. Luke the
Evangelist calleth him a man, saying, "A certain man ordained a great
supper." He calleth him a man, not that he was incarnate, or hath taken
our flesh upon him: no, not so; for you must understand that there be
three Persons in the Deity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost. And these three Persons decked the Son with manhood; so that
neither the Father, neither the Holy Ghost, took flesh upon them, but
only the Son; he took our flesh upon him, taking it of the Virgin Mary.
But Luke called God the Father a man, not because he took flesh upon him,
but only compared him unto a man; not that he will affirm him to be a
man. Who was he now that was married? Who was the bridegroom? Marry,
that was our Saviour Jesus Christ, the second person in the Deity; the
eternal Son of God. Who should be his spouse? To whom was he married?
To his church and congregation: for he would have all the world to come
unto him, and to be married unto him: but we see by daily experience that
the most part refuse his offer. But here is shewed the state of the
church of God: for this marriage, this feast, was begun at the beginning
of the world, and shall endure to the end of the same: yet for all that,
the most part refused it: for at the very beginning of the world, ever
the most part refused to come. And so it appeareth at this time, how
little a number cometh to this wedding and feast: though we have callers,
yet there be but few of those that come. So ye hear that God is the
feast-maker; the bridegroom is Christ, his Son, our Saviour; the bride is
the congregation.

Now what manner of meat was prepared at this great feast? For ye know it
is commonly seen, that at a marriage the finest meat is prepared that can
be gotten. What was the chiefest dish at this great banquet? What was
the feast-dish? Marry, it was the bridegroom himself: for the Father,
the feast-maker, prepared none other manner of meat for the guests, but
the body and blood of his own natural Son. And this is the chiefest dish
at this banquet; which truly is a marvellous thing, that the Father
offereth his Son to be eaten. Verily, I think that no man hath heard the
like. And truly there was never such kind of feasting as this is, where
the Father will have his Son to be eaten, and his blood to be drunk.

We read in a story, that a certain man had eaten his son; but it was done
unawares: he knew not that it was his son, else no doubt he