A Sermon of the True Spiritual Transubstantiation, Sermon

A Sermon of the True Spiritual Transubstantiation · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON OF THE True, Spiritual Tranſubſtantiation, oppos'd to the Groſs, Carnal, Imaginary Tranſubſtantiation.

MATTH. 26. 26.

Compar'd with Mark 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 23. &c. This is my Body.

I Take all theſe Scriptures, as the common Subject, that by the Grace and Aſſiſtance of God, I intend to diſcourſe at this time, and eſpecially to Treat the Senſe of theſe Words, This is my Body: And This Cup is my Blood of the New Teſtament. And as I have earneſtly begg'd of God, that he would waken me morning by morning, that he would waken my Ear to hear as the learned concerning it; ſo that He would give me the Tongue of the Learned to ſpeak of it; and grant you alſo to hear with the Ear of the Learned; that ſo in this whole Duty the Preparations of the Heart, the Anſwer of the Tongue, and the Hearing of the Ear, may be from the Lord.

Now I ſhall endeavour ſo to treat of it, as if there were no other Point of Controverſie between us Proteſtants and the Roman Perſuaſion, but only the Senſe of theſe Words, p. 2This is my Body: And I ſhall conſider that Tranſubſtantiation, as it is generally called, that is built upon it, as if there were no other Fault nor Errour in that Doctrine, but only a Zeal for the Myſtery of the Lord's Supper, and the Letter of Scripture in this Inſtitution, though it be not according to Knowledge: and therefore I will allow the utmoſt both to the Words, and the Senſe, that can be allowed, the very utmoſt that can be made of This is my Body, This Cup is my Blood of the New Teſtament. And I ſhall endeavour ſo to treat of it, that there may be nothing that may be offenſive, except the plain Evidence and Reaſon of Things, the Evidence of Truth, without any umbrage, any ſhadow of a Railing Accuſation. I will diſcourſe only upon the ſingle Account of Scripture, and the Reaſons drawn from it.

And therefore I do allow, That theſe Words, This is my Body, and This Cup is my Blood, they do carry a moſt high and important Senſe; And I ſhall conſider the utmoſt Tendency they can have to ſuch a thing as is called Tranſubſtantiation: though the Word it ſelf be not indeed found in Scripture, yet I will allow the thing in its due ſenſe. And I ſhall endeavour ſo to do this, that you may have the cleareſt underſtanding of the Intention and Meaning of the Lord's Supper, and the Inſtitution of it, and of theſe Words, This is my Body, and ſo as may tend moſt to the real Senſe, and Impreſſion upon your Hearts, of ſo great an Expreſſion of our Saviour both in the general Doctrine of the Goſpel, and in the particular Senſe and Meaning of the Lord's Supper, and that ſacred Solemnity; and alſo may be moſt practical, and may moſt ſerve to the good of every man's Soul who deſires ſpiritually to underſtand this great Doctrine, and the particular Ordinance of the Lord's Supper.

And becauſe it is agreed among all men that profeſs any Reverence to the Lord's Supper, that as it is not a humane Device, ſo not a natural Duty, made known by natural Light, nor written in natural Conſcience; it is not like the Reverence of the Divine Being, or Prayer to God, or the p. 3deſire to know his Mind or Will, or any moral Duty: but it depends wholly upon Divine Inſtitution and Ordination: 'Tis wholly from Scripture, or elſe there could never have been ſuch a Worſhip of God known in the World, as the Solemnity of eating Bread, and drinking Wine in the Lord's Supper, in Remembrance of him.

To introduce therefore this matter, I conſider, There are Four inſpired Writers who have given us this Inſtitution from our Lord; the Evangelist Matthew, the Evangelist Mark, the Evangelist Luke, and the Apostle Paul: and then the Evangelist John, although it was not committed to him (as every Evangelist had throughout the whole Evangelick Hiſtory, his Portion of every Matter, and the proper Words of it committed to him) to write of this Inſtitution; yet he had a ſublime and highly ſpiritual Diſcourſe intruſted with him all along the laſt part of his ſixth Chapter concerning the eating the Fleſh of Chriſt, and drinking his Blood; which muſt needs be the Foundation of eating the Fleſh of Christ, and drinking his Blood in the Sacrament: for a Sacrament muſt have a Doctrine to ſuſtain it, that it may not be an inſignificant Ceremony: and what can have nearer Relation to the Sacrament of eating the Body of Chriſt broken for us, and drinking his Blood of the New Teſtament ſhed for many, than eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood, which he gave for the life of the World, which is Meat indeed and Drink indeed, which the Evangeliſt John relates from Chriſt, of which whoever eats ſhall live by him for ever, and he will raiſe him up at the last day, viz. at his Coming, till which Coming there is a ſhewing forth of his Death in this Supper, viz. a declaring that efficacy of it which ſhall then appear. And it is certain, though Chriſt had not yet inſtituted this ſacred Rite, nor did till ſome conſiderable ſpace after this great Diſcourſe, yet he knew his own Intention concerning it, and he knew, this Doctrine ſhould be in its juſt Time commanded by himſelf, to be repreſented in that Rite; and his Death, as a Sacrifice, he continually enlivens, and keeps, p. 4new, vigorous, and in full force by his Interceſſion upon it, in which Interceſſion he appears with his own Blood in the true Holy of Holies, as the High priest with the Blood of the Typical Sacrifices in that Typical Holieſt. All which becomes a moſt eſpecial Preparation of his Fleſh to be eaten and drunk in the Lord's Supper: therefore the Lord's Supper is ſo peculiar an Annunciation of his Death till he comes; viz. in the eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood, now become a Peace-offering by his Interceſſion, and to be feaſted upon.

Now in theſe four ſacred Pen-men of this Inſtitution, 'tis obſervable, That they are all uniform in theſe Words, This is my Body: there's not any difference among them, from one to the other, not any variety found: they all with one Mouth ſay to a very Tittle, This is my Body. But they are not ſo uniform concerning the Cup: The Evangelist Matthew and the Evangelist Mark, ſay, This Cup is my Blood of the New Teſtament: The Evangeliſt Luke, and the Apoſtle Paul, ſay, This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood: ſo here's thus much of variety, Two ſay, This is my Blood of the New Teſtament; two others ſay, This is the New Teſtament in my Blood. And this I do account will give us great light into the ſenſe of this Inſtitution, as you ſhall perceive in the progreſs of this Diſcourſe.

That which is yet farther conſiderable, is, that the Apoſtle Paul ſays, That which I received of the Lord I deliver'd unto 1 Cor. 11. 23.1 Cor 11:23you: by which Words, there is great Reaſon to believe, that the Apoſtle, as a fourth Evangelist, receiv'd this Inſtitution immediately from the Revelation of Jeſus Christ, and that it is part of that Goſpel, which he tells us, Gal. 1. 11, 12. he received not from men, neither was taught it, but by the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt: ſo that I think we may certainly and ſafely conclude, He was not only inſpired as a ſacred Writer of that Epiſtle to the Corinths, but Chriſt had before that, at the time of his Call to the Apoſtleſhip, made an immediate Revelation of this Inſtitution to him; which, as it ſhews the great excellency of this holy Sacrament, ſo to this Apoſtle p. 5was committed, as his peculiar part, to ſhew the Obligatorineſs of this Ordinance upon all Ages till Chriſt's coming, which is not given in expreſs terms, but by him only.

All this being premis'd, it is of concern in the next place, to give you an exact Harmony of theſe four ſacred Writers, and what they have written concerning this Inſtitution: that is, out of all the words of each of them drawn out, and laid together, to make up one even Text of the whole, which, by Interpreters, is call'd a Harmony. And thus it is, as I ſhall draw it out of the Apoſtle Paul, as infolding the whole Inſtitution.

I received of the Lord that which I deliver'd unto you, that the Lord Jeſus the Night in which he was betray'd, while they were eating that Paſſover, of which he had 1 Cor. 11. 23.1 Cor 11:23ſaid, Luke 22. 15, 16. [With Deſire have I deſired to eat this Paſſover with you before I ſuffer, For I ſay unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Luc. 22. 19.Luke 22:19Kingdom of God,] he took the Bread, which we break, and bleſſed it with Thankſgiving, and gave it to his Diſciples, and ſaid, Take, eat, this is my Body, viz. the Communion of it, 1 Cor. 10. 16. which is broken for you, This do in Remembrance of me. In the ſame manner, after Supper, when he had ſupped, He took the Cup of Bleſſing, which we bleſs, and when he had given Thanks, he gave it to them, ſaying to them, Divide it among your ſelves, and drink you all of it; For this Cup is my Blood of the New Matt. 26. 28. Marc. 14. 24.Matt 26:28Mark 14:24Teſtament, and this Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood, viz. in the Communion of it, 1 Cor. 10. 16. which is ſhed for you and for many for the Remiſſion of ſins. [And they drank all of it,] Mark 14. 23. This do as often as ye drink it in Remembrance of me. As often therefore as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye ſhew forth the Lord's Death till he come, 1 Cor. 11. 26.

This is that, which laid together ariſes out of all theſe four Evangeliſts (accounting the Apoſtle Paul for one,) and comprizing this Inſtitution in what immediately concerns p. 6the Inſtitution it ſelf, wholly and fully. And before it we may place the ſixth Chapter of the Evangelist John, beginning at v. 27. as giving the Doctrine that ſupports this Inſtitution. And out of this Harmony I ſhall endeavour to diſcourſe at this time.

Now it is certain, this harmonical Context muſt be true in every Iota of it; and whatever is fuller in any part, muſt inlighten and clear the whole; and whatever is obſcure in any part, or curt, and ſhort, muſt be enlarged from what is more clear and full. For you know one Writer is as true as another in whatever we place, as from them to this matter. The very Order in which they give this Inſtitution is much to be conſidered; and if in any particular there ſeems any thing that does encounter, and run croſs, one thing with another, it muſt be ſo explain'd, as that the whole, and every part, may be moſt conciliated with it ſelf; ſo that the whole muſt be both clear'd, and illuſtrated, and reconcil'd by the concert of every part, and every part by it ſelf in compare with the other parts: of all which we are to make our Advantages; as,

1. When we find the whole Concert of the Inſtitution ſo one in theſe words, This is my Body, we know, That in them is moſt plainly, poſitively, forcibly, deliver'd the real Participation and Communion of the Body of Jeſus in the Lord's Supper; as we ſhall find all the words joyn'd with them, viz. Bleſſing, Breaking, Taking, Eating a Body broken for us, lead us unto and make this Bread the Communion of Chriſt's Body; as the Apoſtle Paul calls it.

2. When we find the four Records of this Inſtitution agree in the Cup, even as in the Body, thus far, that the drinking of it is an equal part of the Inſtitution with the eating the Body: that it appears in every one, it had its diſtinct particular Bleſſing, even as the Bread: that it hath ſome peculiar marks, as the particular Command, Divide it among your ſelves, Drink all of it; do this very particular thing, as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me: that the matter of Fact p. 7concerning it is peculiarly recited, viz. They All drank of it: that the Apoſtle calls it the Cup of Bleſſing. All this ſpeaks two things; That the Cup is as eſſential a part of the Inſtitution as the Bread, of as high Neceſſity and Dignity; and the Precept of one as extenſive as the other, and of the Two the moſt particularly remark'd in its Extenſiveneſs.

3. That it is worthy to explain the ſenſe of thoſe words, This is my Body, and the meaning of the Inſtitution, upon what occaſion or account ſoever it ſhall be ſo urg'd; ſeeing as the Doctrine of the Blood ſhed of Christ hath the Equality and rather the Preference to the Body (if there could be any odds) throughout the New Teſtament, as being the laſt and completory Act of Chriſt's ſacrificing himſelf, and is therefore ſo expreſly nam'd in that Tri-unity of Teſtimonies on Earth, The Spirit, the Water, the BLOOD, 1 John 5. 8.

4. When therefore we find two ſacred Pen-men of this Inſtitution write, This Cup is my Blood of the New Teſtament, and two other, of which one by immediate Revelation, This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood, we thus collect; It cannot be indeed ſo probable Chriſt ſaid both (if he did, what I urge will be the ſtronger:) but I allow he ſaid only one, and that it was, This is my Blood, yet is this explanatory Alteration moſt Authentick and Divine: ſo that there ſhall be as full a ſenſe of the Blood offered to us in the Sacrament as of the Body, by thoſe Words, This Cup is my Blood, &c. and yet the Explication of them ſhall limit that Preſence to ſuch a one as will bear thoſe Words, It is the New Teſtament in my Blood, (omitting the Figure of this Cup for the Wine in the Cup, which yet ſhews, Chriſt did not abhor from Figure in this Inſtitution;) and ſo ſhews a myſtical ſenſe: and ſeeing the Wine in the Lord's Supper is equal to the Bread, even as the Blood in the Doctrine of the New Teſtament to the Body of Christ, it ſhall have power to limit the ſenſe of thoſe Words, This is my Body, to ſuch a Myſticalneſs, as agrees to the Wine, being the New Teſtament in Christ's Blood. And when the Apoſtle explains both, p. 8by the Communion of the Body and of the Blood of Christ; it limits the ſenſe ſo, that the Bread is not the Body, nor the Cup the Blood, in any other ſenſe than the Communion of each is ſo, as ſhall be farther argued: For theſe Words explain, by divine Authority, This is my Body, this is my Blood, into ſuch a ſenſe, that it may be true, This Bread is the Communion of the Body of Chriſt, this Cup the Communion of his Blood.

