AND EATEN IN THE SUPPER ONLY IN A HEAVENLY AND SPIRITUAL MANNER; AND THE MEAN WHEREBY THE BODY OF CHRIST IS RECEIVED AND EATEN IN THE SUPPER, IS FAITH.

This part of the article is evidently the consequence of what has been already proved. Since the body of Christ is not actually present in the eucharist, we can only eat it spiritually. Those that come duly prepared to this holy sacrament, and receive it rightly and worthily, are spiritually partakers of his body and blood; "they become one with Christ, and Christ with them;' and they really and truly partake of the benefits of his passion, as living members of his body; as he is the bread of life, they are then nourished, strengthened, and supported by him; they receive him by faith; by faith they feed upon him; and the divine life, which is thus begun in their souls, is in a spiritual manner upheld and carried on in them: "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day; for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed (q)." Thus, instead of maintaining the groundless doctrine of the corporal presence of the body and blood, of the flesh and bones of Christ, which is contradicted by our

(q) John, c. 6. v. 54 and 55.

senses,

senses, is equally irreconcileable with reason and Scripture, and was unknown in the Christian church for the first seven centuries, we own a real spiritual presence of Him, who is "the way, the truth, and the life (r)," and profess our belief, that while we worthily partake of the appointed emblems of his body and blood, an inward grace is communicated, which purifies our hearts, fortifies our minds against the temptations of the world, and animates our efforts "in pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (s)."

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER WAS NOT BY CHRIST'S ORDINANCE RESERVED, CARRIED ABOUT, LIFTED UP, AND WORSHIPPED.

This last part of the article refers also to the Papists, among whom it is the custom to reserve part of the consecrated bread, for the purpose of giving it to the sick, or other absent persons, at some future time; they also carry about the host, when consecrated, in solemn procession, elevate it with superstitious ceremony, and worship it in the same manner as they would worship Christ himself. None of these practices are warranted by Christ's ordinance, or any authority of Scripture; they are utterly inconsistent with

(r) John, c. 14. v. 6.

(s) Phil. c. 3. v. 14.

with the simplicity and spiritual

nature of Christian Sacraments; they were unknown in the primitive ages of the Gospel, and have evidently originated from the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation.

ARTICLE THE TWENTY-NINTH.

Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the Use of the Lord's Supper.

THE WICKED, AND SUCH AS BE VOID OF A LIVELY FAITH, ALTHOUGH THEY DO CARNALLY AND VISIBLY PRESS WITH THEIR

TEETH, (AS ST. AUGUSTINE SAITH,) THE

SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST; YET IN NO WISE ARE THEY PARTAKERS OF CHRIST, BUT RATHER TO THEIR CONDEMNATION DO EAT AND DRINK THE SIGN OR SACRAMENT OF SO GREAT A THING.

THIS article is connected with the preceding, and follows from it; it was probably directed against the Papists, who contend, that the mere receiving of the Lord's Supper procures remission of sins ex opere operato, as it were mechanically, whatever may be the character and disposition of the communicant. And indeed, if with the church of Rome we believed the actual presence of Christ's body in the eucharist, then all persons, good and bad, who received the Sacrament, would equally receive the body of Christ. But we have shewn, in the preceding article, that

he

[PART III. he is present only in a spiritual manner, and that "the mean, whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten, is faith :" consequently, they who have not faith, do not receive Christ, that is, THE WICKED AND SUCH AS BE VOID Of a LIVELY FAITH, ALTHOUGH THEY DO CARNALLY AND VISIBLY PRESS WITH THEIR

TEETH (AS ST. AUGUSTINE SAITH) THE Sa

CRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, YET IN NO WISE ARE THEY PARTAKERS OF

CHRIST. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a fœderal act, and if men neglect to perform the conditions required of them by due preparation and suitable disposition of mind, they will derive no benefit from eating and drinking the bread and wine, THEY WILL IN NO WISE BE PARTAKERS OF CHRIST, that is, they will have no share whatever in those blessings which Christ purchased by his death.

BUT RATHER TO THEIR CONDEMNATION DO EAT AND DRINK THE SIGN OR SACRA

MENT OF SO GREAT A THING. The unworthy receiving of this holy Sacrament must necessarily be a sin; it is a mark of presumption and insincerity; it dishonours God, and profanes his institution; and St. Paul assures us that it will draw down punishment upon us, as has been noticed at the end of the twenty-fifth article;

but