome thus writeth Christ saith he took on himself the whole Nature of Man that he might redeem the whole Man therefore his Assumption is celebrated in the Holy Supper by the two Elements of Bread and Wine Panis ad carnem refertur Vinum ad Animam ut animae carnis susceptio in Christo utriusque liberatio in nobis significetur The Bread representeth the Flesh and the Wine the Soul that thereby the Assuming of a Body and a Soul by Christ and the Deliverance or Redemption of our Bodies and Souls by him may be signified So Clemens Romanus long before Christus dedit carnem suam pro carne nostra animam suam pro anima nostra vid. f. n. 3. in Clem. Rom. Those that imagin that the Sacramental Chalice representh only the Blood of Christ and that those words of Christ This is my Blood signified only the meer natural Blood of Christ Grammatically properly and literally taken such do greatly err and mistake the Mystery for this cannot possibly be the meaning thereof because as is before said his meer Blood was not Redemptive for the Act of Redemption consisted Sup. cap. 14. only in the powring out his precious Life and Soul for us so that by the Blood the Soul must needs be meant and the Sacramental Wine must needs relate to the Life or Soul of Christ Those likewise that teach the withholding of the Sacramental Chalice from the People or Lay-Communicants do misunderstand the meaning thereof they pretend that after the pronouncing of the words of their Consecration the Wine is not Wine for that the substance of Wine is quite gone and annihilated leaving nothing behind but only the meer Accidents viz. the colour taste and quantity of the Wine but not the Wine it self and that the Chalice doth contain only the Blood of Christ instead of the Wine and because they make the People believe that in their little Wafer-Host the whole Christ is contained viz. his Body and Blood therefore in Receiving the Host they receive both the Flesh and the Blood by Concomitancy But herein they err in that they think that by the word Blood only meer blood is meant which indeed doth signifie not literally Blood but the Soul of Christ in which Soul if the People do not really Communicate that is if their Souls be not really united with the Soul of Christ they cannot be in a full capacity of the Redemption of their souls by his Soul Besides what need was there that Christ should require with the Eating of his flesh particularly as another thing the Drinking of his Blood if by Blood he had meant only meer Blood seeing that the living Flesh of Christ must needs include his Blood as themselves acknowledge The laborious and tedious Disputes of Divines of contrary Persuasions in Religion concerning the presence of Christ in the Sacrament whether it be a carnal and corporal Presence or only a Spiritual Presence I conceive with submission to Superiors to have been as needless as we have found them to be fruitless and endless their various glosses upon the Scriptural words in that business have more obscured the question as Origen said of the Exposition of a passage of St. Paul Hic sermo non sui nanatura Orig. in Ro. 12. 16 sed interpretatione obscurior fact us est And Maldonate a learned Jesuit of Mald. in Lu. 2. 34. late observed concerning a place in St. Luke Nescio an facilior hic locus fuisset si nemo eum exposuisset They both conclude that some Scriptures would be more easily understood if Expositors had not too much tampered with them and so verily I think of those words which mention the Eating and Drinking the Flesh and Blood of Christ The real and true Presence of the Flesh and Blood or Soul of Christ is not to be thought to be in the Elements or Sacramental signs of Bread and Wine neither is there
CHRISTOPHAGIA The MYSTERY of Eating the Flesh AND Drinking the Blood OF CHRIST And the Modus or Manner thereof DISCOVERED Joh. 6. 53. Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Tale tuum Corpus nobis Divine Redemptor Quale est corporibus Panis Vinumque Virorum Cento Virgâ—liâ—nus Eclog. 5. Si quid novisti rectiùs istis Candidus imperti Si non his utere mecum Hor. By ED M. PORTER D. D. and Prebend of Norwich London Printed by Tho. Nemcomb for Tho. Collins at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1680. TO THE READER IT pleased his Gracious K. Charl. II. Majesty in his Royal Prudence and Piety by His Declaration of Octob. 