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tainly broken and offered for me on the cross, and his blood shed for me, as I perceive the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that my soul is fed to everlasting life with his body, which was crucified for us, and with his blood, which was shed for us, in the same manner as I receive bodily the bread and wine, which are the signs of the Lord's body and blood, from the hands of the minister.

76. Q. What is it to eat the crucified body of Christ, and to drink his blood which was shed?

A. It is not only to embrace by an assured confidence the whole passion and death of Christ, and thereby to obtain forgiveness of sins and everlasting life; but also by the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth

we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Cor. xii. 13.

• And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John vi. 35, 40, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54

at the same time both in Christ and in us, to be united still more to his sanctified body, so that though he be in heaven,b and we on earth, yet nevertheless are we flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones; and as all the members of the body are quickened and guided by one soul, so are we also quickened and guided by one and the same spirit.d

• For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. John vi. 55-57.

b If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Col. iii. 1. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Acts iii. 21. It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God. Rom. viii, 34. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God. 1 Pet. iii. 22, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of God standing on the right hand of God. Acts vii. 56.

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Eph. v. 30. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Eph. iii. 16. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? 1 Cor. vi. 15. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John iii. 24. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. John iv. 13.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. John vi. 57. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may

77. Q. Where has Christ promised, that he will as certainly give to those who believe on him, his body and blood so to be eaten and drank, as they eat this broken bread and drink this cup?

A. In the institution of his supper, the words whereof are these: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also he took the cup, when he had supped, and said, This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do, as often as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shew the Lord's death till he come." This promise is repeated by St. Paul,

bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John xv. 1-6. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Eph. iv. 15, 16.

• 1 Cor. xi. 23-25. Matt. xxvi, 26-28. Mark xiv. 22-24 Luke xxii. 19, 20.

when he says," "This cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

78. Q. Does, then, the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ, in this sacrament?

A. No, verily. But as the water of baptism is not converted into the blood of Christ, but is only a sign and pledge of those things that are sealed unto us in baptism; so neither is the bread of the Lord's supper the very body of Christ; although, according to the manner of sacraments, and that form of speaking of them, which is usual to the

f 1 Cor. x. 16, 17.

For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. xi. 26. Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Rom, vi. 9, 10. Heb. ix. 25, 26; x. 10-12.

That he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word. Eph. v. 26. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. Gen. xvii. 13. Col, ii. 11, 12.

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink_this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. x. 16; xi. 26.

Holy Ghost, the bread is called the body of Christ.

79. Q. Why, then, does Christ call the bread his body, and the cup his blood, or the new testament in his blood; and St. Paul also the bread and wine, the communion of the body and blood of Christ?

A. Christ uses this expression for a sufficient reason: to wit, not only to teach us, that as the bread and wine sustain the life of the body, so also his crucified body and blood, shed, are indeed the meat and drink of our soul, whereby it is nourished to eternal life ;k but much more, that by this visible sign and pledge he may assure us that we are as verily partakers of his body and blood, through the working of the Holy Ghost, as we are of the outward elements of the bread and wine, which we

And it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. Gen, xvii. 11. And ye shall eat it in haste, it is the Lord's passover. Exod. xii. 11. And it shall be for a sign unto thee. Exod. xiii. 9. The washing of regeneration. Tit. iii. 5. And they did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ. 1 Cor. x. 4. The like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. iii. 21. And they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat. 1 Cor. x. 2, 3. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Cor. xii. 13.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. John vi. 55.

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