Part 42

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, It is that _Heavenly Seed_, that _divine, spiritual, celestial Substance_, of which we spake before in the _fifth_ and _sixth Propositions_. [Sidenote: _What the _heavenly Seed_ is, whereby formerly, and also now, _Life_ and _Salvation_ was and is communicated._] This is that _spiritual Body of Christ_, whereby and through which he communicateth _Life to Men_, and _Salvation to as many as believe in him_, and _receive him_; and whereby also Man comes to have Fellowship and Communion with God. This is proved from the 6th of _John_, from Verse 32. to the End, where Christ speaks more at large of this Matter, than in any other Place: And indeed this _Evangelist_ and _beloved Disciple_, who lay in the Bosom of our Lord, gives us a more full Account of the _spiritual Sayings_ and _Doctrine_ of Christ than any other; and it is observable, that though he speaks nothing of the _Ceremony_ used by Christ of _breaking Bread with his Disciples_, neither in his evangelical Account of Christ’s _Life and Sufferings_, nor in his Epistles; yet he is more large in this Account of the _Participation_ of the Body, Flesh and Blood of Christ, than any of them all. For Christ, in this Chapter, perceiving that the _Jews_ did follow him for Love of the _Loaves_, desires them (Verse 27) to _labour not for the Meat which perisheth, but for that Meat which endureth for ever_: But forasmuch as they, being carnal in their Apprehensions, and not understanding the spiritual Language and Doctrine of Christ, did judge the _Manna_, which _Moses_ gave their Fathers, to be the most excellent Bread, as coming from Heaven; Christ, to rectify that Mistake, and better inform them, affirmeth, _First_, That _it is not Moses, but his _Father_, that giveth the true _Bread_ from Heaven_, Ver. 32. and 48. _Secondly_, This Bread _he calls_ himself, Ver. 35. I _am the _Bread_ of Life_: And Ver. 51. I _am the_ living Bread, _which came down from Heaven_. _Thirdly_, He declares that this Bread is his Flesh, Ver. 51. The Bread _that I will give, is my Flesh_; and Ver. 55. _For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed._ _Fourthly_, The Necessity of partaking thereof. Ver. 53. _Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you._ And _Lastly_, The blessed Fruits and necessary Effects of this Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. Ver. 33. _This _Bread_ giveth Life to the World._ Ver. 50. _He that eateth thereof, dieth not._ Ver. 58. _He that eateth of this _Bread_, shall live for ever._ Ver. 54. _Whoso eateth this Flesh, and drinketh this Blood, shall live for ever._ Ver. 56. _And he dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in him._ Ver. 57. _And shall live by Christ._ [Sidenote: _The Origin, Nature and Effects of the Body, Flesh and Blood of Christ._] From this large Description of the Origin, Nature, and Effects of this _Body_, _Flesh_ and _Blood of_ Christ, it is apparent that it is spiritual, and to be understood of a spiritual Body, and not of that Body, or Temple of Jesus Christ, which was born of the Virgin _Mary_, and in which he walked, lived, and suffered in the Land of _Judea_; because it is said, that it _came down from Heaven_, yea, that it is he that _came down from Heaven_. Now all Christians at present generally acknowledge, that the outward Body of Christ came not down from Heaven; neither was it that Part of Christ which came down from Heaven. And to put the Matter out of Doubt, when the carnal _Jews_ would have been so understanding it, he tells them plainly, Ver. 63. _It is the Spirit that quickeneth, but the Flesh profiteth Nothing._ [Sidenote: _Solid Reasons that it is his spiritual Body Christ speaks of._] This is also founded upon most sound and solid Reason; because it is the Soul, not the Body, that is to be nourished by this Flesh and Blood. Now outward Flesh cannot nourish nor feed the Soul; there is no Proportion nor Analogy betwixt them; neither is the Communion of the Saints with God by a Conjunction and mutual Participation of Flesh, but of the Spirit: [121]_He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit, _not_ one Flesh_. For the Flesh (I mean outward Flesh, even such as was that wherein Christ lived and walked when upon Earth; and not Flesh, when transformed by a _Metaphor_, to be understood spiritually) can only partake of Flesh, as Spirit of Spirit: As the Body cannot feed upon Spirit, neither can the Spirit feed upon Flesh. And that the Flesh here spoken of is spiritually to be understood, appears further, inasmuch as that which feedeth upon it shall never die: But the Bodies of all Men once die; yea, it was necessary that the Body of Christ himself should die. That this Body, and