14. in the 14 Year of His Reign to direct his Clergy of this Realm to insist chiefly in their Ordinary Sermons on Catechistical Doctrines Which gracious Directions if obeyed and performed may with Gods Assistance produce tranquillity and peace in this Church and increase knowledge and comfort in the People Of all those weighty fundamental Doctrines none is more desirable and comfortable than that of the Sacred Eucharist if it may be rightly understood which upon serious consideration and in our time hath been added to our elder Catechism about sixty years since by the Authority of our then Royal Beauclerk King JAMES of ever happy Memory And yet at this day no one part of all those necessary Doctrines is less apprehended or understood by the People That Question which the Jewish Disciples moved How can this Man John 6. give us his Flesh to eat hath never yet been so fully and clearly answered but that People are still to seek and it is too evidently perceived that they do not understand one half of that Mystery Neither do we much marvel thereat because indeed the whole Christian World both anciently and also in our days hath been not only exceedingly exercised but also seem to have been posed in that Mysterious question as may appear by the multitude of Books published upon that Subject both by the Fathers and also since by many Learned men of the Reformed Unreformed Churches wherein many passages of the Fathers are produced which are so mysticall and ambiguous that Men of contrary Persuasions challenge their authorities to assert their differing Interests Yet of the multitude of Quotations out of the Fathers by Cardinal Bellarmine not one doth fully reach or extend to and clearly prove the new doctrine of Transubstantiation neither is that word found in any of those ancient Fathers by him alledged nor doth the Modus or manner of Eating the Flesh of Christ appear to have been defined or described by them although we find the words Mutation Conversion Transformation Transfiguration and Transelementation often used by them in the Question of the Eucharist which come not home to the newer Invention of Transubstantion The misunderstanding of those former words hath been long ago blown off by the Reformed Writers and the observation of Origen did very early and timely preclude the dangerous acception of those ambiguous passages which dropt from the Pens of the Fathers who on the 10. Chapter of Leviticus and in the 7th Homily saith Est in Evangelio litera quae occidit eum qui non Orig. in Lev. n. 7. spiritualiter advertit ut nisi manducaveritis carnem meam c i. There is even in the Gospel a Letter which killeth him who doth not consider it to be spiritually meant Except ye eat thâ— Flesh of the Son of Man c. Many Sentences are found in thâ— Fathers which are doubtfull and seem so near the brink that many Learneâ— men by misunderstanding them havâ— fal'n into the ditch St. Cyprian or some other under Cyp. de Coena his name had written Deus usque hodiè corpus suum creat That God unto this day doth stil create his own Body And Panis iste non effigie sed natura mutatus factus caro i. that the Sacramental Bread is changed not in shape but in is nature and is made Flesh After him St. Hilary saith Nos vere Hil. de Trin. l. 8. verbum carnem cibo Dominico sumimus that Communicants do truly receive the Word made Flesh in the Lords Supper After him St. Ambrose said Sermo Ambr. de Sacram. l. 4. c. 4. Christi mutat species elementorum And Panis iste ubi accesserit Consecratio fit corpus Christi i. That the words of Christ did change the Sacramental Elements so that by the words of Consecration the Bread is made the Body of Christ After him St. Chrysâ—stome said Christus Chrys Hom. 2. Antioch carnem suam nobis reliquit ipsam habens ascendit That Christ left his Flesh with us and yet took it with him when he Ascended But the words of St. Cyril if they Cyril Hieros Myst 4. be his own seem more harsh than the former and require a more charitable gloss to reconcile them with the truth of this Mystery where he saith Christus ut aquam in vinum mutabat in nuptiis sic vinum in Sanguinem transtulisse credendus est in Coena And addeth Panis qui videtur non est panis nec Vinum vinum sed Sanguis Christi i. As Christ turned water into wine John 2. at the Marriage so it is to be believed that he turned wine into Blood at his last Supper wherein that which seemeth Bread is not Bread nor is the Wine Wine but it is the Blood of Christ If these Fathers by these words meant only a Sacramental change of the Elements viz. of the use name signification and operation of them we willingly assent but if they meant a real change of the matter substance or essence of those Creatures we utterly dissent As for those words of Mutation before mentioned which are used in this question both by the Latine and Greek Fathers we say that the word Transformatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth but a new formality or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or consideration and account put upon the Holy Bread although it continueth in its own substance bread As when of cloth a Gown is made or of wood a Chair or of gold a Ring the substances of Cloth Wood and Gold still remain although a new name or appellation is put on them So the word Transfiguration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used because the elements by Dedication or Consecration to so great holy an use are made more than they were naturaly of themselves before and are considered not as only meer Bread and Wine but as figures and Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Christ and this by Consecration or Sacramental constitution not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the word Transelementation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be meant and understood of the advancement preferment or dignity added to the Elements of
