Discourse Concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Section 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
THE diſtance being taken away between God and us, this Sacrament muſt be conſidered as a means of our nearer union with our Lord Chriſt. He doth not onelyonly embrace us when we come to his Table, but he likewiſe knits and joins us to himſelf. He not onelyonly ties us with Cords of Love, and binds us to his ſervice by favours and bleſſings conferred on us; but in ſome ſort he makes us one with him, and takes us into a nearer conjunction then before we enjoyed. And who would not deſire to be infolded in his arms? Who would not repoſe himſelf in his boſome? but who durſt have preſumed to entertain a thought of being married unto him, and becoming one with him? And yet who would refuſe ſuch a favour now that it is offered to us, but they that neither know him, nor themſelves?
This Covenant into which we enter, is a Marriage-Covenant, and our Lord promiſes to be as a Husband to us, and we chuſe him as the beſt beloved of our ſouls. It is none of the common friendſhips which we contract with him by eating and drinking at his Table, but the rareſt and higheſt that can be imagined; and we are to look upon this as a Marriage-Feaſt. What this union then with Chriſt is, it need not be diſputed; we may be ſure that it is ſuch an one as is between a man and his wiſe, the Vine and the Branches, the Head and the Members, the Building and the Foundation, as hereafter will more fully appear) yea far beyond all ſorts of union, whether moral, natural or artificial, which the world affords example of. That which I am to ſhew, is, That by theſe Sacramental Pledges of his Love, and this communion with Chriſt our Lord, we are faſter tied unto him, and the Ligaments are made more ſtrong and indiſſoluble between us. This will be manifeſt upon theſe conſiderations:
I. Seeing we do after a ſort eat Chriſts fleſh, and drink his Blood, we muſt needs thereby be incorporated further with him. I diſpute not now in what ſence we eat and drink his body and blood; but ſo far as we grant that we do that, ſo far the other is likewiſe done. Our union is of the ſame kind and degree with our communion and participation. And therefore when the Apoſtle ſpeaks of a communion with them, 1 Cor. 10.16. that adhaeſion and cleaving to Chriſt, ſignifies, That in ſome ſort we are made one with him. So Chryſoſtome obſerves, That the Apoſtle uſeth not the word foreign, which is participation, but foreign, Communion, becauſe he would ſhew the near conjunction that is between us, and that we are knit and united to him by this partaking of him. So likewiſe Oecumenius upon the place obſerves, That Chriſts blood uniteth us to him as our Head, foreign, by our receiving of it. And indeed as it is contrary to all analogy of ſpeech, to call the Bread and Wine by the Name of Chriſts Body and Blood, if they be not at all ſo; in like manner it is incongruous to uſe the phraſe of eating and drinking, if there be no union between us and that which we eat and drink.
II. Faith and Love bearing a great part in this holy action, and Chriſt being by them embraced, it muſt needs be a means of our nearer union. For union (you know) begins in our conſent unto him; and therefore the ſtronger that grows, and with the greater dearneſs of affection that is expreſſed; the ſtronger and cloſer our union to him becomes. Now Faith and Love (which are our conſent) receive here a great encreaſe of ſtrength, by the moſt intenſe operation of them, which is apt to perfect and compleat them. No man comes aright hither, that doth not from the bottom of his heart (as you have ſeen) put himſelf into the will of Chriſt to be moved and governed at his pleaſure. He muſt run into Chriſts heart, to have no motion but according as that beats, ſo that his whole life ſhould be put to a pulſe anſwering to the heart of Chriſt. And ſo Cyril brings in Chriſt calling upon men, and ſaying, I am the bread of life; foreign,Hom. in myſt. Caen. take me in as a leaven to diffuſe it ſelf through your whole maſs. Be you even leavened with me, that every bit of you may taſte of me. This can be effected by nothing elſe but a hearty conjunction of our wills with Chriſts. We muſt put our ſelves wholly out of our own power, as the wife doth, when ſhe gives her ſelf to her husband; and the more we can get out of our ſelves, ſo as to have no proper will of our own, the more we become one with him. When we feel not our ſelves to be any thing at all, nor to have any intereſt different from that of his, then we and he are made perfectly one, or rather we are not, but he is All. Now this abolition of propriety, and ſelf, is much promoted by the remembrance of Chriſts death and his unvaluable love, whereby we become dead, and are even ſnatched and raviſhed from our ſelves. Whatſoever other unions there may be, they all wait and attend upon this which lays the foundation of them. Yea by this faith and love our hearts are more inlarged, the veſſels of our ſouls are rendred more capable, and the Temple of Chriſt is much more amplified to receive more of Gods preſence. And that is the next thing.
