Wilson on Article XXVIII: Of the Lord's Supper

• We say that Eucharistia, that is to say, the supper of the Lord, is a sacrament, that is, an evident representation of the body and blood of Christ, wherein is set, as it were, before our eyes, the death of Christ, and his resurrection, and whatsoever he did, whilst he was in his mortal body : to the end we may give him thanks for his death, and for our deliverance. And that, by the often receiving of this sacrament, we may daily renew the remembrance thereof, to the intent we being fed with the body and blood of Christ, may be brought into the hope of the resurrection, and of everlasting life, and may most assuredly believe, that as our bodies are fed with bread and wine, so our souls be fed with the body and blood of Christ. Jewell.

To this banquet we think the people of God ought to be earnestly bidden, that they may all communicate among them- selves, and openly declare and testify, both the godly society there is among them, and also the hope they have in Christ Jesus. Jewell.

There is here the mystery of peace, and the sacrament of Christian society, whereby we understand what sincere love ought to be betwixt the true communicants ; wherefore, O man, tender thine own salvation ; examine and try thy good-will and love towards the children of God, the members of Christ, the heirs of the heavenly heritage ; yea, towards the image of God, the excellent creature thine own soul. If thou have offended, now be reconciled : if thou have caused any to stumble in the way of God, now set them up again : if thou have disquieted thy brother, now pacify him : if thou have wronged him, now relieve him: if thou have defrauded him, now restore to him: if thou have nourished spite, now embrace friendship. If thou have fostered hatred and malice, now openly shew thy love and charity. Horn, xxvii. 2.

m Herein is love, not that we are the body of Christ, and mem- loved God, but that he loved us, bers hi particular. 1 Cor. xii. 17. and sent his Son to be the propitia- We, being many, are one body in tion for our sins. Beloved, if God Christ, and every one members one so loved us, we ought also to love of another. Rom. xii. 5. From one another. 1 John iv. 10, 11. By Christ the whole body fitly joined

this shall all men know that ye are together maketh increase of the

my disciples, if ye have love one to body unto the edifying of itself in

another. John xiii. 35. For we love. Eph. iv. 16. Above all these

being many are one bread, and one things, put on charity, which is the

body: for we are all partakers of bond of perfectness. Col iii, 14. that one bread. 1 Cor. x. 17. Ye

themselves one to another ; but rather is b a Sacra- ment of our redemption by Christ’s death : info- much that to such as c rightly, d worthily, and

b And to the end that we should alway remember the exceed- ing great love of our Master, and only Saviour, Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-shedding he hath obtained to us ; he hath in- stituted and ordained holy mysteries, as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance of his death, to our great and end- less comfort. Com. Service.

To celebrate, and retain continually a thankful remembrance of the Lord’s death, and of that most singular benefit which we have received thereby ; and that as in baptism we were once born again, so with the Lord’s supper we be always fed and sus- tamed to spiritual and everlasting life. Nowell, p. 108.

The holy supper sendeth us to the death of Christ, and to his sacrifice once done upon the cross, by which alone God is ap- peased toward us. For by bread and wine, the signs, is assured unto us, that as the body of Christ was once offered a sacrifice for us to reconcile us to favour with God, and his blood once shed, to wash away the spots of our sins, so now also in his holy supper both are given to the faithful, that we surely know, that the reconciliation of favour pertaineth to us, and may take and receive the fruit of the redemption purchased by his death. Nowell, p. 111.

c We must certainly know, that three things be requisite in him which would seemly, as becometh such high mysteries, resort to the Lord’s table. That is, first, a right and worthy estimation and understanding of this mystery. Secondly, to come in a sure faith. And thirdly, to have newness or pureness of life to succeed the receiving of the same. But, before all other things, this we must be sure of especially, that this supper be in such wise done and ministered, as our Lord and Saviour did, and commanded to be done ; as his holy Apostles used it ; and the good fathers in the primitive church frequented it. For, as that worthy man St. Ambrose saith, he is unworthy of the Lord, that otherwise doth celebrate that mystery, than it was delivered by him. Neither can he be devout, that otherwise doth presume than it was given by the author. WTe must then

b As often as ye eat this bread, is the new testament in my blood,

and drink this cup, ye do shew the which is shed for you. Luke xxii.