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
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
in the Primitive times of the Church which depraved the Doctrine of the Incarnation of Christ and thereby greatly disturbed even nulled the Doctrine of Redemption and therefore the Fathers took special notice of them and strongly confuted them 1. The ancient Heresie of the Valentinians Epiph. haer 31. was that the Flesh of Christ came from Heaven and only passed through the Womb of the Virgin Mary as water through a conduit pipe But the Angel said to her Thou shalt Lu. 1. 31. conceive in thy womb and her Cozen Elizabeth being then inspired by God said to her Blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb therefore 42. if Christ were Conceived and were the Fruit of the womb he surely was not only a Passenger or only as a Traveller in an Inn or as a Guest or Stranger but he is expresly called a Son which could not be if he were not bred in the Virgins womb 2. Apelles and his Sect said that Christ Epiph. haer 44. made himself a Body of the Elements and that he did not receive his Flesh from the Virgin 3. The Manichees said that the flesh and Aug. epist 74. body of Christ was not a true and real body and flesh but only a similitude or shape thereof and a meer Phantasm They confessed him to be God but denied that he was Man contrary to the blasphemy of the Jews who knew him to be a Man but would not confess or believe that he was God 4. Some Anabaptists also in the former Pat. Symson cent 16. Century sprang up in Germany who said That Christ took not his flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary but brought them with him from Heaven Those Anabaptists fell into this Heresie by misunderstanding som passages of Scripture where it is said The Son of Man Joh. 3. 13 6. 38. came down from Heaven and where Christ said of himself I came down from Heaven And where St. Paul said The Second Man is the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. Apollinarius dixit carnem Christi ab aeterno fuisse de coelo descendisse Soz. l. 6. c. 27. But those sayings which are meant properly of the Godhead of the Son of Man yet are also truly said of the whole Person of Christ by an Antidosis or communication of Properties as Divines call it which consisteth in this That the two distinct Natures in Christ viz. the Godhead and the Manhood do both of them communicate their several properties each to other by reason of the Union of those two distinct Natures in that one Person of Christ Hence it is that the Scripture so speaketh of the Person of Christ They crucified the Lord of Glory And the blood of 1 Cor. 2. 8 Acts 20. 28. Acts 3. 15 Christ is called the Blood of God And the Jews are said to have crucified the Prince of Life And of the Thief Christ said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23. 43. yet Christ himself was not then in Paradise as Man but only as God In the same sense the words of Christ above-mentioned are to be understood The Son of Man came from Heaven which is true because the same Son of Man was also the Son of God and the only God who indeed came down from Heaven Not only the Hereticks but the Heathens also depraved and obscured the Doctrine of Redemption by affirming that Men at first sprang out of Trees or grew out of the Earth Rupto robore nati Juvenal Sat. 6. Compositique luto nullos habuere parentes And the Jews also said that God made at first two Women for Adam although we find but one and her taken out of the side of the first Man flesh of his flesh the other must have been otherwise made whereupon the Jews feigned Genealogies as derived from the womb of the second Woman which are those Genealogies which St. Paul called vain as St. Austin thought Aug. To. 6. n. 16. 1 Tim. 1. 4. which Jewish fiction depraved the doctrine of our Union with Christ and consequently of universal Redemption of Mankind because that Work was limited and confined to the Seed of Eve who was that Woman whose Seed should bruise the serpents head who was the only Woman that was taken out of Adams side and all Nations of men with Christ also have proceeded from the loins and womb of that one Man and that one Woman This necessary Vnion was intimated by the Prophets and also by the Apostle by the similitude of earthen Vessels and of bread The Potter hath power over the clay of the same lump to make one Vessel to honour Isa 45. 9. Jer. 18. 6. Ro. 9. 21. 2 Cor. 4. 7. another to dishonour and St. Paul calleth our bodies earthen Vessels Christ also and his Members are resembled to Bread in respect of their Union and communion one with the other The Bread which we break 1 Cor. 10. 