Tomline on Article XXVIII: Of the Lord's Supper

XHE institution of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper by our Saviour, as has been already ob- served, is recorded by the first three evangelists, and by the apostle St Paul, whose words differ very little from those of his companion St. Luke; and the only difference between St. Matthew and St. Mark is, that the latter omits the words ” for the remission of sins.” There is so gene- ral an agreement among them all, that it will only be necessary to recite the words of one of them, and I shall select those of St. Matthew : ” Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve” (to eat the Passover which had been prepared by his direction) ; ” and as they were eating, Jesus took breads and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat ; this is my body. And he took the cup and gkve thanks, and gave it to them, saying. Drink ye all of it ; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins (a)” The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, being thus instituted, was adopted by all early Christians, with very few exceptions ; and no modern sect rejects it, except

the (a) Mat c. 26. T. 20, 26, 27, and 28.

47 S Exposition of the [part iri-

the Quakers, and some Mystics, who make the whole of religion to consist of contemplative love.

In the early times of the Gospel the celebra- tion of the I Lord’s Supper was both frequent (b) and numerously attended. Voluntary absence was considered as a culpable neglect ; and exclu- sion from it, by the sentence of the church, as a severe punishment. Every one brought an offer- ing proportioned to his ability; these ofierings were chiefly of bread and wine, and the priests consecrated as much as was necessary for the ad- ministration of the eucharist. The clergy had a part of what was left for their maintenance ; and the rest furnished the repast called Ayxw^ or love- feast, which immediately followed the celebra- tion of the Lord’s Supper, and of which all ihe communicants, both rich and poor, partook. The Ayavn is always mentioned by the fathers as an apostolical institution, and we have the fol- lowing account of it in Chrysostom : ” When all the faithful met together, and had heard the ser- mon and prayers, and received the communion, they did not immediately return home upon the breaking up of the assembly, but the rich and wealthy brought meat and food from their o^^-n houses, and called the poor, and made a com- mon table, a common dinner, a common ban- quet in the church. And so from the fellowship

in

(b) In some places it was administered every day*

Ai^T. XXVIII.] Thirty-mne Articles. 479

in’ eating, and from the reverence of the. place, they were all strictly united in charity one with another, and much pleasure and profit arose from thence to them all ; for the poor were comforted, and the rich reaped the fruits of their benevo- lence both from those whom they fed, and from God (c).” These feasts were at first conducted with great propriety and decorum ; but they were aften^‘ards found liable to abuses, and were dis- continued. Indeed St. Paul saw occasion, in his time, to censure some irregularities which took place at the love-feasts at Corinth.

As the Sacrament of Baptism was by no means novel in its kind to the Jews, so the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper greatly resembled the reli- gious feasts to which they were accustomed. At those feasts they partook of bread and wine in a serious and devout manner, after a solemn blessing or thanksgiving to God for his manifold mercies. And this was particularly the case at the feast of the Passover, which our Saviour was cele- brating with his Apostles when he instituted this holy Sacrament. At that feast they commemorated the deliverance of their own peculiar nation from the bondage of Egypt ; and there could not be a more suitable opportunity for establishing an ordinance which was to commemorate the infi- nitely more important deliverance of all mankind

from (c) Horn. 21.

48o £jcposiii(m of the ’ [? aet hi.

from the bdndage of sin. The former deliverstnce tras typical of the latter ; and instead of keeping the Jewish Passover, which was now to be abr6 gated, they were to commemorate Christ, thai Passover, who was sacrificed for them;” the bread broken was to represent his body offered upon the cross, and the wine poured out was to represent his blood, which was shed for d salvation of men. The nourishment whidi these elements afford to our bodies, is figurative of the salutary effects which the thing signified has

upon our souls. And as the celebration of the Passover was not only a constant memorial o the deliverance of the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, but also a symbolical action, by whi they had a title to the blessihgs of the oM cove- nant, so the celebration of the Lord’s St5)per is not only a constant memorial of the deatfi of Christ, but also a pledge or earnest to the cota- muhicant of the benefits promised iyy the new covenant. As the pasSover was instituted’ tfi6 night before the actual deliverance 61 thelsraeittes so th6 Lord’s Supper was institUletf the lii before the rdemptifen of rtiaii U*aS abcompUsBd by thfe crudifirfoh’ df the blesS Jesus. It is t6 be partaken of by allwhd lo6k foF remissibti’ df s by the deaith of Christ ; we rife n6t only td cherisih that hbpd in oiik mihds and exprs it in our devotions, but we are to give an outward

’* proof

ART. XXVIII.] Thirty-nine Articles^ 481

proof of our rdiance upon the merits of hia passion as the means of our salvation, by eating that bread and drinking that wine, which are typical representations of the body and blood of Christ, ” who by his one oblation of himself once offered, made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world (d).”

