The Twenty Seventh Sermon, which is the Seventh upon the Fourth Chapter - Ephesians 4:15-16.
May we be so grounded in Him that His love and fear grow more and more in us until He has gathered us together into His heritage. May it please Him to grant this grace, not only to us but also to all people and nations of the earth. Amen.
The Twenty Seventh Sermon, which is the Seventh upon the Fourth Chapter.
15. But to the end that following truth with charity, we might grow in all things in Him who is the head, even Christ,
16. By whom the whole body, being knit together and joined by every joint throughout, with furniture according to the operation of each part in measure, takes the full growth of a body, to the building up of itself in love.
We have seen heretofore that we must keep the order which God has set among us, that we may profit in God's school all the time of our life. For inasmuch as God has not ordained any superfluous thing, we must conclude that we shall never attain to such perfect learning while we live in this world, but that we shall have need to go further still. Moreover, we shall never be at our journey's end until we come to the end of our life.
Forasmuch then as we know that we have yet but a part of the thing which we must have, and that our faith will always be weak, let us strive so much the more to be strengthened and to draw near unto
God. Then shall we not be like little children, and such as waver and float to and fro with every wind, having no steadiness in their faith.
For if we are diligent to profit in God's Word, surely we shall be armed and fenced to withstand all the wiles of Satan and the wicked men who would beguile us.
Although God does not bring us to perfection all at once, but holds us still in some feebleness, we shall never be destitute of a good remedy if we receive the things that He offers us and are not careless in applying them to our benefit. The means to bring this to pass is shown to us here: namely, that we follow the truth and love one another. As if Saint Paul should say, the knowledge of God and the love of our neighbors are two things that ought not to be separated asunder.
And he putteth truth foremost, purposely, because our linking together would not benefit us at all, unless Jesus Christ were the bond of our concord and that God allows it because it is grounded upon His Word. Saint Paul then meant here to put a difference between us and the heathen and unbelievers. For all men will grant well enough that there can be nothing but havoc among men when they are like dogs and cats. This has been known as a grounded principle in all ages, in all countries, and among all people, insomuch that even the heathen folk, and such as knew not what true religion means, have simply commended and esteemed the benefit of concord and agreement together.
But yet they builded without a foundation. Therefore, Saint Paul begins with God's truth: as if he should say, we must not only be united among ourselves, but God must also go before us, and we must obey Him, so that we must be gathered together under Him. He must sit over us, and we must choose to be at defiance with the whole
world rather than to slip away from Him. Thus, you see that the thing which we have to mark upon this text is that God will not have us to be knit together without knowing how or why; but He will have us to agree to worship and serve Him, and to put our whole trust in His infinite goodness, so that Jesus Christ is our head and we all are members of His body through the power of faith.
Again, when we once know that we have a Father in heaven who has adopted us to be His children and that Jesus Christ has vouchsafed to take our flesh and substance upon Him, to the intent that we should be flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, the same should move us to love one another, to be careful each for another's salvation, and to help one another according to the ability that God gives us. According to which it is said in the Psalms: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Psalm 133:1).
Afterward, the prophet brings us to the ointment that was poured upon the priests, as if he should say that men, having no more but even their mother wit, may perceive that there is not a more wholesome thing in the world than to live in peace and amity.
However, therewithal he declares the order of it after the same manner that is shown us here by Saint Paul and says that the said brotherhood must be consecrated and dedicated to the name of God.
For the anointing of Aaron and his successors was in such a way that the ointment did shed down upon the whole body and upon the garment of them.
Now, therefore, let us mark that if we intend to link together well, we must draw unto God, and our linking must be allowed of Him.
Otherwise, we may well have fellowship together, but it shall be but a cursed fellowship, and the end of it can never be but utter confusion.
Wherefore, that we may rule our life well, let the end that we begin at be to cleave unto the truth.
Right necessary is this warning for us nowadays. For the Papists accuse us of troubling the world and that the debates that are now, nowadays, spring from our fault. Insomuch as heretofore all was dead, everyone said, "Amen," to them, and there was no disputing.