spiritual Flesh and Blood of Christ, is to be understood of that _divine_ and _heavenly Seed_, before spoken of by us, appears both by the Nature and Fruits of it. _First_, it is said, _It is that which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth Life unto the World_: Now this answers to that _Light_ and _Seed_, which is testified of, _John_ i. to be the _Light of the World, and the Life of Men_. [Sidenote: _This spiritual Light and Seed is as Bread to the hungry Soul._] For that _spiritual Light_ and _Seed_, as it receives Place in Men’s Hearts, and Room to spring up there, is as Bread to the hungry and fainting Soul, that is (as it were) buried and dead in the Lusts of the World; which receives Life again, and revives, as it tasteth and partaketh of this heavenly Bread: And they that partake of it are said to come to Christ; neither can any have it, but by coming to him, and believing in the Appearance of his _Light_ in their Hearts; by receiving which, and believing in it, the Participation of this Body and Bread is known. And that Christ understands the same Thing here by his Body, Flesh and Blood, which is understood, _John_ i. by the _Light enlightening every Man_, and the _Life_, &c. appears; for the _Light_ and _Life_, spoken of _John_ i. is said to be _Christ_; _He is the true Light_: And the _Bread_ and _Flesh_, &c. spoken of in _John_ vi. is called _Christ_; I _am the_ Bread _of Life_, saith he. Again, _They that received that Light and Life_, John i. 12. _obtained Power to become the Sons of God, by believing in his Name_: So also here, _John_ vi. 35. _He that cometh unto this _Bread_ of Life shall not hunger; and he that believes in him, who is this _Bread_, shall never thirst_. [Sidenote: _Christ’s outward and spiritual Body distinguished._] So then, as there was the outward visible Body and Temple of Jesus Christ, which took its Origin from the Virgin _Mary_; there is also the spiritual Body of Christ, by and through which He that was the _Word in the Beginning with God_, and was and is GOD, did reveal himself to the Sons of Men in all Ages, and whereby Men in all Ages come to be made Partakers of _eternal Life_, and to have Communion and Fellowship with God and Christ. [Sidenote: _The Patriarchs did eat of the Body of Christ_.] Of which Body of Christ, and Flesh and Blood, if both _Adam_, and _Seth_, and _Enoch_, and _Noah_, and _Abraham_, and _Moses_, and _David_, and all the Prophets and holy Men of God, had not eaten, they had not had Life in them; nor could their inward Man have been nourished. Now as the outward Body and Temple was called Christ, so was also his spiritual Body, no less properly, and that long before that outward Body was in Being. Hence the Apostle saith, 1 _Cor._ x. 3, 4. That the _Fathers did all eat the same spiritual Meat, and did all drink the same spiritual Drink_: [_For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ._] This cannot be understood otherwise than of this spiritual Body of Christ; which spiritual Body of Christ, though it was the saving Food of the Righteous both before the _Law_ and under the _Law_; yet under the _Law_ it was veiled and shadowed, and covered under divers Types, Ceremonies and Observations; yea, and not only so, but it was veiled and hid, in some Respect, under the outward Temple and Body of Christ, or during the Continuance of it; so that the _Jews_ could not understand Christ’s Preaching about it while on Earth: [122]And not the _Jews_ only, but many of his Disciples, judging it an _hard Saying, murmured at it_; _and many from that Time went back from him, and walked no more with him_. I doubt not but that there are many also at this Day, professing to be the Disciples of Christ, that do as little understand this Matter as those did, and are as apt to be offended, and stumble at it, while they are gazing and following after the outward Body; and look not to that by which the Saints are daily fed and nourished. [Sidenote: _The divine Light of Christ doth make the Saints Partakers of his Body._] For as Jesus Christ, in Obedience to the Will of the Father, did by the _eternal Spirit offer up that _Body_ for a Propitiation _for the_ Remission of Sins_, and finished his Testimony upon Earth thereby, in a most perfect Example of Patience, Resignation and Holiness, that all might be made Partakers of the Fruit of that Sacrifice; so hath he likewise poured forth _into the Hearts of all Men_ a Measure of that _divine Light_ and _Seed_ wherewith he is clothed; that thereby, reaching unto the Consciences of all, he may raise them up out of _Death_ and _Darkness_ by his _Life_ and _Light_, and thereby they may be made Partakers of his Body, and therethrough come to have Fellowship with the Father and with the Son.

