to mean purposes but his office is by kindly and gracious operations to renew mens minds and to bring their hearts still more and more to such a temper and frame as is suitable to the Laws of the Gospel So that our drinking of the Spirit at the Holy Communion must necessary have this effect that those good things are establisht which were wrought in us before by the Spirits Energy Noâ— is this any more than what Devout Communicants find to be true by their own experience their minds are then fixt upon things of Heaven their sense of Christs Love is then strong their affections to him are then warm their hope in him is then lively and comfortable their Charity to others is then great and their whole Soul is full of the most ravishing Pleasures so that were men careful not to stifle or resist the Spirit but to keep themselves so well disposed all their time as they are when they go from the Lords Table it would be impossible either for their salvation to be insecure or for their minds to be uneasie And yet Faustus Socinus will by no means allow our Faith to be at all Confirm'd by the use of the Lords Supper He looks upon that Holy Rite as a work of our own as he is pleas'd to call it as an ordinary thing that we do among one another in Commemoration of the Lords Death but not as a Mystery whereby we receive any benefit any advantage from God But though the Heretick be so admired as a great man of sense and reason yet he trifles altogether and talks Impertinently and Idly upon this as he doth Sophistically upon the Rest of his own notions For why doth not the celebration of this Mystery confirm our Faith Why saith Socinus the distribution of the bread and wine cannot do it because they are mean things which testifie Nec enim panis ille fractus a nobis comestus vinumque in poculum infusum a nobis epotum oftendunt nobis aut suadent vere Christi Corpus pro nobis fractum fuisse c. Socin de usu S. Caen. nothing which shew no reasons for our Faith nor contain any thing that perswadeth us to believe that Christs Body was Broken or that his Bloud was shed for us Now the Heretick and his followers in this argument do first mistake the Question for we do not say that the bare distribution of the Elements is the thing which serveth to help and strengthen our faith but that this is done by the whole action Now the whole Action containeth Prayers and praises a rehearsal of the Institution and a declaration of Christs Passion as well as a division of the Creatures of Bread and Wine All these things come under the Notion of the Eucharist and each of them ministreth to the confirmation of our faith especially since they all concur in the same Action because they were appointed by Christ himself to be done in Commemoration of his death and consequently do suppose and argue that he died indeed 2. So that Secondly these men are false and deceitful in this their way of reasoning that the Sacrament is no Proof of our Lords Passion For 1. St. Paul saith plainly that as often as we eat this Bread and drink this Cup we do shew forth the Lords Death 1 Cor. Nec oftendunt nobis aut suadent c ubi supr 11. 26. which in express terms contradicteth the Doctrine of Socinus This is an outward Testimony for my faith to rely up on 2. The Holy Spirit is given as hath Nonne ad credendum Evangelio Spiritus sancti interiore dono opus est Non Catech Sect. 6. cap. 6. been proved with the Bread and Wine and by his secret operation I am perswaded to believe the Article of Christs Passion to be true That 's an inward Confirmation of my Faith though I suppose the Socinians may not value that because they allow not Faith to be the effect of the Spirits operation 3. Considering that this Ordinance was instituted by Christ himself as a memorial of his death and that he hath appointed us the use of it for that reason and upon that account this is evidence and proof enough to convince me that he suffered and died of a truth The Divine institution and command together with the meaning End and Design of it this is that which we ought Quid insulsius quam si quis ita argumentaretur nos panem istum frangimus comedimus idque ut praedicemus Christum corpus Sanguinem suum pro nobis tradidisse Igi ur verum est ita Christum fecisse Socin in Append ad scriptum de Caena Dom. particularly and carefully to regard and then if I argue thus we eat Bread and drink Wine by the Divine appointment and institution that we may declare that Christ gave his Body and blood for us and therefore it is very true that Christ did so this is no absurd argumentation as that wicked Impostor had the confidence to say it is rather a very rational and clear way of reasoning for why should I believe that Christ would command me to commemorate that which is an untruth It is a plain argument that Christ did dye because he hath required us to Celebrate this Mystery in memory of his Passion and consequently it is true that the Celebration of this mystery is for the confirmation of our faith The meaning and signification of this Mystery is the thing which we are principally to consider and to illustrate this matter briefly by two familiar instances let us consider that common Phaenomenon in the air which we call the Rainbow If you ask a Philosopher