Indeed, there was no great travail spent in seeking God or the salvation of men. Now then, to cast the devil out of the possession that he had gotten, it behooved us to use great vehemence, according as it is said, that he will never give over his place except he be enforced.
Therefore, it stood us on hand (as you would say) to thunder and lighten, to waken the world that was so fallen asleep, and after a sort bewitched. For inasmuch as the unbelievers are extremely stubborn in striving against God and cannot abide that the truth should take place, but uphold their lies with devilish willfulness, that is the very cause why there is so much trouble and war in the world nowadays—
I mean for religion. Now the Papists would lay the blame on our necks, but let us see who is at fault. For we desire that every man should do homage unto God, that both great and small should submit themselves to His Word, and that there should be one true unity of faith so that the simplicity of the Gospel goes before it and guides it. These are the things that we seek, and the Papists find fault with it.
Yet notwithstanding, there is nothing else to be found in our doctrine but that we would gladly have a harmony between men and Angels to worship the true God and to follow His Word, which is our true rule, so that there should be no corruption in His service. On the contrary, the Papists would maintain all their abominations and errors and
cannot endure that Jesus Christ should have His preeminence. For they have deprived Him of all His offices and made, as it were, a spoil of them. They have an infinite number of male and female saints to whom they give the title of their Advocates, saying that by their merits they obtain favor at God's hand for those who pray unto them.
Moreover, in all the rest of their doctrine, there is nothing but what is perverted, and even falsified. Besides these errors and superstitions, the Papists are also so spiteful as to bend themselves even against God, to spit out their madness, and even to endeavor to wipe away the remembrance of Jesus Christ by fire and sword. What should we do in this case? There is no compromise with them except by renouncing God's truth. But we know what order is taught us here by the Holy Ghost. For Saint Paul could well have said in one word,
"Agree, my friends." But he saw well that he would have spoken only half, and that his doctrine also would have been misconstrued.
Therefore, he says, "Let us be knit together in the truth, and let us rather give up all the friendship of the world, and procure the anger of all unbelievers, and of all such as rebel against God, than swerve one whit from it." But if we seek to be in good agreement in the truth, and none of us be wedded to himself, but rather every one of us seek the welfare and salvation of his neighbors, that is the concord which ought to be among us.
The thing then which we have to remember upon this passage is, on the one side, we must beware of confederating with God's enemies, that we do not strike sail (as they say) to please them. For although it behooves us to seek to have peace and unity with all men, as near as we can, yet God's truth is always excepted, and we must make more account of that than of all the world. Indeed, they who will needs gratify creatures, and in the meantime turn away from God's truth as much as they can, shall always be unhappy. Therefore, let us
evermore abide steadfastly by our God, and hold ourselves under His yoke, and not shrink away in any wise, but rather defy the whole world, even if there were no man to hold with us. That is one point.
Again, if the world may be won to obedience, and we be able to do so much as to draw one or two to consent in one faith with us, then we must put our endeavor and labor thereto. For we must shun these two extremities: namely, of offending God and of turning away from His pure Word to purchase men's favor; and also of being so highminded and full of stateliness as to trust every man to himself and to let others alone, and to care for no one but himself; for these are two evil extremes which we must beware of.
But let us learn to join these two things as inseparable: namely, that we yield God true obedience through faith by holding ourselves to the pure simplicity of His Word; and again, that we do not despise our neighbors, but endeavor to win them, that they may submit themselves quietly unto God, and by that means all of us, both great and small, may speak as it were with one mouth, through the Holy
Ghost reigning in our hearts. All of us should have the knowledge that has been spoken of, namely, that God is so the author of our salvation that He has also shown Himself a Father towards us in adopting us and in vouchsafing to have us be all of His household, which cannot be unless we live all in good concord because He is the God of peace.