III. The holy Spirit is here conferred on us in larger meaſures, which is the very bond and ligament that ties us to him. For this union is not onelyonly ſuch a moral union as is between huſband and wife (which is made by love) or between King and Subjects (which is made by Laws) but ſuch a natural union as is between head and members, the vine and branches, which is made by one ſpirit or life dwelling in the whole.
For the underſtanding of this (which I ſhall inſiſt on longer then thereſt) you muſt conſider theſe things;
1. That our union with Chriſt is ſet forth by many things in Scripture, or in St. Chryſoſtom's phraſe, foreign, He unites us to himſelf after many patterns. I think there is not a better collection of them, then we meet with in him. He is the head (faith he) we are the body;Hom. 8. in 1. ad Cor. He is the foundation, we are the building; He is the vine, we are the branches; He is the bridegroom, we are the bride; He is the ſheepherd, we are the ſheep; He is the way, we are the travellers; We are the Temple, and he is the inhabitant; He is the firſt-born, we his brethren; He is the Heir, we the coheirs: He is the life, we are the living, &c. all theſe thing foreign, do ſhew an union, and ſuch an one that will not admit the leaſt thing to come between them.
2. Obſerve, that the higheſt and cloſeſt union is that which is made by one ſpirit and life moving in the whole. And therefore I take notice that the Scripture delights moſt frequently to uſe the two firſt examples of a body, and a building, and thoſe that are neareſt to theſe. Now becauſe a building hath no life, but yet by its firmneſs and ſtrength doth notably ſet forth the firmneſs of the union that is between Chriſt and his people; therefore the Apoſtle puts both theſe together, and calls Chriſt a living ſtone, and thoſe that come to him, lively or living ſtones, which are built up a ſpiritual houſe or temple, where they offer ſpiritual ſacrifices unto God, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5. That union therefore is moſt perfect which is made by life, though others may be of great eſt ſtrength, and therefore the Apoſtle applies it even to things without life, that he might the better ſhew, that the union between Chriſt and his members by one life, is in ſtrength more like the ſolidneſs of a Temple then any other thing, whoſe parts are ſo cemented as that they would laſt as long as the world.
3. We muſt obſerve, That things at the greateſt diſtance may be united by one ſpirit of life actuating them both, and ſo may Chriſt and we, though we enjoy not his bodily preſence. It is truly noted by a moſt Rev.A. uſher. Perſon, that the formal reaſon of the union that is made between the parts of our body, conſiſts not in their continuity and touching of each other, but in the animation of them by one and the ſame ſpirit which ties them all together. If the ſpirit withdraw it ſelf from any part ſo that it be mortified, it preſently remains as if it were not of the body, though its parts ſtill touch the next member to it. And ſo we ſee in trees, if any branch be deprived of the vegetative ſpirit, it drops from the tree as now no more belonging to it. On the other ſide, you ſee the toes have an union with the head (though at a diſtance) not onelyonly by the intervening of many parts that reach from them unto it, but by the ſoul that is preſent in the fartheſt member, and gives the head as ſpeedy notice of what is done in the remoteſt part, as if it were the next door to the brain. And this it doth without the aſſiſtance of the neighbouring parts that ſhould whiſper the grief of the toes from one to the other till the head hear, but without the leaſt trouble to any of them, which do not feel their pain. If you ſhould ſuppoſe therefore our body to be as high as the Heavens, and the head of it to touch the throne of God, and the feet to ſtand upon his footſtool the earth, no ſooner could the head think of moving a toe, but preſently it would ſtir; and no ſooner could any pain befall the moſt diſtant part, then the head would be adviſed of it. Which muſt be by vertue of that ſpirit which is conceived alike preſent to every part, and therefore that muſt be taken likewiſe to be the reaſon of that union which is among them all. Juſt ſo may you apprehend the union to be between Chriſt our head, and us his members; Although in regard of his corporal preſence he be in the Heavens, which muſt receive him untill the time of the reſtitution of all things, Act. 3.21. yet he is here with us always, even to the end of the world (Mat. 28.20.) in regard of his holy Spirit working in us. By this he is ſenſible of all our needs, and by the vital influences of it in every part, he joyns the whole body fitly together, ſo that he and it make one Chriſt, according as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 12.12. As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of tha… one body, being many, are one body, ſo alſo is Chriſt. And that this union is wrought by the Spirit (which every true Chriſtian hath dwelling in him, Cor. 6. 7. Rom. 8.9.) the next verſe (ver. 13.) will tell you, we are all baptized into one body by one ſpirit, &c. Which will lead me to the fourth thing for which all this was ſaid.
