For these he ordinarily appoints fewer Means and obliges particular Persons to greater diligence if they will have them that they may not fail of those few ordinary Means But God is yet further more sparing in his Provisions when the benefits expected exceed the power of Nature 2 Kings V. 12 S. John IX 7 11. Numb V. 17 18 c. No water but that of Jordan was allowed the power of curing Naamans Leprosie No Pool but that of Siloam could recover the blind mans sight No Water but that of Jealousie prepared according to the Rules of his own appointment could discover the Adulteress It is sufficient in this Case that the methods prescribed by him be generally in the Power of the Persons concerned and they are sufficiently in their Power if by any Moral diligence or by any lawful condescendence they may be obteined § XXIV I BELIEVE our Adversaries will object that these are Reasons rather than Testimonies But it may be when they shall examine their Testimonies more narrowly they will find that they will not be applicable to our present circumstances any farther than parity of reason will make them hold and that these are the properest Reasons for judging of the application And however this method of Conversion here described do fit our Brethrens Systems who speak only of the Conversion of professed initiated Christians from a bad or careless to a good and considerate way of living suitably to their Profession yet it will certainly better fit those Conversions mentioned in the Scriptures from a state of Judaism and Gentilism to a belief and Profession of the Christian Religion Now if this be the Case not only the Grace of Conversion is to be expected in this Ministry and that of a Conversion not from one Life to another but only from one Religion to another it will thence appear how little comfort can be expected from an attendance on this Ordinance without the Sacraments For what comfort can it be only to believe the Christian Religion true without performance of the Conditions prescribed by it Or to know what the Conditions are without ability to perform them Or to know where this ability may be had if we do not make use of Means to come by it Nay to make application even to our Brethrens Systems what comfort were it to be convinced of the necessity of a holy Life nay to be under the greatest and most serious sense of this necessity if they want that further Grace which is necessary to enable them to practise Holiness Conditional Promises cannot indeed be valued as Promises to them who find themselves unable to perform the Conditions And therefore if this ability to perform Conditions be only to be expected from the Sacraments this will be sufficient to weaken that extreme confidence which many place in the Word preached without the Sacraments § XXV AND that this first Grace of Perswasion is all that can in reason and Prudence be expected from the Word Preached our dissenting Brethren themselves may understand if they shall be pleased further to consider 7. that this does fully answer the design of the Word Preached The end of all Popular Discourses is only to perswade and direct to perswade the Auditory to aim at the End proposed by the Orator and to direct them to the most Prudent Means for obteining that End And therefore if God do so far assist the Word preached in his name by his Ministers as to make it effectually perswasive to such as are not deficient to themselves and withal the Word Preached direct them further where they may be furnished with all things necessary for reducing their Convictions to Practice this will abundantly answer the end of the Word Preached If he be withal pleased to assist them further in the actual Practice of what they are perswaded to be necessary to be practised by them yet that will not concern him as a Proposer of his own Will nor consequently as he uses Preaching as a Means suitable for that purpose but under another Notion and therefore will be most proper for another Ordinance I confess he might have used Words that should at once perform what they represent as he did in the Creation and continues to do in the Consecration of the Eucharist not to the changing of the nature of the Elements but to the producing those Graces in the use of them which so much exceed the nature of those Elements But where we have no more express intimation of his actual pleasure than we have here there we have no better way of judging what he is pleased to do than by judging what he is by his design obliged to do And whatever may be his design in other words as those now mentioned yet certainly no more than I have said is rational to be expected in Words of address to Persons and especially when those Words are urged with the usual ordinary Arts of Perswasion as Preaching is as practised by Ministers § XXVI BUT because one great occasion of mistake in this whole affair is that the Spirit is conceived to accompany the Word Preached therefore 8. it were well our Adversaries would be pleased to consider Whether by the Spirit he meant only an influence of the Spirit or the Divine Person of the Spirit himself If the Person of the Spirit were given and ordinarily given to qualified Hearers of the Word Preached by vertue of the Ordinance of Preaching and this as often as they come duly qualified for hearing it I should then confess that the Spirit thus given would serve all Ends of the Sacraments and make them unnecessary to such Persons For the Spirit thus given would be a Principle of Divine Life in them and therefore must renew and regenerate and sanctifie them It must unite them to Christ for this Vnity is the Unity of the Spirit and as they who have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his so they who have it must be his This must therefore intitle them to all that he has done and suffered for them It must purifie them by his blood It must make him live and abide in them It must convey his influences to them It must be a Spirit of Adoption in them crying Abba Father and assuring them that they in particular are the Sons of God And what other favours can be expected from the Spirit which is given in Baptism It must make them one Body with him And that is all that our partaking in one Bread can do or at least will necessarily infer whatever other favour may be expected in the Eucharist And if we may expect new degrees of influence from it as often as we come prepared Hearers of the Word Preached what further interest can we have to be promoted by receiving the Lords Supper that can either oblige us to receive it or be taken for a likely reason why Christ should require it from us who requires nothing from us in the Gospel but what
a Governour or as a Covenanter If as a Governour then it is necessary that all his inferior Governours be impowered by his Commission to act by his Authority which Commission if they want they cannot be said to act by his Authority and no Illegal Authority can confer a valid Legal Title If as a Covenanter he cannot be thus obliged without his own will and therefore none can celebrate a Covenant in Gods name so as to oblige him to performance of it unless God signify it to be his pleasure to empower him to do so as in Law none can be obliged by anothers act who has not been empowered to act in his name by his Letters of Proxy And he that presumes of himself to make a Covenant wherein God is by him engaged as a Party without being so empowered by God as what he does cannot in any Legal exposition be reputed as Gods Act so neither can it infer any Legal Obligation on him to performance § XI NOR are these Sacraments invalid only as to the Title but also even as to the Possession of the Benefits to be conveyed by them For it is to be considered that the Case is very different betwixt the Power given by God to Ministers for the conveyance of Spiritual Blessings by the Sacraments and that which is given by Worldly Princes to inferior Officers for the conveyance of Secular Favours For because the possessions of Lands are in effect subject to the power of the Sword the inferior Officers who have the power of the Sword and withal have the Lands within the Jurisdiction wherein that power is allowed them as they may decree wrong in giving Lands to Persons who have no Legal Right to them so they may also for a time put them in possession of them But the advantages of the Sacraments are Spiritual and consequently their Possession as well as Right must depend wholly on the Divine pleasure and it cannot be presumed likely to please God to give any validity to the Acts of Vsurpers Nay that a Curse instead of a Blessing is to be feared from Ordinances so administred will appear by the same Principles of Government For there are no Crimes more punishable by these Principles than those which encroach on the Supreme Government and none reputed more Treasonable than pretending a Commission where none is given and counterfeiting the Broad Seal especially when they proceed so far as to raise actual Sedition on these pretences Now of all these Crimes these Vnauthorized Sacraments must be charged by these Principles § XII THE Administrers of them pretend a Commission from God when they have none because they plainly take upon them to intermeddle in that Government which nothing can empower them to intermeddle in without an express Commission at least they cannot expect to be trusted and submitted to by Loyal Subjects without such a pretence They presume to counterfeit the broad Seal for such our dissenting Brethren themselves conceive the Sacraments to be in respect of the New Covenant and accordingly charge the Romanists with counterfeiting