Lord’s death till he come. 1 Cor. 19, 20. In whom we have redemp-

xi. 26. He took bread, and gave tion through his blood, the forgive-

thanks, and brake it, and gave unto ness of sins, according to the riches

them, saying, This is my body which of his grace. Eph. i. 7. Ye were

is given for you : this do in remem- redeemed not with corruptible

brance of me. Likewise also the things, but with the precious blood

cup after supper, saying, This cup of Christ. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.

e with faith receive the same, the bread which we

take heed, lest, of the memory, it be made a sacrifice ; lest, of a communion, it be made a private eating ; lest, of two parts, we have but one ; lest, applying- it for the dead, we lose the

fruit that be alive. Thus much we must be sure to hold,

that in the Supper of the Lord there is no vain ceremony, no bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent: (Matt. xxvi. 17 — 30.) but, as the Scripture saith, the table of the Lord ; the bread and cup of the Lord; the memory of Christ; the annun- ciation of his death; yea, the communion of the body and blood of the Lord, in a marvellous incorporation, which by the operation of the Holy Ghost, the very bond of our conjunction with Christ, is through faith wrought in the souls of the faith- ful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life, but they surely trust to win to their bodies a resurrection to immortality, ft Cor. xi. 24— 2G. 1 Cor. x. 16.) Horn, xxvii. 1.

Judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord ; repent you truly for your sins past ; have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour ; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men ; so shall ye be meet partakers of those holy mysteries. Com, Serv.

d Furthermore, for newness of life, it is to be noted that St. Paul writeth, ” That we being many, are one bread and one body ; for all be partakers of one bread:” declaring thereby not only our communion with Christ, but that unity also, wherein they that eat at this table should be knit together. As there is here the mystery of peace, and the sacrament of Christian society, whereby we understand what sincere love ought to be betwixt the true communicants ; so here be the tokens of pureness and innocency of life, whereby we may perceive that we ought to purge our own soul from all uncleanness, iniquity, and wicked- ness ; lest, when we receive the mystical bread, as Origin saith, we eat it in an unclean place ; that is, in a soul denied and pol- luted with sin. In Moses’s law, ” the man that did eat of the sacrifice of thanksgiving, with his uncleanness upon him, should be destroyed from his people.” (Levit. xxiii.) And shall we think that the wicked and sinful person shall be excusable at the table of the Lord? We both read in St. Paul, that the church of Corinth was scourged of the Lord, for misusing the Lord’s Supper; (1 Cor. xi.) and we may plainly see Christ’s church these many years miserably vexed and oppressed, for the hor- rible profanation of the same. We Christians should take heed we resort unto our sacraments with holiness of life, not trusting in the outward receiving of them, and infected with corrupt and uncharitable manners. For this sentence of God must always be justified, ” I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” Wherefore, saith Basil, it behoveth him that cometh to the body and blood of Christ, in commemoration of him that died and rose again,

break is a f partaking of the body of Christ, and

not only to be pure from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, lest he eat and drink his own condemnation ; but also to shew out evidently a memory of him, that died and rose again for us in this point; that he be mortified to sin. Horn, xxvii. 2.

e Now it followeth to have with this knowledge a sure and constant faith, not only that the death of Christ is available for the redemption of all the world, for the remission of sins, and reconciliation with God the Father; but also that he hath made upon his cross a full and sufficient sacrifice for thee, a perfect cleansing of thy sins, so that thou acknowledgest no other Saviour, Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, but Christ only; and that thou mayest say writh the Apostle, that he loved thee, and gave himself for thee. For this is to stick fast to Christ’s promise made in his institution, to make Christ thine own, and to apply his merits unto thyself. Herein thou need- est no other man’s help, no other sacrifice or oblation, no sacri- ficing priest, no mass, no means established by men’s invention. Horn, xxvii. 1.

