It was doubtless from a belief in some mysterious union of the earthly oblation with the heavenly that this became the great office of Intercession, that prayers for all estates of men, as well the faithful dead as the living, curtailed in later times with harm and loss to the Church, formed such an important element in the service. It was that one, they felt, in which they could rely upon the closest co-operation of Him "Who ever liveth to make intercession." And what more inspiring thought can we feel than that, when the Sacred Mysteries are celebrated, we mortal creatures, not only the priests who celebrate, but men and women, by virtue of a priesthood which Scripture assigns to the laity, and which the Anglican Church is so careful to recognise, are able to blend our intercessory act, in all its weakness and imperfection, with the all-sufficient mediation of the Great High Priest in heaven? It is when we realise this that we understand how the fourth of the ritual actions in Christ's Sacrifice is not yet complete; and how, whilst it is perpetually going on in heaven, it has its earthly counterpart, by His command, in the representation of the Holy Eucharist. So in like manner, as we have already intimated, the fifth action, the participation of the Sacrifice, 66 once offered," is still continued in the same service. In the peace-offerings, the body of the victim, after being accepted by God, was given back to the worshippers by Him for a twofold object. First, it was to be partaken of by them in token of their friendship with each other, and with Him Who gave it to them; secondly, it indicated that it was God's food, by which their bodies were sustained and refreshed. Even so in the Holy Eucharist, the Church, keeping the typical feast always in view, has been careful to employ every safeguard for the exclusion of those in whom there is "malice or hatred," or who are "at variance" with each other, as well as "the open and notorious evil liver," who cannot possibly be at peace with God. Again, Christ Himself gives us back, from what, regarded on the side of the Giver, is His Table, or, as it was happily called in the first Prayer-Book, "God's Board," His Body, which has been laid upon the altar by "the Commemorative Oblation," to be eaten" after a spiritual and heavenly manner." " And herein the transcendent superiority of the Christian over the Jewish Sacrificial Feast is apparent. There is not the faintest intimation that that of which the Jewish worshippers partook had any Rubrics before Com. Office. 66 direct influence upon their spiritual lives; but with us it is placed beyond the possibility of doubt. Under the forms of bread and wine we receive that which is meat indeed and drink indeed," not merely for "the strengthening and refreshing" of our bodies, but as the immortal Food of the undying soul; for Christ has assured us, with all the solemnity of a twofold asseveration, "Verily, verily, vi. 53, 54, 57. I say unto you, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." And again He has said, "As the Living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me." S. John NOTES. 1 S. Hilary was very decided the other way. Cf. Comm. in Matth. c. xxx. 2 He proposed to add "after the sop," to show that the entrance of Satan into him was not because of his receiving the Sacrament. Cf. Scudamore, Not. Euch. c. xv. s. ii. 3 The Gemarists say, "The wise men agree with R. Eliezer, that no one ought to bless the cup of blessing, till water be mingled with it." The Rabbis used a different blessing over unmingled wine, viz., "Blessed be He that created the fruit of the tree," instead of "the fruit of the vine," which is the expression here used by our Lord. Cf. Tal. Bab. Berach. 50 b. 4 Sadler, in "The One Offering," has named four only, leaving out in his enumeration, though of course he mentions it incidentally, the laying the hands on the head of the victim. Cf. ch. x. Willis, in his "Worship of the Old Covenant," has named six, subdividing the "consumption" into two actions, viz., the burning and the partaking, but in either case it symbolises God's acceptance of the sacrifice. In the former He consumes it Himself; in the latter He gives it to others to consume. 5 The following are a few illustrations from English Divines of recognised orthodoxy. "Here is a commemorative, impetrative, applicative sacrifice."-Bramhall, Ep. de la Millitiere: Works, i. 54. "The Eucharist was instituted, if we may so speak, for a commemorative sacrifice."-Andrewes, Resp. ad Apolog. ... "As it is .. a representation of Christ's Death, so it is a commemorative sacrifice."-Jer. Taylor, Life of Chr., Disc. xix. Cf. also his Worthy Communicant." Cf. Art. xxviii. "The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after a heavenly," etc. Bishop Guest, who re-wrote this article in 1563, finding that his language was interpreted as derogating from the doctrine of the Real Presence, explained that what he meant by heavenly was "no earthly manner of eating," and by spiritual, "not perceptible to the senses. cxviii. Lightfoot, Exercit. in Matt. xxvi. 27. LXV. S. Peter warned. S. MARK XIV. 26-31. 26. And when they had sung an shall be offended, yet will not I. It was the custom of the Jews before breaking up from the Paschal Supper to sing the latter portion Pss. cxv. to of the Hallel1 while the fourth or last cup was being filled. The Psalms which composed it were full of Messianic prophecy, and words like these must have come home to the Lord and His disciples with the Ps. cxvi. 3. deepest meaning: "The sorrows of death compassed Ps. cxviii. 22, me, and the pains of hell gat hold "Bind me." upon the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." "The stone which the builders rejected is become the head stone of the corner." It was after 27. |