the Broad seal of Heaven for adding to the Number of the Sacraments in taking upon them to oblige God as a Party of a Covenant and pretending to set his Seal to it without Power received from him to do so They raise Sedition by setting up Societies within the Jurisdiction of those Churches whereof themselves were Originally Members and yet independent on the Government of those Churches Which if it be not Sedition by the Principles of Government in general not as confined particularly to that which is Civil or Ecclesiastical for my part I must confess I do not understand what Sedition is And certainly the Principles of Government in general as prescinding from both these kinds must be admitted in these Disputes unless we will pretend Ecclesiastical Government not to agree with that which is Secular in as much as one Vnivocal Notion which is indeed to devest it of any thing of Government but a bare Name And then by the same Principles of Government not only they are Traitors who raise the Rebellion but also they who maintein and abet it when it is raised which will involve the Communicants in these Sacraments in this Capital Guilt as well as the Administrers of them § XIII AND that indeed the valid Administration of the Sacraments is thus confined to the Regularly-Ordeined Clergy will appear whether we consider the Sacraments as Confederations into a Body Politick or only as sacred Rites and Ceremonies instituted by God in Order to some great effects to be promoted by them without any design upon a Body Politick If we consider them as confederations into a Body Politick that is as Baptism does admit a Member into the Church and as the Blessed Eucharist does not only signify but perpetuate and effect that Vnion with Christ the Head of this Mystical Body and with their Brethren as Fellow-Members which may make them capable of receiving those vital influences which are here expected the same way as a Member of the Natural Body by being vitally united to the Living Head and Members is made capable of receiving that Communication of Blood and Spirits by which the Life of the whole Body is mainteined Then they will plainly appear to be the Right of Governours For in all Governments the Right of admitting Members into their Societies at first or continuing them in it in order to the instating them in the Legal Priviledges of such Societies is never conceived to belong to particular Members but only to Governours So that if a particular Vnauthorized Member should presume to admit a Member into the Body Politick whereof he is himself a Member such an Act were not only Irregular but Invalid in it self so that a Member so admitted cannot be reputed a Legal Member of such a Society nor consequently be Legally intitled to the Priviledges of it without a new admission For considering that this admission and continuance of Members in a Society does withal intitle them to all the Priviledges of it if the power of this admission and deprivation be not confined to the Governours they must consequently be deprived of the Rewards and Punishments for indeed the Priviledges Men gain by being of any Society are the only Rewards that are proper and natural to invite Men to it or continue them in it and the deprivation of those Priviledges especially if they be so necessary for their Preservation as that the loss of them must inevitably expose Persons so deprived to the greatest inconveniences are the only natural Punishments to discourage Men from doing any thing contrary to the Will of the Governours of such a Society And how possible it is for any Government to be mainteined in a Society where the Rewards and Punishments are not at the disposal of the Governours I believe our Brethren themselves will never be able to explain And therefore pursuant to these Principles for my part I must confess
clearest Predictions which might assure them of thus much that this was the time when the less clear ones were to be fulfilled also So that thus much being granted that all the Predictions of God whether by words or shadows were then to be fulfilled it followed thence that where the accommodation between the Prediction and the event was clear that was the very sence which God intended should come to pass § XII HOWEVER it is certain that the Primitive Christians did actually use this way of reasoning and that the multitude of such accommodations whereby it appeared that every thing which then befel the Novel Converts to Christianity was either predicted or prefigured in the Old Testament was not only a very great inducement with many of them to receive the Christian Religion but the only Apology they had to vindicate that Religion from the charge of innovation with which it was aspersed by the Jews And particularly the Sacraments were of that consequence as indeed would need a particular proof For if Mystical Judaism required no external Solemnities of worship we must suppose them ready to enquire why these externals were required If by our Saviours Authority alone then it would not look like a part of Mystical Judaism when no part of the Jewish Scriptures could be alledged in favour of it But if Mystical Judaism did indeed require these Solemnities then they would object against the abrogation of Circumcision and Sacrifices which had formerly been so expressly required by the Law as an abrogation of Judaism not as an introducing a more Spiritual Notion of it § XIII In answer hereunto the Christians did both shew that literal Circumcision and Sacrifices had been disapproved in the Old Testament it self and that their own Rituals had been predicted or prefigured as proper to that state of Mystical Judaism which they endeavoured to introduce Particularly as to prefiguration Baptism they supposed to have been prefigured in the cloud of the Israelites in which they are said to have been baptized into Moses that is were made Disciples unto Moses as by Christs Baptism men are admitted to be Disciples to Christ 1 Cor. x. 2 and in the water of the deluge by which those who were in the Ark were saved 1 Pet. iii. 21 1 Cor. x. 4 That of Melchizedec Clem. Alex. Strom. iv prope fin Cyprian Ep. 62. ad Caecilium Euseb Dem. Eu. v. 3 to which our Baptism is expressly called an Antitype And the rock which followed them the Bread of Melchizedeck whom they took for a Type of Christ and this Manna in the Wilderness were taken for prefigurations of the Eucharist and these later two even as to the Element of Bread that even in that Christ might appear to have innovated nothing but to have done that which God had long before designed that it should be done by him And considering how necessary these things were for that great design of the Apostles we have reason to look on them not barely as Arguments ad bomines but as real Truths requisite for the satisfaction of the Christians themselves as well as for the conviction of their Adversaries And considering withal their close connection with this great design of the Apostles in their Controversies with the Jews we have reason to suppose that these were the sence of the Apostles themselves in whose times principally it was that these Controversies with the Jews were debated and in whose times the ordinary Converts from Judaism were most likely to desire satisfaction in those particulars Which will make these Mystical Expositions of the most antient Fathers much more considerable than they are commonly esteemed if not for the solidity of the Expositions themselves yet at least for the credit of the first conversion to Christianity and of the Apostles who for the propagation of the Christian Religion thought it so necessary to insist on these Expositions And this prefiguration of the Eucharist by the Manna being so necessary for the Apostles design to defend the institution of the Eucharist from the charge of innovation and so early insisted on by the Primitive Christians we have very just reason to suppose that it came from the Apostles though we could not trace it in their writings At least we have reason to believe that it was the meaning of our Saviour and the Apostle in this place where on other accounts it appears so likely to have been so § XIV THIS therefore being thus supposed it will plainly follow that by the Eucharistical Bread the Ideal Manna is communicated to us And as all particular derivations from the Ideas can perform nothing but by vertue of the impressions which they are supposed to receive from the Ideas themselves but it is impossible that any derivation can be as efficacious as the Original so it will be also on the same Principles ordinarily impossible that the want of this Ideal Manna thus communicated to us by the Eucharist can be any other way supplyed And as immortality that is a happy immortality to which the Scripture does frequently appropriate the name of immortality does on the same Hypothesis only agree to these Ideal Prototypes themselves not to any resemblances derived from them so this immortality of our Body and our consequent Title to the Resurrection of our Body resulting from it can only be expected from our participation of the Eucharistical Bread if that be the only ordinary means appointed for our participation of this Archetypal Manna § XV AND supposing that this whole Discourse of St. Joh. VI. has relation to the Eucharist at least as it was to be instituted by him for the future nothing can be more plain than that which I am at present concerned for the great mischief men have ordinarily reason to fear when they are deprived of the Eucharist So our Saviour tells them Verily verily Joh. vi 53 I say unto you Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you And the flesh here spoken of was immediately before made the Bread that Archetypal Manna which he was to give them The Bread which I will give is my flesh Ver. 51. Which two attributes of Bread and Flesh ascribed to the same thing are not so naturally capable of being ascribed to any thing else as they are to this Eucharistical Bread of which I am now speaking God grant that our dissenting Brethren may be as sensible of the consequence of this Discourse as they are concerned in it § XVI I AM very unwilling to lay any stress of the Principles of my present Discourse on any thing that might look like a Paradox especially in my expositions of the Scripture But as I have already prevented this Exception by warning how sufficient the necessity of valid Baptism as an ordinary means for Salvation is to my design Chap. 15. so really I conceive the things here delivered of that very great importance for preventing and