The mean to receive the body and blood of Christ standeth upon faith. For when we believe that Christ died to deliver us from death, and that he rose again to procure us life, we are partakers of the redemption purchased by his death, and of his life, and all other his good things; and with the same con- joining wherewith the head and members are knit together, he coupleth us to himself by secret and marvellous virtue of his Spirit, even so that we be members of his body, and be of his flesh and bones, and do grow into one body with him. Nowell, p. 109.

Thus we see, beloved, that resorting to this table we must pluck up all the roots of infidelity, all distrust in God’s pro- mises, that we make ourselves living members of Christ’s body. For the unbelievers and faithless cannot feed upon that precious body. Whereas the faithful have their life, their abiding, in him, their union, and as it were their incorporation, with him. Horn, xxvii. !.

Q. Declare then what is our duty, that we may come rightly to the Lord’s supper ? A. Even the same that we are taught in the holy Scriptures, namely, to examine ourselves, whether we be true members of Christ Q. By what marks and tokens shall we manifestly find it? A. First, if we heartily repent us of our sins, which drove Christ to death, whose mysteries are now delivered us : next, if we stay ourselves, and rest upon a sure hope of God’s mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of our redemption purchased by his death. Moreover, if we conceive an earnest mind and determined pur- pose to lead our life godly hereafter. Finally, if, seeing in the Lord s supper is contained also a tokening of friendship and love among men, we bear brotherly love to our neighbours,

likewise the cnp of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

(hat i>, to all men, without any evil will or hatred. — Yet ought not the imperfection that holdeth us keep us back from coming to the Lord’s Supper, which the Lord willed to be a help to our imperfection and weakness. — Yea, if we were perfect, there should be no more need of any use of the Lord’s Supper among us. But hereto these things “that I have spoken of do tend, that every man biing with him to the supper repentance, faith, and charity, so near as possibly may be, sincere and unfeigned. ]‘owcll, p. 112.

’ Q. What is the outward part or sign of the Lord’s Supper ? A. Bread and wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be re- ceived. Q. What is the iuward part, or thing signified ? A. The body and blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord’s Supper ? Cate- chism.

There are two parts in this sacrament also, as in baptism. The one part the bread and wine, the outward signs, which are seen with our eyes, handled with our hands, and felt with our taste; the other part, Christ himself, with whom our souls, as with their proper food, are inwardly nourished. Nowell, p. 108.

He severally gave the signs both of his body and blood, that it might be the more plain express image of his death which he suffered, his body being torn, his side pierced, and all his blood shed, that the memory thereof so printed in our hearts should strike the deeper. And moreover, that the Lord might so pro- vide for and help our weakness, and thereby manifestly declare, that as the bread for nourishment of our bodies, so his body hath most singular force and efficacy spiritually to feed our souls : and as with wine men’s hearts are cheered, and their strength confirmed, so with his blood our souls are relieved and refreshed ; that certainly assuring ourselves that lie is not only our meat, but also our drink, we do not any where else but in him alone seek any part of our spiritual nourishment and eternal life, yon-ell, p. 109.

fThe cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the com- rilinilon of the body of Christ ? i Cor. x. 16. I am that bread of life,—— that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread, which came down from’ heaven ; if dayman eat of thifr bread he shall live for ever : and the bread that I will give is my flesh, Which I will give for the life of the world.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ex. cept 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 eteVnal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh arid drinketh my blood, dwelletb! in me, and I in tiiiri. As the living Father hath sent me1, ahd’l live by the Father : so he that eateth me,

g Transubstantiation, (or the change of the

Wherefore it is our duty to render most humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God our heavenly Father, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that holy

sacrament. The benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart

and lively faith we receive that holy sacrament; for then we spi- ritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood ; then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and

Christ with us. Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly

beseech thee ; and grant that we, receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institutiou, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood. Communion Serv.