And although we should be driven to fight against the whole world, yet let us be of good comfort because the Angels of heaven are our companions in cleaving unto God. Should we then in these days separate ourselves from an infinite multitude of men who presume upon their riches, their greatness, their pomp, their credit, and even their wisdom? Yes, let us esteem every bit of it but as trash. And for
our own part, although they call us schismatics and count us as the offscourings of the world, let us hold ourselves contented in that we know that the Angels of heaven, the holy Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles, and the Martyrs agree with us.
To sum up, all God's chosen people from Abel to this present day bear us sufficient company. And so we may despise all that shall be laid to our reproach when we have God's truth and the mark by which we know ourselves to be His children. For inasmuch as God cannot deny Himself, He will always continue with His Church, of which we are a part, if she clings to His Word. Let that, therefore, be one point.
But in the meantime, let us not forget to seek peace to the utmost of our power, according to the text that I have already mentioned from Romans. Therefore, let us not willfully separate ourselves from the world, but let us have, as it were, our arms stretched out to receive all who willingly yield themselves to the obedience of God, so that we may have one faith together; and let us endeavor to bring it to pass.
The very same reason is why Saint Paul tells us here that the faith and obedience we yield unto God should not puff up our hearts with pride so that we reject other men, and every one of us loves himself and looks out only for himself. Instead, it should make us follow the example of our Heavenly Father, who draws near those who were far off and is ready to be reconciled with His enemies. Since He has shown us this in our Lord Jesus Christ and given us such an excellent pledge of it, we also must have this same doctrine of peace in our thoughts and hearts. As much as is possible, we should endeavor to bring those who are yet separated from the Gospel to its union. If those who have been as if stark mad against God yield themselves like lambs and sheep of the flock, we must be ready to receive them.
Let us then commit ourselves to this and not be given to each one's profit. Let us assure ourselves that since God has knit us together and bound us one to another, each of us ought to employ himself to the utmost of his ability and according to his own measure, to draw his neighbors with him, so we may rightly be one body and Jesus
Christ reign over us.
For the same reason, he adds that we should "grow in all things in Him that is our head," that is to say, in Jesus Christ. Now, by this word "grow," Saint Paul continues the matter we have seen before, which is that we must not stand so much in our own conceits as to think ourselves to have already reached the mark we are aiming for.
For, as I told you, our life is a journey; therefore, we must keep moving forward. He who lingers by the way shows that he never knew what he was aiming for. Therefore, although we must not be like little children, we are not yet come to full age, nor have we obtained the strength that is requisite.
Wherefore, let us grow. That is to say, let each of us look well to our own infirmity, and when he sees his own weakness, let him, therefore, take heart and thrust himself forward. Let him press unto
God, and let all our minds be continually bent in that direction. It is not enough for us to have begun, nor yet to have gone a good way unless it is imprinted in our hearts that we must continue to grow until our dying day. Otherwise, it is certain that we shall only be dazzled by our own pride, and that will make all of God's gifts vanish, which we had received before. Therefore, let us not imagine that we have such power or understanding in all the things requisite for our salvation as to not consider how it is not in vain that the Holy Ghost exhorts us here to grow.
Here, you also see how lowliness ought always to accompany faith, according to this saying, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple"
(Psalm 19:7). The greater a man wishes to make himself, the more he shuts the door against himself so that he can have no entrance into the school of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us look well to our own frailty, so we may be meek, and nothing may hinder us from hoping continually more and more in our God. The same ought also to quicken us, provoke us to serve Him, and confirm ourselves continually more in His Word.
For what is the cause of such great sloth and coldness as is seen in many men, but that they think themselves to be great scholars already? In this, they deceive themselves because the devil has dimmed their eyes through their own foolish pride. Seeing it is so, let us continue as little ones still, not in understanding but in innocence
(as has been said before); and since we know that we need to profit, let us endeavor to do so. However, let us also keep an eye on the means that are shown to us here, which is to resort to Him who is our head.