of this in that Age. § XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX. 2. That by this means they might be assured of the Resurrection of their Bodies § XXI 5. Therefore according to the Practices and Conceptions then prevailing the Eucharist was the most proper means whereby this Bodily Union with Christ could have been contrived whether it be considered 1. as a Sacrifice and that either as an ordinary Sacrifice § XXII XXIII XXIV Or as a Federal Sacrifice § XXV Or 2. as a Mystery and this of the greatest sort The likeness between the Heathen Mysteries and the Blessed Sacrament The Mysteries were Commemorative and that generally of the sufferings of their Gods § XXVI They were performed by external Symbols Particularly Bread was a Sacred Symbol of Unity Observed in the Rites of Mithras among the Pythagoraeans § XXVII XXVIII In the ancient way of marriage by Confarreation and in Truces § XXIX And among the Jews § XXX The Mysteries designed particularly for the good of the Soul and that in the state of Separation § XXXI In the Mysteries they were obliged to Confession of sins and to undertake new Rules of living well § XXXII In the Mysteries it was usual to change the Names of the things used in them without any thoughts of a change of Nature § XXXIII 6. Vpon these Principles and according to the nature of these Mystical contrivances this Bodily Union may very well be supposed to be made by our Saviours changing the Name of Bread into that of his own Body § XXXIV XXXV XXXVI p. 352 CHAP. XVII It is probable that our Saviour spake the words in St. Joh. vi with relation to the Sacrament which he was to institute § I. It is probable that St. John also understood and designed them so § II. Being so understood they agree very well with the account of the design of this Sacrament already given § III. The meaning of the signs expected from Prophets § IV. Manna the sign of Moses which our Saviour designed to imitate in giving the Bread here spoken of § V. An account from the Hellenistical Philophy of those times how the Bread given by our Saviour is called the true Bread § VI VII Mystical Manna understood by Philo of the ΛΟΓΟΣ § VIII The Bread given by our Saviour Bodily as well as Mystical § IX The way of reasoning in the New-Testament from Mystical Expositions of the Old § X. The prudence of this way of reasoning § XI The course this way of reasoning obliged them to in proving the Christian Sacraments § XII XIII The Ideal Manna communicated to us by the Eucharistical Bread § XIV The consequent danger of wanting this Eucharistical Bread § XV. The usefulness of the method here proposed for understanding this and many other like places in the New-Testament Submission to Superiors § XVI p. 389. CHAP. XVIII 2. The validity of the Sacraments depends on the Authority of the Persons by whom they are administred This Assertion explained § I II III IV. Proved by these degrees 1. The Spiritual advantages of the Sacraments are not immediately conveyed in the external Participation of them § V VI. 2. The reason of this holds not only in acts of Authority that no Authority can be derived from God unless the Persons pretending in his Name to give it be Authorized by him to give it but also in deeds of giâ—t § VII 3. There is much less reason to expect that God should perform what is done in his Name by such Unauthorized Persons than to expect it from ordinary Governours § VIII 4. The case we are now speaking of is such as where it does not oblige him to performance will oblige God to punish such Usurpers of his Authority § IX It will oblige him as a private Person § X. It will oblige him as a Governour § XI The heinousness of sins against Authority § II. An inference by way of Application § XIII 5. All these Reasons will particularly hold in those places where these Usurpations are in danger of proving injurious to the rights even of subordinate Governours that is in a place already possessed § XIV How God as Supreme Governour is concerned for the honour of the Supreme visible Governours § XV XVI This honour due to inferior Governours impossible to be preserved if Subjects be allowed the liberty of setting up opposite Societies as often as they are of another mind and of perpetuating such disorders by the validity of what they do in such their Usurpations § XVII XVIII It is inconsistent with Government that Subjects should be allowed to râ—fuse their duty in case of inevidence against a presumptive title This proved in two particulars § XIX 1. It is necessary for the security of visible Government as such that a presumptive title be not rejected but on very evident proofs to the contrary § XX XXI XXII XXIII XX V XXV 2. The failures of this presumptive title in those who were at present possessed of the Government cannot justifie the like Usurpation in them who should discover it § XXVI It cannot secure their doings from a Nullity § XXVII It cannot secure their Persons from a crime which may oblige God to take the uttermost advantage which the Legal invalidity of their proceedings might afford him § XXVIII The case proposed concerning the assuming an Authority to administer the Sacraments in a desolate Island How impertinent this is to our Adversaries case and therefore how little temptation we have to be partial in answering it § XXIX Answer § XXX Their Persons could not be excused from presumption § XXXI Their proceedings could not be secured from Nullity § XXXII p. 404. CHAP. XIX 3. No other Ministers have this Authority of administring the Sacraments but only they who receive their Orders in the Episcopal Communion This proved by several degrees § I. 1. he Authority of administring the Sacraments must be derived from God Explained § II. The importance of this Proposition § III. Though this were not proved yet our Adversaries practices are unjustifiable by the Principles of Government in general § IV. As they were at first unjustifiable by the Principles of Government so they can plead nothing which may make that justifiable now which was then unjustifiable They cannot plead a lawful prescription § V. If they could yet this Proposition will cut them off from pleading it against God § VI VII VIII The Proposition proved 1. From the reason of the thing § IX This performed by two degrees 1. It is God alone that has the right of disposing the Spiritual benefits here conveyed § X XI XII The reason of the Adversaries mistakes § XIII 2. It is none but he that can give Possession of them § XIV 2. From the actual establishment of God No such Authority actually conferred upon the people § XV XVI XVII The weakness of the Argument from bare Primitive precedent for proving a right conferred shewâ— from the many condescensions of those times and the prudence
Conditions suitable to that disproportion that he shall Judg convenient Indeed in Contracts of Commutative Justice where things of equal worth are Covenanted for though it be free to every one whether he will part with his own Right on any Considerations whatsoever and therefore also whether he will part with it on equal ones yet it is accounted very hard dealing for him who receives a full value for it to impose any further Conditions on the Person he deals with for gaining the benefit of his Contract For such a full value does upon the Contract confer a full and actual Right to the thing he contracts for at least us to the Conscience and the reason of the thing and it is not thought fair or reasonable that any should have Conditions imposed upon him against his own will for gaining that which in Justice and Conscience is already his own Especially considering that in all Contracts of this kind the pains that are to be taken are looked on as valuable Considerations and according to the greatness or inconsiderableness of them the value of the things is heightened or lessened so that what is only equal in it self must with the Addition of further Conditions prove disproportionable and the exchanging of a thing of less value for things more valuable is that which is reputed foul and over-reaching in this way of Commutative Justice But in our Case the matter is clearly otherwise For the Divine rewards incomparably exceeding the merit of our performances of the immediate Conditions nay and of all Conditions performable by Us it plainly follows that they are not given us in lieu of our performance of the immediate Conditions as a thing that may intitle us to them even upon Contract by any Rules of Commutative Justice and that it is therefore very Just for God to add any further Conditions performable by us and suitable to that excess in order to the attainment of such rewards So that now we