The Christians Sacrifice Better than all the Legal Sacrifices of Jews, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Coutaining an entrance into the exhortation, and an explication of the words thereof, Preſent your bodies a ſacrifice.
NOw followeth the exhortation it ſelfe, wherein I will firſt open the ſeuerall words, and note ſome points of doctrine in them, and then ſpeake of the whole exhortation. The words are theſe, Preſent your bodies a ſacrifice. The word by ſome tranſlated giuegive, by our new Bibles preſent, commonly ſignifieth and is vſed for adeſſe, toforeign to preſent. be preſent. Sometimes for probare, to proue, as when Paul ſaith, his aduerſaries could not proue the things whereof Act. 24. 13.they accuſed him. Sometimes for commendare, to commend; as, Meate doth not commend vsus vntounto God: and very often1. Cor. 8. 8. to preſent, as here it is tranſlated, viz. in the places noted in the margin; and often elſewhere. For I do but nameLuc. 2. 22. Ro. 6. 16. 19. 2. Cor. 4. 14. 11. 2. Col. 2. 22. Eph. 5. 27. the places in haſte to the words following. So I take it in this place. By bodies here ſynecdochically he meaneth the whole man, *Bodies and our bodies.bodies and ſoules: and the pronoune yours, is not altogether to be neglected, but to be well obſerued, as excluding the bodies of beaſts, and the bodie of Chriſt. The former law for ſacrificing of beaſts is aboliſhed by the bodie of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt offered and ſacrificed by himſelfe; and ſo accompliſhing and performing all typically ſignified by the former ſacrifices of beaſts. Touching Chriſts owne bodie, and Chriſt himſelfe, none in heauen or in earth, neither man nor Angell euer was or now is worthy or meete to offer the ſame, but Chriſt himſelfe. Chriſt with once offering of himſelfe did beare the ſins Heb. 9. 28. Heb. 10. 10.of many, &c. And by his will are we ſanctified through the offering of the bodie of Chriſt once for all, &c. And his bodie being now in heauen, and there to remaine till his comming Act. 3. 22.to iudgement, how can it be offered by any vponupon the earth? And who by the doctrine of the Papiſts themſelues knoweth when it is offered. For without the intention of the Prieſt for making thereof, there is no offering of it, as themſelues affirme in the celebration of their Maſſe. Now who knoweth or can know the intention of the Prieſt? Whether alſo do they make the bodie of Chriſt (as they ſpeake) in the ſtate of humiliation or of glorification? Is God alſo the onelyonly maker of all other things, euen of the leaſt worme, and can a ſhauen Prieſt make the bodie of Chriſt? Did the onelyonly mightie power of God raiſe the bodie of Chriſt out of the graue, and afterward exalt it to heauen; and ſhall eueryevery ſuch greaſie Prieſt at his pleaſure be of power to fetch it from heauen? Or hath Chriſt now two bodies, one in the ſtate of humiliation, another in the ſtate of glorification; one viſible in the heauens, another inuiſible in the earth? Yea, how many millions of Chriſts bodie do they make here in earth? For they will denie, that in the celebration of their Maſſe, where and whenſoeuer the body of Chriſt is receiued perfruſta, by peeces or ſcraps; but they auouch that eueryevery one receiueth the whole bodie of Chriſt. So then there muſt be ſo many bodies of Chriſt, not onelyonly as there are Maſſes celebrated in all the world, but alſo as there are ſeuerall communicants in the whole world, and yet forſooth the bodie of Chriſt muſt ſtill remaine whole. O noble Arithmeticians▪ Let no Merchants therefore, or any other that hauehave great accounts to make, euer make vp their reckonings and caſt vp their accounts, without ſome Maſſe-prieſt preſent, by whom they may make the ſpeedier worke. Then wil there not be ſo many bankerupts as there are.
