VIII I. Wee must learne of Christ how he giveth himselfe and how we receiue him II. Christ giveth himselfe vnto vs by his Spirit III. To be in Christ and to haue the Spirit of Christ are equivalent in the Scriptures IV. We haue no reall vnion with Christ in the Sacraments but by the Spirit V. It is easie to the Spirit to vnite vs vnto Christ VI. We must pray for the Spirit WE shall not goe astray if in this point and all others we follow the counsell of S. x Cyrill in Ioh. lib. 4. c. 13. Quaerendum enim ita semper est vt apud cum habitemus ad alienas sententias non defer amur Cyrillus and make inquirie in such sort that we dwell with God and be not caried about with the opinions of men Papists beleeue that they must eat Christ because he hath said it We beleeue it likewise But when he telleth vs also how he giveth himselfe and how we must eate him they stop their eares and will not heare we must not doe so we must say vnto him as Samuel did to GOD y 1 Sam. 3.9 Speake Lord for thy servant heareth He of all can best tell how he giveth himselfe and how we receiue him And what he answereth to both questions must be true TO THE first he answereth in the 63. verse of this Chapter saying It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you they are Spirit and they are life i. they must be vnderstood of the spirit which is a Rom. 8.2 the Spirit of life quickning the flesh of Christ and b Aug. in Iohan. tract 27. Ergospiritus est qui viuificat Spiritus euim facit viua membra making all the members of his body to liue by a spirituall vnion with him He had said before vers 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And S. Iohn saith that c 1 Ioh. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath given vs of his Spirit It is then by the Spirit that he giveth himselfe vnto vs and dwelleth in vs. And this giving of himselfe vnto vs by his Spirit is so incompatible with his bodily presence that he averred for a most certaine truth that d Ioh. 16.7 it was expedient that he should goe away For if I goe not away said he the Cemforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And what to doe e Ioh. 14.16.17.18 To abide with you for ever And this abiding of his Spirit with vs is his abiding with vs as he saith in the next verse I will not leaue you comfortlesse I will come to you THIS IS so true that in the new Testament to be in Christ and to haue the Spirit of Christ are equivalent The Apostle averreth that f Rom. 8.9.10 if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Wherevnto he addeth If Christ be in you because Christ is not in vs but by his Spirit This vnion of Christ with vs extendeth it selfe to our bodies g 1 Cor. 6.15 Know ye not saith the Apostle that your bodies are the members of Christ If ye aske of him How He answereth h Vers 17. He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one Spirit i. e. he is made one with the Lord by the holy Spirit as he sheweth when he asketh againe i Vers 19. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye haue of God WE haue no other kinde of vnion with Christ in the Sacraments It is written of our Baptisme that k 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body because it is the Spirit that in our Baptisme incorporateth vs in Christ It is also written of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 12.13 that we haue bin all made to drinke into one Spirit because that in that holy Sacrament he giveth his body vnto vs by his Spirit Although that his body should come downe from heaven and enter into our bodies it could not vnite vs vnto him as I haue said for the flesh profiteth nothing But that which is impossible to his flesh is easie to his Spirit which if he send from heaven into our hearts it will vnite vs vnto him more truely and neerely then our soules are vnited to our bodies THIS then is the true How Christ giveth himselfe to be eaten 1. Vse wherevnto we must submit our minds and cogitations without any further inquirie following the example of the blessed Virgin who when the Angel had instructed her that l Luk. 1.35.38 the holy Ghost should come vpon her and make her to conceiue brought into captivitie all her thoughts to the obedience of the Word of GOD and said Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy Word Behold I pray you how the Sunne budgeth not out of his heavenly tabernacle and neverthelesse darting his beames from heaven to earth communicateth it selfe to all the creatures that are on earth And shall we say that m Mal. 4.2 the Sunne of righteousnesse must leaue his celestiall and glorious palace to make good the word which he hath spoken of our communion with him O blasphemy He hath said that by his Spirit he will come vnto vs and dwell with vs He will doe it as he hath said it n Luk. 1.37 For with God no word shall be impossible WHEREFORE fettering our curiositie with the shackles of the word of God let vs cry to heaven o Veni creator Spiritus Et infunde coelitus Lucis tuae radium Come O most holy and blessed Spirit into our hearts assured that if we pray so earnestly God will heare vs p Luk. 11.13 For saith Christ if ye being evill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father giue the holy Spirit to them that aske him CHAPTER IX I. We must learne of Christ himselfe how we eate him II. Such bread such eating III. Such man such eating IV. Such sences and instruments to apprehend him such eating V. Such end of our eating such eating LET Vs in the next place goe againe vnto Christ and aske and learne of him how we must eate this bread which came downe from heaven For q August in Ioh tract 27 Patitur enim nos non contradicentes sed nosse cupientes he beareth with vs when we aske of him not to contradict but to learne O ye that haue an eare to heare heare r Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God Å¿ 1 Sam. 6.19 Looke not with the men of Bethshemesh into this Arke of the Lord t Iob. 33.13 He giueth not account of any of his matters u Deut. 29.29 But
Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to doe them Vpon this ground God condemned whatsoever his people did vndertake besides his Word in things belonging to his service Dauid having a purpose to build an house to God Nathan approved it but God said vnto him b 1. Chron. 17.6 Wheresoeuer I haue walked with all Israel spake I a word to any of the Iudges of Israel saying Why haue yee not built me an house of Cedars All things amongst that people were c 1. Cor. 10.11 Heb. 10.1 types and shadowes of good things to come The Temple was to be d Ioh. 2.19.21 a type of Christ as e Heb. 9.11 12. the Tabernacle was Who then in the house of God was to be so bold as to establish a figure of the things of God a type of the Sonne of God without speciall command and direction from God When the people did set vp such Will-worship did not God hew it downe with this sharpe and heavie Axe f Esa 1.12 Who hath required this at your hand When the Iewes through a most fervent zeale vnto God built the high places of Tophet to offer vp their sonnes and their daughters to God in a burnt sacrifice this was a good reason to God why such places should be throwne downe and that vnnaturall devotion abolished that g Iere. 7.31 he commanded not any such thing neither came it into his heart Commanded it not I say in the booke of the Law h Hil. in Ps 132. Quae in libro legis nō continentur ea nec nosse debemus For the things which are not contained in the booke of the Law we should not so much as know them saith S. Hilarie For this cause the Apostle after he had declared to the Church i Act. 20.27 all the counsel of God averred that k Act. 26.22 he had taught