N00254:267
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.
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▪
6. Eating and Drinking are also Sacramental Actions to be attended at the Lords Table. Eating of that bread, signifieth our feeding upon a crucified Christ, by Faith, Joh. 6. 54. Whose eateth my flesh hath eternal life. Those words of ⟨p. 125⟩Christ were spoken before the Lords Supper was Instituted, and therefore must not be restrained unto Sacramental eating. A man may feed upon Christ Sacramentally, and yet not have eternal life; but if when he feeds upon Christ Sacramentally, he doth at the same time feed upon him spiritually by Faith, he hath eternal life. And not only eating of the bread but drinking of the cup is a Sacramental action.