frequently say as much concerning the sanctifying of the Water in Baptism by the holy Spirit and yet it remains Water still though it serve to the mystical washing away of sin So do the bread and wine remain bread and wine after the sanctifying of them and their becoming the body and blood of Christ to us They are both bread and wine in their substance and the body and blood of Christ the Spiritual use to which they are appointed To that use when once they are consecrated we have no regard at all to the substance of bread and wine but only to the body and blood of Christ which by doing this are communicated to our souls in the remission of sin the sanctification of the Spirit and eternal life To conclude what Gregory Nyssen saith concerning Baptism * Tom. 2. in Bapt. Christi p. 802. Do not contemn the divine washing nor undervalue it as a common thing because of the Vse of the Water for that which it works is great and there are wonderful effects of it we may say concerning the Supper of the Lord Bread and Wine are but small things but in this holy use of them they are great and produce admirable effects Nay he himself immediately mentions this very thing among others for an example of the great benefit that may be received from common matters when they are applied to a divine use This Altar saith he at which we stand is in its Nature but ordinary stone nothing different from those you tread upon but being dedicated to God â—ervice it is an holy Table c. And this bread also is in the beginning but common bread but when the mystery hath offered it then it is called and it is the body of Christ So the mystical oyl and so the Wine which are little worth before the blessing after the sanctification of the Spirit have another kind of operation And thus a Priest who the other day was a vulgar person being separated by blessing becomes a guide a Governour a teacher of piety c. And these things he doth without any change at all in his body or form By these examples any man may see that he thought the bread and wine in the Sacrament become the body and blood of Christ with no more change in their substance than there is in the water with which we baptize or in the Priest who ministers there or at the Eucharist But that they are called the body and blood of Christ in regard of the Use to which they are sanctified and are his body and blood in regard of the wonderful effects which are communicated to the faithful in the use of them viz. remission of sin and all other benefits of his passion Now what greater favour can we desire at Gods hands than to be admitted to such fellowship with him and with his son Jesus Christ what is there of equal power with this to possess our hearts with the love of God was there ever any so treated by him as we are did the friends of God in ancient time receive such pledges of his grace and favour were they ever made thus one with him and joyned to him by pertaking of his Sons body and blood who would not give up himself soul and body eternally to him that thinks of these things who can think he makes a dear purchase if he give his life in exchange for such invaluable blessings we should go to the Table of the Lord and say How excellent is thy loving kindness O God! How pretious are thy thoughts towards us how great is the sum of them who would not fear thee who would not love thee and glorifie thy name For thou hast given us exceeding great and pretious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 that by them we might be pertakers of a divine Nature Thou hast sealed them with the blood of thy Son and hast made a new Covenant with us in that blood Heb. 10.16 17. to put thy laws in our hearts and write them in our minds and our sins and iniquities to remember no more Thou hast made him an high Priest for ever to make intercession for us and given him power and glory at thy right hand 1 Thess 5.24 that he may be able to perform all his promises Faithful is he that calleth us who also will do it For ever O Lord thy word is setled in Heaven Psal 119.89 90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations But thou hast given likewise farther assurances of thy merâ—y and thy Truth by entertaining us at thy Table and making us pertake of that body and blood which was offered for our sins Enough Enough O most merciful Father We see the love thou bearest to us We cannot desire greater tokens and testimonies of it than these thou hast given us 2 Cor. 1.20 All thy promises in Christ we believe are Amen certain faithful and true We know and are sure 1 John 2.1 2. that we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins I will never doubt any more of thy good will towards us for I taste and feel that the Lord is gracious Psal 111.4 5 9. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion he will ever be mindful of his Covenant He hath sent redemption unto his people he hath commanded his covenant for ever Holy and reverend is his Name Psal 103.17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him To such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandments to do them I wait therefore for thee O Lord Ps 130.5 my soul doth wait and in thy word do I hope Mine eyes shall be ever towards the Lord Jude 2. that Mercy and peace and love may be multiplied unto me that I may walk in the light as thou Lord art in the light for so shall we still have fellowship one with another 1 Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ thy son shall cleanse me from all sin Amen The natural consequence of what hath been said concerning the love of God towards us in sending his only begotten Son that we might live through him and he might be the propitiation for our sins is drawn to our hand by S. John 1 Epist 4.11 Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another This is so certain a fruit of an hearty sense of Gods merciful kindness to us that no man ought to think he loves him or hath any fellowship with him or with his son Jesus who doth not feel in himself an unfeigned affection and readiness to do good to all his Christian Brethren By this we know that we dwell in him and he in us which we pray for at the Lords Table because he hath given us of his spirit v. 13. That is indued us with his own kind and gracious Nature and disposition Of which that