none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come and therefore condemned all l Col. 2.23 Will-worship though it had a faire shew of wisdome and humility Thus cōparing Christ with the Angels he asketh m Heb. 1.5 Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Sonne This day haue I begotten thee And againe 13. To which of the Angels said he at any time Sit on my right hand vntil I make thine enemies thy footstoole Reasoning not onely affirmatiuely for Christ and proving that he is the Sonne of God and sitteth at his right hand because the Scripture hath said it but also negatiuely against the Angels proving that no such glory belongeth vnto them because the Scripture saith not any such thing of them This is a perpetuall most forcible manner of reasoning in all substantial points of Religion God hath said it in the Scriptures therfore we must beleeue it God hath spoken nothing of it Therfore we should not beleeue it n Athanas in epist ad Marcellinum de interpret Psal Divina Scriptura est magistra virtutis verae fidei The holy Scripture is the mistresse of vertue and of true faith which are the substantiall points of our Religion For circumstances of time place and persons haue all this generall rule o 1 Cor. 14.30 Let all things be done decently and in order the particulars whereof are committed to the wisdome of the Church OBSERVE this well against Papists who are now taught by Iesuites to aske of you Doe ye not beleeue that Purgatorie is a fable that the body of Christ is not in the Eucharist that the Masse is not a propitiatorie sacrifice that it is not lawfull to pray to the Saints which are in heaven that the Pope is not the head of the Church that there are but two Sacramēts If ye answer that ye beleeue so they intangle you with new questions asking where is it written There is no Purgatorie The Masse is not a propitiatorie sacrifice c For the obiect of your faith is not the written Word of God Neither doe ye or should ye beleeue that wherof God hath not spoken If then God hath not said that there is no Purgatorie how can yee say yee beleeue that there is none So they fetter you with sophisticall interrogations and make you to confesse against your owne profession that ye beleeue many things which are not written in the holy Scriptures Therefore ye must answer farre other-wayes and say What God hath said in the Scriptures that I beleeue What he hath not said that I beleeue not p Orig in Esa cap. 8. homil 12. Non est verbum post verbum Mosi post verbum Prophetarum multo magis post verbum Iesu Christi Apostolorum eius There is no word to be beleeved after the word of Moses after the word of the Prophets much more after the word of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles God hath not said that there is no Purgatorie that the Masse is a propitatorie sacrifice that the Pope is the head of the Church Therefore I will not say I beleeue such things are not But contrariwise I doe not beleeue such things are For where God hath not a mouth to speake I haue not an eare to heare nor a heart to beleeue nor a tongue to confesse What he hath not said in things belonging to the saluation of my soule my soule hath nothing to do with it AS IN this matter which we haue in hand I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the living bread which came downe from heaven because the Scripture saith so I beleeue not that the Saints are this bread I beleeue not that they are the least crumme of it For where the Scripture is dumbe who shall accuse me if I be deafe Where there is no word can I haue any faith seeing q Rom. 10.17 faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God As S. Iohn the Evangelist said of S. Iohn the Baptist r Ioh. 1.8 He was not that light but was sent to beare witnesse of that light and as S. Paul said of David that ſ Act. 13.36 in his owne age he served the will of God So may we say of all the Saints that are now in heaven They were not that bread but they did eate of that bread They were sent to beare witnesse of that bread but they were no part of that bread In their age they served the counsell of God beleeving preaching confessing that Christ Christ onely is the living bread If any man ascribe more vnto them then this t Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. he bringeth strange fire to the Altar of God which God commanded him not and the fire of heaven shall devoure him as it did u Leuit. 10.1.2 Nadab and Abihu And to such a man yee must say with Tertullian x Tertull. de Carne Christi cap. 7. Non recipio quod
extra Scripturam de tuo infers I receiue not that which thou bringest of thine owne invention besides the Scripture Yea as S. Iohn when he was in the world being asked who he was confessed saying y Ioh. 1.20 Ioh. 3.28 I am not the Christ I am sent before him So the blessed soules which are now in heaven if they were asked Who they are would answere We are not the living bread we are not Saviours We are come after the Saviour and are saved by him And as S. Iohn to draw away mens eyes from gazing vpon him pointed out Iesus vnto them and said a Ioh. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world So they would point at Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father and say Behold the living bread Behold the Saviour of the world And taking their harpes in their hands would joyntly fall downe before the Lambe and sing to his glory the new song which I exhort you all to sing vnto him in your hearts for conclusion of this first part of my Text b Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power c Rev. 5.8.9.10.11 For thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests THIRD CHAPTER I. Bread in the Scripture hath divers significations II. In all these significations Christ is our bread III. Similitudes most frequent in the Scripture IV. Christ did delight in similitudes V. The occasion which moved him to call himselfe Bread VI. Exhortation to an earnest desire of this Bread IT is then Christ Christ alone to whom the Scripture beareth Record that he is the living bread We are now to search in the second part of this Discourse the causes why he called himselfe bread For in all Metaphores which are Epitomes and Abridgements of Similitudes we must not so much regard whence they are taken as those doe which tie their eares to the leaues of the words as dig with our minds into the root of the reason wherefore they are vsed Bread in the Scripture hath divers literall significations When David saith that d Psal 104.14.15 God bringeth forth bread out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man it is taken in a vulgar sence which is common to all languages so is it taken in the words of the institutiō of the Lords Supper Wherein it is said that e Mat. 26.26 Iesus tooke bread When f 2 King 6.22 Elisha counselled the King of Israel to set bread and water before the Armie of the King of Syria bread is taken for meate without drinke When Iacob called his brethren g Gen. 31.54 to eate bread and they did eat bread he called them to a feast wherein there was both meate and drinke and both are signified by the word Bread When Salomon prayed to God h Pro. 30.8 to feed him with bread convenient for him When he saith that i Pro. 31.14 the vertuous woman is like the marchants ship shee bringeth her bread from a farre off When Christ hath taught vs to pray Giue vs this day our daily bread bread signifieth all things needfull for the sustenance of this our mortall life THAT which bread in all these literall sences is to our bodies the same in a spirituall sence is Iesus Christ vnto our soules The Iewes magnified much the Manna which Moses gaue to their Fathers in the Desert But