^S OF PRivcrr A I IP 0^- h'JG ..^ 1951 Logical si*^ El/ L THE ^J» ^0^ *. I , "-"^--^ 1961 MYSTICAL PEE»J4^t&.«!5 A VINDICATION OF THE REFORMED OR CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. BY THE REV. JOHN W. NEVIN, D.D. PROF, OF THEOL. IN THE SEMINARY OF THE GER. REF. CHURCH. * •»»■» - PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT &D Co. 1846. Entered according to tlic Act of Congress^ in the year 1S46, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT & Co., in the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the eastern district of Pennsylvania. nilLADELrHIA: KING AND BAIRD, rUINTERS, No. George Street. PREFACE. The following work has grown directly out of some contro- versy which has had place, during the past year, in the German Reformed Church, on the subject to which it relates. This stands related to it, however, only as an external occasion, and has not been permitted to come into view, in any way, in the work itself. It is not felt that any apology is needed for the publication. — This is found in the importance of its subject, which must be left of course to speak for itself. As the Eucharist forms the very heart of the whole Christian worship, so it is clear that the entire question of the Church, which all are compelled to acknowledge, the great life-problem of the age, centres ultimately in the sacramental question as its inmost heart and core. Our view of the Lord's Supper must ever condition and rule in the end our view of Christ's person and the concep- tion we form of the Church. It must influence at the same time, very materially, our whole system of theology, as well as all our ideas of ecclesiastical history. Is it true that the modern Protestant Church in this country has, in large part at least, fallen away from the sacramental doctrine of the sixteenth century ? All must at least allow, that there is some room for asking the question. If so, it is equally plain that it is a question which is entitled to a serious answer. For in the na- ture of the case, such a falling away, if it exist at all, must be connected with a still more general removal from the original plat- form of the Church. The eucharistic doctrine of the sixteenth 4 PREFACE. century was interwoven with tlic whole church system of the time ; to give it up, then, must involve in the end a renunciation in principle, if not in profession, of this system itself in its radi- cal, distinctive constitution. If it can be shown that no material change has taken place, it is due to an interest of such high con- sequence that this should be satisfactorily done. Or if the change should be allowed, and still vindicated as a legitimate advance on the original Protestant faith, let this ground be openly and con- sciously taken. Let us know, at least, where we are and what we actually do believe, in the case of this central question, as compared with the theological stand-point of our Catechisms and Confessions of Faith. The relations of this inquiry to the question concerning the true idea of the Church, will easily be felt by every well-informed and reflecting mind. If the fact of the incarnation be indeed the principle and source of a new supernatural order of life for hu- manity itself, the Church, of course, is no abstraction. It must be a true, living, divine-human constitution in the world ; strictly organic in its nature — not a device or contrivance ingeniously fit- ted to serve certain purposes beyond itself — but the necessary, essential form of Christianity, in whose presence only it is possi- ble to conceive intelligently of piety in its individual manifesta- tions. The life of the single Christian can be real and healthful only as it is born from the general life of the Church, and car- ried by it onward to the end. We are Christians singly, by par- taking (having ;;f/r/) in the general life-revelation, which is already at hand organically in the Church, the living and life-giving body of Jesus Christ. As thus real and organic, moreover, Christianity 7nust be historical. No higher wrong can be done to it than to call in question its true historical character ; for this is, in fact, to turn it into a phantasm, and to overthrow the solid fact-basis on which its foundations eternally rest. It must be historical, too, under the form of the Church; for the rcalncss of Christianity demands indispensably the presence of the general life of Christ, flowing with unbroken continuity from the beginning as the me- dium of all particular union with him from age to age. Then, again, the historical Church must be visible, or in other words, PREFACE. not merely ideal, but actual. The actual may indeed fall short immeasurably of the idea it represents ; the visible Church may be imperfect, corrupt, false to its own conception and calling; but still an actual, continuously visible Church there must always be in the world, if Christianity is to have either truth or reality in the form of a new creation. A purely invisible Church has been well denominated a contradictio in adjecto; since the very idea of a Church implies the manifestation of the religious life, as some- thing social and common. The whole conception that the externalization of the Christian life is something accidental only to the constitution of this life it- self — a sort of mechanical machinery, to help it forward in an out- ward way — is exceedingly derogatory to the Church, and injurious in its bearings on religion. An outward Church is the necessary form of the new creation in Christ Jesus, in its very nature ; and must continue to be so, not only through all time, but through all eternity likewise. Outward social worship, which implies, of course, forms for the purpose, is to be regarded as something es- sential to piety itself. A religion without externals, must ever be fantastic and false. The simple utterance of religious feeling, by which the spirit takes outward form, is needed, not for something beyond itself, but for the perfection of the feeling itself. Forms, in this sense, not as sundered from inward life, of course, but as embracing it, enter as a constituent element into the very life of Christianity. As a real, human, historical constitution in the world, the outward and inward in the Church can never be di- vorced, without peril to all that is most precious in the Christian faith. We have no right to set the inward in opposition to the outward, the spiritual in opposition to the corporeal, in religion. The incarnation of the Son of God, as it is the principle, forms also the true measure and test, of all sound Christianity, in this view. To be real, the human, as such, and of course the divine also in human form, must ever externalize its inward life. All thought, all feeling, every spiritual state, must take body, (in the Avay of word, or outward form of some sort,) in order to come at all to any true perfection in itself. This is the proper, deep sense of all liturgical services in religion. The necessity here 1* 6 PREFACE. affirmed is universal. The more intensely spiritual any slate may be, the more irresistibly urgent will ever be found its ten- dency to clothe itself, and make itself complete, in a suitable ex- ternal form. Away with the imagination, then, that externals in Christianity, (including the conception of the visible Church it- self,) are something accidental only to its true constitution, a cun- ningly framed device merely for advancing some interest foreign from themselves. To think of the Church, and of Christian wor- ship, as means simply to something else, is to dishonour religion itself in the most serious manner. If the present work may serve to fix attention on the momen- tous point with which it is concerned, and thus contribute indi- rectly even to a clearer understanding of Protestant truth, I shall feel that it has not been written in vain. May God accept it, and crown it with his blessing. J. W. N. Mercersburg, April, 1846. CONTENTS. PRELIMINzVRY ESSAY.— Translation from Ullman. ON THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF CHRISTIANITY. Object and Nature of the Inquiry, . .... 13 Historical Forms of Christianity. — Parallel in the general progress of Modern Reflection on its nature, . . . . .15 Conception of Christianity as Doctrine, .... 19 Conception of Christianity as Moral Law, . . . .23 Schleiermacher's view of it as the Religion of Redemption, . . 24 True Distinction. — Christ's Person, — Doctrine of the Divine and Hu- man in the form of Life, . . . . . .27 Hegel and the Modern Speculation, ..... 39 Actual constitution of Christianity, as the union of God and Humanity through Christ, ........ 33 Contrast with Heathenism and Judaism, .... 34 Christianity the Absolute Religion, in which all others culminate. The Religion of Humanity , . . . . . . .37 True centre of the Christian system, from which all its parts gain their right portion and light, . . . . . .39 Recapitulation. — Mysticism and Reformation, . . . .43 CHAPTER I. REFORMED OR CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. Introductory Remarks. — Importance of the Eucharistic Question. — Six- teenth Century. — Modern Protestantism. — Claims of the subject, . 51 SiicT. I. — Statement of the Doctrine. Authority of Calvin in the Reformed Church, ... 54 Relation of the doctrine to the view taken of Christ's union generally with his people, . . . . ... . .54 Distinctions on the side towards Rationalism ; the participation of the believer in Christ, not common relationship only to Adam; not a merely moral union ; not a union in larv simply ; not communion with his divine nature alone or with the Holy Ghost as his representa- tive ; but a real communication with his substantial, personal, media- torial life, ........ 5o 8 CONTENTS. The doctrine bounded on ihc opposite side. — "Noi trarrsubslantiaUon ; nor consuhstantiation. — Real conjunction with Christ, through faith, by the Spirit, ........ Grace of the Sacrament o&;ccfzi;^; including the actual life of Clirist, particularly in its human character, ..... Sect. II. — Hisloncal Evidence. Reformed doctrine gradually established. — Relation of Zuingli to the Church. — His view of the Sacrament, . . . . .03 Early Helvetic Church. — Confession of Basel. — First Helvetic Confes- sion, . . . . . . . . . 65 Calvin — Extracts from his Institutes. — Catechism of Geneva, . . 67 Tract De vera ^arf^f^■/)a^^07^;>. — 'O f;;t, " by which believers are nourished to eternal salvation, then; is no man, not entirely destitute of religion, who hesitates to acknowledge; though all are not equally agreed respecting the manner of partaking of him. For there are some who define in a word, that to eat the flesh of Christ and to drink his blood, is no other than to believe in Christ himself. But I conc(iive that in tiiat remarkable discourse in which Christ re- connnends us to feed upon his body, he intended to teach us some- thing more striking and sublime; namely that we are quickened by a real participation of liiu), which he designates by the terms of eating and driti/fuig, that no })cTson might suppose the life which we receive CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUIPER. 09 from him to consist in simple knowledge. For as it is not scein<^ bread, but eatinir it, that administers nourishment to the body, so it is necessary for the soul to have a true and complete participation of Christ, that by his power it may be quickened into spiritual life. At the same time, we confess that there is no other eating' than by faith, as it is impossible to imag^ine any other; but the difference between me and those whose opinion I now oppose is this. They consider eating to be the same thing- as believing; while I say, that in believ- ing we eat the flesh of Christ, because he is made ours actually by faith, and that this eating is the fruit and effect of faith. Or to ex- press it more plainly, they consider the eating to be faith itself; but I apprehend it to be rather a consequence of faith." Again, (IV. 17. 8,) he tells us that Christ was from the beginning that life giving Word of the Father, from which all things have de- rived their existence. " In him was life," the source and fountain of all creaturely existence, even before 'he appeared in our nature. But this " life was manifested," when he assumed our flesh, to restore the ruin produced by the fall. " For though he diffused his influence over the whole creation before that period, yet because man was alienated from God by sin, had lost the participation of life, and saw on every side nothing but impending death, it was necessary to his recovery of any hope of immortality, that he should be received into the communion of that Word. For what confidence can it raise in any one, to hear only that the fulness of life is comprehended in the Word of God, a great way off, whilst in himself and all around nothing but death is presented to his eyes ! Now, however, since that fountain of life has come to dwell in our flesh, it is no longer thus hidden from us by distance, but open to our reach and free use. The very flesh moreover in which he dwells is made to be vivific for us, that we may be nourished by it to immortality. ' I am the living bread,' he says, 'which came down from heaven ; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.' (John 6 : 48, 51.) In these words he teaches, not simply that he is Life, as the everlasting Word descending to us from heaven, but that in thus descending he has infused this virtue also into the flesh with which he clothed iiimself, in order that life might flow over to us from it continually." Again, sect. 10 : " We conclude that our souls are fed by the flesh and blood of Christ, just as our corporeal life is preserved and sus»- tained by bread and wine. For the analogy of the sign would not hold, if our souls did not find their aliment in Christ; which however cannot be the case, unless Christ truly coalesce into one with us, and support us through the use of his flesh and blood. It may seem in- credible indeed that the flesh of Christ should reach us from such immense local distance, so as to become our food. But we must re- member how far the secret power of the Holy Spirit transcends all our senses, and what folly it must ever be to think cf reducing his immensity to our measure. Let faith embrace then what the under- standing cannot grasp, namely that the Spirit unites things which are locally separated. Now this sacred communication of his flesh and blood, by which Christ transfuses his life into us, just as if he pene- trated our bones and marrow, he testifies and seals also in the holy 70 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. Slipper; not by the exliibition of a vain and empty si;^n, but by putting forth there such an energy of his Spirit as fulfils what he promises. What is thus attested he olfcrs and exhibits to all who approach the j spiritual banquet. It is however fruitfully received by believers only, \ who accept such vast grace witii inward gratitude and trust." The following passage, sect. 11, is entitled to particular atten- tion, as bringing strongly into view some of the leading points i of the doctrine, in a way not to be misunderstood or contradicted, j " I say then, (what has always been held in the church, and is ) still taught by all of sound feeling,) that the sacred mystery of the;| Supper consists of two parts; the corporeal s/i,'-?7s, which being placea | before our eyes represent to us invisible things according to the in- i firmity of our apprehension; and the spiritual truth, which these sym-.i hols typify and exhibit. This last I am accustomed to describe in a j familiar way, as including three things ; the signification, the matter \ answering to this, and the virtue or effect which follow^s from both, j The sig7i>/ication holds in the promises, which are in some sense inter- i woven with the sign. What I call the mattter or substance, is Christ, ' with his death and resurrection. By the effict I mean redemption, j righteousness, sanctification, ctL-rnal life, and all the other benefits i which Christ confers upon us.^ Moreover, though all these things || have a relation to faith, I allow ilo room for the cavil, that, in repre- ij senting Christ to be received by failrh, I make him an object simply ^ of the understanding or imagination. For the promises present him [ to us, not that we may rest in contemplation merely and naked notion, but that we may enjoy him in the way of real participation, j And truly, I see not how any one can have confidence, that he has j redemption and righteousness by the cross of Christ, and life by his 1 death, if he have not in the iirst place a true communion with Christ himself. For those benefits could never reach us if Christ did not first make himself ours. I say, then, that in the mystery of the Sup- per, under the symbols of bread and wine, Christ is truly presented to us, and so his body and blood, in which he fulfilled all obedience to procure our justification ; in order that we may, first coalesce with hiin into one body, and then, being thus made partakers of his sub- stance, may experience the virtue also which belongs to him, in the participation of all blessings." The Catcch{s}ti of Geneva was formed by Calvin in the year 1536, (enlarged and improved in 1541,) for the use of the Church whose name it bears. Take from it the following ex- tract on the subject of the Lord's Supper: Quest. Why is the Lord's body figured by bread and his blood by wine ? Jlns. To teach us, that such virtue as bread has in nourishing our bodies for the support of the present life, the same is in the body of the Lord for the spiritual nourishment of our souls ; and that as by wine the hearts of men are exhilarated, their strength refreshed, the whole man invigorated, so our souls receive like benefits from the Lord's blood. CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUrpER. 71 Q. Do we then eat the body and blood of the Lord ? Jf. We do. For since the whole hope of our salvation consists in this, that his obedience, which he rendered to the Father, may be ])laced to our credit as though it were our own, it is necessary that he himself should be possessed by us. He does not communicate his benefits to us except as he makes himself ours. Q. But did he not give himself to be ours at that time, when he ex- posed himself to death, that he might reconcile us, being redeemed from the sentence of death, to the Father 1 ^. That is true. But it is not enough for us unless we receive him now, in order that the efficacy and fruit of his death may reach us. Q. Is not the mode of receiving him, however, by faith ] ' JI. This I allow ; but add at the same time, that this takes place, not only as we believe that he died to redeem us from death, and rose again to acquire life for us, but as we acknowledge also that he dwells in us, and that we are joined to him with such union as holds between members and their proper head ; in order that by the grace of this union, we may become partakers of all his benefits." — Sect. v. {Nic- mcycr's Coll. p. 164, 165.) One more extract from the great Reformer must suffice. It is taken from a short appendix to his tract, De vera parti cipa- iione carnis ct sanguinis Christi in sacra cocna, written against the virulent Ilcsshuss in the year 15G1, near tlie close of his life. The object of the appendix is to set forth distinctly the points of agreement and disagreement, in the case of the sacramental ques- tion, with a view to ultimate concord. After stating the points with regard to which both sides were agreed, touching the sacraments in general and the Lord's supper in particular ; this among the rest, that Christ in the Supper really and efficaciously fulfils all that the analogy of the signs demands, so that there is offered to us a true communication with his body and blood ; he goes on to say: " It remains to notice the points with regard to which it is still un- settled, in what light they are to be viewed or represented. All however, who are possessed of sound judgment, and approach the subject at the same time, without passion, must allow that the controversy is simply on the mode of eating ; since we openly and ingenuously affirm, that Christ becomes ours, in order that he may afterwards impart to us the benefits he possesses ; that his body also was not only once offered for our salvation, when he was slain upon \ the cross to expiate sin, but is daily extended to us for our nourish- ment ; so that while he himself dwells in us, we may have an inter- est also in all his blessings. We teach finally, that he is vivific be- cause he inspires his life into us, just as we derive strength from the nutriment of bread. It is in fixing the method of eating then, that contentions arise. Now our dei^nition is, that the body of Christ is eaten, inasmuch as it forms the spiritual aliment of the soul. We call it aliment again in this sense, because by the incomprehensible power of his Spirit, he inspires into us his own life, so that it becomes common '-^ THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. to US with liirnself, in the same way precisely as the vital sap from tlie root of a tree diffuses itself into the branches, or as vigor flows from the head of the body into its several members. In this definition, there is nothing- captious, nothing obscure, nothing ambiguous or de- ceitful. That some, not satisfied with this clear simplicity, require the body of Christ to be swallowed, is agreeable neither to the authority of Scripture nor the testimony of the ancient Church ; and it is marvel- lous that men possessed of moderate judgment and learning, should contend so pertinaciously for the new comment. What the Scriptures teach is not at all called by us into question, namely, that the flesh of Christ is truly meat and his blood truly drink ; since they are truly received by us, and avail to solid life. We profess also that this com- munication is exhibited in the Sacred Supper. Whoever insists on more, certainly exceeds proper limits." Again : " It is a vain dispute moreover that is made about the twofold body. The character of Christ's flesh w^as indeed changed when it was received into celestial glory ; whatever was terrene, mortal or perishable, it now put off. Still however it must be maintained, that : no other body can be vivific for us, or may be counted meat indeed, save that which was crucified to atone for our sins ; as the sound of j the words also indicates. The same body then which the Son of God once offered in sacrifice to the Father, he oflfers to us daily in the Sup- per, that it may be our spiritual aliment. Only that must be held which has been already intimated as to the mode, that it is not neces- sary that the essence of the flesh should descend from heaven in order that we may be fed by it ; but that the power of the Spirit is suflicient to penetrate through all impediments, and to surmount all local dis- tance. At the same time we do not deny, that the mode here is in- comprehensible to human thought; for flesh naturally could neither be the life of the soul, nor exert its power upon us from heaven, and not j without reason is the communication, which makes us flesh of Christ's flesh and bone of his bones, denominated by Paul a great mystery. In the sacred Supper then we acknowledge it a miracle, transcending both nature and our own understanding, that Christ's life is made common to us with himself, and his flesh given to us as aliment. Only let all comments be kept at a distance that are repugnant to the definition already given, such as those concerning the ubiquity of the body, or its secret inclusion under tlie symbol of bread, or its sub- stantial presence upon the earth. These things being disposed of, a doubt still appears with respect to the word substance ,• which is readily allayed, if we put away the crass imagination of a manducation of the flesh, as though it were like corporal food, that being taken into the mouth is received by the belly. For if this absurdity be removed, there is no reason why we should deny that we are fed with Christ's flesh substantially ; since we truly coalesce with him into one body by faith, and are thus made one with him. Whence it follows that we are joined with him by substantial connection, just as substantial vigor flows down from the head into the members. The definition must stand then, that we are made to partake of Christ's flesh substantially; not in the way of any carnal mixture, or as if the flesh of Christ drawn down from heaven CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORd's SUTPER. 73 entered into us, or were swallowed with the mouth ; but because the flesh of Christ as to its power and efficacy vivifies our souls, not otherwise than the body is nourished b}?" the substance of bread and wine. Another subject of controversy is the word spiritually ; to which many are averse, because they thirik that it implies something imagi- nary or empty. On the contrary however, the body of Christ is said to be given to us spiritually in the Supper, because the secret energy of the Holy Spirit causes things that are separated by local distance to be notwithstanding joined together; so that life is made to reach into us from heaven out of the flesh of Christ; which power and faculty of vivification may be said not unsuitably to be something abstracted from his substance, provided only it be taken in a sound sense, namely that Christ's body remains in heaven, while neverthe- less life flows out from his substance and reaches to us who sojourn upon the earth." — Calv. 0pp. edit. Amsielud. Tom. ix. p. 743,744. It seeins strange in view of such quotations as have now been presented, that any should think of still calling in question Cal- vin's faith in the doctrine of a real communication with Christ's life in the Lord's Supper. It will not do to talk of figurative language in the case, and to remind us that all is resolved by him constantly into a spiritual manducation as distinguished from one that is oral and physical. This is allowed on all hands ; he was no Romanist nor Lutheran. But if there ever was a clear case we have one here, when we affirm that Calvin's spiritual manducation was intended by himself to include full as much, in the case of believers, as was involved in the Lutheran hypo- thesis itself, that is a true participation of the substantial life of Christ's body and blood, according to the faith of the universal Church from the beginning. To guard against carnal miscon- struction, he was accustomed indeed to speak of this as effected by the ascent of the soul to Christ in heaven, through the power of the Holy Ghost, rather than by a proper descent of Christ's nature in the sacrament to the earth. But this affects not at all the substance of his doctrine. In whatever way it might be supposed to occur, he held and taught \he fact of a real presence of the Saviour's human life, for the soul of the believer, in the sacramental transaction. Of this presence and communication too, the sacrament as such was by the Spirit the true supernatu- ral vehicle and bearer. The Lutherans have pretended indeed, that he acknowledged no inward connection between the insti- tution and the grace it represented. But this is manifestly false. He does, to be sure, say of the signs that they have no virtue or force in themselves as such. Augustine says the same thing. But both Calvin and Augustine hold the transaction to be more than what falls upon the senses. In this view, it is held to be truly and properly the form, under which and by which, through 7 ^4 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. the Spirit, Christ is made present. Thus on 1 Cor. x. 3, he says: "The Papists confound sign and tiling; profane men, such as Schwenkfeld and others like him, rend them asunder; let us keep the middle; that is, let us hold the conjunction established by the JLord, but with proper distinction, so as not to transfer rashly to one what belongs to the other." So, still more clearly, on 1 Cor. xi. 24. " Why is the appellation boch/ attributed to the bread? All will allow, I presume, for the same reason that John denominates a dove the Holy Ghost. Thus far it is agreed. But now the Holy Ghost was so called, because he had appeared under the form (sitb specie) of a dove ; whence the name is transferred to the visible sign. And why should we deny a similar metonymy here, by which the name of the body is attributed to the bread, because it is its sign and symbol." Next comes the meaning of the metonymy itself It is more, he tells us, than a figure or a picture. "The dove is called the Spirit, as being the sure pledge (fessei^n) of the Spirit's invisible presence. So the bread is Christ's body, as it assures us cer- tainly of the exhibition of what it represents, or because the Lord in extending to us that visible symbol, gives us in fact along with it his own body; for Christ is no juggler, to mock us with empty appearances. Hence it is to me beyond all controversy, that the reality is here joined u^ith the sign, or in other words that, so far as spiritual virtue is concerned, we do as truly partake of Christ's body as we eat the bread."* * F. D. Maurice, of King's College, London, in his late work entitled The Kingdom of Christ, which has attracted some attention, falls grossly into the same error with regard to Calvin, which it is here attempted to expose. The Calvinist, he says, (vol. ii., p. 105,) " requires that we should suppose there is no object present, unless there be something which perceives it; and having got into this contradiction, the next step is to suppose that faith is not a recep- tive, but a creative power ; that it makes the thing which it believes." He admits, at the same time, "that there were characteristics in the creed of the Calvinist, which ought especially to have delivered him" from the general tendency of Protestantism to run into this false view. So far as Calvin him- self is concerned, it must be perfectly plain from the testimony which has now been presented, that the charge quoted is utterly erroneous. He taught clearly an objective presence of Christ's life in the sacramental transaction as such, which could become available only through faith, but which faith could not be said, in any sense, to create; since the very guilt of the uij^worthy communi- cant proceeds mainly from this, that ho treats the actually present grace as though it were a mere figment, not discerning the Lord's body. That the "Calvinist" of modern date has too often fallen into the contradiction of making faith creative, in the sacrament, rather than receptive, is indeed most painfully true. But in doing so he has fallen away entirely from the stand- |)oint of the man whose name he professes to honour. Whetlier this stand- point is to be held itself responsible for the apostacy, is another question, perfectly legitimate and of immense practical importance; which it becomes the friends of the Reformed Clmrch to look steadily in the face. If Calvinism — the system of Geneva — necessarily runs here into Zuinglianism, we may, indeed, well despair of the whole interest. For most assuredly no Church can stand, that is found to be constitutionally unsacramental, y CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORDS SUPPER. iO According to Schhicrmacher (Der. chr. Glaube, § 140), llie Calvinistic view of the Lord's Supper connects, not indeed with the elements as such, but with the act of eating and drinking, not simply such a spiritual enjoyment of Christ as was taught by Zuingli ; but the real presence of his body and blood to be had no where else (die nirgend sonst zu habende wirkliche Gegenwart seines Leibes und Blutes). Both views, the Luthe- ran and Calvinistic, he tells us, acknowledge a real presence of Christ's body and blood. It will hardly be pretended, that such a theologian as Schleiermacher has mistaken the sense of Calvin in this case. It deserves to be noted besides, that this great master of ratiocination, with all his cool and free spirit of theo- logical inquiry, finds no absurdity or contradiction whatever in the Calvinistic theory itself He prefers it on the whole to the view of Luther; although he thinks the truth may require still some higher middle theory, in which both at last shall be recon- ciled and made complete. The Zuinglian doctrine he says has the advantage of being very clear and easy to be understood ; but it is quite too low for the subject. Farel and Beza. At the Colloquy of Worms, held A. D. 1557, certaiii delegates presented themselves from the Reformed Gallic Churches, namely, William Farel, pastor at the time in Neufchatel, John SudaeuSy a citizen of Geneva, Caspar Carmel, minister of the Chuich in Paris, and Theodore Beza, then professor at Lausanne. They exhibited here a Confession of Faith, which is to be con- sidered important, as embodying not simply their own views, but the views also of the wide religious communion which they represented. In the article of the Lord's Supper it employs the following language, which will be found at once closely coinci- dent with the representation embraced in the extracts just furnished from Calvin : " We confess that in the Supper of the Lord not only the benefits of Christ, but the very substance itself of the Son Man; that is, the same true flesh which the Word assumed into perpetual personal union, in which he was born and suffered, rose again and ascended to heaven, and that true blood which he shed for us ; are not only sig- nified, or set forth symbolically, typically or in figure, like the me- mory of something absent, but are truly and really represented, ex- hibited, and offered for use ; in connection w4th symbols that are by no means naked, but which, so far as God who promises and offers is concerned, always have the thing itself truly and certainly joined with them, whether proposed to believers or unbelievers." This last clause deserves especially to be noted, as affirming 70 THE MYSTICAL I'RESEXCE. in the strongest manner the ohjcctivc force of the institution." The power wiiich it carries, as the medium of a real communi- cation with the flesli and blood of Christ, is in no sense the product of our piety and faith. It exists in the divine constitu- tion of the ordinance itself; tliough it can be of no value of course, where no organ is at hand for its reception. The article proceeds : "As it regards the mode now in which the thing itself, that is, the true body and true blood of the Lord, is connected with the symbols, we say that it is symbolical or sacramental. We call a sacramental mode not such as is njrurative merely, but such as truly and certainly represents, under the form of visible things, what God along with the symbols exhibits and offers, namely, what we mentioned before, the true body and blood of Christ; which may show that we retain and defend the presence of the very body and blood of Christ in the Sup- per. So that if we have any controversy with truly pious and learned brethren, it is not concerning the thing itself, but only concerning the mode of the presence, which is known to God alone, and by us be- lieved. " Finally, as to the mode in which the thing itself, that is, the natu- ral and true substance of Christ, is truly and certainly communicated to us, we do not make it to be natural, nor imagine a local copulation, or a diffusion of Christ's human nature, or that crass and diabolical transubstantiation, or any gross mingling of the substance of Christ with ours ; but we say that it is a spiritual mode, that is, such as rests on the incomprehensibleenergy of God's Spirit, as unfolded to us in that word of his own, This is my body. And we now beg all brethren dis- passionately to consider, whether it is proper that those who thus think and teach concerning the sacraments of Christ, should be branded as infidels and heretics." — Husjn7iinv, Hist. Sacram. Pars Alt. p. 433. Bcza and Peter Martyr. In the year 15G1 a conference was held on the sn!)ject of religion, at Poissy, in France, in the presence of the king of Navarre, and many other distinguished personages. Jhza, who was now settled as a minister at Geneva, and Peter Martyr, professor of divinity in Zurich, appeared here, by special invita- tion, to represent the interest of the Reformed faith. Beza on this occasion made a long speech, in exposition of the leading articles of the new confession, which was characterized by great eloquence and power, and filled the court and all present with the highest admiration. On tlie subject of the Eucharist, he reiterates the view which we find exhibited in the extract last given; tjamely, that the communion of the believer with Christ in this ordinance involves a real participation in his flesh and blood. CALVINlSriC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 77 " We do not say what some, through misapprehension of our lan- guage, have supposed us to teach : that there is in the holy Supper a commemoration only of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nor do we say, that we are by it partakers only of the fruit of his death and passion; but we join the ground also with the produce, {fundum cfi/u frudibus,) which it is found to yield ; asserting with Paul, that the bread which we break by divine appointment, is the cotumunion, that is, the communication of Christ's body for us crucified, and the cup which we drink, the communication of his true blood for us poured out ; yea, in that same substance, which he took in the womb of the virgin, and which he carried up into heaven. And what is there then, I pray, which you can find in this sacrament, that we too may not seek and find V'—Hosp. IT. p. 515. After this strong statement, he goes on to exclude from the doctrine, in terms equally distinct, the idea of transubstaiitiation in the first place, and then of every thing like a local compre- hension of Christ's body in, with or under the elements, as taught by Luther. In opposition to every such imagination he says : " We affirm that his body is as far removed from the bread and wine, as heaven is exalted high above the earth ;" though he adds immediately, that the reality of the communion is in no respect impaired by this consideration ; since by the power of faith, in a spiritual way, we still partake of his body and blood " as truly as we see the sacraments with our eyes, touch them with our hands, take them into our mouths, and are nourished and supported by their substdnce in our corporal life." The remark that Christ's body and the elements locally con- sidered, are as far apart as heaven and earth, caused a general murmur, we are told, in the assembly, and was made the occa- sion afterwards of no small reproach. Beza thought it neces- sary in consequence to address a letter to the queen of Navarre, craving an opportunity to explain himself more fully on this point. In this he says : *' T was led to the remark which 'has given offence, in meeting the objection of some who, through misunderstanding, charge us with wishing to exclude Christ from the sacrament ; which would be in- deed manifestly impious. Whereas the fact is we hold it sure from " the word of God, that this precious sacrament was instituted by the Son of God, for the purpose of making us more and more partakers of the substance of his true body and his true blood, in order that we may thus become more closely united to him, and coalesce with him unto eternal life. If this were not the case, it would not be the Sup- per of Jesus Christ. So far are we then from saying Jesus Christ is absent from the Supper, that we of all men abhor that blasphemy. But- we say it makes a great difference here, whether we hold Jesus Christ to be present in the Supper, in so far as he gives us in it truly his own body and his own blood, or make his body and blood to be included in the bread. The first we affirm ; the second we deny, as repugnant 78 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. to the truth of Christ's nature, to the article on the ascension, and to the doctrine of the fathers." — Hasp. II. p. 516. This colloquy of Poissy was continued from the first part of Sojitember till towards the close of November. It was thought best, however, in the progress of it. to give it a private form, in place of the public character under which it was commenced. For this purpose five delegates were appointed on the part of the Romanists, includingr two doctors of the Sorbonne, and five on the part of the Reformed, to confer together m a free way on the various subjects in debate. The representatives of the Reformed Church were Beza, Martyr, Gallasius, Marloratus, and Espinaeus. A large share of their attention was given by these collocutors, of course, to the sacramental question. As the result of the discussion, they agreed finally in the following formula, as expressing their common belief. " We confess that Jesus Christ in the Supper offers, gives, and truly exhibits to us, the substance of his body and blood-, by the ope- ration of the Holy Ghost ; and that we receive and eat, spiritually and by faith, that true body that was slain for us ; that we may be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and so be vivified by him and made to partake of all that is wanted for our salvation. And whereas faith, resting on the divine word, makes what it perceives to be present ; and we by this faith receive truly and efficaciously the true and natural body and blood of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost; we ac- knowledge in this respect the presence of the body and blood them- selves in the Supper." To this formula the delegates on the Romanist side declared themselves willing to subscribe, as well as those on the side of the Reformed Church ; and most of the prelates in attendance seemed also to be satisfied with it, when it was first submitted for their approval. But the authority of the Sorbonne led sub- sequently to its general rejection, as treasonable to the Catholic^ faith; and the five Romanist , collocutors fell under no small reproach in consequence, as having conspired with heretics to wrong the orthodox doctrine of the Church. Hosp. II. p. 519 — 521. The way is now fairly open for bringing forward the testi- mony of the several Confessions which were formed about tHis time, for their own use, by the different national branches of the Reformed Church. We find among them all a truly remarkable correspondence throughout; but no where is it more striking, than in the case of this very article of the Lord's Supper. The language they employ is sufiiciently distinct in itself, for the most part, to exclude all doubt as to their true meaning on the point with which wc arc now concerned. But if any room might CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF TIl^ LOKd's SUITER. 