we may not fail to be pertakers he hath ordained this Sacrament to be a bond of Vnion between all Christians who believe in one common Saviour and all pertake of his Sacrifice There is no doubt but this is one of the ends for which he invites us to this Feast that we may profess charity to all our Brethren and joyn our selves in a league of Friendship with them as well as with himself This was the intention of publick feasts in all Cities of the world Athenaeus mentions such among the Athenians Lacedaemonians and Cretians * L. 5. Deipnosoph cap. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose Law-givers had appointed common entertainments at which the Citizens met in one place that they might be more firmly linked together and not espouse any private interest Many other besides these he there remembers at which they thought it of great import that all should appear and present themselves For he immediately adds the saying of an ancient Poet who admonished them that Friends and companions should not long abstain from these Feasts because this was a most lovely Commemoration ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word used by our Saviour at the institution of this Feast of his They commemorated I suppose the common benefits that had been bestowed on them the famous Acts of their ancestors and the marvellous victorieâ— and deliverances which they had obtained whereby they were ingaged to love and unity without which they could never hope to remain so happy Such meetings besides those ordained by the Law there were among the Jewes that lived in the same neighbourhood who maintained society and friendship by eating of the same food in the evening of the Sabbath Which was as much as to say as Maimonides his words are * Mentioned by Dr. Lightfoot in 1 Cor. 10 we are mingled together or associated there is one food for us all no man intrenches on his neighbours property But as there is one equal right to us all in this common place so there is a several right to every one in the place which is peculiar and proper to himself Thus our Companies and Fraternities have their Common Halls and Feasts also which were appointed for nothing else but that they might the better maintain love and kindness among the Brethren of the society In like manner this Divine Feast of our Saviours institution was attended with that of charity in which the poor were entertained as Christian Brethren together with the rich for the continuing and promoting of friendship Unity and peace among them all Nay this Feast it self was designed without all question for this purpose as well as others that all those who met at the same Communion might be joyned together in the strictest bond of holy friendship by pertaking all of one bread and drinking of one Cup. So S. Paul teaches us 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all pertakers of that one bread As the bread was broken to commemorate the sufferings of Christ whose body was broken for our sins so it was broken also to be distributed among all the Communicants in token that they were but one body members of the same Christ and members one of another As it was a Feast their eating at the same Table declared their friendship and charity but their eating there of one and the same loaf which represented the body of Christ more effectually declared it and ingaged the holy Brotherhood to greater Unity and intireness of affection It is well observed by S. Chrysostom * Hâ—mil 18. in 2. Cor. p. 647. that it was not lawful for the people among the Jews to pertake of that part of the Sacrifice which was given to the Priests But they had their portion to themselves and the Sacrificer with his Friends another portion different from the Priests But now it is not so saith he one and the same body and one and the same cup is given to all To teach us that we are one body differing no more one from another than member doth from member in the same body And therefore we are not to throw all upon the Priests but every one is to take care of another and contrive as much as he is able the good of the whole Church I will only add the words of S. Cyprian * Epist ad Magnum p. 151. Edit Regal who saith the Lords Sacrifices declare the Christian Vnanimity knit together in a firm and inseparable charity For when our Lord called the bread which is kneaded together and made up by the union of many corns his body he denoted Christian people And when he calls the wine which is pressed out of many grapes and gathered together in one his blood he signifies also our flock coupled by the mingling together of an united multitude From whence it is manifest to all that will not shut their eyes that he took the bread to be Christs body not only as it represents Christ but all the faithful together with him Which appears more fully from the long discourse he makes in another place ‖ Epist ad Coecilium 63. p. 103. concerning the mixing of water together with wine in the Cup of the Lord as the custome then was Waters saith he in the holy Scripture signifie many people and Nations which we behold also contained in the Sacrament of the Cup. For since Christ bare us all who likewise bare our sins we see the people to be understood by water as the wine shews us the blood of Christ Now when the water in the Cup is mingled with the wine the people is made one with Christ and the multitude of believers is coupled and joyned together with him in whom they believe Which conjunction of water and wine is so mingled in the Cup of the Lord that they cannot be separated one from the other c. So that in Sacrificing the Cup of the Lord the water alone cannot be offered * He is disputing against those who used only water in this Sacrament no more than the wine alone For if one offer wine alone it begins to be the blood of Christ without the people if water alone it begins to be the people without Christ But when both are mingled and joyned together by such an union that they cannot be known one from the other then the spiritual and heavenly Sacrament is perfected It is just so likewise in the other part the body of the Lord cannot be meal alone or water alone but both must be made one and coupled together and make up one solid loaf By which Sacrament also our people is shewn to be made one That as many corns being gathered together in one and kneaded and mixed together make one loaf so in Christ who is the bread from Heaven we may know there is one body to which our number is joyned and united From which words we may
