A17599:948
Aphorisms of Christian religionAphorismes of Christian religion
Aphorisms of Christian religion: or, a very compendious abridgement of M. I. Calvins Institutions set forth in short sentences methodically by M. I. Piscator: and now Englished according to the authors third and last edition, by H. Holland.Aphorismes of Christian religion: or, a verie compendious abridgement of M. I. Calvins Institutions set forth in short sentences methodically by M. I. Piscator: and now Englished according to the authors third and last edition, by H. Holland.
London: printed by Richard Field and Robert Dexter, 1596
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Moreover, for the better understanding of this point, in what sense, the flesh of Christ is, and may truly be said to be ⟨p. 192⟩our spiritual food: we must express also in what manner it is made meat for us. And this Christ taught us in very plain words, in that Sermon, where he saith, I am that fliving bread (that is, the quickening bread, or that bread that giveth life) which came down from heaven: If any man shall eat of this bread, he shall live for ever, and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. In these last words, which I will give for the life of the world, Christ showeth in what manner his flesh should be food for us, and that is, in that he will give it unto the death, for our life, that is, to merit for us life everlasting, offering it as Priest himself, a holy sacrifice to God his father. And that this is the natural sense of this relative *which in this place: as if the Lord had said, quatenus cam dabo, in that, or for that I shall give it, it is very manifest by the matter it self, which is handled in that place. For if we shall not so understand those words, as tending to declare the former manner of that thing which is here entreated: then that word must note some ⟨p. 193⟩division of a general into specials, as if Christ had two kinds of flesh, of which the one he would give for the life of the world, the other he would not give. But this interpretation is manifestly false, and contrary to the articles of our faith whereon we ground the truth of Christs incarnation. Therefore that exposition of the relative which in this place is very true and natural, and used to declare the form and manner of that thing, which is there proposed or disputed upon. And the very same interpretation is there of the words of the Lord in the institution of his holy Supper, where, of that bread broken, he speaketh on this wise; This is my body, which is given, or broken for you, that is, *inasmuch as, or for that it is broken or given for you. For that holy bread, or as Paul calleth it, that bread of the Lord, is not simply the Sacrament of the Lords body: that is, doth not simply signify and testify that the Lord hath a true body: