of the merits of the grand atonement, in which only, after our performing the conditions, our remission stands. CHAPTER X. Of the Sanctifying Grace of the Holy Spirit conferred in the EUCHARIST. THE Greek xápis, the Latin gratia, the English grace, is a word of some latitude, admitting of various acceptations: I need not mention all, but such only as are most for our present purpose. Grace, in the general, signifies favour, mercy, indulgence, bounty: in particular, it signifies a gift, and more especially a spiritual gift, and in a sense yet more restrained, the gift of sanctification, or of such spiritual aids as may enable a man both to will and to do according to what God has commanded. The last which I have named appears to be the most prevailing acceptation of the word grace at this day, derived from ancient usage, and common consent, which gives the law to forms of speech, and to the interpretation thereof. The use of the word in the New Testament is various, sometimes larger, sometimes stricter, often doubtful which. I will not be positive, as to several texts where the word grace occurs, and seemingly in the strict sense, that they must necessarily be taken according to such precise meaning, and can bear no larger, or no other construction: as where the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ' is spoken of b; or where grace, mercy, and peace are implored; or grace and peaced; or where the grace of God is mentioned e. In several texts of that sort, the word grace b Rom. xvi. 20, 24. 1 Cor. xvi. 23. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Gal. vi. 18. Phil. iv. 23. I Thess. v. 28. Philem. 25. 2 Thess. iii. 18. Revel. xxii. 21. c1 Tim. i. 2. Tit. i. 4. 2 John 3. 2 Tim. i. 2. d I Pet. i. 2. 2 Pet. i. 2. Revel. i. 4. • Acts xiii. 43; xiv. 26; xv. 40; XX. 24. 1 Cor. i. 4; iii. 10; xv. 10. 2 Cor. i. 12; vi. I. Ephes. iii. 7. Tit. ii. 11. I Pet. iv. 10. : Grow in grace i.' 'The grace of .' 'My grace may be understood in the stricter sense, but may also admit of the larger in which, however, the grace of sanctification. must be included among others. The texts which seem to be most expressive of the limited sense, now in use, are such as these: Great grace was upon them all f.' God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia is sufficient for thee h' 'Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably j.' 'God giveth grace unto the humble k.' In these and the like places, the word grace, most probably, signifies what we now commonly mean by that name: or if any larger meaning be supposed, yet it is certainly inclusive of the other, signifying that and more It is not very material whether we understand the word grace, in the New Testament, in the comprehensive or restrained sense, since it would be disputing only about words or names. The sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit of God upon the minds of men may be abundantly proved from the New Testament: and so it is of less moment to inquire what names they go under, while we are certain of the things. The phrase of grace,' or 'sanctifying grace,' is sufficiently warranted by its ancient standing in the Church, so that I need not dwell longer upon it, but may proceed directly to shew, that what we commonly call the grace of sanctification is conferred in the Eucharist. 1. I argue, first, from the participation of Christ's death, with its fruits, in the Eucharist, according to the doctrine of St. Paul, 1 Cor. x. 16, insinuated also in the words of the institution, as explained at large in a chapter above. They who so partake of Christ, do of course partake of the Spirit of Christ it cannot be otherwise upon Christian principles Acts iv. 33; compare verse 31. 2 Cor. viii. I. h2 Cor. xii. 9. 1 2 Pet. iii. 18. Heb. xii. 28. Jam. iv. 6. 1 Pet. v. 5. 1 See some account of the eccle siastical use of the word grace, in Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull, p. 519, &c. Vossius, Histor. Pelag. lib. iii. par. i. Thes. ii. Joh. Just. Von Einem. Select. Animadv. ad Job. Clerici Scripta, p. 761, &c. Magdeb. 1735. See note taught in the New Testament. If any man is Christ's, he has the Spirit of God dwelling in him m. And this Spirit is the source and fountain of righteousness and true holiness n. And no one can be made an acceptable offering unto God, but he who is first sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 2. The same thing will be proved, by undeniable consequence, from our Lord's doctrine of the import of spiritual feeding laid down in John vi. For since it has been before shewn, that they who do receive worthily do spiritually feed upon Christ, and are thereby made partakers of all the privileges thereto belonging, it plainly follows that they must have Christ dwelling in them P; and if Christ, they have the Spirit also of Christ, who is inseparable from him. Therefore the sanctification of the Spirit is conveyed in the Eucharist, along with the other spiritual blessings, which suppose and imply it, and cannot be understood without it, upon Scripture principles. 