5. When the Evangeliſts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, all record the Saying of Chriſt, I will no more drink of the Fruit of the Vine, the Evangeliſt Matthew emphatically of [this] Fruit; and the Evangeliſt Luke prefixes of the Paſſover, and anti-dates part of the Inſtitution of the Cup, that he might joyn the like important Saying of our Saviour, concerning the Fruit of the Vine, That he will not eat any more of the Paſſover, nor drink of the Fruit of the Vine, till the Paſſover Which by the Evangeliſt Matthew muſt be This Fruit.be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God, and till he drink of the Fruit of the Vine a new in the Kingdom of God his Father, when it ſhall come: and the Apoſtle ſays, We ſhew forth the Lord's Death till he come: From hence it may be argued, That there was another manner of Preſence of Chriſt to be expected than was juſt then, at the eating and drinking with his Diſciples, and that ſuch a one was to be expected in the Kingdom of God, his Father: ſo that he would no more eat nor drink with them, either in the ſame manner of bodily Preſence, nor in the way of Anticipation, or of eating that Paſſover, and that Fruit of the Vine, which at the time of this firſt Inſtitution was not yet ſacrificed, nor the Blood yet offer'd; but in ſuch a manner as would agree to the fulfilling of all, the renewing of all in the Kingdom of God, and his Father, when that ſhould come, after that Paſſover ſacrific'd, and that Blood offer'd; of which we ſhall after enquire: for this I eſteem of great moment in this Diſcourſe.

Laſtly, When we find the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10. 17. making that Queſtion [The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion p. 9of the Body of Christ? and ſubjoyning in the very ſame Contexture, in the ſame Ayr, and manner of Expreſſion, [We being many are one Bread, and one Body, for we are all partakers of that one Bread,] muſt we not needs infer, the ſenſe in both [This is my Body] and [We are all one Bread and one Body] muſt be alike one myſtical Senſe? for ſeeing common ſenſe teaches us, All Chriſtians cannot be one Bread and one Body, but in a myſtical ſenſe; no more can the Bread be Chriſt's Body, but in ſuch a myſtical ſenſe: and the very Letter can no more oblige us in the one than in the other.

All which is much enforc'd by the Conſideration, The Notions of eating the Fleſh of Christ, and of drinking his Blood, were given before the Lord's Supper inſtituted: and though I doubt not Chriſt deſign'd it as a Foundation of that Supper, as I ſaid before, yet it had been a true Doctrine, if that Supper had not been inſtituted, as a Repreſentation of it; becauſe Chriſt, as a Sacrifice, gave himſelf for the Life of the World, and offer'd himſelf to the Faith and Participation of his believing Servants, as it were to be Eaten and Drunk by them, had not the Lord's Supper been appointed.

Thus far I have endeavoured to prepare the way for this Diſcourſe, by laying a Foundation upon this Harmonical Context for it: and indeed I deſire in proſecuting it to uſe little more than Scripture Notions and Words: and if I can be ſo happy, by the Aſſiſtance of God, to expreſs the things as plain to you as I apprehend it in my own Mind, I doubt not to give you a ſatisfactory Account of theſe Words, This is my Body, and alſo of the ſenſe of this great Ordinance of the Lord's Supper.

In doing this, I propoſe this Method:

1. I ſhall endeavour to give a clear Reſolution, How Chriſt may be ſaid to give us his Fleſh to eat, and his Blood to drink: for that was the great Stumble that thoſe who heard Chriſt upon this Point, John 6. made.

p. 102. I ſhall from thence endeavour to ſhew you, That there is a clear Paſſage and Tranſition from that giving his Fleſh to eat, and his Blood to drink, into thoſe Words, Take, eat, this is my Body, or from the Doctrine into the Sacrament.

3. I ſhall endeavour to find a fair Accommodation, and no Encounter betwixt the Myſtery and the Letter, or betwixt the grand ſenſe and the very Words, This is my Body, by a compare of this whole Harmonical Context with other Scripture, and its way of ſpeaking in ſuch Caſes.

4. I will enquire into this Thing, How there came ſuch a Notion into the Chriſtian Church as that fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation, ſo earneſtly contended for.

5. I will repreſent to you the danger of ſuch a Doctrine as that Fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation; not ſo much as it is a contemplative thing, a Notion, a manner of Apprehenſion, or matter of Diſcourſe; but as it carries the Practice of Worſhip and Adoration.

6. I will cloſe all with practical Applications, tending to a conſtant habitual Preparation for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Now to diſcharge the firſt part of this Undertaking, I muſt eſtabliſh theſe following Points:

That the Divine Perſon of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt taking Point 1 the Humane Nature upon him, that Humane Nature is moſt emphatically expreſs'd in theſe Words, his Body, and his Fleſh, and his Blood: or, the Body, and Fleſh, and Blood of Chriſt are the moſt fit Expreſſions that could be choſen to ſet out the Humane Nature of Chriſt, or to ſet out the Man Chriſt Jeſus. Now this being rightly apprehended, ſhews, There is the Fleſh, and there is the Blood of Chriſt, that are to be eaten and drunk by Believers in Jeſus Chriſt.

That the Body, the Fleſh, and the Blood of Chriſt, and the Point 2 Actions of Chriſt in his Body, in his Fleſh, and Blood, were as ſo many Preparations of his Body, Fleſh, and Blood, to be ſpiritually eaten by, or applied to the Souls of Believers, or communicated by them.

p. 11That the Body, the Fleſh, and the Blood of Chriſt, are ſo Point 3 many Reſts and Repoſitories of the Divine Power, Spirit, and Efficacy, filling them with infinite ſaving Vertue and Effect in their Communication to the Souls of Believers in Jeſus Chriſt.

That the divine Power, Spirit, and Efficacy, extends the Point 4 Body, Fleſh, and the Blood of Chriſt in their ſaving Vertue and Effect, without limitation to Time or Place; and to all Dimenſions and degrees of Effect.

The firſt Point, viz. That the moſt expreſſive and ſignificant Point 1 Terms concerning the Man Christ Jeſus, that the Spirit of God hath choſen, throughout the Scripture, are the Fleſh of Christ, the Body of Christ, and the Blood of Christ. This is the firſt Branch of the Myſtery of Godlineſs; God manifeſt 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 John 4. 2, 3.1 Tim 3:161 John 4:21 John 4:3in the fleſh, Jeſus Christ come in the fleſh, is made the grand Principle of the Goſpel.

The whole Humane Nature of Christ, in which the Son of God was manifeſt, is called Fleſh: The Word was made Fleſh, John 1. 14. So the Body of Chriſt, how often is it mention'd? The offering of the Body of Chriſt once for all. Heb. 10. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 24.Heb 10:101 Pet 2:24Who bare our Sins in his Body on the tree. And in all the New Teſtament, there is nothing ſo memorializ'd as the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt.

And the Reaſon is this; Becauſe theſe, The Body, the Fleſh, and the Blood, are the moſt viſible Repreſentations of Humane Nature; and ſo in Scripture, and all Language, they are the readieſt, eaſieſt, and moſt familiar Expreſſions of Humane Nature. The Apoſtle John therefore ſo often in his Epiſtle expreſſes the whole Doctrine of the Meſſiah, by Chriſt come in the fleſh; that is, God manifeſted in fleſh. So that, though it is true, Man is chiefly Soul and Spirit, and ſo to be conſidered, yet he is moſt viſible, moſt apparent, in Body, Fleſh, and Blood; and Humane Nature is ſo fram'd and conſtituted, that it deſires moſt to appear and diſplay it ſelf in a Body.

p. 12And though God and Chriſt have a peculiar Care and Account of the Spirits of juſt men, yet they are not Perfect without Bodies; and till Chriſt does appear again in a Body of Glory, He is not ſhewn. Pray conſider, Though He's now in a Body of Glory, yet till he appears in this Body, that every Eye may ſee him, God does not till that time ſhew him, whom he will ſhew, who is the onelyonly Potentate, &c. 1 Tim. 6. 15.1 Tim 6:15that is, He will ſhew Chriſt Jeſus, in a Body of Glory, at his Appearance, though Chriſt hath been in a Body of Glory ever ſince his Aſcenſion. So Juſt Men are not made Perfect, Heb. 12. 23.Heb 12:23till they appear in a Body at the Reſurrection.

Although therefore the Soul of Jeſus Chriſt (underſtand I beſeech you, what I ſay) was the Principal Agent in all the Work of Redemption, yet it was, as in a Body, in the Action and Paſſion of a Body.

It was not indeed a Body that acted, that ſuffered, that dyed, yet it was in a Body. It was the Humane Soul and Spirit of Chriſt that came to do the Will of God, and a Body was prepared him, Hebr. 10. 5. It was not a Body, but a Soul, a Will in Chriſt that ſurrender'd it ſelf to the Will of God, that ſaid, Not my Will, but thine be done. It was a Spirit that ſurrender'd it ſelf to God, Into thy hands I commit my Spirit: yet it was in a Body. So it was in the Circumciſion of Chriſt; it was the Circumciſion of the Spirit, not of the Letter. Soul and Spirit was the Life and Excellency of all: yet all this was viſible in a Body, it was viſible in Fleſh and Blood. So it was in Chriſt's fulfilling All Righteouſneſs in his Baptiſm, in all the Holineſs of Life; There was an Humane Soul, a Spirit, that acted in and throughout All, yet All was ſtill viſible in a Body. His Soul ſent out Strong Cries and Fears, with that he offer'd Prayers and Supplications, but it was in the days of his Fleſh, Hebr. 5. 7. He was Circumciſed, Baptized, Died in a Body. He aroſe again in a Body, and in ſuch a Body as we carry about with us: but juſt at his Aſcenſion, then undoubtedly, in the very Time of his Aſcending up to Heaven, his Body was changed into a p. 13Glorious Body: ſo that That Body which was in a ſtate of Humiliation, which he carried with him in the World, after his Aſcenſion remained no longer in thoſe Circumſtances of humbled Fleſh and Blood he underwent while he was here in the World; for, Fleſh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15. 50. and therefore the dayes of Chriſt's Humiliation are call'd the Days of his Fleſh. Therefore obſerve, 1 Tim. 3. ult. The myſtery of Godlineſs is abſolv'd in that, Receiv'd, Taken up into Glory: and there he is hidden to us, though ſwallowed up in the Perfection and Excellency of Glory till God ſhews him, till he appears, and is revealed in that Glory: From all which amounts, That the whole undertaking of Chriſt was in Body, and his Interceſſion is now in Body, though a Body of Glory.

Now from hence you may perceive what I drive at; viz. That there was great Reaſon that Chriſt ſhould ſay, This is my Body, This is my Blood; becauſe the Body of Chriſt, the Fleſh and Blood of Chriſt, was that which was viſibly and ſenſibly active, and was to be ſo throughout the whole Work of our Redemption; for, Foraſmuch as the Children Heb. 2. 14: 17.Heb 2:14Heb 2:17were Partakers of Fleſh and Blood, he himſelf took part of the ſame, that &c. And it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his Brethren. The holy Humane Soul, and Spirit of Chriſt, was the principal Agent; the Body, Fleſh, and Blood of Chriſt, was the Theatre upon which All was made publick, the Tube and Channel through which All is convey'd: therefore the whole Humane Nature is expreſs'd by Fleſh and Blood, the Repreſentation of it and the Communication of it is ſo given in the Doctrine, and therefore ſo in the Lord's Supper.

The Body, Fleſh, and Blood of Chriſt, and all his Action Point 2 and Suffering in it, were as ſo many Preparations, that he may be ſpiritually eaten, applied to, and communicated with, by the Souls of Believers; of which his Death is the moſt comprehenſive, and principal, as that, in which center not only his Incarnation, Circumciſion, Baptiſm, Holy Life, Prayers p. 14in the Days of his Fleſh, but even his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Interceſſion at the Right-hand of God: and therefore as the Doctrine of the Communion of his Body ſtyles his John 6. 51.John 6:51Death, the giving his Fleſh for the Life of the World, ſo the Sacrament of it in the Lord's Supper, calls it his Body given for us, and the Remembrance of his Death: and the whole Application by Faith is call'd Eating in both.

And proportionably in ſenſe, Chriſt was ſent in the Likeneſs Rom. 8. 3.Rom 8:3of ſinful Fleſh, that he might condemn Sin in the Fleſh, that the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us: We put off the Sins of the Fleſh by the Circumciſion of Chriſt; we Col. 2. 11.Col 2:11are buried in his Baptiſm, we riſe in his Reſurrection, and Rom. 6. 4.Rom 6:4know the Power of it, Phil. 3. 10. We ſit in Heavenly Places in him. He makes Interceſſion for us, and ſo ſaves to the uttermoſt, Heb. 7. 25. And his Death is in all Senſes communicated to us. All which are in other Words the very ſame thing with giving us his Fleſh te eat, and his Blood to drink.

The humane Nature of Chriſt, call'd his Body, his Fleſh, Point. 3 and his Blood, and all his Actions and Sufferings in it, were ſo many Reſts and Repoſitories of the Divine Nature, Power, Efficacy, and Virtue of Jeſus Chriſt; filling them with infinite ſaving Virtue and Effect in their Communication to the Senſes of Believers in Jeſus Chriſt.

For in all the Action, and Sufferings of Chriſt, the Son of God was immediately Active, the Divine Power and Spirit was always preſent, and Active in all, as a ſupreme Spirit and Soul.

The Incarnation of Chriſt was a ſenſible, fleſhly, and bodily Thing; But there was a Manifeſtation of Divinity in it. The Power of the moſt High over-ſhadowed the Virgin, and Rom. 8. 2.Rom 8:2Chriſt was Conceiv'd, as we daily Profeſs, by the Holy Ghoſt: The Law of the Spirit of Life, purified the Humane Nature of Chriſt to the higheſt Elevation of Purity: The Circumciſion of Chriſt was a Divine Circumciſion made without Col. 2. 11.Col 2:11Hands, by the immediate Action of the Divine Spirit; for p. 15if ours were ſo, much more His, the original of it. The Baptiſm of Chriſt was full of a Divine Preſence; The Spirit reſted like a Dove upon Him; This is my beloved Son, &c. Matt. 3. 18. Philip. 3. 9.Matt 3:18Phil 3:9His Obedience and Righteouſneſs was the Righteouſneſs of God. In his Death he offer'd Himſelf by the Eternal Spirit, Heb. 9. 14.Heb 9:14His Blood is called the Blood of God. He Roſe by the Spirit Acts 20. 28.Acts 20:28of Holineſs, which Juſtified Him. He is made higher than the Heavens in his Interceſſion. And this is of ſupreme Conſideration in all the Communications of Chriſt, in all our Eating and Drinking his Fleſh and his Blood, as may be ſeen in that excellent Diſcourſe, John 6. to which the Lord's Supper is a parallel Repreſentation.