79 seem to be left for hesitation, it must be altogether barred surely by the view now presented of the actual state of opinion, at the tiaie when these symbolical books were framed. Tiie more fully we become acquainted with the historical connections and relations under which they started into life, the more shall we feel it to be impossible that they should mean any thing less than tlie full strength of their language seems to mean. And it is hardly necessary to add, that their his/urical sense, as thus determined, must be admitted to be in the end their only true sense. l^hc Gallic Confcssioit. * This was formed by an assembly of delegates from the Re- formed Churches of France, who were called toorethcr for the purpose, in Paris, in the year 1559. It follows closely the doc- trine of Calvin and Beza, as already presented. Some have sup- posed indeed that it proceeded from the j)en of Calvin himself. But of this there is no historical evidence, and the supposition is in no respect necessary to account for the agreement just men- tioned. The agreement serves only to show, that the doctrine of Calvin in this case, was the doctrine in fact of the Reformed Church, which came now to be incorporated into its symbolical books accordingly, in the most distinct terms. The Confession teaches that Christ " truly feeds and nourishes us with his flesh and blood, that being made one with him, we may have with him a common life." " For although he is now in heaven, and will remain there also till he shall come to judge the world ; we believe, notwithstanding, that through the secret and incomprehensible energy of his Spirit, appre- hended by faith, he nourishes and vivifies us by the substance of his body and blood. We say, however, that this is done spirilunlly^ not as substituting thus an imagination or thought for the power of the fact, but rather because this mystery of our coalition with Christ is so sublime, that it transcends all our senses, and so also the whole course of nature."— .'2r/. 36. " We believe, as before said, that in the Supper, as in Baptism, God in fact, that is, indy and efficaciously, grants unto us all that is -thefe sacramentally represented ; and so we join with the signs the true possession and fruition of what is thus offered to us. Wc affirm, therefore, that those who bring to the Lord's table the vessel of a pure faith, truly receive what the signs there testify ; namely, that the body and blood of Jesus Christ are not less the meat and drink of the soul, than bread and wine are the food of the body." — Jj-t, 37. {Nlcmeyer Coll. Conf.j). 338.) 8D THE AIYSTICAL PRESENCE. Old Scotch Confession. The overtlirow of Popery took place- in Scotland in the yciir 1500 ; al wliich time also this Confession was produced, under the auspices particularly of the distinguished Reformer, John Knox. On the point now in hand it utters itself in the following style: " We do then utterly condemn the vanity of those who afhrm that the sacraments are nothing else but mere naked signs. Rather, we surely believe, that by baptism we are inserted into Christ, and made partakers of his righteousness, by which all our sins are covered and remitted. And also, that in the Lord's Supper, rightly used, Christ is so united to us as to be the very nutriment and food of our souls. Not that we may imagine any transubstantiation of the bread into the natural body of Christ, and of the wine into his natural blood, as the papists have perniciously taught, and believe to their own damnation. But this union and conjunction which we have with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, in the right use of the sacrament, is effected by the operation of the Holy Ghost, who carries us by true faith above all that is seen, and all that is carnal and terrestrial, and causes us to feed upon the body and blood of Jesus Christ, once broken for us and poured out, but now in heaven, appearing for us in the presence of the Father. And though the distance be immense in space between his body now glorified in heaven and us mortals still upon the earth, we do notwithstanding firmly believe that the bread which we break is the communion of his body, and the cup which we bless the com- munion of his blood ; and so we confess that believers in the right use of the Lord's Supper thus eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus Christ, and we believe surely that he dwells in them and they in him, yea, that they become thus flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones; for as the eternal Deity has imparted life and immortality to the flesh of Jesus Christ, so likewise his flesh and blood, when eaten and drunk by us, confer upon us the same prerogatives. — Jlrt.21. {Nie- meyer, p. 35"2, 353.) Belgic Confession. This dates from 1563 ; and is of great authority and force as a standard exhibition of the faith of the Reformed Dutch Church, both in Holland and in this country. It was solemnly approved besides by the Synod of Dort, and may be said to be clothed in this way with a sort of oecumenical character, as a true exposition of the faith of the entire Reformed Church, as it stood in the beginning of the seventeenth century. Its tes- timony on the subject before us is particularly strong. " The sacraments are signs and visible symbols of invisible internal realities, through which as means God himself works in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those signs then are by no means vain or void ; nor are they instituted to deceive or disappoint us. For the truth of them is Jesus Christ himself, without whom they would be of no force whatever." — Jlrt. 33. CALVINTSTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 81 " He has instituted terrene and visible bread and wine to be the sa- crament of his body and blood ; by which we are assured, that as truly as we receive and hold in our hands this sacrament, and eat the same with our mouth, to the sustentation of our natural life, so truly also do we by faith, which is as it were the hand and mouth of our soul, receive the true body and true blood of Christ, our only Saviour, in our souls, to the promotion of our spiritual life. Moreover, it is most certain that Christ commends his sacrament to us so earnestly not without cause, as himself performing- in us really all that he represents to us in those sacred signs; although the mode is such as to surpass the apprehension of our mind, and cannot be understood by any ; since the operation of the Holy Spirit is always secret and incomprehensi- ble. We may say, however, that what is eaten is the very natural body ot Christ, and what is drunk, his true blood; only the instrument of medium by which we eat and drink these is not the corporeal mouth, but our own spirit itself, and this by faith."— .^r/. 35. (Niemcyer, n. 383,385.)* V .y 5V Second Helvetic Confession. What is called the Second or Later Helvetic Confession, was drawn up by Henry Bullinger, in the year 1502; though it did not become of public authority before the year 1.5GG. It be- came in the end tlie standing, universally acknowledged expo- sition of the faith of the whole Helvetic Church, and had great credit also in foreign countries. On the subject of the Lord's * I translate from the Latin ; and there are frequent variations in the text of the Confession itself, as given in different editions. Thi^may e.xphiin any deviations from tlie letter of the English \exs\on, as used by the lleformcd Dutch Church in this country. For any one who is at all familiar with the view of Calvin, or with the true character of the sacramental question in the sixteenth century, the sense of the Confession is too clear to be mistaken. Christ, It IS true, is held to <'sit always at the right hand of his Father in the heavens;" but notwithstanding all this, he "doth not cease to make us par- takers of himself by faith." And to guard against the idea of a mere moral communication in the case, it is added, that he conveys to us, at his table, not simply his benefits or merits, but these as inhering in his person ; " both him- self, afid the merits of his sufferings and death." Christians have a two-fold lite; one natural, the other spiritual, beginning with their second birth "in j the communion of Die body of Christ." This last life is supported by a living bread, sent from heaven for the purpose, " namely Jesus Christ, who nourishes and strengthens the spiritual life of believers when they eat him, that is to say, when they apply and receive him by faith in the spirit." A spiritual reception, of course, but still a rea/ reception of Christ's true human and heavenly life; otherwise the article must be held guilty of the most egregious trifling, in the case of one of the most solemn and perilous points in theolocry. The Form for the administration of the Lord's Supper, in the Litursry of the Relormed Dutch Church, corresponds fully with the doctrine of the^ Confes- sion, " That we may now be fed with the true heavenly bread, Christ Jesus," the service exhorts, " let us not cleave with our hearts unto the external bread and wine, but lift them up on high in heaven, wheie Christ Jesus is our advo- cate at the right hand of his heavenly Father, whither all the articles of our filth lead us; not doubting but we shall as certainly be fed and refreshed in our souls, through the working of the Holy Ghost, tvith his body and blood, as we receive the holy bread and wine in remembrance of him." 82 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. Slipper it is particularly full. Take on the point immediately before us the following extract: "Believers receive what is given by the minister of the Lord, and eat the Lord's bread and drink of the Lord's cup ; inwardly, however, in the mean time, by the work of Christ through the Holy Spirit, they partake also of the Lord's flesh and blood, and are fed by these unto eternal life. For the flesh and blood of Christ are true meat and drink, unto eternal life; and Christ himself, as delivered up for us and our. salvation, is that which mainly makes the Supper, nor do we suffer any thing else to be put in his room." — Art. 21. I The article then goes on, in explanation of this statement, to describe different forms of manducation. There is first a cor- poral manducation, such as the Capernaites had in their mind, when they strove among themselves saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then there is a spiritual manducation, by which Christ is so appropriated in the way of ordinary faith, that he lives in us and we in him. " By this is not meant a merely imaginary, undefinable food, but the body of the Lord itself delivered up for us, which however is received by believers, not corporally, but spiritually by faith." Still different from this lastly is the sacramental manducation, " by which the believer! not only participates in the true body and blood of the Lord spiritually and internally, but outwardly also by coming to the Lord's table receives the visible sacrament of the Lord's body and blood." The sacrament adds something of its own to the ordinary life of faith. " He that partakes of the sacrament out wardly with true faith, partakes not of the sign only, but enjoy: also, as already said, the thing itself which this represents." — \ {Nianajer, p. 519, 520.) The occasion by which this confession became public, was as follows. A spirit of the most violent intolerance had come to prevail on the part of the rigid Lutherans, excited by such men as Westphal, Timann, and Hesshuss, against all who professed the Reformed doctrine; but in no direction was it more active than towards the elector of the Palatinate, Frederick the Third. Fears were entertained even, that he would be excluded from the peace between the Catholics and Protestants. In these circum- stances, it became an object of great importance, to bring all the Reformed Churches into as close a connection as possible. Fre- derick especially had his heart set upon this point. Towards the close of the year L'Jf^S, he wrote to Bullinger on the subject, and begged him in particular to send him as soon as possible a ll confession of faith, that might serve to rei)ress the cavils of the fi Lutherans, with a view to the imperial diet which was then close at hand. Bullinger forwarded him the confession which he hadln CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE T.ORd's SUrTER. 83 prepared three years before ; which so pleased the elector, that he proposed at once to have it translated and published in the German tongue. It was now felt important, to make it if possi- ble of still more general authority; lor which purpose it was sub- milted to the other Helvetic Churches; and in this way, being generally approved it became known in time following as the proper Swiss Confession. The historical relation now men- tioned, in the case of this confession is important, as it serves to show the substantial harmony of Switzerland and the Palatinate on the sacramental question, at the time it was published. A harmony too that rested on the basis of the Calvinistic doctrine, as it has been already explained ; for that this doctrine formed the reigning view of the Reformed Church in the Palatinate, will soon be placed beyond all shadow of doubt. The Heidelberg Catechism. Next in order comes the venerable symbol of the German Re- formed Church, the Catechism of the Palatinate; drawn up, in obedience to an appointment from the elector, Frederick 111., by Caspar Oleviaii,^ disciple of Calvin, and Zacharias Ursinus, a friend of Melancthon ; approved and ratified by a general eccle- siastical synod called at Heidelberg for the purpose; and solemnly published as a confessional standard in the year 1563. It has been translated into all modern civilized tongues, honoured with countless commentaries, and exalted by general acknowledgment to a sort of symbolical authority for the whole Reformed Church. To place its testimony in a proper light, it is necessary to no- Itice a little more particularly than has yet been done, the actual posture of the sacramental controversy in Germany at the time it was formed. Only in this way, can we couie to a clear view of the circumstances in which it had its origin, by which, in the nature bf the case, its character and meaning are to be interpreted. I After the death of Luther, A. D. 154G, the controversy on the subject of the sacrament was allowed for some years to remain at rest. As it began to appear, however, before long, that the bigh ground occupied by the great Reformer was coming to be silently abandoned by many, who still considered themselves true o the Augsburg Confession, a violent movement was gradually created, antagonistically to this tendency, in the opposite direc- ion. It commenced with an assault, in the first place, upon 'Jalvin and Peter Martyr, who had both been led to declare hemselves openly upon the subject, in a way that was necessa- ily offensive to such as were still disposed to insist rigidly on ,he extreme view ; though no thought of giving ofi'ence, or pro- voking controversy, was entertained probably at the tiaie; as it 84 THE MYSTICAT, PRESF-NC?,. was supposed the mind of the church had come to be very gene- rally inclined to the same moderate view, or that it was prepared at legist to treat it with patient indulgence. But the case soon showed itself to be different. 'J'he war was opened, in the year 1552, by Joachim Westphal, preacher in Hamburg, with his yarraffo ; which was intended to be at once a battle challenge to the Swiss churches, with Calvin at their head, and a call to arms upon all who could be made to feel with himself that the strong towers of Lutheran orthodoxy were in danger of being overthrown. 7^his was followed by a second attack, the follow- ing year; and then again, the year after, by a third. Meanwliile other influences also were employed, but too successfully, to rouse the spirit of party hatred and party strife, in the same direction. Calvin found himself now compelled to take np the pen, in self-defence. Gradually the battle thickens. Other champions appear in the field. The Lutheran church is torn with dissension and distraction in her own bosom.' The rigid party, "fierce for orthodoxy," have their hands full at last with I the work of suppressing heresy at home. The horrible sacra- 1 mentarian doctrine is found everywhere lifting up its head, or at' least struggling to do so, under the very shadow of the Augsburg 1 (Confession itself And what is worse still, the venerable author! of the Confession, still living at Wittemberg, refuses to lift a I finger in opposition to the mischief; nay, is more than suspected of being himself in league with it in his heart. No wonder that all Protestant Germany is mad with theological excitement and j passion. " { A full account of these agitations and conflicts, may be found j in Planck's '* GrschirJdc dcr Pi-otcsfantischcn Theologie," vol. v. j Second Part. They form one of the most strange and interest- ing chapters, in the church history of the sixteenth century. Jiut what was the nature of the question, on which the parties showed themselves to be at issue in this case, with regard to the i Lord's Supper? It related not at all to the reality of the sacra- ; mental presence, but only and wholly to its mode. The contro- 1 versy was not at all between the high view of Luther and the low i theory commonly attributed to Zuingli. The great point was conceded now on all hands, that the sacrament involves a real i p:irticipation in the substance of Christ's flesh and blood, that is j in his true human life itself, as the only ground of our salva- I tion. With this confession however the rigid party were not i satisfied. They insisted on certain definitions and admissions be- \ sides, which appeared to them necessary to carry out the doctrine \ in its true sense. They contended for the formula, '* In^irifh, and under" as indispensable to a complete expression of the sacramental presence. The comnmnication must be allowed CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 85 to be by tlie mouth. It must be granted in the case of all who i eat, whether with or without faith. Finally, the ubiquity of Christ's body, and the communicatiu idiomatum in its full extent, must be accepted also, as the only basis on which the doctrine could find a solid foundation. It was for refusing to admit these extreme requisitions only, that the other party was branded with the title Sacrafnentarian, and held up to odium in every direction as the pest of society. It was not the Zuinglian view of the Lord's Supper, but the Calvinistic view, in all its length and breadth, as already described, which was now recognized as the proper doctrine of the Reformed Church, and as such pur- sued with unrelenting hate by the high toned orthodoxy of the day. It is important to bear this continually in mind. The intestine war broke forth first in the city of Bremen ; where it soon became very violent, and gradually involved the whole country in commotion. The immediate occasion of it was Rirnished by the distinguished preacher, Albert Harden- bfrg ; a man who stood in the highest credit for learning and pjety, and was considered in some respects the main ornament of the place to which he belonged ; but who, unfortunately for himself, was suspected of being more Reformed than Lutheran in his view of the Lord's Supper. It was not the least consider- ation in his prejudice, that he was known to be in regular cor- respondence with Melancthon, as one of his most intimate and confidential friends. The movement against him was com- menced in 1555, by John Timami, one of his colleagues in the ministry of Bremen, who now came forward with great zeal to the assistance of Westphal in his crusade against heresy. The other preachers were after some time fully engaged also in the process of persecution. Every effort was made to bring the man into discredit with the magistracy and the people, as an enemy of the true Lutheran faith. The pulpits, in the end, were made to ring with reproaches, hurled upon his head. Conspiracy and intrigue knew no rest for years. Timann died in the midst of the controversy; but his mantle fell upon others, who easily sup- plied his place. Other cities and states, Hamburg, Lubeck, Lunenburg, Saxony, Mecklinburg, Wirtemburg, Denmark, were secretly engaged to interpose their mediation. In the end, Hardenberg found it necessary to retire. The controversy, however, was still continued, and came to a more favourable result ultimately than might have been expected. It lasted alto- gether thirteen years, holding the city of Bremen in violent dis- turbance the whole time. In close connection with the religious struggle of Bremen, so far as its interior history was concerned, stands the religious revolution of the Palatinate, which fell like a thunderbolt on the 8 80 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. ears of Lutheran Germany, while that struggle was still in pro- gress. It took place under the following circumstances. One of the most violent, unsettled spirits of this turbulent period, was Tihmann Hesshuss; rendered memorable if by nothing else, at least by the merciless castigation inflicted upon him by Calvin, in his last tract on the Sacrament.* He was a man of inordinate ambition, fond of money, constitutionally intolerant and overbearing; and withal, whether by conviction or accident, a perfect zealot in the cause of TiUtheran orthodoxy. In the year 1558, he was appointed first professor in the Uni- versity of Heidelberg, and general superintendent of all the churches in the Palntinale. Six months, however, had not elapsed, before he had made himself here, as in all places where he- had lived before, an object of very general dislike. In par- ticular, he was drawn" into strong collision with one William Klehlz, who occupied the situation of a deacon at the time in Heidelberg; d man also, it would seem, of most unclerical tem- per, and but little inclined to maintain friendly relations with the new superintendent. It soon came between them to an open, violent rupture; in which the sacramental question was made the prominent subject of quarrel. Hesshuss charged Kle- )iz with heresy, as favouring the Calvinistic view of Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper rather than the strict T utheran. The point of his apostacy was found mainly in this, that lie affirmed the participation of Christ's body in the Supper to be by filth [\n{\ not by tho niDiith. Hesshuss grew savage in his denunciations; and poured forth his indignation every sabbath, from the pulpit, upon the new Ariv?, who had made his appear- ance in the Heidelberg Church; not sparing at the same time the university and the authorities of the city, for their supposed indifference to the portentous mischief with which they were threatened. Kiehiz returned violence for violence. The whole city WHS thrown into commotion. In these circumstances, Frederick III. succeeded to the electorate. The moderate mea- sures lie employed in the first place, to allay the strife, proved unavailing. In the end, he found it necessary to resort to more * Dilucida Explicatio Sana Doctrina de Vera Parti cipatione Carnis et San- guinis Christi, in Sacra Ca;na. Ad discutiendas Heshusu nebulas. Published 1561. In this tract, Hesshuss is handled, as we say, without gloves. Inscitia cum iniprudentia,stoliditas et pTotcrvia, delirium, Sc, urc charged upon him in lull measure; and sucli epithets as impurns srurra, epilepticus, noster Thraso, impura bestia, ^c, appear plentifully sprinkled over the whole dis- cussion. In conclusion, the writer excuses himself from iartiier controversy with the man as being destitute of all modesty and reason, delivering him over at the same time to ilie discipline of IJeza. "Si qua esset in bestia ingenuitas, vel docilitas, ah ejus calumniis me purgareni ; sed quia taurus est indomitue, lasciviam in qua nimis exultat, Beza' subigcndam irado " 0pp. ix. p. 723-742. ' ^i- CALVINISTIC DOCTRINC OF THK LORd's SUPPER. 87 vigorous means. Both Hesshuss and Klebiz were dismissed accordingly from office; and in this way the public quiet was; restored. Frederick was now made to feel tlie importance of having the subject of this controversy brought to some such settlement, in his dominions, as might preserve the peace of the country in time to come. He formed the plan accordingly of establishing a rule of faith for the Palatinate, to which all should be required to conform. To sustain himself in this object, he wrote to Me- lancthon, asking his counsel and advice. This drew forth the celebrated response of Melancthon, which became public after his death, and involved his memory in no small reproach, with the stiff party to whose views it was found to be opposed. It approved the elector's course, in silencing the sacramental con- troversy, and also his purpose of excluding strife by requiring all to submit to some common form of words; whilst it very deci- dedly condemned the use of any such terms for this purpose, as were pressed upon the Church by Hesshussand men of the same stamp. The elector was already decided in his own mind, in favour of the moderate or Calvinistic view of the sacrarnent. He found the same disposition predominant also among his people. In these circumstances, his election was soon made. It was resolved that the Palatinate should become Reformed. This event created, of course, a great sensation. Among others, the son-in-law of the elector, duke John Frederick of Saxony, was much disturbed and troubled at the tidings. He immediately took a journey to Heidelberg, carrying with him a pair of his most expert theologians, Morlin and Stossel, to rescue his relative, if possible, from the dangerous snare of Calvinism, into which he had so unhappily fallen. For this purpose a public disputation was proposed, to be held between the two theologians just mentioned, and any the elector might see fit to nominate for the defence of his own cause. The proposal was accepted ; and a disputation followed, which was continued for five full days in the presence of the two princes. It was held in the month of June, 1560. The Calvinistic cause was maintained by Peter Bocquin, one of the most distinguished theologians at the time in Heidelberg, The whole debate turned only upon the mode of the eucharistio presence. The divines of John Frederick contended for the high Lutheran doctrine of a true corporeal presence, in^with aiul under the bread; to be apprehended orally and not simply in a spiritual way; for unbelievers accordingly, as well as for be- lievers. Bocquin, on the other hand, maintained the view, that Christ is present to the organ of faith only, by the power of the Holy Ghost. He allowed Jiowever, not only "that the body is 88 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. presented with the bread," but also "that the true substance of the true body is received by believers ;" and showed convincingly, that this does not make it necessary to suppose an oral commu- nication, or to hold that the body is either in the bread or luukr it. The result of the whole disputation was, that the elector found himself only more confirmed than before, in his resolution to establish the Reformed doctrine in the Palatinate. In these circumstances, ihe Heidelberg Catechism was pro- duced, and made the public formulary of faith, in the way already stated. We may easily understand, from the nature of the case, on what view its doctrine of the Lord's Supper must necessarily be constructed. Tt occupies the Calvinistic ground, as distin- guished from the Lutheran on the one side and the Zuinglian on the other. It rejects explicitly the idea of an oral manduca- tion; but, as Planck remarks, teaches also in the clearest terms, that the soul of the believer is truly fed, in this sacrament, by an actual participation of the body and blood of Christ.. But let us now hear the Catechism itself In answer to Question 75, it is said that Christ, "feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth, the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ." " Quest. 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body and drink the shed blood of Christ ? "Ans. It is not only to embrace with a believing heart all the suf- ferings and death of Christ, and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin and life eternal ; but also, besides that, to become more and more united to his sacred body, by the Holy Ghost who dwells both in Christ and in us ; so that we, though Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstanding, ' flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone ;' and that we live and are governed forever by one spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul." " Quest. 79. Why then doth Christ call the bread his body, and the cup his blood, or the new covenant in his blood i and Paul the communion of the body and blood of Christ ? "Ans. Christ speaks thus, not without great reason; namely not only thereby to teach us that as bread and wine support this temporal life, so his crucified body and shed blood are the true meat and drink whereby our souls are fed to eternal life; but more especially, by these visible signs and pledges to assure us, that we are as really partakers of his true body and blood, (by the operation of the Holy Ghost,) as we receive by the mouths of our bodies these holy signs in remem- brance of him ; and that all his sufierings and obedience are as ccr- tamly ours as if we had in our own persons suffered and made satis- faction for our sins to God." I Here we have all the characteristic positions and distinctions CALVINISTIC DOCTRINK OF THE LORd's SUPPER. 89 of Calvin's theory, plainly brought into view ; and with the knowledge of this theory familiar to our minds, and the historical conditions under which the Catechian was created full in sight, we must do violence to all sound interpretation, if we can allow ourselves to understand it in any other sense. True to the gene- ral form in which the controversy stood at the time, it affirms a real communion with Christ's flesh and blood ; allows the fact ; but refuses to be bound by the Lutheran determination of the mode. The presence of Christ is not " i?i, with and under" the bread, but only ivith it ; not for the mouth, but only for faith ; and so of course, though this is not expressly mentioned, not for unbelievers but for believers only. It is however, in this way, a true presence. The believer partakes of Christ, not only in figure, but in fact; not of his benefits simply, but of his actual life ; not of his life as divine merely, but of the substance of his human life, as denoted by his body and blood. The signs not only testify to us the general truth that Christ is our life, but seal this truth to us as a fact actualized along with their exhibi- tion and use. To say that by the participation of Christ's body and blood the Catechism means only a moral union with him, by faith and an interest in the benefits of his death, is to charge it with the most wretched tautology, where with its ^^ besides that" and its " 7nore especially" it plainly intends a climax ; since according to this view the second proposition, in each case, must be considered an unmeaning repetition simply of the sense of the first, in terms far more obscure and hard to understand. No such poor tautology can be allowed. The Catechism counts it not enough, that we embrace the offer of salvation, as some- thing separate from Christ ; we must be incorporated with his life, we must have part in the very substance of his flesh and blood, in order that we may have part truly at the same time in all the blessings he has procured, as though "we had in our own persons suffered and made satisfaction for our sins unto God." We may be told indeed that the language of the Catechism, and of the other Confessions also which have been quoted, must be taken to some extent in a figurative sense; since it is admitted that the body and blood of Christ are not corporeally present in the sacrament, and they cannot therefore be taken literally into the believer's person. Allowing this however, in the sense of the objection itself, it by no means follows that the figure may be resolved into any such low meaning as would empty it of its force and spirit altogether. If by eating the flesh and blood of Christ the framers of these confessions meant only to express, by a strong figure, the act of believing upon him and appropriat- ing his merits, they must be allowed to have uttered themselves in a most careless way ; all the more marvellous, not to say absolutely 8* 90 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. senseless, that it was directly adapted to encourage that very ' superstition of a gross corporeal presence, based upon the letter of Christ's words, which with all their force they continually op- posed. The thought is absurd. By flesh and blood, they mean the true body of Christ; the same that was born of Mary, and hung upon the cross, and is now enthroned in heaven. This the believer feeds upon, not carnally, but spiritually : so however that its true and proper substance, the reality which belongs to it as life, human life, is conveyed over into his person. In this way he " becomes united more and more to his sacred body, by the Holy Ghost," so as to be truly " flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone," even as limb and head are filled and ruled with the ,"?ame life in the body physically considered. But this " sacred body" of the Saviour, we hear it sometimes said, is the Church. Allow it to be so ; it only follows that the totality of Christ's life, including his substantial humanity, is in the Church, by organic derivation from himself as its head. So that we come at last to the same result. To be incorporated with the Church, in this sense, is to be incorporated with Christ at the same time in his true human life, in the way already de- scribed. But the Catechism has no reference to the Church in this case; especially not to the Church in any such external view, as the interpretation now noticed is meant to imply. The " sacred body" to which his people are more and more united, is his own proper person in human form, once crucified for our sins and now gloriously exalted for our justification in heaven.* Such was the view of the Reformed Church at this time. Such is the sense of the Catechism. Should any doubt however still linger, with regard to the sa- cramental doctrine of the Catechism, as now stated, it must be annihilated certainly by our next authority. This is the testi- mony of Ursinus himself Ursinus. The works of this divine have been published in three folio volumes. Having unfortunately no access to these in their ori- ginal form, I can only refer to them in an indirect way. They include a good deal on the subject of the sacraments. Hospi- nian (Hist. Sacram. Pars Altera, p. 659,000) mentions particu- * Calvin expressly rejects the idea, tliat hy the body of Christ, to which we are united in the sacrament, is to be understood merely the Church. He repels as slanderous, the attempt to fasten on his view this consequence; "quasi mysticum in Coena corpus Bumamus pro Ecclesia. Hoc certe, velint nolint, nobis principium cum ipsis commune est, designari Christi verbis verum illud corpus, cujus immolatio nos Peo reconciljavit." Opp. ix., p. 701. CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 91 larly a tract from his pen, which was first published, A. D. 1564, in the name of the theological fiiculty of Heidelberg. It bore for its title, "The True Doctrine of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, faithfully expounded from the principles and sense of the divine Scriptures, the ancient and orthodox Church, and also of the Augsburg Confession." In the third chapter of this work, it is proposed to settle the true state of the question, which was the subject of controversy in the Protestant Church. This, it is declared, is not whether the flesh of Christ be eaten ; for this none of us deny; but how it is eaten." Here the Lu- therans answer, corporally and orally, by the godly and ungodly. We say, on the contrary, spiritually only by believers." The earliest commentary we have upon the Heidelberg Cate- chism, is that of Ursinus himself, published from his divinity lec- tures, after his death, by David Parens. This has been trans- lated from the original Latin into English. Not having the Latin work at hand, I can only appeal to the translation, the " Summe of Christian Keligioii bij Zacharias Ursimts," as pub- lished, London, IG45. The subject of the sacraments is dis- cussed in it, of course, at large. The following quotations will serve to give a fair view of the author's doctrine, with regard to the Lord's Supper. " These two, I mean the sign and the thing signified, are united in this sacrament, not by any natural copulation^ or corporal and local existence one in the other ; much less by transubstantiation, or chang- ing one into the other; but by signifvino-, sealing, and exhibiting the one by the other; that is by a sacramental union, whose bond is the promise added to the bread, requiring the faith of the receivers. Whence it is clear, that these things in their lawful use, are always jointly exhibited and received, but not without faith of the promise, viewing and apprehending the thing promised, now present in the sacrament ; yet not present or included in the sign as in a vessel con- taining it; but present in the promise, which is the better part, life, and soul of the sacrament. For they want judgment who affirm, that Christ's body cannot be present in the sacrament, except it be in or under the bread ; as if, forsooth, the bread alone, without the promise, were either the sacrament, or the principal part of a sacrament." p. 434. " There is then in the Lord's Supper a double meat and drink. One external, visible and terrene, namely, bread and wine; and another internal. There is also a double eating and receiving ; an external and signifying, which is the corporal receiving of the bread and wine ; that is, which is performed by the hands, mouth, and senses of the body ; and an internal, invisible, and signified, which is the fruition of Christ's death, and a spiritual ingrafting into Christ's body; that is, which is not performed by the hands and mouth of the body, but by the spirit and faith. Lastly, there is a double administrator and dis- penser of this meat and drink; an external, of the external, which is the minister of the church, delivering by his hand the bread and 92 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. wine ; and an inlernal, of the internal meat, which is Christ himself, feeding us by his body and blood." p. 470. " As therefore the body of Christ signifieth both his proper and natural body, and his sacramental body, which is the bread of the eucharist ; so the eating of Christ's body is of two sorts ; one sacra- mental, of the sign to wit, the external and corporal receiving of the bread and wine ; the other real or spiritual, which is the receiving of Christ's very body itself. And to believe in Christ dwelling in us by faith, is, by the virtue and operation of the Holy Ghost, to be in- grafted into his body, as members to the head and branches into the vine ; and so to be made partakers of the fruit of the death and life of Christ. Whence it is apparent that they are falsely accused who thus teach, as if they made either the bare si'gns only to be in the Lord's Supper, or a participation of Christ's death only, or of his benefits, or of the Holy Ghost, excluding the true, real, and spiritual communion of the very body of Christ itself." p. 470, 471. In an appendix to this part of the work, we find the following brief summary of the leading objections, made by the " Consub- stantiaries," as they are styled, against the "sincere" doctrine of the Lord's Supper" as held by those who were nicknamed " Sa- cramentaries," together with proper answers. " 1st Obj. The errors of the Sacramentaries are, that there are but bare signs and symbols only in the Supper. r "Ans. We teach that the things signified are, together with the signs in the right use exhibited and communicated, albeit not corpo- rally, but in such sort as is agreeable unto sacraments. " 2d Obj. The Sacramentaries say that Christ is present only according to his power and efficacy. "Ans. We teach that he is present and united with us by th'e Holy Ghost, albeit his body be far absent from us ; like as a whole Christ is present also with his ministry, though diversely according to the one nature. "3d Obj. The Sacramentaries affirm that an imaginary, figurative, or spiritual body is present, not his essential body. "Ans. We never spake of an imaginary body, but of the true flesli of Christ, which is present with us, although it remain in heaven. Moreover, we say that we receive the bread and body, but both after a manner proper to each. " 4th Obj . The Sacramentaries affirm, that the true body of Christ which hung on the cross, and his very blood which was shed for us, is distributed and is spiritually received of those only who are worthy receivers ; as for the unworthy, they receive nothing besides the bare signs, to their own condemnation. "Ans. All this we grant, as being agreeable to the word of God, the nature of sacraments, the analogy of faith, and the communion of the faithful."