3. A further argument may be drawn from the known 7 analogy there is between the two Sacraments, taken together with those several texts which speak directly of the sanctification of the Spirit conferred in Baptism 9; or an argument may be drawn a fortiori, in this manner: if the putting on Christ (which is done in Baptism) carries with it a conveyance of the Holy Spirit; much more does the eating or drinking Christ, which is done in the Eucharist. 4. But to argue yet more directly, (though indirect arguments, where the connection is clear and certain, as in this case, are not the less conclusive,) we may next draw a proof of the same doctrine from the express words of St. Paul, where he says, 'By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body-and have been all made to drink into one Spirit г.' That is to say, by one and the same Spirit before spoken of3, we Christians (as many of us as are so more than in name) are in Baptism made one mystical body of Christ, and have been all made to drink of the sacramental cup in the Eucharist; whereby the same Spirit hath again united us, yet more perfectly, to Christ our head, in the same mystical body. Such appears to be the natural and obvious sense of the place which accordingly has been so understood by judicious interpreters, ancient t and modern". I shall not dissemble it, that several ancient interpreters, as well as some moderns, have understood the whole text of Baptism only; interpreting the former part of the outward washing, and the latter part of the Spirit accompanying it. But, it seems, they did not well consider, that the concurrence of the Spirit in Baptism had been sufficiently insinuated before in the former part of the verse; By one Spirit are we all baptized,' &c. And therefore to interpret Spirit again of the same Sacrament, appears to border too nearly upon tautology: neither did they sufficiently reflect, how harsh a figure that of drinking is, if applied to Baptism; when putting on the Spirit (as is elsewhere said of Christ, with respect to that Sacrament w) might have been much more proper. They may seem also to have forgot, or not to have considered, how suitable and pertinent it was to the Apostle's argument, to refer to both Sacraments in that place, as I shall now make appear. It might be highly proper, and much to the purpose, when the Apostle was mentioning Baptism, as one bond of mystical union, to take notice also of the Eucharist, as another; which it certainly was, according to his own doctrine in the same Epistle . Indeed, it might be thought. t Chrysostom. in loc. tom. v. p. 324. ed. Paris. Damascen. in loc. Calvin, Beza, Peter Martyr, Gerhard, Grotius, Gataker, Hammond, Locke, Wells. Vitringa, Observ. Sacr. lib. v. cap. 7. PP. 109, 114. Pelagius, under the name of Jerome; and Hilary the deacon, under the name of Ambrose: as likewise Theophylact in loc., and perhaps more. w Gal. iii. 27. He a kind of omission, and in some measure diminishing the force of his argument in this place, had he referred but to one Sacrament, when there was just occasion, or the like occasion, for referring to both. His design was to set forth the inviolable union of Christians, and to represent the several ties by which they were bound together. He knew that the Eucharist was a strong cement of that mystical union, as well as the other Sacrament; for he had himself declared as much, by saying elsewhere, We being many are one body, being all partakers of that one bread.' It was therefore very natural here again to take notice of the Eucharist, when he was enumerating the bonds of union, and amongst them particularly the Sacrament of Baptism, which would obviously lead to the mentioning this other Sacrament. Accordingly, he has briefly and elegantly made mention of this other, in the words 'made to drink into one Spirit.' Where made to drink, but in the Eucharist? had formerly signified the mystical union under the emblem of one loaf: and now he chooses to signify the same again under the emblem of one cup, (an emblem, wherein Ignatius, within fifty years after, seems to have followed him ",) both belonging to one and the same Eucharist, both referring to one and the same mystical head. Dr. Claget well argues against the Romanists from this text, as follows: 'St. Paul thought the observation of the two institutions of our Saviour (viz. Baptism and the Communion of the holy table) was a sufficient proof that believers were one body: and we have reason to believe, that if he had known there were other Sacraments-he would not have omitted the mention of them here, where he proves the unity of the Church by Baptism and communion of the body and blood of Christ. It is something to our purpose, that St. Paul owns no more than these, where he industriously proves that Christians are one body by these 2 If this reasoning be just, as it * Ἓν ποτήριον εἰς ἕνωσιν τοῦ cap. 4. αἵματος αὐτοῦ. Ignat. ad Philadelph. 2 Claget, vol. i. Serm. x. p. 263. |