Q. Is there then not an only figure, but the truth itself, of the benefits that thou hast rehearsed, delivered in the Supper ? A. What else ? For sith Christ is the truth itself, it is no doubt but that the thing which he testineth in words, and representeth in signs, he performeth also in deed, and delivereth it unto us ; and that he as surely maketh them that believe in him partakers of his body and blood, as they surely know that they have re- ceived the bread and wine with their mouth and stomach. Nowell, p. 109.

Thou hast received him — if in true faith and repentance of heart thou hast received him ; if in purpose of amendment thou hast received him — for an everlasting gage, or pledge of thy salvation. Thou hast received his body which was once broken, and his blood which was shed, for the remission of thy sin. Thou hast received his body, to have within thee the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for to dwell with thee, to endow thee with grace, to strengthen thee against thine enemies, and to comfort thee with their presence. Thou hast received his body, to endow thee with everlasting righteousness, to assure thee of everlasting bliss, and life of thy soul. ” For with Christ by true faith art thou quickened again,” saith Saint Paul, ” from death of sin to life of grace, and in hope translated from cor- poral and everlasting death, to the everlasting life of glory in

even he shall live by me. John vi. his Son Jesus Christ. If we walk

48 57. That they all may be one ; in the light as he is in the light, we

as thou, Father, art in me, and I in have fellowship one with another ;

thee, that they also may be one in and the blood of Jesus Christ his

us; that the world may believe Son cleanseth us from all sin.

that thou hast sent me. John xvii. 1 John i. 3, 7. We are made par-

21. Ye were called unto the fellow- takers of Christ, if we hold the be-

ship of his Son Jesus Christ our ginning of our confidence stedfast

Lord. 1 Cor. i. 9. Truly our fellow- unto the end. Heb. iii. H. ship is with the Father, and with

substance of bread and wine,) in the Supper of the Lord, h cannot be proved by holy Writ; but

heaven ; where now thy conversation should be, and thy heart and desire set.” (Ephes. ii. 1 — 5.) Doubt not of the truth of this matter, how great and high soever these things be. It be- cometh God to do no small deeds, how impossible soever they seem to thee. Only bring thou faith to God’s holy word and sacrament. Let thy repentance shew thy faith ; (Luke xviii. 14.) let thy purpose of amendment and obedience of thy heart to God’s law hereafter declare thy true belief. Endeavour thyself to say with St. Paul, (Phil. iii. 20, 21.) “From henceforth our conversation is in heaven ; from whence we look for a Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ ; which shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like to his glorious body; which he shall do by the same power whereby he rose from death, and whereby he shall be able to subdue all things unto himself.’* Horn. xxvi.

We affirm that the bread and wine are the holy and heavenly mysteries of the body and blood of Christ, and that by them Christ himself being the true bread of eternal life, is so pre- sently given unto us, as that by faith we verily receive his body and blood. Yet say we not this so as though we thought that the nature and substance of the bread and wine is clearly changed, and goeth to nothing ; as many have dreamed in these latter times, and yet could never agree among themselves upon their own dreams. For this was not Christ’s meaning, that the wheaten bread should lay aside his own nature, and receive a certain new divinity ; but that he might rather change us, and (to use Theophylact’s words) might transform us into his body. Jewell.

h Christ himself said, not only after the blessing of the cup, but also after he had ministered the communion, ” I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine.” It is well known that the fruit of the vine is wine, and not blood. Jewell.

h I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, &c. Matt, xxvi. 29. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do

shew the Lord’s death till he come. 1 Cor. xi. 26. Whom the heaven must receive till the times of the restitution of all things. Acts iii. 21. z 2

is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, 1 overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and k hath given occasion to many superstitions. The body of Christ is 1 given, m taken, and