4. We receive of this Spirit when we worthily communicate at the Supper of the Lord, according as the Apoſtle in that 13th. verſe is thought to ſay, We have been all made to drink into one ſpirit, i. e. we have all reaſon to agree well together, for there is but one ſpirit that animates the whole body of us, which we receive at the Table of the Lord when we drink the cup of bleſſing. One Chriſtian doth not drink out of the ſame cup a ſpirit of peace, and another Chriſtian a ſpirit of contention; but as Chryſoſtome expounds it, foreign, &c. We all come to be initiated in the ſame ſecrets, we all enjoy the ſame Table, and though he doth not ſay, (as it follows in him) that we eat the ſame body and drink the ſame blood, yet ſince he makes mention of the ſpirit, he ſaith both. For in both we are watered with one and the ſame ſpirit, even as trees (ſaith he) are watered out of one and the ſame fountain.V. Ch yſoſt. & Theoph…l. Or if we underſtand the Apoſtles words of the ſpirit received (foreign) after Baptiſme, but (foreign) before the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, whereby he further waters (ſo the word foreign is uſed, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7, 8.) that which he hath planted; yet ſtill it will be true, that at this time good Chriſtians do receive larger irrigations from that fountain of life, that they may ſhoot up to a greater height, and bring forth more fruit. For this ſpirit is always needfull, being that which maintains our life, and it is given in the uſe of thoſe means that God hath inſtiruted for increaſe in grace, of which means this holy feaſt being one of the chief, that lifegiving ſpirit muſt be conceived to lay faſter hold of us, and knit us more unto our head. It is the vis vicaria of the Lord Jeſus, that power which ſupplies his place here in the world, by which he is preſent to our ſouls. Now when ſhall we conceive it more preſent, then when we remember him whoſe ſpirit it is, and when he doth exhibit himſelf unto us under theſe ſhadows of bread and wine? Theſe are tokens of his preſence, and repreſent him to us; the ſpirit is that whereby he is preſent, and therefore here it muſt be again conferred on us. Here it doth take a ſtronger ſeizure of us; here it poſſeſſes it ſelf more fully of all our faculties; here it gives us more ſenſible touches from our head, and makes us feel more vital influences deſcending thence unto us; and ſo (it being the bond of union) muſt needs ſtrengthen and confirm us in an inſeparable conjunction with him. Chriſt doth not deſcend locally unto us that we may feed on him; but as the Sun toucheth us by his beams without removing out of its ſphaere, ſo Chriſt comes down upon us by the power of the holy Ghoſt, moving by its heavenly vertue in our hearts, though he remain above. And this vertue coming from our Head the man Chriſt Jeſus, it doth both quicken us to his ſervice, and tie us to him, and likewiſe we are ſaid to partake of his body and blood, becauſe we ſenſibly feel the vertue and efficacy of them in our ſelves.
And do not wonder that I ſay we are more ſtrongly united to Chriſt hereby; for unſon is not to be conceved without all latitude, but to be looked on as capable of increaſe or diminution, and as that which may grow looſe and ſlack, or be made more perfect and compact. As it is with the foul and body, ſo it is between Chriſt and his members. Though the ſoul be not quite unlooſed from the body, yet by ſickneſs the bonds may become rotten, or by faſting they may grow weak and feeble, ſo that it may have but a ſlender hold of its companion, and a little violence may ſnap them aſunder. Even ſo though our ſouls be tied to Chriſt, yet by our daily infirmities, or the frequent incurſions of our enemies, or by long abſtaining from this holy food, and other negligences, we ſhall find a kind of looſneſs in our ſouls, and that we are going off from Chriſt, and tending to a diſſolution, unleſs we gird up the loyns of our mind, and be vigilant and ſober, watching unto all holy duties. And therefore as in the former caſe we muſt betake our ſelves to our phyſick, and food, and good exerciſe for the making the bonds ſound and ſtrong; ſo in this we muſt have recourſe to the holy feaſt we are ſpeaking of (which is both meat and medicine) and we muſt ſtir up the grace that is in us, and beg more of the Spirit of God that may ſtrengthen the things that remain and are ready to die.
