Choice Grounds and Principles of our Christian Religion, Treatise · Question 22
Quest. 22. How doe Gods elect eate Christs flesh, and drinke his bloud?
Answ. By a true and liuely faith, in his death and redemption, Ioh. 6.35.
EXPOSITION.
IT is not sufficient to our saluation, that we know, and beleeue, that the Sonne of God gaue his flesh to be crucified, and his bloud to be shed vponupon the Crosse, for the life of the world, vnlesse therewithall wee also eate his flesh, and drinke his bloud. The words of our Sauiour being so expresse for the proofe of this, in the places which I hauehave alledged, Ioh. 6. that wee cannot desire any thing more apparant. Now to eate the flesh of the Sonne of man Christ Iesus, and to drinke his bloud, is (as you hauehave heard,) by a true and liuely faith to be made partakers of that righteousnes and redemption, which our Lord Iesus Christ, by the offering of his body, and powring out of his bloud, hath purchased and obtayned for vsus: whereof most notably speaketh the Apostle, Rom. 3.Rom 3 24. And are iustified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus. So then, hee doth eate Christs body, and drinke his blood, who doth truly and faithfully beleeue in Christ Iesus, as in the true Sonne of God, the onelyonly Sauiour & Redeemer of the world, who beleeueth that he offered his flesh and bloud, which he tooke of vsus, and like to vsus in all things except sinne, a sacrifice vntounto God his Father. A sacrifice (I meane for vsus) vponupon the Crosse, of reconciliation, and redemption; by which oblation and offering, he hath fully recouered eternall life, for all those that truly beleeue in him. And thus you see, how faith in the flesh, and bloud of Christ, is rightly set foorth in the Scripture, by the figuratiue terme of eating and drinking him. Forasmuch, as it Reason 1 hath not only the promise of life, but euen also that eternall life it selfe which is gotten, and obtayned by Christs flesh and bloud. For euen as no man can either hauehave this life, or enioy this life (according to the common order, and course of nature) vnlesse hee be first nourished in the wombe, and afterward with ordinary food of meate and drinke: so can no man possibly hauehave true and eternall life, vnlesse hee be fed with the vertue and efficacie of this heauenly nourishment, namely, of the body and bloud of Christ, the which cannot be, except with a faithfull minde he apprehend Christ, and his redemption, beleeue in him, and trust in him. For this (I say stil) is to eate Christs flesh, & to drinke his bloud: First, to lay hold vponupon the whole Passion of Christ with vndoubted confidence and assurance, and thereby to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes, and life euerlasting.
And now, that faith is the mouth and meanes whereby onelyonly wee receiue, and eate Christ to saluation: I will make it appeare by Christs owne words, Ioh. 6. where he vseth these words indifferently, as being all of one force and signification: To beleeue in him, to come vntounto him, to eate him, and to drinke him. To beleeue in Christ, is the proper word: to eate Christ, or to come vntounto him, are metaphoricall, and figuratiue speeches, but all of one sence.Ioh. 6 35. I am the bread of life (saith he) he that commeth to me, shall not hunger, and hee that beleeueth in me, shall neuer thirst. Reason 2 Marke well these words. Hee that commeth to me (saith Christ) shall not hunger: therefore to come vntounto Christ, is to eate Christ. And againe, he saith, Hee that beleeueth in me, shal neuer thirst, therefore to beleeue in Christ, is to drinke Christ. To eate and to drink, are means to take away hunger and thirst: but to come vntounto Christ, and to beléeue in him, doth (as himselfe saith) take away hunger and thirst: therefore to come vntounto Christ, and to beleeue in Christ, is to eate him, and to drink him. Hee attributeth also in that Chapter, Reason 3 the very same effects & fruits to them which beleeue in him, that he doth to them that eate his body, and drinke his blood; therefore by eating and drinking, he meaneth nothing but beleeuing.Ioh. 6.54. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud (saith he) hath eternall life, and I will raise him vp at the last day. Note the effects that he giueth to the eating of his flesh, and drinking of his bloud, which is, to hauehave eternall life, and be raysed vp at the last day. Ioh. 6.40.In verse 40. of the same Chapter, he saith, This is the will of my Father that sent mee, that eueryevery one that seeth the Sonne, and beleeueth in him, should hauehave eternall life, and I will raise him vp at the last day. Who seeth not heere, that Christ attributeth the same force to beleeuing, that in the other verse hee did to eating and drinking, and therfore vseth the words indifferently, as being of one meaning. I might produce many other places, wherein the holy Ghost witnesseth, that we hauehave eternall life by beleeuing in Christ: but the point is plaine enough by Christs owne words, that to beleeue in Christ, is to feede vponupon him. Now if any thinke, that this spirituall eating by faith, is but a slight matter, and of no great weight, such men doe not consider the great vertue, power, and strength of faith. For by faith we doe not only know Christ, and the true meanes of our saluation by him: but thereby we also receiue Christ, and assure our selues in our hearts, that we are partakers of that redemption, which by his death hee hath procured for vsus, and with that firme perswasion lay him vp in the bowels of our hearts, that in all our temptations and troubles, wee may feede vponupon him, and gather strength and comfort in the assurance of Gods fauour purchased by him: so that so often as our hearts are shaken with mistrust and feare; this faith doth comfort and relieue vsus againe. By faith wee are graffed into Christ, as branches into the root and stock, so that wee now liue by him, and by his Spirit, as the branches doe by the iuice that commeth from the roote of the tree. By faith we be so vnited vntounto Christ, that we may iustly say, whatsoeuer is his, is ours also. Of this speciall gift and grace of God, I hauehave spoken more at large in Question 13: vponupon all which conferred, and compared together, I may clearely conclude, that this excellent vertue, and strength of faith, they neither feele nor vnderstand, who thinke it a slight and simple matter, to eate Christ by faith.
