A PREPARATIVE SERMON, TO THE LORDS TABLE, preached by the Reverend Mr. john Forbes, Pastor to the Company of Merchant Adventurers residing in Delff.  1. Cor. 11.28. 
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that Cup.  
Printed at Delff: 1632.   

A PREPARATIVE SERMON. TO THE LORDS TABLE.  john 6. Vers. 27. 
Labour not for the meat, which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth, unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed.  
Among our manifold enormities, there is not any one, which more grieves the Lord jesus, and which doth make him more to be offended with us, then when we abuse, either himself, or his blessed ordinances to perverse ends: therefore of all things whereunto, we are to look to, in our selves, this is one of the chiefest, least in show of seeking after Christ, & in coming to his holy ordinances, we thereby increase our guiltiness, & provoke the Lord to wrath, and indignation against us.  
We know what fearful judgements the Corinthians did bring upon themselves, for not eating the Lords supper, as they ought. For which abuse of that holy ordinance, the Lord plagued them, with sundry diseases, and sicknesses, and divers kinds of deaths: so zealous is the Lord, of keeping his holy ordinances, from the abuse, & contempt of men. See 1. Cor chap. 11.  
We are not ignorant also of the severity used by God, against Nadab, and Abihu, the Sons of Aaron, for offering of strange fire before the Lord, in consuming them both with fire that came out from the Lord, see Levit. 10.  
The like example have we of the testimony of God's anger, against Vzzah (as example to all them, that use not the holy things of God aright nor respectfully) who presuming contrary to the ordinance of God, to touch the Ark. Though upon a good zeal, to stay it when he did see it like to fall, was strucken to death by the Lord.  
Let us remember what the Lord did to king Vziah, for attempting to enter in to the sanctuary, to offer incense before the Lord, which belonged only to the Priest to do, in striking him with a leprosy all the days of his life, 2. Chro. cap. 26.  
Annanias and Saphirah are documents to this day of the Lords sore displeasure against all those, who pretending faith, love, and zeal, and liberality to Christ, and his Church, dealt hipocriticallie with counterfeit show, and not truly with God, in any thing, concerning his worship, his glory, his ordinances, and his obedience. who both of them were punished by death, for dealing falsely with the Lord, in their profane, & counterfeit show, of imitating the charitable liberality of the Primitive Churches, in selling their possessions, and bringing the price thereof to the Apostles feet, for the support of those that did want. See Act. 5.  
All these do let us see, that the Lord can not abide, that any man should profane, any of his holy ordinances, or for any by-pretence to make show, of zeal to his glory, or desire of his holy things: it is not possible, that he should suffer us to go long unpunished, if we do not serve him in all his ordinances with sincere, & upright hearts. The truth whereof is confirmed by this History: For these jews coming unto Christ, did make a great show, and desire, to enjoy the blessed fellowship, and communion of the Son of God: & yet Christ is displeased with them, because they sought him not with upright hearts: therefore having checked, and reproved them, in manifesting, and opening the poison of hypocrisy, which was in their hearts, in the preceding verse of this chapter: In this verse which we have now read, he laboureth to cure by wholesome medicine, the sickness of their soul, if possible the perverse disposition of their hearts could be reform.  
The evil that he reproves in them is this, that they sought not after Christ aright: because they did not set before themselves, the right use of Christ in coming unto him. They should have sought after him, first, and principally, for spiritual things, tending to the welfare of their souls, but they sought after him for nothing but the food of their bodies, and the welfare of this their tansitorie life: therefore Christ is offended at them, & so he is with all others, who following their footsteps, come unto him, or his ordinances in the like manner.  
Now to remedy this evil, the Son of God, labours to give them some wholesome instruction, in which, these points are to be marked. First, What it is that he enjoins them to? which is to labour. Secondly, For what he will have them to labour, & that is for spiritual things, namely, the meat of their souls, and the food of eternal life. Thirdly, we have to consider, the preparation unto this, by removing the hindrances hereof, in repressing the love of the world in men's hearts. Commanding them not to labour for that meat which perisheth. Fourthly, we have here set down by Christ, an information, & an instruction where to find this bread of life, since it were in vain to labour for it, if we knew not where to find it. Therefore he tells them the Son of man shall give it unto them. Fifthly, Here is set down an argument, or reason of confirmation to make this good, and to secure the soul of him, that seeks this bread of life from Christ, that Christ is able, yea not only able, but also willing, and ready to give it unto them, and that is set down in these words, for him hath God the Father sealed.  
First then let us speak of the exhortation which is to labour for that meat, which endureth to eternal life.  