Yea further, I pray you note another abhomination in their Maſſe. For they ſay, that eueryevery one receiueth the whole bodie of Chriſt, fleſh, blood and bone, really and materially with his bodily mouth, as it was borne of the virgin Marie: but whether ſo little as then it was, or of full growth, that they tell not. But to omit this; what followeth? I pray you remember that our Sauiour himſelfe ſaith, Whatſoeuer entreth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, Math. 15. 17.and is caſt out into the draught, according to the Greeke and Latin word. Do not theſe men (thinke you) highlyforeign Latrina. dignifie the body of Chriſt, to affoord him no better room being now glorified in the heauens, then this? But ſoft; they hauehave not yet determined whether (as I ſaid) it be the bodie of Chriſt glorified, or as it was in the ſhape of a ſeruant. Well then, demurre a while, and conſult one with another of that. In the meane time, whether of both they meane; is it not much worſe then the ſtable wherein he was borne, and the manger wherein ſo borne he was laid? Yet who can expreſſe the ſauage barbarouſneſſe of the people, in vouchſafing the virgin Marie no better roome, though they knew her not to be with child of the Sauiour of the world? How horrible an indignity therefore is this, ſo to abaſe Chriſts body, he being ſo mightily declared to be the Son of God? Yea, this is moſt horrible blaſphemie: what Chriſtian heart or eare can endure it? If Peter cōpare1. Pet. 2. 12. ſome that feared not to ſpeake euill of dignities amongſt men, and of things which they vnderſtand not, vntounto naturall bruite beaſts, or vnreaſonable creatures; whereunto may theſe be compared, that ſo abaſe and diſgrace Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, whom they profeſſe to know to be the Sonne of God, the Lord of life and glorie? Is it any maruell that they ſpeake euill of Princes in the earth, that do ſo fouly deale with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If Peter Reuel. 19. 16.alſo ſay further, that ſuch as ſo ſpeake ſhall vtterly periſh, (for ſo the word by him vſed ſignifieth,) how fearfull andforeign direfull ſhall be the end of theſe wicked wretches? For, is not this to crucifie to themſelues afreſh the Son of God? AndHeb. 6. 6. indeed ſo they muſt do, if they make a new oblation of him. For a new oblation of Chriſt, requireth a new death of Chriſt. But Chriſt once dead, and now liuing, dieth no more. Reuel. 1. 18.And if they do againe ſo crucifie Chriſt, let them take that which followeth in the former place to the Hebrewes, and acknowledge themſelues to be ſo fallen away that they cannot be renewed by repentance, that is▪ they cannot repent.
Furthermore, they ſay their Maſſe is a Sacrament. Non ſententias, ſed contradictoria loquuntur carnifices. Theſe butchers ſpeake not ſentences, but▪ (in ſome ſort) contradictories. For if it be a Sacrament, as the Supper of the Lord is to be acknowledged, then is it not ſuch a ſacrifice as they ſpeake of. For, a ſacrament & a ſacrifice are two ſuch diſtinct & diuers things, that the one cannot be the other. A ſacrament cannot be a ſacrifice, neither can a ſacrifice be a ſacrament. If it be obiected, that the Paſſe-ouer was a ſacrament, and yet a ſacrifice; I denie the latter, namelyThe Paſſe-ouer was no ſacrifice that it was a ſacrifice properly ſo called. For eueryevery ſacrifice was to be ſlaine by the Prieſts, and to be offered at the Tabernacle and Altar of the Lord: but the Paſſe-ouer was to beſlaine, yea eaten alſo by eueryevery family; it was to be roaſted with fire, leauing no part thereof till the morning; Exod. 12. 8.it was not at all to be conſumed by fire, as other ſacrifices were. If yet it be obiected, that it is called a ſacrifice. I firſt aske where? Secondly I ſay, it might improperly be ſo called as a type of Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid, that Chriſt 1. Cor. 5. 7.our Paſſe-ouer is ſacrificed for vsus. Thirdly, in reſpect of many peace-offerings after the firſt inſtitution offered at2. Chro. 32. 22. and 35. 7. the firſt celebration thereof. In which reſpects the Supper of the Lord hath bin by the Fathers often called a ſacrifice, becauſe of the praiſes of God, prayers to God, and almes giuen to men when the ſame hath bin celebrated. Beſides all the premiſes, that the Paſſe-ouer was no ſacrifice properly ſo called, it is manifeſt by expreſſe Scripture,Exod. 8. 25. 26. becauſe when Pharaoh gaue libertie to the Iſraelites to ſacrifice to the Lord in Egypt, Moſes anſwered, that it was not meete ſo to do, &c. And yet afterward they ſlue and did eate the Paſſe-ouer in Egypt. Therefore I conclude, thatExod. 12. the Paſſe-ouer was not properly a ſacrifice, but onelyonly as before I ſaid. And touching the bodie of Chriſt, I alſo conclude, that neither any ſhauen Prieſt nor any other is now to offer the ſame, but that all Chriſtian religion conſiſteth in the receiuing thereof, yea of whole Chriſt, not into their bodies, but into their hearts by a true and liuely faith. But leauing theſe their blaſphemies to themſelues, and to the iudgement and condemnation of God, I proceed.