[121] 1 Cor. 6. 17.

[122] John 6. 60. 66.

§. III. [Sidenote: Quest.] If it be asked, _How and after what Manner Man comes to partake of it, and to be fed by it?_

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_ in the plain and express Words of Christ, I _am the _Bread_ of Life_, saith he; [123]_he that cometh to me shall never hunger; he that believeth in me shall never thirst_. And again, _For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed_. So whosoever thou art that askest this Question, or readest these Lines, whether thou accountest thyself a Believer, or really feelest, by a certain and sad Experience, that thou art yet in the Unbelief, and findest that the outward Body and Flesh of Christ is so far from thee, that thou canst not reach it, nor feed upon it; yea, though thou hast often swallowed down and taken in that which the _Papists_ have persuaded thee to be the real Flesh and Blood of Christ, and hast believed it to be so, though all thy Senses told thee the Contrary; [Sidenote: _The _Lutherans_ and _Calvinists_ Opinions of the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the _Supper_ so called._] or (being a _Lutheran_) hast taken that Bread, in and with and under which the _Lutherans_ have assured thee that the Flesh and Blood of Christ is; or (being a _Calvinist_) hast partaken of that which the _Calvinists_ say (though a Figure only of the Body) gives them who take it a real Participation of the Body, Flesh, and Blood of Christ, though they never knew how nor what Way; I say, if for all this thou findest thy Soul yet barren, yea, hungry, and ready to starve, for want of something thou longest for; _know_ that that _Light_ which discovers thy Iniquity to thee, which shews thee thy Barrenness, thy Nakedness, thy Emptiness, is that _Body_ which thou must partake of, and feed upon: But that till by forsaking Iniquity thou turnest to it, comest unto it, receivest it, though thou mayest hunger after it, thou canst not be satisfied with it; [124]for it hath no _Communion with Darkness, nor canst thou drink of the Cup of the Lord, and the Cup of Devils: And be Partaker of the Lord’s Table, and the Table of Devils_, 1 Cor. x. 21. [Sidenote: _How the inward Man is nourished._] But as thou sufferest that small _Seed of Righteousness_ to arise in thee, and to be formed into a Birth, that new substantial Birth, which is brought forth in the Soul, supernaturally feeds upon and is nourished by this spiritual Body; yea, as this outward Birth lives not but as it draws in Breath by the outward elementary Air, so this new Birth lives not in the Soul, but as it draws in and breathes by that spiritual Air or Vehicle. And as the outward Birth cannot subsist without some outward Body to feed upon, some outward Flesh, and some outward Drink, so neither can this inward Birth, unless it be fed by this inward Flesh and Blood of Christ, which answers to it after the same Manner, by Way of Analogy. And this is most agreeable to the Doctrine of Christ concerning this Matter. For as without outward Food the natural Body hath not Life, so also saith Christ, [125]_Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you_. And as the outward Body, eating outward Food, lives thereby, so Christ saith, [126]That _he that eateth him shall live by him_. So it is this inward Participation of this _inward Man_, of this _inward_ and _spiritual Body_, by which Man is united to God, and has Fellowship and Communion with him. [127]_He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood_, saith Christ, _dwelleth in me, and I in him_. This cannot be understood of outward eating of outward Bread; and as by this the Soul must have Fellowship with God, so also, so far as all the Saints are Partakers of this _one Body_ and _one Blood_, they come also to have a _joint Communion_. Hence the Apostle, 1 _Cor._ x. 17. in this Respect saith, That they [128]_being many, are one_ Bread, _and one_ Body; and to the Wise among the _Corinthians_ he saith, [Sidenote: _The true spiritual Supper of the Lord._] _The _Bread_ which we break is the Communion of the Body of Christ_. This is the _true_ and _spiritual Supper_ of the Lord, which Men come to partake of, by hearing the Voice of Christ, and opening the Door of their Hearts, and so letting him in in the Manner abovesaid, according to the plain Words of the Scripture, _Rev._ iii. 20. _Behold I stand at the Door and knock; if any Man hear my Voice, and open the Door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me_. So that the _Supper of the Lord_, and the _supping_ with the Lord, and partaking of his Flesh and Blood, is no Ways limited to the Ceremony of _breaking Bread_ and _drinking Wine_ at particular Times, but is truly and really enjoyed, as often as the Soul retires into the Light of the Lord, and feels and partakes of that heavenly Life by which the inward Man is nourished; which may be and is often witnessed by the Faithful at all Times, though more particularly when they are assembled together to wait upon the Lord.