By this exhortation we see manifestly, that it never was the purpose, nor mind of God, since the world began, that men should feed on any meat, either corporal, or spiritual, without labour, and pains taking for it: you know, that law of the Apostle to the Thes. the second Epist. 3. chap. vers. 10. If there be any that will not work, the same man shall not eat: that man therefore shall never be worthy of heaven, that will take no pains for it, for if it be Gods will, that we should labour, if we would enjoy the food of our bodies: it must needs be much more his will, that we should labour for the food of our souls. It is therefore in vain for men ever to look to be made partakers of the supper of the lamb, and bread of heaven, if they will take no pains for it, there is an necessity laid upon us to labour, for the food, both of soul, and body: it is no slothful, nor careless man that God will feed: such men therefore as think, to go, to heaven sleeping, without seeking after heaven, and do hope to have Christ brought unto them, while they rest in their beds, and will not do so much, as to rise, and let him in, when he calls, and knocks at their doors, and look to be fed with the food of Angels, and yet will not stir hand, nor foot to labour for it. I say such men can never expect, to have it from God. We know it sufficiently, that it is God's will, and ordinance, that touching this temporal life, a man should eat his bread in the sweat of his brows, & we do willingly undergo pain, & labour for it: But here is all our fault, that howsoever we be busied, and pained for temporal things, belonging to this life: yet we have neither heart nor mind to take any pains for spiritual things. And this is one of the greatest sins of this miserable age, where in men are so diligent, & laborious, for the things of this life, and yet so careless, & miserable negligent in things concerning eternal life. Well this we say, (& that truly) the greater diligence men use, & the more pains they take about worldly businesses: the greater shallbe there conviction, and their judgement the more terrible, in the day of Christ his appearing: If they have not been much more painful about spiritual things, which do concern eternal life. We shall hear here after what need we have to wean ourselves from the cares of this world, and of earthly things: because it is the main hindrance, and let, of our care, and solicitude for heavenly things, and therefore it must be first rooted out of the heart, before the heart can be set as it ought upon spiritual things.  
But now let us consider what is comprehended under this word Labour, and what are the things, that the Son of God requires of us, to be done for the attaining to this bread of life. Christ himself here after in the same chapter shows this, in answering the jews question, when they asked him, what shall we do, that we may work the works of God? jesus answered, and said unto them, this is the work of God, that you believe in him, whom he hath sent, here in steed of all works, Christ places but one, and that is the work of believing: a work not of the hand, nor of the body, but a work of the heart. For as a man must have a moving hand, & a stirring body, in the business that belongs to this world: so for obtaying of spiritual blessings, he must have a stirring, and a believing heart: his heart must work by faith, if ever he think to have any spiritual blessing from God: for it is by faith alone, that we draw all good things from God in heaven, and by faith alone it is, that we render to God any thing, that can be acceptable unto him, for all though in the Scriptures, our actions are attributed to love: yet they are in this life more properly attributed to faith: seeing that faith work by love: and so love being but the instrument of faith, and that by which faith worketh: and this is the reason why all the doings, and sufferings of the children of God, are attributed unto faith, as you may see in the 11. of the Leu. for the whole operation of a spiritual man, consists mainly in the work of believing, without which, we shall never receive aught from God, that is able to save our souls, neither shall we be able to do so much, as to send up one sound desire, or petition unto God. To conclude in a word, there is no ability, either to speak, or to do, aught, acceptably to God, without faith.  
This point is of great moment, & we are to Labour above all things, to attain unto this work of believing, and to this end, we are care fully, to use all means, by which it pleaseth God to work faith in our hearts, as namely, the hearing of the word of God preached, the participation of the Lords supper, instant prayer to God, with daily meditations in the blessed word of God, daily conference, & talking of the holy things of God, That faith by these means be both wrought, and nourished, and daily increased in our hearts, without which it is impossible, that ever we can come to have any feeling or sense, either of the life, or love of God in our souls, much less to show forth any evidences of them in our practice, to the eyes of men, this is that work which must have place in all our works, & season them all before God, therefore are we commanded, that whatsoever we do, whether we eat, or whether we drink, that we do all in the name of the Lord jesus, which is as much as to say, that we do all in faith, for nothing can be done in the name of the Lord jesus, but it must of necessity be done in faith, this is then that which Christ means, when he wills us to labour.  
Now let us go forward: here it followeth, that we should next speak of that, for which we should labour, but before we come unto it. We will speak first of the preparition, which Christ requires in us, for the fitting us to this labour, which stands in the removing of the lets, & impediments, that hinder us from labouring for that meat which endures unto everlasting life. And this is set down in these words, labour not for the meat which perishes.  
here we see, that when Christ wils us to labour for heavenly things: he first restrains us from the labour for earthly things.  
