N00254:266
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.
4. Giving, That Sacramental action is mentioned by the Evangelists, though it be not expressed by the Apostle in this Context. Christ gave the blessed bread, and the blessed cup to his Disciples. Thereby is signified, the Lords giving himself to and for his Church. So it is expressed and explained, Luk. 22. 19. He gave to them Saying, this is my body which is given for you, Also this giving declareth that God hath given ⟨p. 124⟩Christ to and for his people. In and by this Ordinance, the Lord speaketh unto the Believer after this manner; Thou feest bread provided for thee, even so have I provided a Saviour for thy Soul. Behold! I have sent Christ to thee, saith the Lord. Take my Son for thy Saviour. I give him freely to thee. Take Christ for thy own, and let thy Soul now take everlasting hold on him. Therefore,
5. Receiving, is another Sacramental Action. Christ said Take, this is my body. And this taking is implied in the Text, when it is said, this do, part of the meaning is, receive the Bread and receive the Cup, as Christ hath commanded, And thereby our receiving of Christ is signified: that we are to take him, for our Lord and Saviour; yea, and to be renewing our closure with him by Faith, that so our Souls may take yet stronger hold of him. At the moment when the hand taketh the bread, the heart should again receive Christ. And this Ordinance doth signify to the worthy receiver, that as surely as he doth take bread into his hand and mouth, so certainly doth he take Christ into his Soul, to become one with him▪
5. Receiving, is another Sacramental Action. Christ said Take, this is my body. And this taking is implied in the Text, when it is said, this do, part of the meaning is, receive the Bread and receive the Cup, as Christ hath commanded, And thereby our receiving of Christ is signified: that we are to take him, for our Lord and Saviour; yea, and to be renewing our closure with him by Faith, that so our Souls may take yet stronger hold of him. At the moment when the hand taketh the bread, the heart should again receive Christ. And this Ordinance doth signifie to the worthy receiver, that as surely as he doth take bread into his hand and mouth, so certainly doth he take Christ into his Soul, to become one with him