The article begins with stating, that the

AMONG THEMSELVES ONE TO ANOTHER; BUT RATHER IT IS A SACRAMENT OF OURREDEMP^

TiON BY Christ’s death. The commemora-^ tion of Christ’s death, as the ground of our hope of everlasting life, cannot but suggest to our minds a lively sense of Christ’s love to mankind, and our obligation of mutual kindness to each other : ** Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends ; ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you […] A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another ; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another: by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (/J.” We are called upon jointly to

commemorate

(d) Communion Senrice.

(e) John, c. 15. y. 13 & 14.

(f) John, c. 13. V. 34 & 35,

48a Exposition af the [part hi.

commemofate the love of Christ, as the servants of one master, and the membars of one body ; that while our hearts are wanned witii religibas gKutitude and devout affection to our heavenly BenEuctor, the very act of uniting in die celebm- tion of this holy and itiifKMrttot rite, may produce in us feelmgs of kindness and benevolence towmds those, whom we see partaking of the same cove- nant of grace, and rejoicing in the same hope of everiasting happiness. But the dealh of Christ was not merely a proof of hiis love tx mankmd, it was also an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of Ae whole world ; and therefore, the Lord’s Supper, wfaick commemorates that sacrifice, may justly be doiominated a sacrament of -our re- de mfti on, and more especially, since our Sa- viour, in the institution of the Lord’s Supper, as recorded by St. Matthew, expressly says, that the cup is to be dhmk in remembrance, that his blood was shed ” for the remission of sins (g). Insomuch that to such as riohtlv worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a par- TAKING OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. ” Tile

cup <rf blessing,” says St Paul, ” which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ?

the (g) Matt, c. 26. V. 28.

ART. xxvtir.] Thirty-nine Articles. 483

the bread which we break, is it hot the comma- mon of the body of Christ (h) ?” The expres* sions in the article, partaking in the body AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, and in St. Panto’s Epis- tle, ” The communion of the body ahd blood of Christ,” are synonymous, and signify that those who worthily receive the Lord’s Suier, share in the benefits which were purchased for mankind by the death of Christ, such as, recon- ciliation to God, the assistance of his Holy Spirit, the strengthening of faith, and final remission of sins in those who continue to believe and obey the Gospel. The Lord’s Supper, therefore, fully answers the description of sacraments ordained by Christ,” as given m the twenty-fifth article, that they are not only badges or tokis of Christian men’s profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace and God’s good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him.”

The article ne^it condemns the Popish doc- trine of transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine into the real’ sub- stance of Christ’s body and blood, in the admi- nistration of the Lord’s Supper.

The

(h) 1 Cor. c. 10. V. i6. Ii2

4S4 EjjmUion of the [part hi.

The idea of Christ’s bodily presence in die eucharist was first started in the beginning of die eighdi Century, and it owed its rise to the indis- cretion of preachers and writers of warm imagina- tions, who, instead of explaining judiciously the lofty figures of Scripture language upon this sub- ject, understood and urged them in their Bteral sense* Thus the true meaning of these expres- sions was grossly perverted ; but as this conceit seined to exalt the nature of the holy Sacrament it was eagerly received in that orant and superstitious age ; and when once introduced, it soon spread, and wa! by degrees carried fardier and farther, hy persons still less guarded in thdr application of these metaphorical phrases, till at ligth, in the twelfth century, the actual change of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, by the consecration of the priest, was pro- nounced to be a Gosf)el truth, by the pretended authority of the church of Rome. The first writer who maintained this doctrine was Pascbase Radbert, in the ninth century, before it was firmly estabtisbed; and the first puUic assertion of it was at the third Lateran Council, in the year 1215, after it had been for some time openly avowed by the popes, and, in obedience to tbr injunctions, inculcated by the clergy. It iis said to haye been brought into England about

the

ART XXVIII.] Thirty-nine Articles. 485

the middle of the eleventh century by Lanfranc, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury ; but the term tranmbHantiation was not known till the thirteenth century, when it was invented by Stephen, bishop of Autun (i). This has alway^t been a favourite doctrine of the church of Rome, as it impressed the common people with higher notions of the power of the clergy, and therefore served to increase their influence. It met how- ever with opposition upon its original introduc- tion, particularly from Bertram and John Scot ; and again at the first dawn of the Reformation both upon the continent and in this country. It was objected to by the Waldenses : and there are strong expressions against it in some parts of WicklifTs works. Luther, in contradiction to the other reformers, only changed transubstan- tiation into conmbstantiationy which means that the substance of Christ’s body and blood is pre- sent in the holy sacrament with the substance of bread and wine; and his perseverance in this opinion was a principal cause of the division among the reformed Churches. He was opposed by Zuingle and Calvin, but the confession of Augsburg, which was drawn up by Melancthon, fietvours consubstantiation. There is however con- siderable doubt concerning the real sentiments

of (%) De Sacr, Alt. c. 13.