As the Living Father hath ſent me, and I live by the Father, v. 57.even ſo he that eateth me ſhall live by me. For his Fleſh eaten is the Conduit of divine Life. It is the Spirit, viz. the Divine Nature, that quickneth. The Fleſh, profiteth nothing. v. 63.The Words that I ſpeak unto you, are Spirit, and they are Life; that is, by the Vertue and Preſence of the Divinity, of which they were ſpoken; for by Power he is declar'd to be Rom. 1. 4.Rom 1:4the Son of God; viz. by the Power of the Divinity. He was 2 Cor. 13. 4.2 Cor 13:4put to death through weakneſs, but he liveth by the Power of 1 Pet. 3. 18.1 Pet 3:18God. He was put to death in the Fleſh, quickned by the Spirit.

If any Man therefore conſiders the Actions of Jeſus Chriſt in the Fleſh, and does not conſider the Divine Nature in them, he does not conſider that which our Saviour ſays, Quickens. He only conſiders that which our Saviour ſaith, Profits nothing.

From hence therefore, it is plainly firſt to be underſtood, that it is moſt impoſſible, Material or Bodily ſhould by it ſelf do any thing, to that which is Spiritual, Immaterial, Intellectual, as is the Soul of Man. The Sun, though ſo glorious a Body, can do nothing to Man's Soul immediately; and ſuppoſe the Body of Chriſt as much higher in Glory than any thing we know in Nature, as the Sun excells a Turf of Earth; yet this very glorious Body can do nothing to our p. 16Souls, to our Spirits: It can do nothing in theſe great Negotiations of Peace with God, Purification of our Conſciences, Sanctification.

This is ſo acknowledg'd a thing, that you know, as many as know any thing of Tranſubſtantiation, as it is held in the Roman Perſuaſion, That they themſelves confeſs, That if a Man Eat that very tranſubſtantiated Body, and Drink that very tranſubſtantiated Blood of Chriſt, though it is, as they ſuppoſe, the Body and Blood of Chriſt in the moſt fleſhly ſenſible Preſence we can imagine; yet it does a wicked Man no good, a Man who hath not Faith and Repentance: And it is very true, it muſt needs be ſo, becauſe it is a material thing, and cannot act ſo as to act upon ſpiritual and immaterial Things; on the other ſide, it can do no hurt to theſe immaterial Beings. But if it did operate after the manner of material Things upon material, I cannot conceive how it ſhould miſs the beſt Effect, ſeeing it is infinitely prepar'd to do good in that very Caſe of preſuppoſed Evil of Sin: but when it is ſpiritual, and requires ſpiritual Preparation to receive it, or elſe it is not receiv'd, it then does not work Good where that Preparation is not, becauſe it is not receiv'd; but if it be receiv'd, it hath its certain Effect. On the other ſide, when it is not receiv'd it does hurt by way of increaſing Guilt; becauſe a ſpiritual Offer, of ſo excellent a Nature, is refus'd and contemn'd, and becauſe the Soul, by ſuch pretence of receiving, and yet Refuſal, grows much more confirm'd in Evil.

But this is not all; for though the Holineſs and Spirituality of a Holy, Created, Finite Spirit, may by Inſtruction, Suggeſtion, or Example, offer much Good to other Spirits, and be inſtrumental in affecting them aright; yet, this is in all Regards in ſo finite and limited a way, that the Effect may be very ſmall, or none at all: and ſo it is not poſſible in any more than a very low and abated ſenſe, to eat or to drink of the Communications of any Angel or Saint above or below. But now whatever is divine is communicative, p. 17even to what degrees it pleaſes. All Finite is Poor and Scanty, and hath not for it ſelf, but as received. But the Son of God in Humane Nature hath all Fulneſs dwelling in Col. 1. 19.Col 1:19Him; and ſo can derive and convey to what degrees he thinks fit. Of which is to be ſpoken in the next Particular. But this Aſſures in Chriſt there is Meat and Drink abounding to the Life of the World.

The Divine Power of the Son of God, and its Efficacy Point 4 extend the Body, Fleſh, and Blood of Chriſt, and his Action therein in their ſaving Virtue, and Effect without limitation to Time or Place, and to all dimenſions and degrees of Effect.

And under this Head I will undertake theſe three Particulars.

1. To ſhew that the Divine Nature of the Son of God, acting in the Humane Nature united to Him, can draw out ſuch ſpiritual Powers and Efficacies from thoſe his Actings and Sufferings, as ſhall be moſt conducing to the Salvation of Souls that believe in Him; now this I ſhall make good by ſhewing what kind of Cauſalities, and what anſwerable Effects are by the Word of God aſcribed to the Divine Power of Chriſt Acting in the Humane Nature.

2. I will ſhew, that they cannot be prejudg'd nor hindered by any diſtances of Time, becauſe of the Eternity of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God.

3. That they cannot be intercepted by any diſtances of Place, becauſe of the Omnipreſence of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God.

Now I ſhall not preſume to ſpeak of theſe Particulars, but as I am guided by the Spirit of God in his Word; For, Who can deſcribe the way of the Divine Spirit in Nature? Such Knowledge is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain to it; if not in Nature, how much more not in Grace and ſupernaturals? But yet it is not unworthy to be taken notice of, That all Philoſophy owns ſome kind of Effluviums, ſome flowing Atomes, Ramenta, or little Globules of matter, p. 18that fly every way, or if but ſome Sympathies in Nature, that paſs up and down, and fly unknown ways, and unmeaſurable diſtances, without the Load, Cumber, Preſence of thoſe Bodies from which they flow, which cannot move nor paſs as they do; if Spirits of much greater Efficacy are extracted, more agile, more portable, and more eaſily conveyed than the Bodies themſelves from which they are extracted; if there are ſome Relations of unknown Communications of Minds at great diſtance of Bodies; Theſe may be taken notice of, as ſome Illuſtration of this matter: But ſuch things are too ſlippery and incertain, and alſo too groſs to reſt ſo great a Point upon, ſeeing what ſo infinite an Agent as the Spirit of Holineſs, can do, cannot be graſp'd or comprehended by any material Likeneſſes; its Extractions, its Abſtractions, are more ſubtile than our groſs Apprehenſions can find out or receive, or natural Agents imitate.

There are yet in common Obſervation, ſome Inſtances, that may come nearer this great Point: From the vertuous Actions of great Perſonages in Bodies, there is an Honour, an Eſteem, a Dignity, an excellent Example flowing out, that continues Ages beyond the very Actions, and beyond the Perſons continuance in Bodies that perform'd them, and may be imputed to their Poſterity; and are, as it were, Abſtracts from Perſons in Bodies, and yet of a ſpiritual kind of Diffuſiveneſs, as to both Time and Place, and much exceed the Places whereupon they were acted; that have a kind of Univerſality both as to Time and Place, are nearer the matter we are upon, and yet they are but dark, and dull ſhades of ſo great a Truth: Let us therefore come to the Holy Word of God it ſelf, and we ſhall find four kinds of Cauſality attributed to God manifeſted in Fleſh, and to all his Divine Action and ſuffering therein.

1. The Cauſality of an expiatory, propitiatory, or meritorious Cauſe.

p. 192. Of an exemplar Cauſe.

3. Of an efficient Cauſe, by way of Union to himſelf.

4. Of a rational argumentative Cauſe, ſo effecting a Conformity of the Souls of his People to himſelf.

There is nothing more evident, than that the Goſpel aſcribes Cauſality 1 to the Body, Fleſh, and Blood of Chriſt, the Efficacy of an eternal, propitiatory, expiatory Cauſe: By one Offering Heb. 10. 14.Heb 10:14of the Body of Christ, and that once for all, He hath for ever perfected, that is, reconcil'd and conſecrated, them, who are ſanctified, becauſe it was offered by the Eternal Spirit. Heb. 9. 24.Heb 9:24His Body is an Offering, a Sacrifice of an eternal ſweet-ſmelling Epheſ. 5. 2.Eph 5:2ſavour, becauſe he offer'd himſelf: now himſelf is God in our Nature; ſo the Offering is in the hand of Divinity. Thus his Blood offered by the Eternal Spirit purges the Conſcience from dead Works to ſerve the living God. The Blood of Chriſt, more precious than Silver or Gold, redeems from a vain Converſation. All theſe are plain, and high Effects of a ſpiritual Nature, and they are deriv'd from the humane Nature of Chriſt, call'd his Fleſh, his Body, his Blood, acted by an intellectual, holy, humane Soul, which delighted to do the Will of God, and the Law of God was within his heart. And Pſal. 40. 8.Ps 40:8all this, by being in the hand of the Divinity of Jeſus Chriſt, is infinitely communicative both as to Time and Place.

The Righteouſneſs of Angels, or of Men, though they had continued Holy as the ſtanding Angels, could not have done this: but what Chriſt the Lamb did, he did by the Eternal Spirit, which is infinite.

Now theſe expiatory Extracts, Abſtracts drawn from the Body of Jeſus Chriſt, are ſo DIVINIZ'D, if I may ſo ſpeak, by the Eternal Spirit, That they are every where: Chriſt's Body, in this ſenſe, may be every where (even as his Divinity is,) with Pardon of Sin, Reconciliation to God, Peace with him, ſprinkling the Heart from an evil Conſcience; and all other great Effects: For, where is it that the Goſpel is, and true Chriſtians are, where this Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World is not? Where is it, that true Believers p. 20in Jeſus Chriſt have not Right to eat of this Altar? And is not this Altar, as in a peculiar Inſtitution preſented in the Lord's Supper? Theſe Spirits may be extended any way, conveyed every way, not groſs Fleſh and Blood, but theſe Divine, expiatory Extracts of the Body of Jeſus Chriſt, extended and applyed by the Divinity; the ſavour of that Offering, of that Sacrifice fills Heaven and Earth.

From the Humane Nature, call'd the Body and Fleſh, and Cauſality 2 Blood of Jeſus Chriſt united to the Son of God, is drawn that common Image, Idea, and Exemplar, to which his Saints are every where Conform'd; They are Called, Justified, and Glorified according to this Image, for whom God did foreknow, He predeſtinated to be ſo Conform'd.Rom. 8. 29.Rom 8:29

This is in all Nature, there is a common Idea and Platform of every kind of Being, and Life, and it is every where, as in the Mind, and under the Hand and Power of God; ſo that all in whatever parts of the World agree in it, each to their kind; And whatever is not form'd and ſhapen according to it, is monſtrous and miſ-ſhapen.

So in Chriſt Jeſus, is depoſited, that common univerſal Image, and Idea, according to which the New Creature is fram'd, and this is God manifeſted in the Fleſh, that He might be the Firſt Born among many Brethren: And this Image by the Divine Spirit is every where, and there is neither Jew nor Gentile, Scythian nor Barbarian, Bond nor Free; but Col. 3. 11.Col 3:11all are one in Chriſt Jeſus. Called, Juſtified, as Chriſt was; Glorified, as He is, ſo ſhall they be; and particularly in the Lord's Supper, this Image is ſo preſented, that We are all one Bread, and one Body by being made partakers of that one 1 Cor. 10. 17.1 Cor 10:17Bread by Faith.

And this Image is not either a liveleſs or meer Contemplative Image, but it hath a mighty Power and Operation from the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt to conform and configurate all his Servants to himſelf; That as He was in All Things made like unto his Brethren, ſo his Brethren are to Him. And this mutual Aſſimilation is ſo cloſe, that He dwells in them, and they in Him.

p. 21The Humane Nature of Chriſt hath therefore the Power Cauſality 3 of an unitive efficient Cauſe; for the Divine Spirit of Chriſt, by the Mediation of his Humanity, does unite himſelf to the Souls of his Servants, and ſo to their Bodies, and ſo conveys his Righteouſneſs in the value of his Blood, his Spirit in the power of Holineſs, that we become Members of his Body, his Fleſh, and his Bone; as Eve coming out of Adam and made one fleſh with him, was Fleſh of his Fleſh, Bone of Eph. 5. 30.Eph 5:30his Bone: And ſo we are Branches of this Vine, of this Good Rom. 11. 24.Rom 11:24Olive, who as a common Root beareth us All.

So that indeed it comes to this, That all the Servants of Chriſt are as one Chriſt; for as the Body is one, and hath many 1 Cor. 12. 12.1 Cor 12:12Members, and all the Members of that Body being many, are one Body; ſo alſo is Christ: As there are many Members, and one Body, juſt ſo is Christ, not Christ in his Perſon, but Christ in all his Members, All one Christ: So Galat. 3. 16. he ſaith not, Unto Seeds, as unto many, but as of one, To thy Seed; which is Christ, viz. Chriſt in his whole Body of Members. And we all come in the unity of the Faith of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the Stature of the fullneſs of Christ, Chriſt full in all his Members: And the Apoſtle to the Coloſſians, calls Jews and Gentiles, One new man in Christ; and the Church is the fullneſs of him that fills all in all: And thus we are one Body and one Bread.Eph. 1. ult.Eph 1

This is a great myſtery of Christ and the Church; but if rightly underſtood, it greatly explains Chriſt's Words, This is my Body: for as there are many Incorporations, as of political Bodies, which are not loſt by diſtance of Place, as being Citizens of ſuch a City, myſtical as the Incorporation of Husband and Wife, which is not made void by diſtance of Place, while the Bands of Union hold; thus Chriſt in Heaven, by his Spirit, unites his Members to him on Earth; and his Body, in this ſpiritual ſenſe, is every where to be ſo joyn'd, and it does ſo draw to it ſelf.

p. 22But this Union is yet more nearly expreſs'd by a natural Union, viz. by eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood, even as the Branches are united to the Vine, by being fed by the Vine, and ſucking from it; and ſo the Members are ſupplied with Spirits from the Head: and if they were not ſo, they would, notwithſtanding a local Union, be diſunited, as a withered Branch or Member is; even ſo by receiving the ſaving Effluxes and Communications of Jeſus Chriſt, which is an eating of him, we dwell in him, and he in us. And without this we are not united by any outward Profeſſional Duties.