about it he will tell you that t is nothing but a Meteor the Natural effect of such and such Natural causes but the Christian will tell you that it is a Token of that promise which God made of old unto Noah and therefore when we see the Rainbow we may assuredly believe that tho the World was once drowned with a Flood it shall never be destroyed by Waters again Thus the signification and meaning of that thing is for the Confirmation of our Faith tho' there be not groundse nough for this perswasion from the Nature of the thing it self 2. Again let us consider that ancient Mystery the Passeover Supper the eating of a Lamb with bitter Herbs to the ignorant Pagan might seem but an Ordinary meal or perhaps a silly because unpleasant Ceremony but to the Jews it was a Rite of great signification because it was a memorial of Gods Mercy to their Fathers in delivering them out of Egypt and therefore God commanded even their Posterity to keep it with all diligence and solemnity Now let me ask the Socinian was not this memorial thus instituted thus appointed sufficient grounds for all the Jews in after-ages to believe that the History of that deliverance was true Nay are not all the Jews in the
though no such thing hath been allowed hitherto at any Sacrifical Solemnity Which shews that our whole Sacrifice is fully imputed to every worthy Communicant for his forgiveness Dr. Patricks Menfa Myst cap. 4. 5. 3. and as a Learned Man hath well observed that we are fully justified by Christ from all those things which we could not be justified from by the Law of Moses 3. Thus the Analogy of this Sacrifical Banquet doth prove that every worthy partaker thereof hath the strongest and most substantial reasons to hope in God firmly and to depend upon Gods goodness and promise for his Pardon But thirdly the words of our Saviour himself do seem to argue this beyond all manner of controversie though the Socinians endeavour to Evade the force of them For speaking of the Cup he said expresly Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the new Covenant which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Though it be granted what the Socinians object that those words for the Remission of Sins do immediately relate to the shedding of Christs Blood which was spoken of just before yet they endeavour in vain to Lud. Wolzogenius in Loc. conclude thence that they have no reference to the drinking of the Cup. Nor have they reason enough to affirm that Remission of sins is the fruit of Christs Passion only but not the effect of our drinking because he said not drink ye all for the Remission of Sins but drink ye of the Wine that represents my Blood which is shed for the Remission of sins For since our forgiveness is the certain immediate and necessary consequence of his sufferings it will undeniably follow that it we participate of his Blood as I have shew'd we do we must be supposed to partake also of that which is the inseparable effect of his Blood shedding That which brings the cause must also bring the effect which is the Natural result of it The same action which makes us partakers of the Sacrifice it self must likewise make us partakers of the fruit and Benefit of the Sacrifice So that it matters not how our Saviour exprest the thing as long as he exprest it enough Since he first tells us that his Blood was for our Remission and then bids us to Drink of that Blood and then assures us that our drinking thus of Wine is in effect the drinking of his very Blood we have all the reason in the World to believe that by our thus drinking we obtain Remission and that our Lord commanded us to drink in Order thereunto The truth is Pardon of sin is the Blessed fruit both of Christs dying and of our receiving Of the former as the meritorious Cause that purchased pardon for all in general Of the latter as the ordinary instrument that conveys the pardon to every Holy Soul in particular The shedding of Christs Blood did procure and ratifie Gods promise of Grace to all Mankind and the receiving of this Wine which is the Symbol of that Blood is the Seal of that promise to all worthy Communicants when Christ was slain upon the Cross he obtained this favour of God that all Men were then put into a salvable condition into a Capacity of forgiveness into a way whereby they might be pardoned actually and fully if they would not be wanting to themselves perfect Peace and reconciliation was then merited and it was merited for all that should accept of it whether Jews or Gentiles bond or free for he tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2. 9. He died for all that were dead 2 Cor. 5. 