are only concerned to Enquire further what is his actual pleasure in this whole affair § VII AND in order thereunto I consider 3. that God is here to be considered as bearing the Person of a Governour and accordingly that the Rule by which the Equity of his Proceedings is to be estimated is that of Distributive Justice such I mean as of which the nature of these Divine Contracts with Men are capable If therefore it may appear necessary for his Government not only that the Promises should not be given to those who are in Covenant without performance of the immediate Conditions but also the external Solemnities should be necessary in order to the procuring an Interest in the Covenant we shall then have reason to believe that this has been actually the design of God in the Instances whereof we are at present discoursing Now who is there more competent for informing us in a matter of this nature than God himself Who can better tell us either what is really more fit for the Government of Mankind in order to their Salvation or what himself judges to be so who as he sees otherwise than we do may also judg otherwise by his clear intuition of the things themselves than we can by our weak Conjectures and extrinsick Probabilities concerning things so little obvious to our discovery or what he is at length pleased actually to do And can we think that he would ever have constituted Sacraments to be administred in external Symbols as the Solemnities of giving us an Interest in the Evangelical Covenant Would he have given them an eternal and immutable obligation not depending on the Prudence of ordinary Sacred Governours in accommodation to times and Circumstances Would he have done this in a time when himself decryed the external observances of the Mosaic Law as unseasonable though it had formerly been established by himself when it was his great design and employment to withdraw Men from too great a dotage on external Observances and to reduce them to the Morals and Spirituals of Religion Is all this I say likely to have been done without a great sense of the necessity of it for the Government of Mankind § VIII AND can any one believe that the bare representation of the Sacramental Graces can be so very useful to this purpose Is our washing in Baptism so lively a signification of our new Birth in allusion to the old Practice of washing Children at their first Nativity or our immersion in water of being buried with Christ and our rising out of it of our being raised again to newness of Life and of our being saved by water as Noah and his Family were in the Ark Is Bread more suitable for signifying the Humane Body of Christ than many other of our usual Table Flesh-Provisions or breaking of the Bread for the piercing of his Body than that of the Greeks for piercing it with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call their Instrument for that purpose or the Vnity of the homogeneal parts of Bread for signifying the Vnity of the Mystical Body of Christ which is represented by the Apostle as a Heterogeneous Body consisting of variety of Members and Offices than that of the Pascal Lamb which was indeed Heterogeneous Or is Wine more representative of the Blood of Christ especially when of a different colour and administred differently from his Body than many red liquors which might have been crushed forth immediately from the Bodies that contained them If they had contributed no further to the raising of Devotion in us than by the liveliness of their natural representation why might not many things have been more useful for that purpose whose natural representation is much more lively Why have we then discontinued the Milk Epist. Barnab Tedall de Coron mil. S. Hier. adv Lucifer de Pudicit ◠and Honey and white Garments so antiently used in Baptism for signifying the Infancy of our new Birth O◠the Shepherd with the lost Sheep on his shoulders pictured on the Chalices in Tertullians time And indeed what representations can be more lively of the sensible Mysteries here commemorated than excellent Pictures and Pageantry Why should we be confined either from thinking on these things or from assisting our thoughts by lively representations of them without such a tedious solemn Preparation and at such rarely-returning opportunities of doing it at Publick Assemblies Why must we have but one opportunity of raising our Devotion by a lively representation of our dying to Sin and rising to newness of Life through our Baptism in our whole Lives and that opportunity at a season so inconvenient when we are Children and are uncapable of having any Devotion raised in us Why should not Laicks and Women be permitted to administer the Sacraments seeing it is not any circumstance of the Administrer that can alter their natural signification And then what need were there for Ecclesiastical Assemblies especially for such as can Pray and Meditate and use the assistance of these
I do not understand how the validity of Laicks and much more Womens Baptism who by the Apostles Rule are much less capable of Ecclesiastical Authority can be defended unless it may possibly be by that general Delegation which may be conceived to have been graunted to them by the Governours by those Customes and Constitutions which permit them to administer it But it would then be a further Doubt How far such Persons as these are capable of such a Delegation To which I do not intend at present to digress § XIV OR if we consider them in the later sense only as Sacred Rites instituted by God for his publick and solemn Worship to which he has been pleased to annex such Blessings as might encourage Persons to their observation yet even so they will belong to the Clergy if not immediately as Governours yet at least as Persons consecrated and set apart for the Solemnities of the Divine Worship in Publick For under this notion it will be their proper Province to officiate in the Solemnities of Divine Worship and it is plain that the Sacraments do not concern the private Devotions of Closets but that which is performed publickly in Churches That Baptism does so appears from all its ends both as it is an initiation of a Member into the Church as a Multitude at least if not as a Body Politick And as we are hereby united to all Christians by partaking of one Baptism as well as by our believing one God and one Faith And as we here partake of one Spirit with them which plainly concern us not in our private but publick capacities And that the Blessed Eucharist does so too is notorious and appears from all the Discourses of our Authors against the private Masses of the Romanists § XV AND even this later Notion is abundantly sufficient for my purpose both to secure these employments from the Invasions of the Laity and consequently to invest the ordinary Successors into these employments with a power of Government It will be sufficient to secure these employments from the Invasions of the Laity For thus God has always been extremely severe against all encroachments in the Publick Solemnities of his Service usually more severe than against those Sins which our Brethren are generally inclinable to look on as very much more flagitious The Examples of (a) 2 Sam. vi 6 7. 1 Chr. xiii 9.10 Vzzah and (b) 2 Chron. xxvi 16 17 18 19 20 21. Vzziah are very considerable to this purpose But especially that of Saul (c) 1 Sam. xiii who though he had first waited for Samuel (d) Ver. 8.11 seven days together and though the People were (e) Ver. 6.11 scattered from him and those few that followed him were under an excessive (f) Ver. 7. consternation and that the (g) Ver. 12. Philistines were ready to engage him on these disadvantages which must be more formidable to him not having first invoked the Divine assistance Yet because upon all these Considerations he (h) Ver. 12. forced himself as himself professes and offered a burnt offering he had this severe sentence from Samuel at his next meeting that his Kingdom should not be (i) Ver. 13 14. established in his Posterity Which by the way may let our dissenting Brethren understand how unwarrantable their pretence is for venturing on the celebration of Sacraments without a Call though they must otherwise be hindred from all Sacraments in a Regular way by the Ordinary Regular Church Governours For as Saul here might have had more hopes of a merciful return of his Prayers without the Solemnity of Sacrifice in these Circumstances wherein it was impossible to have it performed with its due Solemnity than by presuming to transgress his Order in performing them irregularly so by the same proportion God would more easily excuse our Brethren for the want of Sacraments if they could not have them on Terms consistent with their Consciences than accept of their Devotions accompanied with these Solemnities when they cannot have them without Vsurpation § XVI FOR as in the former Case Saul and our Brethren too had not been chargeable with the Sin of omitting these Solemnities when they could not have them without Sin I mean in our Brethrens Case without the Sin of compliance with Conditions which they think unconscionable if they were to receive them from their Ordinary Governours or of Vsurpation if they should attempt to administer them themselves And besides they might have had great hopes of having such their Prayers heard not only on account of the general Uncovenanted Goodness of God but even of the Equity of the Covenant it self it not being likely that God who is the Party here concerned would ever deprive us of Promises so necessary for us meerly on non-performance of Conditions though Morally only not Naturally