16. is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread The similitude holds in this that as many earthen Vessels are made out of one lump of clay and many Breads or loaves out of one dough or lump of Past wherein they were first united before they were extracted and severally formed just so all Men in the world with Christ himself were at first united in that one lump or mass of the first Man before they were extracted of which Union St. Paul saith that God hath made of one blood whatever blood signifieth all Nations of Acts 17. 26 Men. CHAP. VIII THe Eating of the flesh of Christ certainly signifieth only the Vnion of our flesh with his Flesh which Vnion was from Eternity designed by the Godhead in his mercifull purpose towards Mankind his future and intended Creatures as hath been before shewed But then if so we are next to enquire why it pleased our Redeemer to express and declare this Vnion by such seeming-harsh and tragical Words of Eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood which if literally and grosly understood of Oral eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Man are such things as all civilized People both Christians and Heathens abhor and those that have been observed so to do as Pliny writeth of the ancient and rude Plin. hist lib. 7. c. 2. Scythians are branded with a character of barbarous savageness and inhumanity as Plutarch and Salust noted of the Catilinarian Plut. in vit Cicer. Salust de bel Catil conspirators that they entred a wicked Covenant by a bloody ceremony of killing a man and tasting of his flesh and drinking of his blood mingled with Wine and St. Jerom writeth that himself saw Hier. con Jovin l. 2. c. 5. barbarous People in France feeding on human flesh The Answer hereunto is That our Saviour therefore chose this similitudinary way to express our Union with himself because he
did just so perform that great Work Well might St. Paul say We preach Christ crucified the Power of God and 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. the Wisdome of God Christ signifieth God yet not only his pure Godhead but as God is Incarnate and made Man The Wisdom of his Godhead appointed this way of ransoming the whole World from death by the death of one Man and the Power of his Godhead enabled and impowred one Man to perform that Work with full satisfaction to Divine Justice When Christ had miraculously cured a Paralitick St. Matthew tells us that the multitude glorified God Mat. 9. 8. which had given such power unto Men and we for weightier reasons shall be ever obliged to say Glory and honour and thanks be to the Son of God for so enabling and impowering the Son of Man Thus far we have proceeded in shewing the Modus or way which we conceive of the Eating the flesh of Christ If this Exposition be approved which is easily understood it will quit us from the multitude of impossibilities and the Labyrinth of subtilties and intricacies wherein that other way of Transubstantiation hath entangled many Learned men for mine own part I am persuaded that if this way which I have here described be slighted we shall never by any other way attain to any certain or but probable understanding of this Mystery In the next place by Gods assistance we will endeavour to discover the other part and more difficult Mystery which is called the Drinking of the Blood of Christ My whole Design Good Reader in the former Chapters of this Book was to shew and prove the Vnion of our flesh or body with the Flesh or Body of Christ as being necessary to the Redemption of our bodies by his Body In the following Chapters I am to shew the Union of our souls with his Soul to be altogether as necessary to the Redemption of our souls by his Soul which that I may perform truly and plainly I humbly implore the Divine and Illuminating assistance of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus our Blessed Redeemer CHAP. XIV The Blood of Christ THe Words of Christ which concern and import the Drinking of his Blood John 6. are meant and are to be understood in like manner as we said of Eating his Flesh for both those expressions signifie only the Vnion of our flesh and blood with the Flesh and Blood of Christ or with that which is by him called his Blood For the word Blood hath a more high and noble signification in that speech of Christ than the outward and literal sound expresseth for to drink his Blood literally and grosly understood is as impossible as unprofitable for us as hath been before shewed of the Oral eating of his Flesh Besides if we will suppose it possible whilest he conversed with Men on Earth or at the time of his death the real shedding of his Blood we say that in that time the eating or drinking of Blood was forbidden by God in the Jewish Law and afterwards Lev. 17. Acts 15. by the Apostles in the Gospel therefore certainly in those words of Christ some other thing is meant by Blood which liteterall and properly is not very Blood The blessed