14. Thus far the Scripture speaketh in general terms but it saith nothing of Me or of Thee as to our particular Persons We find not our names there much less can we find our Names in the book of Eternity All that we can do is to judge of our selves by examining our state by fair probabilities and rational Collection And to strengthen our hopes and to establish every mans humble confidence this Ordinance was appointed that as offen as we eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord after a worthy manner we may be comfortably and reasonably well perswaded that our sins and transgressions are done away For that pardon is by this Ordinance applyed to every one in particular which before was bought for all universally and any man that is but satisfied of the truth of his Faith and of the sincerity of his Repentance may go away from the Holy Table well satisfied to that he now stands fair in the eye and favour of God and so shall stand still if he doth but hold up his goings in Gods ways so that his footsteps do not slide back into Sin and Perdition I hope that by this time I have fully proved and illustrated this matter But yet before I let it go I would note this one thing that our Saviour spake expresly of the Remission of our sins when he spake of the administration of the Cup. Neither of the three Evangelists who have recorded the History of the institution of this Mystery nor St. Paul who hath repeated it takes any notice of that expression when our Lord spake of the distribution of the Bread Indeed it is not to be doubted but our Saviours Body was broken for our forgiveness nor do I doubt but his meaning was so when he said this is my body which is given for you that is for your Atonement and Pardon but that particular expression touching the Remission of Sin was used by him for ought we know only in reference to the Drinking of the Wine Hence I infer that for the Peace of a Mans Conscience and for the satisfaction of his mind that he is in an hopeful state of Salvation it is necessary for him to receive the Sacrament in both kinds Seeing forgiveness of sin is the effect of the whole Ordinance seeing our Saviour seems to have a particular and special regard to our drinking of the Cup and seeing he gives us this reason for it because it is the Sacrament of his blood that is for our Remission I say seeing that the thing standeth thus I cannot see what substantial and solid grounds men can have to be confident of their Pardon if they participate not of the Wine as well as of the Bread If the thing were not prejudicial to the Peace of mens Souls yet it would be impossible to Vindicate the Church of Rome from the guilt of Impiety Sacriledge and Innovation for Denying the Cup to all the Lay-People of her Communion For the Holy Jesus himself administred both the Bread and the Wine to his Disciples and as He had done he commanded them to do also nay as if he then fore-saw and was minded to prevent that abuse which hath lately crept into the Roman Church he Positively commanded his Disciples when he reached out the Cup to them that they should All drink of it and his Reason was this because his Bloud of
third book of the Arch-Bishops defence This I shall presume to say that Church Writers about Damascens time and Damascen himself spake for the most part as other of the Ancients did They spake to the same purpose and in many places to my apprehension very clearly and very agreeably to the sense of our own Church viz. of the real presence of Christs Spiritual body which in the next discourses I shall endeavour to explain tho possibly here and there we may light upon some few expressions which may seem somewhat harsh to such as do not rightly understand the Catholick Faith in this particular point Indeed Cardinal Bellarmine doth insinuate Bellarm. de Euchar. lib. 1. c. 1. that the Doctrine of Christs Corporal presence in the Sacrament was believed at the Second Council at Nice about the year of Christ 787. And herein the Jesuite is followed by some Divines of our own who have taken the insinuation from Bellarmine at the second hand and have thence concluded that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation had its rise at that Council that thereby the Practice of Image-Worship might be the better settled and supported But this is false and I cannot tell whether this error proceeds from inadvertency or from a willingness some have to disgrace the Catholick Church as if it had been guilty of such a foul mistake in those ancient times I am sure that upon looking into the Nicene Council 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synod Nicen 2. Actione Sexta I cannot find any such matter They determined indeed that after Consecration the bread and Wine are rightly called the body and blood of Christ But why must this be meant of Christs Natural Body Why might they not intend his Spiritual body and his real Spiritual presence of which anon Do but observe the occasion of this their assertion and the thing will evidently appear The Council at Constantinople were against the bringing of Images into Churches for this reason among many others because Christ left no Image of himself but the Sacrament At this expression the Nicene Council afterwards took pet and would not endure such Language that the materials of the Sacrament are the Images of Christs body and blood for they supposed the meaning to be that they are bare Images naked and empty Figures without the presence of Christs body and blood and this they exploded as unsound and uncatholick Doctrine Here was the quarrel as to that point For whereas the Constantinopolitan Council had said that the Eucharist became a Divine body the Nicene Council accused them for contradicting themselves for said they if it be the Image of a Body it cannot be a Divine Body too They denied the