Annotations upon all the New Testament philologicall and theologicall wherein the emphasis and elegancie of the Greeke is observed, some imperfections in our translation are discovered, divers Jewish rites and customes tending to illustrate the text are mentioned, many antilogies and seeming contradictions reconciled, severall darke and obscure places opened, sundry passages vindicated from the false glosses of papists and hereticks / by Edward Leigh ...

CHAP. VI.

BEllarmine himself (de Euchar. l. 1. c. 5.) tells us, that many Papists (as Biel, Cusanus, Cajetane, Tapper, Hessels, Jansenius) deny, that our Saviour in this Chapter treates of the Sacrament. And for those which hold otherwise, they are divided also, (as Ferus sheweth on this Chapter) Some of them will have that which our Saviour here speaketh about the bread of life to be meant of the Eucharist, others will not have the Eucharist to be spoken of here till verse 51. and thus holdeth Bellarmine, and à La∣pide. But first, this Sermon was uttered by our Saviour (as Bishop Vsher saith) above a yeare before the celebration of his last Supper,* 1.1 wherein the Sacrament of his body and bloud was instituted, at which time none of his hearers could possibly have understood him to have spoken of the externall eating of him in the Sacrament. For in verse 4. this fell out not long before the Passeover, and consequently a yeare at least before the the last Passeover, wherein our Saviour instituted the Sacrament of his Supper, See John 11.55. Secondly, The eating which Christ speakes of here is by faith, even the very act of faith, ver. 29, 35, 48, 47. therefore it is spirituall eating, not sacramentall, which may be without faith. Thirdly,* 1.2 If those words ver. 53. be meant of the Eu∣charist, then how can our adversaries defend their Communion under one kind, seeing here the drinking of Christs bloud is required, as without which there is no life, this is argumentum ad hominem, a forcible reason against the Papists, and it prevailes with divers of them to interpret this Chapter not of the Eucharist.

The eating of the flesh of Christ, and the drinking of his bloud, spoken of in this Chapter, is not the eating of the Sacrament of the Supper, but all manner of participa∣tion with Christ in the word and Sacrament. This eating here spoken of necessarily giveth life everlasting to the eater, 27, 35, 51, 54. but the Sacrament doth not so. 2. This eating of Christ is perpetuall, and that without which no man can have life in him,* 1.3 ver. 53. But the eating of the Sacrament is not perpetuall, nor that without which a man cannot have life in him.

Vers. 9. There is a lad here] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a little Lad, puerulus.

Two small fishes] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, two small fishes. Small they must needs be, as the word in the originall signifies, otherwise how could the little boy have tugged them thither? The multiplying is thought to have been first in the hands of our Saviour (as Augustine notes with St Hierome.) then to have continued under the hands of the Apostles (as Chrysostome) and lastly to have its complement in the hands and mouths of the eaters,* 1.4 as St. Ambrosa concludes with St. Hilary.

Vers. 12. Gather up the fragments] That is, forget not the least benefits.* 1.5

Vers. 13. And filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves] It is de∣manded whence the Jews being so poore,* 1.6 and in the wildernesse remote from the society of men, had baskets so quickly to keep so many fragments reserved. Some think that bas∣kets and hay was their houshold stuffe, and that they never went without them.

—Delubra locantur Judaeis quorum Cophinus foenumque suppellox.

But they give no reasons of this their opinion. They still carried these with them, both because in Aegypt they carried their clay in their baskets, and because they used hay or straw to make bricks, that by these monuments they might remember their great slavery in Aegypt. Tolet saith, it is likely that so great a multitude of people had many baskets with them in which they carried things necessary for themselves.

Vers. 14. The miracle that Jesus did] Although Christ to illustrate the miracle com∣mands the baskets to be filled, yet also he exhorts his to frugality. Calvin.

Vers. 27 Labour not] The greek word is work not, take no paines for, and it sig∣nifieth also the work of the soule,* 1.7 study not, care not, take no thought for. Matth. 6.3. It must be understood comparatively, rather for the food that lasts to everlasting life.

The Son of man is come] That is, the Messiah, a title known to the Jewes. Dan. 7. ver. 3.