Now hauing ſhewed the bodie of Chriſt not to be any wayes here meant, neither now to be offered by any ſhaueling Prieſt, or any other, as the Popiſh Church blaſphemouſly ſay they offer it daily in their Maſſe; let vsus more fully ſee what yet is meant by theſe words your bodies. I do therefore vnderſtand by them (as I ſaid) our whole man, bodies and ſoules. The word bodie indeed properly ſignifieth but one part of vsus, that was at the firſt made of the earth, and that we now take from our parents,Gen. 2. 7. and ſo it is diſtinguiſhed from our ſoules at the firſt, and now alſo infuſed into the bodie immediatly by God. SoZech. 12. 1. Heb. 12. 9. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Iſai. 4. 6. it is the ſame with the word fleſh, though the word fleſh hauehave diuers other ſignifications moſt commonly for all mankind, as alſo for the whole corruption and old man, and ſo it is oppoſed to the word ſpirit, that is, the newRom. 8. 1. 2. &c. man, wrought by the Spirit of God in vsus.
In the proper ſignification thereof the word bodie is taken in diuers other places: as when it is ſaid, that Chriſt Phil. 3. 21.ſhall change our vile bodie, &c. and when Paul prayeth God 1. Theſſ. 5. 23.to ſanctifie the Theſſalonians throughout in ſoule, bodie and ſpirit: ſo alſo when to the Hebrewes the Apoſtle ſaith, they were waſhed in their bodies, &c. and ſo in the doctrineHeb. 10. 22. of the reſurrection, and often elſewhere. But in this place it is taken for the whole man conſiſting of ſoule and bodie. So it is taken when the ſecond perſon in the Deitie is broght in ſaying, A bodie haſt thou prepared for me. So afterHeb. 10. 5. 10. when it is ſaid, By the which will we are ſanctified, through the offering of the bodie of Ieſus Chriſt once for all. So Peter 1. Pet. 2. 24.ſaith, that Chriſt in his bodie bare our ſinnes vponupon the Croſſe. In all which places the bodie of Chriſt is taken for the whole humane nature of Chriſt, ſoule and bodie, yea alſo for the whole perſon of Chriſt God and man; in which reſpect by communication of the properties it is ſaidAct. 20. 28. that God hath purchaſed his Church by his owne blood. So likewiſe our bodie is taken for our whole man, when theRom. 6. 12. Apoſtle ſaith, Let not ſinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodie. For he forbiddeth ſin to reigne as well in the ſoule as in the bodie: and although the ſoule be immortall, yet the whole man ioyntly is mortall. And ſo Peter Martyr ſaith, that when he ſaith bodie per ſynecdochen, he doth vnderſtand the whole man, as ſometime by the word ſoule he doth the like. For ſo Iacob is ſaid to hauehave entred into Egypt with ſeuentie ſoules: and yet preſently after he ſaith,Gen. 46. 26. that in this place it is not a name of nature but of vice: For our corrupt affections are to be mortified, and good are to be put into their place, that our ſacrifice may be acceptable. But I confeſſe I do not well vnderſtand how theſe words do accord with the former. Some other for all that do ſo interprete the words our bodies in this place, viz. not for our whole man, neither for our natural bodies diſtinct from our ſoules, but onelyonly for our whole naturall corruption, as the word fleſh (as before I ſhewed) is diuers times ſo taken. Of theſe Ambroſe vponupon this place ſeemeth to be the ancienteſt and chiefeſt: Our bodies (ſaith he) being ſubiect to ſinne, are not accounted liuing but dead. Then he ſaith, Non enim ſicut tunc corpora pro corporibus immolantur, nunc vero non corpora ſed vitia corporis ſunt perimenda: For not as then bodies are ſacrificed for bodies, but now not the bodies, but the vices of the bodie are to be ſlaine. Their reaſon ſeemeth to hauehave bin, becauſe as particular ſinnes, fornication, vncleanneſſe, &c. are called ourCol. 3. 5. earthly members; ſo our whole corruption is called by the name of the body of death, as when Paul crieth out, Oh wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me from the bodie Rom. 7. 24.of this death? But for my part I rather approue of the former interpretation of our bodies to ſignifie our whole man, as M. Caluin alſo interpreteth it, becauſe it is ſaid our bodies muſt be a ſacrifice liuing, but our whole old man muſt be ſlaine, mortified and crucified. How alſo can the old man properly be ſaid to be holy and acceptable vntounto God? when it is killed and mortified, it is not in being; and not being mortified, it is altogether vnholy and odious vntounto God, who hareth all that is euill.