Truly, Saint Paul adds to this, "all things," to show that when a Christian examines thoroughly what is in him, he shall find that if he has any virtue, there will be vices mingled with it, and that in all his virtues there is always some blemish or flaw. Therefore, let all of us cast down our heads, and let the most excellent men in the world understand that God has still reserved some piece of grace to Himself, which He has not given to them, so that we should not be puffed up with foolish pride, thinking ourselves to be that which we are not.
But let us come to the head that is spoken of here. For Saint Paul tells us that our only sure foundation must be to know Jesus Christ (as has been declared before), that "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him" (Colossians 2:3). Otherwise, many would stray far in God's Word and end up always learning but never knowing anything, as it is said in another text (2 Timothy 3:7). But Saint Paul tells us that in Jesus Christ, we shall find all that is necessary for our salvation, and that He also must have the preeminence, as the head appears above all the rest of the body.
For if we grew in such a way that the shoulders would rise halfway up the head, what kind of growth would that be? Would such growth be well-regarded? It would be better for a member to be dead than to disfigure the body in such a way. Therefore, since the head ought to be uppermost, Saint Paul tells us expressly that it is not enough for us to grow, but we must always grow under our Lord Jesus Christ so that He may stand over us, and all of us, both great and small, submit ourselves to Him.
We see by experience that this was not spoken in vain. For how many are there who carry a great appearance and show of knowledge and yet do nothing but set all things in disorder and turmoil through their vain glory? There are many who would be pleased to have our
Lord Jesus Christ buried so that they themselves might rise up, have all the world gaze upon them, and be held in high esteem and rejoicing. Many wretches come to the point where they do not care what comes of it, so long as they may keep themselves in reputation.
Again, some mix our Lord Jesus Christ with so many superstitions that He is utterly overshadowed by them. We see what has happened in the Papacy. For they thoroughly verify their own proverb: that the Son of God cannot be distinguished from His Apostles. And why?
Because they have stripped Him and robbed Him of the honor that belongs to Him and have made a mockery of it, dealing to every man his share and portion of it. Thus, the Papists are well grown, but it is only in ignorance and superstition because Jesus Christ does not have His preeminence among them, nor is He their foundation.
Yes, even among us, you shall see some so desirous to gain renown among men that Jesus Christ will mean nothing to them. So much more, therefore, it stands on us to pay careful attention to this lesson of Saint Paul's, that our growth must be in our Lord Jesus Christ, according to this saying of John the Baptist: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Let us follow that example, namely, that the excellence which is in the Church should remain undiminished, and yet in the meantime, Jesus Christ be the foundation of all men.
For although the stars have their brightness, yet the sun must shine above them, and men must know that it is He by whom we have the true light indeed. Therefore, let our Lord Jesus, who is the "Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2), be so regarded that nothing may hinder Him, nor obscure our eyes so that we should not look at Him, and our faith be focused only on Him. That, then, is why Saint Paul adds expressly that Jesus Christ must be our head, and we grow in Him, and resort to Him, and set our whole study and mind upon Him.
To express this better, he adds that it is He by whom the whole body is knit and joined together by its joints, and that it is He who furnishes it with substance and life, according to the measure and portion of every member. When this is done, then the body is well proportioned; however, love must reign among us, or else there will be nothing but confusion. If there is greatness, it will be overly large, so much so that it will not be a natural body, but rather a monster.
Now, in saying that we receive our growth from Jesus Christ, that it is He from whom the knitting of the body proceeds, and that it is He also by whom we are maintained in life, he shows us our ingratitude in that we do not yield Him the honor He deserves. For must it not be that we are exceedingly wicked when the Son of God gives us all things, and yet we rob Him of the honor He requires for showing
Himself so bountiful towards us? He does not desire that we should yield Him any recompense, nor can we, nor is it necessary. Yet, He will be glorified.
Now then, seeing we are so enriched by Him, and yet we fall to robbing Him of His honor, so that He is defrauded and deprived of it, must it not be that we are worse than devilish? Therefore, let us mark well what Saint Paul aimed at: for he intended here to rebuke the world for its excessive ingratitude in not yielding our Lord Jesus
Christ His due honor, insomuch as He is not exalted among us.