The reason is because, that if the love, and care of earthly things, be not rooted out of our minds, the love, and care of heavenly things can take no place in them: this is manifest by that speech of john his 1. Epist. 2. cap. 15. verse. Love not the world, nor the things of the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. It is a most certain truth, that man, whose heart, & affections is set upon things belonging to his body, must be a senseless man, concerning the welfare of his soul. It is expedient therefore, and also necessary, that the care, and solicitude of earthly things be moderated, and borne down in our minds, if ever we will embrace this ●abour (commanded by Christ) for spiritual things, for no man can serve ●wo Masters, it is impossible to serve God, and the world both, and it is for this cause, that Christ wills his Disciples, Not to care what they should eat, nor what they should drink, nor what they should put on, put that first they should seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, with a promise, that all these things shall be cast unto them. And to move them unto this, among many other reasons, he brings this for one, to wit, that it is the disposition, and custom of the heathen, and men without God, to seek after things concerning this life, namely, what they should eat, and what they should drink, and what they should put on, and therefore concludes, that they, that know God, and profess God to be their Father, should not set their hearts upon these Temporal thing: for it is a wretched, and a miserable thing, to see a Christian man's heart disposed, no better, than the heart of a profane heathen, & that his labour, & travail, should be employed for no higher end, for no greater, nor better things, than a blind, & ignorant pagan labours for. It must needs argue a mind, not truly enlightened as yet, with the saving knowledge of spiritual things, when as it can mind nothing else but earthly things. And this is the cause why so few professing Christianity, do manifest any strong desires, or careful solicitude. For things eternal▪ even because they lie yet in darkness, and ignorance of them, Not having the eyes of their understanding opened, to see the spiritual joy, glory, & fellecitie of Gods chosen In Christ: for if they did once see them, it were impossible, that they could esteem so much of earthly, or transitory pleasures, but that their hearts would be ravished towards heaven, and all things in this world, would be as dung in their eyes, for what man is there, who getting a sight of a princely palace, full of inestimable treasures, and pleasures, unto the which he is invited, when he himself dwells in a poor, & miserable cottage, in the mids of a barren wilderness, that would not gladly forsake this poor cottage, & enjoy this princely palace, and yet there is much more difference, between heaven, and earth, the things of this life, and the things of the life to come, the food of our bodies, and the food of our souls. What wretched, and miserable fools are these, which knowing that Heaven is infinitely above this earth, and that to live with God is unspeakeably better, than any estate can be in this life, that still their thoughts should be drowned in the cares of this life, and never lifted up to those unspeakable joys, which are at the right hand of God, where Christ is. The point than is this, Christ will have us to know, that our hearts must be freed from the cares of this world, before we can set ourselves to seek things, that are spiritual, and heavenly. Even as a man, if he will transplant a tree, and set it in a better ground, he must first lose it from the earth, where in it groweth: and in which it is rooted, for otherwise, he may well break it, or destroy it, but transplant it he cannot: even so man's heart, that is rooted in the things of this life, and naturally set upon them: it is in vain to think, that it can be set upon things, that are above, until this strong hold it hath on earth be first loosed: for no tree is so fast rooted in earth, as man's heart is in earthly things, and it is a greater difficulty, to pluck the thoughts of man's heart from the care of earthly things, then to ●ayse the deepest tree, that ever was in the earth, let men therefore take this warning from jesus Christ, that if they will seek the bread of eternal life, they must first have their hearts free, from the careful seeking of the bread of this life.  
Now let us come to speak of that for which we should labour. The description whereof is set down in these world's [Labour not for the meat that perisheth: but for that meat which endureth unto eternal life.] In this description, is set down not only that for which we should labour, but a forcible argument, to move us to labour for it: and to dissuade us from labouring for the other this argument is taken from the nature of the meat. For which we should not labour, and from the nature of that meat, for which we should labour, which shows then to be in nature contrary the one to the other, and it stands in this, that the one perisheth, and the other endureth: so that Christ's reason is after this manner, labour not for temporal meat, because it perisheth: but labour for spiritual meat because it endureth. Let us now briefly consider these reasons. Touching the first, it cannot be but a sore vexation to a man's heart when God gives him eyes to see it, that of all he labours for under the sun, during all the days of his life, there is nothing of it, that will remain with him, but it will perish and decay: but this is one of the greatest vanities, & argues the most miserable corruption of man's heart under the sun, that either they cannot, or they will not, see this, that all things of this world, are perishing vanities, men naturally are given to think, that both themselves, & their substance shall endure long, and continue for ever, even as the ●ich glutton, that pulled down his barns, and built them bigger, said unto his soul, take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years▪ he neither dreamt of dying himself, nor of the decaying of his transitory substance, & yet poor wretch it was told him, that to morrow he should dye: if we could therefore think upon this, that every moment, we stand in danger, either to be taken from the things of this world, or to have them taken from us: it were impossible, that we should take such care for what we should eat, or what we should drink, etc. yea if we would, but mark that which the Apostle speaks to the Col. concerning the food of our bodies it would be an argument to make us lay aside, the solicitude, and care for them, seeing as the Apostle saith they perish, even in the very using of them, and therefore the same Apostle in the 1. Cor. 7. wills them that marry to be as if they married not, and them that possessed, as if they possessed not, Because (saith he) the fashion, or shape of this world passeth a way, and all shall once come to an end: & therefore it were happy for us, if we could know thus much, that we are but Pilgrims in this world, & therefore must use all things in it, as Pilgrims use their lodgings, that is not settling upon them, nor resting in them, as though we could dwell here for ever: for our habitation is prepared for us in heaven: therefore we should pass through this earth, as the Pilgrims do their journey, using all things in this world, as travellers do to make them serve, to further our journey to heaven, and not as clogs to hinder us, seeing all that is here will perish.  