clearly discern that I may touch on this by the way that he did not believe the Wine in this Sacrament was turned in substance into the blood of Christ but only in representation and use For it begun to be his blood when it was offered to God just as the water begun to be the people and flock of Christ He uses the same words of both And therefore if we say he thought the wine was changed from its own nature into the very substance of Christs blood we may as well say he believed the water to be changed from being water and to be made the very substance of his Church or people In the like manner we may discourse concerning the bread which in his opinion is so made Christs body that it is also the body of the Church For that is represented he saith together with Christ by the flour and water made into one Bread But not to trouble our selves any further with disputes let us therefore when we pertake of the Table of the Lord think that as thereby we are made one with Christ so we are joyned in the closest Union one with another And let us remember when we are making our selves ready for this heavenly Feast that as we are going to commemorate the dearest love of our Lord and to profess our love to him so to engage our selves to the heartiest love towards all the members of the same body to enter into a Covenant one with another as well as with him by eating of the same bread and drinking of the same Cup that we will never fall out any more much less hate maligne or do despite and injuries one to another but live for ever in the peace of God in unity and godly love O that this holy use of this Sacrament were more seriously regarded and laid to heart It would make a marvellous change in the face of Christs Church if all that pertake of his Table did cordially embrace as loving friends and resolve to remain in an inseparable affection For Love or Brotherly charity is the fulfilling of the Law and would certainly secure all thoses duties which we owe to our Neighbour as S. Paul shews Rom. 13.8 9 10. If our hearts were filled with it we should not only be preserved from doing of him harm but it would make us do him good By giving and communicating to his necessities * Which is joyned with breakinâ— br◠〈…〉 us â—ship and by forgiving him and passing by his injuries trespasses and offences under which two heads are comprehended all the offices of brotherly charity We have our Saviours word for it that if this heavenly vertue were but planted in our breasts all other Christian vertues would presently shine in us and adorn our souls For he compares this loving and kind disposition free from all base selfishness and covetous desires which look only at their own particular profit to the eye in our head which when it is clear and pure the whole body is full of light Matth. 6.22 And therefore the oftner we come to the Lords Table with this end among other in our aim the better Christians we shall grow We shall preserve this light that is in us from growing dim and renewing our friendship at this feast to which the Lord invites both high and low rich and poor we shall neither despise nor envy nor bear ill will nor be hard hearted one to another any more Nay our light will so shine before men that they seeing our good works will glorify our Father which is in Heaven It is a maxim I observe among Politicians that a great person or Governor should Feast or entertain but seldom upon some special occasions because it is uncertain whether he shall procure by it favour or envy Some may think themselves neglected and others think themselves disparaged who are not able to give the same entertainment But our Lord upon the quite contrary reasons invites us frequently to his house and Table because he invites all and makes no difference upon account of mens outward estates and expects nothing at all again but that all his Guests would love one another with a sincere heart and unfeigned affection The great he would ingage not to scorn the meaner sort and the meaner sort not to envy the great He would oblige the rich to be merciful and liberal and the poor to be thankful and contented The weak in knowledge not to judg the strong and the strong not to despise the weak but all to live together as loving Brethren and members of the same body That so they may have the same care one for another And whether one member suffer all the members may suffer with it or one member rejoyce all the rest may rejoyce with it And whatsoever differences may arise he conjures them by all that is sacred and dear to them that they fall not out nor make any quarrels much less divide and separate themselves one from another or do any thing that may spoil the harmony and consent of their affections together with the comfort of their lives and the beauty of his Church O how good Psal 133.1 4. how pleasant it is should every one say when he is at this feast for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Heaven and Earth are pleased with this happy agreement and sweet accord Here the Lord commandeth a blessing even life for evermore Never will I make any jars in this heavenly consort Nothing but love nothing but Love shall possess that heart in which thou O Lord of love art pleased to inhabit I willingly enter into these holy bonds of friendship and peace I ty my self here inseparably to all my Brethren I embrace them all in every place with an open and inlarged heart I will ever endeavour to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and will love not in word nor tongue but in deed and in truth And O that we could see that holy Spirit which gathered so many Nations and tongues and people of sundry sorts into one body of the Church descending once more to joyn together all Christian hearts Come holy Ghost and draw us all to unity concord and peace That as there is one Lord and one spirit and one Baptism Ephes 4.3.4 5. Act. 4.32 and one hope of our calling so the multitude of believers may be of one heart and of one soul O blessed Jesus who when thou ascendedst up on high gavest gifts to men yea to the rebellious also renew thy ancient bounty to thine Universal Church Visit our minds and inspire us with heavenly grace that we may be like minded Phil. 2.2 having the same love being of one accord and one mind That so at last there may be but one voice also that we may all speak the same thing 1 Cor. 1.20 and that there be no divisions among us but that we be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in