And now to make some vse of that Vse 1 which hath beene spoken:
Euen, as when wee are desirous of bodily nourishment, wee must come to the partaking of it, where it is to be had: so, for the partaking of Christ Iesus to our spirituall nourishment and saluation, wee must likewise repaire & resort vntounto him. For as their bodies cannot be nourished, who come not to the eating of that corporall foode that is prepared for them, no more can their soules be satisfied, and preserued by Christ Iesus crucified, which come not accordingly to the partaking of him.Ioh. 6.35. For, he that commeth to mee (saith Christ) shall not hunger, that is, hee shall be throughly satisfied, and sustayned to eternall life. Whereupon it clearely followeth on the contrary, that hee which commeth not to Christ, he cannot be satisfied, but must still endure both hunger and thirst, euen vntill he finally perish through the same. Now as concerning the right manner of comming vntounto Christ: euen as bodily meate, be it neuer so dainty and delicate, is nothing profitable to him that feeleth no want of it, and hath no strength to receiue and digest it:Ioh. 7.37. so, nothing at all profitable is Iesus Christ vntounto all such as feele no want of him, through the sence and consideration of their wretched and miserable estate, and therewithall also, are voyde of faith to apprehend and apply his righteousnesse and redemption to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes, to their iustification, and eternall life. Much might be adde… to the amplification of this point: but this in few words is the summe of all, that whosoeuer will be partakers of the bread of life, Christ Iesus, to eternall life, they must come vntounto him with a due consideration,Math. 11.28. and with an humble and penitent confession, and acknowledgement of their manifold sinnes, and grieuous transgressions, as how in regard thereof, they are worthy of nothing but of Gods fearefull wrath and heauy indignation, hauing no meanes of their owne to escape the same, and bring with them withall, a true and liuely faith in his name, as in the onelyonly Sonne of God, the alone true promised Messiah, and Redeemer, through faith in whose name, they are sure of saluation; and without whom, there is no hope,Acts 4.12. or possibility of attayning it.
This must be the manner of our comming vntounto Christ at this day, not with such affections, as the Iewes resorted vntounto him in times past, some in hypocrisie, some for their bellies, some with a regard onelyonly of his bodily presence, but our comming vntounto him must be in truth and sincerity, for the good of our soules, and for the partaking of his righteousnesse and redemption, according as hee is made vntounto vsus of God, wisedome, righteousnes, 1. Cor. 1.30.sanctification, and redemption. And not at this, or that particular place, but wheresoeuer the Doctrine of his Gospell is purely preached: it being most sure, and certain, that in the Ministery and preaching of the Gospell, is the Lord Iesus especially to be found at this day, and therein most familiarly doth hee reueale and discouer himselfe. And therefore in hearing the same, and in resorting thereunto, must all such as desire to finde Christ, take most paines, and with greatest diligence imploy themselues.Ioh. 5.39. Searching the Scriptures also to this end, for a right discerning of the truth, and praying vntounto God for the assistance of his grace in this respect.