although it was bread it was not drink vnto them els they had not murmured for want of water But Christ is both meate and drinke k Ioh. 6.35 I am saith he the bread of life He that commeth to me shall never hunger Ye see that he is meate And he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Ye see also that he is drinke He is bread both to be eaten to be drunke The inhabitants of the Maldiuian Isles cracke much of a tree growing every where amongst them called l Theuet Cosmograph 12 booke chap. 21. Gomarra 3. booke chap. 94. Coco the onely fruit wherof furnishes vnto them bread wine oyle vinegar sugar butter to feed them deliciously physicke to heale their diseases Hemp to make Cables and Sayles for Shippes Lint to make cloths to cover their nakednesse And the tree it selfe hath all the vses that any other tree can haue for fewell or for tymberworke m Peyrard in his nauigations 2. booke One who did liue many yeares in those Isles writeth that he saw a Shippe of two hundreth tunnes whereof all the tymber and nayles were of that tree all the Cables and Sayles were of the outward skin of the fruit thereof and the whole load was of the butter sugar vinegar wine oyle other cōmodities which that fruit doth afford And indeed it is a most wonderfull tree but not to be matched with n Rev. 2.7 the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God with our Lord Iesus Christ who is all that more then all that to our soules He is here in my Text the whole and intire food of our hungry and dryed vp soules He is not onely o Esa 53.5 the Physick out and p Esa 61.1 Mat. 9.12 the Physition of our sicke and languishing consciences He is q Rom. 13.14 the garment wherewith our nakednesse is covered and our persons are graced He is r 1. Cor. 31.11 the foundation ſ Eph. 2.20 and chiefe corner stone wherevpon we are built He is t Ion. 15.1 the Vine whereof we are the branches u Eph. 4.15 The head wherof we are the members x Ose 2.19 Eph. 5.25 The husband who hath betrothed vs y Heb. 7.22 The suretie who hath answered for vs a 1 Tim. 2.6 The ransom which hath redeemed vs b Zach. 13.1 The water which cleanseth and c Ioh. 4.10 refresheth vs d Ioh. 1.9 The true light e Mal. 4.1 the Sunne of righteousnesse which inlighteneth vs and bringeth vnto vs healing in his wings He is the Prophet who teacheth salvation The high Priest which hath mented it The King fitting at the right 〈…〉 Father who keepeth it in heaven and will giue it vnto vs. In materiall things this is one thing that is another And ye seeke this thing in one place that in another In spirituall things it is not so We haue all things in Christ Christ is all things vnto vs f Clemens Paedag. lib. 1. cap. 6. Cusan Excitat lib. 6. exserm Respice Domine Father mother pedagogue health peace loue the daily bread of the reasonable soule and all in all In a word he is salvation it selfe g 1 Cor. 1.30 For of God he is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption For this cause he is called Bread HERE
end of meate and drinke yet the preserving of this life should not be our principall care Doe ye not all know b 1. Cor. 6.13 that meates are for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them And therefore ye should all sigh and groane for a better life not of the body but of the soule not of this world but of the world to come Wherfore listen I pray you to the Sonne of God who assureth you both by his word which now I preach vnto you and by his Sacrament which after this Sermon shall be given vnto you that he is the blessed bread of that blessed life for you and vnto you Come then come to the Table of the Lord thanking him that he vouchsafeth to be your bread and crying vnto him with a more religious and holy desire then the Iewes did c Ioh. 6.34 Lord evermore giue vs this bread FOVRTH CHAPTER I. The excellency of this bread shewed by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both living and quickening II. And therefore is well translated both wayes III. Christ as he is Mediator is living in himselfe quickning vnto vs. IV. This bread is wonderfull aboue all other bread V. Exhortation to labour for this bread THis desire will increase and like a woman with childe we will more and more long after this bread if we know more clearely and fully the excellent vertue and vse of it set down in the word living For Christ saith I am the living bread according to our translation Or according to the Latin translation of d Ego sum panis vivificus Beza and e Ie suis le pain vivifiant the French translation I am the quickning bread f Cotton an plagiaire de Geneue The Iesuites of France barke most spightfully against this last translation saying that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all Greeke Authors signifieth liuing and is never taken from quickening But as we say in a common Proverbe The dog that barkes much bites but little For to discover to you their impudency both in affirming too boldly that which they know not and in denying shamelesly that which they know I. The Greeke word hath both significations in the Septuagint Interpreters whose words the Evangelists and Apostles follow when ye reade in the booke of the Psalmes g Psal 41.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord will keepe him aliue h Psal 119.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy word hath quickned me i Ver. 40.48 quicken me after thy loving kindnesse quicken me in thy righteousnesse k Psal 134.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake and other such like places the Greeke word is the same which is in this Text. 2. The words preceeding and following doe shew that living signifieth quickening In the 33. verse he saith The bread of God is he which commeth downe from heaven and giveth life vnto the world In the 35 verse he saith I am the bread of life He is so called saith l Tolet. 161. Dicitur panis vitae quia alio viuere facit Tolet because he maketh others to liue The words following He that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall neuer thirst are an evident proofe that it is so In my Text he saith I am the living bread which came down from heauen and addeth in the second part of the verse If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever calling this bread Living because it maketh them that eate it liue for ever In the 57. verse He saith in the same sence He that eateth me even he shall liue by me 3. Many Roman Doctors Thomas Aquinas and Ferus two learned Monkes Ianssenius Emmanuel Sa Maldonat Tolet Iesuits writ vpon this Text that m Vivus pro vivificans Living is put for Quickening 4. But the Iesuites now adayes feare leaft Christ be called quickning in this verse because they expound it and all the verses following of the bodily presence of CHRIST in the Eucharist wherein they confesse that he is not quickning seeing in the Sacrament not onely many wicked men but also rats mice wormes dogs asses toads often eate him and are not quickened by him Which saying is a most horrible blasphemy WHAT then Doe I condemne our own translation God forbid The Greeke word signifieth living And is not Christ living If he were not living how could he giue life n Cusan Excit lib. 5. ex Serm. Nou in solo pane vivit bomo Panis qui noÌ„ vivit non vivificat For the bread which liveth not cannot giue life Therefore our translation is good and on it dependeth the truen of the French translation as the effect on the cause And as the first excludeth not the last â—o the 〈…〉 the first is the cause is included in the effect and the word Living signifieth both and must signifie both that the words of our 1. 