sciences of believers. This is peculiar unto this ordinance, and unto this way of the participation of Christ. And herein faith in its due exercise gives the soul an intimate converse with Christ.

(2.) There is in this divine ordinance, a peculiar representation of the love and grace of Christ in his death and sufferings, with the way and manner of our reconciliation unto God thereby. The principal design of the gospel is to declare unto us the love and grace of Christ, and our reconciliation unto God by his blood. Howbeit herein there is such an eminent representation of them, as cannot be made by words alone. It is a spiritual image of Christ proposed unto us, intimately affecting our whole souls. These things, namely, the ineffable love and grace of Christ, the bitterness of his sufferings and death in our stead, the sacrifice that he offered by his blood unto God, with the effect of it in atonement and reconciliation, being herein contracted into one entire proposal unto our souls, faith is exercised thereon in a peculiar manner, and so as it is not in any divine ordinance or way of the proposal of the same things unto us. All these things are indeed distinctly, and in parts, set before us in the Scripture for our instruction and edification. But as the light which was first made and diffused unto the whole creation, did suffice to enlighten it in a general way, yet was far more useful, glorious and conspicuous, when it was reduced and contracted into the body of the sun: so the truths concerning Christ, as they are diffused through the Scripture, are sufficient for the illumination and instruction of the church; but when by divine wisdom and institution they are contracted into this ordinance, their taste and efficacy is more eminent and communicative unto the eyes of our understandings, that is, our faith, than as merely proposed by parts and parcels in the word. Hereby faith leads the soul unto a peculiar communion with Christ, which is thereon made partaker of him in an especial manner.

(3.) Faith herein respects the peculiar way of the communication and exhibition of Christ unto us, by symbols, or sensible outward signs of bread and wine. It finds the divine wisdom and sovereignty of Christ in the choice of them, having no other foundation in reason or the light of nature; and the representation that is made herein of him, with the

benefits of his death and oblation, is suited unto faith only, without any aid of sense or imagination: for although the symbols are visible, yet their relation unto the things signified, is not discernible unto any sense or reason. Had he chosen for this end an image or a crucifix, or any such actions as did by a kind of natural and sensible resemblance, shew forth his passion, and what he did and suffered, there had been no need of faith in this matter. And therefore as we shall see, such things are found out unto this end, by such as lost the use and exercise of faith herein. Besides, it is faith alone that apprehends the sacramental union that is between the outward signs and the things signified by virtue of divine institution: and hereby the one, that is, the body and blood of Christ, are really exhibited and communicated unto the souls of believers, as the outward signs are unto their bodily senses, the signs becoming thereby sacramentally unto us, what the things signified are in themselves, and are therefore called by their names. Herein there is a peculiar exercise of faith, and a peculiar participation of Christ, such as are in no other ordinance whatever. Yea, the actings of faith with respect unto the sacramental union and relation between the signs and things signified, by virtue of divine institution and promise, is the principal use and exercise of it herein.

(4.) There is a peculiar exercise of faith in the reception of Christ, as his body and blood are rendered and exhibited unto us in the outward signs of them; for though they do not contain carnally the flesh and blood of Christ in them, nor are turned into them, yet they really exhibit Christ unto them that believe in the participation of them; faith is the grace that makes the soul to receive Christ, and whereby it doth actually receive him. To as many as received him, even unto them that believe in his name;' John i. 12. And it receives him according as he is proposed and exhibited unto us in the declaration and promise of the gospel, wherein he is proposed; it receives him by the gracious assent of the mind unto this truth, the choice of him, cleaving and trusting unto him with the will, heart, and affection, for all the ends of his person and offices, as the mediator between God and man; and in the sacramental mysterious proposal of him, his body and blood; that is, in the efficacy of his

death and sacrifice, in this ordinance of worship, faith acts the whole soul in the reception of him unto all the especial ends for which he is exhibited unto us, in this way and manner. What these ends are which give force and efficacy unto the actings of faith herein, this is not a proper place to declare.