And yet further to consider this point, mark, how the Apostle makes it a strong reason, in the 1. Cor. chap. 6. vers. 13. why men should not eat of any meat with offence of their brethren: saying, meat is ordained for the belly, and the belly for meat, and God shall destroy them both, if men had hearts to consider this, what reason could they have, to be careful for meat which serves to satisfy their belly, when both meat, and belly, shall perish. It is an idle dream for men to think, that these parts of our bodies, which are only given for temporal use, in this life. That I say we shall have any use of them in heaven, for there we shall have no use of stomaches to digest, or bowels to make conveyance of our meat, for nourishing these our bodies, seeing our bodies in heaven, shallbe immortal, & glorious, like unto the glorious body of the Son of God, when therefore we are feeding our bodies, and satisfying our bellies, it is good for us to think, and remember that we are feeding that, which shall perish: & that with food which shall likewise perish, that we may learn neither to care too much for the belly, nor for food requisite unto it.  
Now let us consider the argument of the contrary part, whereby Christ persuades us to labour for spiritual meat, in which we are to observe two things:  
The first is, the nature of this heavenly food in itself, all though we never do enjoy it, which is declared by this [that it endureth.]  
The second, is the effect of it in them that get it, which is that it makes them also to endure & to live eternally.  
For the first, we are to consider, that all the spiritual gifts, that God gives us in Christ jesus, are all eternal, and such as shall never perish: whatsoever God gave by creation, it might be defaced, and utterly undone: yea, even the chiefest gift, that ever was given in nature to Adam, (which was God's Image) was by Satan extinguished, and defaced, and as the Scripture tells us, at the coming of Christ to judgement, the elements shall melt with fire, and the earth, and all the work thereof shall perish, and the heavens shall wax old as a garment, and this whole world shall come to an end, but the gifts of saving grace, given us in Christ, can never be extinguished, or defaced, for as it is impossible to destroy the Son of God himself, or that the sorrows of death, should have held him under them, or that the grave should have power to retain him, so is it impossible, that Christ given unto us, and his flesh which we eat, and his blood which we drink, or the virtue of them in us, can ever possibly be defaced in us, and this is the reason that Christ saith, that his flesh is meat in deed, and his blood is drink in deed for his flesh is not a perishing meat, nor his blood a decaying drink, which cannot endure, as the nature of all other meat, and drink is: but his flesh is everlasting food, and his blood everlasting drink, and his grace as a well, springing continually, to everlasting life, men might think, that by the death of our bodies, the virtue of jesus Christ's flesh, and blood, were utterly perished, but it is not so, they that eat this flesh, and drink this blood, shall find the virtue of his flesh, & blood, even when they are rotten in the grave, & by the same power, where with he raised himself from the dead, he shall likewise raise them, from the power of death, this then is the first thing, which we are to consider in this food, that it is an enduring meat.  
But the next thing is a greater comfort unto us, for this is not all the blessedness of this food, and comfort of this argument, to know that the flesh and blood of Christ, are in themselves permanent, and eternal, but that which chiefly refresheth our souls is this, to know that whosoever partakes of them, shall partake of eternal life with them, this is a blessed thing in deed, when I know, that not only the things whereof I am made partaker are eternal, but that I myself, by partaking of them shall be eternal as well as they. What can move a man to seek this meat, if this do it not? when we understand that it hath this power to work such a blessed effect in him that is partaker of it. It is undoubtedly, the miserable ignorance of (this benefit, which comes by the flesh, & blood, of Christ,) that makes men so careless to enjoy them, there is nothing in the world, that a man more desires then to live for ever, all that ever a man hath he will give for his life, that he may not see death, but as David saith in the 49. Psal. No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom, that he should live for ever. Indeed it is no temporal thing, that can procure eternal life, no not all the means that can be divised, eat what a man can eat, & drink what a man can drink, yet he shall dye, but here is the comfort of a Christian, that from Christ, he is fed with that meat, that shall make him to live for ever: in such sort, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against him, neither death nor the grave shall have power over him, but he shall have a glorious triumph over them both, so as he shall sing that joyful song, o death, where is thy sting, o grave, where is the victory? And this is no wonder, seeing the causes of this life are eternal, it cannot be but that the life that floweth from them must be eternal, and they that are fed with him must needs live eternally, for all that we receive from Christ, is eternal, the peace eternal, the joy, & life eternal, & this is that wherewith Christ comforts his disciples, john 16.22. saying, Your joy shall no man take from you: Thus a child of God in the midst of all his troubles, & in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, will fear no evil, but can still rejoice in God his saviour. O how should this stir up our hearts, to seek after this meat, even as the woman of Samaria, in the 4. of john. the 15. when Christ told her of water which he had to give, which whosoever did drink of should never be more a thirst, she said, Lord, give me of that water, that I may not thirst any more, nor come hither to draw. Likewise the jews in this same chapter, when Christ told them, that the bread of God gives life to the world, they said unto Christ, Lord give us ever more of this bread: even so when we hear, that they that eat the flesh, and drink the blood of Christ, shall live eternally. Should we not in our hearts desire it, and beg of Christ to make us partakers of it, and earnestly long to enjoy it: surely it must needs be a most lust thing with God to power down heavy judgement upon this senseless age, and sinful generation of men, who take greater pleasure to seek after the stinking delights of this flesh, and to wallow in their beastly lusts, then to enjoy this blessed bread, that endures to everlasting life: for it is impossible for any man to have perpetuity of being without this, when therefore we see other men to call their lands by their names, so to perpetuate their names on earth: let us not follow their foolish footsteps, but if we desire to live for ever, let us labour for this meat, which endures to eternal life, and thus much for the reason, containing also a description of that, for which we should labour.  