impossible I mean such as were impossible to a good Conscience if it would continue good as well as such as were impossible in the nature of the thing So in the later Case where both Saul and they usurp a power of celebrating these Solemnities rather than they would be content to want them they incur the guilt of a Sin in procuring it and that as has appeared from the instances now mentioned of very great heinousness in the esteem of God seeing he has punished it with so great Severity which does not only pollute their Prayers and make them unacceptable even by the Rules of Equity as well as strict Legal Justice but also render them very justly obnoxious to a severe punishment § XVII IT is in vain to pretend that these are Legal examples and therefore not to be extended to the condition of the Gospel For this unlawfullness for any but Levitical Priests to intermeddle with Sacrifices cannot I think be proved from any express prohibition against the other Tribes grounded on any reason singular and proper to that dispensation If it were I should then confess that such Positive Commands would not oblige us now who are under another Legislator than Moses But it is not for our Brethrens interest to deny the present Obligation of several Commands of the Mosaick Dispensation so seemingly Positive as that their Moral reason had been very hardly if at all discoverable by us Antecedently to the Positive Injunction of them Not to mention the prohibition of incestuous Marriages which all believe us at present concerned in there are two very considerable instances for which our Brethren usually plead with no little Zeal that is the morality of the Sabbath and of Tiths wherein they can prove very little if the perpetual seasonableness of the reason on which the Command was grounded at first be not admitted as a sufficient reason to prove its perpetual and present Obligation § XVIII NOW this is the plain Case here The reason of that prohibition against other Tribes besides the Levitical intermeddling with Sacrifice seems wholly derived from the Notion of Consecration which is a
from the Mystical style by which this whole matter is expressed in the Scripture And that by these degrees 1. The Life of particular Members of the Mystical Body of Christ is in the Scripture supposed to depend on a constant repetition of influences from the common vital Principle as the Life of particular Members in the Body Natural does § IX 2. The Scripture also supposes the Life of particular Members to depend as much on their conjunction with the whole Mystical Body in order to their receiving these repeated Influences as the Life of particular Members in the Natural Body depends on their conjunction with the whole natural Body § X. 3. The Church with which it was supposed so necessary for particular Members to be united in order to their participation of this Spiritual Life is plainly supposed to be the Church in this World and that visible Society of them which joyned in the same publick exercises of Religion in that Age when these things were written § XI XII 4. The Reasons used by the Sacred Writers for this purpose are such as concern the Church as a Church and so as suitable to the latter Ages of the Church as those earlier ones wherein they were first used § XIII 5. In order to this Mystical Union with the Church it is absolutely necessary as far as an ordinary means can be so that we partake of the Lords Supper This proved from 1 Cor. x. 17 § XIV The same thing proved from the true design of the Eucharist rightly explained This done by these degrees 1. The design of our Saviour seems to have been the Mystical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much spoken of in the Philosophy then received as the peculiar Office of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In this Union the reason of our being in Christ is his being in us 3. Two things according to the Scripture to be distinguished in Christ his Flesh and Spirit and in both regards we are concerned that he be united to us § XV. 4. There are very material reasons why our Saviour should require this Bodily Union in contradidistinction to the Spiritual viz. The benefits which our Bodies in contradistinction to our Spirits may receive by it 1. That by this Corporal Union with Christ we may be made sensible of the Interest he has in our Bodies and of our obligation to serve him with our Bodies and to abstein from those sins which are seated in the Body The great necessity of this in that Age. § XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX. 2. That by this means they might be assured of the Resurrection of their Bodies § XXI 5. Therefore according to the Practices and Conceptions then prevailing the Eucharist was the most proper means whereby this Bodily Union with Christ could have been contrived whether it be considered 1. As a Sacrifice And that either as an ordinary Sacrifice § XXII XXIII XXIV Or as a Federal Sacrifice § XXV Or 2. As a Mystery and this of the greatest sort The likeness between the design of the Heathen Mysteries and of the Blessed Sacrament The Mysteries were Commemorative and that generally of the sufferings of their Gods § XXVI They were performed by external Symbols Particularly Bread was a Sacred Symbol of Unity Observed in the Rites of Mithras among the Pythagoraeans § XXVII XXVIII In the antient way of Marriage by Confarreation and in Truces § XXIX And among the Jews § XXX The Mysteries designed particularly for the good of the Soul and that in the state of Separation § XXXI In the Mysteries they were obliged to Confession of sins and to undertake new Rules of living well § XXXII In the Mysteries it was usual to change the names of the things used in them without any thought of a change of Nature § XXXIII 6. Vpon these Principles and according to the nature of these Mystical contrivances this Bodily Union may very well be supposed to be made by our Saviours changing the name of Bread into that of his own Body § XXXIV XXXV XXXVI I HAVE hitherto shewn that the Grace conveyed in Baptism is necessary to Salvation and that it is confined to the external Sacrament of Baptism as the only ordinary means appointed whereby we may receive it I now proceed to prove the same thing concerning the other Sacrament that of the Lords Supper But before I set upon this it will be convenient to promise two things § II 1. THAT this dependence on the Episcopal Communion for a valid Baptism will alone suffice so far for my purpose as to discourage the perpetuating any opposite Communion All those Arguments which prove the Eucharist necessary will much more prove Baptism necessary without which the Eucharist cannot be had though on the contrary Baptism might be necessary if the Eucharist were not so Besides that our Adversaries themselves are more sensible of the necessity of Baptism than they are of the necessity of the Eucharist if not for Salvation it self absolutely yet at least for our comfort and assurance of it If therefore the validity of Baptism it self depend on the Authority of him who administers it and this Authority cannot be had without Episcopal Ordination thus much at least will follow that valid Baptism can only be expected in the Episcopal Communion Whence it will follow that the true Notion of a Church must also be confined to the Episcopal Communion Though a multitude invisibly united in the belief of the Christian Doctrines may be called a Church in a sence wherein that word is ordinarily used by our Adversaries for the Church of the Elect that is of Elect also in their ordinary Notion of that word for the Elect according to God's secret undiscernable purpose yet understanding a Church for an external Body Politick united among themselves by a visible confederation and as it is a priviledged Society of whose priviledges we may assure our selves by being Members of it and of whose Membership we can best assure our selves and as it is the seat of visible Discipline none can think that a Multitude of unbaptized Persons how penitent or believing soever can make up such a Church as this is Yet this is the sence of the Church of which it can be any comfort to any that he is a Member of it And this is the sence which is principally concerned in this present dispute § III THEY say indeed that God does not confine his Graces to his Sacraments Admit it were so But can they therefore say that whole Multitudes of Persons depending on Gods extraordinary favours can make up that priviledged Society which we call a Church or can they say that such Multitudes as these may have all the ordinary means of Salvation though they want the Sacraments If so what obligation can there be to receive the Sacraments at all when men may enjoy all the ordinary means of Salvation without them and be withall assured that they do enjoy them But indeed the Sacraments are the