Ii3

486 Eji-position (^ the [part hi.

of Molancthon upon this subject, especially in the latter part of his life. Some of our eaily English reforms were Lutherans, and conse- quently they were at first disposed to lean towaids consubstantiation ; but they seem soon to har discovered their error, for in the articles of 155a it is expressly said, ’ A faithful man ought not either to btlieve or openly confess the real and bodify presence, as they term it, of Christ’s flesb and blood in the sacrament of theJLord’sSupper.” This part of the article was omitted in 1562 probably with a view to give less offence to those who maintained the corporal presence, and to comprehend as many as possible in the esta* bUshed church.

In arguing aunst this doctrine, we may first observe, that it is contradicted by our senses, since we see and taste that the bread and wine after consecration, and when we actually receive them, still continue to be bread and wine with- out any change or alteration whatever. And g, was it possil for Christ, when he insti- tuted the Lord’s Supper, to take his own body and his own blood into his own hands, and deliver them to every one of his Apostles ? Or w it possible for the Apostles to understand our Saviour s command to drink his blood literally, when they were forbidden, under the severest

penalties,

ART. XXVIII.] Tbirty-mae Articles. 487

penalties, to taste blood by the Law of Moses, of which not only they themsdves, but Oist also had been a strict observer ? They exptessed not the slightest surmse or reluctance when Christ delivered to them the bread and wimey which could not have been the case, had th conceived themselves commanded to eat the real body and drink the real Mood of thdr Lord and Master. The bread and wine must have been considered by them as symbojlical; and indeed the whole transactioli. was evidently iigurative in all its parts ; it was instituted, afi was just now observed, when the Jews, by killing the paschal lamb commemorated thmr deliver ance from Egyptian bondage by the hand of Moses, which was typical of the deliverance of all mankind from the bondage of sin by the death of Christ, tue Lamb slain from the foun- dation of the world ; and as the occasion was typical, so likewise were the words used by our Saviour : ” This is my body which is bnoken, and this is my bbod ich is shed.” fiut hi body was not yet broken, nor was his blood yet shed ; and therefore the breaking of ’ the bread, and the pouring out of the wine wete then figurative of what was about to hempen, as they are now figurative of what has actually happened. He also said, ” This cup is the

I i 4 new

488 jErposUion of the [part iil

new testament in my blood (k) ;” which words could not be meant in a literal sense ; the cap could not be changed into a covenant, though it might be a representation or memorial of it. Our Saviour called the wine, after it was conse- crated, *^ the fruit of the vine (IX’ whidi im- plied that no change had taken place in its real nature. Since then the words, ^^ This is my body, and this is my blood,” upon which the Papists pretend to support this doctrine, were manifestly used in a figurative sense, and must have been so understood by the Apostles, to whom they were originally addressed, we may safely pronounce that transubstantiatiox, (or the change of the substance of

BREAD AND WINE) IN THE SUPPER OF THE

That the early Christians understood our Sa- viour’s words in a figurative sense, appears from the writings of more than twenty fathers, with- out a single authority on the opposite side; I shall quote only two of the numerous passages which might be adduced upon this subject, the one from a Greek, and the other from a Latin father. Origen says, that ” the under- standing our Saviour’s words, of eating his flesh and drinking his blood,’ according to the letter,

is

(k) I Cor c 11. V. 35. (I) Matt. c. 26. v. ag.

[…]

is a letter that kills (m)’ Augustine, in laying down rules for judging of the figurative expres- sions of Scripture, cites these words, ” Except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man, ye have no life in you, which,” says he, seems to command a crime and a horrid action, and therefore it is a figure commanding us to communicate in /the passion of our Lord, and to lay up in our memory with delight and profit, that his flesh was crucified and wounded for us (n).’ To these authorities I will add that of Pope Gelasius, who lived at the end of the fifth century ; ” The Sacraments of the body and blood of Christ,” says he, ” are a divine thing, for which reason we become by them partakers of the divine nature : and yet the substance of bread and wine does not cease to exist, and the image and likeness of the body and blood of Christ are celebrated in holy mysteries (o) As a farther proof of the sen- timents of the early Christians upon this pointy I shall observe that the fathers constantfy call the consecrated elements, the figures, the signs, the symbols, the types and antitypes, the com- memoration, the representation, the mysteries,

and

(m) Horn, 7. in Levit.