I have mentioned these things, because it is the great plea of the Papists at this day, in behalf of their transubstantiation, that if we reject their oral or carnal manducation of the flesh of Christ, and drinking of his blood, there cannot be assigned a way of participation of Christ in the receiving of him in this sacrament, distinct from that which is done in the preaching of the word. But hereby, as we shall see, they only declare their ignorance of this heavenly mystery. But of this blessed intimate communion with Christ, and participation of him in the divine institution of worship, believers have experience unto their satisfaction and ineffable joy. They find him to be the spiritual food of their souls, by which they are nourished unto eternal life by a spiritual incorporation with him. They discern the truth of this mystery, and have experience of its power. Howbeit men growing carnal, and being destitute of spiritual light, with the wisdom of faith, utterly lost all experience of any communion with Christ, and participation of him in this sacrament; on the principles of gospel truth they could find nothing in it; no power, no efficacy, nothing that should answer the great and glorious things spoken of it, nor was it possible they should. For, indeed, there is nothing in it, but unto faith; as the light of the sun is nothing to them that have no eyes: a dog and a staff are of more use to a blind man than the sun, nor is the most melodious music any thing to them that are deaf; yet, notwithstanding this loss of spiritual experience, they retained the notion of truth, that there must be a peculiar participation of Christ in this sacrament, distinct from all other ways and means of the same grace.

Here the wits of men were hard put to it to find out an image of this spiritual communion, whereof in their minds they could have no experience; yet they fashioned one by degrees, and after they had greatened the mystery in words and expressions (whereof they knew nothing in its

power) to answer unto what was to be set up in the room of it, until they brought forth the horrid monster of transubstantiation, and the sacrifice of the mass; for hereby they provided that all those things which are spiritual in this communion, should be turned into, and acted in, things carnal: bread shall be the body of Christ carnally, the mouth shall be faith, the teeth shall be the exercise, the belly shall be the heart, and the priest shall offer Christ unto God. A viler image never was invented; and there is nothing of faith required herein; it is all but a fortifying of imagination against all sense and reason. Because there is a singular mystery in the sacramental union that is between the external signs and the things signified, whence the one is called by the name of the other, as the bread is called the body of Christ, which faith discerns in the exhibition and receiving of it, they have invented for a representation hereof, such a prodigious imagination of the real conversion or transubstantiation of the substance of the bread and wine, into the substance of the body and blood of Christ, as overthrows all faith, reason, and sense also. And in the room of that holy reverence of Christ himself in his institution of this ordinance in the mystical exhibition of himself unto the souls of believers, in the demonstration of his love, grace, and sufferings for them, they have set up a wretched image of an idolatrous adoration and worship of the host, as they call it, to the ruin of the souls of men. And whereas the Lord Jesus Christ, by once offering, perfected for ever them that are sanctified, appointing this ordinance for the remembrance of it, having lost that spiritual light whereby they might discern the efficacy of that one offering so long since accomplished, in the application of it by this ordinance unto the actual perfecting of the church; they have erected-a new image of it, in a pretended daily repetition of the same sacrifice, wherein they profess to offer Christ again for the sins of the living and the dead, unto the overthrow of the principal foundation of faith and religion. All these abominations arose from the loss of an experience of that spiritual communion with Christ, and the participation of him by faith, which there is in this ordinance by divine institution. This cast the thoughts of men on invention of these images, to suit the general notion of truth unto the superstition of

their carnal minds. Nor is it ordinarily possible to retrieve them from these infatuations, unless God be pleased to communicate unto them that spiritual light, whereby they may discern the glory of this heavenly mystery, and have an experience of the exhibition of Christ unto the souls of believers therein, without these; from innumerable prejudices, and inflamed affections towards their idols, they will not only abide in their darkness against all means of conviction, but endeavour the temporal and eternal destruction of all that are otherwise minded.

This image, like that of Nebuchadnezzar, was once set up in this nation, with a law, that whoever would not bow down to it, and worship it, should be cast into the fiery furnace.' God grant it be so no more! but if it should, there is no preservation against the influence of force and fires, but a real experience of an efficacious communication of Christ unto our souls in this holy ordinance, administered according to his appointment. This, therefore, is that we ought with all diligence to endeavour; and this not only as the only way and means of our edification in this ordinance, by an exercise in grace, the strengthening of our faith, and present consolation, but as the effectual means of our preservation in the profession of the truth, and our deliverance from the snares of our adversaries. For whereas it is undenable, that this peculiar institution, distinct from all other, doth intend and design a distinct communication and exhibition of Christ; if it be pressed on us, that these must be done by transubstantiation and oral manducation thereon, and can be no otherwise; nothing but an experience of the power and efficacy of the mystical communion with Christ in this ordinance, before described, will preserve us from being insnared by their pretences. There is not, therefore, on all accounts of grace and truth, any one thing of more concernment unto believers, than the due exercise of spiritual light and faith, unto a satisfactory experience of a peculiar participation of Christ in this holy institution.

The same is fallen out amongst them with reference unto the church, and all the principal concerns of it; having lost or renounced the things which belong unto its primitive constitution, they have erected a deformed image in their stead, as I shall manifest in some instances.