The Twenty Fourth Sermon, which is the fourth upon the fourth Chapter - Ephesians 4:7-10.
them, so that we may all come to the perfection whereto we are called.
Now, let us cast ourselves down before the Majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying Him that we may be so touched with them, that we may yield ourselves to Him with true repentance for our further profiting and strengthening all our life long, by acknowledging the miseries that are in us.
And let it please Him to bear with us so that, in the end, having obtained the remission of our sins, we may be provoked to come unto Him, not doubting that He will always acknowledge us as His children, and make us enjoy the heritage which He has bought so dearly for us.
And so let us all say, Almighty God, Heavenly Father, etc.
The Twenty Fourth Sermon, which is the fourth upon the fourth Chapter.
7. But grace is given to every one of us, according to the measure of Christ's gift.
8. For which thing he saith, "When he went up on high, he led a multitude of prisoners into captivity and gave gifts to men."
9. Now, that he went up, what does it mean, but that he first went down into the lower parts of the earth?
10. He that went down is the same who went up above all the heavens, to the end to fulfill all things.
I began this morning to expound the text of the Psalm quoted here by St. Paul (Psalm 68:18), showing that all the things which are spoken there agree with the person of the only Son of God. For although he often says by way of similitude that God goes up when He shows
Himself as judge of the world and defender of His Church, yet, inasmuch as when our Lord Jesus Christ came down, He was abased as one that was beneath all men, and afterward was exalted by the power of God, His Father, therein we see most fully how God vouchsafed to be abased for a time in the person of His Son, to be in a state despised before men, and afterward would be crowned again with glory and honor, as the Apostle says of Him in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 2:9). And that is the cause why St. Paul says here that it behooved Him first to descend to be so exalted (Ephesians
4:9-10).
But before we go any further, we must note that here St. Paul has changed the word. For whereas David says that God "received gifts"
(Psalm 68:18), that is to say, tribute and homage of those whom He had subdued to His majesty, St. Paul instead says that "He gave."
And so, this is not rehearsed as it lies in the Psalm, but the Apostle meant to show that the triumph which our Lord Jesus Christ made when He rose from death surpassed all David's victories and all that had ever been done in shadows and figures under the Law. For it is much more to give than to take.
Also, whereas it is said in the Psalm that God received, that was not for Himself or to His own use, for we know He has no need of
anything; but His receiving was to enrich His Church. And that is the reason why it is said that "the women who never stepped out of their doors shall have their part of the prey or booty" (Psalm 68:12).
There, therefore, David shows that God was not glorified for any profit or advantage that He pretended on His own behalf, accordingly as it is said that He is content with His own perfection, for He can neither increase nor diminish, but all redounded to the welfare of His Church.
For God's showing Himself to be rich is not by keeping His treasures under double locks (as men say) but by setting them forth for all comers, at leastwise if we seek them with true faith. And forasmuch as His riches do not diminish, nor yet His liberality which He uses towards us, thereby we know that He surpasses all the men in the world. Then, if we will define in one word how God is rich, it is in being liberal unto us, using bountifulness, and by alluring us to Him to succor us in all our needs and wants, according to this saying of His by His Prophet: "Come, all ye that are thirsty, and drink your fill: ye shall have your fill, not only of water, but also of wine and milk"
(Isaiah 55:1).
To be short, He shows that those who wait upon Him and put their trust in Him can lack nothing. Therefore, it is said in the Psalm that all shall have their part of the spoil (Psalm 68:12), not only the men of war (for they might happen to boast that they had gotten the whole prey by their own manhood and policy), but that "the women who never stirred out of the house, and who did nothing but spin upon their distaffs, shall have part of the booty," as though they had gotten the victory.
Hereby, I say, He shows that God's receiving of tributes and taxes from those whom He had subdued to His dominion was not to
increase Himself withal, but to make us partakers of all the benefits that belong to our salvation. And herewithal, let us mark well how it is alleged that when God gives us His gifts, it is not so that we might attribute anything to our own virtue or prowess, but that we should think ourselves beholden to His mere free goodness for all things.
And so must all things be referred to His glory.
For the more that He bestows upon us, the more ought we to be forward and ready to confess how much we are bound unto Him. But the chief point is that we endeavor to make the gifts that we have received available to the common edifying of the Church: that is to say, that God may still be more and more exalted, and the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ increased and augmented among men. And so the condition, say I, whereupon our Lord distributes to every one of us the things that belong to Him, and are His own, and which He could keep still to Himself, is that we should do Him homage for them both in word and deed.
