N00254:260
Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness
Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness: wherein several important duties, are urged, and the evil of divers common sins, is evinced; delivered in sundry sermons. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Ten lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Samuel Green upon assignment of Samuel Sewall, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. Bread and Wine are the outward Elements which by the sacred appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ are to be made use of, in that holy institution of his; as is expressly declared in this Context. So in the Gospel we read how Christ blessed Bread, &c. Mat. 26. 26. And the Cup, ver. 27, 28. this […] h. e. the wine […] cup. That it was Wine and nothing else which that sacred cup contained, is evident form verse 29. where it was called the fruit of the Vine. Now as for the Bread, which the Lord Christ, hath ⟨p. 120⟩charged his Disciples to seed upon in this Ordinance, thereby his Body is signified, so did the Lord himself declare at the time when he commanded this service to be religiously attended. This is my Body h. e. it is so Sacramentally. It is necessary that we should know and believe, that the words are figurative and not to be taken in a proper sense; as if the Bread were Christs real Body, or as if Bread were real Flesh, which is impossible. Figures are frequently used in Sacramental phrases in the Scripture; the sign being called by the Name of the thing signified thereby. It is said of Circumcision this is my Covenant, h.e. a sign thereof, Gen. 17.10. And the Lamb is called the Lords Passover, exod. 12 10. And the Apostle speaking of that rock whose waters followed the Children of Israel, saith, that r••k was Christ; meaning that Christ was thereby signified, 1 Cor. 10. 4. so is the Bread in the Sacrament called the Body of Christ, because that is signified hereby. As for the Wine. which the Lord Christ hath charged his Disciples to drink of in remembrance of him, his blood is signified thereby. And there is, it many respects an apt resemblance between the sign and the thing signified; more especially as to the Wine made in the Land of Canaan, which is called the blood of the Grape. Deut. 32. 14. because of its red colour, resembling blood.
1. Bread and Wine are the outward Elements which by the sacred appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ are to be made use of, in that holy institution of his; as is expresly declared in this Context. So in the Gospel we read how Christ blessed Bread, &c.