A Sermon of the True Spiritual Transubstantiation, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS OF THE SERMON.
AN Introduction upon the general view of the Inſtitution of the Lord's Supper, as given by three Evangeliſts, and by the Apoſtle Paul as a fourth, compos'd into a Harmony; and our Lord's Diſcourſe, John 6. lying as a Foundation, Page 1. to Page 5.
General Obſervations upon the Harmony, giving Advantage to the right underſtanding the Inſtitution, p. 6. to p. 9.
The method of the Sermon is laid down in general, p. 9.
The firſt general Head ſhews, How Christ gives his Body or his Fleſh to eat, and his Blood to drink, in four Points, p. 10.
Point 1. The Humane Nature of Christ is in ſacred Writ moſt expreſſively ſet out by his Fleſh, his Body, and his Blood, p. 11, 12, 13.
Point 2. The Fleſh, Body, and Blood of Chriſt, and all his Actions therein, are as ſo many Preparations, that he may be ſpiritually eaten and drunk, p. 14.
Point 3. The Humane Nature of Christ, and all his Sufferings and Actions in it, are ſo many Reſts and Repoſitories of the Divine Power, p. 14, 15, 16:
Point 4. The Divine Power of the Son of God extends the Body and Blood of Christ, his Action and ſuffering therein in their ſaving virtue, without limitation to Time or Place. This is branch'd into three Points, p. 17.
Point 1. The Divine Nature of the Son of God, acting in the Humane Nature united to him, can draw out ſuch ſpiritual Efficacies from his Actions and Sufferings therein, as ſhall be moſt conducive to the Salvation of Souls that believe in him: and this is diſplay'd briefly in ſome Reſemblances of Nature, though found inſufficient to decipher ſo great a Myſtery, p. 17, 18.
Therefore theſe Efficacies are drawn out into four Cauſalities according to Scripture,
1. Of an eternal, propitiatory, expiatory Cauſe, p. 19.
2. Of an exemplar Cauſe, p. 20.
3. Of an efficient, unitive Cauſe, p. 22.
4. Of an argumentative Cauſe, fill'd alſo with divine Efficacy, p. 23. to p. 26.
Point 2. and 3. The Divine Efficacy of Christ cannot be hindered by diſtance either of Time or Place, p. 27, 28.
General Head the ſecond, propounds to ſhew how clear the Paſſage is to thoſe Words, Take, Eat, &c. from the Point of Chriſt giving his Fleſh to eat; by ſhewing, That as there is a rich Communicativeneſs on the part of Christ, giving his Fleſh to eat, and his Blood to drink, ſo there are receiving Faculties and Powers of Man, fitted by Grace, that may be truly ſaid, in a ſpiritual ſenſe, to eat and to drink, as Chriſt is ſaid to give, p. 29, 30.
This Eating is therefore reſembled with eating and drinking,
1. As in pledge of Peace and Reconciliation with God, p. 31.
2. As a ſolemn Act of Worſhip, p. 32.
3. As Eating and Drinking is made a Symbol of Eternal Glory, p. 32.
4. Principally as Eating and Drinking are in order to Life and Nouriſhment; where the Notion of Tranſubſtantiation hath its moſt proper place, and is moſt fully diſcours'd in its spiritual ſenſe. p. 32. to the end of p. 38.
General Head the third, offers a fair Accommodation, ſo as that there may be no Encounter betwixt the Myſtery and the Letter, or betwixt the grand Senſe and the very Words, This is my Body, diſcours'd upon the Harmonical Context, from p. 38. to p. 44.
General Head the fourth, is taken up in an Enquiry, How there came ſuch a Notion into the Chriſtian Church, as that fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation, ſo earneſtly contended for, and finds it ariſing from four Cauſes,
1. From the great myſtery of ſpiritual Tranſubſtantiation, given in that our ſo magnified Sixth of John, and in the Inſtitution of the Lord's Supper, p. 44.
2. From the Ancients and Fathers diſcourſing with high Eloquence of this Point, not ſufficiently guarded, p. 45.
3. From the Ignorance and Barbarity which after them invaded the Chriſtian Church, p. 46.
4. From the riſing of a Church-Power at the ſame time over mens Conſciences, and preſſing this as an Article of Faith, p. 47.
General Head the fifth, ſhews the danger of ſuch a Doctrine as fleſhly Tranſubſtantiation.
1. As it ſhakes the Credit of all our knowing and judging Faculties, p. 48, 49.
2. As it makes void the Divineneſs of Scripture-Language, expreſſing ſpiritual things by ſenſible, and indeed perverts the Wiſdom of all Language ſo doing, p. 49.
3. As it amuſes Mens Minds, and draws them off from ſpiritual Action in Holy Myſteries, p. 49.
4. The great danger eſpecially lies in bringing down God into a contemptible, vile Appearance, and allowing divine Honour to it; which is one ſort of Idolatry Scripture moſt abhors, p. 50 to 52.
General Head the ſixth draws all into ſix practical Applications, p. 52. to the end,
1. By propoſal to our choice the most worthy of theſe two, The spiritual, or the carnal Tranſubſtantiation.
2. By raiſing us to high Thoughts of the Redemption of Jeſus Christ, ſo uniting it ſelf to us, as by eating and drinking his Body and Blood.
3. By lifting up our Hearts to Chriſt eating the Paſſover, and drinking the very ſame Fruit of the Vine with us by his Interceſſion in Heaven, which he did here on Earth.
4. By obliging us to a high value of this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, in which we ſo unite to Christ.
5. By perſwading us to an earnest care against violating ſo great a Myſtery, as Christ eaten and drunk in the Goſpel, and the Lord's Supper.
6. By lifting up our Heads in Prayers and Deſires to the Table of Christ in his Kingdom.