And this Union ſhall be moſt evident in the ſeparated ſtate of Souls, made like the Holy ſeparated Soul of Chriſt, or the Spirit of Chriſt committed into his Fathers Hand, and as it were all one Spirit, and are therefore, as Stephen was, receiv'd by him, and yet moſt viſible in the Reſurrection, when the Bodies of his Saints ſhall be made like his glorious Body, becauſe they ſhall ſee him as he is: for then indeed the 1 John 3. 2.1 John 3:2Body of Chriſt ſhall have a moſt natural Preſence and Influence on the Bodies of Saints, and ſhall act properly, as matter upon matter, or as the Sun upon the Moon and Planets about it, whoſe Bodies it illuſtrates. He will preſent his Church to himſelf then, without ſpot, or wrinkle, or any ſuch Phil. 3. 21.Phil 3:21thing, by that Power that ſubdues all things to himſelf. That Col. 3. 3, 4.Col 3:3Col 3:4Life that is now hid, as Chriſt is hid, ſhall then appear, and we ſhall appear with him in Glory, as all one Chriſt.

He will then be as a Tree of Life, in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God, and his Blood in a ſpiritual ſenſe, as a Water of Life.

And of this, the Lord's Supper is the great pledge, till He comes, and the Sacrament of Eating him, ſo as to live by him, and to be raiſed up by him at the laſt day when this Union ſhall fully appear.

The Humanity of Jeſus Chriſt, that is, His Body, Fleſh, Cauſality 4 and Blood, as it is arrayed in the Holineſs, Heavenlineſs, purity of it, and in that ſelf-Reſignation to the Will of God p. 23in ſuffering, and becoming Obedient to Death, even to the Death of the Croſs, in higheſt love to loſt Sinners, is preſent every where in the Goſpel, every where ſet forth before our Eyes, Evidently Crucified among us. Galat. 3. 1.

And this hath in all due Reaſon the force of a ſtrong and mighty Argument to draw us to him by Faith, and Repentance, to apply his Blood, and to Truſt in his Redemption, to move Chriſtians to the ſame Mind in every thing, that we ſee, was in Chriſt, it hath even a Conſtraining Power of love, to live to him that dyed for us, to purifie our ſelves, as he is Pure, to be in the World, as he was in the World, to Walk Heb. 13. 12, 13.Heb 13:12Heb 13:13as he Walked, to go out to him without the Camp of all Falſe Religions, out of the Camp of Senſuality, and Worldly-mindedneſs, bearing his Reproach, to Crucifie the Fleſh with the Luſts, to be Crucified to the World, and the World to us, to ſet our Affections on things Above, Whither His Humane Nature removed in regard of Place; But by the Preaching and Manifeſtation of the Goſpel, it is every where, as thus Repreſented, as thus ſet forth; This is a ſenſe of the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, being every where, where his Goſpel and Word come, that cannot be denied; and as therein it is ſo receiv'd, as to become an Argument, and powerful motive of uniting our ſelves to Him of being like Him, It may be moſt ſignificantly expreſs'd by the Metaphor of Eating and Drinking, like Ezekiel's Eating the Roll, and filling his Bowels with it. This is a hearing Chriſt's Voice, which ſtrongly Rev. 3. 20.Rev 3:20knocks or perſuades to open the Door to him; that he may, as he will, come in to Sup with us and we with Him.

This is a Senſe ſo proper and natural, that it is choſen by that Learned Interpreter, Grotius, to expound that great Diſcourſe, John 6. of eating the Fleſh, and drinking the Blood, Grot. in Evangel. John.viz. ſuch a Receiving his Word and Sayings, as to be every way confirm'd in a way of Holy, Rational, Intellectual, Spiritual Obedience to Him.

And, as there is ſo particular a Repreſentation of Jeſus Chriſt in the Lord's Supper, as a Sacrament ſumming up the p. 24whole Doctrine of the Goſpel, or of Jeſus Chriſt Crucified; ſo a particular Approbation of our ſelves to it, and for it, and the danger of an unworthy, an unbecoming Eating and Drinking, is ſo earneſtly and vehemently preſs'd upon us by the Apoſtle, as to infold us in the Guilt of his Body and Blood, as if we had Crucified the Son of God afreſh, and put him to open Shame, and becauſe in the Apoſtolical Times, the Lord's Supper, and the **foreign, the only two ſuch words in the New Teſtament.Lord's Day, the only Inſtitutions ſo inſcribed, were undivided; It was a Conſtant, Habitual, Uniform Preparation that was required.

Now that this is Eating and Drinking Chriſt in a myſtical Senſe agreeable to the Myſtery of the Doctrine and Supper of Jeſus Chriſt, is very eaſie to be Apprehended, ſeeing Chriſt Jeſus is not to be lov'd, nor receiv'd in any Fleſhly Figure, He is no ſuch kind of Object to our Souls; even a virtuous Law-giver, or Philoſopher, is not to be lov'd in his Fleſh and Blood, as Groſs and Carnal, but, as in his Laws, his Doctrine, his Virtue, how much more Chriſt? If ye Love me, keep my Commandments: Pretend to no carnal Love, to no Love to me by looking on, and kiſſing my Pictures, or Figures of fleſhly Repreſentations; For he that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that thus loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will John, 14. 15. 21. 23, 24.come to him, and manifeſt my ſelf to him: If a Man love me, he will keep my Sayings, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our Abode with him; Words equal in Senſe to theſe, He that eateth my Fleſh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him: On the other ſide, He that loveth me not, keepeth not my Sayings, and therefore, Whoever keepeth not my Sayings, loveth me not, All others attempt to do that, which cannot be done, to know and to love Christ after the Fleſh; whereas now there is no loving Chriſt, but in the New Creation, All old things are paſs'd away, Behold (mark it well) all Things are become new. All outward Repreſentations, Images, Pictures, Geſtures, p. 25Geniculations, Adorations, if not commanded by him, are not the leaſt ſigns of Love, but rejected and refus'd by Chriſt, as a knowing him after the Fleſh; even the Ordinance 1 Cor. 5. 16.1 Cor 5:16of the Lord's Supper had been a falſe Love of Chriſt, if it had not been receiv'd from him, and ſpecially by himſelf commanded; and yet even as it is, without that ſpiritual Approbation, or approving our ſelves (which we tranſlate by the Word Examine our ſelves,) It is ſo far from Acceptance, 1 Cor. 11. 28. &c.1 Cor 11:28that it is eating and drinking Judgment to our ſelves.

And all this is moſt rational, if we conſider, That we are our ſelves not truly our ſelves, but as we are thus intellectually, ſpiritually, in a way of vertuous Conformity mov'd to things, by the great efficacy of Chriſt, and his Spirit in our Hearts, and move effectually by inward, rational Apprehenſion and Affection, according to the Arguments and Motives in the Word of God, without which, we can under any Pretenſions, Profeſſions, Confeſſions of Faith, Forms of Worſhip, Prayers, outward Rites, Poſtures, and Obſervations, be no more Chriſtians, than the Statues and Images of the Apoſtles or Saints are Chriſtians, becauſe they are inſcrib'd with ſuch Names, and vouch'd to be ſuch or ſuch Repreſentations.

But when there is a ſingle Eye and Deſign to this Conformity to the Word, and Sayings, and Commandments of Chriſt, there is then a far more real Preſence of Chriſt in his Word, than in any of the Writings or Lives of the moſt excellent Men that ever were in the World; for the Senſe and Reaſon they wrote are indeed here, their Actions and Vertues are drawn into Hiſtory, and may be preſerv'd from Copy to Copy, but the Soul, the Spirit that wrote them, is gone from them: but now Chriſt, yeſterday, to day, the ſame for ever, is preſent by that Spirit, that Divinity, by which he preach'd of old, even in Noah's Time to the diſobedient Spirits now in Priſon, 1 Pet. 3. 20. While his Truth operates after the manner of rational Truth, his Spirit works much higher, even divinely.

p. 26His Table therefore in the Goſpel, and in his Supper, is a Pſal. 28. 5.Ps 28:5Table richly ſpread, a Cup running over with ſpiritual Efficacies, of which, whoever is indeed Partaker, cannot be a Partaker of the Table of Devils, whoever truly drinks his Cup cannot drink of the Cup of Devils, either in an Idolatrous Religion, or an unholy Life: He cannot eat of the Sinners Dainties, of Folly's Bread, or of the ſtollen Waters ſhe hath Prov. 9. 17.Prov 9:17provided.

For by one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are ſanctified, of which the Holy Ghost is witneſs, even of that Covenant of which he is the Mediator, it being eſtabliſh'd upon the beſt Promiſes of writing the Laws of God in their hearts, and putting them in their mind, together with the Remiſſion of their Sins. So that as there needs no other offering than that one offering, ſo needs it not to be daily offered, for it was once for all offer'd, and he is now at the Right-hand of God interceeding upon that one offering, once offer'd; by the Blood of which he entred into the Holiest to appear before God for us, and from whence he cannot be mov'd till the Time he expects, of his Enemies being made his Footſtool, Heb. 8. 6. compar'd with c. 9. 12. 24. c. 10. 13. &c.

2. And thus I have made good the firſt Point of this Head, viz. Of the ſpiritual Efficacies that flow from the Humane Nature of Chriſt, expreſs'd by the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, as in Union with the Son of God. I come now to the ſecond, to ſhew that in regard of the Eternity of the Son of God, theſe Efficacies cannot be hindered, nor prejudic'd in Point of Time: The Divine Perſon of Chriſt being unchangeable and eternal, there's no diſtance of Time occurs to him, or can encounter his Divine Efficacy: Before Abraham was, ſaith Christ, I am. How could it be, that Chriſt, that was born ſo many hundred years after Abraham, could be before Abraham? were it not in regard of the Eternity of the Divine Perſon, communicated to the Humanity, and predating the Great Powers and Efficacies of God manifeſted in Fleſh before the Incarnation? Upon this Account p. 27Chriſt is call'd the Lamb ſlain before the Foundation of the World; becauſe the Divine Perſon anticipated the Efficacy of the Death of the Lamb, ordain'd before the Foundation of the World, much earlier than his Manifeſtation, which was not till the last Times: Chriſt was not abridg'd, nor foreſtall'd in Time, becauſe he did not actually dye till about four thouſand Years after the Fall of Man: for the Divine Perſon, Jeſus Chriſt, never had a Yeſterday, nor can have a To morrow, but is always in a To day, the ſame for ever.

In this very Point of Eating the Fleſh, and Drinking the Blood of Christ, when the Jews were ſo diſguſted with the Doctrine, Chriſt, to eaſe their Thoughts, propoſes his Eternity to their Conſideration, and ſhews the mighty ſpiritualizing Power of the Divine Nature by it; What; ſaith he, if you ſhall ſee the Son of Man aſcend up where he was before: though he was as Man, the Son of not Fifty Years by many, as the Jews obſerv'd to him; yet he was in Heaven, as the Son of God, calling his Humanity, that was not actually till his Incarnation, as if it were.

And as it is thus in regard of Time paſt, ſo in regard of Time to come, he ſaith, Lo I am with you to the End of the World.

3. In reſpect to Place, we ſhall find very great Expreſſions of the Divine Ʋbiquity, and Omnipreſence of the Son of God, extending the Manhood to all Spiritual Effects, without any Limitation, or Confinement within Place, though yet it be, according to its natural Preſence, determin'd to Place, even as the Incarnation it ſelf was to the Fullneſs of Time.

Our Saviour diſcourſing with Nicodemus upon the Point of Regeneration, John 3. 13. tells him, No Man hath aſcended up to Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man, who is in Heaven: Obſerve it, Chriſt was in his Body upon Earth, His being the Son of Man was that to which his Body was proper, yet ſaith he, The Son of Man, that now diſcourſes thee upon Earth, This Son of Man is now in Heaven. How could this be, but only, becauſe no p. 28ſpace does hinder or ſtraiten the ſpiritual Efficacy of the Divinity, or confine its Preſence, even as it is united to the Humanity?

By all this you may ſee, Chriſt was in Heaven while he was upon Earth, and he was in Heaven before he was Incarnate, for, He came down from Heaven; and all this by the Unchangeableneſs and the Omnipreſence of the Action of the Divinity united to the Humane Nature: and then as to his being now upon Earth, although the Heavens contain him, Conſider what the Apoſtle ſaith, He aſcended far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things: ſo that Chriſt, by his Divine Power, fills all things; and the Church, which is his Body in his Humane Nature on Earth, is the Fullneſs of him who filleth All in All; even he that was Raiſed up from the Dead, is he that fills All in All. And the Church on Earth is his Fullneſs, (though Chriſt is in Heaven) either receiving his Fullneſs, or, as he is pleas'd to account himſelf, Full by his Union to it. Upon theſe Accounts, The Humane Nature of Chriſt, as it is united to the Divinity, though it ſelf be Finite, yet in the Extenſive Power of the Divinity, ſpiritually applying it to the Salvation of his Church, hath the Nature of Infinite: both as to Time and Place, it is always, it is every where, filling All in All, Yeſterday, to day, the ſame for ever.