Virgin Mary and Mary Cleophas and John 19. Mary Magdalen and St. John the Evangelist stood by the Cross when Christ was crucified and although his Blood trickled down from his Hands and Feet and Side yet there was no care taken by any of those holy and zealous Persons to catch or preserve his Blood in any vessel for any present or future use which would not have been so carelesly neglected if the Oral and literal Drinking thereof had been profitable or usefull therefore surely there is some other mystical meaning of Drinking his Blood Mr. Fox reporteth that one Johannes de Mountziger wrote that Christ Act. Mon. sub Edw. 3. n. 38. at his Resurrection resumed to himself all the Blood which he had shed in his Passion the Writer it seems thought that the stock of his Blood needed to be carefully husbanded for if at this day his Blood were literally and orally to be received by Communicants how many Tunn of blood would be sufficient to Communicate the whole Christian World But the word Drink and the word Blood signifie something else and not as they sound as is next to be shewed Of the word Drink We know that this Word hath other significations in the Holy Scriptures besides oral Drinking for Christ himself when he said If any man thirst let him come to me Joh. 7. 37 and drink he did not mean or intend it of any oral Drinking as the same Evangelist immediately thus declareth saying This he spake of the Spirit which they that believe 39. on him should receive Surely no Beleever can orally Drink the Spirit or Holy Ghost So when Christ was apprehended by the Souldiers and St. Peter attempted to rescue him Christ declared that he would not be rescued saying The cup which my John 18. 11. Father giveth me shall I not drink it This cup and this drinking he meant of his Passions and that speech also when he prayed saying O my Father if it be possible Matth. 26. 39. let this cup pass from me and when he foretold some of his Disciples that they should drink of the same cup that he drank of he Mar. 10. 39. meant it of his own and of their Passions we read of drinking Iniquity and of drinking Job 15 16. 21. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wrath of the Almighty The old Greek Poet Anacreon phansied that the Sun drinketh the Sea and that the Moon drinketh the Sun The Sun and Moon properly do not drink neither are Iniquity wrath of God persecutions and passions such things as Men can properly be said to drink Orally therefore surely these speeches are but figurative and by them we are to understand some other way of Drinking which is not Oral Of the word Blood Neither is the word Blood in that speech of Christ to be taken or understood properly and literally according to the meer Grammatical signification thereof as if Christ had intended that Men should drink his very Blood this could not be his meaning as may appear by these Reasons following First Because as is beforesaid Blood was forbidden in the Old Testament Flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof Gen. ◠4. ye shall not eat this inhibition was by God afterwards by Moses being directed by God He that eateth any manner of Blood Lev. 17. 10. I will cut him off from among his People This Judaical and Ceremonial Law was in force at that time when Christ spake those words Secondly Because Blood was forbidden in the New Testament by that holy and unerring Council of the Apostles assisted by the Spirit of their Master Jesus It seemeth Acts 15. 28. good to the Holy Ghost and us
not their breasts or faces or hands and this they did because in those Parts their lust or concupiscence appeared for before their Fall lust had not entred into them neither had the Man known the Woman till after the Fall which is noted first Gen. 4. 1. where it is first said Adam knew Eve his Wife and she Gen. 4. 1. conceived and bare Cain who was the First-fruit of their Concupiscence Afterwards it is said Adam begot a Child in his own likeness Gen. 5. 3. and called his name Seth that is in a condition of sin like unto his Father for although Seth was a good Son yet he as much as his brother Cain was begotten in sin in lust and concupiscence wherein also all the succeeding Generations from Adam and Eve unto this day are begotten viz. in lust and concupiscence And this Concupiscence is that Original sin whereof the Psalmist saith I was shapen in iniquity Psal 51. 5 and in sin did my Mother conceive me The Apostle saith the same of all Men in consideration of this Original sin Death passed Ro. 5. 12. on all Men for that all have sinned Divers Expositors put this gloss upon those words excepto Christo they meant that all have sinned except only Christ which is true and may thus be cleared The Generation of Christ was far different from all other Generations of Mankind for it was without Copulation and carnal Concupiscence because he was born of a Virgin without the Cooperation of Man which was so designed by the Godhead on purpose to preserve the most holy Body and Soul of the Redeemer without sin which being of so great concernment for our comfort to be known was foretold by God himself first then by his Prophets then by his Angel The Seed of the Woman must bruise the Serpents head no Gen. 3. 