— P. 472. In conclusion, a statement is given of the general points CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SLTPER. 93 " wherein the churches which profess the gospel agree or dis- agree in the controversy concerning tlie Lord's Supper." Among ihc points of agreement, the tliird one mentioned is, " tliat iu the Supper we are made partakers not only of the Spirit of Christ and his satisfaction, justice, virtue and operation, but also of the vtrif essence and substance of his true body and bloody which was given for us to death on the cross, and which was shed for us ; and are truly fed with the self-same unto eternal life: and that this very thing Christ should teach and make known utito us, by this visible receiving of this bread and wine in his Supper." The disagreement is represented to hold in the three following particulars. " 1. That one part contendeth that these words of Christ, This is my hndy^ must be understood as the words sound, which yet that part itself doth not prove; but the other part, that those words must be understood sacramentally, according to the declaration of Christ and Paul, according to the most certain and infallible rule and level of the articles of our Christian faith. " 2. That one part will have the body and blood of Christ to be essentially in or with the bread and the wine, and so to be eaten that together with the bread and wine, out of the hand of the minister, it entereth by the mouth of the receivers into their bodies; but the other part will have the body of Christ, which in the first Supper sat at the table by the disciples, now to be and continue, not here on earth, but above in the heavens, and without this visible world and heaven, until he descend thence again to judgment, and yet that we notwith- standing here on earth, as oft as we eat this bread with a true faith, are so fed with his body, and made to drink of his blood, that not only through his passion and blood shed, we are cleansed from our sins, but are also in such sort coupled, knit, and incorporated into his true, essential human body, by his Spirit dwelling both in him and us, that we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones ; and are more nearly and firmly knit and united with him than the members of our body are united with our head, and so we draw and have in him and from him everlasting life. " 3. That one part will have all, whosoever come to the table of the Lord's Supper, and eat and drink that bread and wine, whether they be believers or unbelievers, to eat and drink, corporally and with their bodily mouth, the flesh and blood of Christ, believers to life and sal- vation, unbelievers to damnation and death ; the other holdeth, that unbelievers abuse indeed the outward signs, bread and wine, to their damnation, but that the faithful only can eat and drink, by a true faith, and the fore-alleged working of the Holy Ghost, the body and blood of Christ unto eternal life."— P. 480. Calvin himself is hardly more explicit, in the statement of his own doctrine. We seem to hear, in these quotations, the very echo of the words to which we have already listened from his lips. It is the testimony, however, of Ursinus, the principal au- thor of the Catechism of the Palatinate, speaking ex cathedra of 94 THE MYSTICAL PREwSENCE. the doctrine it was supposed to contain. Where shall we find an expositor of its sense more worthy to be trusted and be- lieved? Uospinimi. Omitting all other testimony that might still be brought for- ward from the sixteenth century as entirely superfluous, after what has been already exhibited, I present finally the authority . of a single Helvetic divine, that may be said to cover at once the entire period. I refer to Rudolph Huspmian, the distinguished author of the great work on the History of the Sacrament. His theological life was passed in Zurich, and reached from the year 156S some distance over into the following century. His sym- pathies are all, of course, with the Helvetic Church. His whole work, however, in the case of the sixteenth century, proceeds from beginning to end on the assumption that the Reformed doctrine of the eucharist was always, from the very first, what we have found it to be in the authorities already quoted; and as such not only conformable to the view of Calvin, but in harmony" even with the proper sense of the Augsburg Confession, itself, at least as understood by Melancthon and a large part of the Lu- theran Church. He refers to Calvin's statements always with approbation, as a true representation of what was held and taught in the Reformed communion ; and will have it, that Zuingli himself inculcated, in all substantial respects, the very same doctrine. Altogether, it must be admitted that Hospinian is wrong, in the general theory on which his work is constructed. But this does not affect, of course, the weight of his testimony, as it regards the fact with which we are now concerned. Nay, it serves only to render it the more worthy of attention. His work has the form of an apology for the sacramental orthodoxy of the Helvetic church, while the standard by which it is measured is always the Calvinistic, as distinguished from the Ubiquitarian view. He takes it for granted, that this, and nothing lower than this, was, and had been all along, the true and proper doctrine of the Reformed Church ; and it is exhibited accordingly always under this view. The controversy between the two confessions is with him one that relates, not to the question of fact, as it re- gards the power of the sacraments, but only to the question of mode. Thus, in speaking of the Augsburg Confession, he gives the article on the eucharistic presence, as presented in the Wit- temberg German text of the year 1531 ; in which it is said, " that the body and blood of Christ are truly present, and loith the bread and wine distributed to them that eat, in the Lord's Sup- per :" and immediately adds, "These words contain nothing CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LOUd's SUPPER. 95 contrary to oiir view." Afterwards he tells us, still more expli- citly : " Ours do not reject the tenth article of the Augsburg- Confession, in its sound, true, right, pious, and catholic sense, as held by the fathers, and all the true Christian saints always in the Church ; namely, that in the Lord's Supper, along with the bread and -wine, that is, while the sacrament of the Lord's body and blood is received, there is truly exhibited also the body and blood itself of the Lord, to be received by faith. For whilst the ministers distribute the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, Christ himself communicates himself to be spiritually enjoyed, that the pious may have communion with him and live by him." Hosp. Hist. Sac. Part II. p. 157, 158. The Synod of Dort. This venerable body was convened in the year 1618, with reference particularly to the errors introduced by Arminius. It was composed of delegates, not only from the United Pro- vinces, but also from England, Switzerland, the Palatinate, Hessia, Nassau, East Friesland, and Bremen ; forming in fact an cECumenical council of the entire Reformed Church. It was not called of course to express any direct judgment on the sacramental question. It may be said to have done this indi- rectly however, by solemnly endorsing both the Belgic Confes- sion and the Heidelberg Catechism, as true and faithful exposi- tions in full of the general faith of the Church. The first having, been submitted previously to a particular examination on the part of the different national delegations, was unanimously approved in the 146th session ; as containing nothing at variance with the word of God, or needing in any way to be changed. The other was afterwards laid before the body, with the request that it might be tried in the same way. As the result, a decla- ration was filed in the name of all present, that " the doctrine contained in the Catechism of the Palatinate was found to be conformable at all points to the word of God ; that there was nothing in it that needed in this view to be changed or cor- rected; and that altogether it formed a most accurate compend of the orthodox Christian faith, being with singular skill not only adjusted to the apprehension of tender youth, but so framed also as to serve the purpose of instruction at the same time in the case of older persons." — Acta Syn. Nat. Dord. Sess. I CXLVIp.SQ2. Westminste?' Confession. This belongs to the middle of the seventeenth century. It has a different character in some respects, from that which 9G THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. distinguishes the older confessions of the Reformed Church; the result, at least in part, of the Puritanic principle, under whose influence, in some measure, it was formed. This in- volved from the beginning a tendency, that might be considered unfavourable to the idea of the objective and mystical in the life of the Church, as it prevailed with both Protestant confessions in the age of the Reformation ; and which has since in fact con- tributed largely to the production of that false form of thinking, that has come to be so general, at the present time, in the oppo- site direction. But notwithstanding all this, the doctrine of the real presence, in the form now under consideration, appears here in its full force. The testimony of course is only of secondary weight, in any view, as compared with the symbolical. authorities of the sixteenth century, to which we have already referred. It is still however of special interest, as showing how deeply the old Calvinistic cfoctrine had lodged itself in the heart of the Church; and how full and distinct must have been its pro- clamation in the beginning, to which at the distance of a hun- dred years, so clear an echo at least is still returned, from the very bosom of the Puritan Revolution itself Let the Confession speak for itself. " Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this sacrament, do then inwardly also by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified and all benefits of his death ; the body and blood of: Christ being then not corporally or carnally in, w^ith, or under the bread and wine ; yet as really but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses." Chap. 29, § 7. Compare with this, as confirming and illustrating still farther the same view, the following questions from the Larger Cate- chism. " Quest. 168. What is the Lord's Supper? "Ans. The Lord's Supper is a sacrament of the New Testament,! wherein by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to tl appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth ; and they that worthily communicate, feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace ; have their union and communion with him confirmed ; testify and renew their thankfulness and engage- ment to God, and their mutual love and fellowship with each other, as members of the same mystical body." ^t "Quest. 170. How do they that worthily communicate in the Lui-d's Supper, feed upon the body and blood of Christ therein? "Ans. As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally or car-* nally present in, with, or under, the bread and wine in the Lord's Sup ' CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORd's SUPI'ER. 97 per; and yet are spiritually present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really than the elements themselves are to their outward senses ; so they that worthily communicate in the sacrament of the iiord s J^upper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not attera corporal or carnal, but in a spiritual manner; yet truly and really while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death." This, it must be admitted, is not entirely free from ambiguity as compared with the language of the sixteenth century. Taken by itself, it might be held to mean nothing more than such a pre- sence of Christ's body as is involved in the \h'e\y conception of it in the worshipper's mind ; though all must feel, that a strange abuse oi language would be employed, in that case, to express so plain a thought. But we need only some tolerable familiarity with the v^alvinistic theory of the Lord's Supper, as held before this time m the Reformed Church, to be fully satisfied that no such poor construction as that now mentioned can be entitled to any re- s^ct. It IS not simply a real spiritual presence that is here attirmed as belonging to the sacrament, but a spiritual real pre- sence ; a communication by faith with the body and blood of Christ, which involves union and communion with his person under such view, and on the ground of this only, a full interest at the same time in all the benefits of his death. The term spiritual as here used, it must always be borne in mind, carries in it no opposition to the idea of substance; nor does it refer to the per- son ot Christ simply as it is spirit, and not body. On the con- trary, it has regard to the inmost substance of his body itself All imagination of a material intermingling of Christ's flesh with ours IS indeed carefully removed ; but it is only to assert the more positively a real participation in the true life of his flesh as such. Ihe communion is with the Saviour's body and blood the very essence of which under a spiritual form, is carried over into the believer s person. If this be not the meaning of the Westmin- ster Assembly; if in the use of language, borrowed here so plainly from the creed of Calvin and the Reformed Church o-ene- rally in the sixteenth century, the Assembly intended to si^nifyr alter all something quite different from that creed, a mere moral union with Christ for instance, a communication with him in his divine nature simply, or an appropriation only of the merits of h.s life and death; it will be found very hard, in the first place to put any intelligible sense whatever into their words, and more difhcult still, in the second place, to vindicate the interpretation as worthy either of their wisdom or their truth.* no'Iiri\?^Plf ^'"? f"" ^\^- ^"^h^'-'ty «^ the several Reformed Confessions, no C?anH A?;^ ^'''^r'r'^.^n'^" Thirty-n.ne Articles of the Church of ii-ngland. As this branch of the Protestant communion is considered by many 98 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE Hooker and Owen. In conclusion, let me be allowed to refer to the authority ot two of the most eminent English divines, who lived close upon the age of the Reformation, and who may be taken as the most prominent representatives of the two great contrary tendencies, which the Reformed Church may be said to have involved in its constitution from the very start. Hooker and Owen ! How dif- ferent in their whole spiritual conformation, and yet how closely bound together, notwithstanding, in the last ground of their reli- gious life. The one stands forth to our view, the deeply earnest, most learned and most indefatigable champion, of all that is com- prehended in the idea of the Church. The other is known as the no less indefatigable champion of all that is included in the idea of religious //-e^.Y/om and individual ves\>on?,\h\\\\.y. Hooker is the great ornament of the English Episcopacy. Owen has been styled the prince, the oracle, and the metropolitan of the English Independency and Puritanism, The one belongs to the close of the sixteenth century; the other flourished amid the revolutionary storms of the period that followed. 1 refer to them both as witnesses merely, not as sources of authority in them- selves. Hooker was an Episcopalian, with high views of the Church; but, as a man of learning, he must be supposed to have understood the doctrine of the Reformed Church, as it stood in his own time. Owen was a Puritan, with low views of the to be somewhat tainted, in its very constitution, with the errors of Rome, it seemed best not to lay much stress upon its testimony in the present discus- sion. It is remarkable, however, that what may be styled the high sacrameiital doctrine, is not put forward with any special prominence in the teachings of this Church, as compared with the view held by the Reformed Church gene- rally in the sixteenth century. We find the doctrine, indeed, clearly pro- claimed. How could it be otherwise, in the period to which we refer ? " Sacraments ordained of Christ," it is said, " be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, hy the which he doth work invisil)ly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and con- firm our faith in him." Art. xxv. Though only after an heavenly and spirit- ual manner, as distinguished from a mere corporeal eating, still " the body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in the Supper." Art. xxviii. So in the Com- munion Service, believers in receiving the elements are represented as partak- ing of Christ's most blessed body and blood, at the same time. Undoubtedly the doctrine of the real presence of Christ by the Spirit, in the Holy Eucharist, is plainly taught by the English Church ; and it is only strange that any question should ever be made with regard to the point, in the Church itself. ]iut it is no less certain, that it has no claim to bo considered a distinctively Episcopal doctrine, so far at least as the past history of the Reformed C+iurch is con- cerned, in any sense. Among all the early Reformed ^Confessions, there is hardly one in which it is not even more distinctly affirmed than it is in the Thirty-nine Articles. The Confession of the Reformed Dutch Church, in particular, is decidedly more high-toned here than the formulary of the Church of England ; and we may say as much also even of the Westminster Confes- sion itself. CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORd's SUITER. 99 Church; but this only serves to render the more striking his re- sponse to the same truth, in a case where its last echo has ceased to be heard with the Puritans of a later day. The following passages are extracted from Hooker's great work, the Ecclesiastical Polity. " It is too cold an interpretation, whereby some men expound our being in Christ, to import nothing else, but only that the self-same nature which maketh us to be men, is in him, and maketh him man as we are. For what man in the world is there, which hath not so far forth communion with .Tesus Christ "? It is not this that can sus- tain the weight of such sentences as speak of the mystery of our co- herence with .Tesus Christ. The Church is in Christ as Eve was in Adam. Yea, by grace, we are every of us in Christ and in his Church, as by nature we are in those our first parents. God made Eve of the rib of Adam. And his Church he frameth out of the very flesh, the very wounded and bleeding side of the Son of man. His body crucified and his blood shed for the life of the world, are the true elements of that heavenly being, which maketh us such as him- self is of whom we come. For which cause the words of Adam may be fitly the words of Christ concerning his Church, ' flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bones,' a true native extract out of mine own body. So that in him even according to his manhood, we according to our heavenly being, are as branches in that root out of which they grow." Book V. chap. Ivi. § 7. "These things St. Cyril duly considering reproveth their speeches, which taught that only the deity of Christ is the vine whereupon we by faith do depend as branches, and that neither his flesh nor our bodies are comprised in this resemblance. For doth any man doubt, but that even from the flesh of Christ our very bodies do receive that life which shall make them glorious at the latter day, and for which they are already accounted parts of his blessed body 1 Our corrupti- ble bodies could never live the life they shall live, were it not that here they are joined with his body which is incorruptible, and that his is in ours as a cause of immortality, a cause by removing through the death and merit of his own flesh that which hindered the life of ours. Christ is therefore, both as God and as man, that true vine, whereof we both spiritually and corporally are true branches. The mixture of his bodily substance with ours is a thing which the ancient Fathers disclaim. Yet the mixture of his flesh with ours, they speak of, to signify what our very bodies, through mystical conjunction, receive from that vital efficacy which we know to be in his ; and from bodily mixtures they borrow divers similitudes rather to declare the truth than the manner of coherence between his sacred and the sancti- fied bodies of saints." B. V. c. Ivi. § 9. " This was it that some did exceedingly fear, lest Zuinglius and (Ecolampadius would bring to pass, that men should account of this sacrament but only as of a shadow, destitute, empty, and^ void of Christ. But seeing that by opening the several opinions which have been held, they are grown for aught I can see on all sides at the length to a general agreement concerning that which alone is material, namely the real participation of Christ, and of life in his body and blood bi/ 100 Tin: MYSTICAL PRESENCE, 'mea?is nf Ikis sacrament ,- wherefore should the world continue still dis- tracted and rent with so manifold contentions, when there remaineth now no controversy saving- only about the subject where Christ is 1 Yea, even in this point no side donieth but that the soul of man is the receptacle of Christ's presence. Whereby the question is yet driven to a narrower issue, nor doth any thin«- rest doubtful but this, whether when the sacrament is administered Christ be whole wUhin man only^ or else his body and blood be also externally seated in the very con- secrated elements then) selves ; which opinion they that defend, are driven either to. cons«6s/«7;//a/e and incorporate Christ with elements sacramental, or to trajisiibstanliate and chang-e their substance' into his; and so the one to hold him really but invisibly moulded up with the substance of those elements, the other to hide him under tlie only visible shov/ of bread and wine, the substance whereof, as they ima- gine, is abolished, and his succeeded in the same room." B. V. c. Ixvii. § 2. " It is on all sides plainly confessed, first, that this sacrament is a true and a real participation of Christ, who tliereby imparteth himself, even his whole entire person as a mystical Head unto every soul that receiveth him, and that every such receiver doth incorporate or unite himself unto Christ as a mystical member of him, yea of them also whom he acknowledg-eth to be his own ; secondly, that to whom the person of Christ is thus communicated, to them he giveth by the same sacrament his Holy Spirit to sanctify them as it sanctifieth him which is their head ; thirdly, that what 77ierif, force, or virtue soever there is in his sacrificed body and blood, we freely, fully, and wholly have it by this sacrament ; fourthly, that the ejfect there' f in us is a real transmu- tation of our souls a7id bodies from sin to righteousness, from death and corruption to immortality and life ; fifthly, that because the sacrament being of itself but a corruptible and earthly creature, must needs be thought an unlikely instrument to work so admirable effects in man, we are therefore to rest ourselves altogether upon the slreni^th of his glorious power, who is able and will bring to pass that the bread and cup which he giveth us shall be truly the thing he promisettr. ^ " It seemeth therefore much amiss that against them whom they term Sacramentaries, so many invective discourses are made, all run- ning upon two points, that the Eucharist is not a bare sign or figure only, and that the eflicacy of his body and blood is not all we receive in this sacrament. For no man having read their books and writings which are thus traduced, can be ignorant that both these assertions they plainly confess to be most true. They do not so interpret the words of Christ, as if the name of his body did import but the figure of his body, and to be were only to signify his blood. They grant that these holy mysteries received in due manner do instrumentally both make us partakers of the grace of that body and blood which were given for the life of the world, and besides also impart unto us even in true and real though mystical manner the very person of our Lord himself, whole, perfect, and entire, as hath been showed." B. V. c. Ixvii. § 7, 8. Let us now turn to Dr. Owen. It is easy to feel ourselves in a different element here, from that which formed the inward life CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 101 of Hooker. The whole system of the great nonconformist tended to carry him towards an incorporeal spiritualism in religion, that might be counted particularly unfavourable to a right estimate of the sacraments. Still, however, when we contrast his lan- guage with the frigid, rationalistic style in which the same sys- tem is accustomed to express itself on this subject at the present day, we can hardly fail to be surprised with the difference. The following passages are taken from his/' Sacramental Discourses," as contained in Vol. XVII. of his Works, Russel's London edition. " Christ is present with us in an especial manner in this ordinance. One of the greatest engines that ever the devil made use of to over- throw the faith of the Church, was by forging such a presence of Christ as is not truly in this ordinance, to drive us off from looking after that presence which is true. I look upon it as one of the great- est engines that ever hell set on work. It is not a corporeal presence ; there are innumerable arguments against that; every thing that is in sense, reason, and the faith of a man, overthrows that corporeal pre- sence." — " Christ is present in this ordinance in an especial manner in three ways : by representation ; by exhibition ; by obsignation or sealing." Disc. x. p. 209, 210. " Christ is present with us by w^ay of exhibition,- that is, he doth really tender and exhibit himself unto the souls of believers in this ordinance, which the world hath lost, and knows not what to make of it. They exhibit that which they do not contain. This bread doth not contain the body of Christ, or the flesh of Christ ; the cup doth not contain the blood of Christ ; but they exhibit them ; both do as really exhibit them to believers, as they partake of the outward signs. Cer- tainly we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ doth not invite us unto this table for the bread that perishes, for outward food ; it is to feed our souls. What do we think then 1 doth he invite us unto an empty, painted feast ] do we deal so with our friends 1 Here is some- thing really exhibited by Jesus Christ unto us to receive, beside the outward pledges of bread and wine. We must not think the Lord Jesus Christ deludes our souls with empty show-s and appearances. That which is exhibited is himself, it is his ' flesh as meat indeed, and his blood as drink indeed ;' it is himself as broken and crucified that he exhibits unto us." — " Christ doth exhibit himself unto our souls, if we are not wanting unto ourselves, for these two things, incorporation and nourishment; to be received into union; and to give strength unto our souls." lb. p. 211, 212. " As it is plain from the sign and the thing signified that there is a grant, or a real communication of Jesus Christ unto the souls of them that believe, so it is evident from the nature of the exercise of faith in this ordinance ; it is by eating and drinking. Can you eat and drink unless something be really communicated 1 You are called to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man ; unless really commu- nicated, we cannot eat it nor drink it. We may have other apprehen- sions of these things, but our feith cannot be exercised in eating and 9* 102 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. drinking, which is a receiving of what is really exhibited and com- municated. As truly my brethren as we do eat of this bread and drink of this cup, which is really communicated to us, so every true^ believer doth receive Christ, his body and blood, in all the benefits of it, that are really exhibited by God unto the soul in this ordinance, and it is a means of communicating to faith." Disc, xxiii. p. 265. " It is a common received notion among Christians, and it is true, that there is a peculiar communion with Christ in this ordinance, which we have in no other ordinance ; that there is a peculiar acting of faith in this ordinance which is in no other ordinance. This is the faith of the whole Church of Christ, and has been so in all ages. This is the greatest mystery of all the practicals of our Christian re- licrion, a way of receiving Christ by eating and drinking, something peculiar that is not in prayer, that is not in the hearing of the word, nor in any other part of divine worship whatsoever ; a peculiar partici- pation of Christ, a peculiar acting of faith towards Christ. This par- ticipation of Christ is not carnal, but spiritual. In the beginning of the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he began to instruct them in the communication of himself, and the benefit of his media- tion, to believers, because it was a new thing, he expresses it by eat- ing his 'flesh and drinking his blood, John vi. 53, ' Unless ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man, ye have no life in you.' This offended and amazed them. They thought he taught them to eat his natural flesh and blood. ' How can this man give us his flesh to eat ]' They thought he instructed them to be cannibals. Where- upon he gives that everlasting rule for the guidance of the Church, which the Church forsook, and thereby ruined itself; saith he, ' It is the Spirit that quickens ; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak, they are spirit, and they are life.' It is a spiritual communi- cation, saith he, of myself unto you ; but it is as intimate, and gives as real an incorporation, as if you did eat my flesh and drink my blood." — Disc. xxY. p. 2G8. " The fourth thing is the mi/steriousness, which I leave to your ex- perience, for it is beyond expression, the mysterious reception of Christ in this peculiar way of exhibition. There is a reception of Christ as tendered in the promise of the Gospel, but here is a peculiar way of his exhibition under outward signs, and a mysterious recep- tion of him in them really, so as to come to a real substantial incor- poration in our souls." Ih. p. 270. All this, it must be confessed, is not without some measure of ambiguity, as it regards a real participation in the substance of Christ's humanity. It falls short altogether of the firm, clear utterances of Calvin and the Church of the sixteenth century. But it is full of force from such a man as Owen, in the age of Cromwell and the English Commonwealth. Here we have at least, in strong terms, the sense of an objective force, a true ex- hibition of the thing signified, in the sacrament. The commu- nion, moreover, is specific, mystical, bound to the ordinance as its medium and instrument. Then it involves a real incor- CALVINISTIC DOCTRINE OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 103 poration into Christ; and it is plainly felt, that this includes a special respect to his human nature, his flesh and blood, as given for the life of the world. But just at this point the representa- tion is found to waver. The truth that struggles for utterance, is still embarrassed by the abstractions of the understanding, and is not permitted to come to a full, unfaltering expression. CHAPTER II. THE MODERN PURITAN THEORY. SECTION I. HISTORICAL EXHIBITION. It cannot be denied that tlie view generally entertained of the Lord's Supper at the present time, in the Protestant Church, in- volves a wide departure from the faith of the sixteenth century with regard to the same subject. The fact must be at once clear to every one at all familiar with the religious world as it now exists, as soon as he is made to understand in any measure the actual form in which the sacramental doctrine was held in the period just mentioned. This falling away from the creed of the Reformation is not confined to any particular country or religious confession. It has been most broadly displayed among the continental churches of Europe, in the form of that open, rampant rationalism, which has there to so great an extent triumphed over the old orthodoxy at so many other points. But it is found widely prevalent also in Great Britain and in this country. It is especially striking, of course, as has been already remarked, in the case of the Lutheran Church, which was distinguished from the other Protestant confession, in the beginning, mainly by its high view of the Lord's Supper, and the zeal it showed in opposition to what it stigmatized reproach- fully as sacramentarian error. In this respect, it can hardly be recognized indeed as the same communion. The original name re- mains, but the original distinctive character is gone. Particularly is this the case, with a large part at least, of the Lutheran Church i in our own country. We cannot say of it simply, that it has been led to moderate the old sacramental doctrine of the church, as exhibited in the Form of Concord ; it has abandoned the doc- trine altogether. Not only is the true Lutheran position, as oc- cupied so violently against the Calvinists in the sixteenth century, openly and fully renounced ; but the Calvinistic ground itself, then shunned with so much horror as the very threshold of in- fidelity, has come to be considered as also in unsafe contiguity 106 THE MYSTICAL rRE.SENCE. with Rome. With no denomination do we find tlie anti-mystical tendency, usually charged upon the Reformed Church, more de- cidedly developed. Methodism itself can hardly be said to make less account of the sacraments, practically or theoretically. A strange contradiction surely, which, we may trust, is not des- tined always to endure. For it is not to be imagined that such an utter abandonment of the Lutheran principle in the case of the Lord's Supper, can be confined to this single point. Cen- tral as the doctrine of the sacrament is to the whole Christian system, (so felt to be especially by Luther,) such a change neces- sarily implies a change that extends much farther. The whole life of the Church, in these circumstances, must be brought into contradiction to its own proper principle. It cannot be true to itself. This of course we regard as a fit subject for lamentation. Never was there a time when it was more important, that this Church should understand and fulfil her own mission; and in no part of the world perhaps is this more needed than just here in America, where the tendency to undervalue all that is sacra- mental and objective in religion, has become unhappily so strong.* * It is not intended, of course, to involve all connected with the Church, indiscriminately, in this censure. There are many excellent men belonging to it, no doubt, who feel and deplore the very evil which is here brought into view; and it is to be trusted, that these will yet cause their influence to lie felt, in such a way as to roll off at last, in some measure at least, the reproach now resting upon the Church. For that room exists in fact for this reproach, cannot be seriously questioned by any one acquainted with the religious pos- ture of the country, and it cannot be taken amiss therefore that it should be noticed in this public way. It is notorious that the American Lutheran Church, under its principal and most influential exhibition at least, has given up altogether the sacramental doctrine of Luther, and along with this, (for the two things can-never be sundered,) the original genius and life of the Lutheran ^ Confession. It is regarded by others as an evangelical ijnp7-ovement in the ^ character and state of the Church, that it has become in this respect hopefully ^ conformed to what may be styled the Modern Puritan theory of religion, with a strong inclination even to Methodism ; and the same idea would seem to be j very extensively entertained in the bosom of the Church itself. We have a right to take the so called Lutheran Observer, as an index of the prevailing tone of thinking in the Church, in this case. It is not, indeed, strictly speaking, under any ecclesiastical direction and control. The editor's responsibilities are all his own. Still, however, the more fact that the paper is allowed to represent the Church before the world, constitutes it properly the organ of the body, and the accredited interpreter of its views. But now the Observer, besides being characteristically un-Lutheran in other respects, openly derides the whole idea of a real communion with the humanity of Christ as an exploded superstition ! Thus, for instance, referring to the Reformed or Calvinistic view as asserted at Mcrcersburg, the editor does not hesitate, in his paper of Dec. 5, 1845, to use such language as the following: "Dr. N.'s doctrine of Con-corporation, alias his semi-Ilomanism in relation to the Eucharist." — "The Mercersburg efl'ort to revive the errors of by-gone ages, from which it was fondly hoped our American Churclies had finally and forever escaped." — • " That figment of the imagination, that poor, low, mystical, confused, carnal and antiquated doctrine, yclept con-corporation ! Only think of it — the literal communication of Christ's glorified humanity to the believer, thus confound- MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 107 But it is not the Lutheran Church only, which has fallen away from its original creed, in the case of the Lord's Supper. Though the defection may not be so immediately palpable and open to all observation, it exists with equal certainty, as was said before, on the part of the Reformed Church. It does so for the most part iu Europe; and in this country the case is, to say the least, no better. Our sect system must be considered, in its very nature, unfavourable to all proper respect for the sacraments. This may be taken, indeed, as a just criterion of the spirit of sect, as distinguished from the true spirit of the Christian church. In proportion as the sect character prevails, it will be found that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are looked upon as mere out- ward signs, in the case of which all proper efficacy is supposed to be previously at hand in the inward state of the subject by whom they are received. It is this feeling which leads so gene- rally to the rejection of infant baptism, on the part of those who affect to improve our Christianity in the way of new schisms. It is particularly significant, moreover, in the aspect now con- sidered, that the Baptist body, as such, is numerically stronger than any other denomination in the country. But the haptistic principle prevails more extensively still ; for it is very plain that all true sense of the sacramental value of baptism is wanting, in large portions of the church, where the ordinance is still re- tained ; and the consequence is, that it is employed to the same extent as a merely outward and traditional form. Along with this, of course, must prevail an unsacramental feeling generally, by which the Lord's Supper also is shorn of all its significance and power. Methodism, in this way, may be said to wrong the sacraments, (as also the entire idea of the Church,) almost as seriously as the Baptist system itself The general evil, how- Z ever, reaches still farther. Even those denominations among us which represent the Reformed Church by true and legitimate ing the natures of believers and of Christ, and actually predicating ubiquity of humanity! The glorified body of Christ received by the believer with the bread and wine! If this be not a corporeal presence, what meaning is there in language? if this is not equal to Puseyism, and an immense stride toward Romanism, we would like to know what is?" — "It grates upon the ear, jars the feelings, oftends the understanding, and unhinges the holiest associations of many of the best and most spiritual [sic I\ men, in the most evangelic churches.'