For if the Soul of Man can improve the Senſes, and Faculties of the Body, in repreſenting to it ſelf in a Map, Places at greateſt Diſtances from the Body, and the Mind can thereby in ſome ſenſe convey it ſelf thither while the Body remains in the ſame place; If we can by Writing converſe one with another at greateſt diſtance, How much more can the Divine Nature of the Son of God extend the Humane in the Spirituality of all its Uſe and Effects, in an Infinite manner, ſo that it can convey and diſpoſe them unlimitedly as it pleaſes? and this may well be call'd his Body and Blood in very real, though myſtical ſenſe.

p. 29It remains yet, as to the clearing this Point of Chriſt giving his Fleſh to eat, and his Blood to drink, to ſhew, That as there is ſuch a rich Communicativeneſs on the part of Chriſt, giving his Fleſh to eat, and his Blood to drink; ſo there are Receiving Powers and Faculties of Man's Soul, prepared and fitted by Grace, that may be properly and truly ſaid, in a ſpiritual Senſe, to Eat, and to Drink, as Chriſt is ſaid to Give.

Now unto this, the Underſtanding, Will, Conſcience, Memory, Imagination, and Affection, with the active and executive Powers of the whole Man, are prepar'd, even to receive ſpiritually the Fleſh and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, however at a bodily diſtance; viz. by Underſtanding, Faith, cloſe inward Application, holy Affection, obediential ſelf-Reſignation; all which, are this Intellectual ſpiritual Eating and Drinking the Fleſh and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt.

And to all this, there is no Notion or Reſemblance more ſignificant or expreſſive than ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation, as ſhall be more fully diſcours'd under the two following Heads: And ſo having thus far diſcuſs'd the firſt Head, I go forward to the ſecond, to ſhew, That there is a clear Paſſage and Tranſition from Chriſt giving his Fleſh to eat, (as it ſtands thus in the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel) to thoſe Words, Take, Eat, this is my Body, when he had bleſſed the Bread with Thanksgiving, and broke it; and likewiſe after Supper, Bleſſing the Cup, with Thankſgiving, and ſaying, Divide it among your ſelves, and drink ye All of it, For, This is my Blood of the New Teſtament, or the New Teſtament in my Blood.

For when our Lord had ſettled that great Doctrine of Eating his Fleſh, John 6. and Drinking his Blood, comprehenſive of the whole of his Redemption, and the ſaving Application of it by Faith and Love, and the entire new Creation; Galat. 5. 6. c. 6. 15.Gal 5:6it is not at all ſtrange, he ſhould eſtabliſh ſo great a ſacramental Inſtitution upon it; For when in ſo large and Sublime a Diſcourſe, and in more Words, than he expended p. 30upon any one Subject that we find upon Record, he had compriz'd the whole Myſtery of our Salvation, it cannot be ſurprizing he ſhould adjuſt to it one of the two, and that the moſt ſolemn and continual of his poſitive Laws, which we call Sacraments.

For though it is true, Eating and Drinking conſider'd, as mere ſenſitive Things, and much more, when it degenerates into Senſuality, a Life of, and for Eating and Drinking, it is a ſordid, low, and courſe thing, as the Apoſtle ſays, Meats for the Belly, and the Belly for Meats, but God ſhall deſtroy both it and them; and there cannot be a more ignoble Character, than of thoſe, whoſe God is their Belly, and who ſerve not the Lord Jeſus, but their own Bellies, a beaſtly, a bruitiſh Servitude.

But then taking it, as it is by the Wiſdom of Providence made the means of the ſupport of the Humane, Animal Life, in Subordination to the Life of Reaſon and Religion, and is ſymbolical and ſignificant, and alſo ſerviceable to many rational Communications, and much noble Humanity of Converſation, ſo it may even (as the natural Purgation of Water in Baptiſm) be worthy to be tranſplanted from common uſe to the higheſt Significations in Religion, and as it had been ſo dignified in the Old Teſtament, ſo to be farther ennobled in the New, and to bear a ſenſe far above and beyond it ſelf. And yet to ſhew both the Spirituality, great uſe to the higheſt Life, and alſo the Simplicity of the Goſpel Inſtitution, it is taken from the moſt neceſſary, plaineſt Food in Eating, Bread, and the moſt generous thing in Drinking, viz. Wine; Bread that ſtrengthens, and Wine that maketh glad the Heart of Man. And the Reſemblance ſtands in theſe following Particulars between Eating Bread and Drinking Wine, and Eating the Body, and Drinking the Blood of Jeſus Christ.

But I ſhall begin with thoſe Particulars that are, as leaſt of Controverſie, ſo of leaſt Intereſt in the main Merits of the Point we are upon, and will end in that which is of the grand Concern in this whole matter.

p. 311. It is an Eating and Drinking in Pledge of Reconciliation, Peace, and Friendſhip with God by Jeſus Chriſt; for ſo eating Bread and drinking Wine is in Scripture, and by the general Impreſſion of Providence upon Mankind ordain'd; as Joſeph's Brethren, in token of extraordinary Favour, were to eat Bread with him: and it is ſaid of the Nobles of Iſrael, Gen. 43. 25.Gen 43:25They ſaw God, and he laid not his hand of, viz. of Diſpleaſure, upon them; They ſaw him, and did eat and drink in Exod. 24. 11.Exod 24:11token of Peace; and eſpecially this is a Feaſt upon a Sacrifice, a Sin-offering become a Peace-offering, of which the Jews, that ſerve the Altar, have no Right to eat, becauſe their Heb. 13. 10.Heb 13:10Sin-offerings of greateſt expiatory Account, yet as not able to purge off the imputative Guilt laid upon them, were burnt without the Camp. But Chriſt, though he ſuffer'd without the Camp, yet conſuming the Guilt, and fully expiating it, his Body, as ſacrific'd, becomes an Altar of Peace-offerings to the true Chriſtian, although to the Jews an Offering only to Juſtice, not conquering the Guilt, but, as a Malefactor, dying in his own Blood: but the true Believer feasts upon it, after he is ſanctified, atton'd, reconcil'd, and purified by the Blood of it.

It is a Feaſt upon the Paſchal Lamb, in aſſurance againſt the deſtroying Angel, the Blood being ſprinkled by way of 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8.1 Cor 5:71 Cor 5:8Expiation, and the Fleſh eaten in the way of a holy Feſtival, Rejoycing, and Thankſgiving.

So that though eating the Fleſh of Christ carries a broad Signification of the great Evil, and Horror of Sin, and of the dreadful way of Reconciliation, looking ſo unnatural as the eating of the Fleſh and the drinking the Blood of our Saviour, does; yet by the great attoning vertue of this Sacrifice, it becomes a Feaſt of Joy and Peace.

2. This Act is a ſolemn Act of Worſhip of God and Chriſt, We eat thus, and worſhip: It is an Acknowledgment of Jeſus Chriſt, as our Saviour, Lord, and Maſter, as all eating upon Sacrifices was an Acknowledgment of the God of the Sacrifice: and ſeeing our Mediator is our Sacrifice, of whom it p. 32is teſtified, He lives for ever, and we are to live to him, it is an Acknowledgment of him our Saviour; and ſo it requires Reverence and Godly Fear, it calls for Self-probation even to Approbation, or Approvizing our ſelves, that ſo we may eat, and not otherwiſe. To eat and drink in a way worthy or becoming the Holy Body and Blood we ſeed upon; to diſcern that Body of the Lord, or to make a difference and diſcrimination betwixt it and all other Bread by ſpiritual, holy Action; and to carry from it ſuch Obligations as by no means to partake of the Table, or drink the Cup of Devils; This is the ſolemn Worſhip of Eating and Drinking before God.

3. Eating and Drinking is made a Symbol of Eternal Glory; for ſo Chriſt expreſſes Eternal Glory, by Eating and Luc. 22. 30. Matt. 8. 11.Luke 22:30Matt 8:11Drinking at his Table in his Kingdom. By ſitting down with Abraham, with Iſaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God. And this is the Reaſon Chriſt, in that great Sixth of John, ſo often enterweaves with that Diſcourſe of Eating, Raiſing up at the last day; becauſe then ſhall the full effect of the Union to the Body of Chriſt be ſeen, when all his Members ſhall indeed be ſeen, as One Chriſt in Glory; Their Bodies ſhall be faſhioned like his Glorious Body; It does not yet appear what we ſhall be, but when he ſhall appear we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is. He will then preſent us faultleſs before the Preſence of his Glory: And all this from the Power of Union to himſelf, through the eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood. So that Life, Eternal Life, Living for ever, Never dying, Raiſing up at the last Day, Having no Life if we do not eat the Fleſh of Christ, and drink his Blood, are in that Diſcourſe ſixteen Times mention'd, to ſhew how cloſe the Relation is betwixt eating the Fleſh of Christ, and drinking his Blood, and Eternal Life: So that the Apoſtle Peter ſums up all the Diſcourſe in the Words of Eternal Life; Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life.

4. I come now to the laſt and greateſt of thoſe Reſemblances between the Fleſh or Body eaten, and Chriſt's Blood p. 33drunk in the Lord's Supper, and natural Eating and Drinking, viz. Life and Nouriſhment; and this is that upon which the weight and ſtreſs of the whole matter lies: and in order to the underſtanding of this, it is moſt neceſſary well to weigh the Words, Take, Eat, This is my Body, And drink ye All, for This Cup is my Blood.

For here the Notion of Tranſubſtantiation hath the moſt proper place, and here it will be moſt properly to be decided: and here I will allow the utmoſt to it that can be allowed.

I have then, as I hope, made evident, The real Communication of the Body and Blood of Jeſus Christ, in its ſpiritual, ſaving, and redemptory Effects, without any change of Place, is no incompoſſible Notion, to the Divine Power of the Son of God: And this being rightly apprehended, It will be as evident, He can convey through ſuch mediatory Channels and Conveyances (as he pleaſes) thoſe divine Influences. It is out of all Controverſie, The Truth of his Word and Goſpel, together with Prayer and holy Meditation, begetting in the Soul, Knowledge, ſpiritual Underſtanding, Faith, Repentance, Love, and the whole New Creation, are the primary and fundamental Conveyances of ſuch divine Influences, by which the ſacred Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt touch the Soul, and unite with it, unto all the ſalvifick Effects of Spiritual and Eternal Life.

And the very effects of Truth, and the Word of God, uniting the Soul to Chriſt, through the Efficacy of his Divine Power and Spirit, are in the firſt place, before the Lord's Supper Inſtituted, compar'd to Meat and Drink.

And as They, in the Courſe of that Providence, or Word of God, by which Man lives, and not by Bread alone, are Tranſubſtantiated into the Body, Fleſh, and Blood of thoſe that Eat and Drink them; even ſo the Body and Blood of Jeſus Christ, in theſe ſaving Effects, are Tranſubſtantiated into the Soul and Spirit of every faithful Receiver of them, and enliven them to a ſpiritual and eternal Life: and there p. 34can be no fitter Notion of theſe Divine Effects than this Tranſubſtantiation of natural Meat and Drink, and Incorporation thereof into the Eater: for even as what is eaten according to the nature of Periſhables lives in the Eater, dwells in the Eater, and he in that, and they are one in one another; even ſo they that Eat Chriſt, dwell in Christ, and Christ in them. Chriſt lives in his Church and Saints, out of which he is pleas'd not to live, as our Mediator and Head: But he lives in them as in his Fullneſs, and they in him, as in their Fountain of Life; Christ in them, and They in him by this ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation; or elſe they have no life in them, but pine away as through want of Nouriſhment.

This then being the true meaſure of eating and drinking Christ, and the ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation ariſing from it, as in the general Doctrine of the Goſpel, it muſt give Law and Rule to our eating and drinking of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, that we may rightly underſtand it, and ſo to the Tranſubſtantiation flowing from it: It muſt be all in our ſpiritual Transformation into Chriſt living in us, and we in him, and no other in that principal Notion.

But becauſe in all Intellectual and Spiritual Communications of Truth to our Minds, there are no ſenſible, no material Images or Repreſentations, and that by the Wiſdom of Jeſus Chriſt in the Lord's Supper, there are thoſe ſenſible Images of Bread eaten and Wine drunk, and theſe Cargoed and enrich'd with the Repreſentation of the Body and Blood of Jeſus Christ; and that theſe are to awaken, collect, and ſum all our intellectual, rational, and ſpiritual Notions of Chriſt, the Vertue of his Sacrifice, and whole Tranſaction of the Humane Nature, and our cloſeſt Application thereunto, as to our Redemption by him.

It muſt needs therefore be, that the Bread and Wine, as to our Underſtandings, our Souls, and all intellectual and ſpiritual Appetite and Action, having done their very firſt Service of leading us through the whole ſuitableneſs betwixt Bread and Wine, and the natural Life of Man, and the ſame ſuitableneſs betwixt the Body and Blood of Christ, p. 35and the Life of the Soul, according to the Inſtitution, they muſt immediately drop their bodily and ſenſible Nature, and become to our Minds, Thoughts, and Affections the Body and Blood of Christ. And it pertains to the Divine Power of Jeſus Chriſt, and his Eternal Spirit, to make, in a ſpiritual Reality, that Bread and Wine his very Body and Blood, in all its Efficacies, to us, if we are duely prepar'd ſo to receive them: And the inward, high, and ſaving Effects, to all Intents and Purpoſes, immediately follow.