15 mention of a Man Behold a Virgin shall conceive Isa 7. 14. Jer. 31 22. and bear a Son And The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth a Woman shall compass a Man 1. A Woman only without a Man 2. Created therefore it was the Extraordinary and Omnipotent work of the Creator 3. A new thing for it never was so before with any Woman nor will ever be so again 4. To compass a Man 1. to inclose a Man-child in the womb of a Woman and she a Virgin utterly unknown by Man this is the peculiar Work of the Godhead Although Turks say they have always such Births among them therefore Christs Birth of the Virgin was no Balaeus n. 54. Hier. con Jovinian n. 14. Mat. 1. Luke 1. marvel So Buddas the Indian was falsly said to be the Son of a Virgin This Prophetical Woman was the blessed Virgin Mary who was declared by the Heavenly Angel Gabriel to be a pure Virgin after her Espousals and after the Conception and after the Birth of her Son Jesus And because the Mother of the Redeemer was necessary to have been a Virgin therefore all our Church Creeds declare the same That Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary That he was Incarnate by the Symb. Apostol Nicaen Athanas Ambros Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary That he was Man of the Substance of his Mother and in the Symbolical Hymn of S. Ambrose and St. Austin it is said of him When thou tookest upon thee to deliver Man thou didst not abhor the Virgins Womb. In all these notice is given of the Woman and Virgin without any mention of Man the Redeemer was to be answerable to Melchisedech Heb. 7. 3. Aug. To. 7. n. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Austin saith Sine Matre Deus sine Patre Homo he was God from Eternity of the Substance of the Father but Man of the Substance of his Virgin Mother only from whom he received both his Fesh and Soul CHAP. XXV IT being granted or presumed that Christ received both his Flesh and his Soul from the blessed Virgin Mother and she hers from our first Parents We are yet farther to enquire how his Flesh and Soul Dominicani Franciscani differunt in hac r◠could be free from that Original sin except we will also grant that his Mother was conceived without sin which I suppose no Learned or but Intelligent Divine will affirm it being accounted by St. Austin one of the Pelagian Herisies who yet refused Aug. cont Pelag. T. 7. n. 50. to dispute against her in that Question Propter honorem Domini as he saith Our Answer is that although Christ derived both his Flesh and his Soul from the Virgin and although his Virgin Mother was certainly conceived in sin and therefore not without Original sin during her whole life yet Christ did not with his Flesh and Soul derive any sin from her because he was not by her conceived in sin viz. in lust or concupiscence For Original sin is Aug. T. 3. N. 73. not derived into us by receiving our Flesh and our Souls from our Mothers but only by concupiscence and lust whereby ordinary Conceptions are produced But Christ was conceived of the Virgin by the Holy Ghost without man and so without lust and therefore without any sin which is the reason rendred by S. Austin Nulla concupiscentia carnali Aug. in Enchir. T. 3. n. 58 seminatus est Christus ergo nullum peccatum Originaliter traxit i◠That because Christ was not begotten or conceived in carnal lust therefore his Conception was without sin so Isychius answereth Christi humanitas munda est ut quae non genita est ex Viri Isych in Levit. Cap. 14. immunditia Christs whole human Nature was clean because not begotten in uncleanness so that although both the Flesh and the Soul of the Virgin Mother were stained with Original sin yet the Flesh and Soul of Christ sprang from her without her sin because he was conceived without carnal Copulation and Lust Sometimes we know worms are bred in mens Bodies and derive their flesh and bulk from them yet it would be ridiculous to say or imagin that these worms draw original sin from those Human bodies because they are therein bred without any copulation or carnal concupiscence Herod was eaten of worms which were bred Acts 12. 23. in his own body yet those worms by that Generation did not derive any sin from Herod And if now any Man should be miraculously produced and formed out of another mans Body he should not thereby attract any sin because such a Production would be without copulation and lust as Aquin. 1. 2 9 81. Art 4. Orig. T. 2. N. 44. Aug. in Psal 21. Aquinas determined Origen in his 14 Homilie on St. Luke and St. Austin on the 21 Psalm and in other places both of them do expound those words of David Psal 22. 6. I am a worm and no Man to be meant of the Conception of Christ Quia vermis non aliunde sed in corpore Origo est because