to it, being either a sin or an imperfection, an infirmity or indevotion, and an unactiveness of spirit. All Christian people must come. They indeed that are in the state of sin must not come so, but yet they must come. First, they must quit their state of death, and then partake of the bread of life. They that are at enmity with their neighbours must come, that is no excuse for their not coming; only they must not bring their enmity along with them, but leave it, and then come. They that have variety of secular employments must come; only they must leave their secular thoughts and affections behind them, and then come and converse with God. If any man be well grown in grace, he must needs come, because he is excellently disposed to so holy a feast: but he that is but in the infancy of piety had need to come, that so he may grow in grace. The strong must come, lest they become weak; and the weak, that they may become strong. The sick must come to be cured, the healthful to be preserved. They that have leisure must come, because they have no excuse they that have no leisure must come hither, that by so excellent religion they may sanctify their business. The penitent sinners must come, that they may be justified; and they that are justified, that they may be justified still. They that have fears and great reverence to these mysteries,

and think no preparation to be sufficient, must receive, that they may learn how to receive the more worthily; and they that have a less degree of reverence must come often to have it heightened: that so our souls may be transformed into the similitude and union with Christ, by our perpetual feeding on him, and conversation, not only in his courts, but in his very heart, and most secret affections, and incomparable purities,

XI.

ARCHBISHOP POTTER.

In the Christian Church there is only one proper sacrifice, which our Lord offered upon the cross; and consequently Christians cannot partake of any sacrifice in a literal and strict sense, without allowing transubstantiation. Lest, therefore, they should want the same pledge to assure them of the Divine favour which the Jews enjoyed, our Lord appointed the elements of bread and wine to signify his body and blood offered in sacrifice; whence they are expressly called his body and blood-it being common for representatives to bear the name of those things or persons which they represent: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread," &c. The elements were not his real body and blood, nor understood to

be so by the apostles or any primitive father; but they were the symbols of his body and blood, the partaking whereof is all one to the receivers, and does as much assure them of the favour of God, as if they should eat and drink the real body and blood of Christ offered upon the cross. To this purpose is the discourse of St. Paul, "The cup of blessing," &c. (1 Cor. x. 16-21.) Where, it may be observed, 1. That eating the Lord's supper is the same rite in the Christian Church with eating the things offered in sacrifice among the Jews and heathens. 2. That it is an act of communion or fellowship with God, at whose table we are said to be entertained; and therefore it is declared to be inconsistent with eating the Gentile sacrifices, which is an act of communion with devils, to whom those sacrifices are offered. 3. That it is an act of communion between Christians, who eat at the same table, and by that means are owned to be members of the same evangelical covenant under Christ. Whence the apostle declares in another place, that the Jews, who are not within the Christian covenant, and consequently not in communion with Christ and his Church, have no right to partake of the Christian altar: "We have an altar," says he, "whereof they have no right to partake who serve the tabernacle" (Heb. xii. 10). Hence it is manifest that, to eat the Lord's

supper, is to partake of the sacrifice of Christ, which is there commemorated and represented. For which reason the most primitive fathers speak of eating at the Christian altar. . . . . . So that it is plain, both from the design and nature of the Lord's supper, and from the concurrent testimony of the most primitive fathers, who conversed with the apostles or their disciples, that it was reckoned through the whole world to be a commemorative sacrifice, or a memorial of our Lord offered upon the cross, first dedicated to God by prayer and thanksgiving, and afterwards eaten by the faithful.

LONDON: LEVEY, ROBSON, AND FRANKLYN,

46 St. Martin's Lane.

Lately published, beautifully printed in royal 32mo,

gilt edges, price 28. Horae Sacrae;

A MANUAL OF

PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS

FOR PRIVATE USE:

To which is added Devotional Poetry.

Selected from the Writings of Bishops ANDREWS, KEN, TAYLOR, WILSON, PATRICK, GIBSON, COSIN, BEVERIDGE, HICKES, &c. &c. &c.

Preparing for publication,

Family Prayers;

CHIEFLY COMPILED FROM

THE FORMULARIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

And intended to be used Liturgically.

By the REV. SAMUEL WILBERFORCE, M.A.

Rector of Brighstone.