That our whole man, ſoule and bodie, muſt be preſentedOur whole mā ſoule and body muſt be ſacrificed to God. Iſai. 1. 16. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Pſal. 51. 2. vntounto God a ſacrifice, it is manifeſt: Firſt of all, by diuers commandements for the waſhing of our ſelues, not in part, but in whole; and for purging of our ſelues from all filthineſſe both of the fleſh and of the ſpirit. Secondly, ſo alſo by Dauids prayer for himſelfe, wholy, not in part to be waſhed. Thirdly, ſo by Chriſts ſharp reprehenſion of the Phariſies for their waſhing themſelues onelyonly outwardly, for making cleane the outſide of the cup and of the Math. 23. 25.platter, and for being like to whited ſepulchers, &c. but within full of dead mens bones and of all vncleanneſſe. Fourthly,ver. 27. our whole man hath ſinned, therefore our whole man muſt be offered to God▪ Fiftly, our whole man was at the firſt created, and after our fall redeemed. Sixtly, in the world to come we deſire our whole man to be glorified, and ſo it ſhall be. Seuenthly, Chriſt ſuffered in his whole man, in ſoule and in bodie, in the one as well as in the other. And it is to be obſerued, that as the word ſoule is expreſſed by Iſaiah, ſo the word vſed by Iohn, and tranſlatedIſai. 53. 10. Ioh. 10. 17. 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Chriſts ſuffering in ſoule and body for vsus neceſſary. life, is not the word foreign life, but foreign ſoule. And ſo it was neceſſarie that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer and preſent himſelfe a ſacrifice to God in both parts of his humane nature, that he might be a perfect Sauiour vntounto vsus of our ſoules and bodies, becauſe wee had ſinned in both. And this Chriſts ſuffering in ſoule as well as in bodie, is manifeſt by his threefold moſt earneſt prayer to God, to be deliuered from that paſſion if it had bin poſſible: by his ſweat trickling downe like great drops of blood: by his bitterMath. 26. 39. Luk 22. 44. Math. 27. 46. Ioh. 12. 27. crie vponupon the Croſſe, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? yea alſo by his prayer to be deliuered from that houre long before. All theſe things do plainly teſtifie, that Chriſt ſuffered more then in bodie onelyonly, euen in ſoule alſo; and not ſuch puniſhment as man onelyonly did inflict, but the heauie wrath and indignation of God his Father. For many a man hath ſuffered as great torments in body and greater, that hath not ſo prayed to be deliuered from his ſufferings, nor ſo ſweat nor ſo cried out. Moreouer, the neceſſitie of Chriſts ſuch ſuffering, and conſequently of his ſo offering himſelfe, is further manifeſt, becauſe himſelfe ſpeaking of his ſuffering before, ſaith, not onelyonly that he ſhould or would ſo ſuffer, but alſo that he muſt Math. 16. 21. Mar. 8. 31. Luk. 9. 23. and 17. 25. Ioh. 12. 24.ſuffer death, &c. Yea he ſheweth the neceſſitie of his death by the ſimilitude of a graine of wheate, that except it die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruite: thereby teaching, that except hee ſhould be put to death, the ſaluation of man could not hauehave bin effected. After his reſurrection alſo, is it not ſaid by the two Angels, that Chriſt had before ſaid, that the Sonne of man muſt Luk. 24. 7.be deliuered into the hands of ſinners, and be crucified &c. Doth not Chriſt himſelfe alſo rebuke the two Diſciples that were walking to Emaus, in this maner, Oh fooles and ſlow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets hauehave ſpoken! verſ. 25. 26.ought not Chriſt to hauehave ſuffered theſe things, and to enter into his glorie? Doth not this word ought, plainly import a neceſſitie?
