that our sinful bodies may be made clean by His body," &c., we intimate that we may possibly eat the flesh of Christ so, that our sinful bodies may not be made clean by His body. This is the case with the wicked, who, "although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth the sacrament (that is, the outward sign and the thing signified, for otherwise it would not be a sacrament) of the Body and Blood of Christ, yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ".1 The truth is, the Body and Blood of Christ are received by the faithful to their salvation, by the wicked to their damnation. The mean whereby the Body of Christ is received beneficially is faith; but it is not given, and rendered effectual, by faith, but by Christ's institution and promise. And when the consecrated elements are so given to the unworthy, such men become "guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ our Saviour."

sacra

The Eucharist is one of the two " ments of the Gospel"," which are "generally

1 Art. xxix. See also the first "Warning for the cele. bration of the Holy Communion."

2 "It is none of the doctrine of the Church of England

necessary to salvation", the other being Baptism. These are the only justifying rites, and the instruments of inward life in the Christian Church; for, according to our Lord's declaration, in Baptism we are born again, and in the Eucharist we eat the living bread.

III. A Communion.

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The Eucharist, then, being so divine a thing," no less than "the Body and Blood of Christ under the form of bread and wine," it follows that if we receive it with a true penitent heart and lively faith, “we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink His blood, we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us."1 It is impossible to describe a closer union between the Head and the members, than does our Church in these words, which she has borrowed from our Saviour's discourse

that there are two sacraments only; but that of those rituals commanded in Scripture, which the ecclesiastical use calls sacraments (by a word of art), two only are generally necessary to salvation."-Bishop Taylor. See the Homily on "Common Prayer and Sacraments." 1 Communion Service.

in St. John, chap. vi.1 In the same strain does St. Paul also break out :-"The cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ? The bread, which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ?" (1 Cor. x. 16.) Similarly the primitive fathers, as they are cited with approbation in the Homilies :-" The true understanding of this fruition and union, which is betwixt the body and the Head, betwixt the true believers and Christ, the ancient Catholic fathers both perceiving themselves, and commending to their people, were not afraid to call this supper, some of them, the salve of immortality and sovereign preservative against death; other, a deifical communion; other, the sweet dainties of our Saviour, the pledge of eternal health, the defence of faith, the hope of the resurrection; other, the food of immortality, the healthful grace, and the conservatory to everlasting life."

It is thus that the Eucharist may be re

1 The fact that our Church adopts the literal sense of this discourse is a remarkable proof of the high view she takes of the Eucharist.

garded as a Viaticum, or a provision for the way to the next world. Our Lord said :"Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." Whoever worthily receives the communion before he dies, and does not in the meanwhile commit deadly sin, shall surely travel "in the strength of that meat unto the mount of God." What, though his body descend into the grave, yet he is not dead, but sleepeth, and shall at the general resurrection awake again into glory, by virtue of that union which has been established between him and the Person of his Redeemer through the Eucharist. Death cannot destroy this "deifical communion". Our Church accordingly invites her members to "the often receiving of the holy communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ", that "they may be always in a readiness to die".1 She has also provided a special "communion of the sick", that they who cannot attend at its public administration, may at their departure be fur

1 Rubric at the beginning of "the Communion of the Sick."

nished with that which will " preserve their body and soul unto everlasting life." "I was once told by a certain man", says St. Chrysostom,1 1 "who heard it not from any other, but had been honoured by God to see and hear the thing itself, that if any are departing this life, and receive the communion with a pure conscience, then at the moment that they expire, a multitude of angels, as in attendance on that holy thing, which they have received within them, surround, and conduct them hence."

Being thus united to Christ, we have communion also with all the saints and holy angels, through Him as the Head of His Church.

God by vouchsafing to feed us in the holy mysteries with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, assures us "that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of His Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people",2 both those who are departed, and those who are still militant on

1 Sermon vi, on the Priesthood, chap. iv.

2 Communion Service.