But now let us come to that which Saint Paul addeth. He saith that it behooved Jesus Christ to descend, according also as He descended into the lower parts of the earth, and that thereafter He was exalted.
Many have made over-violent glosses upon this place, saying that Jesus Christ went down, not only into the grave, but also even into Limbo—a place forged of their own brain. But Saint Paul speaks simply, namely (as it is said in the second to the Philippians), that because Jesus Christ was abased, therefore God, His Father, exalted
Him to His right hand and gave Him sovereign dominion, to the end that all knees should henceforth bow before Him (Philippians 2:811).
Therefore, whereas Saint Paul saith that Jesus Christ was abased, he meaneth it of His clothing Himself with our nature, wherein He
became despised, without any dignity, and without any reputation to the worldward. According whereto it is said in the Psalms that He was counted as a worm of the earth and not as a man, insomuch that men took scorn to look upon Him, as saith the Prophet Isaiah, and there was nothing in Him that men could like (Psalm 22:6; Isaiah
53:2-3).
You see then that Jesus Christ did so submit Himself to all reproach that He was disfigured, and men did spit at Him, mock Him, and do
Him all the wrongs that they could, and afterward, He was exalted.
And no doubt, but Saint Paul hath touched the thing here which he discoursed more at length in the forementioned place: which is, that the example of the Son of God ought to teach us lowliness and to make us walk plainly without taking anything upon us above other men. For who are we? What is our state? When every one of us hath sifted himself thoroughly, what shall he find in him to boast of? We have many things to thank God for, but to take upon us that which is
His would be a villainous treachery. So, there is nothing for us to do but to cast down our eyes.
For behold, the Son of God could have shown Himself in His heavenly glory and majesty so as He could have made all the world to quake; and yet we see that, being born in a stable, He walked all His lifetime as one unknown and unesteemed, and in the end was put to death, and that not a common death, but a death that was so reproachful, yea, and cursed of God's own mouth, that He was held for accursed before God and His angels, to the intent that we might be blessed for His sake and by His means (Philippians 2:6-8; Luke
2:7; Galatians 3:13).
Seeing then that God's Son was so abased, have not we good cause to stoop low? For God requireth not that we should forgo anything of
our own when He exhorteth us to lowliness. And why? For if we knew what we be, we would stoop low enough. Our head was not in like plight when He came down hither. For why? As it is said in the 17th of Saint John, He possessed His divine glory and majesty before the making of the world (John 17:5). And yet, for all that, He vouchsafed to abase Himself in such wise (as in the sight and opinion of men) that to outward appearance He seemed to have utterly given over His majesty. It is true that He continued still in His perfect state, but that appeared not. And that is the cause why Saint Paul useth the word "figure" or "shape." He appeared, saith he, in the shape of man (Philippians 2:7). For he meaneth that our Lord Jesus
Christ's clothing of Himself with our flesh, and His being despised and rejected, were no derogation at all to His divine essence. And why? For it was but an outward shape. Then did He continue always unimpaired, and yet, nevertheless, He was seen to be under all men.
Who will then refuse the same state, that we should not be lowly after His example? The fathers that lived under the Law perceived already that it behooved them to be fashioned like unto the image and pattern of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was their head, and yet they had but very dark figures. Now then, seeing that Jesus Christ showeth us the way, so as He entered into the kingdom of heaven through many tribulations, and into life by death, and is exalted on high after abasing low: what excuse shall we have if we, seeing those things, be still puffed up with pride and cannot find it in our hearts to walk in meekness, considering that we be nothing?
So then, whereas Saint Paul speaketh of the low places of the earth, he meaneth the human nature which our Lord Jesus took upon Him for our salvation, yea, even with the addition of all the things that I have touched. For He showed not Himself as a great prince, neither used He any pomp or trains of men to make Himself dreaded in the
world; but (as it is said in the forty-second of Isaiah) He broke not the bruised reed, He quenched not the smoking flax, neither was His voice or cry heard in the streets (Isaiah 42:2-3).
