55 For my fleſb is meat indeed, and my blood
St t
Sacramental Meditations.
+ Rule 4. Faith is the inſtrument employed in breaking the heart; " they ſhall look, and mourn." This is theburning-glaſs that contracts the beams, and fires the affections.
Rule 5. Lastly, Thewrong fin hath done toGod, andthe fufferings it hath, brought Chrift under, are the piercing and heart-wounding confiderations ; " They ſhall look uponme,
" whom they have pierced, and mourn." The piercing of Chriſt by our fin, is that which mustpierce thy foul with forrow.
MEDITATION,
UPON JOHN HN Vi. 55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is * drink indeed. context our Lord Jesus Chriſt makes a moſt ſpiritual and excellent diſcourſe to the Jews, about the nature and neceſſity of faithin him ; taking theoccafion thereof from the bread, which a little before he had fo miraculouſly multiplied and fed themwith : raiſingup their minds to more fublime and ſpiritual things, and letting them know that bread, how ſweet foever it was, was but a shadow of himself, infinitelymore ſweetand neceſſary.
IN the Theſe words, are a propoſition, in which are theſe three things obfervable :
First, The ſubject; my fleſh and myblood.
Secondly, The predicate ; it is meat and drink.
Thirdly, The manner of predication; it is meat indeed, and drink indeed.
First, The ſubject ; my fleſh and myblood, i.ve. my humanity; this is meat and drink, true ſpiritual food.
If it be demanded, why he had not faid, I am meat and drink indeed; but rather chuſes to ſay, my flesh andblood is fo ? The reafon is evident, faith learned Camero; becauſe if you take away flesh andbloodfrom Chriſt, he cannot be food or life to us : for, in order to his being ſo, he must fatisfyGod for us, and obtainthe remiſſion of our fins ; but without ſhedding ofblood there is no remiffion. Now, forafmuch as by the offering up
VOL. VIII .
Sacramental Meditations. of his body, and ſhedding of his blood, he hath obtainedpardonand life for us ; therefore his fleſh and his blood, is called our meat and our drink, that by which our fouls live.
Which brings us to the ſecond thing :
Secondly, The predicate ; it is meat anddrink : i. e. It is to our fouls of the fame uſe and neceſſity, that meat and drink are to our natural life, which cannot be ſuſtained, or continued without them .
The life of our fouls as neceſſarily depends upon the flesh andblood of Chriſt, as our natural life doth upon meat and drink.
Yet beware of a mistake here : the flesh andblood, or thehumanity of Chriſt, is not the fountain of our ſpiritual life, but the channel rather through which it flows to us from his divinity. By reaſon of his incarnation and death, righteoufneſs and life came to us.
Thirdly, The manner of predication is veryemphatical ; it is " meat indeed, and drink indeed."
Which notes two things :
First, Reality, inoppoſition to all legal ſhadows and types.
Secondly, Tranfcendent excellency, far furpaffing all other food, even manna itſelf, which, for its excellency, is ſtiled angelsfood. " My fleſh is meat indeed," i. e. true, ſubſtantial, and real food tofouls, andchoice, excellent, and incomparable food.
Hence obſerve, Doct. That what meat and drink is to our bodies, that, and much more than that, the flesh and blood of Christ is to believing fouls .
Twothings require explication in this point. First, Whereinthe reſemblance, or agreement lies, betwixt the flesh and blood of Chrift, and meatanddrink ? Secondly, Wherein the former tranſcends and excels the latter ?
1. Query. Wherein lies the reſemblance and agreement between the flesh and blood of Chriſt, and material meat and drink ?
Sol. The agreementis manifeſt in the following particulars.
First, Meat and drink is neceſſary to ſupport natural life; we cannot live without it.
Upon this account, bread is called the ſtaff and ſtay; i. e. the ſupport of the natural ſpirits, which do as much lean and depend upon it, as a feeble man dothuponhis ſtaff; Ifa. iii. 1. Butyet how neceſſary ſoever it
be, the flesh and blood of Chriſt is more indiſpenſibly neceſſary for the life of our fouls ; John vi . 53.
Except ye eat the " fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no " life in you." Our fouls have more abſolute needofpeaceand pardon by Chriſt, than our bodies have of meat and drink.