- — Such is the style in which, not the old Lutheran, but the old Reformed doctrine of the Lord's Supper, is profiinely abused by the principal paper in the present American Lutheran Church ! Multitudes in that Church, ' of course, have been pained and mortified by such bare-faced ecclesiastical infidelity. They disclaim all sympathy with it in their hearts, and protest against it quietly as downright treason to all true Lutheranism. Still, the paper is endured", as the organ, in fact, of the Church; and until something more eftectual than a mere silent protest is exhibited, we must mourn over the Church itself as being, it is to be feared, but too faithfully represented by the so-called Lutheran Observer. 108 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. descent, such as the Presbyterian in its different branches, and the Reformed Dutch, show plainly that they have fallen away, to some extent, from the original faith of the church, in the same direction. Remains of it indeed may still be found in the pri- vate piety of many, the result, in part, of their special advantage in the way of early traditional education, and in part the product of their own religious life itself;* but, so far as the general reigning belief is concerned, the old doctrine may be said to be fairly suppressed by one of a different character. It is so theo- retically, to a great extent, in our systems of theology, biblical expositions, sermons, and religious teaching generally, so far as the sacramental question is concerned. It is so practically, to an equal extent, in the corresponding views and feelings with * There is much comfort in this thought. The same reflection, only in somewhat stronger terms, is made by Prof. Tayler Lewis, of New York, in liis admirable article on the Church Question, published in the Bib. Repository, for Jan., 1816. The idea of tlie mystical union, he says correctly, is, and ever must be, a living principle in the hearts of all evangelical Christians. lie appeals, accordingly, to the devotional books of the Scottish Church, and even to the common jjhrascology of Wesleyan prayer meetings, as serving to show a more active sense of the truth itself in the form of life, than is to be found under all the outward display which may be made of the tenet by Rome or Oxford, as a dead relic of antiquity. " The life may be stronger than the dogma. Even in the absence of definite conceptions, the extreme fondness of a certain class of minds for this language, manifests the current of the affections in distinction from the speculative views maintained, and a con- sciousness, that even if there be a figure, it is figurative of a reality more pre- cious and glorious than was ever set forth in any form of rationalism." This is very true. Dr. Lewis, however, himself admits, that there has been a great falling away on the part of the Church at large, from the faith of the Refor- malion as well as of primitive Christianity, with regard to this point ; and that, as a dogma at least, the truth is not now generally maintained. I must be- lieve, too, that he overrates, in some measure, the extent to which it is prac- tically felt. It is to be borne in mind always, that every truth in Christianity finds its counterfeit and shadow, in the religious life contemplated under a lower view. It is the absolute reality of what we meet elsewhere, under the form of mere prophecy or nisus. Now the very idea of religion, no matter how defective, involves a demand for union with Cod. Of course, when pow- erfully excited, in connection with Christianity, it can hardly fail to make this thought prominent in someway. And all this certainly constitutes a strong argument for the truth itself which it is thus attempted to reach. But there is a constant tendency, within the Christian sphere as well as beyond it, to substitute here the phantasm for the reality itself; as we may see in the case of the Anal)a|)tistR and Quakers. Much of the experience of Methodist prayer meetings, it is to be feared, labors under the same defect of unrealit}/ ; and, universally, there is danger of this, where religion is suffered to run out into the simply subjective form, with little or no regard to the sacraments and the true idea of the Church. The piety of the old Scotch divines, is of a far more substantial order; and we have reason to he thankful that the life and power of it are still felt, in the case of this doctrine of the mystical union, f;\r more extensively than the doctrine itself is either understood or acknowledged. But this want of proportion between life and doctrine, is itself a great evil ; especially now when the strong tide of rationalistic error, arrogating to itself the title of Protestant orthodoxy, is threatening to rarefy auil s])iritualize the whole truth into a sheer moral abstrac tion. MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 109 which the use of the sacraments is maintained on the part of professing Christians. Not only is the old doctrine rejected, but it has become almost lost even to the knowledge of the Church. When it is brought into view, it is not believed, perhaps, that the Reformed Church ever held or taught, in fact, any doctrine of the sort; or if it be yielded at length, that Calvin and some others maintained some such view, it is set down summarily as one of those instances in which the work of the Reformation appears still clogged with a measure of Popish superstition, brouofht over from that state of darkness and bondage which had just been left behind. In this view, the doctrine is considered to be of no force whatever for the Church, in her present condi- tion of gospel light and liberty. It is unintelligible and absurd; savors of transubstantiation ; exalts the flesh at the expense of the spirit. A real presence of the whole Christ in the Lord's Supper, under any form, is counted a hard saying, not to be en- dured by human reason, and contrary to God's word. Thus it stands with our churches generally. Even in the Episcopal Church, with all the account it professes to make of the sacra- ments, few are willing to receive in full such representations of the eucharistic presence, as are made either by Hooker or Calvin. To feel at once the full force of the representation now made, it is only necessary to observe the style in which it is usual, at the present time, to speak of the sacraments in general, and of the Lord's Supper in particular, as compared with the language of the Church on the same subject in the period of the Reforma- tion. The following extracts, taken from several of our popular modern theological writers, will be acknowledged, no doubt, to be a fair representation of the view, which is now too commonly entertained among us, on the subject to which they refer. " The sacraments are also said to seal the blessings that they sig- nify ; and accordingly they are called not only signs but seals. It is a difficult matter to explain, and clearly to state the difference be- tween these two words, or to show what is contained in a seal that is not in a sign. Some think that it is distinction without a differ- ence." "If we call them confirming seals, we intend nothing else hereby but that God has, to the promises that are given to us in his word, added these ordinances ; not only to bring to mind this great doctrine, that Christ has redeemed his people by his blood, but to assure them that they who believe in him shall be made partakers of this blessing; so that these ordinances are a pledge thereof to them, in w^iich respect God has set his seal, whereby in an objective way he gives believers to understand, that Christ and his benefits are theirs ; and they are obliged at the same time by faith, as well as in an ex- ternal manner, to signify their compliance with his covenant, which 10 110 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. we may call their setting to their seal that God is true." — Eidgely^s Body of Divinily {Philadelphia ediiiun r/ 1815), Vol. IV. p. 163, 165, " Thus concerning Christ's death, showed forth or signified in this ordinance. We are farther, under this head, to consider how he is present, and they who engage in it aright feed on his body and blood by faith. We are not to suppose that Christ is present in a corporal iway, so that we should be said to partake of his body in a literal 'sense ; but he being a divine person, and consequently omnipresent, and having promised his presence with his Church in all ages and places, when met together in his name ; in this respect he is present with them, in like manner as he is in other ordinances, to supply their wants, hear their prayers, and strengthen them against corrup- tion and temptation, and remove their guilt by the application of his blood, which is presented as an object for their contemplation in a more peculiar manner in this ordinance. "As for our feeding on, or being nourished by the body and blood of Christ, these are metaphorical expressions, taken from and adapted to the nature and quality of the bread and wine by which it is signified ; but that which we are to understand hereby is, our graces being farther strengthened and established, and we enabled to exer- cise them with greater vigour and delight ; and this derived from Christ, and particularly founded on his death. And when we are said to feed upon him in order hereunto, it denotes the application of what he has done and suffered to ourselves; and in order hereunto we are to bring our sins, with all the guilt that attends them, as it were, to the foot of the cross of Christ, confess and humble our souls for them before him, and by faith plead the virtue of his death, in order to our obtaining forgiveness, and at the same time renew our dedica- tion to him, while hoping and praying for the blessing and privileges of the covenant of grace, which were purchased by him." — Ibid. p. 215. "There is in the Lord's Supper a mutual solemn profession of the two parties transacting the covenant of grace, and visibly united in that covenant; the Lord Christ by his minister on the one hand, and the communicants (who are professing believers) on the other. The administrator of the ordinance acts in the quality of Christ's minister, acts in iiis name, as representing him ; and stands in the place where Christ himself stood, at the first administration of this sacrament, and in the original institution of the ordinance. Christ, by the speeches and actions of the minister, makes a solemn profession of his part in the covenant of grace; he exhibits the sacrifice of his body broken and his blood shed; and in the minister's offering the sacmmental bread and wine to the communicants, (Christ presents himself to the believing communicants as their propitiation and bread of life; and by these outward signs confirms and seals his sincere engagements to be their Saviour and food, and to impart to them all the benefits of his propitiation and salvation. And they, in receiving what is ofiered, and eating and drinking the symbols of Christ's body and blood, also profess their part in the covenant of grace ; they profess to embrace the promises and lay hold cf the hope set before them, to receive the MODERN FUKITAN TIIi:ORY. Ill atonement, to receive Christ as their spiritual food, and to i'eed upon him in their hearts by faith." "The sacramental elements in the Lord's Supper do represent Christ as a party in covenant, as truly as a proxy represents a prince to a foreign lady in her marriage ; and our taking those elements is as truly a professing to accept Christ, as in the other case the lady's taking the proxy is her professing to accept the prince as her husband. Or the matter may be more fitly repre- sented by this similitude : — it is as if a prince should send an ambas- sador to a woman in a foreign land, proposing marriage, and by his ambassador should send her his picture, and should desire her to mani- fest her acceptance of his suit, not only by professing her acceptance in words to his ambassador, but in token of her sincerity, openly to take or accept that picture, and to seal her profession by thus repre- senting the matter over again by a symbolical action." — President Edwards. On Full Communion. Works, (New York, 1844,") Fol. I. p. 145, 146. " The elements of this ordinance are bread and wine. The bread con- secrated and broken represents the broken body of Christ, in his death on the cross. The wine poured out represents his blood in his death, which was shed for the remission of sins. The professed followers of Christ, by eating the bread and drinking the wine,when consecrated and blessed by prayer and thanksgiving, and distributed to them by the officers of the church, do by this transaction profess cordially to re- ceive Christ by faith, and to live upon him, loving him, and trusting in him for pardon and complete redemption, consecrating themselves to his service. And by the ministers of the gospel consecrating those elements, and ordering them to be distributed to the communicants, Christ is exhibited as an all-sufficient Saviour, and the promise of salvation is expressed and sealed to all his friends. This is therefore a covenant transaction, in which those Avho partake of the bread and wine express their faith in Christ, that they are his friends, and de- voted to his service, and their cordial compliance with the covenant of grace, and solemnly seal this covenant by partaking of these ele- ments. And at the same time they are a token and seal of the cove- nant of grace on the part of Christ." — Dr. Samuel Hopkins. System (f Theology, Second edition, Boston, 1811. Vol. II. p. 343. "At the Lord's table Christ, by the mouth of his minister says, This is my body, take ye, eat ye all of it. This is my blood, take ye, drink ye all of it. Hereby sealing to the truth contained in the ', verit- ten instrument.' But it is therein written in so many words : ' I am the living bread which came down from heaven ; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever ; and the bread that I will give him is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.' John vi. 51, 56. Thus it is written, and thus it is sealed on Christ's part. On the other hand, the communicant by his practice declares : ' I take his flesh, and eat it; I take his blood and drink it;' and seals the covenant on his part. And thus the ' written instrument ' is exter- nally and visibly sealed, ratified, and confirmed, on both sides, with as much formality as any 'written instrument' is mutually sealed by 112 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. the parties in any covenant among- men. And now if both parties are sincere in the covenant thus sealed, and if both abide by and act according to it, the communicant will be saved." — Bellamy. Works, Vol. in. p, 166. Dr. Dwight has much to say of the Lord's Supper. In speaking of its design, he tells us that it is intended, first, tn represent the great sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Sensible impressions go far beyond those made directly on the understanding. In no other ordinance is this truth so fully realized as in the Lord's Supper. "The breaking of the bread, and the pouring out of the wine, exhibit the sacrifice of Christ with a force, a liveliness of representation, confessed by all Christians, at all times; and indeed by most others also; and unrival- led in its efficacy even by the Passover itself. All the parts of this service are perfectly simple, and are contemplated by the mind with- out the least distraction or labour. The symbols are exact, and most lively portraits of the aflfecting original, and present to us the cruci- fixion, and the sufferings of the great subject of it, as again undergone before our eyes. We are not barely taught; we see and hear, and of consequence feel, that Christ our Passover was slain for us, and died on the C7-0SS that we might live.'''' " So those doctri?ies of the Chris- tiari system, which are most intimately connected with it, are here ex- hibited with a corresponding clearness." " In this solemn ordi- nance, these truths are in a sense visible. The guilt of sin is here written with a pen of iron and luith the jwint of a diamond. Christ in a sense ascends the cross; is nailed to the accursed tree; is pierced with the spear; and pours out his blood to wash away the sins of men. Thus, in colours of life and death, we here behold the won- derful scene in which was laid on him the iniquity. of us all.^'' The other purposes of the institution, treated of at length, are as follows : It is a standing proof of Christ's mission; it exhibits the purity of Christ's character; it admonishes Christians of the second coming of Christ; it unites them in a known, public, and efficacious bond of union; it is a visible and affecting pledge of Christ's love to his fol- lowers ; it is suited also to edify Christians in the divine life ; " The edification of Christians is the increase of justness in their views, of purity and fervour in their aff'ections, and of fiiithfulness in their con- duct, with regard to the objects of religion. To this increase, in all respects, the Lord's Supper naturally and eminently contributes." — Divighfs Theology, Serm. CLX. The motives which should influence us to the celebration of the Lord's Supper are stated to be— 1. The command of Christ; 2. The honour of Christ; 3. The benefits derived from it by the Church; 4. Our own personal good. "At the table of Christ chiefly, after their baptism. Christians are seen, and see each other, as a public body, as mutual friends, and as followers of the Lamb. Here, mutually, they give and receive countenance and resolution ; worship together as Christians only; rejoice together; weep together; and universally exercise the Christian graces, invigorated, refined, and exalted by the sympathy of the gospel. Here the social principle of the intelligent nature ascends to the highest pitch of dignity and excellence, of which in this world it is capable. Mind here refines, enlarges, and ennobles MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 113 mind ; virtue purifies and elevates virtue ; and evangelical friendship not only finds and makes friends, but continually renders them more and more worthy of the name." " No exercises of the Christian life are ordinarily more pure, vigorous, and evangelical, than those which are experienced at the sacramental table. The sense which we here feel of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, is apt to be vivid and impressive in an unusual degree. Equally impressive are the views which we form of forgiving, redeeming, and sanctifying love. Here godly sorrow for sin is powerfully awakened. Here are strongly excited complacency in the divine character, admiration of the riches of divine grace, and gratitude for the glorious interference of Christ in becoming the propitiation of our sins. Here brotherly love is kindled into a flame ; arid benevolence, warm, generous, and expansive, learns to encircle the whole family of Adam. Here, more perhaps than any where else. Christians have the savie mind which was also in Christ, and prepare themselves to walk as he walked. Every evangelical affection becomes vigorous and active, virtuous resolutions stable, and the pur- poses of the Christian life exalted." " The ends proposed in the institution of the Lord's Supper by the Redeemer of mankind, are cer- tainly of a most benevolent and glorious nature, and peculiarly w^or- thy of the All-perfect Mind. They are the enlargement and rectifica- tion of our views concerning the noblest of all subjects, the purifica- tion of our affections, and the amendment of our lives. The means by which these ends are accomplished, are equally efficacious and de- sirable. They are at the same time simple, intelligible to the hum- blest capacity, in no respect burdensome, lying within the reach of all men, incapable of being misconstrued without violence, and therefore not easily susceptible of mystical or superstitious perversion. In their own proper, undisguised nature, they appeal powerfully to the senses, the imagination, and the heart, and at the same time enlighten, in the happiest manner, the understanding. Accordingly, Christians in all ages have regarded this sacrament with the highest veneration ; have gone to the celebration with hope ; attended it with delight ; and left it with improvement in the evangelical character." — Dwighfs The- ology. Serm. CLXI. Dr. Dick endorses and accepts in full the opinion of Zuingli on the Lord's Supper, which he affirms to have been this: "That the bread and wine were no more than a representation of the body and blood of Christ; or in other words, the signs appointed to denote the benefits that were conferred upon mankind in consequence of the death of Christ ; that therefore Christians derive no other fruit from the parti- cipation of the Lord's Supper, than a mere commemoration and re- membrance of the merits of Christ, and that there is nothing in the ordinance but a memorial of Christ." There seems to have been a disposition in that age, he thinks, " to believe that there was a pre- sence of Christ in the eucharist, different from his presence in the other ordinances of the gospel ; an undefined something which corre- sponded to the strong language used at the institution of the Supper, This is my body — this is my blood. Acknowledging it to be figurative, many still thought that a mystery was couched under it. It was not indeed easy for those who had long been accustomed to the notion of 10* 114 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. the bodily presence of Christ, at once to simplify their ideas; and perhaps too they were induced to express themselves as they did, with a view to give less offence to the Lutherans. Whatever was their motive, their language is not always sufficiently guarded." Calvin was one of the brightest ornaments of the Reformation, and in learn- ing, genius, and zeal, had few equals, and no superior. Yet he too falls into this condemnation. A passage is quoted, which it is found impossible to understand. " It supposes a communion of believers in the human nature of our Saviour, in the eucharist; and endeavours to remove the objection arising from distance of place,, by a reference to the almighty power of the Spirit, much in the same way as Papists and Lutherans solve the difficulty attending their respective systems. If Calvin had meant only that in the Sacred Supper believers have fellowship with Christ in his death, he would have asserted' an im- portant truth, attested by the experience of the people of God in everj age ; but why did he obscure it, and destroy its simplicity, by involv- ing it in ambiguous language ? If he had any thing different in view ; if he meant that there is some mysterious communication with his human nature, we must be permitted to say that the notion was as incomprehensible to himself as it is to his readers." " Stript of all metaphorical terms, the action must mean, that in the believing and grateful commemoration of his death, we enjoy the blessings which were purchased by it, in the same manner in which we enjoy them when we exercise faith in hearing the gospel. Why then should any man talk as Calvin does, of some inexplicable communion in this ordinance with the human nature of Christ; and tell us that although it seems impossible, on account of the distance to which he is removed from us, we are not to measure the power of the Divine Spirit by our standard ? I am sure that the person who speaks so, conveys no idea into the minds of those whom he- addresses ; and I am equally certain that he does not understand himself." " There is an absurdity in the notion, that there is any communion with the body and blood of Christ, considered in themselves ; that he intended any such thing ; or that it could be of any advantage to us." " When our Church therefore says, that ' the body and blood are as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses,' and that they ' feed upon his body and blood to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace,' it can mean only, that our incarnate suffering Saviour is apprehended by their minds, through the instituted signs ; and that by faith they enjoy peace and hope; or it means something unintelligible and un- scriptural." This looks to the Westminster Confession. The lan- guage of the Gallic or French Confession is then quoted, only to be condemned in still more explicit terms. Still the presence of Christ in the eucharist must be admitted. But then it is only as he is pre- sent in religious services generally. " In all these ordinances he is present; and he is present in the same manner in them all, namely, by his Spirit, who renders them effectual means of salvation." — Lec- tures on Theology^ by the late Rev. John Dick, D. D., Lect. XCI. XCII. " By the body and blood of Christ, figuratively represented in the Lord's Supper, we are undoubtedly to understand his whole work of MODERN PURITAN THEORY. il5 satisfying the justice of God in behalf of his peculiar people, which was consummated or completed, when his body was broken and his blood shed on the cross of Calvary ; together with the privileges and blessings resulting, both in this life and that which is to come, from their Saviour's finished work. All these rich and inestimable gifts of divine grace, faith receives and applies in the proper celebration of this holy rite." " Justly does our Confession of Faith declare, when speaking of this sacrament, that ' the body and blood of Christ are as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers, in this ordinance, as the elements themselves are to the outward senses.' O, my young friends ! what blessed visions of faith are those, in which this precious grace creates an ideal presence of the suffering, bleed- ing, dying, atoning Saviour. When Gethsemane, and Pilate's hall, and the cross, the thorny crown, the nails, the spear, the hill of Cal- vary, are in present view ; when the astounding cry of the co-equal Son of the Father, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mc, thrills through the ear to the heart; when the joyous voice quickly follows, proclaiming, // is Jinished .' Father, into thy hands, I commend my spirit. Yes, it is here that faith sees the sinner's ransom amply paid, &c. &c. Well may it be added, that 'spiritual nourishment and growth in grace' must be the result of views and exercises such as these." — Lectures on the Shorter Catechism, by Dr. Green, vol. ii. p. 338—340. ''''John vi. 53 — 56. The plain meaning of the passage is, that by his bloody death, his body and his blood oiTered in sacrifice for sin, he would procure pardon and life for man ; and that they who partook of that, or had an interest in that, should obtain eternal life. He uses the figure of eating and drinking, because that was the subject of dis- course, because the Jews prided themselves much on the fact that their fathers had eaten manna ,• and because, as he had said that he was the bread of life, it was natural to carry out the Jigure, and say that that bread must be eaten, in order to be of any avail in supporting and saving men." — " Is meat indeed. Is truly food. My doctrine is truly that which will give life to the soul." — '■'• Dwelleth in me. Is truly and intimately connected with me. To dwell or abide in him is to remain in the belief of his doctrine, and in the participation of all the benefits of his death."— "/ni him. Jesus dwells in believers by his spirit and doctrine. When his spirit is given them to sanctify them, and his temper, his meekness, humility, love, pervades their hearts ; and when his doctrine is received by them and influences their life, and when they are supported by the consolations of his gospel, it may be said that he abides or dwells in them." — ^'•Matthew xxvi. 26. This is my body. This represents my body. This broken bread shows the manner in which my body will be broken ; or this will serve to call my dying sufferings to your remembrance.''^ — " So Paul and Luke say of the bread, ' this is my body broken for you ; this do in remembrance of me.' This expresses the whole design of the sacramental bread. It is by a striking emblem to call to remem- brance in a vivid manner the dying suflferings of our Lord." — Barnes, Notes on the Gospels. 116 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. These are respectable authorities. They are quoted with re- spect. They will be acknowledged generally no doubt to be a fair representation of the predominant modern view, with regard to the Lord's Supper; particularly as it prevails in New England, and throughout the Calvinistic Churches of this country in general. The extracts are made various and full, as the best means of producing a clear and distinct impression of the sense that runs through them as a whole. It would be easy of course to multiply them almost to any extent. But this is not neces- sary. All that the case requires is simply such a picture as may be acknowledged to furnish a proper exhibition of the general view it is intended to represent. For this, the extracts now offered are suflicient. MODERN I'UIIITAN THKORY. 117 SECTION IT. CONTRAST. Now the first point that claims attention in the case, is the fact of such a difference between the view here exhibited and the Re- formed doctrine of the sixteentli century, as has been already affirmed. So hr as this goes, it is not necessary to decide abso- lutely on the nature of the difference. We may call it a change for the worse or a change for the better, as it may happen to strike our judgment. But the fact of the difference itself all must allow. The theology of New England, in the case before us, is not the theology of the Reformed Church of the sixteenth century. This Puritan theory of the power and virtue of the sacraments, is not the theory that was held by Calvin and that appears in the symbolical books of the first Calvinistic Churches. We need only to make ourselves at home in the first place among the opinions of the sixteenth century, as presented for instance in Hospinian or Planck, and then pass over suddenly to the thinking of our own time, as revealed in such works as have now been quoted, in order to feel the full force of the difference. It is a transition into another spiritual element entirely. The difference is not simply in words and forms of expression. It extends to thoughts themselves. A different view prevails, in the two cases, of the nature of the sacraments, and of their re- lation to the ends for which they have been instituted ; and along with this, the fact cannot be disguised, a different view also of the nature of the Christian salvation itself, in its relation to the person of the glorious Redeemer. Calvin could not pos- sibly have approved what appears to have been the sacramental doctrine of Edwards. Ursinus must have openly condemned the style in which the subject is presented by Ridgely. Dr. Dick virtually pronounces himself at variance with all the early Reformed symbols. Even Owen himself could hardly have endured with patience, the language of Dr. Dwight. The dif- ference is real and serious. The doctrine that runs through these extracts, is not the doctrine of the Reformed Church as it stood in the beginning. To make the case more plain, let the following particulars be noticed, as characterizing in general the departure of the modern Puritan from the old Reformed view. They will show that it is a question of something more than mere words. 118 , ' THE MYSTICAL PUIiSENCL. 1. In tlie old Reformed view, the communion of the believer with Christ in the Supper is taken to be spcriji.c in its nature, and different from all that has place in the common exercises of worship. The sacrament, not the elemenls of course separately considered, but the ordinance as the union of element and word, is held to be such an exhibition of saving grace, as is presented to the faith of the Church under no other form. It is not simply the word brought to mind in its ordinary foi;ce. The outward is not merely the occasion by which the inward, in the case, is made present to the soul as a separate existence ; but inward and outward, by the energy of the Spirit, are made to flow together in the way of a common life; and come thus to exert a peculiar, and altogether extraordinary power, in this form, to the benefit of the believer. "There is a peculiar communion with Christ," says Dr. Owen, " which we have in no other ordi- nance ;" and this, he adds, has been the faith of the whole Church in all ages. " A way of receiving Christ by eating and drink- ing; something peculiar, that is not in prayer, that is not in the hearing of the word, noi in any otiier part of divine worship whatever; a peculiar participation of Christ, a peculiar acting of faith towards Christ;" — In the modern Puritan view, on the con- trary, this specific peculiar virtue of the sacraments is not re- cognized. Christ is present, we are told by Dr. Dick, in all or- dinances; " and he is present in the sanie manner in them all, namely by his Spirit, who renders them efiectual means of sal- vation." So with Dr. Dwight the entire force of the institution, is made to consist in the occasion it affords, for the affections and exercises of common religious worship. The idea of a pe- culiar sacramental power, belonging to this form of worship as such, seems to have no place at all in his system. 2. In the old Reformed view, the sacramental transaction is a mysfcri/ ; nay, in some sense an actual miracle. The Spirit works here in a way that transcends, not only the human under- standing, but the ordinary course of the world also in every other view. There is a form of action in the sacraments, which now belongs indeed to the regular order of the life that is com- prehended in the Church, but which as thus established still in- volves a character that may be denominated s^itpcrnatural, as com- pared with the ordinary constitution, not only of nature, but even of the Christian life itself. " Not without reason," says Calvin, " is the communication, which makes us flesh of Christ's flesh and bone of his bones denominated by Paul a greot nn/s- tery. In the sacred Supper, therefore, we acknowledge it a miracle, transcending both nature and our own understanding, that Christ's life is made common to us with himself and his flesh given to us as aliment." " This mystery of our coalition MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 119 with Christ," says the Gallic Confession, " is so sublime, that it transcends all our senses and also the whole course of nature." " The mode is such," according to the Belgic Confession, ** as to surpass the apprehension of our mind, and cannot be under- stood by any." " The mT/sterioitsness," we are told by Dr. Owen, " is beyond expression ; the mijsterious reception of Christ in this peculiar way of exhibition." Contrast with this now the style in which the ordinance is re- presented, from the proper Puritan stand-point, in the extracts already quoted. We find it spoken of, it is true, with great re- spect, as full of interest, significance and power. But it is no mystery; much less a miracle. As little so, it would seem, in the view of Dr. Dwight, as a common fourth of July celebration. The ends contemplated in the one case are^ religious, in the other patriotic; but the institutions as related to these ends are in all material respects of one and the same order. The ends pro- posed in the Supper " the enlargement and rectification of our vitios — the purification of our affections — the amendment of our lives. The means are efficacious and desirable; at the same time simple; intelligible to the hwnhlest capacity ; in no respect burdensome; lying within the reach of all men; incapable of being misconstrued without violence; and therefore not easily susceptible of mystical or superstitious perversion. In their own proper, undiguised nature, they appeal powerfully to the senses, the itn agination, and the heart; and at the same time enlighten in the liappiest manner, the understanding." All this is said to show " the wisdom of this institution." " There seems to have been a disposition in that age," says Dr. Dick, with reference to the sixteenth century, " to believe that there was a presence of Christ in the eucharist different from his presence in the other ordinances of the gospel ; an undefined something, which cor- responded to the strong language used at the institution of the Supper : This is my body, — this is my blood. Acknowledging it to be figurative, many still thought that a tnystci-ywna couched under it." Dr. Dick himself of course finds no mystery in the case. Calvin's doctrine accordingly is rejected, as incomprehen- sible; not understood by himself, (as the great theologian indeed humbly 'admits,) and beyond the understanding also of his readers. " Plain, literal language is best, especially on spiritual subjects, and should have been employed by Protestant Churches with the utmost care, as the figurative terms of Scripture have been so grossly mistaken." To this we jnay add, that the very reason why such plain, simple language as might have suited Dr. Dick has not been employed by the Protestant Churches in their sym- bolical books, is to be found in the fact that these Protestant Churches believed and intended to assert the presence of a mys- 120 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. tery in the sacrament, for the idea of which no place is allowed in his creed, and that could not be properly represented there- fore by any language which this creed might supply. 3. The old Reformed doctrine includes always the idea of an objective force in the sacraments. The sacramental union between the sign and the thing signified is real, and holds in virtue of the constitution of the ordinance itself, not in the faith simply or inward frame of the communicant. Without faith indeed this force which belongs to the sacrament cannot avail to the benefit of the communicant; faith forms the indispensa- ble condition, by whose presence only the potential in this case can become actual, the life that is present be brought to take effect in the interior man. But the condition here, as in all other cases, is something different from the thing itself, for which it makes room.