To receive the Spirit not by meaſure, is the priviledg of none but our head. We that receive from his fullneſs, have not our portion all at once,Phil. 1.19. but muſt daily look for a ſupply of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt. And ſo the Apoſtle ſaith,Rom. 1.17. The righteouſneſs of God is revealed from faith to faith; and we muſt grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Chriſt. Which ſhews that we may be made one with him in a more excellent manner then when we were firſt born, becauſe the Spirit of Chriſt grows unto a greater ſtrength within us, as we receive more of heavenly nutriment into our ſouls.
And this is all that is meant by the real preſence of Chriſt in this Sacrament, which the Church ſpeaks of and believes; as it is one reaſon likewiſe of the change which is ſo much noiſed, becauſe by his power theſe things become effectual to ſo great purpoſes, when they are holily received. Our Lord doth call theſe ſigns by the name of the things they ſignifie, becauſe in a ſpiritual manner his body and blood are preſent to us, viz. by the communication of that to us which they did purchaſe for us. From the ſacred humanity of Chriſt, life and ſpirit is derived unto us, as motion is from the head unto the members. And the power of the Godhead doth diffuſe the vertue or operation of the humane nature, to the enlivening the hearts of men that rightly receive the Sacramental pledges. Manna is called ſpiritual bread, and water that came out of the rock is named ſpiritual dirnk,1 Cor. 10.3, 4. and the rock is ſaid to be Chriſt, becauſe they did ſignifie him, and were tokens of his preſence; and therefore much more may this bread and wine be called his body and blood, and ſpoken of as if they were himſelf, becauſe they do more lively repreſent him, and he had annexed his preſence more powerfully to them. Or as one of the Ancients ſaith, they are called his body and blood, not becauſe they are properly ſo, ſed quod in ſe myſterium corporis ejus & ſanguinis contineant, but becauſe they contain in them the myſtery of his body and blood.
And this (as I ſaid) is all the change that we are to underſtand in them, according as Theodoret doth excellently expreſs it:foreign. Dialog. 1. Chriſt (ſaith he) calls them by the name of the things they repreſent, not changing the nature, but adding grace unto the nature. And what that grace is I have already told you in this Chapter. So that the real preſence is not to be ſought in the bread and wine, but in thoſe that receive them, according as Learned Hooker ſpeaks. For Chriſt ſaith firſt, Take and eat; and then after that, This is my body. Before we take and eat, it is not the body of Chriſt unto us; but when we take and eat as we ought, then he gives us his whole ſelf, and puts us into poſſeſſion of all ſuch faving graces as his facrificed body can yield, and our fouls do then need. The change is in our ſouls, and not in the Sacrament; we are though not Tranſubſtantiated into another body, yet Metamorphoſed and transformed into another likeneſs, by the offering up of our bodies to God, which is a piece of this ſervice, Rom. 12.1, 2. And ſo ſome obſerve that all other meat is received as it is in it ſelf, and no otherwiſe; but this meat is divers, as it is received. Other meat affecteth and altereth the taſte, but here the taſte altereth the meat. For if it be worthily received, it is the body and blood of Chriſt; if unworthily, it is but bare bread and wine.
But yet this muſt be cautiouſly underſtood when we thus ſpeak; for his preſence is with the bread, though not in it. Though it be onelyonly in us, yet it comes with it unto us if we will receive him; becauſe elſe we ſhall not know how unworthy perſons are ſaid to be guilty of his body and blood, 1 Cor. 11.27.if he be not preſent with his body and blood to work in mens ſouls.
