3. " And blessed it." This is another Tyart of the consecration of the element, Christ blessed it ; he blesseth, audit shall be blessed, viz. he looked up to heaven for a benediction upon this ordinance newly founded.
4. " And brake it." The bread broken, and the wine poured out, was to signify to us the agony and ignoniinv of Christ's suf- ferings, — the rending of Christ's bodv on the cross, — and that effusion of blood which was distilled from his blessed sides.
5. " And gave it to them.'' Christ's giv- ing the bread, denotes Christ's giving of himself and all his benefits to us freely. Though Christ was sold, yet given ; Judas did sell Christ, but Christ gave himself to us.
6. " He gave it to them ;" viz. The disci- ples. This is children's bread; Christ doth not cast these pearls before swine. Whe- ther Judas was present at the supper, is controverted ; I rather incline to think he was not ; for ('Inist said to the disciples, " This is my blood, which is shed for you," Luke xxii. 20. Christ knew his blood was never shed effectually and intentionally for Judas. In eating the passover, Christ gave Judas a sop, which was a bit of unleavened bread dipt in a sauce made with bitter herbs ; Judas having received the soj), went immediately out, John xiii, 30. But, sup- pose Judas was there, though he received the elements, yet not the blessing.
7. " Take, eat." This expression, of eat- ing, denotes four things: \. The near mys- tical union between Christ and his saints. As the meat which is eaten incorporates with the body, and becomes one with it ; 80, by eating Christ's flesh, and drinking
his blood spiritually, we partake of his me- rits and graces, and are mystically " one with him," John xvii. 23., " I in them."— 2. " Take, cat.' Eating shews tlu; infinite de- light the believing soul hath in Christ. Eat- ing is grateful antl jdcasing to the palate :
licious. Nuf/us animcc suavior cibu.% Lac- TANTius. No such swcct feeding as on Christ crucified. This is " a feast of fat things, and wines on the lees well refined." — 3. " Take, eat." Eating denotes nour- ishment." Meat, as it is delicious to the palate, so it is nourishing to the body : so eating Christ's fiesh and drinking liis blood, is nutritive to the soul. The new creature is nourished at the table of the Lord to everlasting life, John vi. 51., " Whoso eat- eth my flesh, and drlnUeth my blood, hath eternal life." — 1. " Take, eat," shows the wisdom of God, who restores us by the same means by which we fell. We fell by taking and eating the forbidden fruit, ajid we are recovered asjain by takinff and eatinir of Christ's flesh ; we died by eating the tree of knowledge, and we live by eating the tree of life.
8. " This is my body." These words, Hoc est corpus meum, have been much con- troverted between us and the j)apists. " This is my body :" that is, by a metonymy : it is a sign and figure of my body. The papists hold transubstantiation, that the bread is, after consecration, turned into the very sub- stance of Christ's body. We say, we receive Christ's body spiritually ; they say, they receive Christ's body carnally : which is contrary to scripture. The scripture af- firms, that the heavens must receive Christ's body " until the times of the restitution of all things," Acts iii. 21.: Christ's body can- not be at the same time in lieaven and in the host. Acpiinas saith, " It is not ])ossi- ble by any miracle, that a body should be locally in two places at once." Besides, it is absurd to in)a<>ine that the bread in the sacrament should be turned into Christ's flesh, and that his body which was hung before, should be made again of bread. So that, " This is my body," i.>J, as if Christ had said, " This is a sign and representa- tion of my body."
9. " And he took the cup." The cup \a
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put, by a metonymy of tlie subject for tlie jidjuiiet, for tlie wine in the cup. It signi- fies tlic blood of Christ shed for our sins. The taking of the cup denotes the redun- dancy of merit in Christ, and the fulness of our rc«l('mi)tion by him. He not only took the bread, but the cup.
10. " And when he had given thanks." Christ gave thanks that God had given these elements of bread and wine to be Bigns and seals of man's redemption by Christ. Christ's giving of thanks, shews bis philanthropy, or love to mankind, who did so rejoice and bless God, that lost man was lunv in a way of recovery, and that he should be raised higher in Christ than ever he was in innocency.