Seeing then we see what great reason, we have to seek this spiritual food, it is necessary for us to know where we shall find it, and that is the next point we are to consider, set down in these words, [which the son of man shall give unto you.] In these words, let us mark these two things: First who it is, of whom we must have this meat: That is the Son of man: The second is, how we shall have it, and that is set down in these words, he shall give it unto us.  
Touching the first, we are to mark, that it pleaseth Christ through out the Scriptures, to name himself more by this name (the Son of man) then by any other, especially when he speaks of the works of saving grace: and for the comfort of his elect ones: it must therefore be a matter of great moment, and of singular instruction for us, that moves Christ to take this name upon himself, and certainly it is so, although not perceived, nor comprehended, by every man. In this same chapter when Christ had told the lews, that unless they did eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, they had no life in them, many of his disciples murmured at it, and said, this is a hard saying, and in deed no marvel, that it seem hard to a natural man, for how can he think, that the flesh, and blood of man, should have the virtue of eternal life in them, but Christ opens this mystery in the same place, telling them that it was the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh prositteth nothing: for it is true, that all though without this flesh and blood, we can have no life in us, yet certainly even the flesh and blood of Christ, nakedly considered, as flesh and blood, or yet, as the flesh and blood of a man, could never give life to them, that eat and drink it, but as being the flesh, and blood of God, in the which flesh, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, it is no marvel that it gives life to them, that eat and drink them, for as much as the eternal spirit is never separated from this flesh, nor from this blood, & therefore all though their can be no eternal life, but from this eternal spirit, yet it is the pleasure of God, that no saving virtue of the Deity, nor life from the God head should ever be communicated unto man, but in, & through the flesh, and blood of jesus Christ the Lord: Let no man therefore Despise this flesh, & blood, nor the outward means, whereby our fellowship, and communion, in this flesh, and blood is sealed unto us, since without this flesh, and blood, it is not the purpose of God to save us, let us therefore lay up this mystery in our hearts, that as the flesh of Christ can never quicken, but by the spirit, even so also the spirit shall never quicken but by the flesh.  
There is yet more in this to be considered, and that is, that as God will dispense no saving grace, but in the flesh, and blood, of jesus Christ the man, so he will not dispense it, but by Christ as he is man, for God hath given all judgement to the Son, not as he is God simply, but as he is the Son of man, and by him as he is man, will he judge the world, as the Apostle saith in the 17. of Act. God hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath ordained. jesus Christ, as man, shall judge both heaven, and earth. For the Father hath exalted him in his man hood, and hath given him a name, above all names unto which all knees must bow, and every mouth confesseth him, to be the Lord, therefore it is not without cause, that David considering this wondered, as you may see in the 8. psal. saying: What is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visitest him, for thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels, and hast crowned him with honour, and glory, and hath put all things under his feet: It is good for us to consider this, that as Christ himself saith, all power is given unto me, over all flesh, the power of ruling, and of judging, of saving, & damning men, is given to Christ as man, for there is nothing, that is not subdued unto Christ the man, as the Apostle proves in the 1. Cor. 15. from these words of the Psalm: that God hath subdued all things under his feet, proving thereby that it is manifest, that nothing is unsubdued to him, but he that did subdue them, until that the last enemy death itself be subdued, Christ shall still possess the kingdom, but when he hath subdued all things, then shall he render up the kingdom to his father, that God may be all in all: but in the mean time till this be done, all power is given to Christ as man, to destroy all adversary powers, either devils or wicked men, thus hath God honoured, & highly exalted the humanity of his Son, by virtue of the fullness of the God head ●welling in him bodily, this is the ●eason that Christ in this place saith, the Son of man shall give us this bread of eternal life.  
The consideration of these things, derue for a singular comfort to the Godly: & a fearful terror to the wicked.  