This likewiſe is to be further obſerved for the better under ſtanding of it; that the Devil who loves to imitate God, (that he may the better cozen and cheat) doth ſeldom manifeſt his power to any great purpoſe, but when he is called by ſome of his own ceremonies and ſacraments that he hath appointed. This doth but tell us that Chriſt is then moſt powerfully preſent, when we uſe his rites which he hath inſtituted and hallowed as ſpecial remembrances of his love, and teſtimonies of our love unto him. So that we may come hither, and expect that we ſhall feel more at ſuch a time, and in the uſe of ſuch means, then at or in others, becauſe he hath made them his body and blood in ſuch ſort as I have declared.
Other union then this (by Chriſts ſpirit) I know no uſe of, though we ſhould believe that which we do not underſtand. I can conceive great things concerning the power of Chriſts humane nature; and it is not for us to tell how far it may extend its influences through the inhabitation of the Deity. That it is brighter then the Sun, Saint Paul ſaw when the Lord appeared to him, Acts 26.13. And as the Sun we ſee, communicates his beams a vaſt way, and twiſts it ſelf about us by ſilver threads of light, though ſeated in the Heavens; ſo may we conceive that the ſacred humanity of Chriſt doth tie us to it ſelf by cords of love, and now embrace us in its outſtretched armes after a more affectionate manner, when we come to remember him. But to what purpoſes this ſhould ſerve, I do not well underſtand, and without the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in us, the fleſh can profit nothing at all though never ſo glorious; and therefore I lay aſide ſuch thoughts, and content my ſelf to know, that they that are joyned (or cleave) to the Lord,1 Cor. 6.17. are one ſpirit.
5. Now from this ſecret union that is here made between Chriſt and our perſons, it comes to paſs that this Sacrament hath been accounted an earneſt and pledg of the reſurrection. For nothing that is made one with Chriſt can die and be loſt, but he will raiſe it up again at the laſt day. His ſpirit can find out all their duſt after a thouſand changes; it can gather all their diſperſons, and renuite their ſcattered crums, and knead them again into a goodly body. And this it will do;1 Cor. 6.19. for their very bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghoſt; therefore he will quicken their mortal bodies,Rom. 8.11. by his Spirit that dwelleth in them.
Hence it was that Cyril ſo earneſtly invited gueſts to this feaſt,foreign, &c. Hom. foreign L. foreign: ſaying, Come eat the bread that renews your natures; drink the wine that is the ſmile and cheer of immortality. Eat the bread that purges away the ancient bitterneſs; drink the wine that aſſwages the pain of our old ſore. foreign, This is the very reſtorative of nature, an healing plaiſter for the bitings of the Serpent, a powerfull antidote foreign, ainſt all his poyſon he hath infuſed into us. And ſo ſeveral of the elder times ſpeak not without reaſon; for ſeeing our Lord gives to theſe things the name of his body and blood, we need not fear to attribute to them the vertues and efficacy of his death, which we know was the reſtorer of life.
We ſhould think therefore when we go to the Table of the Lord, that we go to joyn our ſelves more cloſely to our head, and to unite our hearts more firmly to the fountain of our life. That we go to receive of his holy Spirit, which like wine running through our veins, ſhould diffuſe it ſelf into all the vital powers of our ſouls, and make us more able and ſtrong, active and quick, ready and forward in the ſervice of our Saviour. We ſhould think that hereby we may get greater victories over our enemies, if we do not betray our ſuccours, that we may more compleat our conqueſts, if we uſe the power that is ſent unto us. We ſhould look upon this bread, as the bread of life, and conceive that we take the cup of immortality into our hands, and that the next draught may be in the Kingdom of God, when our bodies ſhall be raiſed to feaſt at the eternal ſupper of the Lamb. For this is but a juſt conſequence of forgiveneſs of ſins (which the former Chapter treated of) that our bodies ſhould live again which became mortal through ſin. And therefore as Chriſt here ſeals unto us the one, ſo he likewiſe wiſe aſſures us of the other, and gives unto us the earneſt of the Spirit. What joy then muſt theſe thoughts needs create in our ſouls? What better chear can we deſire? What greater dainties would we taſte then this holy feaſt affords? or what cauſe would we have of thankſgiving more then hath been named? If we deſire a conſort in our thankſgivings, and to have an harmony of ſouls while we ſing his praiſes; if we would hear ſome voice beſides our own that might fill up our joys, and lift them to a greater height; That is not wanting neither, as the next Chapter ſhall declare. For here is an union of minds begot; and a ſweet conſent of hearts is the reſult of this entertainment.