The neceſſitie of Chriſt dying and ſuffering all that heA threefold neceſsitie of Chriſts ſufferings. Act. 2. 23. Math. 26. 54. Luk. 24. 25. did for our ſaluation, is threefold. Firſt, becauſe of the determinate counſell of God. Secondly, for the performance of former Scriptures which had ſpoken of his ſaid ſufferings: yea, not onelyonly the plaine words of Scriptures, but alſo all the ſacrifices of the Law, which were all offered by death, as types of Chriſt. Thirdly, for expiation of our ſinnes, which could not otherwiſe hauehave bin taken away then by his being made a curſe for vsus; becauſe it was written,Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Curſed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law. The iuſtice of God therfore required all his ſaid ſufferings, euen that he ſhould not ſuffer ſomething onelyonly, but all: neither did it ſtand with the wiſedome of our Sauiour to ſuffer more then he needed, himſelfe hauing taught, that men ſhall giuegive an account Math. 12. 36.of eueryevery idle word in the day of iudgement: ſhall they not then much more giuegive account of eueryevery thing they hauehave done or ſuffered more then they needed? I hauehave the rather ſpoken thus much hereof, in confutation as of other Papiſts, ſo of Stella, that is not any ex ſtellis fixis, of the fixedStella on Luke 9. 31. ſtarres, but a Planet, a wandring ſtarre, both in himſelfe and alſo in his endeuours to deceiue and ſeduce others, and to leade them out of the way, like vntounto the Meteor that the Philoſophers call ignem fatuum, the fooliſh fire, burning vp and downe till it be wholy conſumed. But what doth he teach or ſay? that one drop of Chriſts blood had bin ſufficient to hauehave ſaued the whole world; and that we are not ſaued by the quantitie of Chriſts ſufferings, but in reſpect of the dignitie of his perſon. So what needed Chriſt to hauehave ſweat ſo many great drops of blood, and afterwardLuk. 22. 44. Ioh. 19. 1. and 34. to hauehave ſhed ſo many more when he was ſcourged; and laſt of all by a ſpeare to hauehave had ſo much blood let out of his ſide. Yea, by the former doctrine, the blood which he ſhed at his circumciſion had bin enough for all, and might hauehave ſaued all the reſt. Yea, ſo indeed in plain words he auoucheth; and for his whole errouious interpretation childiſhly playeth with the Latin word exceſſum there vſed by the vulgar Latin tranſlation, but not meaning any thing ſuperfluous, but onelyonly according to theIoh. 16. 5. 7. Greeke word ſo tranſlated, meaning Chriſts departure or going away, ſpoken of by our Sauiour himſelf, as neceſſarie before the ſending of the Comforter: for the word vſed by Luke, ſignifieth onelyonly a going out of the way; and it is the very name of the ſecond booke of Moſes, called Exodus, becauſe it containeth chiefly the departure of the Iſraelites out of the land of Egypt. But will this doctrine ſtand without blaſphemie againſt Gods iuſtice and Chriſts wiſedome? But this ſhall ſuffiſe for the neceſſitie of Chriſts ſufferings, by the way inſerted.