But yet if the true natural Realities of theſe Elements, or the ſubſequent unitive Incorporating Vertues of thoſe Elements were loſt, not only the Inſtitution it ſelf, founded on thoſe ſenſible Qualities, would be loſt, but the very Body and Blood of Chriſt, by ſuch a monſtrous kind of Miracle, would become outward Elements to themſelves; for, by the very Confeſſion of the groſs Tranſubſtantialist, They, however Tranſubſtantiated, do no good without Faith and Repentance, and ſo do no more than the Ʋntranſubſtantiated Bread and Wine may do, and ſo prodigious a Miracle ſerves to no purpoſe, which is moſt abſurd; For it makes the Body and Blood mere outward Elements to themſelves.

The Bread and Wine then muſt, as to the bodily Senſes, as to the natural Effects upon the Body, be Themſelves, or keep their own Natures; but as to the ſpiritual Sentiments, and the ſpiritual Effects, they muſt be thus Tranſubſtantiated into the Body and Blood of Cbrist, in regard of Chriſt really communicating them by his divine Power to the Soul, as the Soul by Faith muſt receive them.

There muſt therefore be the Conduct of all the Inſtituted Actions, Bleſſing, Breaking, Taking, Eating, the Bread; Bleſſing, Dividing among our ſelves, Drinking, All, of the CUP, and that in a ſolemn manner, as in an Act of ſpiritual Worſhip, with Reverence and godly Fear; elſe it is not to eat the Lord's Supper: for, If a Prieſt, not rightly ordain'd, or not intending to conſecrate the Bread, ſhall in the very Judgment of the Tranſubſtantialiſt defeat the ſacred Inſtitution; p. 36how much more ought, in the very ſame mens Judgments, the Neglect or Omiſſion of any of the ſolemn Inſtituted Acts evacuate the ſpiritual uſe and end of which the natural uſe of the Bread and Wine, (neceſſarily to that end continuing in their Natures) was one great part; and therefore, undoubtedly, if the Stomachs of Communicants were open'd, as Alexander open'd the Stomach of his Souldier, to find whether the Milk charg'd upon him to be taken away from the poor Woman by violence, were there, and there he found it; ſo the Bread and Wine would be found in the Stomach of the freſh Communicant, making the juſt natural Progreſſes, and moves to Union, Incorporation, and Nouriſhment, that according to the Law of ſubſtantial Food (not Accidents) or according to Nature, it ſhould do.

And it is neceſſary it ſhould be ſo, that the ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation may anſwer the Reſemblance Chriſt hath choſen for it, and might guide us into the underſtanding of it, and Application of our Souls to it, according to the ſteps of the natural Converſion of Food into our Fleſh, and Blood, and Life; yet not ſo that Chriſt ſhould be obliged to his own Ceremonies, as if he could not work without them.

But this is the ordinary means, even beſides and beyond the Word, that the Goodneſs of Chriſt hath choſen, that we might have the moſt ſenſible and powerful Application of our Souls to him, and of him to our Souls in ſuch a Sacrament, which hath, beſides the very Time of Celebration, [even in caſes of Omiſſion by neceſſary Impediment,] its conſtant uſe; for, the Ordination it ſelf is a Seal, always and inſeparably faſten'd to God's Covenant, and does aſſure the great Point of the real Exhibition of Chriſt to the Faith of his Servants, as ſubſtantially, as the Meat and Drink we live by, aſſures it ſelf to our Bodies and Senſes, and this always.

And this Offer, this Exhibition, is ſo real, that whoever profeſſing the Goſpel, and having the Knowledge of this Sacramental Inſtitution, and eſpecially coming to the Lord's Supper, and not approving himſelf in all the ſpiritual Acts of p. 37receiving Chriſt, becomes guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Now as we know this Guilt is only of a ſpiritual Nature, committed againſt the Body and Blood of Chriſt thus ſpiritualiz'd in their effects, for who can hurt Chriſt's natural Body in Heaven? ſo it aſſures us, the Preſence of the Body and Blood is only of a ſpiritual Nature, and ſo the Tranſubſtantiation is only ſpiritual; for as the Guilt is, ſo is the Preſence: and if the Preſence were ſenſible, the Guilt might be by an Injury of a ſenſible, Nature: but we know, It is not ſo; and ſo the Preſence and Sin alſo muſt be of a ſpiritual Nature.

And ſo alſo is the Sin of not diſcerning, of not diſcriminating the Lord's Body. It muſt needs be the Sin of the Mind, becauſe there is no Preſence that ſtrikes the Senſe; The Senſe is in no Fault, for there is no Body of Chriſt before it; but the Mind, that does not diſcern, is to be blam'd: for that hath a high, ſpiritual Object, made known to it, evidently ſet before it by the Word of Chriſt, in the Sacrament, but only to it, not to the bodily eye or ſenſe: therefore the Preſence can be only ſpiritual.

But ſo certain as the Bread and Wine are preſent to the Senſe, ſo certain are the Body and Blood of Chriſt, in a ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation. For it muſt be acknowledg'd, This is my Body, ſtanding in a Sacramental, ſolemn Inſtitution, is of greater force than a mere metaphorical Saying, I am the Vine, and does ſignifie a Preſence of Chriſt with the Bread, in ſuch a manner, that the General Doctrine of the Goſpel concerning the real Communication of the Body and Blood of Chriſt in general, is more particularly determin'd to the Bread, Bleſſed, and Broken, Taken and Eaten, which is become a Memorial perpetually annex'd to the Goſpel by Chriſt's Inſtitution, and is a Superaddition of the Certainty of a real, ſpiritual Preſence, of all the ſaving Effects of the Body and Blood of Christ, in the manner before diſcours'd: And the Guilt of unworthy Receiving, or not diſcriminating this Body and Blood, is proportionally a Sin committed p. 38againſt the ſpiritual Preſence of the Body and Blood there repreſented, in all its ſpiritual Effects, and really, and ſubſtantially, though by Divine Abſtraction and Infinite Diffuſion of them, without any material bodily Preſence.

And though this Sin, according to the Laws of Diſcourſe, is charg'd only upon the unworthy Eating and Drinking, as at the Table of Chriſt, in a ſet Diſcourſe of the Sacrament; yet, as the Divine Inſtitution offers at all Times the Body and Blood of Chriſt, and teſtifies the Truth of a real Participation of Chriſt by the True Believer; ſo the Obligation, and conſequently the Guilt, is chargeable upon every Pretender to Chriſt, whether he be a Receiver or not, as is moſt evident by 1 Cor. 10. all along the Chapter. And ſuch a Profanation of the Lord's Supper as the Corinthians were guilty of, as even the turning it into a Riot and Revel, ſo that it was not to Eat the Lord's Supper; yet the weight of the Inſtitution fell upon them, even as it does upon all, that profanely forbear the Lord's Supper among us, [as it were in their own Defence, againſt the Danger of it;] whoſe Guilt is the ſame as to the not Receiving Chriſt exhibited to them in the Lord's Supper, that muſt be always Preach'd, as a Memorial of Chriſt Inſtituting it, wherever this Goſpel is preach'd, and is pretended to be ſo Receiv'd by All, that is by all who pretend to be Chriſtians: So that they do not, by neglect, leſſen the Guilt of an unworthy Eating and Drinking, which the very Profeſſion of Chriſtianity entitles them to, but alſo add that of a profane Omiſſion and Neglect of ſo Holy an Inſtitution. Now as all this is moſt evident by a Collation of the Apoſtle's Diſcourſe, in the fore-mention'd Chapters, ſo it is of 1 Cor. c. 10.1 Cor 10great Illuſtration to the Point we are upon, as alſo Conviction of careleſs profane Chriſtians, who muſt, whether they will or no, be under the Bond of this Covenant, to whom Chriſt is ſo clearly ſet forth before their Eyes, and no Shift can diſoblige them.

I come therefore to the Third Head of this Diſcourſe, viz To find a fair Accommodation, and no Encounter betwixt Head 3 p. 39the Myſtery and the Letter, or betwixt the grand Senſe and the very Words, This is my Body, by a compare of this whole Harmonical Context with other Scripture, and its way of ſpeaking in ſuch Caſes.

And in this I have ſo far prevented my ſelf, that there remains nothing, but to gather up the whole Context, and then to apply to it the ſenſe of this Myſtery I have purſued: Whereupon it will be evident, theſe Words, This is my Body, This is my Blood, agree with the conſtant manner of Scriptures ſpeaking in ſuch Matters, and that leſs than theſe Words could not import the great Senſe that was to be imported.

It is therefore firſt to be conſider'd, That Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour, even the very night he was betray▪d to dye, that he might draw up the whole Myſtery of Redemption in ſhort, and into a Sum; He does it firſt in that moſt ſignificant, typical, ſacrifical Rite of the Paſſover, that had been of ſo great uſe and ſignification in the Church of God among the Jews; of which, the ſeveral Ordinances for the ſolemnity of it bound together, are call'd by not a Literal, but Myſtical Propriety, the Lord's Paſſover. Exod. 12. 11.

This Paſſover, with Deſire, Chriſt deſir'd to eat with his Diſciples, before he ſuffer'd, as a very lively Table of his Redemptional Suffering, ſo near: but withal, He declares, He would no more Eat of it, till it was fulfill'd in the Kingdom of God.

Immediately upon this, whether out of an appendant Rite to the Paſſover, or not, is not now material, He Inſtitutes the Lord's Supper, as it were proleptically, and by way of Prophecy, and yet Intuition, and looking upon his Death juſt before him, and draws in this new Table the Intention of it: but whether it was to be celebrated any more, there is no Explicite, but that Implicite Preception. In the Evangelist Luke, Do it in Remembrance of me; which carries an Intimation of a Continuation: but it is obſervable, It is applied only to the Bread, importing the Body of Chriſt: and p. 40it abates much from the rigour of a groſs, carnal Senſe, where it ſeems to preſs hardeſt. For as to the Wine being materially the Blood of Christ, that Figure, This Cup, for this Wine in the Cup; and that variation [is the New Teſtament in my Blood] does, beyond all Contradiction, rebate the groſs Literal Senſe, even as Remembrance does from [This is my Body;] for Remembrance is of Abſent, and not Preſent; This therefore was as before-hand to an after thing; So Chriſt ſaid of the Body [which is broken] although it was not yet actually broken, and of the Blood [which is ſhed] although it was not then ſhed.

Immediately after the drinking of the Wine, Chriſt ſubjoyn'd, I will no more drink of This Fruit of the Vine, till I drink it new in the Kingdom of God my Father, when it comes; which to ſhew a thing of weight, and of the ſame Senſe with eating the Paſſover no more till, &c. The Evangeliſt Luke is before-hand with the Inſtitution of the Cup, to joyn to that Saying of the Paſſover, this, of the Fruit of the Vine, as is very viſible.

And both theſe Expreſſions ſpeak theſe three Things:

1. That there was an eminent Kingdom of God the Father immediately to ſucceed, at whoſe Right-hand Chriſt ſits till the Time of his own peculiar Kingdom comes, which is not till he puts down all Rule, and Power, and Authority, and laſt of all aboliſhes Death and Hell out of God's Creation, into the Lake, its own Place, which is the Second Death, or the Death of Death, and then he reſigns back the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God and Chriſt are thus kept diſtinct, and the Kingdom of the Father is in an eſpecial manner the ſtate of the Goſpel, after the Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Sitting of Chriſt at his Right-hand, and his continual Interceſſion even untill that Glorious Kingdom of Chriſt.

2. That the Death of Jeſus Chriſt, imported in both the Paſſover and the Lord's Supper, was to be renewed into a perpetual Life and Vertue immediately after his Death, by thoſe his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Seſſion on God's Right-hand, p. 41and Interceſſion, which are the Goſpel-Kingdom of the Father.

3. That Chriſt, in a ſpiritual ſenſe, continually eats the Paſſover, as fulfill'd in the Kingdom of God, drinks the Wine as new in the Kingdom of God, and that with his Diſciples of all Ages, viz. in that perpetual Renovation of his Death in his Interceſſion, and Application of the Benefits thereof to Believers, according to the whole Tenor of the Goſpel, and particularly of the Lord's Supper; and as in a Pro-gramma or afore-hand Portraicture of all this, thoſe excellent Diſcourſes of at leaſt John 15. c. 16. and that great Prayer, a Pattern of the Interceſſion of Chriſt, John 17. following ſhew.

And of this Interceſſion of Christ upon his own Death, the Lord's Supper is in higheſt ſenſe the Memorial; for, the Remembrance of Chriſt is not of a dead Christ, but who lives for ever, to make Interceſſion, and ſo ſaves to the uttermost.

In conſequence of all this, eſpecially the **A point moſt inſiſted upon by the Apoſtles Paul and John, (I had almoſt ſaid ſolely by them) Rom. 8. Epiſt. to the Heb. frequently and ſolemnly, c. 7. the Apoſtle John c. 15, c. 16. c. 17. eſpecially Epiſt. c. 2. 1, 2.Rom 8John 15Interceſſion of Chriſt, The Apoſtle Paul, as a fourth Evangelist, concerning this Inſtitution, is immediately commiſſion'd by Chriſt from Heaven, to promulge it to all Ages of Chriſtians. And therein he reveals it under a ſolemn new Title, as it were new in the Kingdom of God. The Lord's Supper. He applies to it its great Scope and End, both to the Bread and to the Wine; Do it in ſolemn Memorial of Chriſt, and his Action now in Heaven upon his Death which was here on Earth: and farther in thoſe Words; You ſhew forth his Death till he comes, that is, the whole Contexture of his Death, as his Body is eaten and his Blood drunk through the Efficacy and Application of his Interceſſion, through which we offer the Sacrifice of Praiſe, giving Thanks to his Name, through him, in this Eucharist or Feast of Thankſgiving, of whoſe Altar we continually Eat, even that of the Great Shepheard of the Sheep brought again from the Dead by the Blood of the everlaſting Covenant, as the Apoſtle hath moſt divinely woven theſe Things into a Neighbourhood, Heb. 10. v. 10. v. 15. v. 20.

p. 42And this Ordinance, with this whole State of Things, the Apoſtle hath dated till the Coming of Christ, when a new State ſhall receive this into it ſelf, till which this Ordinance cannot be ſuperannuated, or out of Date; for which his being receiv'd into Glory is poſtpond in the Myſtery of Godlineſs, that it may be a Pawn and Pledge of his Kingdom of Glory. 1 Tim. 3. 16. on which the Apoſtaſie follows, darkning all till then. c. 4.