Sacrament to be a bare Image they affirmed it to be not so much an Image as the very Body of Christ and that so it ought to be called but that they hold a corporal presence of Christs Natural flesh and blood in the Sacrament there is nothing in the whole History o that Council that constraineth us to believef and therefore the Doctrine of Transubstantiation had not its first rise then In the ninth Century Dum quidam fidelium corporis sanguinisque christi quod in Ecclesia quotidie celebratur Mysterium dicunt quod nulla sub figura nulla sub obvelatione fiat sed ipsius veritatis nuda manifestatione peragatur Quidam vero restantur quod haec sub mysterii figura contineantur aliud sit quod corporeis sensibus appareat aliud artem quod fides aspiciat non parva diversitas inter eos esse dignoscitur Bertram de Corp. Sang. Christ indeed some began to speak variously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. and doubtfully concerning the manner of Christs presence in the Sacrament which in a little time was the occasion of Bertrams writing his excellent book of the Body and Blood of Christ to Carolus Calvus then Emperor De Char. c. 11. But even in that Age Rabanus Maurus taught as the received Doctrine of the Church that it is unlawful as well as im impossible Nefas is his word to eat the body of Christ with our Teeth that Christ is in Heaven and ought to be there according to his flesh and that therefore he left us this Sacrament as the visible figure and character of his flesh and Blood He distinguisheth as many of the Ancients before him did between the Sacrament De institut Cleric lib. 1. c. 13. and the virtue of the Sacrament affirming the one to be eaten with the mouth and the Inward man to be satiated with the other so that though the Sacrament De Institut Cleric lib. 1. c. 31. it self turneth to our Bodily nourishment yet eternal life is obtained by the virtue of the Sacrament And whereas Paschasius Radbertus and his followers had now vended some new conceits which had a tendency towards the introduction of the Doctrine of Transubstantiation he wrote purposely against them as erronous conceits some of late says he being not rightly perswaded of the Sacrament of Christs Body and Bloud have affirmed it to be that very Body and Bloud of our Lord which was born of the virgin and wherein the Lord Suffered upon the Cross and rose again out of the Sepulchre De Euchar. 33. which error saith he we have exposed with the best of our skill in an Epistle to Egilo the Abbot That Epistle indeed is not now extant but the matter of fact is certain and the faith of that great man Rabanus was so well know to be utterly destructive of the Fancy of Transubstantiation that Waldensis in an Epistle to Pope Martin the 5th almost 600 years after had the confidence to censure Rabanus for an Heretick though he were no less then Archbishop of Mentz and for all sorts of learning had few in the Christian world that were his Match Haymo likewise affirmed that the Bread and Wine for so he call the Elements In 1. Cor. 11. after Consecration are replenished with the virtue of our Lords Divinity and so become his Body but this doth no more argue Transubstantiation then it argues that Christs Humane Nature is turned into his Divine Substance because that in him the fulness of the God-head dwelleth bodily Bertram was a very learned and judicious Divine in the same age and he in the Book I mentioned but now gives the Cause against the Romanists so fully and argues against Christ's Corporal presence in the Sacrament so strongly from the Nature and Notion of a Sacramant from sense from Scripture and from Tradition that the Knavish Compilers of the Spanish Index Expurgatorius had no way Bertram de corp ' Sang. Christi left them but to forbid the Use of the Book which to my sense was the same thing as if they had said we will damn all Authors or cut out their Tongues that we can find to Speak against us Behold the Honesty and Ingenuity of those who vaunt
World now by eating of bitter Herbs only certified and convinced and confirm'd in their Faith touching the truth of that deliverance It cannot be denied but that story was made undoubtedly credible by that Mystery because that Mystery was instituted and appointed by God himself upon that occasion so that from that rite any man might conclude that the matter of Fact to which it did relate was beyond all controversie true Why this Christian Rite is of the like signification and use to us as the Paschal Solemnity was to them Though to unbelievers and Hereticks it may seem a thing of a very mean Nature yet considering the reason of its institution and designation it serveth very much to comfort the Hearts and to strengthen the Faith of such as look into it well For it is the memorial of our spiritual deliverance by that Holy Lamb of God which took away the Sins of the World and because we are commanded by him who is the way the truth and the Life to Celebrate this memorial to that End and under that Notion we may be assured that the thing whereof it is a memorial was most certainly True we are hereby certified that Christ our Passeover was Sacrificed for our sins indeed and so our Faith is Confirmed by this Mystery that with Christ there is