Sacramental Meditations.
Better our bodies were ſtarved and famiſhed, than our fouls damned and loſt for ever.
Secondly, Meat anddrink are ever moſt ſweet and defirable, tothoſe thatare hungry and thirsty.
It is hunger and thirſt, that gives valueandeſtimation to meat and drink; Prov. xxvii.
7. "To the hungry ſoul, every bitter thing is ſweet;" and ſo it is in our eſteem of Chriſt ; John vii. 37. " If any man
" thirſt, let him come to me, and drink." When God, by illumination and conviction, makes mendeeplyſenſible of their miferable, loft, and periſhing condition: then ten thouſand worlds for Chriſt.
All isbutdunganddroſs, incomparisonof the excellency of Chriſt Jeſus, Thirdly, Meat and drink muſt undergo an alteration, and loſe its ownform, before it actually nourishes the body. The corn is ground to pieces inthe mill, before it be made bread to nouriſh us . AadChrift must be ground betwixt the upper and
nether milſtone of the wrath ofGod, and malice of men, to bemade bread for our fouls.
The prophet faith, Ifa. lii, 14.
Hisvisage ismarredmore than any man's. He did not look like himſelf, the beauty and gloryofheaven; but the reproach of men, anddeſpiſedof the people. Oh what an alterationdid his incarnation and fufferings make upon him ! Phil, ii. 6, 7.
Quantum mutatus ab illo !
Fourthly, Natural food mustbe received into our bodies, and have a natural union with them ; and Chriſt must be received into our fouls, and have a ſpiritual union with them by faith ; or elſewe can have no nourishment, or benefit by him. An empty profeffion, a mere talkative religion, nourishes the inner man, juſt as much asthe fight of meat, and our commending of it, doth our outward man .
It is Chrift's dwelling in our hearts by faith, Eph . iii. 17. ourreceiving of him, John i. 12. oureating his fleſh, and drinking his blood, John vi. 53. i. e.
The effectual application of Chriſt to our soulsby faith, that makes us partakers of his benefits.
Fifthly, Meat and drink must be taken everyday, or elſe natural life will languiſh ; and ſpiritual life will never be comfortablymaintained in us, without daily communion with Jeſus
Chriſt.
If a gracious foul neglect, or be interrupted in its courſeof duties, and ſtatedtimes of prayer ; it willbe quickly diſcernible bythe Chriſtian himself, in the deadness of his own
heart ; and by others alſo, inthe barrenneſs of his difcourſes .
And in theſe things ſtand the analogy, and agreement of the flesh andblood of Chriſt, with meat anddrink.
Sacramental Meditations, 2.Query. The next thing is toopen the tranſcendent excel lency of Christ's flesh and blood, above all other food in the world. And this appears in four particulars.
First, This flesh andbloodwasaſſumed into thenearestunion with the ſecond perſon inthe bleſſed Trinity, and ſo is not only dignified above all other created beings, but becomes the firſt receptacle of all grace, intended to be communicated through it tothe children of men; John i. 14.
Secondly, This flesh andblood of Chriſt was offered up to God, as the great facrifice for our ſins, and purchaſe of our peace; Col. i. 20. Eph. v. 2. and ſo it is of inestimable price andvaluetobelievers.
The human nature of Chriſt was the facrifice, the divine nature was the altar on which it was offeredup, andbywhich it was dignified and fanctified, andmade an offering of a fweet-fmelling ſavour toGod, Eph. v. 2.
Thirdly, This flesh andblood of Chriſt, is the great medium of conveyance of all bleſſings and mercies to the fouls andbodies of believers.
It lies as a vaſt pipe at the fountain-head of bleſſings, receiving and conveying them from God to men ;
Col. i. 14, 19.
So then, itbeingunited tothesecond perſon, and ſo become the flesh andblood ofGod; it being the facrifice offered up toGod for atonement and remiſſion of fins, and the medium of conveying all grace and mercy fromGod the fountain, to the fouls and bodies of believers ; how sweet a reliſh muſt it have upon the palate of faith ?
Here faith may taſte the fweetneſs of a pardon ; a full, free, and final pardon of fin; thanwhich nothing in thisworld canbe ſweeter to a fin-burdened confcience..