* The grace of the sacrament comes from God ; but it comes as such under the sacrament as its true and proper form ; not inhering in the elements indeed, out- wardly considered ; but still mysteriously lodged, by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the sacramental transaction as a whole. The grace is truly present, according to Calvin, even where it is excluded from the soul by unbelief; as much so as the fer- tilizing qualities of the rain, that falls fruitless on the barren rock. Unbelief may make it of no effect; but the intrinsic virtue of the sacrament itself still remains the same. The bread and wine are the sure pledge still of the presence of what they represent, and " a true exhibition of it on the part of God." '' The symbols," say Beza and Farel, *' are by no means naked ; * It is strange how much difficulty some persons seem to find in making this plain distinction. Because faith is necessary to the right use of the Lord's Supper, they will have it forthwith that all the force of it must resolve itself into the exercise of this grace on the part of the worshipper; and when they hear of an objective virtue in the sacrament itself, the presence of a real spi- ritual energy belonging to it in its own nature, whether apprehended by the communicant or not, and altogether independent of his faith, they are ready to exclaim against it at once as the very opus operatum of Popery itself. But the difFcrencc between condition and principle, is one that meets us on all sides, in every sphere of life. The plant cannot vegetate and grow witliotit the presence of certain conditions, earth, moisture, heat, light, &c., required for its development. Are these conditions then, in any sense, the principle or ground of its life as such ? Shall we say of the seed that it has no life in itself till it is thus called out in an actual way ? On the contrary, we afiinu the life to be in the seed objectively, even though it should never have an opportunity to make its appearance. And so we say, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper — not the elements, of course, as such, but the transaction, the sacramental inystcry as a whole — includes, or makes present objectively, tlie true life of Christ, which, when it meets with the proper conditions in the believer's soul, will there reveal itself in the same character, as something quite different from the mere working of the conditions themselves by which this is accomplished. To the unbeliever the same life is exhibited under the same form, but he does not accept it in his soul. He eats and drinks judg- ment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 121 but so far as God is concerned, who makes the promise and offer, they always have the thing itself truly and certainly joined with them, whether proposed to believers or unbelievers." — " We do utterly condemn the the vanity of those who affirm, that the sacraments are nothing else but mere naked signs." Old Scotch Confession. — " Those signs then are by no means vain or void." Belgic Confession. — " We teach that the things signified are together with the signs in the right use exhibited and communicated." Ursimis. The sacrament in this view, not only signifies, but seals to believers, the grace it carries in its constitution. It is not simply a pledge that the blessings it represents are sure to them, in a general way, apart from this par- ticular engagement itself; as when a man by some outward stipulation binds himself to fulfil the terms of a contract in an- other place and at another time. The sacramental transaction certifies and makes good the grace it represents, as actually communicated at the time. So it is said to exhibit also the thing signified. The thing is there; not the name of the thing only, and not its sign or shadow; but the actual substance itself. " The sacrament is no picture," says Calvin, " but the true, veritable pledge of our union with Christ." To say that the body of Christ is adumbrated by the symbol of bread, only as a dead statue is made to represent Hercules or Mercury, he pro- nounces profane. The signs, Owen tells us, " exhibit that which they do not contain. It is no empty, painted feast. Here is something really exhibited by Jesus Christ unto us, to receive, besides the outward pledges of bread and wine." How different from all this again, the light in which the sub- ject is presented in our modern Puritan theology. Here too the sacraments are indeed said to seal, and also to exhibit, the grace they represent. But plainly the old, proper sense of these terms, in the case, is changed. The seal ratifies simply a cove- nant, in virtue of which certain blessings are made sure to the believer, on certain conditions, under a wholly different form. Two parties in the transaction, Christ and his people, stipulate to be faithful to each other in fulfilling the engagements of a mutual contract ; and in doing so, they both affix their seal to the sacramental bond. Such is the view presented very dis- tinctly by Edwards, Hopkins, and Bellamy. The contract of salvation according to this last, is in the Lord's Supper, " ex- ternally and visibly sealed, ratified, and confirmed, on both sides, with as much formality as any written instrument is mutually sealed by the parties, in any covenant among men. And now if both parties are sincere in the covenant thus sealed, and if both abide by and act according to it, the communicant will be saved " So the sacrament is allowed to be exhibitional ; not 11 122 THE MYSTICAL TRESENCE. however of any actual present substance, as the old doctrine always held ; but only in the way of figure, shadow or sign. A picture or statue may be said to exhibit their original, to the same extent. The sacramental elements are Christ's proxy. " Or the matter may be more fitly represented by this similitude: it is as if a prince should send an ambassador to a woman in a foreign land, proposing marriage, and by his ambassador should send her his picture^ &c." Edwards. — With Dr. D wight the sacrament is reduced fully to the character of a mere occasion, by which religious affections are excited and supported in the breast of the worshipper. He seems to have no idea at all of an objective force, belonging to the institution in its owrt nature. All is subjective, and subjective only. All turns on the adapta- tion of the rite to instruct and affect. He measures its wisdom and power, wholly by this standard. It is admirably contrived to work upon " the senses, the imagination, and the heart," as well as to '* enlighten the understanding." Its whole force, when all is done, is the amount simply of the good thoughts, good feelings, and good purposes, that are brought to it, and made to go along with it, on the part of the worshippers them- selves. 4. According to the old Reformed doctrine the invisible gracen, of the sacrament, includes a real participation in his ptrson. That which is made present to the believer, is the very life of Christ himself in its true power and substance. The doctrine proceeds on the assumption, that the Christian salvation stands in an actual union between Christ and his people, mystical but in the highest sense real, in virtue of which they are as closely joined to liim, as the limbs are to the head in the natural body. They are in Him, and He is in them, not figuratively but truly; in the way of a growing process that will become complete finally in the resurrection. The power of this fact is myste- riously concentrated in the Holy Supper. Here Christ commu- nicates himself to his Church ; not simply a right to the grace that resides in his j)crson, or an interest by outward grant in the benefits of his life and death; but his person itself, as the ground and fountain, from which all these other blessintjs may be expected to flow. This idea is exhibited under all forms in which it could well be presented, and in terms the most clear and explicit. Christ first, and then his benefits. Calvin will hear of no other order but this. The same view runs- tlirouiih all the Calvinistic symbols. Not a title to Christ in his benefits,, the cflicacy of his atonement, the work of his spirit ; but a true property in his life itself, out of which only that other title can legitimately spring. " We are (|uickenr(j by a real participation of him, whicli he designates by the terms eating and drinking MODERN 1-URlTAN THEORY. 129 that no person might suppose the life which we receive from him to consist in simple knowledge." Calvin. We communi- cate with Christ's substance. *' A substantial communication is affirmed by me everywhere." Id — "He nourishes and vivifies us byUhe substance of his body and blood." Crallic Confession. — *' It is not only to embrace with a believing lieart all the suffer- ings and death of Christ, and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin and life eternal ; but also besides that to become more and more united to his sacred body, by the Holy Ghost, &c." Heidelberg Catechism.—'' We teach that he is present and united with us by the Holy Ghost, albeit his body be far absent from us." Ur sinus. — " In the Supper we are made partakers, not only of the Spirit of Christ, and his satisfaction, justice, virtue, and operation ; but also of the very substance and essence of his true body and blood, &c." Td. — " Christ cruci- fied, and all benefits of his death." Westminster Confession.— " It is on all sides plainly confessed, that this sacrament is a true and a real participation of Christ, who thereby imparteth himself, even his whole entire person, as a mystical head, unto every soul that receiveth him, and that every such receiver doth incorporate or unite himself unto Christ as a mystical member of him." Hooker.— A peculiar exhibition of Christ under out- ward sio-ns, •'' and a mysterious reception of him in them really, so as to come to a real substantial incorporation in our souls." Given. As the modern Puritan theory eviscerates the institution of all objective force, under any view, it must of course still more decidedly refuse to admit the idea of any such virtue belonging to it as that now mentioned. The union of the believer with Christ it makes to be moral only ; or at least a figurative in- corporation with his Spirit!* The sacred Supper forms an occasion, by which the graces of the pious communicant are called into favourable exercise; and his faith in particular is assisted in apprehending and appropriating the precious con- tents of the Christian salvation, as wrought out by the Re- deemer's life and death! He participates in this way in the fruits of Christ's love, the benefits of his mediatorial work, his imputed righteousness, his heavenly intercession, the influences of his Spirit, &c. ; but in the substantial life of Christ himself he has no part whatever. " A mutual solemn profession of the * The insufficient and contradictory character of the representations, by which it is attempted in part to uphold the idea of a real union with Christ, on the basis of this theology, will be noticed in another place. To a great extent, the idea seems not to be acknowledged at all. The whole is made to be a^ soit of biblical figure, which only the most mystical imagination might be ex- i pected to understand in any literal sense. 124 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. two parties transacting the covenant of grace, and visibly united in that covenant." Eclwards. — So also Hopkins and Bellamy, '* Sensible impressions are much more powerful than those which are made on the understanding, &c," Dwight. — ** The ends proposed in the institution of the Lord's Supper are, the enlargement and rectification of our views concerning the noblest of all subjects, the purification of our affections and the amend- ment of our lives." Id. — '' Stript of all metaphorical terms, the action must mean that in the believing and grateful com- memoration of his death, we enjoy the blessings which were purchased by it, in the same manner in which we enjoj them when we exercise faith in hearing the Gospel." Dick. — " No man who admits that the bread and wine are only signs and figures, can consistently suppose the words, 1 Cor. x. 16, to have any other meaning, than that we have communion with Christ in the fruits of his sufferings and death; or that receiving the sym- bols \ve receive by faith the benefits procured by the pains of his body and the effusion of his blood." Id. — Christ's ''doctrine is truly that which will give life to the soul." Barnes.—'' To dwell or abide in him, is to remain in the belief of his doctrine and in the participation of all the benefits of his death." Id. — *' The whole design of the sacramental bread, is by a striking emblem to call to rrmenihranccy in a vivid manner, the dying suf- ferings of onr Lord." Id. 5. In the old Reformed view of the Lord's Supper, the com- munion of the believer in the true person of Christ, in the form now stated, is supposed to hold with him especially as the Word made flesh. His humanity forms the medium of his union with the Church. The life of which he is the fountain, flows forth from him only as he is the Son of Man. To have part in it at all, we must have part in it as a real human life; we must eat his flesh and drink his blood ; take into us the substance of what he was as man ; so as to become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. ** The very flesh in which he dwells is made to be vivific for us, that we may be nourished by it to immortality," Calvin. — "This sacred communication of his flesh and blood, in which Christ transfuses his life into us, just as if he penetrated our bones and marrow, he testifies and seals also in the Holy Supper." Id. — " I do not teach that Christ dwells in us simply by his Spirit, but that he so raises us to himself as to transfuse into us the vivific vigor of his flesh" Id.* — *' The very substance * Vitam spiritualem quam nobis Christus largitur, non in eo, dnntaxat sitam esse confitemur, quod spiritu suo vivificat, sed qnod spiritus etiain sui virtute carnis sua? vivificie nos (hcit i)articipes, qua participatione in vitam a;ternani pascamur. Itaque cum de communione quam cum Cfiristo fideles habent loquimur, non minus carni ct sanguini ejus communicare ipsos intelligimus MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 125 itself of the Son of Man." Beza and Fard.—^^ That same sub stance which he took in the womb of the Virgin, and wliicli he carried up into heaven." Brza and Peter Marty r.~^^,U tlic eternal deity has imparted life and immortality to the llesh o Jesus Christ, so likewise his flesh and blood, when eaten anc drunk by us, confer upon us the same prerogatives." Old Scotch Confession.—'' That which is eaten is the very, natural body ol Christ, and what is drunk his true blood." Be/gic Confession.— " Flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone .... We are as reall}^ partakers of his true body and blood, as we receive these hoi) signs." Heidelberg Catechism.— '' \Ye are in such sort coupled knit, and incorporated into his true, essential human body, b^ his Spirit dwelling both in him and us, that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones." Ursimis.—'' They that worthily communicate in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ— truly and really." Westminster Catechism. . All this the modern Puritan view utterly repudiates, as semi- j)opish mysticism. It will allow no real participation of Christ's person in the Lord's Supper, under any form : but least of all under the form of his humanity. Such communion as it is will- ing to admit, it limits to the presence of Christ in his divine na- ture, or to the energy he puis forth by his Spirit. •: As for all that IS said about his body and blood, it is taken to be mere figure, intended to express the value of his sufl^erings and death. With his body in the strict sense, his life as incarnate, formerly on earth and now in heaven, we can have no communion at all, except in the way of remembering what was endured in it for our salvation. The flesh in any other view profiteth nothing; It IS only the Spirit that quickeneth. The language of the Cal- vinistic confessions on this subject, is resolved into bold, violent metaphor, that comes in the end to mean almost nothing. '' If he (Calvin) meant that there is some mysterious communication with his human nature, we must be permitted to say the notion was as incomprehensible to himself as it is to his readers." Dick. — " There is an absurdity in the notion that there is any communion with the body and blood of Christ, considered in themselves." Id.—'' Justly does our Confession of Faith declare, that the body and blood of Christ are as realli/, but spiritually present to the faith of believers, &c What blessed visions of faith are those, in which this precious grace creates an ideal quam spiritui, ut ita totum Christum possideant.— Hanc autem carnis et san- guMus sui communionem Christus sub pauis et vini symbolis in sarro eancta sua ccena oflert et exhibet omnibus, qui cam rite celebrant juxta legitimum ejus institutum. Confessio Fidei de Eucharistia, exhibited by Farel, Calvin and y tret, a. lo37. 11* 126 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. presence of the suffering, bleeding, dying, atoning Saviour! Then Gethsemane, and Pilate's hall, and the cross, the thorny crown, the nails, the spear, the hill of Calvary, are in present view!" Green. — "This broken bread shows the mantier in which my body will be broken ; or this will serve to call my dying sufferings to youx remembrance." Barms. LfCt this suffice in the way of comparison. The two theories, it is clear, are different throughout. Nor is the difference such as may be considered of small account. It is not simply formal or accidental. The modern Puritan view evidently involves a material falling away, not merely from the form of the old Cal- vinistic doctrine, but from its inward life and force. It makes a great difference surely, whether the union of the believer with Christ be regarded as the power of one and the same life, or as holding only in a correspondence of thought and feeling; whether the Lord's Supper be a sign and seal only of God's grace in general, or the pledge also of a special invisible grace present in the transaction itself; and whether we are united by means of it to the person of Christ, or only to his merits; and whether finally we communicate in the ordinance with the whole Christ, in a real way, or only with his divinity. Such, however, is the difference that stares us in the face, from the comparison now made. All must see and feel that it exists, and that it is serious. Under this view then simply the subject is entitled to earnest attention. Apart from all judgment upon the character of the change which has taken place, the fact itself is one that may well challenge consideration. We have no right to overlook it, or to treat it as though it did not exist. We have no right to hold it unimportant, or to take it for granted with unreflecting presumption that the truth is all on the modern side. The mere fact is serious. For the doctrine of the eucharist lies at the very heart of Christianity itself; and the chasm that divides the two systems here is wide and deep. For churches that claim to re- present, by true and legitimate succession, the life of the Refor- mation under its best form, the subject is worthy of being laid to heart. Only ignorance or frivolity can allow themselves to make light of it. MODEUN PURITAN THEORY. 127 SECTION III. FAITH OF THE EARLY CHURCH. A STRONG presumption is furnished against the modern Puri- tan doctrine, as compared with the Calvinistic or Reformed, in the fact that the first may be said to be of yesterday only in the history of the Church, while the last, so far as the difference in question is concerned, has been the faith of nearly the whole Christian world from the beginning. It included indeed a pro- test against the errors with which the truth had been overlaid in the church of Rome. It rejected transubstantiation and the sacri- fice of the mass,- and refused to go with Luther in his dogma of a local presence. But in all this it formed no rupture with the original doctrine of the Church. That which had consti- tuted the central idea of this doctrine from the first, and which appears even under the perversions that have just been named, it still continued to hold with a firm grasp. It is this central idea, the true and proper substance of the ancient church faith precisely, that created the diflference between the Reformed doc- trine and the modern Puritan. In the Reformed system it is present in all its force ; in the other it is wanting. The voice of antiquity is all on the side of the. Sixteenth Century, in its high view of the sacrament. To the low view which has since come to prevail, it lends no support whatever. It is granted readily, that the view taken of the Lord's Sup- per in the early Church, as represented to us in the writings of the fathers, is by no means free from obscurity and contradic- tion. It is not from the infancy of the Church in any case, that we are to look for clear and satisfactory statements of theological truth. The fathers form no binding authority for the faith of later times in this view; although it does not follow immedi- ately from such a concession, that we are at liberty to despise or overlook their authority entirely ; just as little as it could be counted rational for a man in advanced life, to affect an utter independence of his own childhood, because it is found to have been characterized by all manner of imperfections and mistakes. JDoctrines, in the Church, have their separate history. The life find power of the truth they express has been present from the beginning; but centuries have been needed to give them their proper form for the understanding. It constitutes then no ob- jection whatever to an established article of the Christian creed, 12S THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. the doctrine of the true and proper divinity of Christ for instance, or the doctrine of total depravity and free grace, that testimonies may be gathered from the earlier fathers, which seem to conflict with it, or at least to show it of nncertain authority. All such confusion and contradiction serve only to show, that the article in question had not at the time evolved itself for the conscious- ness of the Church into the clear theological form, in which it was subsequently held. The confusion impairs not on the one hand the credit of the doctrine, and brings no fair reproach upon the witnessing authorities in the case on the other. It is enough that we find them true to the inward soul and substance of the Christian faith; though they may fall short of its full and proper expression; while it must be regarded always as a fair lest of the correctness of any later statement, claiming to be the expres- sion required, that it shall be found to take up and preserve the substance at least of the same life that is presented in the earlier creed. Thus in the case before us, the weight and significance of the Lord's Supper are not to be measured precisely, by the terms in which we find it spoken of in the early Church. We need not be surprised either to meet with some confusion and contradiction, in the testimony furnished by the fathers on the subject of the ordinance, its nature and design. The doctrine of the eucharist, like every other Ciu'istian doctrine, has a his- tory. Its history moreover has proceeded through error; and it must be allowed, that the principle of this error began to work at a very early period. All this is to be taken into consideration, when we carry our appeal in the present case to the first ages of the Church, But all this can never form a suflicient reason, for treating the authority of these ages wiih inditference or contempt. Allowing their testimony to be imperfect, confused, and not always consistent with itself; admitting too that as we advance into the fourth and fifth centuries, we are met with forms of thinking and speaking that look directly towards the great error of transubstantiation ; we have still no right to assume that the Church in the beginning had no faith that could be counted real and substantial, in the case of the eucharist, or that this faith included in no sense the truth as it has been of force for the Church since. In the midst of all errors and contradictions, the early Church must have been in possession of the truth, here as at other points, at least in its essential power and life. Running through all, there must be a certain fundamental substratum, in which the true idea of the sacrament was always at hand, and which the Church is bound accordingly, through all ages, to respect in this light. Now it is very certain that the early fathers do not teach either transubstantiation or consubstantiation. There is not a MODERN PURITAN TIIEORJ^. 129 passage which can be quoted from the first three centuries, that yields the least support, on any fair interpretation, to either of these dogmas; while the general testimony of the period contra- dicts both in explicit terms. We may say too, that in the period following, on to the time of Paschasius Radbert, in the ninth century, the case continues the same; although undoubtedly a style of speaking was now introduced, that seems often to coun- tenance in full, if not pointedly to affirm, the superstition that was afterwards openly proclaimed as the creed of the Church. The sacramental doctrine of the early Church recognized no local presence of Christ's body in the elements, no merely oral communication, nothing like a magical virtue in the use of the ordinance outwardly considered. But just as little, on the other hand, did it foil over to the opposite extreme of making the ordinance a mere representation of spiritual blessings to the mind of the worshipper. From the beginning evidently it was felt to be more than this. It was regarded as a mystery, in which was involved the inmost life of the gospel, and. a form of communion with the Saviour altogether peculiar and extraordi- nary. We find it accordingly exalted and honoured as the cen- tral service in the Christian worship, around which all other services were made to revolve, and from which they might be said to borrow all their light. The elements were more than memorials simply and signs. They were made to bear the designation of the Lord's body and blood, in the way of com- mon liturgical expression ; which could not have been the case, if they had not been regarded as the actual exhibition of his person, in a mystery, under this form. The same thing is clear from utterances of a more direct nature, with regard to the pecu- liar power of the institution ; all serving to show in the breast of the Church, from the first, the feeling that the eucharist includes in its very constitution a real communion with the whole person of Christ, as the ground of all interest on the part of the believer in his benefits. This idea, in the course of time, carried the faith of Christendom quite over to the absurdity of transubstan-- tiation ; which itself, however, only serves to illustrate the force with which it wrought as an essential, constituent part of the Christian consciousness from the beginning. If Christianity had not included in its very nature the idea of a true substantial union with the human life of Christ, not only signified but em- bodied and made actual in the mystery of the Supper, such a superstition as that maintained by the Church of Rome could never have come to prevail. The simple fact that the early sacramental doctrine was carried regularly forward, by perver- sion, to this extraordinary and monstrous result, is itself evidence satisfactory that the doctrine always contained the idea, out of 130 TIIF- MYSTICAL PRESENCE. which only it was possible for any such abuse to spring. Had the low view of the sacraments with which many are satisfied ail the present time prevailed in the faith of the primitive Church, such an error as that which supposes an actual change of the; elements into the body and blood of Christ could never have appeared. The early fathers speak of the eucharist frequently as an offering or oblation; never, however, in the sense in which it came to be so regarded in the later Catholic Church. It was viewed in this case merely as an act of Christian worship, in' which the congregation joyfully recognized the goodness of God | as displayed in the natural creation, and rendered praise to him' especially for the grace of redemption bestowed upon the world! through his Son Jesus Christ. In this last direction, it was! regarded, of course, also as a memorial of the Saviour, by which! the lively recollection of his person, and particularly of his suffer- ings and death, was to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of time. But this all formed only one side of the Christian con-' sciousness in the case. Even as an act of thanksgiving and commemoration, the service included a special reference to the death of Christ as a propitiation for sin ; something therefore to; be reached and appropriated by the spirit of the worshipper, as; the indispensable condition of his own life. It was felt to be more then than a mere occasion for the exercise of common recollection or imagination: it demanded /rzzV/i on the part of the worshipper, and was felt at the same time to embody an ob-' jective exhibition of the great Christian sacrifice in the way of actual pledge and seal, for the benefit of the soul in which such faith was at hand. This relation, however, was found to involve, to tlxe apprehension of the Church, a connection with the Sa-| viour still more intimate and close. To have part truly and fully in the virtue of his atonement, it was felt that there' must! be a real participation also in the life of his person. This formed accordingly the other side of the Christian conscious- ness, in the period to which we refer; and both conceptions must be joined together, in order that we may understand and interpret it fairly, in relation to the point with which we are now concerned. It will be found now, on proper investigation, that the viewofi the eucharist held in the early Church includes throughout, along with that reference to the virtue of Christ's atonement which has been mentioned, this idea also of a real communica- tion with h'xspcrson, as the only ground on which the other bene- fit can become available. The idea in some cases may be in a measure thrown into the shade ; but it never |)asses wholly out of sight; while for the most part it stands forth with such pro- MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 131 minence, as to leave no room whatever to question its pre- sence.* Ignatius speaks of the eucharist [ep. ad Smyrii. c. 7.) as the flesh of Christ, that suffered for our sins and was raised again by the goodness of the Father. This does not imply that he supposed the body of Christ to be in the bread. We know he did not. But the language here employed, which must be con- sidered true to the general view of the Church at the time, serves to show with what force the feeling prevailed that the things represented by the signs in the Lord's Supper were so bound to them inwardly, as to form in some sense one and the same pre- sence. So when he styles the bread [cp. ad Ephrs. c. 20,) "the medicine of inmiortality, the antidote of death," it does not indeed imply that he considered the reception of Christ's body into the believer's person the means physically of his resurrec- tion ; but it certainly does show this much at least, that some- thing more was felt to be involved in the sacramental service, than a mere thinking of Christ and his mediatorial work. The sacrament is viewed as carrying in itself objectively the power to unite us with the atonement of Christ, by making us one with him in his life. It is the antidote of death, as it causes us to *' live always in Jesus Christ." Justin Martyr (Apol.I.c. iSQ,) tells us that the eucharist was not received by Christians as common bread or commoti drink; but that as Jesus Christ himself became flesh for our salvation, * For an able and full exposition of this point, the reader is referred to a recent work, Das Dogma vom heiligen Ahcndmahl und seine Ge^chichte, von Dr. August Ebrard. Frankfurt a M. 1S45. Dr Ebrard is Professor of The- ology, at Z'jrich, in the service, of course, of the Reformed Churcli. His work is intended to be a vindication of the Reformed or Calvinistic theory of the Eucliarist, in its substance, as distinguislied from what is styled the Old Liitiieran view; and it carries throughout, on this account, a somewhat polemical reference in this direction. The ultimate design of it, however, is ireiiical ; as the author supposes tiiat the case is one which admits of recon- ciliation, and tliat all that is needed for this purpose is such a statement of the doctrine as may relieve it from what may be regarded as merely accidental objections on both sides. He, of course, maintains a real communion with Chrisfs whole life, in the new nature of the Christjan generally, and in the transaction of the sacrament in particular. This is something certainly that deserves to be noted, as proceeding from the very heart of the original Swiss Reformation, and the theological chair, we may say, of Zuingli himself. It serves to show how powerfidly the tide of evangelical thinking has come, to set in, at this time, in the direction here taken. I need not say, that it has been pnrticularly encouraging to me, to meet with this publication in the course of the present work ; maintaining as it does, substantially, the same view of Christ's presence in the Eucharist, though constructed on a wholly [dilFerent plan, and in view also of altogether dilFerent relations. I regret, 'however, that the second volume, which was to have appeared some months ago, exhibiting the history of the iloctrine since the Reformation^ has not yet come into my hands. 132 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. SO it was held tliat the consecrated food in this solemnity is hi flesh and blood. His meariing is, that in partaking of the one we partake of the other also in a mystery, to the sustentation o that new life which is communicated to us by Christ. Ircndeus seems to go farther still, and to teach that the breac and wine in the eucharist are so pervaded with the very bod; and blood of Christ, as to become by physical incorporation th( source of immortality to the body of the believer. By a prope comparison, however, of one passage with another, it appear; that this could not have been his meaning. But it is thus made only so much the more certain, that he considered the participa tion of the sacramental bread and wine to be a participation, ai the same time, of the person of Christ, in virtue of which th. body itself, in the case of the true Christian, is made to havt part in his nature, and so in that eternal life of which he is the fountain. " As the bread out of the earth," he tells us, (Adv ha^r. IV. 18, 5,) " after its consecration, is no longer commoi: bread, but the eucharist, consisting of two things, an earthly anc a heavenly ; so also our bodies, when they partake of the eucha- rist, are no longer mortal, having the hope of the resurrection tc life everlasting." Again (Adv. haer. V. 2, 3): "As the slip ol the vine inserted in the ground has in its own time brought forti fruit, and the grain of wheat falling into earth and undergoing dissolution has been raised up with multiplication' by the Spirit of God, through whom all things consist; and these, made meet afterwards, in God's wisdom, for man's use, and having added tc them the word of divine consecration, become the eucharist] which is Christ's body and blood ; so in like manner our bodies are nourished by this, and after they are buried and dissolved in the earth, shall in their own time rise again, the divine word imparting to them the resurrection." Here he seems to identify the elements absolutely with Christ's body and blood, and has been supposed by some to teach that the mere oral or corporeal reception of them served to convey into the bodies of believers, in a p'fiysical way, the virtue of innnortality. But other passages show that such was not his meaning; and, even in these quota- tions, it is clear that all is referred to the word of God, the pre- sence of a higher life', that is felt to he mystically joined with the sacramental symbols. Hence he styles the bread and wine else- where the antitypes of Christ's body and blood, in the participation of whicii we are made to receive the remission of sins and life! everlasting. This term ((imfivta) was frequently applied to thel elements in the early Church. \ The view represented by Ignatius, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus, was that which prevailed most generally, according to Neander, MODERN PURITAN THEORY'. 133 in their time.* In the north of Africa, as represented bv Tertul- lian and Cyprian, we find a more guarded phraseology in rela- tion to the whole subject. The bread and wine are more distinctly exhibited in the character of symbols, and no room is given for the imagination to confound them with the actual body and blood of Christ. Still they are not dead symbols. Along with their sacramental use, a real communication with the body and blood they represent is also supposed to have place ; the visible and the invisible comprehended in the same transaction. The practice of the Church may itself be taken as an evidence, that a high sense was entertained of the objective virtue of the sacra- ment; for it was in Northern Africa particularly, that daily communion prevailed, and for a time also the custom of extend- ing the ordinance even to infants. TertuUiau, indeed, tells us that the words " My body," in the form of institution mean, "The figure of my body;" and this is sufficient to show, that he had no thought of any thing like an actual inclusion of Christ's body in the bread. t But he tells us elsewhere again, that we * Allg. Gesch. der Chr. Religion und Kirche. 2d edit. Hamburg, 1843. Vol. ii,, p. 1117-1120. Neander tells us that the view represented by these fathers involved the supposition of an actual corporeity assumed by the Logos immediately in the sacrament itself, in conjunction with the elements, and in such way as to be carried over with them into the bodies of believers as a ^a^uazoi" d^ra^iar or pabulum of immortality; an idea which he admits, however, was not distinctly uttered till a later time. It lies, he thinks, par- ticularly in the passage of Justin, to which leference has already been made. (Apol. i. 66,) where we have the words : Ti^v 5t' si'X^,? "^yov tov tto^' airov fvxo-^'-'Jrt^^eiaav r^o^riv, tl rj alua xai aa'^zf j xata ^fta3o7^r;v t^i^apTai, /•ucur, exiwov tov ca^x(^rioir^hii'toi ^Ir^aov xai otx^xa xai Oiua t^iBd^^r^fisif SLvai. It must be confessed, however, that this is very obscure evidence of any such opinion. Ebrard, in the work already quoted, shows very clearly that these early fathers, in the use of such language, did not intend to assert, what their language at times might seem to imply, an actual corporealization of Christ in any way in the elements, but simply the presence of his body mystically in the sacramental transaction. The elements were constituted, by* consecration, the " body and blood" of Christ, and were so styled in the general liturgical phraseology; thev received a new character under the eucharistic benediction, and became the present pledge of what they repre- sented ; but still, they remained, in their own substance, bread and wine. All goes to show, however, how deep was the feeling, that the ordinance com- prehended in it a real communion with the life of Christ ; and with this life, it may be added, under its human form. For even the conception mentioned by Neander, would resolve itself at last simply into this, that Christ's humanity must extend itself, not by any division of his individual person but in the way of organic reproduction, into the persons of all whom he will thus raise up at the last day. His life, in this form, is the true fd^uaxov d^iujids, as he says expressly himself (John vi. 54). t Rudelbach, in his work, ^^Reformation, Lutherthum und Union,-' Leipzig, 1S39, devotes a special excursus to TertuUian- s doctrine of the Lord's Supper ; in which he labours with all his might to make him out a sound Lutheran, of the old stamp. He will have it that the term figure, in the passage here re- ferred to (Adv. Marc. iv. 40), denotes the actual form of the body itself, in the 12 . 134 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCF. partake in the Supper of *' the fatness of the Lord's body ;" (De pudic, cap. 9 ;) and that the flesh is fed with the sacramental body and blood of Christ, in order that the soul also may be fat from God." (De resur. cam. cap. 8.) While in another con- nection he makes this spiritual nourishment to be the very life of Christ himself, when he teaches, (De orat. c. G,) that the petition for daily bread must be taken mainly in a spiritual sense; as Christ is the proper bread of life according to his own word, and as signified in the bread of the eucharist; so that, in praying, Give us our daily bread, " perpetuitatem poslulamus in Christo, et individnitatem a corpore ejus." The Alexandrian fathers, Ckmenf, and more particularly Origeu, separate of course still more widely between the inward and the outward, in the case of the sacraments, as in every other case. Their tendency was always to an extreme spiritualism ; which, with Origen especially, came near to making the whole Christian revelation little better than a splendid philosophical allegory. He disparages the letter continually, for the purpose of exalting the spirit. So in the case of the eucharist, he goes | so far as to make the body and blood of Christ nothing more than his word.* "His great object," says Neander, " was to withstand the idea of a magical etticiency in the Supper, sepa- rately considered — which however the other church teachers were far from holding; but his view opposed in fact every conception of any sort of higher meaning or force in the outward signs, even such as was admitted by the African Church." It is hardly necessary to say that this view found compara- tively small favour in the ('hurch. The tendency, indeed, was already towards an extreme the other way. We cannot say, that the presence of Christ was as yet confounded with the presence of the symbols, by which it was represented; but the feeling was strong, that the two were mystically bound together, and the language employed to express this thought became always more bold and absolute; till in the end the liturgical appellation Christ's " body and blood," applied to the bread and wine, might almost seem to have been taken by many, even long before the sense of its reality ! Tliis, however, would bo nothins; less than transiibst.in- liation itself. Ebrard exposes the extravagance of Ri)d«^lbacli with just severity, (p. 294-2^f8.) The whole style of Tertullian's thinking stands opposed to every such construction of his words. He, and ('yj)rian, and Augustin, the founders and fathers, we may say, of the whole Western Latin theoloey, occupy here the very same ground, so far as we can judge, that was after- wards taken by the Reformed Church, in distinction both iVom the Lutheran and the Church of Rome. * Nam corpus Dei Vcrbi aut panguis, quid nliud esse potest, nisi verbuni quod nutrit, et verbum quod la-tificat cor? — Pursuing his allegorical exegesis, he makes the body to be the word of the Old Testament, and the Hood the word of the New ! See Kbrard, p. 274-277. MODERN rUKITAN TIIEOUY. ' 135 time of Paschasius Radbert, in a strictly literal and proper sense. Thus we hear Ct/ril, of Jerusalem, in the fourth century, in- sisting on the words of institution in such style as this: ''When he himself has plainly said in relation to the bread, This is nvf horh/, who will presume to have any farther doubt? And when he has solemnly assured us, This is my blood, who will hesitate ever to say that it is his blood ? He changed water before into wine resembling blood, in Cana of Galilee; and shall we distrust him here as changinnr vvine into blood?"