Again, besides this, we see how He suffered reproach and how He abode it patiently: when He came to His death, all men seemed to have conspired against Him. Therefore, we must add all these qualities to know how Jesus Christ descended into the low parts of the earth. Howbeit, if we compare His divine majesty with our nature, we may well call all the earth the low places; and although
Jesus Christ had possessed the whole world, yet it had been nothing in comparison of His heavenly glory. For what are they who are in the highest state of dignity? They do but crawl here like frogs or leap like grasshoppers, as saith the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 40:22). No marvel then though the whole earth be termed a low and base place in respect of heaven.
Howbeit, Saint Paul's intent here was to note briefly that Jesus Christ vouchsafed to stoop so low as to become a mocking stock to the unbelievers, yea, and even to be condemned and esteemed as a man accursed and forsaken of God—all which things He endured for our salvation. It is good reason, therefore, that we should mildly and without gainsaying receive God's humbling of us and bear in ourselves the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, by being shaken off, despised, and mocked for our simplicity, and that no man should take upon him or challenge to himself the things that are none of his.
That is the effect of Saint Paul's meaning.
Now he sayeth, "that he is gone up above all heavens" (Ephesians 4:10). Herein we see that the Son of God hath not as now the lordship of this world. For Saint Paul's declaring that He is above all the heavens is to show that the dominion which He hath is heavenly,
divine, and everlasting. For the heavens themselves shall pass away, and they must needs vanish, as Jesus Christ avoweth with His own mouth (Matthew 24:35; Luke 21:33).
Now, if the heavens be subject to changing and must be done away to be renewed again (Isaiah 65:17), if Jesus Christ dwelt in heaven, He should be subject to the same state; that is to say, He should be frail and transitory (Hebrews 1:10-12). Then He is above all the heavens in His infinite glory, wherein there is neither change nor turning about (James 1:17).
And thereupon he addeth that it is "to fill all things" (Ephesians 4:10). By this word "fill," he meaneth that Jesus Christ is not so locked up in any one place, but that we may feel Him present, and that He dwelleth in us, and that He filleth all things. But surely that is not with His body, as some have grossly imagined, but it is with His power and with His spiritual benefits and gifts. Yet, nevertheless,
Saint Paul's intent here is to betoken a presence of Christ, to the end that we may know that we have not lost anything by His absenting of Himself from the earth, so as He dwelleth here no more after a visible fashion.
And why? For He ceaseth not for all that, to execute His power everywhere, and to fill all things; insomuch that we have all things of Him which are requisite for our salvation. That is, in effect, the very meaning of Saint Paul.
Wherefore, let us here put in practice the exhortation that hath been touched afore: which is, that we cannot be taken for God's children, except we become like to Him that hath the right of the firstborn.
Since it is so, let us willingly suffer ourselves to be abased, that God may exalt us; for by that means did our Lord Jesus come to His glory.
Again, let us apply all our senses to taste thoroughly what the mercy
of God is, in that it hath pleased Him that His Son, which was His image, should be so abased.
Let us consider how great the love of our Lord Jesus Christ is, in that He vouchsafed to hide His divine essence for a time, and took not upon Him as belonged unto Him, but did as it were stoop down to the sight of the world. Since we see this, let us consider, first of all, how precious our souls were to the Son of God, seeing He vouchsafed to stoop so low for our sakes, and let us esteem the Gospel, whereby so great a benefit is communicated unto us, assuring ourselves that if God's Son had not come down unto us, there had been no means for us to have come unto God His Father.
For besides that we are plunged here in mire, and have nothing in us but utter frailty, it is certain that we bear as good as a hell about us, because the devil is not without cause called the prince of this world
(John 12:31; John 14:30).
So then, seeing we are under the tyranny of Satan and of sin, how could we mount upward if Jesus Christ drew us not? But first it behooved Christ to come down hither. And thereby we are taught to worship our Lord Jesus Christ always in the person which He hath taken as the Mediator; and whereas the unbelievers and unholy folk take occasion to despise Him because He was crucified, let us honor
Him still as He deserveth.
For whereas His greatness and majesty were after a sort darkened for a time, that was to give the greater beauty to His mercy and lovingkindness, which selfsame word Saint Paul useth when he purposeth to express well what earnestness of mind and care God had to ransom us from the dungeons of death. And so you see, in effect, what we have to consider upon the Apostle's words, where he saith that Jesus Christ was so abased.
