Imatges de pàgina
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at one time in more places than one therefore we cannot eat and drink Chrift's natural body and blood in the facrament.

2. We are well affured by Christ himfelf, as well as by his apoftle, that the Lord's fupper was exprefsly defigned for the remembrance of Chrift, after he should be taken away: therefore Chrift, who is to be remembered, cannot be corporally present at the time of fuch remembrance. And as the bread and wine were ordained for memorials of his body broken, and blood fhed for us; his natural body and blood must be absent, in order to be remembered by means of fuch memorials. They themfelves cannot be the memorials of themfelves, in this rite; for nothing can be eaten or drank in remembrance of itself. They who argue for the contrary doctrine run into the greatest abfurdities. For,

3. The doing any act in remembranc of a perfon, implies his bodily abfence; and we are never faid, nor can we be faid, to perform that action in order if he be corpo rally prefent to remember him. And, therefore, the end of this inflitution being the remembrance of Chrift; it muft follow from hence, that to eat and drink, in the Lord's fupper, muft be, to eat and drink, in a fenfe confiftent with the notion of this

See the Rubrick in the communion fervice.

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remembrance: and confequently that to fuppofe, or teach, that Christians eat his real natural body in remembrance of his real natural body, and drink his real blood in remembrance of his real blood, is to teach that they are to do fomething, in order to remember him, which at the fame time supposes him corporally present; and deftroys the very notion of that remembrance; and fo directly_contradicts the most important words of the inftitution itself. Therefore,

4. It cannot be the natural body and blood of Chrift, which is eaten and drank in the Lord's Supper, but fomething elfe [viz. bread and wine] in remembrance of them. All this is founded upon the plain notion of the word remembrance, and this remembrance is exprefsly mentioned, in the original institution, as a part thereof, and confequently it is this remembrance which conftitutes the very nature of this boly facrament. So that,

5. The real prefence, maintained by Proteftants, is not the prefence of Chrift's natural body, but the real prefence of Christ's invifible power and grace, fo in and with the elements of bread and wine, as to convey fpiritual and real effects to the fouls of fuch as duly receive them: for God did. not only give his Son Jefus Chrift to die for us, but also to be our Spiritual food and fuftenance Part II.

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Part II. in that holy facrament: now, fpiritual food and fuftenance is doubtlefs the food and fuftenance of the Spirit; o to eat and drink piritually is a figurative expreffion, and fignifies the feeding upon Chrift's body with our heart by faith. See John vi. 63.

6. Therefore, the benefits whereof we are made partakers by this facrament, to the firengthening and refreshing of our fouls by the body and blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the bread and wine:. O happy foul! that feeds on fuch celeftial food, that art refreshed with the bread that came down from heaven, if with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, thou receive that holy facra ment; for then we fpiritually eat the flesh of Chrift, and drink his blood. And

7. Confider, that bread and wine, (or any thing elfe, which it might have pleaf-, ed Chrift to have chofen,) may, by the bleffing and appointment of God, be as communicative of grace, as the true na tural flesh and blood of Chrift itself can be: for even that (if you could indeed. eat it with your teeth) would no more communicate grace, or any bleffing to the receiver, without fuch inftitution and appointment of God, than any other food in the world that you can eat.

8. Wherefore, it is my firm belief, that as this facrament is matter of mere inftitution and appointment, I am concerned

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to know no more either what the facrament is, or how it operates, than it hath pleafed God to reveal in the holy fcriptures. And it will be fufficient for me to believe, that the confecrated elements are both called and made the body and blood of Christ, so verily and indeed, to all spiritual intents and purposes, as to convey, to the faithful receiver, whatever grace and bleffing Chrift hath annexed to the due performance of those holy rites, which he hath ordained as pledges of his love, and for our joy and comfort.

The Hymn on Monday Morning.
Commemorating the inftitution of the Lord's fupper..

UPON that dark, that doleful night,

When powers of hell and earth arofe

Against the Son of God's delight,

And friends betray'd him to his foes; Then, ere the mournful scene began,

He took the bread, and bless'd and brake; What love through all his actions ran ! What wondrous words of grace he spake ! This is my body broke for fin, Receive and eat the living food: Then took the cup and bless'd the wine; 'Tis the new covenant in my blood. And as his flesh with nails was torn, He bore the fcourge, he felt the thorn; And Juftice pour'd upon his head Its heavy vengeance in our flead.

And as his vital blood was spilt
To buy the pardon of our guilt,
When for black crimes of biggest fize,
He gave his foul a facrifice.

Do this (he cry'd) till time fhall end
In mem'ry of your dying friend;
Meet at my table, and record
The love of your departed Lord.
Jefus, thy feast we celebrate,

We show thy death, we fing thy name,
Till thou return, and we shall eat
With thee the fupper of the Lamb.

The Prayer on Monday Morning, To implore a continuance of God's grace bestowed upon us in this facrament.

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Racious Lord! unto whom all hearts are open, all defires known, and from whom no fecrets are hid, if thou fhouldft deal with me as I have deferved, how juftly mayft thou deprive me of all thofe means of grace, and opportu nities of working out my falvation, which thou haft hitherto vouchfafed me. But, O merciful Father! thou haft declared thyfelf to be a God, merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, tranfgreffion, and fin. My only hope, therefore, is in thy tender mercy, which has been ever of old; and in that pity and compaffion which thou haft fhown to mankind in

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