hate the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. c. 4. And if this had been granted them that the Body it self was such a Principle of pollution to the Spirit how could they be solicitous for preserving it from such pollutions as were only capable of being transacted in the Body How could they think themselves concerned to preserve that pure which was it self supposed to be nothing but a pollution § XIX AND that these were particularly the sentiments of those Persons with whom the Apostles had to deal plainly appears from hence that the Principles on which they depend were generally owned by the Hereticks of that Age. They generally took the God of this world for a distinct coeternal contrary Principle to the God of Heaven They also took this World for his peculiar Province and thought themselves obnoxious to his influences as long as they were in it They thought it also the proper employment of the Angels of this World to tye their Souls to terrestrial Bodies and consequently that the best way of freeing themselves from subjection to them was to free themselves from that tye They thought that their Bodies were the creatures of this contrary wicked Principle and therefore that Marriage which was intended for the purgation of Bodies was an intention of the Devil and accordingly that Adam was damned for introducing the first precedent of the exercise of it though it was with his own wife And accordingly we find these greatest pretenders to the Spirit to be withal charged with the most abominable pollutions of the flesh 2 Pet. ii 10 Jud. 8. and that they accordingly performed the Christian Mysteries as much of them as they were pleased to retain with the same obscenity which had before been practised among the Heathens The particulars cannot be mentioned without immodesty On this account it is that we have so many exhortations to those whom the Apostles would secure from those seducers that they would purifie themselves in the flesh as well as the Spirit 2 Cor. vii 1 Rom. xii 1 and that they would offer up their Bodies as well as their Souls as a living and a reasonable Sacrifice and that their whole Man might be kept unblamable 1 Thes. v. 23 their Bodies as well as their Souls and Spirits § XX BY this it appears how very necessary it was for that great design of intire Purity and Reformation which was intended by the Christian Religion to oblige them particularly to Purity of their Bodies in contradistinction to the purity of the Spirit because whilest these Principles were believed they who were never so desirous of Spiritual Purity must have been at least negligent of this Purity of the Body if they had not utterly given themselves up to carnal Impurities on the account now mentioned And considering that it was a Principle granted among them that they were obliged to purifie that part which belonged to God and their only pretence for neglecting the like Purity of the Body was that they conceived it not to belong to him but to an adverse Being whom they were neither so obliged to please nor if they would please him was it so probable that he would be pleased with Purity what could be a properer means to convince them of their mistake in this particular and to oblige them to Corporal Purity than to perswade them to give up their Bodies as well as their Souls to Christ and to give him an interest in them by a particular and distinct Donation And accordingly this was the way which was observed and this is the Argument professedly made use of by the Apostle for this purpose 1 Cor. vi 15 Know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an harlot Ver. 19 20. God forbid And What Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and are not your own For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirits which are Gods And because it was by the filthiness of the Heathen Mysteries that their Bodies had been defiled therefore it was very proper and agreeable to the honour of the Christian Religion that they should be obliged to this Purity of their Bodies more distinctly and particularly in the Christian Mysteries § XXI BUT there was also another reason which made it necessary that they should be united to Christ bodily as well as spiritually That was that by this means they might be assured of the Resurrection of their Bodies This was the Article of the Christian Religion on which above all others the comfort and encouragement of new Christians principally depended and which was indeed the principal inducement to them to undertake all the other Duties of the Christian Religion and which notwithstanding met with the most difficult reception of all others and wherein God was therefore pleased to give the greatest Assurance for the satisfaction of Persons concerned And particularly the Argument used for this purpose is this that Christ is risen 1 Cor. xv 12 Whence it is inferred as a necessary consequence that we must rise also And this is plainly so inferred as if it were impossible that one could be true unless the other were so too And it is urged both ways Negatively Ver. 14 17. if Christ be not risen all Preaching is in vain our Faith is also vain we are yet in our sins We have only hopes in this Life and Ver. 19. in regard of the little enjoyment we can pretend to here are become of all men most miserable And if he be risen he is risen as the first fruits and as the Head Ver. 20 2◠And as the whole Harvest is consecrated in the first fruits and the whole Body is concerned in what befalls the Head so it is supposed impossible that he can have risen but that we must thereby gain a Title to a Resurrection We as Members are said already to have risen and to have sate down in Heavenly places because he who is our Head has already done both And he as our Head is supposed uncapable of a compleat Resurrection unless we rise also who are his Members Now this benefit being such as only properly belongs to our Body therefore the force of this consequence must be grounded on this supposition that our Bodies are his Members as well as our Spirits And our Bodies must the same way be united to his Body by partaking of his Body as we are made one Spirit with him by deriving from that fullness of the Spirit which properly agrees to him as he is our Head And accordingly this participation of his Body in the Eucharist is urged by the Fathers as the greatest assurance of our hope that we shall also partake with him in his Resurrection To return therefore to my method § XXII THIS being thus
supposed necessary that we receive his Body in order to our being made one Body with him I now proceed to shew how this is is performed in the Eucharist very suitably to the common Practices and Conceptions of that Age wherein this Sacrament was first instituted 5. Therefore according to these Practices and Conceptions the Eucharist was the most proper means whereby this bodily Vnion with Christ could have been contrived whether we consider it as a participation of that one Sacrifice of Christ or whether we consider it as a Mystery If we consider it as a Sacrifice I mean Eucharistical that was plainly the way then commonly in use of maintaining a Communion with their received Deities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word made use of by the Apostle in this place The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ 1 Cor. x. 16 And it afterwards came to be the term of Art by which the Christians expressed their sentiments in this matter And it is also applied by him to express the commerce supposed to be maintained with the Deities by the Sacrifices then commonly received So concerning the Sacrifices of the carnal Israel in stead whereof the Eucharist succeeded with the Mystical Israel Ver. 18. Behold Israel after the flesh Are not they which eat of the Sacrifices partakers of the Altar And concerning the Gentile Sacrifices Ver. 20. I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word used in both places in the one for partaking in the other for having fellowship § XXIII AS for the Heathen Notions then commonly received concerning Sacrifices Porph. 11. de Abst. §. 42. Jul. Firmic Matern de error proph Relig Orig. cont Cels. L. iii. p. 128 133. Celsus ipse apud eund Orig. L. viii p. 417. they supposed the Daemons who required Sacrifices not to be pure Spirits but to have grosser vehicles by which they were supposed capable of receiving sensible pleasure and benefit by the Sacrifices On this account they thought the nidor of the Sacrifices but especially the Souls of them so suitable to their natures especially when themselves had the liberty of prescribing them who best knew what was suitable to themselves as that they could insinuate themselves into the Sacrifices by means of these subtler vehicles and consequently convey themselves into the Bodies of their Votaries Therefore the Christians thought all who had communicated in these Sacrifices possessed by those Devils to whom they had been offered And as among the Heathens themselves they who were haunted by the Furies upon the commission of any piacular crime were excluded from all their other Sacrifices to Daemons whom they took for good ones till they were expiated by means of Purgation allowed among them as proper for that purpose so the Christians who thought all the publick Deities then worshipped to be ill Daemons allowed none to partake of their own Mystical Sacrifices till they were first expiated either by Baptism or the office of Exorcizing and that the Devils whom they supposed them to have received by their communication in those Sacrifices had been first cast out of their former possession § XXIV AND that this seems to have been the Notion received in the Old Testament times among the Idolaters of those times and that the Jews were from hence inclinable to apply the same fancies to their own God when they found that he required the same way of worship by Sacrifices as the Heathen Deities did Psal. ◠8 9 10 11 12. Isa. i. 13 seems plainly to appear from Gods expostulations with them in this matter when they thought to excuse themselves for the omission of their Duty on account of the obligations they put on him by offering Sacrifices to him And hence the Fathers conclude that the Sacrifices of the Old Testament were only of Secondary Intentions that because God wanted them not he would never have required them if he had not