Touching the wicked, when they must see, & know this, that the man whom they have pierced, and put to ●eath, whom they have so despised whose blood, they have trod under foot, to be exalted to such glory, and when they shall see him come in the ●louds, in majesty, and great power, accompanied with innumerable angels, and hearing (him sitting in the throne of judgement) prononce the sentence of eternal death against them.  
For the Godly it is a matter of singular joy, to know, that he shall be their judge, and that in his humane nature, wherein in all things he was made like unto them, sin only excepted, and wherein he wrought their redemption by his own death, & when they shall understand, that the dispensation of all things is put in his hands, and that he hath power to give eternal life, yea he himself to give his own flesh, and blood unto us, unto eternal life, certainly if this were not, the greatest comfort of Gods elect were taken away, no consideration of the Son of God, as God simply, could possibly refresh our souls, if we did not consider him in his flesh, being man, for he is no less terrible in his Dyetie to a sinner, than the Father: but our interest in him ariseth upon this, that he is be come our brother in our nature, that being man, he might bring us that are men to God. Therefore first of all he did a base himself, and took upon him the shape of a servant, and in that nature hath wrought our eternal redemption, and did glorify himself in that same flesh, with that glory, that he had with the Father, before the world was, all to this end, that he might advance us to the same dignity with himself: for though as God he had power sufficiently to save us, yet we had never been partakers of it, if he had not prepared the way by his flesh to communicate it with man: and if Christ himself in our nature, had not taken possession of the glory, and kingdom of God: it had been impossible for any other man, ever to have come to the participation of that glory or kingdom, and thus much for the first point, that is of him, from whom we must have this bread.  
Now, let us come to the manner how we shall get it, and that is set down in the swords (he shall give it unto you) A man might think by the former words of Christ, when he wills us to labour for it, that a man himself by labour were the purchaser of it? but it is not so, let a man do what he can, he is still unworthy of it, yet not withstanding Christ will have us to know, that the man that seeks for it shall get it, though neither he nor his labour be worthy of it: Christ requires no more of thee but to seek for it, and he will freely give it, thou canst have nothing wherewith to buy it, and therefore the Lord calls upon every one that thirsts to come, and drink freely, they may have it without silver, or without any price: seeing they can have it for the seeking only. O how justly shall these wretches be damned, that will take no pains to beg, or seek for it, of all things in the world, this shall be one of the chiefest that shall gnaw the hearts of men most miserable, when they shall see themselves eternally damned, because they never sought after life in Christ, but when they should have sought for it, they gave themselves to seek their pleasures, & did love rather to hunt after a whore, and their beastly lusts then after Christ the Son of God, & Saviour of the world, mark Christ's speech john 5. You will not come unto me, saith Christ, that I might give you eternal life: he desires no more of them, but that they will come to him, and he will give them life. Alas! how many is there who when Christ doth call upon them, and cover his table unto them, and offer his flesh that was broken for them, and his blood, that was shed for the remission of their sins, who not withstanding will not come at all, unto the blessed Table of the Lord: shall ever Christ think these men worthy of eternal life, that when they may have the food of it for coming unto it, do not withstanding neglect it. If we did but see our misery, and our wretched estate in sin, under God's wrath, than we would make great account of that we despise, and our hearts would smite us for our contempt of that, without which their is no life to our souls, that is the only bread which brings eternal life to our souls. O what virtue, what comfort, what life, and efficacy unto life, shall we find in that flesh, and in that blood, if we did truly embrace it, & receive it from Christ, certainly many thousands deprive themselves of all joy, and true consolation in Christ, only because they will not pain themselves to seek it. james upbraids men in his time, not only because they asked amiss, but he tells them, they got nothing, because they asked not, and the same james shows us, that if a man do ask, he shall receive, when he saith, If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God, that gives liberally to all, and Christ confirms the same in the Gospel, when he bids us, ask, & we shall have, seek, & we shall find, their damnation then must needs be just that never sought after Christ.  
Now the last point, which we are to know, is concerning the ground of all our assurance, that we shall get this bread, which endures unto eternal life from Christ, & that is set down in these words, [For him hath God the Father sealed.]  
These words comprehend a matter of chlefe moment for our consideration, for if this were not, all the knowledge of Christ were but small comfort, to a poor sinful soul, but this it is that gives us joy, in the contemplation of Christ crucified, that we know, that God the Father hath sealed him.  
To consider this place therefore a right, we are to know, that it is taken from the custom of men, who when they will have any thing to be made sure, and steadfast, and when they will make it to have authority, and strength, they are accustomed to add their seal to it, to confirm it, by which whatsoever is promised, is made more strong: so God by this sort of speech doth show us, that not only, he hath given Christ to be our Saviour according, as he declares in his Word, and that he is that Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, and that he hath not only reconciled all things, by the blood of his cross, but also to make all things sure, and firm, that we might never call this into question, he hath ratified all this, by adding his seal unto it.  
