above; namely, the question concerning the value, virtue, and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ.

4. There is an insidious way made use of, by some of our Socinians, for the undermining the doctrine of remission in the Eucharist: they depreciate the service, and the preparation proper to it, making both so slight, that no man could justly expect so Divine a grant, from so contemptible a performance: "I know not," says one," to "what purpose so many superstitious books are written "to teach men to prepare themselves for the memorial "supper, when an honest intention and a reverent per"formance are sufficient both preparations and qualifica"tions for and in all Gospel ordinances o." Here is no mention of faith, nor of repentance from dead works; without which, undoubtedly, there can be no remission of sins, whether in the Sacrament or out of it. The proper answer to this pretence will fall under the head of worthy receiving, in a distinct chapter below. In the mean while, let it be considered, whether they who require sincere repentance as a necessary qualification for the holy Communion, or they who labour to defeat that most excellent end and use of it, do most consult the true interest of religion and virtue; which the Socinians would be thought much to befriend in what they teach on this head.

I intended here to have closed this chapter, till it came into my mind that we have had some kind of dispute with the Romanists also, (as well as Socinians,) upon the point of remission in the Eucharist. For the Romanists, as it seems, being apprehensive, that if the people be taught to expect pardon from God, in receiving the Communion, they will think they need no other, and that thereupon masses, and indulgences, and other absolutions will sink in their value; I say, the Romanists considering this, have contrived, that venial sins only shall be pur

• The Argument of the Unitarians with the Catholic Church, part i. p. 12. printed A. D. 1697.

doned upon reception of the Eucharist, but that mortal sins shall be remitted another way. Chemnitius, in his Examen, has taken notice of this matter, and charged it upon them with very little ceremony P. Bellarmine, in reply, could not deny the main charge, as to their confining the eucharistical remission to venial sins only, or to mortal ones unknown; but passing over the secret reasons or motives for the doctrine, he employs all his wit and learning to give the fairest colours to it 9. Gerhard came after, and defended Chemnitius in that article, confuting Bellarmine. I perceive not that the learned Cardinal, with all his acuteness, was able to prove any thing with respect to the main question, more than this, (which has been allowed above,) that Baptism is emphatically, or eminently, the Sacrament of remission, and the Eucharist of spiritual growth: and while he is forced to acknowledge that venial sins are remitted in the Eucharist, and unknown mortal ones, as often as necessary, it is obvious to perceive, that it was not any love of truth, or strength of argument on that side, which withheld him from granting more. His strongest plea, which all the rest do in a manner resolve into, is no more than this; that as the worthy communicant is supposed to bring with him true faith and sincere repentance to the Lord's

P Remissionem peccatorum graviorum et mortalium, quæ post Baptismum commissa sunt, docent quærendam et impetrandam esse nostra contritione, confessione, satisfactione, sacrificio missæ, et aliis modis. Vident autem totam illam veniarum structuram collapsuram, si remissio illa et reconciliatio quæratur in corpore et sanguine Christi. Ne tamen nihil tribuant Eucharistiæ, loquuntur de venialibus, hoc est, sicut Jesuita interpretantur, de levioribus et minutioribus peccatis. Ut igitur satisfactionis suas et reliquas veniarum nundinationes retineant, acerbe dimicant, in vero usu Eucharistiæ non fieri applicationem remissionis peccatorum. Chemnit. Exam. Concil. Trident. part. ii. p. 70.

¶ Bellarmin. tom. iii. lib. iv. de Eucharist. c. 17, 18, 19.

Gerhard. Loc. Comm. tom. v. de Sacr. Cœn. c. xx. p. 175, &c. Compare Vines, Treatise of the Lord's Supper, p. 328. printed 1657.

• Posset etiam dici Eucharistiam applicare hæreditatem, etiam quantum ad remissionem peccatorum, sed tum solum cum ea est necessaria; nimirum cum ii qui non indigne accedunt, habent aliqua peccata mortalia, quorum tamen conscientiam non habent. Bellarm. ibid. c. xix. p. 655.

table, he comes pardoned thither, and can have no pardon to take out there upon his receiving the Eucharist. I mention not how the argument recoils upon his own hypothesis. The true answer is, that the grace of remission, or justification, is progressive, and may be always improving, as before notedt: and whatever pardon we may conceive ourselves to be entitled to before, or to be then in possession of, yet it is no slight advantage to have the same solemnly renewed, established, ratified, and sealed in the holy Communion, by a formal application there made of the merits of the grand atonement, in which only, after our performing the conditions, our remission stands.

CHAP. 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

* See above, p. 242. Bishop Taylor's doctrine on this head, as it lies scattered in distant pages, may be worth noting. "Justification and sanctifica"tion are continued acts: they are like the issues of a fountain into its re"ceptacles. God is always giving, and we are always receiving." Worth. Comm. p. 43. "The Sacrament ministers pardon, as pardon is ministered "in this world, by parts.In the usual methods of God, pardon is pro"portionable to our repentance," p. 52. "If we find that we increase in "duty, then we may look upon the tradition of the sacramental symbols, as "a direct consignation of pardon. Not that it is completed: for it is a "work of time; it is as long a doing, as repentance is perfecting.—It is "then working: and if we go on in duty, God will proceed to finish his me"thods of grace, &c.-And this he is pleased, by the Sacrament, all the way to consign," p. 74.

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 u; or where grace, mercy, and peace are implored; or grace and peacey; or where the grace of God is mentioned. In several texts of that sort, the word 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 alla." "The grace of God bestowed on "the churches of Macedonia b." "My grace is suffi"cient for thee c." "Grow in grace d." "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptablye." "God "giveth grace unto the humblef." 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

66

" Rom. xvi. 20, 24. 1 Cor. xvi. 23. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Gal. vi. 18. Phil. iv. 23. 1 Thess. v. 28. 2 Thess. iii. 18. Philem. 25. Revel. xxii. 21.

* 1 Tim. i. 2. 2 Tim. i. 2. Tit. i. 4. 2 John 3.

y 1 Pet. i. 2. 2 Pet. i. 2. Revel. i. 4.

:

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 show, 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 taught in the New Testament. If any man is Christ's, he has the Spirit of God dwelling in himh. And this Spirit is the source and fountain of righteousness and true holiness. And no one can be made an acceptable offering unto God, but he who is first sanctified by the Holy Spirit k.

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 shown, 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 them1; and if Christ, they have the Spirit also of Christ, who is inseparable from him. Therefore the sanctification of the Spirit is

* See some account of the ecclesiastical use of the word grace, in Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull, p. 519, &c. Vossius, Histor. Pelag. lib. iii. par. 1.Thes. ii. Joh. Just. Von Einem. Select. Animadv. ad Joh. Clerici Scripta. p. 761, &c. Magdeb. 1735.