found them already taken up in honour of them to whom they did not so properly belong In this regard he could not be so properly said to institute as to translate them to their proper object that if men could not be broken of this way by which they had been used to express their honour to the Deity they might at least be induced to pay that honour however expressed to that Deity to which the honour was properly due And if this were his design then certainly it was his meaning to convey the same Divine influences to the Jews by the Sacrifices used among them as the Gentiles had been used to expect from their own Sacrifices from which they had incomparably less appearing reason to expect them and withal to convey the same influences to the Christians who were the Mystical Israel by their Mystical Sacrifice which the carnal Jews expected by their bloody frequent Sacrifices And therefore by these Principles whatever participation of the Deity is to be expected in the Christian Religion is most properly to be expected in the Sacrifice allowed by it It is very true that in the Eucharist as it is the Body of Christ and none other which is received so it is the Sacrifice of Christ which was Sacrificed by the breaking of that Body and none other that is here represented and as true that that Sacrifice is represented only not repeated in the Eucharist Yet this representation is supposed as really to apply the merit and vertue of the Sacrifice of Christ as if it had been really repeated and the Communicants had feasted on the Sacrifice it self There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same nature at the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. x. 21 as at the Table of Devils And at the Table of Devils the Sacrifices themselves were really feasted on and therefore its participation of Divine influences in the Eucharist must be supposed as real as in them § XXV BUT if the Mystical Sacrifice of the Eucharist be considered further not barely as an ordinary Sacrifice but as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Federal Sacrifice by which the New Covenant is established with every worthy Communicant according to the custom generally observed in those times of confirming Covenants with Sacrifice nay according to the way observed by God himself in that Old Covenant it self in the room of which this New Covenant was substituted Exod. xxiv 8 Heb. ix 19 20. there will then be greater reason to expect these Divine influences and Communications for which we are here supposed to Covenant For in all Covenants so much is to be expected in hand immediately upon making the Covenant as is necessary for making us capable of a Title to the remainder which we are to expect at the time appointed and upon performance of Conditions So the earnests are given in hand and the obligation of Sureties is taken immediately Now of this nature is the benefit of which I am
speaking Our bodily and Spiritual Vnion with Christ is that which alone gives us an interest in his Person and it is our interest in his Person on which our Title is grounded to all the consequent advantages which we are to expect from his Person Now there were two Sacrifices observed of this kind in the Old Covenant from whence the Pattern is taken for the New One was that whereby the Covenant was in general established with his People Exod. xxiv 8 to which the Apostle alludes Heb. ix 19 20. Another was applicatory by which particular Persons were admitted into the Body of that People with whom God had established his Covenant Such a Sacrifice repeated anew for every particular Person that was to be admitted to their Covenant the Jews reckon among the requisites of Proselytism Now both these are united in this Sacrifice of the Eucharist The Sacrifice on which the New Covenant is established is that of our Saviour on the Cross as is largely shewn by the Author to the Hebrews Heb. ix Accordingly whereunto his Blood there shed is called the blood of the Covenant by which we are sanctified Heb. x. 29 in opposition to the blood of Bulls and Goats by which the Old Covenant was established which could not sanctifie Heb. ix 12 13. and the blood of the everlasting Covenant in opposition to that Covenant which was to have an end Now this Sacrifice not being repeatable according to the Doctrine of the same Author because it was perfect and yet no other Sacrifice being capable of performing the Office of it therefore the only applicatory Sacrifice consistent with the Gospel-state can only be a repeated commemoration of that same perfect Sacrifice Yet so that this repeated commemoration must be applicatory that is that it must apply the virtue of that Sacrifice as really as if it had been repeated § XXVI AND the same thing will also appear very fit to be performed at this Sacrament if it be considered 2. Under the Notion of a Mystery and that of the greater sort nay of the highest degree even of this sort as it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the most intimate admission to a familiarity with the Deity in honour of whom these Mysteries are instituted For what favour might not be expected by so familiar Favourites And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the favour aimed at by the Persons who were initiated where could it be more properly and fitly performed than here where they expected it and indeed why should we think they would have expected it if they had not understood it to have been the design of their Gods in instituting these Mysteries And if so then it must have been most likely to have been also the design of our Saviour in those Rites which he instituted for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Religion introduced by him And all things considered there could not have been a more convenient means thought of The Vnion it self is plainly called Mystical Eph. v. 32 and particularly this Vnion between Christ and the Church as it holds proportion to that of married Persons and yet more particularly as one instance of this proportion is this that it makes Christ and the Church one flesh as the Husband and Wife are made so by the Matrimonial This is a great Mystery and therefore no where more fitly transacted than in the greatest of the Christian Mysteries And indeed there are so many things in this Sacrament suited to the then received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is hard to conceive but that the Vnion here designed should be also made in a way suitable to them The Mysteries were generally commemorative and commemorative of the sufferings of their Gods So were those of Thamuz of the death of Adonis those of Osiris of his being torn in pieces by Typhon those of Orpheus which were taken from Aegypt and were then in commemoration of the sufferings of the same Osiris but which he did celebrate under another name of the Theban Bacchus which was more likely to endear them to the Greeks and the famous Eleusinian of the sufferings and lamentations of Ceres for the loss of Proserpine those of the Phrygian Mother for the loss of Atys And in this regard the Representation of Christs sufferings in the Eucharist is much more likely to have been instituted in imitation of the Mysteries than of any thing then received among the Jews than of any of their commemorations in the Passeover whether of their own hard service in Aegypt or of the killing of the Paschal Lamb and much more than of the Commemoration of their Postcoenium none of which had any relation to the sufferings of the Deity it self § XXVII BESIDES these Mystical Commemorations were generally performed by external Symbols Casaubon Salmas in Spartiani Adrianum c. 13. Guther de vet Jure Pont. L. 1. c. 25. 1 Cor. xi 25 the giving and receiving whereof were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sacred language of Mysteries which are also the very terms used by St. Paul in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as indeed the very name of Symbol is also a term of this Sacred Mystical language And the very Symbol of Bread was as Justin Martyr tells us made use of in the Rites of Mithras After mention made of the institution of the Eucharist by our Saviour he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Tertullian Et si adhuc memini Mithra signat illic in frontibus milites suos celebrat panis oblationem c. And among the Pythagoraeans who so much endeavoured to imitate the Mysteries and who had so much condescendence shewed them among the Essenes as the Essenes had among the Christians this very Symbol of the loaf was made use of as it should seem for the very same design of uniting as it was among the Christians The words of Laertius are very considerable to this purpose where he reckons it among the Symbols of that great man a L. viii in vit Pythagor p. 222. Ed. Londin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot but think with Giraldus b In Symbol Pythag. that the Christians were here meant by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I wonder that c Aldobr in loc Laertii Aldobrandinus should think it so strange that they should be called so Testimonies are obvious I shall only produce some few This is the name by which St. John is stiled by d Amelius apud Euseb. Pr. Eu. xi 19 Theodoret. Therap 11. Cyril in Jul. L. viii Amelius Thus e Porph. apud Eus. Hist. Eccl. vi 19 Porphyry concerning Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which he expresses his pretended conversion to Christianity And I am very apt to believe that it is the Christians whom the same Porphyry means in his Books de f Porph. de Abstin L. i. §. 42. p. 35. Ed.