1 dol Sariour may be found true For what comfort should it be vnto vs that Christ liveth in vs if he did not quicken vs And this is the drift of this whole Chapter to shew that he liveth in all them that eate him and giveth eternall life to all those in whom he liveth least we should thinke him to be like vnto o Iudg. 14.8 the swarme of Bees which did liue and make honey in the carkasse of the Lyon which Sâ—â—pson had killed but did not giue life to the Lyon War doe we fight for a word when no Christian dare deny but that Christ is both living and quickning It is safer for vs to consider how Christ is living wherefore he is so called If ye consider him as he is p Ioh. 1.1.4 the Word which was in the beginning i.e. as he is true God coessentiall and coeternall to his Father in him was life He was living formally For in God to liue and to be are one thing But in this sence we are all strangers from God For what communion can carkasses dead in sin as we are all by nature haue with God who liveth for ever ever Therefore he speaketh of himselfe as he q Ioh. 6 27.5â— is the Sonne of man that is to say the Mediator between God man for so is the Mediator called by r Dan. 7.13 Daniel or as Å¿ 1. Tim. 3.16 God made manifest in the flesh For as he is the Sonne of man or as he is Mediator between God and man the Father hath given him to haue life in himselfe not to keepe it to himselfe but to communicate it to all the members of his mystical body This is cleare by his owne words in the fist chapter of this Gospel where first he sheweth that he giveth life saying t Ioh. 5.21.25.26 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickneth them even so the Sonne quickneth
them whom he will And again Verily verily I say vnto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Secondly he rendreth this reason why he giveth life to the dead For as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe As the Sunne hath light the fire heat a Well-spring water in themselues not for themselues but for the vse of man and beast So Christ hath life in himselfe that he may giue life vnto vs. For this cause he is called liuing first subiectiuè because he hath life in himselfe Secondly effectiuè because he hath it not for himselfe but giveth it to all those that haue him as S. Iohn saith u 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life Even as the scripture calleth x Gen. 26.19 a Well of living water that which having abundance of water in it selfe springs and flowes and runnes and imparts it selfe vnto all O MOST wonderfull and powerfull bread No other bread hath life in it selfe This hath No other bread giveth life This doth No other bread is a preservatiue against death This is All other bread y Ioh. 6.27 perisheth This endureth vnto euer lasting life Not only it liveth in it selfe but also it maketh to liue eternally the soules of all those that eate it and shall at the last day of the world quicken the bodies of all those whose soules it hath quickened in this world as he saith a Ioh. 6.54 Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day His flesh and his bloud or rather he himselfe by tearing his flesh and renting it from his soule He by shedding his bloud in his death is the living bread b Cusan Excit lib. 4. ex Sermone Qui manducat Ipse est qui est dator vitae conservator Quare est panis vitae giuer and keeper of life and therefore most worthily called the bread of life RIGHT HONORABLE Reverend Worshipfull and beloved Auditours remember I pray you the exhortation of our Saviour to the Iewes of Capernaum and c Ioh. 6.27 labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth vnto everlasting life Alas it is a pitifull spectacle to behold how men labour for the meate which perisheth d Ps 127.2 they rise vp early they sit vp late they eate the bread of sorrowes e Matth. 15.17 It entreth in at the mouth it goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught If men labour exceeding hard for such bread how should we labour for this living bread Not to purchase it for it groweth not in the earth it is not sold in the Shambles it is not to be bought in the Shops But to reach vnto it where it is but to receiue it where and when it is offered It is offered every where in the towne in the fields in our houses in our closets But namely in the Church when the Gospell is preached and particularly when the blessed Sacrament is given as to you this day The preaching of the Gospell is f Exod. 25.23 the golden Table wherevpon this shew bread is set This holy Sacrament is as it were g Ve. 29.30 the golden dish wherein it is offered vnto vs. We know what we must doe to receiue the outward Sacrament h Panem domini the bread of the Lord If we receiue it from the hand of the Minister for he is no better then i Ioh. 6.32 Moses who gaue not the true bread from heaven When we haue received it we eat◠it we let it downe into out stomacks we disgest it Nothing is more easie But 〈◊〉 receiue k Panem dominum the bread which is the Lord another worke more difficult is required l Ioh. 6.29 This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent Your soules must goe vp to heaven There the Table is covered There is the bread which is the Lord set vpon the Table of the Mercie of God There God the Father giveth it by his eternall will and decree There the Sonne giveth it by his merite and consent There the holy Ghost taketh it as it were in his hands entreth with it into your hearts and offereth it vnto your famished soules The Cherubims and Seraphims stand by and wonder Send your faith thither and there your faith shall receiue it This is the worke which God commandeth 1 Ioh. 3.23 This is the worke which God himselfe worketh in you Eph. 1.3 Phil. 1.29 This is the worke which if ye want all your workes are sinnes Rom. 14.23 and it is impossible that yee should please God Heb. 11.6 Which if ye haue by it Iesus Christ will dwell in you Eph. 3.17 and liue in you and quicken you so sensibly that ye shall say as truely as S. Paul said m Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I but Christ liveth in me And this life of Christ or Christ living in you shall be so powerfull in you that as n 1. Kings 19.20 Elijah by the strength of that bread and of that water which the Angel of God prepared for him went fortie dayes and fortie nights without hunger without thirst without wearinesse till he came vnto Horeb the Mount of God So by the vertue of this living bread which no Angel of God but o Luk 2.31 God himselfe hath prepared ye shall walke couragiously and constantly all the dayes of your life till ye come to the kingdome of heaven where ye shall p Mat. 8.11 sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and there be abundantly satisfied with these q Ps 16.11 pleasures which are at the right hand of God for evermore FIFT CHAPTER I. Christ came not downe from heaven as man II. Neither as God by a locall motion III. Neither as sent and approved of God IV. But as God incarnate V. Three commings of Christ VI. What should be the order of our conceptions concerning Christ WE HAVE yet the last part of my text to consider concerning the cause of the excellency of this bread For ye may aske how any bread can be so excellent that it liveth or so powerfull that quickneth And certainely no other bread can But this can because it came downe from heaven What is the meaning of these words Valentin said that he brought his body from heaven But that is false For the Scripture beareth record that r Heb. 2.16 he tooke on him the seed of Abraham ſ Rom. 1.3 was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and t Luk. 1.27.35 was borne of the Virgin Mary IF any say that his divine nature came from heaven by a locall motion That also is false u Iere. 23.24 Doe I not fill
