T Of the LORD's SUPPER. HE Lord's Supper is a Sacrament of the New Teftament, wherein by giving and receiving of Bread broken, and Wine poured out according to Christ's Inftitution, the breaking of Christ's Body, and the fhedding of his Blood, are fignified and reprefented; and all the Benefits of his Paffion are exhibited and fealed to us, on Condition that we keep the Covenant of Grace, which we folemnly engage to do by receiving the Sacramental Signs. THIS Sacrament was inftituted by our Saviour the fame Night in which he was betrayed, after he had eaten the Pafchal Supper with his Difciples. And from the Author of it, and the Time of its Inftitution, it is called the Lord's Supper. There are four things concerning this Sacrament neceffary to be confidered. 1. The Parts of it. II. The Ends of it. III. The Neceffity of receiving it. IV. The right Way of receiving it. THE Parts of the Lord's Supper are either Outward or Inward. THE THE Outward Parts of the Lord's Supper are two: 1. Bread and Wine. 2. The Sacramental Actions. THE firft Outward Part of this Sacrament is, Bread and Wine. Thefe Signs were ordained by Chrift himself to reprefent myftically his Paffion, and to convey unto us the Benefits thereof, Matth. xxvi. 26, 27, 28, 29. Luk. xxii. 19, 20. And thefe unbloody things are more proper than Sacrifices to keep Chrift's Death in remembrance, because there is no more Blood to be shed for the Expiation of Sin. And Bread and Wine being inftituted by Chrift to be Signs of his Body and Blood, are fo effential to the Sacrament, that without them there can be no Sacrament. And from hence these three things may be clearly inferred: I. That Bread and Wine are necessary to be re- II. That the Subftance of Bread and Wine in the III. That the Sacramental Wine, as well as Bread, I. That Bread and Wine are necessary to be retained in the Sacrament. The Efficacy of the Sacrament depends wholly on Chrift's Inftitution of it. And because Bread and Wine were ordained by Christ to represent his Paffion, and to convey unto us fpiritual Graces; therefore thefe alone ought to be used as Signs of the Sacrament. But if other things be introduced inftead thereof, the Sacrament is not celebrated, but deftroyed. For there can be no Sacrament, unlefs there be fome Union between the Signs fignifying, and the Graces fignified. And na Union can there be between any Signs of Humane Invention and the Divine Graces. And therefore if thofe Signs, T Of the LORD's SUPPER. HE Lord's Supper is a Sacrament of the New Testament, wherein by giving and receiving of Bread broken, and Wine poured out according to Chrift's Inftitution, the breaking of Chrift's Body, and the fhedding of his Blood, are fignified and reprefented; and all the Benefits of his Paffion are exhibited and fealed to us, on Condition that we keep the Covenant of Grace, which we folemnly engage to do by receiving the Sacramental Signs. THIS Sacrament was inftituted by our Saviour the fame Night in which he was betrayed, after he had eaten the Pafchal Supper with his Difciples. And from the Author of it, and the Time of its Inftitution, it is called the Lord's Supper. There are four things concerning this Sacrament neceffary to be confidered. 1. The Parts of it. III. The Neceffity of receiving it. THE Parts of the Lord's Supper are either Outward or Inward. THE THE Outward Parts of the Lord's Supper are two: 1. Bread and Wine. 2. The Sacramental Actions. THE firft Outward Part of this Sacrament is, Bread and Wine. Thefe Signs were ordained by Christ himself to reprefent myftically his Paffion, and to convey unto us the Benefits thereof, Matth. xxvi. 26, 27, 28, 29. Luk. xxii. 19, 20. And thefe unbloody things are more proper than Sacrifices to keep Chrift's Death in remembrance, because there is no more Blood to be fhed for the Expiation of Sin. And Bread and Wine being inftituted by Chrift to be Signs of his Body and Blood, are fo effential to the Sacrament, that without them there can be no Sacrament. And from hence these three things may be clearly inferred: I. That Bread and Wine are necessary to be re- II. That the Subftance of Bread and Wine in the III. That the Sacramental Wine, as well as Bread, I. That Bread and Wine are necessary to be retained in the Sacrament. The Efficacy of the Sacrament depends wholly on Chrift's Inftitution of it. And because Bread and Wine were ordained by Christ to represent his Paffion, and to convey unto us fpiritual Graces; therefore thefe alone ought to be used as Signs of the Sacrament. But if other things be introduced inftead thereof, the Sacrament is not celebrated, but deftroyed. For there can be no Sacrament, unlefs there be fome Union between the Signs fignifying, and the Graces fignified. And na Union can there be between any Signs of Humane Invention and the Divine Graces. And therefore if thofe Signs, which Chrift hath inftituted, be laid afide, and others used, there can be no Sacrament. BUT though Bread and Wine are neceffary to be retained, because they are effential to the Sacrament; yet there is no Neceffity to use unleavened Bread. For though our Saviour inftituted the Sacrament in fuch Bread; yet this is no lefs accidental to the Sacrament, than to celebrate the fame after Supper. For the Gospel determines not what Bread fhall be used. NEITHER is it neceffary to mingle Water with Wine by way of Myftery, to represent the Water which flowed out of Chrift's Side. For Chrift never ordained Water as a Part of this Sacrament. And the Church hath no Power to add any Mystery to the Sacrament, which hath no Warrant from Chrift's Inftitution. II. That the Subftance of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament ftill remains. Though there be a Change wrought in thefe Signs, by vertue of Chrift's Inftitution, yet this Change is wholly Sacramental in refpect of their Ufe and End. But they retain their proper Nature and Subftance, and are not converted into Chrift's Body and Blood. For the Scripture declares that there is true Bread and Wine in the Sacrament after Confecration, I Cor. xi. 26, 27, 28. Matth. xxvi. 29. And confequently thefe outward Signs are not really turned into Chrift's Body and Blood. NAY 'tis impoffible that the Bread fhould be fubftantially converted into Chrift's Body, and the Wine into his Blood. For if fuch a Converfion were wrought in the Sacrament, then Christ, who is already in Being, fhould be made afresh of another Substance. But 'tis a plain Contra diction |