1 Pet. iv. 17.

ART gin at the house of God: God had fent fuch judgments upon the XXVIII. Corinthians for thofe diforderly practices of theirs, that fome had fallen fick and others had died, perhaps by reafon of their drinking to excess in those feafts: but as God's judgments had come upon them; fo the words that follow fhew that these judgments were only chastisements, in order to the delivering them from the condemnation, under which the world lies. It being Cor. xi. faid, that when we are judged we are chaftened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Therefore though God may very justly and even in great mercy punish men who profane this holy ordinance; yet it is an unreasonable terror, and contrary to the nature of the Gospel covenant, to carry this fo far, as to think that it is an impardonable fin; which is punished with eternal damnation.

32.

We have now feen the ill effects of unworthy receiving, and from hence according to that gradation, that is to be observed in the mercy of God in the Gofpel, that it not only holds a proportion with his juftice, but rejoiceth over it, we may well conclude that the good effects upon the worthy receiving of it, are equal if not fuperior to the bad effects upon the unworthy receiving of it and that the nourishment which the types the bread and the wine give the body are answered in the effects, that the thing fignified by them has upon the foul.

In explaining this there is fome diverfity: fome teach that this memorial of the death of Chrift, when seriously and devoutly gone about, when it animates our faith, increases our repentance, and inflames our love and zeal, and fo unites us to God and to our brethren, that I fay when these follow it, which it naturally excites in all holy and good minds, then they draw down the returns of prayer, and a farther increase of grace in us; according to the nature and promises of the New Covenant and in this they put the virtue and efficacy of this Sacrament.

But others think that all this belongs only to the inward acts of the mind, and is not facramental: and therefore they think that the Eucharist is a federal act, in which as on the one hand we renew our baptifmal covenant with God, fo on the other hand we receive in the Sacrament a vifible confignation, as in a tradition by a fymbol or pledge, of the bleffings of the New Covenant, which they think is fomewhat fuperadded to those returns of our prayers or of other inward acts.

This they think anfwers the nourishment which the body receives from the symbols of bread and wine; and ftands in oppofition to that of the unworthy receivers, being guilty of the body and blood of the Lord; and their eating and drinking that which will bring fome judgment upon themselves. This they also found on these words of St. Paul, The cup of bleffing that we

bless,

blefs, is it not the communion of the blood of Chrift? the bread ART. which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Chrift?

XXVIII.

verte

laft verfe.

St. Paul confiders the bread which was offered by the people, as an emblem of their unity, that as there was one loaf, fo they were one body; and that they were all partakers of that one loaf: from hence it is inferred, that fince the word rendered communion, fignifies a communication in fellowship, or partnerfhip, that therefore the meaning of it is, that in the Sacrament there is a diftribution made in that fymbolical action of the death of Chrift, and of the benefits and effects of it. The communion of the Holy Ghoft, is a common fharing in the effu- 2 Cor. xiii. fion of the Spirit; the fame is meant by that, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit; that is, if we do all partake of the Eph. iii. 9. fame Spirit, we are faid to have a fellowship in the Sufferings of Phil. ii, 10. Chrift, in which every one must take his thare. The communication, or fellowship, of the mystery of the Gospel, was its being fhared equally among both Jews and Gentiles; and the fellowfhip in which the first converts to Chriftianity lived, was their liberal diftribution to one another, they holding all things in common. In these and fome other places it is certain, that communion fignifies somewhat that is more real and effectual, than merely men's owning themfelves to be joined together in a fociety; which it is true it does alfo often fignify; and therefore they conclude that as in bargains or covenants, the ancient method of them before writings were invented, was the mutual delivering of fome pledges, which were the fymbols of that faith, which was fo plighted: inftead of which the fealing and delivering of writings is now ufed among us; fo our Saviour inftituted this in compliance with our frailty, to give us an outward and fenfible pledge of his entering into covenant with us, of which the bread and wine are conftituted the symbols.

Others think, that by the communion of the body and blood of Chrift can only be meant, the joint owning of Christ and of his death, in the receiving the Sacrament; and that no communication nor partnership can be inferred from it: because St. Paul brings it in to fhew the Corinthians, how deteftable a thing it was for a Chriftian to join in the idols feasts: that it was to be a partaker with Devils: fo they think that the fel lowship or communion of Chriftians in the Sacrament, must be of the fame nature with the fellowship of Devils in acts of idolatry which confifted only in their affociating themselves with thofe that worshipped idols; for that upon the matter was the worshipping of Devils: and this feems to be confirmed by that which is faid of the Jews, that they who did eat of the facrifices 1 Cor. x. were partakers of the altar; which it seems can fignify no more 18. 20 but that they profeffed that religion of which the altar was the chief inftrument; the facrifices being offered there.

To

ART To all this it may be replied, that it is reasonable enough to XXVIII. believe, that according to the power which God fuffered the

1 Cor. x. 18.

Devil to exercife over the idolatrous world, there might be fome inchantment in the facrifices offered to idols; and that the Devil might have fome power over thofe that did partake of them ; and in order to this St. Paul removed an objection that migh have been made, that there could be no harm in their joining to the idol feafts; for an idol was nothing; and fo that which was offered to an idol could contract no defilement from the idol, it being nothing. Now if the meaning of their being partakers with Devils imports only their joining themselves in acts of fellowship with idolaters, then the fin of this would have eafily appeared, without fuch a re-inforcing of the matter; for though an idol was nothing, yet it was ftill a great fin to join in the acts that were meant to be the worship of this nothing: this was a difhonouring of God and a debafing of man. But St. Paul feems to carry the argument farther; that how true foever it was that the idol was nothing; that is, a dead and lifelefs thing that had no virtue nor operation; and that by confequence could derive nothing to the facrifice that was offered to it: yet fince thofe idols were the inftruments by which the De vil kept the world in subjection to him, all fuch as did partake in their facrifices might come under the effects of that magick, that might be exerted about their temples or facrifices: by which the credit of idolatry was much kept up.