downe from heaven WHEN we call to minde the end of his comming When we heare now that he is come from heaven to be our bread to be the salvation of our soules When that truth shall be confirmed vnto vs in the Sacrament if we be not more insensible then stones and rocks we shall all acknowledge our great indignitie all cry vnto God with David r Psal 144.3 Lord what is man that thou takest knowledg of him Or the sonne of man that thou makest account of him When King David called Mephibosheth to eat bread at his table continually Mephibosheth bowed himselfe and said ſ 2 Sam. 9.7.8 What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke vpon a dead dog such as I am confessing his owne vnworthinesse although he was a Kings sonne How much more should we t Eph. 2.3 who are by nature the children of wrath acknowledge our selues to be worse then dead dogs when the King of Kings not onely calleth vs to eat bread at his table but also offereth himselfe vnto vs to be our bread Certainly we should u Origin homil 6. in diversos follow the laudable custom of the auncient Church on the Communion day and say vnto him as the Centurion did x Mat. 8.8 Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my rooffe Thus farre should goe our humilitie TRVE humilitie is the mother of obedience Behold saith he I stand at the doore and knocke y Rev. 3.20 If any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come to him sup with him and he with me When he knocketh shall I refuse to open vnto him because I am not worthy that he should come vnto me z Ioh. 1.11 He came to his owne That was mercie For they were not worthy that he should come vnto them And his owne received him not That was sinne As he said a Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had not had sinne but now they haue no cloake for their sinne b Mat. 22.1 The great King made the mariage of his Sonne and sent his servants to call them that were biddē to the wedding That was favour And they would not come That was ingratitude Therefore he was wroth against them and desiroyed them But he gaue good intertainment to the poore blind maimed halt that came For although they were not worthy to be called he was worthy to be obeyed We we are to day those ghefts too too vnworthy to sit at his Table and to eat of his Supper But seeing he saith this day to my sinfull soule as he said once to the Publicane and great sinner c Luk. 19.5 Zacheus To day I must abide at thy house I le make hast as Zacheus did I le leape downe from the Sycomore of pride I le run home with the seete of faith and of obedience to prepare the lodging of my soule for the Lord of glory I le receiue him ioysully into the house of mine heart And he will say to my soule This day salvation is to come to this house O eternall wisedome of the Father thou cryest vnto vs to day d Pro. 9.5 Come eat of my bread and drinke of the wine which I haue mingled O glorious spoufe of the Church thou vouch safest to be our e Cant. 5.1 honey combe and our honey our wine our milke and our bread and thou cryest againe vnto vs Eate O friends drinke abundantly O beloved In this blessed Sacrament thou sayest the third time f Mat. 26.26.27 Take eate This is my body drinke ye all of it This is my bloud And shall we not obey thee Shall we not follow the example of Mephibosheth Shall we not accept with reverence and thankesgiving the honour of thy Table and the benefit of thy meat Papists call not this pride it is humilitie call it not presumption It is obedience WE WHICH are invited to day to eate of this bread know that to obey is a most acceptable sacrifice to God and therefore let vs try our selues and come and eate The scripture as I haue said maketh mention of three commings of Christ Of his comming in the flesh in the Spirit and in glory The first was visible in infirmitie as the Prophet said g Esa 53.2 When we see him there is no beautie that we should desire him The second is invisible but yet most sensisible in the power of the holy Spirit crying in our harts h Rom. 8.15 Abba Father None seeth the Spirit in another But every true Christian feeleth it in himselfe i 2 Cor. 13.5 know ye not your owne selues saith the Apostle how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And he saith that k Rom. 8.9 if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his because Christ is in vs by his Spirit The third shall be visible in Maiestie when l Esa 52.10 all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord. In the first m Ioh. 1.11 he came vnto his owne and his owne received him not In the second he cōmeth n Vers 23. to them that loue him and keepe his words In the third o Heb 9.28 he shall appeare vnto them that looke for him vnto salvation p Bernard de Adnentu domini serm 5. In primo Christus fuit redemptio nostra In vltimo apparebit vita nostra In isto requies est consolatio nostra In his first comming he was our redemption In the second he is our rest and consolation In the last he shall be our life O then O let vs thanke him for his first comming whereby he hath redeemed vs Let vs examine our selues if we loue him and keepe his words that thereby we may be assured of his second cōming into our hearts by his blessed and holy Spirit to comfort vs. And because he is to come once againe vnto salvation q 2 Tim. 4.8 vnto all them that loue his appearing r Heb. 9.28 and looke for him let vs ioyne our selues with the Church and with the Spirit and cry with heart mouth ſ Rev. 22.17.20 Come quickly Even so come Lord Iesus For then if we be found having the oyle of faith and charitie in our t Math. 25.10 Lampes we shall enter with the bridegroome to the mariage and know by experience that which now we know by faith that u Rev. 19.7 blessed are they which are called vnto the mariage-supper of the Lambe These are the true sayings of God To whom with the Sonne the holy Ghost be all prayse all glory and all honour both now and evermore AMEN THE SECOND PART OF THE EATERS AND OF THE EATING OF THE LIVING BREAD Preached at Otlans before the KINGS Maiestie the twelfth of Iuly 1625. IOHN VI. 51. If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever
the foundation is artificiall and outward The vnion of the head with the members of the vine with the branches is naturall and inward The vnion of the husband with his wife is ciuill and inforceth not any proximitie or touching of bodies as the rest doe For they remaine one flesh although they be as far separated as the East is from the West If a bodily manner of coniunction with Christ cannot be inforced by those similitudes because it should be at one time outward and inward naturall civill and artificiall which is impossible Let Papists tell why it should be inforced by the similitude of eating If by the similitude of eating why not also by the rest Here they are muffled and cannot answer * Cusan epist 7. ad Bohemos Crâ—dere igitur baptizari manducare bibere et quicquid similiter per Christum dicitur non habet in spirituali intellectu differeÌ„tiam sed vnuÌ„ solum est quodper omnia talia varie exprimuÌ„tur scilicet quotquot receperuÌ„t eum dedit eis potestâ—tem filios dei fieri ijs qui credunt in nomine eius Cusanus one of their owne confesseth that all those similitudes and whatsoever Christ saith after that manner hath no difference in the spirituall vnderstanding but it is one thing which by all such things is diversly expressed to wit As many as received him to them gaue the power to become the Sonnes of God to them that beleeue on his Name SECONDLY in the Sacrament he giveth himselfe not as glorified in heaven but as dead vpon the crosse as he said o 1 Cor. 11.24 This is my body