The other seal is that of the Lords Supper; here Bread and Wine stand before our senses; and Christ with his Body and Blood stands before our Faith, as if he were crucified ⟨p. 210⟩among us. The Seventh General Council at Constantinople, who beat down all other Images, saith of this Sacrament, That it is Vera Christi Imago, the true Crucifix or Image of Christ; nay, it is more than a mere Image, it is a seal to confirm and exhibit Christ with his benefits unto us. 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? 1 Cor. 10.16. Upon these words Theophylact observes, That the Apostle did not say, [Greek or Hebrew], a participation; but [Greek or Hebrew], a communion, that he might declare something more excellent, namely, a very high union. In this Ordinance we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ; we dwell in him and he in us; a very intimate union there is between him and us; only it must be remembered, that union is not sealed to all, but to Believers: Faith is requisite, that we may partake not merely of the outward elements, •ut of Christ himself. This appears in 1 Cor. 11. in these words, Take, eat, this is my body; Drink, this is the New Testament in my blood, verse 24, 25. There is an express command to feed on the elements; and an implied one, to feed on Christ; all Receivers can do the first, but only Believers can ⟨p. 211⟩do the second: what we do in this Ordinance, we are to do in remembrance of Christ, verse 24, 25. Not only in an historical remembrance which is common to all Receivers; but in a fiducial one, which is proper to Believers. The unworthy Receiver doth not discern the Lords body, verse 29. but Believers have a spiritual eye for it; to them Christ is communicated. Others have the elements only, panem Domini, non panem Dominum; the bread of the Lord, not the Bread the Lord. Were I for Transubstantiation at all, I should think it reasonable to be of their mind, who, as Bellarmine relates, held,1 that only that part of the Bread, which the pious receive, was turned into the Body of Christ: It is to me without doubt, that impious men do not receive it or feed upon it. Our Saviour saith, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, Joh. 6.54. Hence that of St.
The other seal is that of the Lords Supper; here Bread and Wine stand before our senses; and Christ with his Body and Blood stands before our Faith, as if he were crucified ⟨p. 210⟩among us. The Seventh General Council at Constantinople, who beat down all other Images, saith of this Sacrament, That it is Vera Christi Imago, the true Crucifix or Image of Christ; nay, it is more than a meer Image, it is a seal to confirm and exhibit Christ with his benefits unto us. 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? 1 Cor. 10.16. Upon these words Theophylact observes, That the Apostle did not say, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a participation; but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a communion, that he might declare something more excellent, namely, a very high union. In this Ordinance we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ; we dwell in him and he in us; a very intimate union there is between him and us; only it must be remembred, that union is not sealed to all, but to Believers: Faith is requisite, that we may partake not meerly of the outward elements, •ut of Christ himself. This appears in 1 Cor. 11. in these words, Take, eat, this is my body; Drink, this is the New Testament in my blood, verse 24, 25. There is an express command to feed on the elements; and an implied one, to feed on Christ; all Receivers can do the first, but only Believers can ⟨p. 211⟩do the second: what we do in this Ordinance, we are to do in remembrance of Christ, verse 24, 25. Not only in an historical remembrance which is common to all Receivers; but in a fiducial one, which is proper to Believers. The unworthy Receiver doth not discern the Lords body, verse 29. but Believers have a spiritual eye for it; to them Christ is communicated. Others have the elements only, panem Domini, non panem Dominum; the bread of the Lord, not the Bread the Lord. Were I for Transubstantiation at all, I should think it reasonable to be of their mind, who, as Bellarmine relates, held,1 that only that part of the Bread, which the pious receive, was turned into the Body of Christ: It is to me without doubt, that impious men do not receive it or feed upon it. Our Saviour saith, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life,
- 1De Euch. lib. 3: c. 11.