’ In both the sacraments the substances of the outward things are not changed, but the word of God and heavenly grace coming to them, there is such efficacy, that as by baptism we are once regenerate in Christ, and are first, as it were, joined and grafted into his body ; so when we rightly receive the Lord’s* supper, with the very divine nourishment of his body and blood, most full of health and immortality, given us by the work of the Holy Ghost, and received by us by faith, as the mouth of our soul, we are continually fed and sustained to eternal life, growing together in them both into one body with Christ. Nowell, p. 110.

k Q. Why dost thou not grant that the body and blood of Christ are included in the bread and cup, or that the bread and wine are changed into the substance of his body and blood ? A. Because that were to bring in doubt the truth of Christ’s body, to do dishonour to Christ himself, and to fill them with abhorring that receive the Sacrament, if we should imagine his body either to be inclosed in so narrow a room, or to be in many places at once ; or his flesh to be chewed in our mouth with our teeth, and to be bitten small, and eaten as other meat. Nowell, p. 112.

For the sacramental bread and wine remain still in their very natural substances, and therefore may not be adored, (for that were idolatry, to be abhorred of all faithful Christians ;) and the natural body and blood of our Saviour Christ are in heaven, and not here; it being against the truth of Christ’s natural body, to be at one time in more places than one. App. to Com. Serv.

» We do expressly pronounce, that in the Lord’s supper there is truly given unto the believing the body and blood of our Lord, the flesh of the Son of God, which quickeneth our souls, the meat that cometh from above, the food of immortality, of grace, truth, and life : and that the same supper is the communion 01 the body and blood of Christ : by the partaking whereof we be revived, strengthened, and fed unto immortality; and whereby we are joined, united, and incorporate^ unto Christ, that we may abide in him and he in us. Jewell.

Christ did then principally give himself to us to be the author of our salvation, when he gave himself to death for us, that we should not perish with deserved death. By the Gospel also he giveth himself to the faithful, and plainly teacheth that he is that lively bread that came down from heaven to nourish their souls that believe in him. And also in baptism Christ gave himself to us effectually for that he then made us Christians. Nowell, p. 111.

eaten in the Supper, only after an n heavenly and spiritual manner. And the 0 mean whereby the

” In the Lord’s Supper both that communicating which I spake of is confirmed unto us, and is also increased, for that each man is both by the words and mysteries of God ascertained that the same belongeth to himself, and that Christ is by a cer- tain peculiar manner given to him, that he may most fully and with most near conjunction enjoy him, insomuch that not only our souls are nourished with his holy body and blood as with their proper food, but also our bodies, for that they partake of the sacraments of eternal life, have, as it were by a pledge given them, a certain hope assured them of resurrection and immor- tality ; that at length Christ abiding in us, and we again abiding in Christ, we also, by Christ abiding in us, may obtain not only everlasting life, but also the glory which the Father gave him. In a sum I say thus ; as I imagine not any gross joining, so I affirm that same secret and marvellous communicating Christ’s body in his supper to be most near and straight, most assured, most true, and altogether most high and perfect. Nowel/} p. 111.

B Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood ; and that we may evermore dwell in him, and lie in us. Take and eat this in remem- brance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart

by faith, with thanksgiving. Almighty and everliving God,

we most heartily thank thee, for that thou dost vouchsafe to feed us, who have duly received these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ; and dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us, and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of thy Sou, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, and are also heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear Son. Com. Serv.