* This sounds like transubstantiation itself in the fullest sense; and yet there is good reason to believe, that such was not the meaning of the worthy father himself, after all. Chrysostom uses very strong language too in the same direc- tion ; but he is, on the whole, more guarded, and less liable to misconstruction. He makes the sensible elements in the Sup- per to be indeed the form, under which its proper spiritual grace is brought near to the believer ; as the washing with water in Baptism, is the outward exhibition of the grace of regeneration. But still the outward and inward are not made to flow absolCitely together. The first is something, aio^Yi-tov, for the senses ; the other is vor^tov, not a mere thought, certainly, but something to be received by the soul, and not simply by the mouth. " If thou hadst been without a body," he says, " the grace might have come to thee in the same naked form ; but since the soul is inter- woven with the body, he gives thee the spiritual in forms of sense Qv ctla^ritol^ T'tt vor^td aoi, ;T;o^a6i.'6co(5t)."j" Among the Latin fathers of the same period, we find Ambrose almost as bold in his representations as Cyril himself. "The sacrament you receive is wrought by the word of Christ. The word of Elias had power to bring down fire from heaven; aad shall not the word of Christ avail to change the character (spe- ciem) of the elements? You have read, in relation to the whole work of creation, He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast ; and shall not the word of Christ, which could thus call out of nothing that which was not, be able also to change things that are into what they were not before ?"| And yet he * Cateches. 4. The terms /xetaSoJ.r;, f.istdjSd'K'kta^ac, ixctafxc^povs^aci &c., were familiarly applied at this time to the change which was supposed to take place in the elements, by their consecration. A new character was held to be imparted to them by the influence of the Holy Ghost, which made them to be what they were not before, in a sacramental sense. Still no idea was entertained of an actual transmutation of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood. They were regarded only as having a supernatural character communicated to them, in virtue of which they served to bring those who partook of them into communion with Christ's true body and blood. t Horn. 82, in Matthaei evangelium. t De initiandis, cap. 9. 136 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE says, in his exposition of Luke, again, " Tangimus Christum non corporali tactu, sed fide tantum." The change, then, which he supposed to be wrought in the bread by its consecration, was not such as to transmute it, in his view, adtually into Christ's body; but served only to clothe it with a new power or virtue by the Holy Ghost, (Cyril's divine /wfraiacrxj;,) that made it for the recipient the true medium of an actual communication with the body it represented. We have a much better representative of the faith of the Western Church, during this period, in Aiigtistine, the great theological successor of Cyprian in the North of Africa. He distinguishes clearly between the outward and inward, in the sacramental transaction, the form of the sacrament and its sub- stance; and says of the bread, separately considered, that it is simply the sign, of Christ's body.* In the sacraments, " aliud videtur, aliud intelligitur." He will hear of no oral communi- cation ; "quia gratia ejus non consumitur morsibus." Still, as Neander remarks, Augustine held a real conjunction, in the case of the Lord's Supper, between the signs and the things signified ; in virtue of which believers, (not unbelievers,) along with the outward form, were made to partake of its proper contents, tlie "res sacramenti" itself. And this res sacramcnti he held to be the union of believers with their one head Christ, and their closer union thus with one another, as members of his glorious mystical body, the Church. He asserts as clearly as Calvin the local circumscription of Christ's proper body in heaven; and of course makes our communion with him to be w^holly by the Spirit. Still he represents it to be always a real communion. *' Habe fidem, et tecum est, quem non vides."t It is not necessary here to refer to other authorities. Nor does the subject call us to trace, even in a general way, the course of the sacramental doctrine, as corrupted by the Catliolic Church, in later times.t As before remarked, the gross errors * Non eiMm Dominus dubitavit dicere : Hoc est corpus meum, cum signum daret corporis sui. t See Neander's Kirchengesch. Bd. 2, Abth. 3, p. 1399-1401. \ This is done at length by Prof. Ebrard, in the work which has been already mentioned. The progress of error, in this case, was very slow and insidious. It may be traced particularly in the gradual difFerences of repre- sentation, that appear in the different ancient liturgies. In time, the false view, which existed at first only in the form of feeling, began to claim autho- rity also in the form of distinct logical expression for the understanding. This, however, called furth, even in the ninth century, a very active protest. The doctrine of Pnschasius Rndhert, caused at first much commotion, and was strongly opposed by the monk Ralramn, Rabanus Maurus, John Scohis Eri- gena, and many others. " They did not deny," says Knapp, (Chr. Thcol. Wood's Trans, vol. ii. p. 571,) " the presence of the body and blood of Christ; but they taught that this convcrsio or immutatio of the bread and wine is not MODERN PUIUTAN THEORY. 137 of transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the mass, only serve to show more impressively the truth of the position now insisted upon; that the sacrament was felt, from the beginning, to involve not simply a memorial of Christ's sacrifice, but the very power of the sacrifice itself, as made present in his glorified life. To the consciousness of the early Church, the solemn ordinance was an exhibition immediately of the offering for sin made once for all by Christ's death; in the participation of which, the be- liever was considered to receive the full benefit of it, as of a liv- ing atonement brought before God at the time. This, however, was felt to comprehend an actual reception of the life itself, in whose presence only such living and enduring virtue could be supposed to reside. The mere recollection of the atonement as a past fact, was not enough for the Christianity of those days; it must be apprehended and appropriated as a present reality, under a livinor form. Christ must himself animate the sacra- ment, and be received in it as the soul of the sacrifice it repre- sented. All this, however, according to the faith of the first centuries, in a purely spiritual way. We hear of no transub- stantiation of the elements into Christ's body and blood, as afterwards taught by the Church of Rome. They are called, indeed, his body and blood; but only in a sacramental or liturgi- cal sense. We hear of no material or local presence of his flesh, in the Lutheran sense: no tactual communication with his glori- fied body; no reception of his life in a simply oral way. But the fact of a real communication with this life, in its strictly human character, as comprehended in the sacramental transac- tion, (actio in actione,) is none the less, but only the more dis- tinctly asserted, we may say for this very reason. All Christian antiquity stands opposed here to the low rationalistic idea of a merely moral virtue in the eucharist. The faith of the Church became afterwards, it is true, the occasion of superstitious error, which had well nigh proved its own grave. The doctrine of the real presence 5^ Ttj'fv^art, degenerated into transubstantiation, or the real presence Ip ca^xC. The living memorial of Christ's one sacrifice, was converted itself into the nev/, continually repeated sacrifice of the mass. But the corruption of a great truth, may of a carnal, but of a spiritual nature ; that these elements are not transmuted into the real body and blood of Christ, but are signs or symbols of them. In many points they approximated to the opinion of the Reformed theologians." That is, they insisted on what had been the general doctrine of the Church from the beginning, namely, that the elements were the body and blood of Christ, not literally, but mystically, as serving after their consecration to make them present in fact, though in a spiritual way, to the communicant. Any view lower than this was out of the question, as the Church then stood ; and even this was borne down at last by the force of the corruption that fiad now begun to usurp its place. 12* 138 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. never be urged reasonably against the authority of the truth itself. And of all forms of fanaticism, there is none more poor than the zeal, which in such circumstances seeks to rectify a gross extreme in one direction, by throwing itself blindly into the arms of An extreme equally gross in the other; and to re- venge itself upon an acknowledged abuse, is ready to demolish along with it the whole form of existence out of which it has grown. To clear ourselves of transubstantiation and the mass, is it necessary that we should strip the sacrament of oil mystery, and refuse to allow it any objective force whatever ? So thought not the Reformers, as we have already seen. Not only Luther and Melancthon, but Calvin also, and Beza and Ursinus, and the fathers of the Reformed Church generally, discovered a pro- per anxiety here t(5 save the substance of the primitive faith, while they endeavoured to rescue it from the errors with which it had become overlaid in the Church of Rome. They hon- oured, in this case as in other cases also, the authority of the ancient fathers, and the life of the early Church ; and they took pains accordingly to show, as far as they could, that this testi- mony, rightly interpreted and understood, was on flieir side, and not on the side of Rome. It was reserved for a later time, and for a theology of different spirit from that which generally pre- vailed in the sixteenth century, to treat this whole appeal with contempt, by charging the Church with corruption and super- stition from the very start, and pretending to construct the entire scheme of Christianity de novo from the scriptures, with- out any regard to the primitive faith whatever. MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 139 SECTION IV. RATIONALISM AND THE SECTS. The modern Puritan theory of the Lord's Supper, as it in- volves a falling away from the general faith of the Reformation, finds at the same time no sanction whatever in the faith of the primitive Church. This of itself constitutes certainly a power- ful presumption against it. What right, we may ask, has Puri- tanism had to depart thus from the creed of the sixteenth cen- tury, and the creed of whole ancient Christianity, at the same time? The right of private judgment, it may be replied, against the authority of tradition. But is not tradition itself in this case the judgment merely, which has been entertained of the sense of the bible by the Reformers and the early Church? Why then should the particular judgment of Puritanism, as such, be al- lowed to carry with it any such weight as is needed to bear down the judgment of the universal Church besides from the beginning? In the very nature of the case, strong grounds and solid arguments should be exhibited, to justify this modern par- ticularity of faith, in its palpable defection from the general creed of Christendom, with regard to an article so momentous as the one now under contemplation. The presumption here, I repeat it, is against modern Puritanism. The simple statement of the case, is adapted |jrmcf/ac/e, when fairly understood, to create an impression unfavourable to its claims. But this is not all. A still farther presumption against the same view, is created by the fact that in departing from the faith of the Reformation, it is found to be in full harmony with the false Pelagian tendency, by which the truth under other forms, as originally held by the Reformers, has been so widely subverted in different Protestant lands. The modern Puritan view of the Lord's Supper, is constitutionally rationalistic. As a matter of course, the Socinians of the sixteenth century sunk the conception of the sacraments to the general level of their false theological system. As they denied the divinity of the Saviour, and reduced the whole Christian salvation to a mere system of morality, they could see in the sacraments naturally nothing more than external, simply human ceremonies. Their idea was, that Christianity, as a spiritual religion, had no de- pendence on forms and rites as such ; and hence in this case, they made no account whatever of any virtue or force, that 140 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. might be supposed to belong to the sacraments themselves, con- sidered as divine institutions. To attribute to them any objec- tive value, they counted mere Jevi'ish ritualism. " For how," it is asked, "can that serve to confirm us in faith, which we do our- selves, and which though commanded of God is still our own work, including or exhibiting nothing remarkable, and having no fitness to convince or persuade us of the truth of any of those things, by which our faith is confirmed." [F. Snc. Opp. 1. p. 753.) The sacraments are made to be, " mutuae inter Deum ac homines sacrae confoederationis tesscrfB.^^ The idea of a real presence of any sort in the Lord's Supper, is held to be a mere superstition; all is turned into a naked commemoration of Christ's benefits. In the Lord's Supper, we receive according to the Lord's ow^n word, nothing from the ordinance itself save bread and wine ; but we com- memorate past favours and give thanks for them." F. Soc. Opp. J. p. 753. " Quest. What is the LordPs Supper ? "Ans. The appointment of Christ that his saints should break and eat bread and drink of the cup, in order to show forth his death ; which is to continue till his advent. " Quest. But what is it to show forth the Lord's death ? "Ans. Publicly and solemnly to give thanks to Christ, that out of his ineffable love towards us, he suffered his body to be tortured, and in a sense broken, and his blood to be shed ; and to extol and magnify the kindness he has shown to us in this way." Rac. Cat. Qu. 331, 335. " Quest. Is there no other reason for the institution? "Ans. There is no other (nulla prorsus) ; though many have been imagined, &c." lb. Qu. 337. " Quest. What is the meaning of the words, This is my body 1 "Ans. They are variously understood, for some suppose that the bread is changed really into the body and the wine into the blood ; which they call transubstantiation. Others imagine the body of the Lord to be in the bread, under the bread, with the bread. There are those finally, who believe that they partake of the Lord's body and blood in the Supper, though only in a spiritual way. But all these opinions are fallacious and erroneous." lb. Qu. 340. With the rise of Arminianism in the following century, in the bosom of the Reformed Chuicli, we find a similar undervaluation of the sacraments, reducing them in the end again to mere signs. " We hold the sacraments to be sacred and solemn rites, by which as covenant signs and seals, God not only represents and adumbrates, but in a certain sense also exhibits and confirms, his benefits promised MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 141 especially in the gospel covenant." Confess. Remonst. xxiii. 1. Drawn up by Simon Episcopus A. D. 1622. " We may say that God exhibits his grace to us through the sac- raments, not as conferring it by them actually, but by employing them as clear signs to represent it and set it before our eyes. They operate upon us as signs, that represent to our mind the thing whose signs they are. _ Nor should any other efficacy be sought in^them. — They promote piety besides on our part, as involving an obligation to duty, of the same nature with a soldier's oath." Limhorch Theol. Chr. v. Q&, 31, 32. "The Lord's Supper is the other sacred rite of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ, on the night in which he was betrayed, for the eucharistic and solemn commemoration of his death ; in which believers, after proper self-examination and assurance of their own faith, eat sacred bread publicly broken in the congregation, and drink wine publicly poured out, to show forth with solemn action of thanks, the Lord's bloody death endured for our sake, (by which our hearts, as the body is nourished by meat and drink, are fed and strengthened to the hope of eternal life) ; and also to testify publicly belwe God and the Church, their living spiritual communion with Christ's cru- cified body and shed blood, (or with Jesus Christ himself as crucified and dead for us), and so with all the benefits procured by his death, as well as their love to one another." Conf. Remonst. xxiii. 4.* The triumph of Rationalism, during the eighteenth century, in Germany and throughout Europe generally, brought with it of course a still more extensive degradation of religious views. It is not necessary here to trace the rise of this apostacy. and its connection with the previous state of Protestantism.! Enough to say, that it grew out of a tendency involved in the very nature of Protestantism from the beginning ; the opposite exactly of that by which the Catholic Church previously had been carried into an equally false extreme, on the other side. As Romanism had sacrificed the rights of the individual to the authority of the general, — the claims of the subjective to the overwhelming weight of the objective; so the tendency of Protestantism may be said to have been from the very start, to assert these same rights and claims in the way of violent reaction, at the cost of the opposite interest. In the age of the Reformation itself, deeply imbued as it was with the positive life of truth and faith, this tendency was powerfully held within limits. With Luther, and Calvin, and the Reformers generally, the principle of freedom was still held in check by the principle of authority, and the rea- son of the individual was required to bend to the idea of a divine * "Hac in re," says Episcopius, " assentientes sibi habent non paucos ReTormatos, inter quos Zwinglius, optimus hiijiis ceremoniEe doctor, princeps est." Limbcrch expressly opposes the Calvinistic theory. t For a brief but clear sketch of this, the reader is referred to Prof. Schaf's Principle of Protestantism, p. 9S-102. 142 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. revelation as something broader and more sure than itself. It came not however in all this, it must be confessed, to a true in- ward reconciliation of these polar forces. The old orthodoxy, it is now generally allowed, particularly under the form it car- ried in the Lutheran Church, involved in itself accordingly the necessity of such a process of inward conflict and dissolution, as it has since been called to pass through; in order that the con- tradiction which was lodged in its bosom, might come fairly into view, and the way be opened thus for its reconstruction, under a form at once more perfect and more true to its own nature. The characteristic tendency of Protestantism already mentioned, burst finally through all the counteracting force, with which it had been restrained in the beginning. Religion- ran out into sheer subjectivity; first in the form of Pietism, and afterwards in the overflowing desolation of RationaHsm, reducing all to the character of the most flat natural morality. The eighteenth century was characteristically infidel. As an age, it seemed to have no organ for the supernatural. All was made to shrink to the dimensions of the mere human spirit, in its isolated character. Theology of course was robbed of all its higher life. Even the supernaturalism of the period was rationalistic; and occupying as it did in fact a false position with regard to the truth, by which a measure of right was given to the rival interest, it proved alto- gether incompetent to maintain its ground against the reigning spirit. The views of rationalism may be said to infect the whole theology of this period, and also of the first part of the present| century, openly heretical and professedly orthodox alike. ! In the nature of the case, this may be expected to show itself in low views of the sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.' Rationalism is too spiritual, to make much account of outward forms and services of any sort in religion. All nmst be resolved into the exercises of the worshipper's own mind. The subjective is every thing; the objective next to nothing. Hence the super- natural itself is made to sink into the form of the simply moral. The sacraments of course become signs, and signs only. Any power they may have is not to be found in them, but altogether in such use merely as a pious soul may be able to make of them, as occasions for quickening its own devout thoughts and feelings. Under the force of this predominant spirit, even the more sound theologians of the period now in view, are found lamenta- bly defective in their representations of the Lord's Supper, as compared with the true Protestant fathers of the Sixteenth Cen- tury. Such men as Zacharid, Mursinnn, Dodcrldn, Knapp, Stciakl, &c.,* no longer venture to speak of a real communica- * Nor can any excpption be made, with regard to this point, even in favor of Silorr and Reinhard. They do indeed employ language, which seems at MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 143 tion with Christ's body and blood in the old sense. For the old doctrine, they substitute at best a simple prcssentiam operntivam; by which all is resolved in the end into the idea of a mere hea- venly efficacy; supernatural it is true, but still moral only, as being nothing more than an occasion to call out pious exercises on the part of the worshipper himself Men of less pretension to orthodoxy, and for this reason more consistently rationalistic in their thinking, Henkc, Ecktrmunn, the elder Nitzsch, Hase, De Wette, Wegscheider, &c., discard the idea of a celestial sub- stance in the sacrament entirely, and find its whole meaning at once in the sphere of mere nature and common life. " The design of the Holy Supper is this ; that all who profess the name of Christ, while they partake of the broken bread as a sign of his crucified body, and of the wine as the symbol of his shed blood, may thankfully remember the benefits which they owe to their Re- deemer, and so be incited to fulfil all the duties to which they are bound. Along with this main end Paul mentions another also, 1 Cor. times to imply a participation in the very substance of Christ's life ; but this is so qualified and moditied again by a different phraseology, that all runs out at last into the idea of mere supernatural influence or power. Reinhard pre- tends, indeed, to censure the Reformed view as too low; but he misrepresents it by charging it with the error of holding the elements to be mere signs ; whereas they should be regarded, he says, as exhibitive also of what they represent. This, however, as we have seen, was always the true doctrine of the Reformed Church itself. Then he affirms that we receive in, with and under the bread and wine, the true body and blood of Christ; but immediately explains this to be, in other words, "that the exalted God-man Jesus works, (exerts an influ- ence,) by his body and blood, on all who make use of this ceremony." Again, by " presence," he understands simply, " nothing more than the power to exert an influence at a particular place." Dogmatik, §, 162. Storr, in the judgment of J3refsc/ineid«r, does not get beyond the same view ; and to be satisfied of this, we need only to read attentively all that he says on the sub- ject, in ^. 114 of his Dogmatik. The words of institution mean, he tells us, " Tliis bread makes you participant of my body — this wine hands over to you iTiy blood," and argues at large against the figurative interpretation of Zuingli and CEcolampadius. But all comes at last to this, that the Lord Jesus, in whose person humanity and divinity are inseparably united, is actually present at the celebration of the Supper, and " exerts his- influence there in an incompre- hensible manner." The believer derives actual nourishment from Christ, more than is comprehended in the simple exercise of his own faith and trust ; but still it is in the form of a " salutary influence," mysteriously proceedinp; from his person, rather than by an actual participation in his very life itseli'. In this respect, the doctrine of Storr and Reinhard, undoubtedly falls short of the doctrine taught by Calvin ; for it is not to be questioned, that this last had in his mind always, as much as Luther himself, the idea of a true repro- duction of Christ's life in the believer, an actual extension of its very sub- stance into the believer's soul, and not simply an operation proceeding /rom this life, under however high a form. — Professor Schmucker , of this country, in his translation of the Biblical Theology of Storr and Flatt, 1S26, has an appendix to this section on the Eucharist, in which he brings forwaid the con- current view of Reinhard, backed by the authority of Mosheim, as a fair exhibition of the proper Lutheran doctrine. And yet it was considered by many an evidence of the strong power of sectarian prejudice, that the Ameri. can Lutheran Professor should have allowed himself at the time, to go so far as to endorse, apparently, the doctrine of the real presence, even in the con- venient sense of these " sober and judicious" divines ! 144 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. X. 17, namely, that when we come to the table in common, we call to mind the "natural love that is required of those who profess the same religion, and show ourselves ready to maintain it." — Mursinna, Lehrb. der l)ogm. p. 267, 2G8. " Nor is it difficult to understand and show, what force this sacra- ment has in itself to affect the mind. — Its efficacy, in the way of ex- citing- and quickening faith^ and for the purposes of piety, is clear. — Some however may say, if the eucharist furnish nothing more than this opportunity of calling to mind Christ's benefits, as already before us in the word, it seems to be a superfluous rite. So far am 1 how- ever from thinking any institution to be superfluous which brings the truth, though otherwise know^n, with new force before the mind, it appears to me suitable to the gravity and dignity of the subject rather, that it should be presented to the understanding and memory, not in one way only, but in manifold ways. — The virtue of the Lord's Sup- per, therefore, like that of Baptism, does not differ from the power of the divine word. Like this it is logico-moral, worthy thus of the divine wisdom and of the christian religion, including also the influ- ence of the Holy Spirit, who makes use of the bread and wine as in- struments to excite such affections as are pious and pleasing to God." — Doderlein. Inst. Theol. Ch. p. 691—694. " The Holy Spirit acts upon the hearts of men through the Supper, or through the bread and wine, and by this means produces faith and pious dispositions. But he produces this effect through the word, or through the truths of Christianity, exhibited before us and presented to us in this ordinance. The effect of the Lord's Supper is therefore an effect, which is produced by God and Christ, through his word, or the truths of his doctrine, and the use of the same. In this sacrament of the Supper, the most important truths of Christianity, which we commonly only hear or read, are visibly set before us, made cogniza- ble to the senses, and exhibited in such a way as powerfully to move tiie feelings, and make an indelible impression on the memory." — Knapp. Lect. on Chr. Theol., Wood's Translation, vol. ii. p. 562. " Hence it appears that the internal efficacy of the Lord's Supper, or of the word of God through the Supper, is two-fold. First. This ordinance is the means of exciting and strengthening the faith of one who worthily celebrates it, &c. — For wc arc reminded by it, 1st. Of the death of Christ, &c. 2d. Of the causes, &c. &c. Secondly. In this way does this ordinance contribute to maintain and promote pidi/ among believers, &c." Jbid. p. 563. " The better way, therefore, in exhibiting either the Lutheran or Reformed doctrine, is, to avoid these subtleties, and merely take the general position, that Christ, as man and as the Son of God, may exert his agency, may act, whenever and in M'^hatever manner he pleases. He therefore may exert his poiotr at his table, as well as elsewhere. This is perfectly scriptural ; and it is also the sense and spirit of the Protestant theory. And this doctrine concerning the nearness of Christ, his assistance, and stre7igthening injliience, in his present exalted state, secures eminently that proper inward enjoy- ment, which Lutheran and Reformed christians, and even Catholics, with all their diversity of speculation on this point, may have alike MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 145 m the Lord's Supper. Christ, when he was about to leave the world, no more to be seen by his followers with the mortal eye, left them this Supper, as a visible pledge of his presence, his protection, and love." Ibid. p. 577. " The meaning of Christ seems to have been, that the close inti- niacy which had subsisted thus far between him and his friends, should not be interrupted by his death ; but that it was his desire now especially to give himself to them as he was, to be and remain wholly theirs in the most intimate conjunction. As therefore they were now taking bread and wine, so he ought to be himself received by his dis- ciples, his whole discipline, his spirit and example, with all the bene- fits about to be procured by his death, so as to be converted as it were into their very flesh and blood, &c."— //eny^-e, Lin. Fid. Chr. p. 252. " The sacred Supper is the solemn participation of bread and wine, as symbols of Christ's death, by which such as attend upon it, being impressively reminded of this death and of the general merit of Christ, but especially of his instruction and example, are excited and engacred to true piety towards God and Christ, as also to kindness towards others, and are imbued at the same time with the hope of obtainincr by their virtue the pardon of sin and everlasting felicity. Thus the bread and wine in the eucharist, are not only properly called sio-ns significani, but also signs or symbols exhihitive ; inasmuch as they^do in a certain moral way represent to communicants the whole Christ, such and so great as that divine teacher was who sealed his doctrine' w^ith his blood, and forcibly press upon them the duty of followino- him with decision, so as not to shrink even from enduring death, afte*r his example, for what is true and right. Although the rite, regarded as a manducation of human flesh and potation of°human blood, whe- ther really or symbolically, is not so suitable to the views and man- ners of the modern world, as to those of antiquity ; still, even for our age, if administered with becoming regard to its advanced cultivation, it IS capable of being turned to excellent moral account. Hence it is greatly to be wished, that its more frequent use might be encourao-ed, &LC.''—Wegscheider. Inst. Theol. § 180.* ^ * Even the more sound theologians of this period, Reinhard, Knapp, &c., hold that the salutary influence of the sacrament does not depend at all on the view that may be taken of its nature; a judgment that may be allowed to be correct within certain limits, though not in the form, nor to the extent exactly, in which it is to be understood, probably, with these divines. Bret- Schneider, according to whom the original institution was simply a solemn covenant meal, designed to proclaim, symbolically, the introduction of the new dispensation, to which other references and uses were subsequentlv attached, considers that the benefit to be derived from it is not suspended absolutely even on a full faith in Christ's death as the ground of our salvation. <' For one who does not honour Jesus as a Mediator, but simply as a teacher of divine truth and a benefactor of mankind, who sacrificed his life to the noblest ends, may still, by the celebration of his death, be excited to like zeal fbr truth and virtue, to improvement, and to perseverance in the conflict with superstition and vice, and be filled thus with the presentiment also of a better world. The great design of Christianity, which is to free men from sin and to prepare them for a higher life, is in that case advanced in him as well as in others, though in a difierent way; and hence the Lord's Supper becomes for him too a salutary sacrament." Do s^7na( i k, '^. 200 13 146 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. These extracts may suffice to illustrate the genius of Ration- alism, as it regards the point now under consideration. Let us rejoice, that its iron sceptre is at length broken, for the territory of theological science at least, where not a great while since all seemed to acknowledge its sway ; and that a new and brighter era has already begun to dawn auspiciously on the history of the Protestant Church. The authority of interpreters, like Paulas and Quinol, and theologians such as Ammon^ Wegschdder and Bretsclineider, God be praised, has become to the religious world like the idle wind which no man regards. Along with it, how- ever, the authority of what may be styled the relative orthodoxy of the same period has in like manner passed away. John David Michaelis is felt to be as little worthy of confidence "as the un- fortunate Scmlcr. The supernaturalism of the school o{ Ernesii and Moriis, cool, mechanical, external, the product of the under- standing only, is found almost as unreal and unsubstantial, as the openly infidel theology with which it waged unsuccessful war. Who now, of any true theological culture, thinks of taking the Rosenmiillcrs, or Koppe and his continuators, for his guides in the study of the scriptures? Who that is aware at all of the true historical stand-point of the age, can sit at the feet of such men as Mttrsinna, and Doderlcin, and Flatt, and Storr, and Reinhard, and Knapp, for instruction in the mysteries of the Christian faith? They are all indeed venerable names, and they are entitled to the lasting respect of the Church for their fidelity to Christ in a time of general apostacy and defection. The re- sults of their learning too will always continue to be of value for Christianity, at least in an indirect way. I But they stood them- selves in a false position with regard to the truth ; and they were not able accordingly to stem the tide, which was bearing all thought and all life the contrary way. So far as any better order of religion has come to prevail, it must be referred to other in- fluences altogether. The salvation of theology has sprung from a different quarter. The very orthodoxy of the school now no- ticed was Itself rationalistic ; and we may say of it, in this view, that it served only to precipitate the catastrophe which it sought to avert. For its conception of the supernatural was always external and abstract; placing it thus in the same false relation precisely to nature and humanity, which was established by Rntionnlism itself This was to justify the wrong issue on which liie controversy had been made to hang, and to make common catise in a certain sense with the enemy, by consenting to meet him on his own irround, the arena of the mere finite understand- ing. No wonder, that the supernatural t/ius defended, was found unable to sustain itself against the reigning tendency of the age. No wonder, that it yielded to this tendency more and more itself, MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 147 and went finally to swell the triumphant stream with which all was carried in this downward direction.* Parallel to a great extent with the development of the subjec- tive principle in the false form now noticed, runs the revelation also of the same tendency in the equally false form of Sectar- ism and schism. No one can study attentively tlie character of either, without being led to see. that the two tendencies are but different phases of one and the same spiritual obliquity.f No one, in reading the history of the Church, can well fail to be struck with the many points of correspondence, which are found universally to hold between the two forms of life, in spite of the broad difference by which they might seem to be separated, in many cases, on a superficial view. The spirit of sect is charac- teristically full of religious pretension; and professing to make supreme account of religion as something personal and experi- mental, it assumes always a more than ordinarily spiritual cha- racter, and moves in the element of restless excitement and ac- tion. Hence it is often, generally indeed at the start, fanatical and wild ; especially in the way of opposition to outward forms and the existing order of the Church generally. And yet how invariably it falls in with the rationalistic way of thinking, as far as it mwy think at all, from the very beginning; and how cer- tainly its principles and views, when carried out subsequently to * It deserves to be well considered, that it is mainly the theology of this rationalistic period, which has been derived from Germany thus far into our American divinity, so far as any such importation may have taken place. Those among us who have had some acquaintance with German learning, and to whom we are indebted, it may be, for translations of German theological works, show themselves unfortunately, for the most part, at least twenty years, if not a full half century, behind the true scientific stand-point of the present time ; by exhibiting principles of interpretation and theological views, in the name of theology properly so styled, which in Germany itself are acknow- ledged to be shorn of all their force. Nor is the error helped materially, by making a supposed judicious distinction, in this case, between the orthodoxy of the period and its avowed religious infidelity. The whole posture of the time was rationalistic. P2rnesti, for instance, is entitled to no confidence whatever, as a guide to the true sense of God's word, as it is spirit and life. Knapp, with all his orthodoxy, comes short, perpetually, of the true depth of Christianity as a science. When we find this school of theology recognized and honoured by a wide section of the American Church, as the only valuable and only safe form of German thinking in the sphere of religion ; while the far deeper and infinitely more spiritual efforts, by which the theology of the present time, in the hands of such men as Vomer, G. A. Meier, Julius Mill- lev, and others of like spirit, is struggling to surmount forever the contra- dictions of the old stand-point, are superciliously condemned as transcen- dental nonsense; it is certainly not easy to possess one's soid in proper patience. Alas, it is but too plain, that with all our boasted orthodoxy, the coils of Rationalism have fastened themselves with deadly embrace on the thinking at least, (though not on the hearts we may trust,) of hundreds, who are the last to dream of any such thing. t On this subject, the reader is referred again to Schaf's Principle of Pro. testantism, p, 107-121. 148 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. their legitimate results, are found to involve in the end the worst errors of Rationalism itself Both systems are antagonistic to the idea of the Church. Both are disposed to trample under foot the authority of histor?/. Both make the objective to be nothing, and the subjective to be all in all. Both undervalue the outward, in favour of what they conceive to be the inward. Both deii\)\se forms, under pretence of exalting the spirit. Both of course sink the sacraments to the character of mere outward rites; or possibly deny their necessity altogether. Both afiect to make much of the bible; at least in the beginning; though sometimes indeed it is made to yield, with Sectarism, to the ima- gination of some superior inward light more directly from God; and in all cases, it is forced to submit, to the tyranny of mere jirivate interpretation, as the only proper measure of its sense. With both forms of thinking, the idea of Christianity, as a per- manent order of life, a real supernatural constitution unfolding itself historically in the world, is we may say wanting altogether. All at last is flesh, the natural life of man as such ; exalted it may be in its own order, but never of course transcending itself so as to become spirit. The sect principle may indeed affect to move in the highest sphere of the heavenly and divine; carry- ing it possibly to an absolute rupture even with all that belongs to the present world. But in this case it begins in the spirit, only to end the more certainly in the flesh. Hyper-spiritualism is ever fleshly pseudo-spiritualism ; that is sure to fall back sooner or later impotent and self-exhausted, into the low element from which it has vainly pretended to make its escape. Ana- baptism finds its legitimate, natural end in the excesses of Mun- ster; as Mormonism in the like excesses of Nauvoo. What a difference apparently between the inspiration of George Fox, and the cold infidelity of Elias Hicks. And yet the last is the true spiritual descendant of the first. The inward light of the one, and the light of reason as held by the other, come to the same thing at last. Both contradict the true conception of re- ligion. Both are supremely subjective, and in this view su- premely rationalistic at the same time. It is by no fortuitous coincidence then, that we find the spirit of S6'c^ since the Reformation, (as indeed before it also,) in close affinity with the spirit of theoretic rationalism, in its low estimate of the Christian sacraments. The relationship of the two sys- tems, in the case, is inward and real. The Anabaptists and Socinians of the sixteenth century, go here hand in hand to- gether; as do also the Mennonites and Arminians of Holland, in the century following. All hold the sacraments to be signs only for the understanding and heart of the pious communicant, without any objective value or force in their own nature. All MODERN rURITAN THEORY. 