Neither do we think upon Him, nor do we place Him in chief sovereignty, so that all men might do Him homage.
Moreover, he shows also that we are almost out of our wits when we do not honor Jesus Christ or exalt Him as we ought to do. For there is no man who does not naturally desire his own profit. Now then, in forsaking Jesus Christ, we seem to have conspired and sworn our own confusion, that we might be deprived of all His grace and be as rotten members without strength. For He is as the head of a man's body and as the root of a tree; it is He from whom all our life and sustenance proceed.
Now then, if the hands, the feet, the belly, the stomach, the legs, and all the rest of the members should conspire together to say, "Let us forsake the head," what should they gain by it? Or if they should conspire together to put the head down and thrust it into the belly,
that men might not see it, what profit would the whole body have by it?
Even so stands the case with all who would diminish the glory and majesty of God's Son, lessen His power, and not acknowledge to what end He was sent by God His Father—namely, that they should seek all their welfare and all the parts of their salvation in Him. For it is as much as if they would put down their head.
But Saint Paul tells us that there must be no knitting in the body but that which comes from the head. For whence does all come? Behold, the veins convey nourishment everywhere through the whole body, and the sinews hold the bones together and give them movement; but yet all these things must have their root in the head. So then, if we will despise God by diminishing the glory of His only Son, surely all will turn to our confusion. Jesus Christ can well enough do without us; but we must needs perish wretchedly like rotten carcasses if He does not give us whatever belongs to our life. Thus, you see what Saint Paul meant to show us.
Hereunto he adds that there is a certain measure in every member and that the furnishing thereof comes from the head so that it flows through the whole body. However, (says he) that is in measure.
When he says it is in measure, he lets us know that all the excellence which we can see here does not detract from the perfection that is in Jesus Christ. For there are two reasons to be noted. The first is that all that is in man is imperfect, and therefore we must resort to our
Lord Jesus Christ, that He alone may remain unimpaired and not be mingled with other creatures. The second is that the measure and portion which is in every member are not there as having a peculiar seat. For what could the hand do if it were not continually nourished and maintained by the head? The bond that holds everything
together must be maintained from there. Also, the natural heat and movement must come from there, insomuch that the hand would wither every minute of an hour and rot away if the head did not continually work. The same relationship exists between Christ and His Church.
For if we consider well what is in men, even if we were to admit one to be like an angel, yet he still has only his measure. And why? So that Jesus Christ should not be deprived of the honor that belongs to Him. Seeing then that every one of us has his portion (as has been shown before), it is good reason also that every one of us should humble ourselves and not lift up our horns to take anything upon ourselves, which God reserves for His only Son. That is one point.
Again, let us understand that the same measure comes from free gift, as has been shown already; and yet it is not without reason that Saint
Paul repeats it here again. For we see the foolish presumptuousness of men, how every man would be a lord, and we would gladly rob
God of His right to advance and esteem ourselves. Therefore, to humble that loftiness and cleanse us of such vice, Saint Paul reminds us once again that we have nothing that is not given to us. And therefore, we must resort to what he says in the First Epistle to the Corinthians: "Who art thou? Hast thou made thyself so excellent by thine own cunning? Hast thou anything which thou canst challenge as thine own? No: it is God that hath advanced thee so: and therefore humble thyself" (1 Corinthians 4:7).
His meaning then is that all the whole knitting and all the whole furnishing come from the head. For it is not enough for us that we were once created and shaped, but it is necessary for us to have our members still maintained in their condition. That, therefore, is the reason why Saint Paul adds the word "furnishing" or "shedding
down," as if God should shed down His inworking upon the head, and the head shed forth the same inworking throughout all the members. And that is what Saint Paul meant when he said that Jesus
Christ is our spiritual head, who has received all fullness of grace, according to the first chapter of John, where it is said that it was given to Him not for Himself alone but also for us who are His brethren (John 1:16).