And whereas he addeth that "he went up above all the heavens," I have told you already in one word that it is all one as if he meant to exempt Him from the array of creatures, knowing that as now He is not subject to any change. For the same cause, it is said in the sixth chapter of Romans that "He suffered once in dying for our sins: but yet for all that, He died not forever, because He is entered into the life of God" (Romans 6:9-10). That is to say, He is made partaker of the immortal glory, so we have just cause to cast down our eyes.
And because we do not fully conceive this high sovereignty which was given Him, let us honor it, seeing that even the angels of heaven bear us company therein. For it is not for nought said in the Psalms that "all the angels of God worshipped Him when He showed
Himself to the world" (Psalm 97:7), which text the Apostle also applies to His person in the first chapter to the Hebrews (Hebrews
1:6).
Herewithal, let us mark that although Jesus Christ is not shut up in any one certain place, yet He ceaseth not to keep still the true nature of His body. For the Papists have imagined that although He be in heaven, yet He is everywhere else as well as there. Yea, and therewithal they have their speculations to show how it is no inconvenience at all that God should have His being above and also be beneath here with us.
And thereupon they imagine themselves to have the body of Jesus Christ in the Almonry, by reason whereof they bear it abroad in the streets and cause all men to worship it. And yet, in the meantime, men know it is but a morsel of bread. Yes (say they), it is God. But that is an utter annihilation of the true nature of our Lord Jesus
Christ. In defense thereof, they allege that if it had the property of a body, it must needs be in one certain place. But above the heavens,
there is no place (to speak after the manner of the philosophers), and it is said that Jesus Christ is there. Therefore (say they) His body hath not the properties of a body. Yes, and we know that the angels have no bodies, and yet they are not everywhere, for they are fain to go wherever God appointeth them.
Now, seeing that the angels are not tied to any place, notwithstanding that their essence is not infinite but comprehended within a certain measure, though they have no proportion of members, why should not Jesus Christ be above all the elements of this world, yea, and above all the heavens, and yet not cease to be very man? Not that He can die anymore, or be subject to any of our passions and infirmities, as He was heretofore when He was conversant in the world. For as now He is quite rid of all those things, but that, however the case stands, He holdeth still His true nature of man.
And although He be above the heavens, yet let us assure ourselves that that distance hindereth not His presence with us and in us.
How? We must mark what has been touched afore. It is said that "He filleth all things," (Ephesians 4:10), but that is with the power of His
Spirit. You see, then, that the filling whereof Saint Paul speaketh is that we should have our fill of the benefits of our Lord Jesus Christ and that when we are grafted into His body and made one with Him by belief in the Gospel, then we may assure ourselves that He is the fountain which never dries, nor can ever be emptied with drawing, and that in Him we have all variety of good things and all perfection.
Now then, if Saint Paul had meant as the Papists have forged, and as is maintained nowadays by many ignorant and willful persons, namely, that Jesus Christ filleth all things with His human nature, surely he would not have forgotten it. But he letteth it alone as an
absurdity. Wherefore, let us mark well the two sayings that are set down here: that is to wit, on the one side, that Jesus Christ is gone up above all the heavens, and yet, notwithstanding, that He ceaseth not to fill all things.
It is said that He is gone up above the heavens, even to the end that we should not be tied to this world and to our fleshly fancies when we intend to resort to Jesus Christ, but that we should lift up our minds on high and seek Him there by faith (Colossians 3:1-2).
Insomuch that when the Holy Scripture says that God is in heaven, it intendeth not to assign Him some peculiar place. The respect is far different, and altogether unlike, between God in His spiritual essence and Jesus Christ in respect of the body and human nature which He took of us.
For when we speak of God, we must always lay this ground: that He hath an infinite essence which filleth all things, so that heaven is as His royal throne, and the earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1). Not that He hath any feet, nor any seat to sit on, but it serves to show that there is no distance so far or wide that can contain the majesty of God, which is infinite, as I said. That is a thing which we must bear in mind when God is spoken of unto us.
And why then is it said that God is above all the heavens, and why does Saint Paul speak after the same manner here of Jesus Christ? It is because we are dull and earthly, that if God should not tell us that He hath His temple and palace in heaven, we would tie Him to every pillar, to every stone, to every waterspring, to every tree, and (to be short) to everything that we see. Therefore, to correct such vice, our
Lord saith to us, "Mount up, mount up aloft," as though He lifted us by the chins, and said, "Wretched beasts, why seek ye to see Me here beneath? What intend ye to liken Me to? Assure yourselves, ye must
be conveyed up above all the world when ye think upon Me and My majesty. Therefore ye cannot worship Me except ye be rapt up aloft and consider that I am incomprehensible." Lo, how the Scripture speaketh of Him.