which is broken for you p Mar. 14.24 This is my blood which is shed for many Doe this in remembrance of me Which commandement the Apostle explaineth saying q 1 Cor. 11 26. For as often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come He did giue himselfe to the Apostles so and they received him so For he was not then glorified Should we desire to receiue him otherwayes then they did To receiue him so with the mouth of the body it is impossible because he is not now dead but r Rom. 6.10 liueth vnto God This argument prevents all replyes THIRDLY if Christ were in the Sacrament wicked men yea worms mice dogs asses and other beasts might eate him But that is impossible saith Å¿ Origin in Math. 15. Verus cibus quem nullus malus potest edere Origines because if they did eate him they should abide in him as he saith vers 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and abiding in him they should liue for ever as he saith in my Text If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for ever and so often in the verses preceeding and following Which moved t De coÌ„secrat dist 2. caÌ„ 65 Qui discordat a Christo nec carnem eius manducat nec sanguinem bibit etiam si tantae rei SacrameÌ„tum ad iudiciuÌ„ suae praesumptionis quotidiè indifferenter accipiat S. Austin to say that he who is discordant from Christ eateth not his flesh and drinketh not his blood although he receiue daily the Sacrament of so great a thing to the condemnation of his owne presumption As likewise he saith of the Apostles that u Idem in Iohan trac 59. Illi manducabaÌ„t panem dominum Ille panem domini contra dominuÌ„ Illi vitam ille poenam they did eate the bread which is the Lord and of Iudas that he did eate the bread of the Lord against the Lord They life he paine FOVRTHLY the Lord himselfe seeing that many of his Disciples tooke his words carnally as if he had spoken of a corporall eating of his body x Athan. de verb. Christi Qui dixerit verbum contra filiuÌ„ hominis Quomodo fieri posset vt totus mundus ederet de carne ipsius quae non sufficeret paucis hominibus Ideo dominus de carnis suae manducatione loquens sui in coelum ascensus meminit vt a corporali eos manducatione abstraheret vel inde discerent carnem Christi esse cibum coelestem et in alimoniaÌ„ spiritualem dare to draw them away from bodily eating and to teach them that his flesh is a heavenly meate and is given to be spirituall food he maketh mention of his ascension into heaven saying vers 61.62 Doth this offend you What and if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend vp wher he was before arguing This is a strong reason that y IbideÌ„ trac 27. Vel tunc videbitis quod non eo modo quo putatis erogat corpus suum Certe vel tuÌ„c intelligetis quod gratia eius non consumitur morfibus he giueth not his body after the maÌ„ner which they imagined z For the heavens must receiue him vntill the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets because there a he appeareth in the presence of God and b maketh intercession for vs and cannot come out of that Holy place till his intercession be ended which will not be till the worlds end For c Heb. 8.4 if he were on earth he should not be a Priest But he is a Priest and therefore saith he himselfe d Math. 24.23.26 If any man say vnto you Loe here is Christ or there beleeue it not Behold he is in the desert goe not forth behold he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z Act 3.21 a Heb 9.24 in the secret chambers b Ro. 8.34 as when Papists say he is in the chappell on the Altar in the box beleeue it not Beleeue rather S. Paul who saith that e 2 Cor. 5.6.16 whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord and henceforth know him no more after the flesh and according to his exhortatioÌ„ f Col. 3.1 2. seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right haÌ„d of God set your affection on things aboue not on things on earth g Bernard de Aduentu domini serm 1. Incassum laboraret erigere corda nostra nisi collocatuÌ„ in coelis salutis nostra doceret autorem In vaine would he labour to heaue vp our hearts to heaven if the authour of our salvation were not in heaven Yea most preposterously should he endevour to withdraw our hearts from the earth if Christ were on earth For h Math. 6.21 where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Fiftly if the eating of Christ with the mouth of the body were possible his manhood might be separated from his Godhead his soule from his body and the life which is in him from his person Can his Godhead which is infinite be receiued in our bodies Can his soule which is a spirit enter into our stomackes Can his quickning
those things which are revealed belong vnto vs and to our children for ever that we may doe all the words of this Law Conformably whervnto an ancient hath said wisely x Ambros de Vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 7. Quae deus occulta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda quae auteÌ„ manifesta fecit non sunt neganda ne in illis illi citè euriosi istis damnabiliter inueniamur ingrati that those things which GOD will haue to be hid must not be searched and those which he hath made manifest must not be denyed least in those we be found vnlawfully curious and in this be condemned as vnthankfull Of these things is the manner of the eating of the bread which came down from heaven FIRST Such as the bread is and as it is given to be eaten so must it be eaten If it be come downe from heaven from heaven also must come the mouth that eateth it If it be given vnto vs by the holy Spirit the mouth which receiveth it must be a spirituall mouth If Christ who is this bread giveth himselfe vnto vs as dead haue we any mouth that can eate him so but the mouth of the soule This is his own doctrine For after he had said Take ye eate ye This is my body he shews how we must eate him saying doe this in remembrance of me These words saith y August de Doct. Christ lib 3. cap. 15. Figura est ergopracipiens passioni domini esse coÌ„municandum suaniter at que vtiliter recoÌ„denduÌ„ in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vulnerata est Augustin are a figure commanding vs to communicate to his passion and to record profitably that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs which we cannot do but by an action of the soule SECONDLY Such man such eating If he who eateth Christ be nothing but a naturall man let him eate and drinke with his naturall organes But if Christ be meate for Christians if the Christian be z Eph. 4.24 a new man a 1 Cor. 2.1 a spirituall man b RoÌ„ 2.19 Rom. 7.22 an inward man if all his organes be spirituall and inward shall we not say truly with S. Augustin that he he alone eateth Christ c August in Ioh. tract 26 in verba Vt si quis manducat ex ipso non meriatur Quiâ— manducat intus nonforis qui maÌ„ducat in corde non qui pren it deâ—â—e that eateth inwardly not outwardly who eateth in his heart not he that thrufteth his tooth into the Sacrament THIRDLY to apply this to all the sences and parts of the inward man Christ saith d Math. 5.8 blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnes Is not he he himselfe e Ier. 23.26 THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNES Such then as is our hungring and thirsting after him such is our eating of him If this hunger be in our stomackes if this thirst be in our throates then let vs satisfie our gnawing stomacks with him let vs drinke him with our throates But if this hunger and thirst be proper to the soule as David saith f Psal 42 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my scale after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the living