which the Spirit gave him by miracles § IX How our Saviours threatning was fulfilled § X. The sin against the Holy Ghost a resisting of the Gospel-Dispensation § XI 2. Murdering of the Prophets a sin against the Holy Ghost as he is particularly a Spirit of Prophesie § XII This particularly applied to our Saviour and the state of the Gospel § XIII 3. Resisting the influences of the Holy Ghost in us Applied to the Jews § XIV to the Christians § XV. According to the Hellenistical Philosophy § XVI XVII XVIII 4. Resisting the Government of the Church which was then ordered by the Spirit § XIX Separation from the Canonical Assemblies of the Church a sin against the Holy Ghost § XX. Concerning the punishment of this sin against the Holy Ghost and the way of arguing used by the Writers of the New-Testament from Old-Testament precedents § XXI XXII p. 294. CHAP. XV. 2. Directly That Salvation is not ordinarily to be expected without Sacraments § I. This proved 1. concerning Baptism 1. By those Texts which imply the dependence of our Salvation on Baptism 1. Such as speak of the Graces of Baptism § II. 1. The Spirit of God is said to be given in Baptism and so given as that he who is not baptized cannot be supposed to have it § III. The Spirit it self is absolutely necessary to Salvation as to his actual influences § IV. as to his constant presence as a living and abiding Principle § V. That the Spirit is first given in Baptism This proved from our new Birth 's being ascribed to our Baptism § VI. It is safe to argue from Metaphorical expressions in a matter of this nature St. Joh. iii. 5 considered § VII Water to be understood in this place Literally § VIII These words might relate to our Saviours Baptism § IX The Objection concerning the supposed parallel place of baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire § X. The fire here spoken of a material fire and contradistinct to the Holy Ghost § XI Our Saviours baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire as well applicable to our Saviours ordinary baptism as to that of the Apostles at Pentecost § XII The true reason why this descent of the Holy Ghost in Pentecost is called a Baptism was because it was a consummation of their former Baptism by Water § XIII The reason why this part of their Baptism was deferred so long § XIV Other instances wherein the Holy Ghost was given distinctly from the Baptism by Water § XV XVI XVII Our Saviour alluded herein to the Jewish Notions concerning Baptismal Regeneration § XVIII What the Rabbinical Notions are § XIX How agreeable to the Doctrine of the New-Testament § XX. The Notions of the Hellenistical Jews and of the Philosophers § XXI XXII XXIII How imitated by our Saviour § XXIV An Objection § XXV Answered § XXVI XXVII 2. Grace of Baptism forgiveness of sins § XXVIII XXIX XXX That unbaptized Persons cannot be supposed to have received the benefits of the washing of the blood of Christ or of the Mystical Baptism proved from two things 1. That all who would be Christians are obliged to receive even the Baptism by Water § XXXI 2. That every one who comes to Baptism is supposed to continue till then under the guilt of his sins § XXXII XXXIII XXXIV XXXV 2. The same dependence of Salvation on Baptism proved from those Texts which speak of the Priviledges of Baptism § XXXVI The same thing proved 2. from those Texts which expresly ascribe our Salvation to our Baptism § XXXVII A sum of the Argument from 1 Pet. iii. 21 § XXXVIII from other Texts § XXXIX The Application § XL. p. 321. CHAP. XVI Things to be premised § I. 1. That this dependence on the Episcopal Communion for a valid Baptism will alone suffice so far for my purpose as to discourage the perpetuating any opposite Communion § II III IV. Inference 1. That if this were granted even the absteining of pious Persons from the lawful Communion would be very rare § V. Inf. 2. That even those few pious Persons who after all diligence used to inform themselves and all lawful condescensions could not submit to the terms of the lawful Communion would yet never perpetuate so much as their Non-Communion § VI VII 2. Premisal That it cannot be expected that this Sacrament of the Lords Supper should be as necessary as that of Baptism § VIII The necessity of the Lords Supper to Salvation proved from the Mystical style by which this whole matter is expressed in the Scripture And that by these degrees 1. The Life of particular Members of the Mystical Body of Christ is in the Scripture supposed to depend on a constant repetition of vital influences from the common vital Principle as the Life of particular Members in the Natural Body does § X. 2. The Scripture also supposes the Life of particular Members to depend as much on their conjunction with the whole Mystical Body in order to their receiving these repeated influences as the Life of particular Members in the natural Body depends on their conjunction with the whole natural Body § X. 3. The Church with which it was supposed so necessary for particular Members to be united in order to their participation of this Spiritual Life is plainly supposed to be the Church in this World and that visible Society of them which joyned in the same publick exercises of Religion in that Age when these things were written § XI XII 4. The Reasons used by the Sacred Writers for this purpose are such as concern the Church as a Church and so as suitable to the later Ages of the Church as those earlier ones wherein they were used first § XIII 5. In order to this Mystical Union with the Church it is absolutely necessary as far as an ordinary means can be so that we partake of the Lords Supper This proved from 1 Cor. x. 17 § XIV The same thing proved from the true design of the Eucharist rightly explained This done by these degrees 1. The design of our Saviour seems to have been the Mystical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much spoken of in the Philosophy then received as the peculiar Office of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In this Union the reason of our being in Christ is his being in us 3. Two things according to the Scripture to be distinguished in Christ his Flesh and Spirit and in both regards we are concerned that he be united to us § XV. 4. There are very material reasons why our Saviour should require this bodily Union in contradistinction to the Spiritual viz. the benefits which our Bodies in contradistinction to our Spirits may receive by it 1. That by this Corporal Union with Christ we may be made sensible of the interest he has in our Bodies and of our Obligation to serve him with our Bodies and to abstein from those sins which are seated in the Body The great necessity