Minister.] ' Bread and wine, and no other, Luke xxii. 19, 20. And all communicants are to receive both of them, notwithstanding the bold and sacrilegious practice of the Papists, who give the people the bread, or wafer only, none but the priest receiving both the bread and the wine. And this without any sound reason, or scrip- ture warrant ; and they may as well corrupt, totally abolish, or add to any of the ordinances and institutions of Christ Jesus, as presume to do this.'
Christian.] What resemblance or congruity is there between bread and wine, the signs, and what is signified by them in the Lord's supper ?
Minister.] ' Bread is so necessary, that it is often put for all kind of food, and necessaries ; and the least morsel of it is completely bread. Thus Christ is food, and all necessaries to the soul ; and every worthy communicant receives a whole and complete Christ : And as corn is not bread, till it be bruised or ground ; so Jesus Christ had not been food for us, if he had not been bruised with wounds and sorrow. And as bread is the common food of all people, so is Jesu3 Christ of all real Christians. Again, as bread being a solid body, may properly denote the body of Christ ; so wine, being liquid, may represent his blood : And as wine is pressed from the grape, so the blood of Jesus was forced out by his agony, and the wounds of the cross.'
Christian.] May not the bread and wine at our common tables signify the same thing ?
Minister.] ' No ; because this is solemnly set apart, and conse- crated to sacramental use by prayer and blessing, and by applying the words of our dear Redeemer used in the institution of this ordi- nance.'
Christian.] Is not the bread and wine after consecration transub- stantiated, or transformed from the substance of bread and wine, into the real substance and essence of the body and blood of our Saviour;
46G A FAMILIAR CONFERENCE BETWEEN
since Christ's own words are, This is my body, &c. This is my blood, &c.
Minister,^ ' No, by no means ; this being a Popish error, attend- ed with many absurdities and idolatrous practices. Eut it is the body and blood of Christ, in the sense that Christ spake it; but he did not say. This is no longer bread in substance, but the very substance of my hodij. And such phrases are often used in scripture, and yet not always to be taken in a strict sense, no more than that ' Rock was Christ, and I am the true vine, the door, the shepherd, &c. More- over, Christ intended it for a sacrament, that is, a sign of what it re- presents ; now it cannot be the real body of Christ, and the sign of it also. Again, our senses of seeing, smelling, and tasting, assure us that it is bread and wine, and no way substantially changed after the words of consecration. And if we must deny our senses in this, we may as well doubt whether these words. This is my body, &c. be recorded in holy scripture, though we see them there.'
Christian.'] If the bread and wine be not the body and blood of Christ really and substantially, how then doth the true believer, in receiving, eating, and drinking them, receive, eat, and drink the body and blood of Christ.^
Minister.'] ' By receiving those elements so consecrated, as signs, seals, and conveyances of Christ and his benefits to the soul ; and a true Christian hath them conveyed to him thereby, as really as a writing under hand, seal, and witnesses, can convey lands, or other benefits, which are not really in the writings themselves.'
Christian.] What are the actions of the Minister, in administering this ordinance ?
Minister.] ' After blessing the bread, he breaks it, and delivers it to the communicants in the words of Jesus Christ, signifying thereby a crucified Jesus, who was wounded for our transgressions. He then pours out the wine in the sight of the congregation, and delivers that to them also, after blessing it in the words of Christ. And hereby is represented to us, our dear Redeemer shedding his blood for us ; which is the sacrifice of atonement, whereby we obtain remission of sins. In which action, the minister, standing in Christ's stead, ag his minister, (wherein Christ is present, and by his Spirit and autho- rity) doth as really tender and bestow himself and benefits, as if he had spoken the same words in his own visible person.'
Christian.] But say some, since our Saviour restrained this ordi- nance to the time of his coming ; he being come in the Spirit, it is now at an end, and abolished.
Minister.] * If these enthusiasts mean the coming of the Spirit, in its sanctifying operations; then it seems, that it was appointed only for unbehevers; and that the disciples, who communicated with Christ at the institution thereof, had not the Spirit, but were unbehevers ; which is false and absurd. If they mean the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, or the pouring it forth iii an extraordinary measure ; the
A MI^STEft AXD A DOUBTING CHRISTtAN. 4G7
pvactice of the apostles and the church of God, both at that time, and lono- after, will abundantly contradict that assertion ; Acts ii. 42. 1 Cor. X. 16.'
Christian.] What are the benefits that Christ gives, and we re- ceive in this ordinance ?
Minister.] ' The exercise and increase of every grace ; the cleans- ing our souls from the guilt of sin ; healing the wounds which sin hath made in our consciences : a confirmation of the truth and pro- mises of God ; an humble and holy delight in Christ, and our fellow Christians ; and a more earnest longing for, and expectation of, the blessedness of the life to come : And is an ordinance chiefly intended for confirmation of our faith, love, and increase in grace ; so that no person ought to come thereunto, but in faith.'
Christian.] What are the necessary preparations for this solemn, ordinance ?
Minister.] ' (1.) That a man have the habit of faith. (2.) That he have an hearty disposition and willingness, to receive Christ as his Lord and Redeemer. (B.) That he be in charity with all men ; John i, 7. Mat. xv. 26. We must also exercise renewed acts of re- pentance, and clear up our interest in Christ, and have our souls full of faith and love toward him."*
Christian.] Sir, there is one scripture that, I believe, discourages many from partaking of the Lord's table ; neither do I indeed well understand it : 1 Cor. xi. 27, 28, 29. " AVhosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation (or judgment) to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."