God What can the eating of his flesh be but as S. g Cyprian de Coena domini Esus igitur carnis huius quaedam auiditas est quoddam desiderium manendi in ipso Cyprian saith a certaine greedinesse and eager desire to abide in him Such as are our eyes wherewith we see him such is our mouth wherewith we eate him If we see him with our bodily eyes with our bodily mouth we must eate him But he expoundeth our seeing of him by our beleeving in him saying h Ioh 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth on him may haue everlasting life Therefore I say that to beleeue in him is to eate him He said to the belly-god Iewe i Ioh 6.27.28.29 Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that which endureth vnto everlasting life O Lord we aske of thee as the Iewes did What shall we doe that we may worke the workes of God for such as is our labouring for this meat such is our eating thereof And thou answerest O Lord This is the worke of God that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent k August in Ioh. tract 25 Hoc est ergo manducare â—ibum qui non perit sed qui permanet in vitam aeternam Vt quid paras ventrem dentes crede mandacasti This then also saith S. Austin is to eate the meate which perisheth not but endureth vnto everlasting life For what vse makest thou readie thy teeth and thy belly Beleeue and thou hast eaten him 4. l 2 Cor. 5.16 We know him no more after the slesh For m Vers 6. we are absent from the Lord. And neverthelesse he saith n Ioh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Such then as are our seete wherewith we goe vnto him such is our eating of him Goe we vnto him with our bodily feete When he was in the world many did walke with him in their bodies to whom he said o Ioh. 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might haue life shewing that even then when they were present with him in body they were absent from him because they beleeved not in him For p 2 Cor. 5.7 we walke by faith not by sight Therefore the Centurien abiding at home in his body went abroad vnto him with his faith and said vnto him q Luk. 7.6.7.8.9 Lord trouble not thy selfe For I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe Wherefore neither thought I my selfe worthy to come vnto thee but say the word and my seruant shall be healed And to that faith which did not regard the bodily presence of the Lord the Lord gaue this commendation I haue not found so great faith no not in Israell Christ himselfe saith that to goe thus vnto him is to eate him r Ioh. 6.35 I am faith he the bread of life He that commeth to me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeveth on me shall neuer thirst In stead of eating he putteth comming in stead of drinking he putteth beleeving because the eating of him is to come to him the drinking of him is to beleeue in him And these two are one Å¿ August de verbis domini serm 2. Vbi credis ibi venis Where thou beleevest there thou commest 5. Such hands to receiue him such mouth to eate him The hand wherewith we receiue him is the hand of faith as it is written t Ioh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gaue he power to become
the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeue on his Name This seemeth strange to flesh and blood which may aske u Aug. in Iohan trac 50. Quem tenebo absentem Quoâ—â—do â—â—anum in coeluÌ„mittam vt ibi sedentem teâ—eam fidem mitte tenuisti Whom shall I hold Is he not absent Is he not in heaven How shall I send my hand into heauen that I may hold him sitting there S. Austin answereth Send thy faith and thou hast taken hold of him 6. Such as is our palate wherwith we taste him such is our mouth wherewith we eate him x Psal 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good How y Iob. 34.3 The eare trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat So this bread which is the word of God a Ioh. 1.14 the word which was made flesh must be tasted with a spirituall taste breeding in Vs a delight of it as S. Basill writeth on the 33. Psalme And as Tertullian saith b Tertull. de Resurrect carnis c. 37. Proinde incausam vitae appetendus sermo deuor andus auditu ruminaÌ„dus intellectu side digerendus We must long after it devoure it with our eares ruminate it with our vnderstanding disgest it with our faith 7. Christ saith c loh 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him If then ye can know how he dwelleth in you and you in him ye may easily conclude that after the same manner ye eate him Saith not S. Paul that d Eph. 3.17 he dwelleth in our hearts by faith And S. Augustin * Aug. in Iohan. tract 26. Hoc est ergo manducare illam escam ilham bibere potum in Christo manere illum manentem in se habere that to eate him is to dwell in him and haue him dwelling in vs What is that but to beleeue in him He that beleeueth in him saith the same Doctor eateth him e Ibid. Qui credit in eum manducat Inuisibiliter saginatur quis inuisibiliter renascitur Infans intus est Novus intus est vbi nouellatur ibi satiatur He is fed inuisibly because he is borne againe inuisibly He is an infant inwardly He is new inwardly where he is renued there he is satisfied FINALLY Such as are the benefits and the ends of this eating such must it be For the meanes must be correspondent vnto their end And we may know of what kind the meane is by the end to which it is directed If the end of our eating be to strengthen our mortall bodies and to make them lustie tall big let vs open our mouthes sharpen our teeth inlarge our bellies But if this bread be as S. Bernard saith * Bernard in prologo de Coena dimini In ea mensa inuenies cibuÌ„ non ventris sed mentis food for our soules not for our bellies if by it our * 1 Cor. 15.44 naturall bodies must be made spirituall we must needs seeke a mouth in our soules to eate it spiritually That mouth is faith CHAPTER X. 1. Three reasons why Christ vsed the metaphores of bread and of eating II. Great instructions in both III. The metaphor of eating teacheth vs what preparation must goe before faith IV. And what is the nature of faith IF THIS be so say the Popish f Bellarm. de Euchar lib 1 cap. 5. § 8. Quis credar rem facillimam qualis est credere in ChristuÌ„ voluisse dominuÌ„ cum taÌ„to offendiculo discipuloruÌ„ innoluere tot abscurissinus metaphoria cum potuisset vno verborem totam declarare Doctours why did the Lord involue a most cleare and easie thing with so many metaphores and giue occasion of offence vnto his disciples For he might haue said in one word He that beleeveth on me I answere 1. that the Lord spake so vnto them because he desired to stir vp in them a spirituall desire of a more excellent bread then that was for which they followed him as I haue said in the exposition of the first part of this Verse 2. Such metaphores of eating and drinking were not vncouth vnto them for they are frequent in the old Testament But they had a loathing of heavenly meats and therefore they tooke exceptions against his person when he spake of them and would not vnderstand him as it is written g Psal 36.3 The wicked hath left off to be wise and to doe good 3. Metaphores and similitudes are more popular then words which are proper because that by the likenesse of earthly things apprehended by the outward sences they make heavenly and spiritual things to come into the mind and thus are most fit for the instruction of those which being more dul haue need of milke and not of strong meate II. FOR EXAMPLE when Christ calleth himselfe the living bread there is greater instruction and comfort in that similitude then if he had called himselfe the Saviour of the world Because the vse of bread is to nourish and to feed and thereby we