Here it taſtes the incomparable ſweetness of peace withGod, apeacewhich paſſeth understanding : The breach ſin made, is. by this ſacrifice made up for ever ; Col. i. 20.
Here it taſtes the inexpreſſible ſweetneſs of acceptation with God, and an intereſt in his favour ; a mercy, which a poor convinced foul would give tenthousand worlds for, were it to be purchaſed.
Yea, here it reliſheth all the ſweet promiſes in thecovenantofgrace, as confirmed and ratified by this ſacriY fice ; Heb. ix. 5. So thatwell might he ſay, " My fleſh is meat
" indeed, and my blood is drink indeed;" the moſt excellent:
New Testament food for believers :
I. Ufe, of information.
First, See here the love of a Saviour, thatheavenly pelican, who feeds us with his own flesh and blood. You read, Lam. iv. 10. of pitiful women, who eat the flesh of their own chile.
Sacramental Meditations.
dren; but where have you read of men orwomen, that gave their own flesh and blood, for meat and drink to their children ?
Think on this, you that are ſo loth to croſs anddeny your flesh for Chriſt : He suffered his fleſh tobe rent, and hisblood ſet abroach for you : What love like the love of Chriſt!
Secondly, Learn henceagroundof content, in the loweſt and pooreft condition allottedtoany believer in this world.
It maybe fome of you live low in the world ; you have hard fare, and are abridged of many of thoſe ſweet comforts in the creature, whichthe enemies of God abound in : But ftill remember you havenocauſe toenvy their dainties, and be diſſatisfiedwith yourown lot andportion; when notmanynobles, or mighty in the world, feed as your soulsdo feed. O what a feaſt have you ! What dainties do your fouls taſte by faith ; whilft othersdobut feed upon aſhes andhusks ? What is the Aeſh of lambs and calves out of the ſtall, to the fleſh of Chriſt ? Amos vi. 4, 5, 6.
What is wine in bowls, and the chief ointment, totheblood of Chriſt, and the anointings of his Spirit ?
O be fatisfied with your outward lot, however Godhath caſt it, whilst he hathdealt ſo bountifully with your fouls.
Thirdly, Learnhence the neceſſity of faith, in order to the livelihood and ſubſiſtance of our fouls.
What is a feaſt to him that cannot taſte it?
And what is Chriſt to him that cannot believe ? That cannot, by faith, eat his fleſh, and drink his blood?
Itis not the preparation made for fouls inChriſt, but theapplicationof himby faith, that gives us the ſweeneſs and benefit of him.
Faith is the foul's mouth, or palate : The unbeliever taſtes no ſweetneſs in Chriſt ; he can reliſh more ſweetrneſs in money, meat, drink, carnal inirth, or any ſenſual enjoyment than in Chriſt.
Fourthly, How excellent are goſpel ordinances ?
What ſweetneſs is there to be found in them by true believers ? For thereChrift is prepared, and, as it were, ſerved in for them to feedupon.
It is your miniſter's work, to prepare for you all the week long, and to furnish for you afeast offat things .
Lohere is a table ſpread and furnished this day, with the coſtJieſt dainties that heaven affords ? O prize theſe mercies : fit not here with flat, or wanton appetites, leſtGod call to your enemies, andbid them away.
Sacramental Meditations.
II. Ufe, of exhortation.
Is the flesh and blood of Chriſt meat and drink indeed ?
Then let me exhort you, brethren, First, To come to this table with ſharp andhungry appetites. Have you ever tafted, That theLordisgracious ? And do you not hunger and thirſt, to taste it again ?
Surely, " Where the carcaſe is, thither will the eagles be gathered;"
Matth. xxiv. 28.
There is a two fold appetite; adainty, and anhungry appetite. Beware of anice anddainty appetite, that can reliſh nothing inthe moſt ſolid and ſpiritual duties, except thediſh be garnished with flowers of rhetoric, or the matter ſerved in with art and elegancy.
This hath been the great fin of the profeffors of this generation, O Chriſtians ! no more of that I pray you.
Were you really an hungred and athirſt for Chriſt, you would come to his ordinances, as famiſhing men to a feaft.