[123] John 6. 35. _and_ 55.

[124] 1 Cor. 6. 14.

[125] John 6. 53.

[126] John 6. 57.

[127] John 6. 56.

[128] 1 Cor. 10. Verse 16.

§. IV. But what Confusion the Professors of Christianity have run into concerning this Matter, is more than obvious; who, as in most other Things they have done, for want of a true spiritual Understanding, have sought to tie this _Supper_ of the Lord to that Ceremony used by Christ before his Death, of _breaking Bread_ and _drinking Wine_ with his Disciples. [Sidenote: _Man is not tied to the Ceremony of _breaking Bread_ and _drinking Wine_ which Christ did use with his Disciples, this only was a Shadow._] And though they for the most Part agree generally in this, yet how do they contend and debate one against another! How strangely are they pinched, pained, and straitened to make the spiritual Mystery agree to that Ceremony! And what monstrous and wild Opinions and Conceptions have they invented, to inclose or affix the Body of Christ to their _Bread_ and _Wine_? From which Opinion not only the greatest, and fiercest, and most hurtful Contests, both among the Professors of Christianity in general, and among _Protestants_ in particular, have arisen; [Sidenote: _What makes the Christian Religion hateful to the _Jews_, _Turks_, and _Heathens.] but also such Absurdities, irrational and blasphemous Consequences have ensued, as make the Christian Religion odious and hateful to _Jews_, _Turks_, and _Heathens_. The Professors of Christianity do chiefly divide in this Matter into three Opinions.

[Sidenote: _The _Papists_ Faith of Christ’s Flesh._] The _First_ is of those that say, _The Substance of the Bread is transubstantiated into the very Substance of that same Body, Flesh, and Blood of_ Christ, _which was born of the Virgin_ Mary, _and crucified by the_ Jews; so that after the _Words of Consecration_, as they call them, _it is no more Bread, but the Body of_ Christ.

[Sidenote: _The _Lutherans_ Faith._] The _Second_ is of such who say, _The Substance of the Bread remains, but that also that Body is in, and with, and under the Bread_; so that _both the Substance of Bread, and of the Body, Flesh, and Blood of _Christ_, is there also_.

[Sidenote: _The _Calvinists_ Faith._] The _Third_ is of those, that, denying both these, do affirm, _That the Body of _Christ_ is not there corporally or substantially, but yet that it is really and sacramentally received by the Faithful in the Use of Bread and Wine_; but how or what Way it is there, _they know not, nor can they tell; only we must believe it is there, yet so that it is only properly in Heaven_.

