What this danger of being guilty of Christs blood is, I will not stand long to explain. Briefly, to be guilty, of the body and blood of Christ, is to offer some notable contempt, and indignity unto the sufferings of Christ, to sin against the price of our redemption, and toa vilify and set at nought the precious blood of the new covenant, as if it were a common, and profane thing when men out of ignorant, sensual, secure, presumptuous, formalizing, inconsiderate, and profane affections approach unto Christs Table to Communicate of him. To be guilty of blood is in some sort, or other tob shed it, and to join with the Crucifiers of CHRIST. A sin, which as it drove Judas to despair, and to end with himself, who had begun with his Master, so doth it to this day lie with the heaviest curse that ever that people endured, on the offspring of those wicked Jews, whose imprecation it was, His blood be on us, and on our children. As Christ on the Cross was in regard of himself offered up unto the Father, but in regard of Pilate, and the Jews crucified; so is his blood in the Sacrament by the faithful received, by the wicked shed, and spilt on the ground, when not discerning or differencing the Lords body from other ordinary Food, they rush ⟨p. 182⟩irreverendly to the participation of it.3 For a man may be guilty of the blood of Christ though he receive it not at all, as a man may of murder though he hit not the party against whom his Weapon was directed.c It is not the event but the purpose which specifies the sin. The anger of a Dog is as great, when he barks at the Moon which is above his malice, as when at a man whom he may easily bite. The malice of the apostate who shot up dDarts against Heaven was no less then if he had hit the body of Christ at whom he shot. If that which is done unto the Apostles of Christ is done unto him, because they are his Ambassadors, and if that which is done unto the poor, and distressed flock of Christ, is done unto him because they are his members, then surely that which is done unto the Sacrament of Christ must needs be done unto him too, in as much as it is his representation, and Image. For a man may be guilty of treason, by offering indignity to the Picture, Coin, Garment, or Seal of a Prince. The dishonour that is done to the Image (it being a relative thing) doth ever reflect on the original it self.
What this danger of being guilty of Christs blood is, I will not stand long to explaine. Briefly, to be guilty, of the body and bloud of Christ, is to offer some notable contempt, and indignity unto the sufferings of Christ, to sinne against the price of our redemption, and toa vilifie and set at nought the pretious bloud of the new covenant, as if it were a common, and profane thing when men out of ignorant, sensuall, secure, presumptuous, formalizing, inconsiderate, and profane affections approach unto Christs Table to Communicate of him. To be guilty of bloud is in some sort, or other tob shed it, and to joyne with the Crucifiers of CHRIST. A sinne, which as it drove Iudas to dispaire, and to end with himselfe, who had begunne with his Master, so doth it to this day lie with the heaviest curse that ever that people indured, on the offspring of those wicked Iewes, whose imprecation it was, His bloud be on us, and on our children. As Christ on the Crosse was in regard of himselfe offered up unto the Father, but in regard of Pilat, and the Iewes crucified; so is his bloud in the Sacrament by the faithfull received, by the wicked shed, and spilt on the ground, when not discerning or differencing the Lords body from other ordinary Food, they rush ⟨p. 182⟩irreverendly to the participation of it.3 For a man may be guilty of the blood of Christ though he receive it not at all, as a man may of murther though he hit not the party against whom his Weapon was directed.c It is not the event but the purpose which specifies the sinne. The anger of a Dog is as great, when he barkes at the Moone which is above his malice, as when at a man whom he may easily bite. The malice of the apostate who shot up dDarts against Heaven was no lesse then if he had hit the body of Christ at whom he shot. If that which is done unto the Apostles of Christ is done unto him, because they are his Ambassadores, and if that which is done unto the poore, and distressed flocke of Christ, is done unto him because they are his members, then surely that which is done unto the Sacrament of Christ must needs be done unto him too, in as much as it is his representation, and Image. For a man may be guilty of treason, by offering indignity to the Picture, Coyne, Garment, or Seale of a Prince. The dishonour that is done to the Image (it being a relative thing) doth ever reflect on the originall it selfe.
- aHeb. 10. 29.
- bChrysost. in 1 Cor. Hom•l. 27.
- 3Voluntas sacit Homicidam.
- cOmnia s••lera ••iam an ••ffectum operis, quantum […] setis est, Perfecta sunt. Sen. de Const. Cap. 7.Omnia s••lera ••iam an ••ffectum operis, qu•ntum 〈…〉 setis est, Perfecta sunt. Sen. de Const. Cap. 7.
- dQuid tuputas cum stolidu• ille Rex multitudine telorum dim obscurasset ullam sagittam in solem incidisse • Sen. Ibid. Cap. 4.Quid tuputas cum stolidu• ille Rex multitudine telorum di•m obscurasset ullam sagittam in solem incidisse • Sen. Ibid. Cap. 4.