learne that Christ is come downe from heaven to be the true food and life of our foules Likewise when he exhorteth vs to eate of this bread he giveth vs a more large and full instruction then we could haue received if he had onely exhorted vs to beleeue in him Because this one word of eating teacheth vs how we must be prepared before we can beleeue in Christ and what is the true action and nature of faith whereby we beleeue in him III. As FOR the preparation we know by daily experience that he that is to eate must haue an emptie belly know and feele the need he hath of meate and hunger and thirst after it h Pro. 27.7 The full soule loatheth an honey-combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet Even so before we can beleeue in Christ we must know and feele out owne indigence and the need we haue of his grace that we may be able to say to God i Psal 84.2 My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God If this preparation be in you ye haue your comfort in these words of Christ k Math. 5.6 Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled For without it there is no comming vnto Christ and therefore no comfort from him Doth he not cry l Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Can we go vnto him Can we drinke of the fulnesse of grace which is in him till we thirst after him IV. BEING thus prepared by hunger and thirst we must take the meate which we long for worke it with our teeth receiue it into our stomackes disgest it there till it be turned into our blood flesh and by a true transsubstantiation repaire restore our decaying bodies All that
is contained in this word of eating and sheweth vnto vs the nature and true action of faith which is to apply Christ vnto our soules so neerly that every one out of the true sence of this heavenly gift in his owne heart saith most truly as the Spouse doth m Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his and as Thomas did n Ioh. 20.21 My Lord and my God according to the promise of the new Testament o Zach. 13.9 I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God Such was the faith of S. Paul when he said p Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liveth in me And the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved ME and gaue himselfe for ME. Such is the faith of every true Christian according to this saying of S. Peter q 2 Pet. 1.1 ye haue obtained like precious faith with vs. What seeke we by eating of our daily bread To liue What seeke we by eating of Iesus Christ To haue communiō with him that we may liue by him The Apostle saith that we liue by faith Therefore saith S. Cyprian r Cypr. de Coena domini Qnod est escacarni hoc animae est fides That which food is to the body the same is faith to the soule For the same cause S. Augustin expounding the words of my Text saith that ſ Aug. in Iohan trac 26 Credere enim ineum hoc est manducare panem vivum to beleeue in Christ is to eate the living bread This is not their exposition It is from Christ himselfe as we haue heard CHAPTER XI I. To eate Christ by faith it is no imagination as Papists say II. Neither is it an easie thing by nature III. It goeth beyond the whole reach of nature IV. Therefore we must aske it of God V. And although it be weake be assured that it will eate Christ IF THAT be true say Papists if to eate Christ be no other thing but to beleeue in him there is nothing more easie then to be saved What is faith An imagination in the braine that Christ hath saved vs. How easily may we imagine such a thing and so be saved by a fancie 1. Indeed if we did speake of eating of Christ as they doe it might be said most truely that there is nothing more easie What so easie to any man as to open the mouth of the body and to swallow downe that which entereth into it Is there any Papist that findeth any difficultie in it Yea they hold their eating of Christ so easie that they make it common not onely to bad as well as to good men but also to toades wormes dogs asses mice and other beasts 2. When they speake of faith as of an imagination they teach vs what they iudge and what they will haue vs to sudge of their faith They say that they beleeue in God Is their beliefe nothing but an imagination They call on God And t Rō 10.14 how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeved u Rō 14.23 For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne What Will they confesse that their prayers and in a word all their most laborious devotion is nothing but an imagination Aske of them how they know that Christs body is in the Sacrament as big and as tall as it was on the crosse although such a thing came never in Christs mind they will answer that Christ hath said it and they beleeue it That beliefe indeed is nothing but a most fond imagination But will they call it so 3. A great many of their Doctors confesse that in the first part of this Chapter till the one fiftie verse Christ speaketh of the spirituall manducation of his body and recommendeth it vnto vs and some of the most learned amongst them confirme by insoluble arguments that the whole Chapter is of the same argument And dare they say that Christ recommended nothing vnto vs but imaginations 4. Since the beginning of the world there was never any man saved but by the eating of Christ The Apostle writeth of the fathers which were in the desert that x 1 Cor. 10 3.4 they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke y Aug. de poenit cap. 1. to 9. Eundem non inuenio quomodo intellig am nisi cum quem nos The same which we eat drink not corporall in the elemēt but spirituall in the signification For they dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ Was that eating and drinking of Christ before he came into the world nothing but an imagination How many milliōs of Christians die and are saved before they can eate Christ in the Sacrament And yet without eating of Christ spiritually there is no salvation Are they also saved by imagination When we shall be called a Rev. 19.7 to the marriage-supper of the Lambe when b Mat. 8.11 we shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven when there c Psal 36.8 God shall satisfie vs abundantly with the fatnesse of his house and shall make vs drinke of the river of his pleasures shall that eating and that drinking also be nothing but an imagination As we shall eate him then so must we eate him now AND to eate him so now is not an easie thing is not an imagination To see our owne misery and the mercy of God our naughtinesse and his goodnesse our emptinesse and his fulnesse our folly and his wisedome our weakenesse and his power our shame and his glory displayed in Iesus Christ is it an easie thing Is it an imagination To know and to feele how worthy I was of his hatred and how wonderfull is that loue wherwith he hath loved me in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ is it an easie thing is it an imagination To runne vnto Christ to imbrace him to take hold on him to lodge him in our hearts to say vnto him as Iacob did d Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me Or rather with David e Ps 73.28 It is good for me to draw neere to God I haue put my trust in the Lord God And therefore I will never let thee goe that thou mayest blesse me for ever To seeke and finde grace mercie peace life and salvation in him and therevpon to say f Psal 118.6.14 The Lord is on my side I will not feare The Lord is my strength and song and is become my salvation is it an easie thing Is it an imagination SVRELY the eating of Christ by this kind of faith goeth so farre beyond the power and reach of nature that g Math. 16.17 flesh and blood doe not reveale Christ to be the Sonne of