Him hath God the Father] That is, the heavenly Father, Sealed] That is, made his Commission authenticall,* 1.8 as men doe their deeds by their seale. It is a metaphor ta∣ken from them who ratifie their authorie whom they send, that is, approve of them as it were by setting to their seale.

* 1.9Vers. 29. This is the work of God] That which he esteemeth in stead of all works, That ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

* 1.10Vers. 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on mee shall never thirst] Shall a believer that partakes of Christ be so satisfied as never to hunger more? we are subject to wants, and commanded to hunger and thirst againe. Iohn 4.14.

First, our Lord may speak this in opposition to outward food, grace is an ever∣lasting spring, he shall never have a totall drouth. Secondly, it may be meant of cor∣rupt motions to these outward objects, he shall never long more after them with that eagernesse or impatience. Thirdly, it may be spoken in regard of the full con∣tent that the soule may take by reflecting on its interest in Christ. Fourthly, they shall not thirst with an utter despairing thirst accompanied with a totall privation of Gods grace and love to them.

Vers. 37. All] The greek word is neuter, that is, the whole body of the Church. giveth] That is, electeth, shall come to mee] by faith and love, I will in no wayes cast out] An emphasis in the originall, two negatives, in no wise, by no meanes, cast out, He that believes in me shall certainly have everlastingly life, 47. ver.

Vers. 40. And I will raise him up at the last day] He repeats this foure times in the same words, that we may be certaine about this hope.

Vers. 44. No man can come to me] There is a double cannot saith a reverend Divine, one of meere weaknesse, shewing that he which cannot doe the thing wants power to doe it. Another of malignity or willing aversenesse which shewes a violent bent of the will to the contrary, that he will not use the power he hath. I will not undertake the maintaining of this distinction.

Except the Father which hath sent me draw * 1.11 him] That is, incline and turne mans will

unto his aime, and make it of an unwilling will a willing will; the reason hereof is Rom. 8.7. In the calling of men by the word, there is a Trabere and a venire. The Fa∣ther draweth, and the man commeth, that notes the efficacy of Grace, and this the sweetnesse of Grace. Grace works strongly, and therefore God is said to draw, and it worketh sweetly too, and therefore man is said to come. Dr. Reynolds on Psal. 110. ver. 1.

Vers. 45. In the Prophets] It is only in Esay 54.13. but because it is contained in that part of the bible which they called the Prophets, it is rightly so said. Calvin.

They shall be all taught of God] Non singula generum sed genera singulorum, Cajetane,* 1.12 that is, men of any nation, condition, sex, all that will shall be docible, say Chrysostome and Theophylact, all which shall be worthy, Cyrill.

All] Because none is taught but of God, as he that only teacheth the children in a Ci∣ty teacheth all, not because all learne, but because whosoever learnes learnes of him; rather all the sons of the Church. Austen.

Commeth unto me] That is, beleeveth in me.

Vers. 47. He that believeth on mee hath everlasting life] Sanctification is the begin∣ning of glorification, therefore Saint Paul omitteth it. Rom. 8.30.

Vers. 48. I am that bread of life] What ever was in the Manna formally and real∣ly, was in Christ transcendently, there was infinitely more in him to the soule than could be in that to the body. It was admirable in many things, yet it was but a crea∣ture, Christ is the Creator. Secondly, it was wholly an instrument in the hand of Christ, he fed them with that Manna, often in this chapter. Thirdly, though it was used to preserve life by the blessing of God, yet it self was without life; but Christ here tells them he is the manna, that living bread. It could not preserve from death, 49. ver. but Christ doth. v. 51.

Vers. 51. I am the living bread] Or quickning bread, according to other translati∣ons. The person of Christ incarnate is meant under the metaphor of bread, and our be∣liefe is signified by eating. Christs flesh is living bread, both formaliter in se,* 1.13 & effectivè in nobis, makes them that eat it live for ever. 57. ver.