And though every Christian had a fure defence against the powers of darkness, as long as he continued true to his religion, yet if he went out of that protection into the empire of the Devil, and joined in the acts that were as a homage to him, he then fell within the reach of the Devil, and might juftly fear his being brought into a partnership of those magical poffeffions or temptations that might be fuffered to fall upon fuch Chriftians, as fhould affociate themselves in fo deteftable a fervice.

In the fame fenfe it was also faid, that all the Ifraelites who did eat of the facrifices were partakers of the altar: that is, that all of them who joined in the acts of that religion, fuch as the offering their peace-offerings, for of thofe of that kind they might only cat, all these were partakers of the altar: that is, of all the bleflings of their religion, of all the expiations, the burnt-offerings and fin-offerings, that were offered on the altar, for the fins of the whole congregation: for that as a great flock went in a common dividend among fuch as obferved the precepts of that law, and joined in the acts of worship prefcribed by it: thus it appears, that fuch as joined in the acts of idolatry became partakers of all that influence that Devils might have over thofe facrifices; and all that con

tinued in the obfervances of the Mofaical Law, had thereby a ART. partnership in the expiations of the altar; fo likewife all Chrif- XXVIII. tians who receive this facrament worthily, have by their fo doing a fhare in that which is reprefented by it, the death of Chrift, and the expiation and other benefits that follow it.

This feemed neceflary to be fully explained: for this matter, how plain foever in itself, has been made very dark, by the ways in which fome have pretended to open it. With this I conclude all that belongs to the first part of the Article, and that which was first to be explained of our doctrine concerning the facrament: by which we affert a real prefence of the body and blood of Chrift; but not of his body as it is now glorified in heaven, but of his body as it was broken on the cross, when his blood was fhed and feparated from it: that is, his death, with the merit and effects of it, are in a vifible and federal act, offered in this facrament to all worthy believers.

By real we understand true, in oppofition both to fiction. and imagination: and to thofe fhadows that were in the Mofaical difpenfation, in which the manna, the rock, the brazen Serpent, but moft eminently the cloud of glory, were the types and fhadows of the Meffias, that was to come: with whom came grace and truth; that is, a moft wonderful manifeftation of the mercy or grace of God, and a verifying of the promises made under the Law: in this fenfe we acknowledge a real prefence of Chrift in the facrament: though we are convinced that our firft Reformers judged right, concerning the use of the phrase real prefence, that it were better to be let fall than to be continued, fince the use of it and that idea which does naturally arife from the common acceptation of it, may stick deeper, and feed fuperftition more, than all those larger explanations that are given to it can be able to cure.

But howfoever in this fenfe, it is innocent of itself, and may be lawfully used; though perhaps it were more cautiously done not to use it, since advantages have been taken from it, to urge it farther than we intend it; and fince it has been a fare to fome:

I go in the next place to explain the doctrine of the Church of Rome, concerning this facrament. Tranfubftantiation does exprefs it in one word: but that a full idea may be given of this part of their doctrine, I fhall open it in all its branches and confequences.

The matter of this facrament is not bread and wine: for they are annihilated when the facrament is made. They are only the remote matter, out of which it is made: but when the facrament is made, they ceafe to be; and inftead of them their outward appearances or accidents do only remain: which though they are no fubflances, yet are fuppofed to have a nature and

D d

eflence

XXVIII.

AR T. effence of their own, feparable from matter: and thefe appearances with the body of Chrift under them, are the matter of the facrament.

Now though the natural and visible body of Chrift could not be the facrament of his body, yet they think his real body being thus veiled under the appearances of bread and wine, may be the facrament of his glorified body.

Yet, it feeming fomewhat ftrange to make a true body the facrament of itself, they would willingly put the facrament in the appearances; but that would found very harsh, to make accidents which are not matter, to be the matter of the facrament: therefore fince thefe words, This is my body, must be literally understoood, the matter must be the true body of Chrift; fo that Chrift's body is the facrament of his body.

Chrift's body, though now in heaven, is, as they think, prefented in every place where a true confecration is made. And though it is in heaven in an extended ftate, as all other bodies are, yet they think that extension may be feparated from matter, as well as the other appearances or accidents are believed to be feparated from it. And whereas our fouls are believed to be so in our bodies, that though the whole foul is in the whole body, yet all the foul is believed to be in every part of it; but so that if any part of the body is feparated from the reft, the foul is not divided; being one fingle fubftance, but retires back into the rest of the body: they apprehend that Chrift's body is prefent after the manner of a spirit, without extenfion or the filling of space; fo that the space which the appearances poffefs is ftill a vacuum, or only filled by the accidents: for a body without extenfion, as they fuppofe Chrift's body to be, can never fill up an extenfion.

Chrift's body in the facrament is denominated one, yet still as the fpecies are broken and divided, so many new bodies are divided from one another; every crumb of bread and drop of wine that is feparated from the whole, is a new body, and yet without a new miracle, all being done in confequence of the first great one that was all at once wrought.

The body of Chrift continues in this ftate, as long as the accidents remain in theirs; but how it should alter is not eafy to apprehend the corruption of all other accidents arises from a change in the common fubftance, out of which new accidents do arife, while the old ones vanifh; but accidents without a fubject may seem more fixed and stable: yet they are not fo, but are as fubject to corruption as other accidents are: howfoever, as long as the alteration is not total; though the bread fhould be both mufty and mouldy, and the wine both dead and four, yet as long as the bread and wine are still so far preferved, or rather that their appearances fubfift, so long the body

of