It is not my Design to enter into a Refutation of these several Opinions; for each of their Authors and Assertors have sufficiently refuted one another, and are all of them no less strong both from Scripture and Reason in refuting each their contrary Parties Opinion, than they are weak in establishing their own. For I often have seriously observed, in reading their respective Writings, and so it may be have others, that all of them do notably, in so far as they refute the contrary Opinions; but that they are mightily pained, when they come to confirm and plead for their own. Hence I necessarily must conclude, that none of them had attained to the Truth and Substance of this _Mystery_. Let us see if _Calvin_,[129] after he had refuted the two former Opinions, be more successful in what he affirms and asserts for the Truth of his Opinion, who, after he hath much laboured in overturning and refuting the two former Opinions, plainly confesseth, that he knows not what to affirm instead of them. [Sidenote: J. Calvin_’s faith of Christ’s Flesh and Blood uncertain._] For after he has spoken much, and at last concluded, _That the Body of Christ is there, and that the Saints must needs partake thereof_, at last he lands in these Words, _Sect. 32_. “But if it be asked me how it is? I shall not be ashamed to confess, that it is a Secret too high for me to comprehend in my Spirit, or explain in Words.” Here he deals very ingenuously; and yet who would have thought that such a Man would have been brought to this Streight in the Confirming of his Opinion? considering that a little before, in the same Chapter, _Sect. 15._ he accuseth the School-men among the _Papists_, and I confess truly, [Sidenote: _The like the _Papists.] _In that they neither understand nor explain to others how Christ is in the Eucharist_, which shortly after he confesseth himself he cannot do. If then the School-men among the _Papists_ do neither understand nor yet explain to others their Doctrine in this Matter, nor _Calvin_ can comprehend it in his Spirit, which I judge is as much as not to understand it, nor express it in Words, and then surely he cannot explain it to others, then no Certainty is to be had from either of them. There have been great Endeavours used for Reconcilement in this Matter, both betwixt _Papists_ and _Lutherans_, _Lutherans_ and _Calvinists_, yea, and _Calvinists_ and _Papists_, but all to no Purpose; and many Forms and Manners of Expressions drawn up, to which all might yield; which in the End proved in vain, seeing every one understood them, and interpreted them in their own Way; and so they did thereby but equivocate and deceive one another. The Reason of all this Contention is, because they had not a clear Understanding of the _Mystery_, and were doting about _Shadows_ and _Externals_. For both the Ground and Matter of their _Contest_ lies in Things extrinsick from, and unnecessary to, the main Matter. [Sidenote: _Satan busies People in _outward Signs_, _Shadows_, and _Forms_, whilst they neglect the _Substance.] And this hath been often the Policy of _Satan_, to busy People, and amuse them with outward Signs, Shadows, and Forms, making them contend about that, while in the mean Time the _Substance_ is neglected; yea, and in contending for these Shadows he stirs them up to the Practice of Malice, Heat, Revenge, and other Vices, by which he establisheth his Kingdom of Darkness among them, and ruins the Life of Christianity. For there have been more Animosities and Heats about this one Particular, and more Bloodshed and Contention, than about any other. [Sidenote: _What hath been hurtful to the_ Reformation.] And surely they are little acquainted with the State of _Protestant Affairs_, who know not that their Contentions about this have been more hurtful to the _Reformation_ than all the Opposition they met with from their common Adversaries. [Sidenote: _Two _Errors_ the Ground of the Contention about the _Supper.] Now all those uncertain and absurd Opinions, and the Contentions therefrom arising, have proceeded from their all agreeing in two general Errors concerning this Thing; which being denied and receded from, as they are by us, there would be an easy Way made for _Reconciliation_, and we should all meet in one spiritual and true Understanding of this _Mystery_: And as the Contentions, so would also the Absurdities which follow from all the three fore-mentioned Opinions, cease and fall to the Ground.

[129] Inst. Lib. 4. Cap. 17.

The _First_ of these _Errors_ is, In making the Communion or Participation of the Body, Flesh, and Blood of Christ to relate to that outward Body, Vessel, or Temple, that was born of the Virgin _Mary_, and walked and suffered in _Judea_; whereas it should relate to the Spiritual Body, Flesh, and Blood of Christ, even that _heavenly_ and _celestial Light_ and _Life_, which was the Food and Nourishment of the Regenerate in all Ages, as we have already proved.

The _Second Error_ is, In tying this Participation of the Body and Blood of Christ to that Ceremony used by him with his Disciples in the Breaking of Bread, _&c._ as if it had only a Relation thereto, or were only enjoyed in the Use of that Ceremony, which it neither hath nor is. For this is that Bread which Christ in his Prayer teaches to call for, terming it [Greek: ton arton ton epiousion: τον αρτον τον επιουσιον], i. e. the _Super-substantial Bread_, as the Greek hath it, and which the Soul partakes of, without any Relation or necessary Respect to this Ceremony, as shall be hereafter proved more at Length.

These _two Errors_ being thus laid aside, and the Contentions arising therefrom buried, all are agreed in the main Positions, _viz._ _First_, [Sidenote: Believers Souls _do really feed upon the Flesh and Blood of_ Christ.] That the _Body, Flesh, and Blood of Christ is necessary for the nourishing of the Soul_. _Secondly_, That the _Souls of Believers do really and truly partake and feed upon the Body, Flesh, and Blood of Christ_. But while Men are not content with the Spirituality of this _Mystery_, going in their own Wills, and according to their own Inventions, to strain and wrest the Scriptures to tie this spiritual Communion of the Flesh and Blood of Christ to outward Bread and Wine, and such like carnal Ordinances, no Wonder if by their carnal Apprehensions they run into Confusion. But because it hath been generally supposed that the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ had some special Relation to the Ceremony of _breaking Bread_, I shall first refute that Opinion, and then proceed to consider the Nature and Use of that _Ceremony_, and whether it be now _necessary_ to continue; answering the Reasons and Objections of such as plead its Continuance as a necessary and standing Ordinance of Jesus Christ.