The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Now for that union, which is betwixt CHRIST and us, as we have nothing in Adam, ¹but that which conveyeth death to us: so it is needful that we should be joined to one that may give light to us, the means to be thus united, is this sacrament. And what union can be greater then that, which is between the thing nourishing, and the thing nourished? This union, though by no reason it can be expressed, must be believed, how Christ by being borne of Mary, hath united our nature to him: and this union hath every reprobate with Christ, in that he hath taken upon him the shape of man: and so far any cast-away may be said to have interest in the flesh of Christ. Where is then the difference? Truly here is a difference, if the arm joined to the body have no life, no sense, no benefit of vital spirits, it may be indeed united to the body: but it is not a part of the body▪ so the wicked living² without Faith, have no soul as it were, but are as it were senseless, and lifeless hang-byes, and therefore are no true members of Christ. We must not then think it sufficient to be joined to the flesh of Christ, as the kinsmen of Christ, who speaking of this spiritual conjunction ⟨p. 193⟩with him pointed unto them, that by faith received his word, saying, These are my brother, my sister, & my mother: These have the true union with Christ: the other have affinity with Christ in his flesh only, in his incarnation. Therefore with the symbols, to a true receiver Christ is really given, & so all whatsoever belongeth to Christ in the purchase of his redemption. Neither are we to look only to our union with Christ, but to that joining³ of our selves with them, that are of the same mystical body, be they never so many, that receive with us. For this tries all, and it is an union of love, and in respect here of this mystery hath been called a Communion. And because our union with Christ doth nothing profit God, though a thousand worlds of men were united to him, he hath set over the profit to others; so that (if I may so say) is Christ is meat and drink to us, so we should be meat and drink as it were to others: for that whatsoever we have in wisdom, we should bestow to the behoof of the ignorant; whatsoever we have in holiness, we should make the best of it to the winning of others;