° Q. When thou saidst afore that the sacraments avail to con-

n Have been all made to drink God is a Spirit: and they that

into one spirit. 1 Cor. xii. 13. It is worship him must worship him in.

the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh spirit aud iu truth. John iv. 24.

profiteth nothiug-. The words (see 0 That Christ may dwell in your

above, John xi. 48 — 57.) that I speak hearts by faith. Eph. iii. 17. The

unto you, they are spirit and they end of the commandment is charity,

are life. John vi. 63. Who hath out of a pure heart, and of a good

made us able ministers of the new conscience, and of faith unfeigned,

testament \ not of the letter, but of 1 Tim. i. 5. Christ liveth in me;

the spirit : for the letter killeth, but and the life which I now live in the

the spirit ^iveth life. 2 Cw. iii. 6. flesh, I live by the faith of the Son

body of Christ is received and eaten in the Sup- per is faith.

p The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was not

firmation of faith, how dost thou now say that we must bring faith to them ? A. These sayings do not disagree. For there must be faith begun in us, to the nourishing and strengthening whereof the Lord hath ordained the sacraments, which bring great effectual helps to the confirming, and, as it were, sealing the promises of God in our hearts. Norvell, p. 113.

Most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. Communion Serv.

That faith is a necessary instrument in all these holy cere- monies, we may thus assure ourselves, for that, as St. Paul saith, without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb. xi. 6.) When a great number of Israelites were overthrown in the wilderness, Moses, Aaron, and Phineas did eat manna, and pleased God, for that they understood, saith St. Augustine, the visible meat spiritually. Spiritually they hungered it, spiritually they tasted it, that they might be spiritually satisfied. And truly as the bodily meat cannot feed the outward man, unless it be let into a stomach to be digested, which is healthful and sound ; no more can the inward man be fed, except his meat be received into his soul and heart, sound and whole in faith. Wherefore let us prove and try ourselves unfeignedly, without flattering ourselves, whether we be plants of the fruitful olive, living branches of the true vine, members indeed of Christ’s mystical body ; whether God hath purified our hearts by faith, to the sincere acknowledging of his Gospel, and embracing of his mercies in Christ Jesus, so that at this his table we receive not only the outward sacrament, but the spiritual thing also ; not the figure, but the truth ; not the shadow only, but the body ; not to death, but to life ; not to destruction, but to sal- vation. Which God grant us to do, through the merits of our Lord and Saviour : to whom be all honour and glory for ever. Amen. Horn, xxvii. 1.

p Neither can we away in our churches with these shews and sales and markets of masses, nor with the carrying about and worshipping of the bread, nor with such other idolatrous and blasphemous fondness ; which none of them can prove that

of God, who loved me, and gave Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

himself for me. Gal. ii. 20. He Rom. xiv. 23. Jesus said unto

that believeth not is condemned, them, I am the bread of life: he

He that believeth not the Son shall that cometh to me shall never hun-

not see life ; but the wrath of God ger ; and he that believeth on me

abidcth on him. John iii. 18, 36. shall never thirst. John vi. 35.

by Christ’s ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

Christ or his apostles ever ordained or left unto us. And we justly blame the bishops of Rome, who, without the word of God, without the authority of the holy Fathers, without any ex- ample of antiquity, after a new guise, do not only set before the people the sacramental bread to be worshipped as God, but do also carry the same about upon an ambling palfrey, whitherso- ever themselves journey : in such sort, as in old times, the Persian fire and the reliques of the goddess Isis, were solemnly carried about in procession : and have brought the sacraments of Christ to be used now as a stage-play and a solemn sight ; to the end that men’s eyes should be fed with nothing else, but with mad gazings, and foolish gaudies, in the self-same matter, wherein the death of Christ ought diligently to be beaten into our hearts, and wherein also the mysteries of our redemption ought with all holiness and reverence to be executed. Jewell.

Notes

• Q. Dost thou then, that this conjoining may be made, imagine the bread and wine to be changed into the substance of the flesh and body of Christ ? A. There is no need to invent any such change. For both the holy Scriptures, and the best and most ancient expositors, do teach, that by baptism we are likewise the members of Christ, and are of his flesh and bones, and do grow into one body with him, when yet there is no such change made in the water. Nowell, p. 110.