149 alike reduce them to the character of somethinor outward and accidental only to the true Christian life. The Quakers, more consistently true than all sects besides to the spiritualistic theory out of which the sect life springs, agree with infidelity itself, in ^ejecting the sacraments altogether.* Not from the Clirist with- out, the objective historical Christ, as revealing himself in the Church and exhibited in the sacramental symbols, but only from the Christ within, the interior spiritual life of the believer him- self, is any true salvation to be expected. " Whenever the soul is turned towards the light of the Lord within, and is thus made to participate of the celestial life that nourishes the interior man, (the privilege of the believer at any time,) it may be said to en- joy the Lord's Supper, and to partake of his flesh and blood." To insist upon the outward sacraments is to fall back to Juda- ism, and to magnify rites and forms at the cost of that spiritual worship, which alone is worthy of our own nature, or suitable to the character of God. The anti-sacramental tendency of the sect spirit is strikingly revealed under its true rationalistic nature, in the disposition so commonly shown by it to reject infant baptism. , If the sacra- ments are regarded as in themselves outward rites only, that can have no value or force except as the grace they represent is made to be present by the subjective exercises of the worshipper, it is hard to see on what ground infants, who are still without knowledge or faith, should be admitted to any privilege of the sort. If there be no objective reality in the life of the Church, as something more deep and comprehensive than the life of the individual believer separately taken, infant baptism becomes necessarily an unmeaning contradiction. Hence invariably, (as already remarked in the first part of the present chapter,) where the true church consciousness is brought to yield to the spirit of sect, the tendency to depreciate the ordinance in this form is found to prevail to the same extent; and so on the other hand, there is no more sure criterion and measure of the presence of the sect spirit, as distinguished from the true spirit of the Church, than the tendency now mentioned, wherever it may be exhibited. The baptistic principle, whether carried out fully in practice or not, constitutes the certain mark of sectarianism all the world over.t It may be controlled in many cases by outward influ- * " Nihil aliud hrereditatis nostrse signaturam et arrhabonem nominat scrip- tura prseter spiritum Dei." Bard. Apol. The Lord's Supper, originally observed, " imbecillium causa," was only a shadow, he tells us, that is no longer needed for those who have the substance. t " Why are the Congregationalists, or Baptists, any more a sect than the German Reformed or the Episcopalians ?" Thus asks the Biblical Repertory^ in its review of Schaf on Protestantism, (Oct. 1845.) charging the author with being vague in what he says on the subject of sectarism. The question is 13* 150 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. ences, or by some remnant possibly of church feeling still pre- served, so as not to come openly into view; but it will be found then as a worm at least at the root of the institution here in view, consuming all its vigor, and turning it in fact into the powerless form for which it is unbelievingly and rationalistically taken. Where it comes, however, to a full triumph of the sect character, the baptistic principle, for the most part, asserts its authority in a more open way. Infant baptism is discarded as a relic of Roman superstition. Here again the Anabaptists and Mennonites appear in close connection with Socinians and Arminians; whose judgment at least with regard to the point in hand, though not their practice, has ever been substantially the same. According to the Racovian Catechism, the baptism of infants is without authority and without reason, and to be tole- rated only as a harmless inveterate prejudice.* The Remon- strants of Holland, (Arminians,) much in the same way, declare the rite worthy of being continued to avoid scandal, but hold it to be of no binding authority in its own nature. t In our own country, as was remarked before, we have, at the present time, an exemplification of the sect feeling at this point, on a large scale. The Baptists, as they are called, including all the sects that reject the baptism of infants, form, it is said, the most numerous religious profession in the United States: and the baptistic principle, it is plain, prevails still more widely, where the practice, through the force of denominational tradition, re- mains of an opposite character. It appears then that the spirit of heresy, and the spirit of schisin, in the case before us, are substantially one and the same. Both are unchurchly and anti-sacramental, to the same extent. It is not an accidental resemblance simply, that connects them together in this view; but the inward power of a common life. It belongs to the very genius of sect to be rationalistic. | certninly very striking, in view of the quarter from which it comes. Only thii\k of Baxter, or any sound Presbyterian of the seventeenth century, asking such a question in relation even to Congrcjrationalism ! But here the very Baptists themselves, whom the New England Congregationalists of that period could not tolerate in their midst, arc exalted to the same church level with the churches of the Reformation generally. This, of itself, betrays a most low conception of the Church, and a strange confusion in relation to the idea of sect. Neither Calvin nor Luther could have endured the thought, of being associated in this way with a spirit so utterly unhistorical, unchurchly, and unsacramcntal, as that which is presented to us in the Anabaptist schism from beginning to end. * Errorem adeo invcteratum et pcrvulgatum Christiana charitas tolerare suadct. Rac. Cat. t Remonstrantes ritum baptizandi, infantes ut perantiquum haud illubenter etiam in ccctibus suis admiltunt, adeoque vix sine offensione et scandaJo magno intermitti posse Etatuunt; tantum abest ut eum sen illicitum aut ne- fastum improbent ac damnent. Apolog. Remonst. t Ronge, the famous head of the " German Catholic" movement, now MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 151 And now it cannot be denied, that the modern Puritan theory of the Lord's Supper, as it has been presented to us in contrast with the old Calvinistic doctrine, is strikingly in harmony with the whole style of thinking here offered to our view. This must be apparent at once to any one, who will only take the trouble to refer again to the illustrations of the Puritan theory that have been already quoted, and to compare them with the modes of thought and language employed by the rationalistic school on the same subject. The ground on which much of our Ameri- can theology is here standing at the present time, is palpably the same with that occupied by the old rationalistic supernatural- ism of Germany: which was found so insufficient, as we have just seen, to maintain itself scientifically against the neology with which it was called to contend. It is the orthodoxy at best of such men as Ernesti and Morus, Reinhard and Knapp; only with a very small part of their learning. Its safety is found in the fact, that it has for the most part no power to perceive the contradiction it carries in its own bosom. But with all this, the false element works itself out in many practical conse- quences, alike mischievous for theology and for the religious life in general. o engaging so much attention, shows here also his true theological stand-point. Christ laid down his life, according to this man, to open the way for the more rapid spread of his salutary doctrine in the world ; and the Supper was insti- tuted to keep up his memory, and to be the standing " brother. meal of humanity,^^ in all times. See a notice of the Easter Service held last year in Berlin, by Ronge and Czersky, in the correspondence of Krummacher^s Palm- hlcctter,for June, 1845. How invariably the rationalistic and sectaristic spirit betrays itself just at this point, and always in the same way ! This Ronge, it will be remembered, was hailed by our religious papers generally, at first, as a second Huss or Luther. But it is in the highest degree dishonourable to the Reformation, to think of it as parallel, in any measure, with such a move- ment. Ronge is no Reformer, but a Radical only, of the worst stamp. Like Luther, he has indeed cast off the authority of Rome. But the resemblance of the two cases is merely in outward form. Luther was full of positive life; Ronge is negative wholly, and destitute of all faith in Christianity as a real life-revelation in the world, Luther stood in the element of the objective, and felt himself to be the passive organ only of the true and proper historical life of the Church itself; Ronge is supremely subjective, unhistorical, and full of blind self-xvill. Luther was himself the first, central, and in some sense fontal, product of the vast spiritual revolution in which he led the way ; it came to the birth with deep, convulsive, throes, in his separate personal con- sciousness, before it revealed itself in the rest of the Church, already ripe for the change. Ronge stands in no such relation to the inmost religious life of the age, in which he affects to play the spiritual hero. No world-convulsion has gone forv/ard, in the first place, in his own soul. His vocation is evidently superficial and outward, in the fullest sense ; and the movement over which he presides is as plainly distinguished throughout by the same character. God may make it indirectly subservient at last, in some way, to the advancement of his kingdom ; but, in its own nature, it belongs not at all to this kingdom, but to the world only. — See an excellent article on the whole subject, by Pro- fessor Ullmann, characterized by his usual caution, moderation, and profound historical wisdom, in the Studien und Kritiken, for the last year. 152 THE MYSTICAL PUESENCE. It is not necessary that we should be able to trace any out- ward connection between the two forms of theology thus com- pared, to establish their actual affinity. It is enough that they are inwardly connected, and that they belong to the same gene- ral development of a false tendency comprehended in Protest- antism itself This tendency has shown its power from the be- ginning, as a spirit of heresy in one direction, and a spirit of schism in another ; but it may be said to have come to the fullest revelation of its bad life, during the last century and the first part of the present. That the modern Puritan theology should be deeply affected by its influence, might seem to be in the cir- cumstances precisely what was to be expected. Puritanism, as all know, involves in its original constitution a largfe measure of the tendency which has just been mentioned. It formed from the start, a marked advance, in this direction, upon the charac- ter of the Reformed Church, as it stood in the beginning; showing itself more decidedly independent of all objective au- thority, and more favourable by far to a mere abstract spiritual- ism in religion. The danger to which the Reformed Church might be said to have been most liable, in its very nature, from the first, came here to be something more than danger; it ap- peared as actual ultra-protestantism itself, hostile to the proper idea of the Church, and irreverent towards all history at the same time. Nor has the history of this system of thinking since furnished any reason to suppose in its case a change of charac- ter, in the respect here noticed. On the contrary, it is clear that the wrong element which was embodied in it at the begin- ning, has been only confirmed and consolidated since, under the same character ; for to this very influence must be referred, to a great extent, more or less directly, the curse of sectarism, as it has now become so widely established both in Great Britain and in this country. That some leaven of rationalism then should enter into its theology, in these circumstances, must appear, after what has already been said, a matter of course. This may be, notwithstanding the presence of a large amount of religious life in connection with the same system. -^ Be all this as it may, however, it must at all events be re- garded as a presumption against the modern Puritan view of the iiord's Supper, that, in departing from the doctrine of the Re- formation, it is found to fall in so strikingly with what may be styled the apostacy of Rationalism in the same direction. It might seem sufficiently startling to be sundered, in such a case, from the general faith of Christendom as it has stood from the beginning. But still more startling, certainly, is the thought of such separation in such company. This much is clear. The Reformation included in its original and proper constitution, MODERN PURITAN THEORY. 153 two different elements or tendencies; and it was felt that it could be true to itself, only by acknowledging the authority of both, as mutually necessary each for the perfection and proper support of the other. In the nature of the case, however, there was a powerful liability in the movement to become ultraistic and extreme, on that side which seemed to carry the most direct protest against the errors of the Church, as it stood before. In the course of time, undeniably, this became, as we have already seen, its general character. The simply Protestant tendency was gradually sundered, in a great measure, from its true Catholic complement and counterpoise ; and in this abstract character it has run out into theoretical and practical rationalism, to a fearful extent, in all parts of the Church. The low view of the sacra- ments, which we have now under consideration, came in with this unfortunate obliquity. It belongs historically and constitu- tionally to the bastard form, under which the original life of Protestantism has become so widely caricatured in the way of heresy and schism. Its inward affinity with the spirit of Ration- alism, in one direction, and the spirit of Sect in another, (two different phases only of the same modern Antichrist,) is too clear to be for one moment called in question. In this character, it forms most certainly, like the whole system with which it is associated, a departure from the faith, not only of the Lutheran, but of the Reformed Church also, as it stood in the sixteenth century. It involves in this respect, what would have been counted, at that time, not only a perversion, but a very serious perversion of the true Protestant doctrine. Now, with this neo- logical and sectarian view, we find the modern Puritan theory of the Lord's Supper to be in full agreement. Both sink its objective virtue wholly out of sight. Both do this, on the prin- ciple of making the service spiritual and rational, instead of simply ritual. Both, in this' way, wrong the claims of Chris- tianity as a supernatural life, in favour of its claims as a divine doctrine. Both proceed on the same false abstraction, by which soul and body, outward and inward, are made to be absolutely different, and in some sense really antagonistic, spheres of exist- ence. Both show the same utter disregard to the authority of all previous history, and affect to construct the whole theory of the Church, doctrine, sacraments, and all, in the way of inde- pendent private judgment, from the Bible and common sense. Both, in all this, involve a like defection, and substantially to the same extent, from the creed of the Reformation ; and would have been regarded accordingly, not only by Luther, but by Cal- vin also, and Beza, and Ursinus, and the fathers of the Reformed Church generally, as alike treasonable to the interest, which has become identified with their great names. 154 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. This much, we say, is clear. Let it carry with it such weight as may of right belong to it; and no more. The question is not to be decided, we all know, by church authority and mere blind tradition. The primitive Church may have gone astray from the very start. The fathers of the Reformation were not infallible; and it must be allowed, that the life of the Reformation, in its Jirst form, was the product or birth spiritually of the Catholic Church as it stood before, and not of the sects that broke away from it in the middle ages. If the Reformers had sprung from this line of witnesses on the outside, it is quite likeJy their Pro- testantism would have been something vastly different from the gigantic new creation we find it to be in fact. The birth, it may be taken for granted, did partake largely of the character of the womb, in which it had been carried for so many centuries be- fore. These Catholic Reformers may have been wrong, in the case now before us, as in many other points. Whole Christen- dom may have been wrong, not only in the form, but in the very substance of its faith, with regard to the sacraments, for more than fifteen hundred years; till this modern view began to reveal itself in the Protestant world, partly in the form of infidelity, and partly in the form of a claim to superior evangelical piety. The coincidence in this case too may be accidental only, and not natural or necessary. With regard to all this, we utter here no positive judgment. We wish simply to exhibit facts as they stand. But in this character, they have their solemn weight. They create a powerful presumption, as I before said, ofrainst the modern Puritan view, and impose upon all an d priori obli- gation of great force, not to acquiesce in it without examina- tion. CHAPTER III. AN ATTEMPT TO PLACE THE DOCTRINE IN ITS PROPER SCIEN- TIFIC FORM. It has been already admitted that the Calvinistic theory of the Eucharistic Presence, as exhibited more or less distinctly in all the Reformed symbols of the sixteenth century, is embarrassed with some difficulties. These however concern at last not so much the fact itself, which may be said to constitute the true and proper substance of the doctrine, as the defective form in which it was attempted to bring it before the understanding. It was always held indeed that the fact was in its own nature a mystery, not to be reduced to any clear explanation in this way : but still it became necessary in the controversy with Romanism and Lu- theranism on the one side and the Socinanizing tendency on the other, not only to define and describe the limits of the fact itself at every point, but also to go a certain length at least, in endea- vouring to beat down popular objections, and meet the demands of the common reason. The success of such an effort hung ne- cessarily, to a greater or less extent, on tlie general theological and philosophical culture of the time. As this has been in some measure superseded by later intellectual advances, it ought not to be counted strange tiiat the doctrine now before us, as well as the entire religious system of the same period, should be found to exhibit some vulnerable points as it regards form and outward representation. This we find to be the case in fact. 156 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. SECTION I. PRELIMINARY POSITIONS. Calvin's theory seems to labor particularly at three points; all connected with a false psychology, as applied either to the person of' Christ or the persons of his people. In the Jirst place he does not make a sufficiently clear dis- tinction, between the idea of the organic law which constitutes the proper identity of a human body, and the material volume it is found to embrace as exhibited to the senses. A true and per- fect body must indeed appear in the form of organized matter. As a mere law, it can have no proper reality. But still the mat- ter, apart from the law, is in no sense the body. Only as it is found to be transfused with the active presence of the law at every point, and in this way filled with the form of life, can it be said to have any such character ; and then it is of course as the medium simply, by which what is inward and invisible is ena- bled to gain for itself a true outward existence. The principle of the body as a system of life, the original salient point of its being as a whole, is in no respect material. It is not bound of course, for its identity, to any particular portion of matter as such. If the matter which enters into its constitution were changed every hour, it would still remain the same body; since that which passed away in each case would have no more right to be considered a part of the man than it had before entering the law of life in his person, and the demands of this law would always be abundantly satisfied by the matter that might fill it at each moment. A real communication then between the body of Christ and the bodies of his saints, does not imply necessarily the gross imagination of any transition of his flesh as such into their persons. This would be indeed of no meaning or value. For how could the flesh of Christ as something sundered from the law of life in the presence of which only it can have any force, and in this form sui)ernaturally inserted into my flesh under the like abstract view, bring with it any advantaore or profit? In sucli sense as this, we viaij say, without wresting our Saviour's words, "the flesh profiteth nothing." And here pre- cisely comes into view, one of the most valid and forcible objec- tions to the dogma of the Roman Church, as well as to the kindred doctrine of Luther; in both of which so much is made to hang on a sort of tactual participation of the matter of Christ's SCIENTIFIC STATEMENT. 157 body in the sacrament, rather than in the law simply of his true human life. This is urged in fact by Calvin himself, with great force, against the false theories in question. This shows of course that he was not insensible to the idea of the distinction now mentioned ; a point abundantly manifest besides from his whole way of representing the subject in general. Still it seems to have been a matter of correct feeling with him, rather than of clear scientific apprehension. Hence he never brings it forward in a distinct way, and never turns it to any such account in the service of his theory, as in the nature of the case he might have done. Thus too much account is made perhaps of the flesh of Christ under a local form, (here confined to the right hand ol God in heaven,) as the seat and fountain of the new life which is to be conveyed into his people; and the attempt which is then made to bring the two parties together, notwithstanding such vast separation in space, must be allowed to be somewhat awkward and violent. No wonder that men of less dialectic subtlety than the great theologian himself, were at a loss to make any thing out of si3ch a seeming contradiction in terms. In this case he may be said to cut the knot, which his speculation fails to solve. Christ's body is altogether in heaven only. How then is its vivific virtue to be carried into the believer? By the miraculous energy of the Holy Ghost; which however cannot be said in the case so much to bring his life down to us, as it serves rather to raise us in the exercise of faith to the presence of the Saviour on high. The result however is a real participation always in his full and entire humanity. But the representation is confused, and brings the mind no proper satisfaction. If for the " vivific virtue" of Christ's flesh Calvin had been led to substitute dis- tinctly the idea of the organic law of Christ's human life, his theory would have assumed at once a much more consistent and intel- ligible form. For in this view, it cannot be said that local, ma- terial contact is necessary, to sustain a true and strict continuity of existence, either in the sphere of nature or in that of grace. A second point of difficulty in the case of Calvin's theory is, that he fails to insist, with proper freedom and emphasis, on the absolute unity of what we denominate pcrsw, both in the case of Christ himself and in the case of his people. Hence he dwells too much on the life-giving virtue of C\\x\s\!sjiesh simply; as if this were not necessarily and inseparably knit to his soul, and to his divinity too, as a single indivisible life; so that where the latter form of existence is present ina real way, the other must be really present too, so far as its inmost nature is concerned, to the same extent. When I travel, whether by the eye or in thought simply, to the planet Saturn, the act includes my whole person ; not the body as such of course, but just as little the soul 14 158 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. under the like abstraction ; it is the act of that single and abso- lutely one life which 1 call myself, as the unity of both soul and body. And if it were possible in any way that the thought which carries me to Saturn, could be made to assume there a real concrete existence, holding in organic connection with my own life, it must as a human existence appear under a human form ; which in such a case would be as strictly a continuation of my bodily as well as spiritual being, as though it had sprung^ immediately from the local presence of my body itself So the acts of the incarnate Word belong to his person as a whole. Not as though his humanity separately considered could be said to exercise the functions of his divinity ; for this is a false dis- tinction in the case ; and we have just as little reason to say that the divinity thus separately considered ever exercises the same functions. They are exercised by. the theanthropic Person of the Mediator, as one and indivisible. If then Christ's life be conveyed over to the persons of his people at all, in a real and not simply figurative way, it must be so carried over under a human form, including both the constituents of humanity, body as well as soul ; and the new bodily existence thus produced, must be considered, independently of all local connection, a continuation in the strictest sense of Christ's life under the same form. This point does not appear to have been apprehended, with sufficient distinctness, by Calvin and the Reformers gene- rally. Hence more or less confusion, and at times some appa- rent contradiction, in tracing the derivation of Christ's human life into the person of the believer. Bound as he felt himself to be to resist everything like the idea of a local presence, he found it necessary to resolve the whole process into a special supernatural agency of the Holy Ghost, as a sort of foreign me- dium introduced to meet the wants of the case. Thus the view taken of Christ's human nature becomes altogether too abstract,} and it is made difficult to keep hold of the idea of a true organic connection between his life in this form, and that of his j)eople. It is not easy then of course to maintain a clear distinction be- tween such a communication of the substance of Christ's life, and an influence in the way of mere spiritual power; to which conception Calvin's theory was in fact always made to sink by his high-tened Lutheran adversaries; although he never failed to protest against this as grossly perverse and unjust, and has taken the greatest pains indeed to save himself at this point iVom mis- • construction.* But his theory it must be allowed, carries here * It is wonderful, with what pertinacity the view of Calvin has been mis- represented at this point. Rigid Lutherans have charged him with a sort of theological duplicity, as pretending to differ from Zuingli, while he agreed with him in tact ; and modern Calvinists, who have fallen away entirely trom sciKNTiFic state:ment. 15f a so-mevvhat fantastic character. So on the otlier hand, the^re- lation of soul and body in the person of the believer appears too abstract also, accordingr to his view. He will hear of no trans- lation of the material particles of Christ's body into our bodies. The vivific virtue of his flesh can be apprehended on our part only by faith, and in this form of course by the soul only, through the sacramental doctrine of the sixteenth century, would fain bring him down too, if it were possible, from the high position wliich it is acknowledged his language sometimes seems to imply. Even the Form of Concord is chargeable here with great injustice. It divides the Sacramentarians into two classes; the more gross, who openly profess what they believe in their hearts ; and the politic, who use something like Lutheran language only to cover the same error. These last, re])resenting of course the Calvinistic or proper Reformed view, are made to be "omnium nocentissimi sacramentarii ;'>'> because, it is said, they pretend themselves to allow a " true presence of the true substan- tial and living body and blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper," and yet declare it to be spiritual only, and by faith. Under these high sounding terms, they in fact will have nothing to be present but mere bread and wine. " For the term spiritually, signifies with them only Christ's Spirit, or the virtue of his absent body, and his merit," &c. So such writers of the present day as Guerike, (Symbolik, p. 452-458,) Rudelbach, (Ref. Luth. und Union, p. ISS fF.) and Scheibel, (Das Abendmahl, p. 331 ft.) spare no pains, in their zeal for Lutheranism, to establish the same representation. They insist upon it that Calvin only plays with words, in pretending to go beyond Zuingli in his theory of Christ's presence in the Supper; that all comes at last to the conception of mere power and effect, as it regards communion with his person, and that the sacrament is significative simply of the grace it represents, and nothing more. But it is easy to see that such judgment rests altogether, in this case, on the fixed prejudice already established, that any communion with the life of Christ's body, in order to be real, must hold in some bodily way, and not by the soul. Grant this, and Calvin's theory, of course, leaves no room for any communion of the sort. But this, Calvin, at least, did not grant. On the contrary he held, that to make the communion dependent on any merely corporeal act, considered as such only, was in the nature of the case to de- prive it of all reality or value. The more spiritual, in his view, the more real. All that Luther aimed to secure by his theory of an oral communication, (for with him too this must be hyperphysical to be of any account,) Calvin pro- posed to reach more satisfactorily by pressing the idea of a spiritual commu- nication. He declared himself of one mind with Luther as to the fact ; the only difference between them was as to the mode. This was the position taken also by the Reformed Church in general. Did not Calvin know what Luther meant by his doctrine ? And shall we not believe him when he professes to hold a sacramental union with Christ's body and blood, in the same sense, simply because he conceives it to take place in a different way ? There is no reason to question that he held and taught a real communication, not with the power and operation of Christ's body merely, but with its true substantial life itself The elements, as such, were signs, and might be separated from the res sacrament i, as Augustine also explicitly teaches ; but the sacramental trans- action, as a whole, was no such sign or symbol only. It was held to exhibit what is represented ; as much so as the dove, to borrow his own illustration, in whose form the Holy Ghost descended upon the Saviour at his baptism. "It is perfectly plain," says Bret Schneider, "that Calvin's theory includes what with Luther was the main object, namely, the true, full participation of Christ's body and blood, to the strengthening and quickening of the soul; and that the question, whether this take place under the bread, or at the same time with it, by the mouth or by the soul, does not touch the substance of the case. For unless we conceive of the body of Christ as something sensible^ and thus allow a Capernaitic eating, the oral participation must become at last 160 TJIE MYSTICAL I";RESENCE. . the power of the Holy Gliost. Still it extends to the body also, in the end. But all this, it would seem, in a way transcending all known analogies, in virtue of an extraordinary divine power present for the purpose, rather than as the natural and necessary result of the new life lodged in the soul itself This is not satis- factory. Christ's Person is one, and the person of the believer is one ; and to secure a real communication of the whole human life of the first over into the personality of fhe second, it is only necessary that the communication should spring from the centre of Christ's life and pass over to the centre of ours. This can be only by the Holy Ghost. But the Holy Ghost in this case is not to be sundered from the Person of Christ. We- must say rather that this, and no other, is the very form in which Christ's life is made present in the Church, for the purposes of the chris- tian salvation. The third source of embarrassment belonging to the form in which Calvin exhibits his theory, is found in this that he makes no clear distinction between the individual personal life of Christ, and the same life in a generic view. In every sphere of life, the individual and the general are found closely united in the same subject. Thus, in the vegetable world, the acorn, cast into the ground, and transformed subsequently into the oak of a hundred years, constitutes in one view only a single existence. But in '^ another, it includes the force of a life that is capable of reaching far beyond all such individual limits. For the oak may produce ten thousand other acorns, and thus repeat its own life in a whole forest of trees. Still, in the end, the life of the forest, in such a case, is nothing more than an expansion of the life that lay involved at first in the original acorn ; and the whole general existence thus produced is bound together, inwardly and organi- cally, by as true and close a unity as that which holds in any of the single existences embraced, in it, separately considered. So among men, every parent may be regarded as the bearer not only of a single individual life, that which constitutes his own person, but of a general life also, that reveals itself in his chil- dren. Thus especially, in an eminent sense, the first man Adam is exhibited to our view always under a twofold character. In one respect he is simply a man, to be counted as one amongst men since born, his sons. In another he is the man ; in whose nothing else than a participation through the soul, and it is not necessary that the Lord's spiritual body should be taken in l)y the mouth, in order to have effect upon the soul." See the judgment of S-rying it in himself potentially in the way of the spirit, as truly as Adam did in a corporeal way. This character of Christ's human nature is designated in divinity by the term ivipersonalitas ; and we find even Philo, with an inward feeling of the deep truth, describing the Logos as tov xat^ aXrj^eiav av^^u>Ttov, that is the idea of man, the human ideal. In this general view, the Redeemer bears a twofold representative character; first, as he takes the place of sinful men, carrying their grief in his grief, as an offering for the sins of the world ; and then again as fulfilling absolute righteousness and holiness In himself, so that the believer has not to produce them afterwards anew, but receives them in germ along with the Spirit of Christ. The first is the ohedientia passiva of theology, the last the obedientia fictiva.'" Olshausen Comm. in Rom. v., 15. 212 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. all this, the apostle tells us, he was the " figure of him that was to come." The gift of life by Christ is in certain respects, in- deed, more than commensurate with the death and condemna- tion introduced by Adam. But the general nature of the relation in the two cases, is the same. Christ too is the federal head and representative of humanity as a whole. "As by one man's dis- obedience many were made sinners, even so by the righteousness of one shall many be made righteous." Not in the way of a mere outward imputation, of course, in the last case, more than in the first; for this would destroy the parallel ; but on the ground of a real community of life. As the world fell in Adam organi- cally, so it is made to rise in Christ in the same way, as the principle of a new spiritual life. Strange, that any who hold the Augustinian view of Adam's organic union with his posterity, as the only basis that can properly support the doctrine of ori- ginal sin, should not feel the necessity of a like organic union with Christ, as the indispensable condition of an interest in his salvation. Pelagianism, which sees only an outward connection between the first man and his posterity, and recognizes in- the race but an aggregation of single and separate units, mechani- cally brought together, may consistently join hands with Ration- alism in resolving the relation of Christ to his Church, also into a mere moral connection. But in doing so, it shows itself to be just as superficial and false in the one case, as every earnest ob- server of life must feel it to be in the other. The same parallel, under a somewhat different reference, is presented to us again, in 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22, 45-49. " As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." The reference is immediately to natural death and the resurrection of the body ; which, however, are only one aspect of the death and life contrasted in the other case. "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit." By our natural birth, we are inserted into the life of the one; our spiritual birth secures us a like insertion into the life of the other. In both cases, the connection is inward and real. The root of righteousness in the one case, corresponds with the root of sin in the other. The mystery of Adam, to (juote an old Rabbinic saying, is the mystery of the Messiah. BIRLTCAL ARGUMENT. 