My flesh] Or my body, this place, and that Heb. 10.10. is to be synechdocally un∣derstood, under one kind comprehending all his sufferings.* 1.14

Vers. 52. Give us his flesh to eate] Here is not meant an externall eating and drink∣ing with the mouth and throat of the body, as the Jewes then and the Romanists more grossely since have imagined, but internall and spirituall by a lively faith. Bishop Vsher.

Vers. 53. Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of God, and drink his bloud, ye have no life in you] We may ask a Papist whether the Eucharist be here spoken of; if it be not, why doe they allege this Chapter to establish their transubstantiation? if it be,* 1.15 why doe they deprive the people of that life in taking the Cup from them? It doth not serve the turne to say, that the people receive the bloud together with the host by a concomitan∣cy, for he that so receives the bloud doth not drink. Pet. du Moulin.

Vers. 54. Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life.] To give us to understand that his manhood hath quickning vertue in it; yet not of it selfe as by it self, but as it is the manhood of the Son of God. Mr. Perkins.

Vers. 55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my bloud is drink indeed] It is as much as if he

had said, reall meat and drink, yet meaneth he not corporall but spirituall meat and drink. v. 65. Spirituall and corporall are opposite one to the other, not spirituall and reall. That is reall which is not imaginary or in conceit only, but in deed and truth.

Vers. 56. My flesh and drinketh my bloud] That is, not only Christs body but per∣son,* 1.16 all his merits, his passions and priviledges which flow from them.

He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me and I in him] Christ in this Chapter is oft resembled to food; the Spirit of God delights in this metaphor, not only because they of Capernaum followed him for the loaves, but because the re∣semblance is suitable in five particulars. First, in regard of the necessity of Christ for the soule as of food for the body. 1 Tim. 6.8. Gen. 28. Food and raiment, food is more needfull. Adam in Paradise, and many Nations subsist without raiment, but none can without foode. Secondly, in respect of its complacency and delight. Thirdly, its efficacy, it continues and strengthens life, so Christ. Fourthly, because of the union between the meat that nourisheth and the body that is to be nourished. Fifthly, there is a unity. 1 Cor. 6.17.

Vers. 62. What and if ye shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before] It is ne∣cessary to understand it one of these two wayes, either then you shall not be scandali∣zed, when you shall see, &c. or contrarily, then you shall be more scandalized. Ma∣ny follow the former sense, Chrysostome, Augustine, Cyrill, Theophylact, Beda, Rupertus. I can hardly perswade my selfe (saith Maldonate) that it is to be understood then you shall cease to be scandalized,* 1.17 or then you shall understand, believe, as all the authors which I have read interpret it. What will you doe when you shall see me ascending into heaven, how much more will you be scandalized, how much lesse will you be∣lieve. I deny not (saith he) that I have none, the author of this interpretation, but I approve of this more than the other of Augustine, the most probable of the others otherwise, because this is more repugnant to the sense of the Calvinists, which to me is a great argument of probability.

Vers. 63. The flesh profiteth nothing] That is, the fleshly eating of Christ; for in no other sense can the flesh be said to profit nothing,* 1.18 for Christs flesh was as necessary to the worke of our redemption as his Godhead. The Godhead supported but the flesh suffered.

The words that I speak unto you are Spirit and life] Because the word of God is the pipe whereby he conveigheth into our dead hearts spirit and life. Perkins. As Christ when he raised up dead men did only speak the word and they were made alive, and at the day of Judgement by his very voyce when the trumpet shall blow, all that are dead shall rise againe.

The flesh is his humane nature wherein by death he is become our bread; the Spirit his divine nature which maketh his flesh to live, and which gives a quickning vertue to this bread.