Out of this, we are first to learn: That the naked knowledge, and consideration of Christ, and what God hath made him unto us, is not sufficient to salvation, except we know, that God the Father hath sealed Christ to be all in all unto us, that he hath promised, and which he hath made him to be, whereby I may be confirmed, that whatsoever God saith, Christ is, or whatsoever God is said to have made him for me, is undoubtedly so, here we may see, that in our minds we must ascend higher than Christ himself, or the promise of God in him, to seek the chiefest ground, or stay of our faith, which although it can have no ground without Christ, and without the promise, yet neither the promise, nor Christ (in whom the promise is yea, and amen) could be any sure ground of life, & salvation to me unless both came from this, and were stamped with this seal of the Father in Christ, for all though, that Christ's flesh be said to give life to those, that are partakers of it: yet the ground, and reason of this stands in this, that the Father hath sealed him in his flesh to be the life of the world, so that without knowledge of this, our hope and faith were vain.  
Let us therefore come to consider this seal of God. First in general, we know that a seal when it is applied doth leave the impression of itself, most lively in the wax where into it is set, so that all the form, the shape, and marks, that are in the seal are lively imprinted in the wax, thus hath God the Father dealt with his Son, for there is no promise of mercy, of grace, of holiness of life, or glory, which God hath made in Christ to sinners, but he hath stamped the same in Christ the man, so that every man that sees the flesh of Christ, with true spiritual eyes, may see that his flesh, is stamped with righteousness, with the life of God, and with immortal peace, & everlasting glory. But to come nearer to the consideration of this seal, it is true, that many men run to his Deity, to find this seal, and that because it is said in the first of the Hebrews concerning Christ, that he is the brightness of the glory, and the express, or in graven image of the Father's person, for which cause it is said, that he that sees the Son, sees also the Father: but not withstanding all this, if the Son of God had been sealed by the Father, only in his divine nature, as he is the second person of the trinity, & that this seal of God had never reached from his God head, to his humanity, his flesh could never have been the bread of life, therefore we must labour to see this seal of God, engraven in Christ the man, else how can we know, that by eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, we have eternal life, since with out this seal, his flesh, and blood could have no more force, to give life, than any other flesh, or blood, of any other man: therefore let us consider, wherein this sealing of the Son, as he is man consists.  
This seal hath five special things in it, to be considered.  
The first is God's eternal ordination, & appointment, whereby he did ordain Christ the man, and none but Christ the man, to be the food of our souls, to be the mediator between God, & us, & so to be the only King, Priest & Prophet, of God's house for ever, by virtue of this appointment of God, Christ comes to be, that to us, that he is, and this eternal decree of God, concerning Christ in his flesh, to be our redeemer, is made manifest in the Scripture, when it is told us, that God ordained him before the world was, in the 1. of Peter the 1. chap. and again where it is said, that there is not a name given under heaven, by which a man can be saved, but the name of jesus only, and this is ratified in the Scripture, by the testimony, both of God himself, and john Baptist, and of the Apostle. The Father from heaven did witness so much, when as he said, this is my well beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, there by declaring, that in jesus Christ the Son, (now made man) his wrath towards us, was taken away: and he well pleased with us, not withstanding our manifold sins, committed against him, and all those speeches of God, whereby God ratifies, that Christ the man, is his Son, saying, thou art my Son, this day have I be gotten thee, & where by he confirms him, to be our everlasting Priest, for ever, after the order of Melchisedeke, and whereby he witnesses him to be made Lord of his church, saying, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool, all these do make manifest the truth of this point, that it is Christ the man, whom God hath decreed to be, both the Author, and matter of our salvation. And this is the first part of this seal of God, this knowledge, that God hath ordained him only, and none but him, to be the bread of life.  
The second part of God's seal, where by he hath sealed Christ the man, appears in the works of Gods own power, which the Father gave him to do, as in raising the dead, commanding of the seas, and tempests, the restoring sight to the blind, curing of all diseases, yea, and commanding the very devils, etc. therefore it is that Christ saith in the 5. of john vers. 6. after this manner, The works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness, that the Father sent me, & the Father himself, which hath sent me bears witness of me, and again in the 10. of john vers. 25 If I do not the works of my Father believe me not: But if I do them, though you believe not me, yet believe the works, that you may know, that the Father is in me, and I in him, vers. 37.38. These works which none could do but God himself, being done by Christ the man, are the second part of God's seal, whereby God the Father doth let us see, that this man jesus, is he alone of whom we all must look for life.  