And when we say, "Our Father which art in heaven," it is to the intent we should lift up our minds unto Him, as He calleth us at all hours
(Matthew 6:9). Not that we must imagine, as the Papists do, who think to please God with their much babbling and with their using of many ceremonies, which may have a gay gloss to the worldward. I say, we must not think to please God so, for let us be sure that that were a transfiguring of God, to make Him like ourselves. But we must rather bethink us, that instead of having our minds weighed down to the world, we must strive to lift them up on high.
And as for Jesus Christ, it is said that He is "above all the heavens," even in His human nature (Ephesians 4:10). And how is that? Being
God in respect of His essence, He is equal to His Father, so as He filleth all things. But in respect that He hath put on a human body,
He is above the heavens, so as He is not in the world. And it is too fond a grossness to say, "Why then, are not the two natures so knit together as they cannot be put asunder?" All this is true, but yet it does not follow that they cannot be distinguished.
So long as we remain alive, our soul and body are joined together, and yet it does not therefore follow that the soul is not of another nature than the body or that they cannot be distinguished. Even so is it with Jesus Christ. If a man demands, "Why then, is not our Lord
Jesus Christ all whole with us, according as He is our head and mediator, and hath gathered us to Him in such wise as we live of His own substance?" Yes, He is with us all whole, if we take Him in the person of the mediator.
But if a man demands, "Is every part of Him among us, which is in Himself?" No, nor is it requisite that He should anymore be so conversant among us, as to be subject to the suffering of anything, but He must be quite and clean exempted from all that gear. And that is the cause why the Apostle telleth us, "that He appeared once, and that henceforth we wait for Him" (Hebrews 9:28). And so you see what we have to consider upon this saying, that Jesus Christ is exalted above all the heavens.
Now let us go back again to the word "fill," for therein Saint Paul showeth us that the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ hath no bounds to be locked up in, but that it reacheth even unto us.
Therefore (as I have said twice already), our Lord Jesus Christ's filling of all things is by His power. For He is not a King after the manner of those whom we see in this world. They are subject to hunger and thirst, they are subject to diseases and other things, so as they must have officers at every stone's cast, or else they shall not be obeyed.
They then are fain to do their affairs by other men, which they cannot do by themselves, and to borrow help at other folks' hands.
But it is not so with Jesus Christ; for He reigneth not by force of arms, nor after the manner of worldly princes. Now then, He reigneth by His Spirit and by the means of His Word. And by that means are all things filled with Him, even by the Gospel. Saint Paul saith in the first to the Corinthians that we communicate with Him (1
Corinthians 10:16-17). And to that end also doth God call us day by day, namely to make us partakers of His only Son. And how may that be unless He extend His power unto us?
Now truly, in this case, it standeth us in need to have more than our senses can receive. For the power of our Lord Jesus Christ carrieth
with it a wonderfulness above all our understanding, as Saint Paul will show yet again hereafter. For when he hath said that Christ is the head of the Church, and as it were a husband (which is all one person with his wife), he crieth out, "It is a great mystery or secret, between Jesus Christ and His Church" (Ephesians 5:32). If it be a secret, surely then can we never attain to it by our own mother wit, nor by our own conceits.
And therefore, whereas Saint Paul saith that He "filleth all things," let us assure ourselves that instead of common reason and common opinion, we must have the experience of faith if we intend to know how Jesus Christ dwelleth in us and to be persuaded of it, as hath been said thereof already. However we fare, let us not think that any distance can separate us from the Son of God. And why? For His dominion extendeth high and low, and therefore we shall feel that He is in us, and we in Him, that we shall be made all one together, yea, even to be joined unto God His Father and to be brought to the perfection that is spoken of in Saint John, where He saith, "It is expedient for you that I go my way, for my Father is greater than I"
(John 14:28).
Our Lord Jesus Christ's meaning there is not to make Himself inferior to His Father in respect of His divine essence (for we know there is but one God), but He taketh us there, to lift us up according to our rudeness and infirmity, as if He should lead us pace by pace and step by step like little children. After that manner then doth He join us to God His Father, till we be rightly transformed into His glory, whereof we enjoy part already by the Gospel. For we see not yet but as it were through a glass, and darkly, as Saint Paul saith in another place (1 Corinthians 13:12). That then is the thing which we have to bear in mind.