Vers. 70. I have chosen you twelve] To the Apostolicall function. Calvin.* 1.19

Vers. 71. When he was one of the twelve] Yet we doe not reade that he was moved, so stupid are hypocrites that they feele not their owne wound.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Two yeares saith Cartw,
• * 1.2

  Crede & man∣ducasti August. See Iansen. Concord. p. 59. In hoc capite non minus com∣mendat potum quam cibum, in quo, si de Sacramentis loquutus fuisset, quod adversariorum plerique nunc existimant, nihil expressius esse•• contra Communionem sub utraque specie his verbis, verse 53. Rivetus in Cathol. Orthod.
• * 1.3

  Cartw. co••fur∣of the Rhem. Ex his verbis palàm apparet, perperam de Coena exponi totum hunc locum, nam si verum esset, quicunque ad Sacram Domini mensam se ingerunt carnis & sanguinis ejus fieri participes, omnes vitam referrent, scimus autem multis in exitium cedere. Et certè ineptum fuisset ac intempestivum de coena tunc disserere, quam nondum instituerat; ideo de perpetua fidei manducatione eum tractare certum est. Simultamen fa∣teor, nihil hic dici quod non in coena figuretur ac verè praestetur fidelibus, adeoque sacram coenam Christus quasi hujus con∣cionis sigillum esse voluit. Atque haec ratio est cur apud Iohannem nulla fiat coenae mentio. Calv. in ver. 54. hujus Capitis.
• * 1.4

  Tolet. in loc.
• * 1.5

  Bernard.
• * 1.6

  Cophinus Grae∣cum est nomen genus quoddam Cistae signifi∣cans, in usu erat apud Ju∣daeos, unde Martialis Ju∣daeum Cistife∣rum vocat. To∣letus in loc. Alardi Epiphil. Philolog. c. 8.
• * 1.7

  Graecè 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, id est, opera, studio, & labore ve∣stro contendite, & sedulò curate ut acquiratis cibum, non corporis qui perit, sed animae qui non perit. à Lap. Vide Bezam & Piscat.
• * 1.8

  Messiae certas notas seu signa vel sigilla ad∣didit, ex qui∣bus prae reliquis filiis hominum cognosci possit.
• * 1.9

  Loquuti erant de operibus: Christus ad unum opus eos revocat, hoc est ad fidem, quo significat, quicquid extra fidem homines moliuntur, inutile ac vanum esse, solum verò fidem sufficere quia hoc unum à nobis Deus postulat, ut credamus. Calvinus.
• * 1.10

  The promise of never hun∣gring and thirsting is not made good fully till we come to heaven. Psal. 16. v. 6. Rev. 7.17. First, this promise doth not exclude the feeling and sense of our present wants. Secondly, it is not put to exclude those fervent desires that the faithfull have after more grace. 1 Pet. 2.2. A tast of Christs sweetnesse will make us hunger and long after more.
• * 1.11

  Therefore there is no free will. Perkins.
• * 1.12

  Quòd dicit omnes ad ele∣ctos restringi debet, qui soli sunt genuinae ecclesiae filii: Calvinus.
• * 1.13

  Panem se vocat similitudine ap∣tissima, quia omnes conditi∣ones panis perfectissimè implet. Panis famen tollit, satiat, alit, & vitam prorogat. Polyc. Lyser. Rhem. annor. in ver. 32.
• * 1.14

  Bis ponit ver∣bum dabo, quia verè duplici ratione caro Christi datur pro mundi vita, una ratione acquisitionis quando caro Christi in Cruce traditur in mortem pro to∣tius mundi vita. Altera ratione applicationis & distributionis, qua in praedicatione Evangelii haec vita itidem omnibus in mundo offertur. Polyc. Lyser.
• * 1.15

  Quem locum qui de symboli∣ca manducatio∣ne interpretati sunt, eò deve∣nere, ut non modo recens natis infantibus exhiberent Eucharistica symbola, sed & nisi id fieret, aeternus poenas ipsit infantibus crudeli scito denunciarent, cum revera ibi manducare & bibere nihil sit aliud quam intelligere, meditari, & in usum vertere. Gro∣tius. Dissertat. an semper communicandum per Symbola. Hinc homines malae linguae sibi persuaserunt Christianos filiorum suorum carnem esse, & sanguinem bibere. Dilher. Eclog. Sac. Dic. 18.
• * 1.16

  See 57.
• * 1.17

  Maldonat. ad loc. Vide il∣lum in v. 49.
• * 1.18

  See Heb. 9.12. and 10.10. Matth. 26.27, 28. and 51. of this chapter. Prodest quic∣quam] ad vi∣vificandum sc. Ter••ul.
• * 1.19

  Calvin.