To proceed, the next word is ſacrifice, this Engliſh wordSac…ifice. and the Latin ſacrificium touching the ſignification of them do not expreſſe the Greeke word of the Apoſtle. For ſacrificium and ſacrifice, naturally ſignifie an holy worke, as beneficium any good worke, and maleficium any euill worke. Notwithſtanding, whatſoeuer the naturall ſignification of the word is, yet I confeſſe it is chiefly vſed for ſuch a ſacrifice as the Iews were wont to offer vntounto God, and as the heathen alſo offered to their Idols, according to the ſignification of the Greeke word here and elſewhere vſed; yea alſo according to the two Latin words vſed for the ſame, victima and hoſtia. Here let vsus not omit the diſtinction made by learned Sadael betwixtContra Miſſam. the action of ſacrificing and the thing ſacrificed; and that the word ſacrifice more properly is to be vnderſtood of the action (as before I ſaid,) and that the thing ſacrificed was called hoſtia or victima: hence it is that our ſpirituall and internall worſhip of God, and the duties of pietie & charitie, are called ſacrifices, by the former ſimilitude of legal ſacrifices in old time. Now the Greek word here vſed, is foreign, all one with another foreign, both of the verb foreign, which ſignifieth mactare, to kill ſome liuing creature for ſome holy vſe in the worſhip and ſeruice of God. And therefore for that that we call, and in the Law was called a ſacrifice, the heathen had thoſe two Latin words before mentioned, hoſtia and victima; touching the Etymologie whereof, the Poet had two Latin verſes:
Victima quae dextra cecidit victrice vocatur,
Hoſtibus à victis, hoſtia nomen habet.
The Dictionaries, Cooper, Rider, &c. make this difference betwixt the two ſaid words (yet not according to thoſe verſes) that hoſtia was a ſacrifice offered to their ſuppoſed gods at their going forth to warre againſt their enemies; victima that which they offered after victorie obtained. In both theſe reſpects we are to preſent our bodies and whole man a ſacrifice to God, both for our victorie already obtained by Ieſus Chriſt, according to that of the Apoſtle, that hauing ſpoyled Principalities and powers, he Col. 2. 15.made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing ouer them vponupon his croſſe; and according to that, that aſcending vp on high he led captiuitie captiue: and alſo to that end, that we may ouercomePſal. 68. 18. Epheſ. 4. 8. all our enemies yet remaining, and in the end triumph our ſelues and ſay, Death is ſwallowed vp in victorie. O death, where is thy ſting? O g…aue, where is thy victorie? 1. Cor. 15. 54. 55This we hauehave the more need to do, becauſe although the Seed of the woman Chriſt Ieſus hath already bruiſed the Gen. 3. 15.head of the Serpent, yet ſtill he wrigleth with his taile, and ſtill we are to wraſtle (for our exerciſe) not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt ſuch aduerſaries as in reſpect of our weakneſſe are called Principalities and powers, rulers of the Epheſ. 6. 12.darkneſſe of this world, (that is, of the children of darkneſſe in this world, not of the children of the light) and againſt ſpirituall wickedneſſes in high places, yea alſo againſt him that (in reſpect of his ſubtiltie and our ſimplicitie) is called the old Serpent.Reuel. 12. 9. 20. 2.
The reaſon of this phraſe ſacrifice, is, becauſe being ingrafted into Chriſt Ieſus, we are partakers of his Prieſthood, and are Prieſts as wel as Kings vntounto God. For though1. Pet. 1. 5. Reuel. 1. 6. and 5. 10. in that place of Peter we be called alſo liuing ſtones, yet this is not preiudiciall to the other: for in diuers reſpects we are called by diuers names: and there we be called ſtones rather then timber; Firſt, becauſe Princes houſes are rather built with ſtones then with timber, and we be the houſes & temples of God himſelf, who is King of Kings. Secondly, in reſpect of the perpetuitie of all the elect, ſtones being more durable then timber. Thirdly, becauſe Chriſt himſelfe, into whom (as before I ſaid) we are mortiſed, is alſo called the chiefe corner ſtone. In like maner asEpheſ. 2. 20. Chriſt was both the Prieſt and alſo the ſacrifice once offered for all, ſo are we both Prieſts and alſo ſacrifices, according to this preſent text. Thus much of the ſeuerall words of this exhortation.