Now it behoveth us to honor well this King, which is set over us by God His Father, and consider that we ought to be His people indeed, yea, and even His own body. Seeing He doeth us such honor, let us look that we be so much the more inflamed with the love of Him, and consider that Jesus Christ, being exalted above all the heavens, is also Judge of the world, yea, even to call us to account, not only of our outward deeds but also even of all our thoughts.
And therefore, let us walk in His fear and obedience, assuring ourselves that when the trumpet soundeth at the last day, we must all appear before Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
And further, let us consider also that He filleth all things in such wise as it is to the overthrow of all our enemies and to the bridling, or rather to the fettering of them, so they cannot hurt us, do what they can. Therefore, according to that which is contained here from out of the Psalms, it is very requisite that He should be above to obtain the upper hand of our enemies; for else, what would become of us?
And indeed, let us consider what they might be able to do, having infinite hosts to overthrow our salvation continually withal. For the devil is not as a mortal man; he hath such force as is terrible out of measure. What might he do, were it not that Jesus Christ filleth all things? Yea, even to show that He hath power both over Satan and over all his upholders, insomuch that they may practice, prepare, and turmoil as they can against the Church, yet shall they never bring their enterprise to pass, because Jesus Christ holds them at the stave's end, as it were, with His foot upon their throat.
You see then that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ was given Him, with full warrant, that we shall ever be defended by His strong and invincible hand, because He hath taken us into His perfection, even He that is exalted above all the heavens. And that also is the
cause why Saint Paul saith expressly, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth"
(Philippians 2:10).
Now, when we hear that the angels stoop to our Lord Jesus Christ, let us understand that He applieth them to our service, so as they be our keepers, and watch to defend us against Satan. And seeing that this charge is committed to them by our Lord Jesus Christ, who is their head, we ought to be well assured of our salvation. And so, you see how we ought to put this text in use.
Moreover, let us walk so under the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we may feel that He filleth us indeed, (as I said afore) because He is above all things, through all things, and in all things.
This was spoken of God His Father; however, we know that Jesus Christ is the means whereby God dwelleth in us. Wherefore, let us be
His true temples, and, since He, being the wellspring of all pureness, vouchsafes us the grace and privilege to dwell in us, let us endeavor to keep ourselves holy unto Him, both in body and soul.
For if we give ourselves to our own uncleanness, it is all one as if we went about to drive away the Son of God, who cannot be intermeddled with our corruptions and filthiness. Not that we can be clear from all spot and blemish, but that we must not delight in them, but rather fight against them, and labor more and more to fashion ourselves after the pureness that is in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And like as He sanctified Himself on our behalf, so also let us be holy, namely by the grace and power of His Holy Spirit, and let the same holiness be consecrated by the doctrine of the Gospel, as is said of it in another place (John 17:17).
Now then, as touching this filling, you see that inasmuch as we know that our Lord Jesus Christ holdeth the devils and all the despisers of
His majesty fettered in subjection, we may assure ourselves that He dwelleth verily in us, and that the same is peculiar to us, because He hath chosen us for His temples and intendeth to show that the conjunction which He hath taken upon Him with mankind is proper to us in respect of the human nature, and also in respect of His
Spirit, because He maketh it to take place in us.
And not only that He is man still, as He was, but that there is yet more—that is to wit, that we be bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh. Not that we be created of His substance, but that by the power of His Holy Spirit, He maketh the substance of His body and blood to flow down unto us, wherewith we are filled; insomuch that we have there not only meat to eat but also drink to drink, so as there is sufficient to content us withal, conditionally that we consider the benefits whereunto He allureth us, and which He offereth us and will have us to enjoy, so we be not letted by our own unbelief.
Now, let us fall down before the Majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying Him to touch us more to the quick with a true knowledge of ourselves and of our wretchedness, that we may be so cast down in ourselves, as we may resort to Him with all lowliness, and confess ourselves to be beholden to Him for all good things.
And let us have no other anchor than our Lord Jesus Christ, since it is to Him that we are called. May we be so clothed with Him that it may put away all our fleshly lusts and affections, which hinder our union with God. Let us continue in the hope that is given to us, until, being taken out of this world, we enjoy the everlasting rest that He has purchased for us.
May it please Him to grant this grace, not only to us but also to all people and nations of the earth. Amen.