Plenteous Redemption for us all if we will but quit our bondage and accept of that deliverance which he hath purchased for us by the effusion of his most sacred blood Our Souls being thus establisht by a well grounded Faith another invaluable blessing accrues unto us still For hereby we are closely and if we our selves do not dissolve the band inseparably United to the Lover and Redeemer of our Souls the same Holy Spirit which strengthens our Faith making us also partakers of Christs Nature so that we dwell in him and he in us we are one with him and he with us Exhortat before the Communion as our Church teacheth I confess this is an abstruce speculation and that which many Divines have laboured hard to open to our understanding though all of them have not laboured with equal success Some call it a personal and Mystical Union that is between Christ and every true Believer and in some sense they call it rightly so for this personal Union as some fanciful Men talk of it is such a Mystical business indeed that it is an unaccountable and unintelligible Notion Others calls it and with more Reason and clearness a Moral and political Union and I wish that some in this Age were not so peevish as to be angry at every word that comes not out of their own Mint nor clinks according to their own fancy but would be so charitable and Candid as to give one another grains of allowance considering the unavoidable weaknesses of our Nature for many times 't is hard for us to Conceive of things rightly and sometimes 't is much harder for us to express and utter our Conceptions Now for the due understanding of this matter I conceive that there is a four-fold Union which relateth most to our present business 1. Such an Union as is between the Foundation of a Fabrick and the superstructure which are made one House by being fastned together with the same pins and Cement 2. Such as is between Husband and Wife who become one Flesh by being knit together by the same consent and Love 3. Such as is between a King and his Subjects who become one Society by being linked together by the same Laws 4. Such as is between a root and the boughs which become one Tree by being nourisht with the same moisture and between the head and the Members which are made one Body by being animated with the same Soul Now our Union unto Christ beareth a Resemblance and similitude with all these though it be above them all and it increaseth in degrees according as we grow more and more perfect Then are we one with Christ when we heartily believe his Doctrines when we love him and set our affections upon him when we submit to his Government and obey his Laws when we put our selves out of our own power and resign up our selves to his command and when our own wills are entirely Subject and Conformable to his This is that Moral Union whereby we are fastned to him as to the Foundation and corner Stone of his Church whereby we are Joyned to him as to the Foundation and corner Stone of his Church whereby we are Joyned to him as to the Bridegroom of our souls and whereby we are Related to him as to our Sovereign Head and Lord. Upon no other Terms but these will he own us to be his and when men talk after that wilde and Iewd rate as if Christ were all theirs though they be of an Unchristian Temper and live in open Disobedience to the Laws of Christianity 't is the same thing as if they should say that such may be the Sons of God as are not led by the Spirit of God which is contrary to what S. Paul teacheth us Rom. 8. 14. But yet there seems to be besides this Moral Union a Closer Band between Christ and his Church and that which is the efficient Cause of our abundant Love and Obedience to him and this I call as some of the Ancients did an Union of Nature For as our Humane Nature dwelleth in Christ by means of that Hypostatical Union of our Flesh in his Person so doth Christs Divine Nature dwell in Us by means of a Mystical Union of his Spirit with our Souls The same Spirit which is in him is Communicated to Us also and by Virtue of that Communication we are transformed into his Image his Nature is Graffed in Ours so that we are of a New Constitution and mould and every Lively Member of his Church by Participating of his Spirit is of the same mind with him of the same Temper frame and Disposition that is Holy Humble Heavenly-minded Just Pure Good Charitable Compassionate Kinde and Obedient as he himself was To do men of Learning right they who dispute about Christs being a Political Head do not at all Deny but plainly Own his being an Influential Head too Nor can any thing be more clear then that we derive Influences from him as every member Dr. Sherlocks defence of his Book against Owen pag. 505. in ones Body deriveth Influences from the Head so that we are animated with the Life of Christ there is as it were one and the same Soul in Him and in his Church for he that is joyned unto the Lord is One Spirit 1. Cor. 6. 17. I am the S. Aug. in loc Vine thy are the Branches saith our Saviour Jo. 15. 5. The Vine and the Branches are of One and the same Nature the same Vital Humour which is in the Root is Transmited and Communicated to every living Twig and for that reason did our Saviour use that Similitude to shew that as