Laying then all theſe Things together, how evident is it, This whole Matter is of a divine, ſpiritual, heavenly Senſe? and therefore the Words concerning it are to be underſtood myſtically, ſpiritually, heavenly, however expreſs'd in a Phraſe and Language neareſt, moſt eaſie, and familiar to Senſe, by which Senſibleneſs, the Subſtantialneſs, Reality, certain Preſence of thoſe Spiritualities is to be underſtood; and yet nothing to be detracted, or derogated from the Spirituality: and to interpret otherwiſe, is to go contrary to the Rule of all Language, and of Scripture-Language particularly, and is as miſchievous as the worſt ſort of Allegorizing, or Evacuating the ſenſe of the Letter of Scripture, where plain hiſtorical Things are intended. The one is turning Scripture into a ſpiritual Romance, the other is to ſubvert the whole World of Spirituals, to bring in horrible Anthropomorphitiſm, or imagining God to have Eyes, Hands, Feet, &c. becauſe Scripture repreſenting the Reality of his divine Action, Providence and Government does it in Words and Images we beſt underſtand; and in a word, to bring in rank Hobbianiſm into the Scripture, the Church of God, and into this Sacrament, as ſhall be more particularly remark'd under a following Head.

Add hereunto, This is moſt particularly the Language of Scripture in Sacramental or Teſtamentary Diſcourſes, Diſcourſes concerning the Covenant, according to that famous Inſtance, Heb. 9. 19. 20. When Moſes had ſpoken every Precept to the People, according to the Law, he took the Blood of Calves, of Goats, with Scarlet-wool and Hyſop, and ſprinkled both the p. 43Book, and the People, ſaying, upon the whole, This Thing, this whole Thing, is the Blood of the Covenant, which God hath enjoyn'd you.

Thus the Bread, Bleſſed, Broken, Taken, Eaten, is the Body of Chriſt, (and proportionably the Blood.) This whole Thing, the whole Doctrine and Law of the Goſpel, always foreign.conſider'd and embrac'd firſt, and then the Bread, ſo Bleſſed, Broken, Taken, Eaten, is the Body of Chriſt; and accordingly this Cup or Wine particularly Bleſſed, Divided, Drunk.

And that not only in a figurative, cold ſacramental, or commemorative Senſe; for that Divine Power, that Eternal Spirit of Christ, does infinitely propagate the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, repreſenting his whole Humanity, in all the ſaving Efficacies and mighty Effects proper thereunto; as perpetually in the Doctrine and Truth of the Goſpel, in an intellectual way, ſo in this Supper, as in a ſenſible material Repreſentation; but yet only confirming, aſſuring, making preſent a divine ſpiritual Efficacy, as hath been all along declar'd: And even as the Bread and Wine have an undoubted evident Appearance to Senſe, are Eaten, Taſted, Concocted in the Stomach, converted into Fleſh, Blood, and Spirits; ſo are the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt really preſent in the Bread, in the Wine, viz. in their ſpiritual Effects, juſtly called his Body and Blood: So that the Bread is in true ſpiritual Senſe the Body of Christ, to be eaten ſpiritually, to be taſted ſpiritually, to be turn'd into ſpiritual Life to the Soul, in which Body and Blood go hand in hand with the Elements, in all their natural Progreſs, by their Spirituality: and ſo that the want of due ſpiritual Action in all that profeſs Chriſt Jeſus, whether at, or not at the Sacrament, (however particularly applied to that) is an Offence againſt the very Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and brings a Guilt proportionable to the Offence; All which hath the Full of a ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation, and is the Thing we have purſued.

p. 44Head 4 I am come down now to the fourth Head, viz. To enquire into this Thing, How there came into the Chriſtian Church ſuch a Notion as that Fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation, ſo earneſtly contended for. And I account it to theſe four Cauſes:

Cause 1 That this Great and Excellent Doctrine of the Goſpel, eſpecially in that ſo often magnified Sixth of John, and in the Inſtitution of the Lord's Supper, give great Warranty to obſerve a great and divine Myſtery in the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, and in his Supper: That there muſt be ſome real ſenſe of the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, as preach'd in the Goſpel, as preſented in the Lord's Supper, Tranſubſtantiated ſo, as to be Meat and Drink indeed, and to give Life to our Souls.

All this Myſtery cannot be exhauſted, and drawn out in no more than a plain Aſſent to this, that Chriſt dyed as an Attonement for the World, (if ſo much be allowed as Socinianiſm denies,) and gave a Body of Holy Precepts and Commands, of an excellent Nature; and that whoever lives in Obedience to theſe, with Sincerity, ſhall have that their Obedience imputed to them for Righteouſneſs, through the Covenant of Grace, and juſtifie Men, as perfect and unſinning Obedience ſhould have been and done by the firſt Covenant with Adam.

Rationaliſts and Moraliſts draw down this Goſpel-Myſtery too low, while they ſeem to acquit themſelves to Reaſon and general Underſtanding, and to carry all Things plauſibly before that, They loſe the high Spirituality of Chriſtianity; which they are too ready to eſteem no better than Jargon Cant, and Non-ſenſe. There is a Goſpel middle betwixt groſs, portentous, carnal Tranſubſtantiation, and ſuch an emaciating and ſhrinking up the great and unſearchable Treaſures of the Goſpel, as if they did not much excell a Lecture out of Plato, Plutarch, Epictetus, or ſome of the great Sages of Morality; joyn'd to ſome Articles of Faith and Forms of Worſhip.

p. 45The way and manner of the Goſpel ſpeaking of theſe things, and eſpecially as our Lord and Saviour ſpake, who ſpake as never man ſpake, might well raiſe the Minds of Chriſtians to look for ſomething high, and ſurpaſſing in the Myſteries of Chriſtian Religion, and beyond common Senſe, or common Reaſon.

2. Many of thoſe we call the Antients, or Fathers, coming out of the Heathen Learning and Eloquence, into the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, Men of great Holineſs, Innocency, and Sanctity of Converſation, Contempt of the World, Readineſs to dye for the Name of Chriſt, and generally Martyrs, of curious and delicate Reaſon, of very ſublime Notion and Sentiments, of a flowing Language, ſoftneſs and ſweetneſs of Speech, and accompliſh'd with all the Gracefulneſſes of Rhetorick, taking the Scripture-Expreſſions, and diſplaying upon them with that Magnificency and Gallantry of Words, and all kind of Wit, but not purſuing ſtrongly and cloſely the Reaſon, Strength, and whole Analogy of Scripture, nor guarding their Diſcourſe by a Nervous Compare of Scripture with Scripture, launch'd out into many free and liberal Expreſſions concerning theſe Things, which not ballanc'd, limited, defended againſt poſſible Miſtake, at ſome Times, and in ſome Veins of their Writings in this Matter, might give occaſion to the more grievous and dreadful Miſtakes to ſuch a courſe of Times, as we may eaſily obſerve ſucceeded them.

And this they did at the higher rate, undoubtedly, out of a great Zeal for the Honour of Chriſtian Religion; for, the Jews and Pagans ſpeaking high of their Cabalaes, Great Myſteries, and Secrets of Religion, and their Myſtae, who had the guard of theſe Myſteries, their Prieſts, and Devotoes. The Fathers of the Chriſtian Church, knowing the true Excellency of Divine Myſteries, and pitching upon this, as eaſily the moſt remarkable, viz. the Doctrine of eating the Fleſh, and drinking the Blood of Chriſt; and this Doctrine in an eſpecial manner conſigned into the Myſtery of p. 46the Lord's Supper, to which is adjoyn'd that ſevere Diſcourſe of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11. It was very obvious to them, here eſpecially, to exalt the Glory of Chriſtianity, and of the holy Miniſters of it, as highly ſurmounting the Poor, if true, but therefore moſt poor, becauſe falſe Myſteries of outdated Judaiſm, and much more of Paganiſm.

It is moſt evident, at the very ſame Time, in the very ſame Places of their Writings, they in the ſame kind of flowing Eloquence intermix other Expreſſions, that ſufficiently argue, How free they were from any Miſapprehenſions in theſe Things: But their way of Writing being not by way of ſevere Examination of Scripture Notions and Texts, not by the auſtere Beam of Scripture, in its ſeveral Portions of Revealed Truth, and of the Sacred Context, nor having any ſurmiſe of the after danger, there being ſo little occaſion, or appearance of Fear at the Time, left Things ſo, as that the following Times deprav'd their Innocent Glory of Learning, and ſublime Ingeny, dyed deep with Love of Chriſt.

3. Through the many Devaſtations of the Chriſtian Empire, by the Barbarous Nations, by the Saracens, and Turks, in a long Tract of Time, through the daily Decay of Chriſtian Knowledge, Zeal, and Holineſs, there enſued a great Darkneſs, Ignorance, Barbariſm, upon the Chriſtian World; in which, Men of the beſt Note ſeiz'd upon ſuch Expreſſions of Scripture, and the Fathers, whoſe Sepulchres they built, and garniſhed their Tombs all manner of ways, (I add no more) and it may be, as it ſeem'd to them moſt to make for the Honour of Chriſtian Religion: But their Underſtanding being heavy, courſe, ſinking into the thick and impure matter, bearing alſo a deep Grain of Paganiſm, they grievouſly err'd, neither knowing the Scriptures, the true Senſe of the Fathers, nor of the Power of God; And hereunto they proportion'd all their Notions of the Chriſtian Religion, their Worſhip of God and Chriſt, and moſt miſerably eſpecially, They ſtuck in the mirey Clay, as to this great Myſtery p. 47of the Lord's Supper, and the Doctrine of Eating the Fleſh and Drinking the Blood of Chriſt, out of which it was drawn, and degraded the moſt loſty Spirituality of the Goſpel, into the pooreſt and even vileſt of carnal Apprehenſions concerning it, in the Doctrine of a Carnal fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation.

4. At the ſame Times, and by the ſame Degrees, grew up a Deſpotick, Arbitrary Church power, that impoſed what it pleas'd under Anathemaes, Curſes, Excommunications, Brands of Hereſie, and all Cruelty, upon the Bodies, Names, Eſtates, of thoſe, who even to Syllables did not Say as they Said, and do as they did: while at the ſame Time alſo there Invaded Perſons of as honeſt and ſincere a Devotion as Ignorance could produce, a Veneration for the Name of the Catholick Church and the Governours of it, and their Canons.

Now the Impreſs, the Stamp of this Authority, being ſet ſo particularly and Imperially upon this Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, it is no wonder it prevail'd ſo far, and ſunk ſo deep into the Minds of Men, through what every Age from thoſe Worthies before-nam'd, contributed both to the Groſſneſs and Authoritativeneſs of this falſe Article of Faith.

I forbear, becauſe I would be as inoffenſive as may be conſiſtent with Truth to remark upon that Apoſtacy, that Myſtery of Iniquity, which the Apoſtles of our Lord and Saviour foretold, were, even then beginning, and to riſe higher and higher in the Latter Times, to which even many Things, innocent and inoffenſive in themſelves at firſt, and indeed all Contingencies, fathally concurr'd; and which, it is moſt certain, are not yet remov'd. Nor do I think fit at this Time to Animadvert upon the Covetous Practices, Cruelties, and Inhumanities, into which Tranſubſtantiation hath been Tranſubſtantiated, not only in the true, real ſenſe of ſpiritual Wickedneſs, but in a ſenſe as corporeal as Corporeity it ſelf.

p. 48I haſten therefore to the fifth Head; viz. To repreſent to you the Danger of ſuch a Doctrine, as that Fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation, not ſo much as it is a contemplative Thing, a Notion, a manner of Apprehenſion, or matter of Diſcourſe, though that alſo, but as it carries the Practice of Worſhip and Adoration.

Now in theſe Great Points we may very plainly and convincingly underſtand the great Danger of that Tranſubſtantiation.

1. The believing it muſt needs ſhake the Credit of all the knowing and judging Faculties of our Natures and Beings, than which, nothing can be more deſtructive to Religion, or put all Things into greater Diſorder and Confuſion, that concern God, our Selves, or our Motions in relation to another World.

For if our Faculties are not true, we have nothing to guide our ſelves, or to be guided by.

Now the Faculties of our Minds firſt judge, and act by Senſe, then by Reaſon, then by the Notices or Sentiments of Natural Conſcience, then by Faith; and theſe muſt be all ſound, in due ſtate; They have all their proper Objects, they are all finite, and by theſe Rules they are limited; they muſt not go out of their Limits. It is true, theſe are each as ſo many Stories one above another, and the lower muſt not preſume into the Region of the higher, for then they will be miſtaken, and in Error; yet the higheſt is ſupported and ſuſtained by the lower. And ſeeing they all are from God, whatever is true in the loweſt cannot be contradicted in the higheſt; and therefore whatever is pretended in the higheſt, cannot be true there, if it be juſtly denied in the loweſt.

Now it were eaſie to ſhew, this Notion of Carnal Tranſubſtantiation muſt be falſe in all the judgment of our Faculties; but I ſhall only inſtance in Senſe: And, if the Bread be Bread in the Judgment of every one of our Senſes, of the Senſes of all Men, in all Places, at all Times, and in p. 49all Ages under the moſt advantageous Circumſtances for ſenſe to judge by, the contrary can never be true in Reaſon, in natural Conſcience, nor in Faith; for then, either there muſt be no ſuch Faculty as Senſe, or that fundamental Faculty of the Souls Judgment by Senſe, muſt be falſe, and ſo all our Faculties will loſe their Credit; for they may be falſe too, ſeeing he that gave us one gave us all of them, and this of Senſe is that we moſt live and act by in this World.

