Imatges de pàgina
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53.

Mat. 26.

26.

man,from whom every man and woman that are, were, or hereafter fhall be born, with Christ himself alfo, have derived both their Flesh, and their Souls,that so an Union and conjunction might be made of the Redeemer with the Redeemed; without which Union, the Son of God could not be fitly qualified to perform with Justice the great Work of Redemption of Mankind.

Concerning this Union, those words of Christ are to be understood. John 6.53. ExJoh. 6. cept ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood; and thofe other words Mat. 26. 26. This is my Body, and This is my Blood; both must needs be true, because Truth hath spoken them: The former were meant of the real, and fubftantial Union and conjunction of our flesh with his Flesh, and of our fouls with his Soul; the latter were meant of the Reprefentation or fimilitude of our true, real and fubstantial union with Chrift, in his whole humane Nature, fignified to us by the Sacramental eating and drinking of Bread and Wine, as it was before reprefented to the Ifraelites in eating the flesh of the Pafchal Lamb. For as with them,and with us, The Lamb,and Bread and Wine, were really to be taken into our bodies, and do really nourish us, and unite themselves with our bodies, and grow into

one

one bulk with us: So Chrift with Mankind muftbe united, and be One with us, other wife he cannot with the ftrictness of Divine Justice be the Redeemer of Mankind, neither could man be capable of redemption by him:

Concerning the truth and reality of eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ the Redeemer; the Reformed Churches, and alfo the Unreformed do both agree, and yet exceedingly differ, and difagree in the manner, and way thereof.

1. The Roman Tranfubftantiators would have us believe, that Chrift is eaten in the Sacrament, really; pretending, that the Bread and Wine are tranfubftantiated, or rather annihilated;and that the whole Chrift is brought into the room thereof, and fo

èaten.

But this cannot be the mode, or way of eating Chrift, because the eating and drinking by him meant,must have been in all former and paft Generations, and must still ftand firm and true, although the Sacrament or Eucharift had never been inftituted; for Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob, Noah, and Adam himself must have eaten fo, as is here meant, elfe they could not be redeemed by Chrift. And this Eating of Chrift was true and real, before he was actually Born or InB 2

carnate.

1

I Cor.

carnate.

St. Paul faith, Our Fathers did eat the fame meat,and drink of the fame Rock that 10.3. followed, and that Rock was Chrift; therefore they did eat Chrift, fo as he meant.

2. The Lutheran Confubftantiators would have men believe, that the Flesh and Blood of Chrift literally understood, are really, carnally, and grofly received, in, and with the Sacraméntal bread and wine.

But neither can this way be true, becaufe the Eating here meant must have been, and ftill is, without the Sacrament thereof; for the flesh of Chrift is now, and hath been eaten by thofe that never heard of, nor ever did receive, or communicate in the Sacrament, for Children, Heathens, Turks and Jews, and the most profane Chriftians, must have eaten Chrift, otherwife they could have no poffibility, or be in any capacity of Redemption: Yet the Scriptures, the primitive Fathers, and the Church of England do clearly declare, that the benefit of God the Redemption belongeth, and is offered to Son bath the whole World, to all, and every Man redeemed and Woman, as our Church Catechifm teacheth.

me,

and

all Man

kind. 3. The Zuinglians, who are called Sacramentarians, would have men believe thatf Eating the flesh, and Drinking the blood o Chrift, is meant only of receiving the figns,

figures,

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figures or Sacraments thereof, viz. by bread and wine in the Eucharist.

But neither can this way be the right meaning thereof,because we must truly, and really receive the very thing it felf; for we must corporally be united with the flesh of Christ, and really, and truly muft our Souls be united with the Soul of Christ, else no redemption can poffibly be, either of our bodies, or of our Souls by him. Calvin upon those words, This is my Body; very tru- Calvin.n ly affirmeth, Neque fallax eft Chriftus, qui 11. 24. vacuis figuris nos ludat--Mihi extra controverfiam eft--Veritatem hic, cum fuo figno conjunctam effe. (1.) Chrift did not delude us with empty figures, I doubt not at all, but. that the truth was joyned with the fign.

I Cor.

4. The Church of England doth not (to my apprehenfion) clearly determine of the Modus, or manner of Eating the Flesh, or drinking the blood of Chrift, either in the Sacrament, or out of the Sacrament; yet thus far this Church proceedeth in the my-Art. Restery of the holy Supper, and faith in the lig. 28.) 28th Article, that it is the Sacrament of Redemption, juft fo as St. Cyprian had before written of the fame thing in an Epistle to Cæcilius, wherein he calleth the Lords Supper Sacramentum Redemptionis; because thereby, as by an holy fign, we are taught epiß. 3. B 3

the

Cyp. 2.

the manner, way, and method ufed by Christ in the work of our Redemption.

The Church of England again declareth in the Office of the Eucharift, that the faithfull and penitent Receivers do fpiritually eat and drink the Fleft and Blood of Chrift, that they dwell in Chrift, and Chrift in them, that they be One with Chrift, and Chrift with them; the meaning is, that the holy Supper is the Sacrament, or myfterious fign of our Union with the flesh of Chrift, and with the blood Aug. in or Soul of Chrift, just as both S. Austin,and John 26. after him S. Anfelm called it Sacramentum Anfel. in Unitatis. (2.) The Sacrament of Union,

Mat. 26.

and the very word Communion (as this Sacrament is called) fignifieth the fame. Communio is all one with counio, or unio cum; because the facramental Eating and Drinking reprefenteth the Union, or conjunction of the flesh, and foul of Chrift with our flesh and foul, without which neither our bodies, nor our Souls can be by him redeemed.

I will not at prefent engage or meddle with the doctrine, or meaning of the words in the mystery of the holy Supper of our Lord, which was but the fign of the grand, and real myftery of the Eating the flesh of Chrift, of which only I am now to treat, in relation to thofe Words of Chrift in

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