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PAR. 6.
THe next part of our Saviours words, is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Eate.
That Christ gave Judas a Sop, is cleare, a dipped Sop, Joh. 14.26. that Iudas received it, I hold as cleare, Iohn 14.30. He then having received the Sop, went immediately out.
That Iudas did eate it, is not expressed, nor so cleare. He might possibly Take it, and not Eate it, but let it lie on his trencher. Besides, the Sop beeing given for a Manifesto, that Iudas was the onely Traytor, perhaps he was not willing to swallow the Disgust, as he accompted it, and the Sop also. But it may be well answered; Iudas was so surprized with the unexpected Offer; his rea∣son, wit, and senses so clouded: his soule amazed with such arisings, and fumes of his treasonable plot: in one word, so given over to Satan, that what ano∣ther man, yea what he himselfe would have done at another Time, either not Receive, or not Eate, he certainly received, and in likelihood swallowed.
If the words of Scripture be closer followed, and more forcibly urged, That Iudas having received the Sop, went out immediately: and therefore he did receive it onely, but not Eate it. I answer: The end of his Receiving, was onely to Eate it: and there was no great distance of time betweene the Recei∣ving and Eating of the Sop: but he might put his hand to his mouth even al∣most in an instant, or in tempore penè imperceptibili, in the twinckling of an eye, and swallow, without chewing, a moystned, soft, little glibbery Sop, that his going out immediately excludeth not his Eating. Besides, the word Receive, may extend, not onely to his Taking of it with his hand, but to the Eating of it also. For there is a receiving into Ones mouth: and it is not possible to be proved, that Iudas did not So receive it, nor Eate it.
And it may be well beleeved, because so many holy Fathers have declared themselves to think, He did Eate the Sop. I know but few that deny it; but many affirme it. Some indeed say, He carried away the Sop, and shewed it to the High Priests, and thence framed a forged accusation against Christ: or an excuse for his own treachery; as if without cause he would not have betrayed him. A man having his hidden sinnes revealed, groweth worse, and more madd in sinning: Per scelera semper sceleribus tutum est iter, said One.
The safest way to commit sinne; Is by new sinnes still to beginne.
Lucas Brugensis on Matth. 26. saith; That after the word Eate, the reason was given. And the word (Enim) is to be understood: Indeed it may well be understood, because at the delivery of the Cup, it is expressed, Matth. 26.28. For this is my blood of the new Testament: And yet the sense seemeth to me as full, Take, Eate, This is my Body: as if it had beene written, Take, Eate; For this is my Body. I would not willingly adde any new sense to Scripture, no more than I would diminish a letter from it: especially, if, as it is, the sense may be well accepted.
Carolostadius (and never any before him, that I have read of) fancieth; That when Christ said these words, This is my Body; he put his finger to his breast, shewed himselfe, and meaned thus: Here sitteth my Body which shall be given for you. This Sleidan reporteth in the Fift booke of his Commentaries. And this may seeme to favour him; Jesus said to the Iewes, Destroy This Temple, and in three dayes I will rayse it up, Joh. 2.19. And the holy Apostle expoundeth it; Christ spake of the temple of his body, verse 21. Tolet in his Commentary on the place, saith; It is certaine, that when Christ said, This temple, he did by his Gesture, and the motion of his hands, demonstrate Himselfe, and pointed not at the materiall Temple built of stone; so might he here doe.