Heere we may consider the end of his comming, the manner of his birth, the afflictions of his life, the miracles which he wrought, the doctrine which hee taught, all the circumstances of his humiliation, and sufferings, to the reprochful death vponupon the Crosse, together with his glorious Resurrection and ascension; the manner of his sitting at the right hand of God; the office of his mediation; the gouernment of his Kingdome, with the order of his glorious appearing vntounto Iudgement. All these particulars of the sound knowledge of Christ, are so cleerely laid open in the doctrine of his Word, that wee need not now say, (as it is Rom. 10.Rom. 10.6, 7, 8.) Who shall ascend into Heauen; or who shall descend into the deep? The word is neere, &c. Now as this is the way that we must go, to come vntounto Christ for the partaking of him to our spirituall nourishment, and saluation: and as this is the place where he is to be found: so must we not content our selues to come vntounto him after this manner, once, or some fewer times, and when we are at leisure, and hauehave nothing else to doe, (as is the vse of many) but we must learne dayly to goe after him, and the more wee come vntounto him, the more must our louelove bee inflamed towards him, as Psal. 105.Psal. 105.4. Seeke the Lord and his strength, seeke his face continually. And that too, without dallying, and deferring the time, as Esay 55.Esa. 55.6. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call vponupon him while he is neere, &c.
Secondly, we may heere obserue (to our vnspeakeable comfort) the very great Vse 2 difference, betwixt this spirituall feode of our soules, and the ordinary meat & drinke of the body. Our earthly meat and drinke, though it be neuer so dainty or delicate, receiued sparingly, or to the full, yet can it nourish but for a time: Though wee eate and drinke neuer so plentifully to day, yet shall we bee hungry and thirsty againe to morrow, and hauehave as much need to refresh our selues as before. Men are notwithstanding subiect to sicknesses, and diseases, to lamenesse, blindnesse, crookednes, old age, and at length are all swallowed vp of death, not one can escape. Yea, and which is more, though men keepe neuer so good a dyet, make neuer so good choise, yet where there is one that liueth vntill he come to old age, many slip away in their flourishing youth, and in the time of their greatest strength. But as for the vertue and efficacy of this spirituall meat of the flesh and bloud Christ Iesus, (eaten and receiued by faith the mouth of the soule) the same is farre otherwise, and hath a farre other manner of operation: insomuch, that whosoeuer hath once truely tasted the sweetnesse thereof, receiued, and digested it in his soule, the soule of such a one, euen in this life, shal hauehave true peace of conscience, sound ioy in the holy Ghost; it shall not not decay in strength, but grow & increase in faith, repentance, patience, louelove and al other like sauing and sanctifying graces: and when the time of their dissolution is come, and the Lord seeth it good to take them out of this life, they shall then first in soule, and then both in body and soule, be made partakers of eternall life. Thus you see, how rightly our Lord Iesus Christ saith, Ioh. 6.Ioh. 6.55. that his flesh is meat indeed, and his bloud is drinke indeed. As hauing in truth and indeed, the onelyonly vertue and efficacy of all sound nourishment, and preseruation; all earthly meat and drinke, in comparison thereof, being not worthy the name of meat and drinke, as not able to continue and preserue for any long time; no, not so much as this earthly and transitory life.
The last vse then hereupon is this, that Vse 3 seeing there is so great difference betwixt the food of the body, and the food of the soule: that therefore, as our Sauiour exhorteth, Ioh. 6.Ioh. 6.27. wee labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth to eternall life: Considering, that neither in the abundance, nor in the want of these earthly things, there is any truth or soundnes; but onelyonly in spirituall and heauenly things, purchased and obtained by Iesus Christ. Are we affected with any worldly ioy, vponupon any outward occasion whatsoeuer? Let vsus know, that it is not the true ioy, the ioy of the soule is better; the ioy of Gods kingdome much more surpassing. Are we afflicted with any bodily paine or griefe? Let vsus know, that this is not the true affliction, the griefe of the soule for sinne, is much more grieuous, the paines of hell much farre exceeding. Are wee delighted with the sweetnesse of any delicious or dainty delicats? Let vsus remember, that the flesh of Christ is meat indeed, and the bloud of Christ is drinke indeede: and therefore, consequently, whatsoeuer become of this life, we euermore especially hunger and thirst, after that so swéet and heauenly a feeding. These are the vses that wee are to make of this point: and the Lord grant, that thus wee may apply this doctrine, and take comfort by it in our seuerall soules, and not (as the most part doe) preferre earthly vanities, before heauenly pleasures and euerlasting blessednesse; the food of our bodies, before the foode of our soules, and the saluation of them; the effecting of our owne will and pleasure in the matters of this life, before the aduancement of Gods glory, & the sincere obedience of his will: but as our Sauiour himselfe exhorteth, Math. 6.Math. 6.33 Let vsus first seeke the Kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse, and all other things shall bee added vntounto vsus.