If any attempt to parallel this with the Doctrine of the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, being ONE, to which, Reaſon (ſay they) can never ſubſcribe; the Caſe is manifeſtly different, ſeeing it is certain, our Faculties are finite, and cannot judge of Infinity but by Faith in divine Revelation: Infinite Being is too High, too Deep, too Broad, too Long, for Job 11. 7, 8, 9.Job 11:7Job 11:8Job 11:9a Finite Reaſon to judge of; It is not its proper Object.

But Colour, Taſte, Figure, Hard, Soft, Sound, may be all judg'd by Senſe, and properly are ſo to be judg'd.

Or if any ſhould make the ſame Objection againſt that Spiritual Tranſubſtantiation we have made out by Scripture, 'tis certain, It is only cogniſable, and to be judg'd of by Faith and Revelation: Senſe hath no Title to judge of it; If it be maintain'd by Faith, it is maintain'd in its proper Court. But it is certain, The Judgment whether this Bread be Bread, or Wine be Wine, is to be made by ſome one or more of the Senſes, at leaſt in the Univerſality of all the Senſes, of all Perſons, Times, Places.

Let any one then lay that place 1 Epiſt. John c. 1. v. 1. That which we have heard, that which our Eyes have ſeen, which we have looked upon, and our Hands have handled, &c. to the being born down, That in theſe Senſes, and all others, we are miſtaken in judging Bread to be Bread when it is no Bread, and Wine, when it is no Wine; Muſt not all the Argument, the Evidence, the Aſſurance the Apoſtle gives, ſtand for nothing? Nay, Muſt not all Scripture-Miracles whatever fall by the ſame ſtroke the Senſes do in this matter? and Religion be ſuſpected but only Juggle and Impoſture? p. 50For here Senſe is upon its own Object, in its own Buſineſs: All Senſe that is in the World, agrees; and a pretended Faith only makes it void.

2. Hereby that great Excellency of Scripture in giving Divine and Spiritual Things under ſenſible, prophetical Events under Emblems, myſtical Things under Types of a material Nature, great, concernful practical Truth under Parables, is made void; for if it may not be allowed it to mean Spirituality under [This is my Body,] it may be denied it in all Things elſe, ſeeing in nothing it can be more neceſſary, than when all the Senſes in the World bear witneſs to the neceſſity, and the ſublime Spirituality of the Thing, as we have ſet out, requires it. This muſt needs turn even the minds of Men into groſs and carnal. Muſt not that great Hereſie of the Anthropomorphites (as was intimated before) be defended and made good, becauſe Scripture ſpeaks ſpiritual Things freely and under Senſibles; nay, all Language does the ſame, and is made fooliſh by ſo perverting it.

3. The Amuſe and Wonderment of the minds of men, perſuaded of ſuch a Tranſubſtantiation, muſt needs be great, and their Thoughts gazing after a Nothing, and taken off from the greateſt Buſineſs of a ſpiritual Application to Chriſt according to his Word, and the whole Truth of the Goſpel concerning Redemption by him.

4. But that which is yet the greateſt danger of all, There is nothing the Scripture ſo much abhors, as to bring God into a contemptible, vile, mean Appearance, and that ſuch an Appearance ſhould claim Divine Honour, a ſhare in the Divine Glory. There never was a Divine Appearance, that God requir'd any Acknowledgment of himſelf in, but there was a Retinue of Divine Power and Majeſty with it, to aſſure the minds of men, and to direct them to the Apprehenſions of God alone.

When Chriſt was here in the World under the Form of a Servant, the Diſguiſe of a Carpenters Son, I do not find that there was any Act of Worſhip done to him; but when the p. 51Shecinah, the Preſence of Glory, deſcended upon him; when the Wiſe men from the East worſhipped him in his Infancy, a Star from Heaven, as an Evidence of his Divinity, guided them. It is never recorded the Diſciples worſhipped him, but after his Reſurrection, and when they ſaw his Apotheoſis, his Aſcenſion, his receiving up into Glory, or when a Ray of his Divinity ſhone out, as in the Draught of Fiſhes.

And yet it is true, that throughout the Time of his publick Luke 5. 8.Luke 5:8Appearance, though he was made Fleſh, and dwelt among them, yet they beheld his Glory as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth, not bodily, but divine, ſpiritual was the Object of their Worſhip.

How does God caution and warn the Iſraelites, that They ſaw no Similitude, no Likeneſs of any thing when he ſpake out of the midst of the Fire: They heard a Voice of Words, but they ſaw no Similitude, that they might not Copy God out into any ſuch. Deut. 4. 12. 15, 16.

If men ſay, They intend to worſhip only the True God in Jeſus Chriſt, in the chang'd Bread; Conſider what miraculous Preſence, what Evidences of Divinity can you find to ſummon your Worſhip, that you may be ſecure from Idolatry?

Conſider what the Glory, what the Majeſty of the Divine Appearances are, when he hath ſummon'd the Worſhip of his Servants; ſome Extraordinaries of Glory have always been the Alarm of their Worſhip.

One great part of the Idolatry of the Heathens was their courſe Repreſentation of God; They changed the Glory of the Rom. 1. 23. 25.Rom 1:23Rom 1:25Incorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible Man, and to Birds, &c. They changed the Truth of God into a Lye, and worſhipped and ſerved the Creature more than the Creator, Bleſſed for ever, or beſides, or miſſing the Creator, and as againſt him, Bleſſed for ever.

Though I would not therefore ſay, It is Idolatry; yet I heartily pray, Men may not be enſnar'd in ſo great a danger of it: I could wiſh it were not, as the Apoſtle, Rom. 9. 1. if p. 52it be lawful to do ſo. I am ſure the Danger is exceeding great of ſtooping God ſo low, and then Worſhipping him as in a piece of Bread.

There remains nothing now but the laſt Head of this Diſcourſe; viz. To draw up all into ſhort Inferences, applicatory to Practice.

Applic. 1 I would even put it to the Choice of any wiſe Man, what kind of Tranſubſtantiation is moſt deſirable, and worthy to be preferr'd; Whether that Inſipid one, at the ſuppos'd Expence of a Miracle, ſo unaccountable to Senſe and Reaſon as changing the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Chriſt materially taken, which yet offers nothing to the Senſe to excite and ſtir up the Mind by, to attend upon the Divine Preſence, nor contributes any thing to the Soul; Or that ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation which is All Spirit and Life, and certainly gives Life to the Soul that Receives it.

The one can be not ſo much as an outward Sign, becauſe not viſible; the other is certainly the inward, inviſible Grace, that yet demonſtrates it ſelf in all real, viſible Effects, with Demonſtration of the Spirit and Power, and that will raiſe us up at the last day: The one does nothing, For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; The other is that very Spirit of Chriſt that is Life and Righteouſneſs: ſo that the true Believer, who hath the Spirit of Chriſt, hath the whole Vertue from that within, and the Bread and Wine are preſent to the Senſe, by Chriſt himſelf ſanctified, and appointed to do good that way; which nothing unſeen can do, in the very nature of the Thing, any more than inſenſible can affect Senſe.

That then which offers not it ſelf to Senſe nor Reaſon, and does no good without the Spirit, and Life receiv'd by Faith, what can it do at all?

To a Man without Faith, it hath not ſo much as the outward Viſibility to ſtir up to Faith by ſenſe; it cannot of it ſelf give the inward Grace neither; ſo that it indeed is nothing, nor can do any thing. But the Spirit and Life of the p. 53Body and Blood of Christ immediately hath the ſaving Effect upon the true Believer; It Invites the very Unbeliever by its Excellency, while it offers it ſelf under the ſenſible Signs of Bread and Wine made Intelligible and Intellectual by the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel.

It is eaſie therefore thus far to know, what is to be choſen: But on the other ſide, There is the great Danger, if this Tranſubſtantiation be a miſtake, (as there is ſo great aſſurance it is.) There is, for a miſtakes ſake, all the danger imaginable of overthrowing the whole Credit of our Faculties and of Religion by it, and the greateſt danger of Idolatry, againſt the Precept of the Apoſtle Paul, upon the very Diſcourſe of the Lord's Supper, a Prophecy, I am perſuaded, of Future Danger, as well as an Admonition; Dearly Beloved, viz. Chriſtians, flee from Idolatry, the Idolatry which 1 Cor. 10. 14.1 Cor 10:14turns the Cup of the Lord, and the Table of the Lord, into a Cup and Table of, what I am afraid to name; for the Devil is the Author of all Idolatry. It is likewiſe againſt the prophetical Farewel of the Apoſtle John, after declaring the True God and Eternal Life; Little Children, Keep your ſelves from Idols, 1 Ep. John c. ult. v. ult.

When therefore, There is ſo little Gain at the coſt of ſuch a miraculous Power ſuppos'd on God's part, of ſo prodigious a Faith on ours, and ſo great a danger; what, but a ſtrange Servitude to a Church, calling it ſelf Infallible, can ſubject us to ſuch an undeſirable Opinion?

2. It ſhould raiſe us to high Thoughts of the Redemption of Chriſt, thus nearly uniting it ſelf to, and incorporating it ſelf within us: Although it is matter of Faith, yet it is ſo abundantly aſſur'd to that Faculty of our Minds, to Know, and to be aſſur'd to that Faculty of our Minds, to Know, and to be aſſur'd by ſo high a Revelation; that if we purſue it by that Power, that Faculty, ſanctified actually to believe in Chriſt; and that we come to live by that Faith of the Son of God, it will be even as certain, as ſenſible, as Life it ſelf.

p. 543. We ſhould lift up our Souls and Hearts to Chriſt in the Heavens, on the Right-hand of God, Interceeding for us; for there he ſtill eats the Paſſover, and drinks of that very ſame Fruit of the Vine with us, as it is new and fulfill'd in his Fathers Kingdom, there he continually applies it to our Hearts, as the great Teſtator, and Riſen ſurviving Surety, Executor, or Mediator of his own Teſtament.

4. It ſhould oblige us to a continual Appretiation, and high value of the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and joyning the Lord's Supper, (if it could be) to every Lord's Day, Lordly Supper. Lordly Day.to which it is coupled in ſo peculiar, and unparallel'd only to themſelves, a New-Teſtament-Expreſſion. For though it hath a conſtant and undividable Annexion to that New Teſtament, of which Chriſt hath made it a viſible Sum; altho' it is always preach'd with the Goſpel, and is as it were adminiſtred in that Preaching; yet, becauſe the whole Goſpel is preſent, and ſenſibly preach'd in that Sacrament alſo, we ſhould embrace both within our moſt conſcientious Obſervation: And the very Ordinance it ſelf is undoubtedly the moſt ordinary means of a ſuperadditional Aſſurance and Conveyance of the Goſpel-Efficacy into our Hearts, and therefore by no means to be neglected.

5. It perſuades us to an earneſt Care and Caution againſt violating the great Ordinances of the Goſpel preach'd in both the Word of God, and in the Lord's Supper; for it is the Offer of the Body and Blood of Jeſus Christ to be Eaten and Drunk; and if we neglect and refuſe, or unworthily partake, we are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord; we do not diſcern and take due notice of the Lord's Body, ſo it becomes a ſavor of Death unto Death in the Word, and of Judgment to Condemnation (if we perſevere ſo to do) in the Lord's Supper, becauſe it is a degree of that great Sin of Apoſtacy, treading under foot the Son of God, counting the Blood of the Covenant a common thing, doing Injury to the Spirit of Grace, Crucifying him a-freſh, and putting him to an open Shame.

p. 55And when by the ordinary Profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, being Born, and Baptiz'd into the only Holy Religion in the World, Educated in it, we are caught in its Net, and under the Bond of the Covenant, the Goſpel is Preach'd to us whether we will or no, and the Lord's Supper goes along with it, whether we Hear, or whether we forbear, whether we Receive, or whether we forbear, we muſt know, we ſhall know the Goſpel in its Preaching, in the Lord's Supper inſeparable from it, hath been among us. We are All Baptiz'd in the Cloud, and in the Sea of the Goſpel Miniſtry, every way ſurrounding us: We All Eat the ſame ſpiritual Meat, and 1 Cor. 10. 1.1 Cor 10:1Drink the ſame ſpiritual Drink, and that is Christ. The Bread broken among us, the Cup of Bleſſing bleſs'd among us, encloſes us, though in regard of Unbelief and Impenitency, we Eat and Drink Judgment to our ſelves, and with many of us God is not well pleaſed, and our Carkaſſes will fall notwithſtanding this Manna, this Water of the Rock vouchſaf'd to us, if we Repent not.

There is therefore no way of avoiding the Goſpel-Penalty, but by Receiving the Lord Jeſus aright, and walking in him: No Abatement of our Danger, as to the Lord's Supper, but by giving no Sleep to our Eyes, nor Slumber to our Eyelids, till we have brought our ſelves into an approved ſtate for it. Refuſal of the Goſpel, in its Preaching, in the Lord's Supper, will not be ſo Tollerable as Sodom's Judgment: There is no Safety any way, but in Eating and Drinking Christ, ſo that we may live for ever; elſe we can have no life in us.

6. Seeing all the Goſpel and Lord's Supper hath ſuch relation to the Laſt Day, to the Table of Christ in his Kingdom, in his Glory, and to Eating and Drinking then in his Preſence, let us lift up our Heads, our Thoughts, our Deſires, our Prayers, to it: Although theſe Ordinances ought to be all our Delights on Earth, yet they are but the State below, a State of the Delay, and Patience of Chriſt for his Kingdom; A ſhewing forth the Lord's Death till he come.

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End of the text · Thomas Beverley, A Sermon of the True Spiritual Transubstantiation (1687)