(n) Lib. 3. cap. 16. de Doct Chri&t.

(0) Lib. de Daub. Nat. Christ.

490 Ejcposition of the ” [fart rii.

mud the sacraments of the body and Uood <tf Christ ; which expressions pkunly shew that they did not colder the bread and wine as changed mto Ifae very substance of Christ’s body and blood.

But it is repugnant to the plaiiq’ words OF scripture; for St. Panl says, ’ As crfibenas ye eat this breads and drink this cup, ye do idiew the Lord’s death till he come (p):’* that therefore, which is eaten in the eocharist is still bread. This text may of itself be consideced s decisive against die doctrine of transafastan*- tiaticHi ; and die expression, ’ Ye do shew (he Lord’s death till he come,” is another procrf’ that the institution was figurative of the death of Christ.

Overthroweth the nature of a sacra- ment : for the nature of a sacrament is to be a sign or representation, whereas the doctrine of transubstantiation supposes that the real body and blood of Christ are eaten and drunk in the eucharist.

And hath given occasion to many su- perstitions: This might ^e expected; for those who supposed that the bread and wine were by coiisecration changed into the body and blood of Christ, would naturally fall into superstitious

practices

(p) 1 Cor. c. 11. V. 26.

AftT, XXVIII.] Thirty-nine Articles. 491

practices concerning them ; and accordingly we £nd diat the Papists lift up the host with the most pompous solemnities, and ^’ add, (as arch— bishop Seeker expresses it,) idolatrous practice to erroneous belief, worshipping on their knees a bit of bread for the Son of God.” It is the custom of our church to kneel at the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper ; but we do it not to ac-^ knowledge any corporal presence of Christ, but to worship him who is every where present, the invisible God. We consider kneeling as a pos- ture well suited to those prayers and praises which we then offer up to our heavenly Father, and as expressive of that piety and hiunility which are essential to the worthy receiving of this holy sacrament. In the primitive church it was received by the communicants sometimes standing, and sometimes kneeling ; but there is no trace in^any antient writer of its having ever been received sitting. The Papists also applied the consecrated wafer to the cure of diseases ; put the wafers into the mouths of the commu* nicants, lest a single crumb should £bJ1 to liie ground ; burnt what remained to ashes for the same reason, and were guilty of several other superstitious practices, which are enumerated in the last member of this article.

The body of christ is given, taken,

AND

49^ Exposition of the [part hi.

This part of the article is evidently the coDse quence of what has been already proved. Since the body of Christ is not actually present in the eucharist, we can only eat it spiritually, lliose that come duly prepared to this holy sacrament and receive it rightly and worthily, are spiritually partakers of his body and blood ; * they be- come one with Christ, and Christ with them ;” and they really and truly partake of the bene6ts of his passion, as living members of his body ; as he is the bread of life, they are then nou- rished, strengthened, and supported yby him; they receive him by faith; by faith they feed upon him ; and the divine life, which is thus begun in their souls, is in a spiritual manner upheld and carried on in them : Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day ; for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed fyj.” Thus, instead of maintaining the groundless doctrine of the corporal presence of the body and blood, of the flesh and bones of Christ, which is contradicted by our

senses, (q) John, c. 6. V. 54 and 55.

ART. XXVIII.] Thirty-nine Articles. 49J

senses, ia equally irreconcileable with reason and Scripture, and was unknown in the Christian church for the first seven centuries, we own a real spiritual presence of Him, who is ” the way, the truth, and the life frj,” and profess our belief, that while we worthily partake of the appointed emblems of his body and blood, an in- ward grace is communicated, which purifies our hearts, fortifies our minds against the temptations of the world, and animates our efforts ” in pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (s).”

The sacrament of the lord’s supper WAS NOT BY Christ’s ordinance reserved,

This last part of the article refers also to the Papists, among whom it is the custom to reserve part of the consecrated bread, for the purpose of giving it to the sick, or other absent persons, at some future time ; they also carry about the host, when consecrated, in solemn procession, elevate it with superstitious ceremony, and wor- slup it in the same manner as they would worship Christ himself. None of these practices are warranted by Christ’s ordinance, or any autho- rity of Scripture; they are utterly inconsistent

with

(r) John, c. 14. t. 6. (s) Phil. c. 3. v. 14,

494 Rrpasition nfthe [pa ax 1 1 1 .

ivith die simplicity and spiritual nature of Christian Sacraments; they were unknown in the primitive ages of the Gospel, and have evi- dently originated from the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation.

AKT. XXIX.] T/tirtjf-nine Articles. 495