Seeing that this is so, let us understand that all the grace which we have received from God has crept into us by means of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and that we have the full furnishing of it throughout also by Him. True, this strength or inworking passes through every member, and in coming from the head, it shall be in the shoulder before it is in the arm, and afterward in the arm before it is in the hand. But for all that, shall the arm therefore glory in itself and give the hand no part with it? No, for its receiving is to impart it to the rest of the limbs, and all comes from the head. Again, shall not the hand, on the one side, give of its power back again to the arm, on the other side? Yes, for every member knows its own office; that is to say, every member has naturally an inclination to serve all the rest of the body, as though God had given them discretion and wisdom to say, "Thus it must be." They are bound to it and know the need that each has for the help of others.
True, it is that my hand cannot judge anything, but yet God has put such an endowment and disposition into it that it desires nothing more than to employ itself in the service of all the rest of the body.
Also, the foot does its duty without entreaty or bidding, as though God had imprinted such a discretion in them to consider that all of them receive their power from Heaven, and that the things which they have received must be fitted thereto.
Now, if a man should demand, "Is every man then alike and equal in the Church?" Saint Paul, in speaking of portion and measure, does not mean that God has distributed an equal portion to every member. For the leg is not the eye, and yet, nevertheless, the leg, according to its quality, has that which it needs. For the same reason,
Saint Paul says that the members should be so knit together that they might make up one whole body through love, and by that means, have everyone be contented.
There are then two things we must mark: first, that God's gifts are diverse, and that some are much more excellent than others. For the eye is a more excellent member than the foot, and we see also how it is honored. The mouth is more than the leg. Mark it, then, for one point, that there is such diversity that our Lord exalts and honors whom He wills more than others. There are both great and small in the Church, and not all must be teachers and prophets.
Yet, this diversity does not prevent every member from having its desire and that which is fitting for it, so that the foot does not envy the hand, nor does the hand envy the foot, any more than either of them envies the eyes. To what purpose would it serve the hand to have sight? It would be a thing that not only could do it no good but also could harm it. If every member had all offices in itself, surely the body would be confounded and come to nothing.
So then, the hand has its perfection in what belongs to it, I mean, in its degree; and likewise the foot. However, Saint Paul's meaning is that it ought to suffice us that the Church be edified in common. For if our neighbors are enriched with God's gifts, the same redounds partly to us. And on the other side, if we have received a larger measure of grace, we are the more bound to impart the same to those who have need of it.
That, therefore, is what Saint Paul means to set down in this text, saying that if the knitting is in this manner, the body shall be well built and made up.
And here we see how he continues his matter, which is that we must be so linked together according to the doctrine of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ may reign over us. We must know that the Heavenly
Father has given us Him, with the condition that we should all link together under Him and maintain a brotherly unity among us. Yet, above all things, we must be subject to Him who has all sovereign dominion and consider that, forasmuch as the Heavenly Father has set Him in that degree, we must all aim at Him and continue in His obedience to the end.
And, moreover, let us understand that this cannot be done without love; that is to say, unless each of us rids himself of the cursed affection of seeking too much of his own profit. For indeed, it is easy to perceive that such an affection blinds us, making us despise our neighbors. Therefore, it is all the more necessary for each of us to endeavor to give up his own right and to know that God has not distributed His gifts so that each man may be a world or a Church of himself. Rather, forasmuch as every man has need of his neighbors, the same is the very means by which He will hold us together. This ought also to provoke us so much more to do what we can for one another.
Although there is but one fountain from which we draw all spiritual gifts, namely, our Lord Jesus Christ, God nevertheless makes the fullness of the grace He has put in Jesus Christ to flow forth as if by channels, so that we may receive each our portion, as is expedient for us. Thus, you see, in effect, what we have to remember here.
Now, if this doctrine were well put into practice, surely all the troubles that are nowadays in the world would soon be appeased, and there would no longer be so many bickerings and disputings; rather, we would easily agree altogether. For ambition or vainglory is the mother of all heresies; when men need to exalt themselves, they must necessarily seek to thrust down Christ, if they could. Again, whence spring superstitions but from this: that men do not know the inestimable benefits brought to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, which are daily offered to us in Him by the Gospel?