The third part of this seal consists in this, that God the Father hath laid upon Christ the man, the chastisements of our peace, that by his stripes we might be healed, for by inflicting upon him in his flesh, all the punishments, and wrath of God, which we by our iniquities have deserved, he thereby sealed his manhood to be the food of life, making him as a Lamb roasted with fire for our food▪ And for this cause, it is said of Christ (Hebr. the 5. and the 9,) That he being consecrated, was made the Author of eternal salvation unto all them, that obey him: for when God did take vengeance upon Christ his Son for our iniquities, he made him sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him: and by his cross, killed hatred, and brought in everlasting peace, therefore in as much as it is he alone, that hath undergone the curse of the law, and the wrath of God for us that are sinners: it is manifest, that God gives none to be the bread of life to our souls, but him alone, and this is the reason, why the Apostle to correct that great schism, in the church of Corinth: when one said he was Paul's, another Apollo's, etc. and to force them all, to acknowledge none but Christ for their Saviour, he uses this form of argument, was Paul crucified for you? etc. as if he would say none but he who is crucified for you, are you to depend upon for life, and salvation: and the same is the reason, why the same Apostle writing to the Corinth: the first Epist▪ chapt. 2. saith, that he did determinate to know nothing among them but jesus Christ, and him crucified, and again he saith in the 6. of Gal verse 14. God for bid, that I should rejoice, but in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ.  
The fourth part of this seal standeth in this, that God the Father hath raised Christ jesus his son from the dead, and hath taken him out of the power of the grave, and hath set him at his right hand in heaven, and crowned him with glory, and honour, making him the head of men, and Angels giving him all power in heaven, and in earth, and above all, giving him to be the head of his church, thus setting him in that flesh, wherein he wrought our redemption, and suffered the chastisement of our peace, in the full possession of the kingdom, life, and glory, which he hath purchased unto us, filling him in that his manhood, withal fullness of grace, and glory, that out of his fullness, we might draw grace, so fitting this his flesh thus glorified, to be the effectual means of communicating life, and glory unto us in our flesh, and for this cause it is, that the Apostle doth prove, that God shall judge the world by Christ the man, by this argument, to wit, because God had raised him up from the dead, Acts. 17.31. and the Apostle: for this cause, makes this the chief point of the knowledge of jesus Christ, to wit, that we have such a high Priest, that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the majesty, in heaven: Hebrewes the 8. and the 1. for although he had been man, and in man's nature had suffered all punishments due to us, for our iniquities, yet not withstanding if he had never been raised from the dead, and triumphed over the grave, we could never have hoped, to have attained to eternal life by his flesh, for if that flesh of his, had been overcome by death, we could never have overcome death, in our flesh, therefore it is, that the Apostle builds our hope of life, upon the resurrection of Christ from the dead: 1. Pet. chapt. 1. vers. 3. saying, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy, hath be gotten us again to the hope of life, by the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead: And again in the same chapter vers. the 21. he saith thus, that God raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that our faith, and hope might be in God, and this is the fourth part of this seal.  
The 5. and last part of this seal, which is the ground, and foundation of the rest, is this: That this man in his flesh is not only by Gods eternal decree appointed, and by the Father's voice from heaven ratified, to be the only redeemer, and life of the world, and confirmed to be this, by his works, his sufferings, and his glorious exaltation, at the right hand of God, but chiefly, and principally, because in this his manhood, thus abased, and again exalted, doth devil all the fullness of the God head bodily, Colos. the vers 2.9. for if this were not, all the former part of this seal were not sufficient to make his flesh the bread of life, for immortal life cannot come to us, but from that flesh, which hath immortal life in itself, and this is the reason that Christ uses that speech, in the 6. of john, when he would prove, that he that eats his flesh, and drinks his blood hath everlasting life, saying, as that living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, even so he that eats my flesh, even he shall live by me, in the 57 vers. this therefore is the greatest part, of this seal wherewith God the Father hath sealed Christ the man: to wit that he hath stamped the flesh of Christ with the Deity itself, and so consequently with life itself: it is no wonder therefore, that this flesh, and this blood do give life to those, that eat and drink it, seeing it is the flesh. and blood of God himself, therefore it is said in the 20. of Acts. vers. 28. that God hath purchased his church by his own blood: no man therefore that is not a most wretched infidel can deny, that this flesh and blood of Christ, is able to give eternal life to him that doth receive it, and this point is carefully to be marked of us, because the Apostle in the 1. Corint. the 11. chapt. showing the reason why the Corinth's in eating the Lords supper, did eat unworthily, yea did eat judgement unto themselves, doth plainly show us that it consisted in this, that they did not discern the Lords body, vers. the 29. for the banquet of the Lords supper, is not a banquet of the flesh of a mere man: but it is of the flesh and blood, of the everlasting King, and Lord, of heaven and earth, even of the eternal God himself, and therefore no marvel, that all those, who eating it, & not discerning it so, are counted guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. We see then, what comfort we have in the consideration of this point, to wit, that God the Father hath sealed Christ the man, to be the bread of eternal life, to all that eat his flesh, giving us full assurance here by in all the testimonies, which he hath given of him, and all the works which he hath wrought by him, and all that he hath effected in his humanity, and in that he hath made his humanity, the everlasting tabernacle of the Godhead, that now we need no more doubt, but that he it is, who not only is willing, but also able to give us that food, that endures to eternal life. therefore let us come with boldness, and chearefullnes, and labour to be partakers of this flesh and blood of the Son of God, which if we receive as we ought, we may be sure our souls shall never perish.  
FINIS.