Secondly, To feed heartily upon Chriſt, in every ordinance, and in everyfacrament eſpecially. O that your ſouls mighthear, and anſwer that invitation this day ! Cant. v. 1. " Eat, O
" friends : drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved."
For motives, I will only hint theſe three following.
First, Chriſt is the matter of the feaſt. Godhath prepared him for your fouls.
Is any thing in heavenor earth ſo ſweet, as Chriſt facrificed is ? Do not the angels and faints in heaven feaſt upon him ? Surely one drop of Chriſt's blood hath more fweetneſs and excellency in it, than the whole ocean of all creature-comforts .
Secondly, Do not your graces need it ? Have you not a languiſhing love, a ſtaggering faith, dull and ſluggish defires ?
Look into your hearts, and feewhat need there is ofstrengthening the things that are inyou, which are ready to die. O feed upon Chriſt, that your graces may be revived and ſtrengthened.
Thirdly, Do you knowhow manydays you are togo in the ſtrength of this meal ? How long it may be, ere you fit again at the Lord's table ?
Surely, even theſe, as well as your inferior temporal comforts, ſtand upon terms of greateſt uncertainty. Ah Chriſtians ! confider well the times you live in, the enemy that ftands ready totakeaway the cloth, and remove your fpiritual food from you.
It is faid of PeterMartyr, that being in Oxford when queen Mary came in, and hearing the firſt maſs-bell ring ; he was ſtruck to the heart, and faid,
Haec una notula omnem meam doctrinam evertit :
This one tinkling bell overthrows allthe labours of my miniſtry atonce.
Sacramental Meditations.
Godgrant that we may hear none of that muſic inEngland any more : but it is like tobe, according toyour eſtimation and improvement of Chriſt's precious ordinances.
Thirdly, Commend the experiencedsweetness of Christ to qthers. Do not conceal his lovelineſs and excellency.
Thus the fairand enamoured ſpouſe charges, or adjures others ; Cant. v.9. Benotcontent to feaſt upon Chriſt alone, whilſt other fouls are ſtarving, and perhaps the fouls of your dear natural relations.
Sayto them, as David, Pfal. xxxiv. 8. " O taſte and " ſeehowgood the Lord is."
Fourthly, and lastly, See that your appetite to Chrift be right, and truly spiritual.
Such an hunger and thirſt, uponwhich bleſſedneſs is entailed by promise. And you mayconclude it ſo, when, First, It is a ſharp and ſtrong appetite, Pfal. xlii. 1. Let your thoughts run upon Chriſt night andday ; even continually.
Secondly, When it is an univerſal appetite, after every thing in Chriſt ; his holineſs, as well as his righteouſneſs ; his commands, as well as his promises ; for he is altogether lovely,
Cant. v. 16.
Thirdly, When it is a continued appetite.
I mean not, that the pulſe ofyour defires ſhould keep an even ſtroke at alltimes, but that there be real and fincere workings of heart after him always ; Pfal. cxix. 20.
Fourtbly, When it is an induſtrious appetite, awakening the foul tothe uſeof allmeans, and practice of allduties, inorder to fatisfaction ; Pfal. xxvii. 4. " One thing have I defired of " the Lord, and that will I ſeek after."
Fifthly, and lastly, Itis then aright, when it isan insatiable appetite, neverto be allayed with any thing beſide Chriſt ; Pfal.
Ixxiii. 25. no, nor with Chriſt himself, till thou comeſt to the full enjoyment of him in heaven.
The believer knows, how ſweet foever his communion with Chriſt is in this world, yet thatcommunion he thall have with Chriſt in heaven, will far excel it : there it will be more intimate and immediate, I Cor xii. 12. more full and perfect, even to fatisfaction, Pfal. xvii.
15. more conſtant and continued, not fuffering ſuch interruptions as it doth here, Rev. xxi. 25. more pure and unmixed ; here our corruptions work with our graces, Rom. vii. 21. but there grace ſhall work alone : in aword, more durable and perpetual ; we shall be ever with the Lord, I Theff. iv. 7.
Long therefore to drink that new wine in the Father's kingdom. "The " Spirit and the bride ſay, Come ; and let him that heareth,
" fay, Come.
Even ſo, come LordJeſus; come quickly."