This ignorance has made the world always wanton and wandering after its own lusts. This has caused men to forge so many patrons and advocates, to advance their own deserving, and to devise so many satisfactions and new services, namely, because they are not contented with Jesus Christ. This is due to their lack of understanding of who He is and that, when we once have Him, He ought to suffice us. We should hold ourselves to Him because the Father has so glorified Him that we ought, out of duty, to do Him homage and honor Him as our sovereign King.
Forasmuch as we see the wretched unbelievers scattered here and there because they turn away from Jesus Christ, we have so much the more need to be warned to hold ourselves simply to His obedience.
We must understand that all our welfare comes from Him, and therefore we ought to return to Him, yielding Him His due honor and putting our whole trust in Him. To do this, we must recognize that there is nothing but filth in us, that we hold our spiritual life from Him, and that not for once and away, but in such a way that He continually works in us, strengthening and furthering us until He has brought us to His perfection—that is to say, the perfection we hope for in Him.
For this reason, the Holy Supper was left to us as a remembrance that our Lord Jesus Christ is He in whom we must wholly seek all things belonging to the life of our souls. There, we profess that He is our nourishment, even to satisfy us to the full. Therefore, the reason we come there to eat and drink is to remind us that we have in Jesus
Christ not only the half of our life but the whole of it, and that when we are fed with Him, we must be content with Him and not seek one drop or mite elsewhere.
In this manner, then, must we come to the Holy Table: after examining our sins and knowing that we are nothing, we must seek by what means God calls us to Him and how we may keep our way thither, even till we are perfectly knit unto Him, namely, by knowing that Jesus Christ is given to us and that in Him we have all that is needed and lacking in ourselves. Therefore, let us so esteem our Lord
Jesus Christ that we may take Him for our very sustenance, and let our faith (as I have mentioned before) not be drawn away to wander here and there, only to vanish away. Instead, may it rest upon Him, knowing that there is neither righteousness, holiness, merit, power, nor anything else in ourselves, but that we shall find all in Him and that we cannot be partakers of Him without also being partakers of all the goods that He has received from God His Father.
Seeing then that all the good things which God has put into our Head are communicated to us by His means, let us learn to humble ourselves, and not to climb in such a way that He should be defrauded of His honor, but confess simply and without feigning that whatever is given to us through His free goodness, He maintains and preserves it, and moreover, increases and establishes it in us more and more.
Furthermore, let us note that we cannot possess the goods of our Lord Jesus Christ to take any profit by them unless we first enjoy
Him. This is why He gives Himself to us. He does not think it enough to give us some part and portion of His righteousness, of His merits by the sacrifice of His death and passion, of the obedience that He yielded to God His Father, and of all the gifts which He received fully from God His Father. I say, He does not think it enough to give us some part and portion of them in His Sacraments, but He says, "I am yours, possess Me."
Then it is not enough for us to seek our needs at His hand that He may impart them to us; we must first consider how He offers Himself to us and says, "Lo, here is My body which is delivered for you, lo, here is My blood which shall be shed for the remission of your sins."
This is done so that we should know that He truly dwells in us by His Holy Spirit, and that we live by His own substance. It is not said here without cause that the knitting of the body comes from Him, that He is its support, and that forasmuch as we lack the grace and gifts that belong to our spiritual life, we must draw them out of that fountain.
If we resort to Him with perseverance in the faith of the Gospel, we shall feel ourselves more and more strengthened and established in all grace, even until He has rid us of all our imperfections and infirmities to make us enjoy His heavenly glory with Him.
Now, let us fall down before the Majesty of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults, praying Him to make us so to feel them that we may be sorry for them, and also to work in us hereafter so that we may, from day to day, be cleansed of all our imperfections and vices more and more. May our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the wellspring of all purity, so shed forth the grace of His Holy Spirit,