213 SECTION IV. CHRISTIANITY A LIFE. Christ then was not the founder simply of a religious school ; of vastly greater eminence, it might be, than Pythagoras, Plato, or Moses, but still a teacher of truth only in the same general sense. Christianity is not a Doctrine, to be taught or learned like a system of philosophy or a rule of moral conduct. Rationalism is always prone to look upon the gospel in this way. As Moses made known more of the divine will than the world had under- stood before, so Christ is taken to be only a greater prophet in the same form. But this is to wrong his character altogether. Judaism was indeed only an advance upon previous revelations; no more in fact, we may say, than a vast expansion of the sys- tem of truth exhibited through the medium of nature itself The order of revelation, in both cases, was substantially the same. It went not beyond the character of a " report," to be received only by " the hearing of the ear." The revelation was always relative only, never absolute. It came not in any case to a full mani- festation of the truth in its own form. But in the Church of the New Testament, all is different. A new order of revelation en- tirely bursts upon the world, in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the absolute truth itself, personally present among men, and incorporating itself with their life. He is the substance, where all previous prophecy, even in its highest forms, had been only as sound or shadow. Unitarians affect to make much of Christ's ho\y Example, He redeems us from our sins, they say, partly by his heavenly in- structions, and partly by exhibiting himself to us as a pattern of piety, in his life and death. This, however, is to rob him still of his proper glory. It is to fall back at best into the sphere of Judaism. Christianity is more than a model merely of goodness and virtue, though allowed to be, in this view, of the most per- fect construction, nay, the very mirror of the divine will itself Nor will it change the case materially to make the gospel an array of merely outward or moral power, in any other view. Many who count themselves orthodox, it is to be feared, come short of the truth here altogether. They get not beyond the old Ebionitic stand-point; but see in Christianity always an ad- vance only on the grace of the Jewish dispensation, under the same form, and not a new order of grace entirely. Greater 214 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCi:. light, enlarged opportunities, more constraining motives, a new supply of supernatural aids and provisions; these are taken to be the peculiar distinction of the New Covenant, and constitute its supposed superiority over the Old. But is not this to resolve the Christian salvation as before, into a merely moral institute or discipline? If the whole evangelical apparatus — including Christ's priestly work, the atonement, his intercession in hea- ven, and the gracious influences of his Spirit — be regarded as an outward apparatus simply, through the force of which as lying beyond himself the sinner is to be formed to righteousness, the case is only parallel at best with the theory, that turns the work of redemption into a mere doctrine or example. We should have at most, in this view, an exaltation only of the reli- gion of the Jew. Christ would be to us of the same order witii Moses; immeasurably greater of course; but still a prophet only in the same sense. In opposition to all this, we say of Christianity that it is a Life. Not a rule or mode of life simply; not something that in its own nature requires to be reduced to practice; for that is the character of all morality. But life in its very nature and constitution, and as such the actual substance of truth itself. This is its grand distinction. Here it is broadly separated from all other forms of religion, that ever have claimed, or ever can claim, the attention of the world. " The law came by Moses, but GRACE and truth by Jesus Christ." Such is the view presented to us in the beginning of" his gos- pel, by the evangelist John. The Word, that existed eternally with the Father, that created the world, that had illuminated all the prophets — drawing always nearer to men as the fulness of time approached for this last revelation — now at length, in the person of Jesus, became flesh (John i. 1-18). He that spake to men mediately before, as from a distance, by the prophets, now spake to them immediately, and as it were face to face, by his Son (Heb. i. 1, 2). " In him was life," not relatively, but absolutely. It dwelt in him as an original and independent fountain, (John v. 26). " And the life was the light of men." In this character, it had revealed itself indi- rectly, in the human consciousness as such, and by means of partial and relative representations of truth from without, since the beginning of the world. The light shined, however, in dark- ness, (the result of sin,) and the darkness comprehended it not. All this was preparatory only for the mystery of the incarnation; pointing towards it, and showing its necessity. Here, in the end, the self-subsisting life itself enters into the sphere of hu- manity. The cry of ages, •* O that thou wouldest rend the hea- vens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 215 flow down at thy presence," is met with a full, all-satisfying response. The heavens do bow. The everlasting doors fly open. The tabernacle of God is with man, as never before. Humanity itself has become the Shechinah of glory, in the per- son of Immanuel. The Truth, in its absolute substance, stands revealed and accessible.to all men, in the incarnate Word. " We have seen his glory," says the apostle, " the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father." The revelation is real, commensurate with the nature of Truth itself. " No man hath seen God at any time; the Only Begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John i. 18). All former reve- lations, as relative only and remote, are here overwhelmed by the presence of that "True Light" itself, of which they were but broken and scattered rays. " He that hath seen me," says Christ himself, "hath seen the Father" (John xiv. 9). What an infi- nite contrast this, with the idea of a mere teacher, or prophet in the common sense. Only think of such language from the lips of Moses! "The life was manifested," says John, "and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (I John i. 1,2). Christ does not exhibit himself accordingly as the medium only, by which the truth is brought nigh to men. He claims always to be himself, all that the idea of salvation claims. He does not simply point men to heaven. He does not merely profess to give right instruction. He does not present to them only the promise of life, as secure to them from God on certain conditions. But he says, " I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John xiv. 6). Men are brought to God, not by doctrine or example, but only jby being made to participate in the divine nature itself; and this participation is made possible to us only through the person of Christ ; who is therefore the very substance of our salvation, as here afl[irmed. " God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath tlie Son, hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life" (1 John v. 11, 12). " Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death unto life!" (John v. 24). Here again we have the idea of ?i present salvation, not in the way of promise and hope only, but in the form of actual possession. The believer hath everlasting life. Already, f.iiT!a^£^r^xn' Ix 'tov ^amrov a? -trv ^wv. It has been made a subject of controversy, whether the whole passage (John v. 19 — 30). from which this declaration is taken, refers to the spi- ritual or to the bodily resurrection. Clearly, however, it refers 21G THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. to both ; and in this way serves to bring into view the relation in which the one stands to the other. The spiritual resurrection includes in the end the resurrection of the body. It is all, we may say, but a single process, reaching from the point of the new birth onward to the full restoration of the whole man at the day of judgment. As such, it constitutes the true idea of ever- lasting life: which of course, then, must be lodged in the be- liever's person here, as an organic principle and incipient de- velopment, if it is to unfold itself in the complete glory of heaven hereafter. The ground of this life is wholly in Christ. He came not to tell men of it, but to reveal it in his own person for their use. To believe on him, is to be brought into sub- stantial communication with what he is in this form. It is to pass from death to life. Of such an one it is said, " He shall never see death" (John viii. 51). The new life of which he is the subject in his union with Christ, and which now forms his central being, cannot perish. It is everlasting and indestructible in its very nature. When the man dies, his true life thus rooted in Christ, surmounts the catastrophe, and in due time displays its triumph in the glories of the resurrection. " I AM the Resurrection and the Life ! He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die." (John II : 25, 26). The resurrection and life here named, are only different aspects of the same idea. The first is the form simply in which the last reveals itself, in its victorious struggle with death. Both reveal themselves together in Christ. It is in him personally, as the bearer of our fallen humanity, that death is swallowed up in vic- tory, by the power of that divine life of which he was the incar- nation. From him, the same life flows over to his people, in the way of real communication. He does not merely preach the resurrection. It is comprehended in his person. He hath in himself abolished death, and thus brought life and immortality to" light through the gospel. (2 Tim. i. 10.) The revelation does not consist in this, that he has removed all doubt from the doctrine of a future state, and made it certain that men will live hereafter. It is not the doctrine, but the fact itself, that is brought to light. Immortality, in its true sense, has been intro- duced into the world only by Christ. Christ leads the way to his people, in the triumph of the re- surrection. He is the captain (u a^^>?y60 of the Christian salva- tion (Heb. ii. 10. xii. 2.) by whom God conducts many sons to glory. He is the Jirst-fruits of the resurrection, {ana^xn ■^^v xsxoLixtjixivuv, 1 Cor. XV. 21, 23); the first-born among many brethren (Rom. viii. 29), to whose image all must be conformed ; the beginning, the first-born from the dead (6j iotiva^xn^ Tt^wT-otoxo; BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 217 ixtujvvsx^ujv,i'payivt^tativ7taaivait6i7i^(-i'tsvuv. Col. i. 18). Super- ficially considered, this representation might seem to imply, according to the old Arian hypothesis, that the relation of Christ to his people in the way of salvation is one of mere precedence in time only, constituting him at best the great pioneer and pat- tern simply, whom others are called to follow through death and the resurrection into eternal life. But the representation carries evidently a far deeper sense. The captain here, is the author also and finisher of the Christian faith. The first fruits are the life and power of the harvest itself, that follows in their train. In the first-born of the Church, Christ is at the same time the fountain of the entire new order of existence which it compre- hends. This is very plain from the passage in Colossians. la^ the first place the apostle styles him eLxd>v rov ^sov tov do^arov, Ti^atotoxoi Tidar^i xti6su>i\ not to place him in the same order with the creation, as the eldest product merely of God's power ; but because eV oi-r-w ixtic^fj to. TtaVra, the whole creation sprang from him as the everlasting Word, in whom all was originally com- prehended (John i. 3; Heb. i. 2), and by whom still all things consist {'tii. 7idvr7^ft$ 5f Ttvsv^any " Caro hic pro externo homine capitur," says Calvin ; " spiritus pro divina potentia, qua Chris- tus victor a morte emersit." The victory however must be un- derstood to extend to the whole man, external as well as internal, transforming the very flesh itself into spirit. It is the full tri- umph of Christ's higher life over the limitations with which it had been called to struggle in its union with our fallen hu- manity; by which this hufnanity itself is raised into the sphere 224 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. of the same life, and completely transfused with its power, in the everlasting glorification of the Son of Man. So, 1 Tim. iii. 16, " God was manifest in the jlcsh'' — he emptied himself (fatfof exiycocff, Phil. ii. 7), took upon himself the form of a ser- vant, was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross ; but it is added, he was " jus- tified in the Spirit," the power of that higher nature, which wrought with supernatural force even under his humiliation itself, and came finally to its full and proper victory in his resur- rection.* His true character came thus fully into view, being vin- dicated or justified by this triumphant demonstration itself; as the result of which he was " received up into glory," and is set down at the right hand of God, " far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1.20,21. Phil. ii. 9 — 11. Heb. xii. 2). The somewhat dif- ficult passage, Heb. ix. 14, seems to find its key, in the same distinction of Christ's glorified state, from the mere mortal con- dition with which it had been preceded. The " eternal Spirit," (6ia rtj/fVjua-r'o? atWt'ov), through which he " offered himself without .spot to God," must be understood of the divine order of exist- ence, to which his whole person was exalted after his death, as contrasted with the dying form in which he had appeared before. This formed itself the complete triumph of the Spirit, in his person, over all that was contrary to its own nature in our fallen jflesh ; and in the pewer of it, he presented himself before God once for all, an offering of everlasting value, by which he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Heb. ix. 11 — 14, 24—28. X. 10— 14).t Thus made perfect in the Spirit — his entire person raised above the power of death, and filled at every point with the im- mortality of heaven itself — the blessed Redeemer " became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." His glorification opened the way for the free outflowing of the Spirit, the same divine life with which he was himself filled, on the surrounding world, (John vii. 38, 39). " Having received of the Father," says Peter on the day of Pentecost, " the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear" (Acts ii. 33). He became for others, what he was thus shown to be within himself, 7ivii-j.ia (^uiorcoLovr (I Cor. xv. 45), a * Spiritus nomine compreliendit quicquid in Cliristo diviniim fiiit ac supra hominem. Calvin, in loc. t So the passa^ge is interpreted by Bleek, in liis Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, 1840 ; in point of learning and judgment, the highest autho- rity in this form that could be produced. BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 225 quickening or life-giving sjDirit ; from whom the power of a new creation was to be carried forward under the same form, in the world, by the Church, even as the fallen life of the first Adam had been transmitted in the course of nature to all his posterity* From all this it is clear, in the first place, that we have no right to separate Christ frofri his Spirit, in such a way as to sup- pose the presence of the one where the other was not present at the same time. *' Christum a Spiritu suo qui divellunt, eum faciunt mortuo simulachro vel cadaveri similem."* Thus, Rom. viii. 9 — 11, the indwelling of the Spirit and the indwelling of Christ in believers, are exhibited as one and the same thing. And so, in his last discourse with his disciples, our Lord him- self explicitly identifies with the promise of the Holy Ghost, the promise of his own return. The coming of this divine Para- clete required indeed, as we have already seen, the removal of Christ from the earth, so far as his first form of existence (ipaa^xi) was concerned. He must be glorified to make room for the effusion of the Spirit. " If I go not away, the Comforter will not come" (John xvi. 7). This was to make room in fact how- ever, only for his own return in a higher form of existence. '' I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever ; even the Spirit of Truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nei- ther knoweth him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (o^^avov^); I WILL COME TO YOu" (Johu xiv. 16 — 18, 22, 23). The best commentators of the present day, Ohhouscn, Tholurk, Lucckc, &c., agree with Liithcr and Calvin, that the coming of himself to which the Saviour here refers, is to be understood neither of his resurrection simply nor of his second visible advent at the end of the world ; but of his presence by the Spirit, of whose mission he had just spoken. It is all the same promise. The persons of the adorable Trinity are indeed distinct. But we must beware of sundering them into abstract subsistences, one without the other. They subsist in the way of the most perfect mutual inbeing and intercommunication. The Spirit of Christ is not his representative or surrogate simply, as some would seem to think ; but Christ himself under a certain mode of sub- sistence ; Christ triumphant over all the limitations of his moral state, (Cwoniotj^^ftj Tivccj-ia-ti), " received up into glory," and thus invested fully and for ever with his own proper order of being in the sphere of the Holy Ghost. In this form, he is present with the Church more intimately and really than he could be in * Calvin, on Rom. viii., 9. By the S[)irit here, he says, we arc to under- stand, " modus habitationis Christi in nobis." 226 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. any other. '' Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. xvii. 20). *' Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. xxviii. 20). No less clear is it, in the second place, that the higher order of existence to which Christ has bein advanced in the Spirit, involves- his humanity, in its full constitution both as body and soul, and is made to flow over in this form to his people. It was in view of his humanity alone indeed, that any such exaltation was required. The divine Logos, as such, had been in union with the Spirit from all eternity. But in becoming flesh, this higher life was sunk for the moment into the limitations of the fallen mortal nature with which it became thus incorporated ; not of course for its own sake, but for the sake of the lower na- ture itself, that this might be raised, by the triumphant power of the Spirit, into the same order of existence. The glorification of Christ then, was the full advancement of our human nature itself to the power of a divine life; and the Spirit for whose pre- sence it made room in the world, was not the Spirit as extra- anthropological simply, under such forms of sporadic and tran- sient afflatus as had been known .previously ; but the Spirit as immanent now, through Jesus Christ in the human nature itself — the form and power, in one word, of the new supernatural creation he had introduced into the world. He shall abide with you, says the Saviour, forever, (John xiv. 16). The Spirit then constitutes the form of Christ's presence and activity in the Church, and the medium by which he communicates himself to his people. But as such he is the compreliension in full of the blessed Redeemer himself; and the life he reveals, is that of the entire glorified person of the Son of Man, in which humanity itself has become quickened into full correspondence with the vivific principle it has been made to enshrine.* When Paul styles Christ a quickening or life-giving spirit, (1 Cor, XV. 45,) the reference is not at all to his nature as divine simply, or immaterial, but to his proper manliood as such. It is the resurrection of the hod)/, v/hich he has immediately in view. " As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.'' How? By virtue of a new divine element, introduced into our nature by the incarnation, which has already triumphed over mortality in the person of the second Adam himself, and by which he is now the principle of the resurrection, [nrevfxa ^loortoLovv ,) for the body as well as for the soul, to all that believe Nota unitntem spiritualem quae nobis cum Christo est, non animcB tantum est, sed pertinere ctiam ad corpus, ut caro simus de carne ejus, &c. Alioqui infirma csset spcs resurrcctionis, nisi talis csset nostra conjuuctio, hoc est, plena et solida. Calvin, in 1 Coi\ vi., 15. BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 227 on him to salvation. " There is a natural body," says the apostle, " and there is a spiritual body." The first sf>rings from* Adam, tiie second from Christ. As we have borne the image of the one, in our fallen mortal state, so must we also as Christians bear the image of the other. This will be fully reached in the resur- rection. Then what is sown at death in corruption, dishonour, weakness, a mere natural body, [a^i^a ^^v^i-xop,) will be raised in incorruption, glory, and power, a spiritual body ((jt3jiia Ttpsvfxatixovy This corruptible shall put on incorruption ; this mortal shall put on immortality ; and so death shall be swallowed up in victory for ever. (1 Cor. xv. 42-54.) "He shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" (Phil. iii. 21. John iii. 2). Here is no exclusion of the body from the sphere of the spirit, as being in itself of a totally opposite nature, and on this account incapable of sharing in the same life; but the last triumph of the Spirit is made to consist precisely, in the full transfiguration of the body itself into its own image. Nor is this change to be regarded as something wrought upon the body in the way simply of outward or foreign power — as though a stone were transformed suddenly into a winged bird ; for this would be to sink all into the sphere of blind dark nature. The glorification of the believer's body is the result of the same process that sanctifies his soul. The order of existence in both cases is the same, pneumatic, and not simply natural or psychic. " Our life is now hid with Christ in God ; but when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory" (Col. iii. 4); our whole man, of course, like his, quickened in the Spirit and made meet for heaven. As the subjects of this new creation, steadily advancing towards its ap- pointed end. Christians are described as being already in the Spirit and not in the flesh — that is, as participant in the pneu- matic order of existence, of which Jesus Christ is the principle and the Holy Ghost the medium, and not under the power simply of our nature as derived with a fallen character from the first Adam. And this is no moral relation merely, but the actual presence of a higher life in the most real form, extending to the person of the believer as a whole. His very body, accordingly, is constituted thus a temple of the Holy Ghost. (] Cor. vi. 19.) "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit" (I Cor. vi. 17); not simply so far as his own spiritual nature, abstractly con- sidered, is concerned, but in the totality of his regenerated per- son, as united with Christ. in the element or sphere of the Spirit, and not in the sphere of mere nature only. " Ye are not in the flesh, hut in the Spirit,^' says the apostle, "if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of 228 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ he in yon, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteous- ness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in yuu, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies hy his Spirit that dwelleih in yon" (Rom. viii. 9-11).* * That the whole spiritual life of the Christian, including the resurrection of his body, is thus organically connected with the mediatorial life of the Lord Jesus, might seem to be too plainly taught in the New Testament, to admit of any question ; and yet we lind many slow to allow the mystery, not- withstanding. A very common view appears to be, that the whole salvation of the gospel is accomplished, in a more or less outward and mechanical way, by supernatural might and power, rather than by the Spirit of the Lord as the revelation of a new historical life in the person of the believer himself. So we have an outward imputation of righteousness to begin with ; a process of sanctitication carried forward by the help of proper spiritual machinery, brought to bear on the soul, including perhaps, as its basis, the notion of an abrupt creation de novo, by the fiat of the Holy Ghost; and finally, to crown all, a sudden unprepared refabrication of the body, as an entirely new pro- duct of Almighty power at the moment, to be superadded to the life of the spirit already complete in its state of glory. But the Scriptures sanction no such hypothesis in the case. The new creation is indeed supernatural ; but as such it is strictly conformable to the general order and constitution of life. It is a new creation in Christ Jesus, not by him in the way of mere outward power. The subjects of it are saved, only by being brought within the sphere of his life, as a regular, historical, divine human process, in the Church. The new nature implanted in them at their regeneration, is not a higher order of existence framed for them at the moment out of nothing by the fiat of God, but truly and strictly a continuation of Christ's life over into their persons. The growth of this life in them forms their sanclification. When they die, their bodies sleep in Jesus ; so that at the last God brings them with' him again, when the Church is made complete by his second coming, (1 Thess. iv. 14.) The resurrection of the head and the ultimate resurrection of the members, form one process, as truly as the death of Adam and his posterity constitutes throughout but one and the same tremendous fact. In Christ, all shall be made alive. His resurrection is the pledge of theirs, even as the first fruits give token of the coming harvest, (1 Cor. xv. 22, 23.) He is " the beginning, the first-born from the dead," which, as we have seen, implies the force of a common law in the case of those tliat follow, (Col. i. IS.) It is the Spirit of Ciirist, 710W dwelling in believers, that shall in due time quicken their mortal bodies, in conlbrmity witli the power of his own resurrection stale ; thus bringing to full manifestation the hidden life of the sons of God, in that adop- tion, {yio^srsiar — rrjv arioT^vt^iOGLv tov Oi^fxatoi;^, towards which their whole Balvation here struggles, and without which it can never be regardeil as com- plete, (Rom. viii. 11, 19, 23.) It will not do, in view of such representa- tions, to speak of the resurrection of believers as an abrupt miracle, holding no inward historical connection with the resurrection life of Christ, as it wrought in them mightily, by the Spirit, before their death. True it is ascri- bed to supernatural power, (1 Thess. iv. 16,) and we are referred sometimes to 1 Cor. XV. 52, as teaching that the change is to be instantaneous, and without preparation. But tliis is of no real weight. That the winding up of the mys- tery of Christianity should include revelations of divine power altogether transcending the present order of the Church, is only what might be expected ; while it is quite possible that these may be found after all but the proper com- pletion of the mystery itself, alter it shall have been conducted to this point. As to t!ie instantaneousness of the change, (;^o far as the passage referred to may be supposed to have the case of the dead in view at all,) it holds only, of course, of the revelation which is made to take place at the time. As BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 229 Here tlien we see the nature of the mystical union, as it holds between Christ and his people. It falls not, in any sense, within the sphere of nature as such, and we cannot say of it in this view, that it is physical. But just as little are we at liberty to conceive of it as merely moral. Its sphere is that of the Spirit. In this sphere, however, it is in the highest measure real; far more real, indeed, than it could possibly be under any other con- ceivable form. Christ is not sundered from the Church by the intervention of his Spirit. On the contrary, he is brought nearer to it, and made one with it more intimately, beyond measure, in this way, than if he were still outwardly in the midst of it as in the days of his flesh. And this union, as we have seen, extends to the personal totality of the Saviour on the one side, and to the personal totality at the same time of the believer on the other. No conception can well be more unbiblical, than that by which the idea of spirit (jtviZ^a) in this case, is restrained to the form of mere mind, whether as divine or human, in distinction from body. The whole glorified Christ subsists and acts in the Spirit. Under this form his nature communicates itself to his people. They too, to the same extent, are made thus to live and walk in the Spirit, both in soul and body. Christ lives in them, and they live in Christ; and still, as their sanctification proceeds, this mutual indwelling becomes more intimate and complete, till, at last, in the resurrection, they appear fully transformed into the same image, " as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. iii. 18. Philip, iii. 21.) No more apt or beautiful illustration of this union between Christ and the Church can be imagined than that which he has himself furnished, in the allegory of the vine and its branches. (John XV. 1-8.) "I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." To understand this of a mere moral union, is to degrade the whole subject. " It is not to be disputed," says Tholuck, " that a higher relation is here exhibited than that of master and disciple, nothing less in fact than a real oneness, (eine ivesentliche Einheit,) effected through the medium of faith." It is well remarked by Liicke, that the earthly, here as elsewhere, is exhibited by Christ as the Olshausen justly remarks {Comm. in loc), this by no means excludes the sup. position of a previous preparation in the life of the believer for this result. It implies, indeed, that there has been no development during death. But so far as the previous state is concerned, it amounts to nothing more than thi?, that the process which was before hidden, is now brought to burst into view- suddenly, in its complete form. The birth of the butterfly, as it mounts ia the air on wings of light, is comparatively sudden too ; but this is the revela- tion only of a life, which had been gradually formed for this efflorescence before, under cover of the vile, unsightly larve. 20 230 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. ^ image or copy (Abbild) of the heavenly. Nature finds its divine archetype or Urbild at last, only in the sphere of the Spirit. Thus the connection which holds between the vine and its branches, is not so much a figure of the life union that has place between Christ and believers, as the very reflex of this mystery itself. He is accordingly the true vine, in whom is revealed, in this case, the full reality, of which only an adumbration is pre- sent in all lower forms of life. The union between the vine and its branches is organic. They are not placed together in an out- ward and merely mechanical way. The vine reveals itself in the branches; and the branches have no vitality apart from the vine. All form one and the same life. The naturesof the stock is re- produced continually, with all its qualities, in every shoot that springs from its growth, no matter how far removed from the root. And all this is only the symbol of Christ's relation to his people. Here, in a far higher sphere, the region of the Spirit as distinguished from that of mere nature, it is one and the same life again that reigns in the root and all its branches. The union is organic. The parts exist not separately from the whole, but grow out of it, and stand in it continually, as their own true and proper life. Christ dwells in his people by the Holy Ghost, and is formed in them the hope of glory. 1'hey grow up into him in all things; and are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. The life of Christ is reproduced in them, under the same true human character that belongs to it in his own j^erson. The allegory of the body, as borrowed by Paul particularly from another sphere of life, in illustration of the same subject, is no less full of instruction. A common political corporation may indeed be represented by the same comparison, so far as the idea of mutual subserviency on the part of its members is con- cerned ; as in the case of the apologue of Menenius Agrippa, once employed to compose a civil discord at Rome, which is / brought forward sometimes as a parallel to 1 Cor. xii. 14-26.^ But as Calvin well remarks, on this passage, the two cases are of a wholly different character; since the ground of unity in the Church is always represented by Paul to be of a far deeper na- ture than is to be found anywhere else; nothing less, in fact, than the life of Christ himself, mystically flowing through its entire constitution. *' As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body ; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Cor. xu. 12, ]3, 27. Rom. xii. 4, 5.) ''Christ is head over all things to the Church, which is his bodv, the fulness of him that BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 231 filleth all in all" (Eph. i. 22, 23). From him, as its head, " the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplielh, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edi- fying of itself in love." (Eph. iv. 15, 16. v. 23, 30. Col. i. 18, 24. ii. 19.) The relation here exhibited involves of course a real life union, of the most intimate character. The head is not iu the members, nor in contact with them, locally ; but all local connection falls immeasurably short of the bond that holds be- tween it and the body. Nor is the union this simply, that the members are ruled and conducted by the will of the head. It is the presence of a common life — the animal spirit, as it has been called — always proceeding from the head into the limbs, and having no proper existence in a single limb under any other form. But does the spirit of life in this case, the basis of such organic unity, remain in the body as a mere abstract force? By no means. It rules the whole process of assimilation and repro- duction, and thus calls into being continually the material volume and substance of every limb, as well as its vital activity. The head is in this way in the members, as the principle from which unceasingly all their existence is drawn. And so it is with the^ relation of Christ to the Church, only in a far higher order of life. It is no mechanical conjunction that makes them one. The case excludes the supposition of every thing like a magical or merely outward transfer of life from Christ to his people, such as is implied in the dogma of transubstantiation. But neither, on the other hand, is the conjunction simply spiritualistic ; for this would be to resolve all at last into a merely moral character. In distinction from both these conceptions, we say of it that it is organic, in the fullest sense of this term. The new human life in Christ reaches over, as a central uncompounded force, hy the Spirit, into the persons of Christ's people; and there reveals itself, with constantly reproductive energy, under the same form, true always to its own nature, till at length the whole man, spirit, soul and body, is transformed fully into its image. Another very remarkable and most significant illustration, is employed (Eph. v. 22—33,) with reference to the same subject. Even under the Old Testament, the marriage relation was fre- quently made the type or symbol of the covenant connection established between God and his people. So in the Apocalypse, the Church is styled the bride, the Lamb's wife, (Rev. xix. 7. 21: 2,9). But all falls short of the representation which is here presented to our view. De Wette, and other commenta- tors of like rationalistic stamp, resolve all of course in this case, as in every case of the same sort, into mere figure and sound. But this is to do violence to the whole spirit of the passage. 232 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. Paul himself declares the subject to be a " great mystery;" and it is plain that he feels himself struggling throughout with a thought, too vast altogether for the reach and grasp of the mere understanding as such. Marriage itself is a mystery; not, in- deed, a sacrament, in the proper sense, as it is held to be by the Church of Rome; but still of what may be termed sacramental significance and solemnity; a true and proper symbol in this view of the mystical union, as it holds between Christ and his Church.* " So ought men to love their wives," says the apos- tle, "as their own bodies; he that loveth his wife loveth him- self" And thus the Lord regards and cherishes the Church. " For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones." This means, according to Pelogius, " membra ejus eum debent imitari in omnibus!" How different the commentary of Calvin. *' The passage," he tells us, " is classic on our mystical commu- nication with Christ. It is not to be considered hyperbolical, in this view, but simple; and it not only signifies that Christ partakes of our nature, but is intended to express something deeper and more emphatic. For the words of Moses, Gen. ii. 24, are quoted. And what now is the sense? As Eve was formed out of the substance of her Imsband Adam, that she might be as it were a part of himself; so we, that we may be true mem- bers of Christ, by the communication of his substance, coalesce with him into one body." (^Com. in loc.) The Church may be styled thus, according to the beautiful allusion of Hooker to this comparison with the case of Eve, " a true native extract out of Christ's body." Clearly the apostle has in his mind here more than any merely figurative or moral incorporation with the Saviour. The stress of the quotation from Gen. ii. 24, lies on the last clause, " they two shall be one flesh;" and this is applied directly to the case of Christ and the Church, (which he adds immediately, is a " great mystery,") in justification of the pre- vious declaration, " We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." The whole passage is well exhibited, with most thorough and comprehensive exegesis, in the sense now given, by Harless; whose commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, may be said to throw all others into the shade, and whose judgment in this case, especially when backed by the high authority of Calvin, no man of learning at least can fail to respect. * Dass die Ehe, bcsonders das, worin ihre Eifrenthiimlichkeit bestoht, Gen. ii. 24, ein HeilisTthum sci, so dass mit ilim das Ileiligste, was eines Menschcn Besitzthum wird, anschaulich gemacht werden darf, wird die Bestialiliit der SUade freilich nie begreifen; aber der Geist muss es erfahren und begreifen. Fur jene schreibt auch nicht der Apostel ; fiir sie giebt es im Hiininei und auf Erden kein heiligcs Geheimnissj sie findet Ubcrall nur den Fkich ihrcr eigenen Vcrworfenheit. Harless. BIBLICAL ARGUMExNT. 233 It is only on the ground of this real, inward life union be- tween Christ and his people, that we can properly appreciate or understand much of the common phraseology of the New Tes- tament, in speaking of Christians and their peculiar character and state. In various ways, Christ is described as dwelling and working in his people; and so on the other side, nothing is more common than for Christians to be spoken of as in Christ. All Christian relations hold only in the Lord. All Christian graces are to be cultivated, and all Christian works performed, in the Lord. Exemplifications are needless. The whole Chris- tian life is represented under the same formula. In Christ is only another expression for Christian itself So common and familiar indeed is this style, that the peculiarity by many is hardly noticed at all. But substitute Moses for Christ; and at once we must feel how wholly inapplicable such language is to a merely moral relation. The whole New Testament assumes that the relation of Christ to his people is more than moral; that it involves a real community of life, in virtue of which, as he dwells in their hearts by faith, so they may be said to be rooted and built up in him also unto every good word and work. (Eph. iii. 16—19; Col. ii. 6—10). ^■"^ Specially striking, in this view, are those passages in which Christians are represented as having already in Christ all that is comprehended in the complete idea of the Christian salvation. In the Saviour himself, the victory over death and hell was con- summated in his resurrection and ascension. In the Church, however, as a whole, and in every individual believer, the new life reveals itself as a process. In no sense can the Christian, viewed in himself, be said to be complete. And yet as compre- hended in the life of Christ, he is often spoken of as actually possessing already all that this involves. Thus, as we have already seen, he is described Sishaving eternal life now; though the full sense of his privilege in this respect, of course remains to be developed hereafter. His life is hid with Christ in God. So he is not only justified, but even sanctified and glorified in Christ. "Ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power," (Col. ii. 10]. Paul seems at times almost to lose sight of the distinction between Christ and the Christian, in the overwhelming sense he has of their oneness. We are crucified, dead and buried with Christ, and have risen with him again to a new and higher life, (Rom. vi. 3 — 11. vii. 4. viii. 11. Gal. ii.20. Phil. iii. 9— 12. Col. ii. 12. iii. 1—4). This form of speaking is quite too strong and deliberate, to be resolved into mere rhetorical flourish. Nor will it meet the case fully, to say that it turns merely upon a certain sort of analogy, that may be supposed to hold between Christ's outward history 20* 234 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. and the spiritual experience of the believer. The outward and inward do indeed flow together in the two cases. But it is only ^because the one is really and truly involved in the other.* The new life, in the Spirit, first in Christ and then in his people, extends to the whole man ; and being in both organically the same, is found in the end to repeat itself, with true reproduction outward as well as inward, to the utmost extremities of the body of which he is the mystical head. Thus every Christian may be said to be in Christ potentially from the beginning, all that he is destined to become actually when his salvation shall be com- plete. The power that is actively at work in his person, is the same all-conquering life (Phil. iii. 21) that wrought mightily in Christ, when he was raised from the dead and set at God's right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come ; and was thus constituted gloriously head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, (Eph. i. 19 — 23). And in view of this relation, the apostle does not hesitate to add immediately afterwards, " He hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus," (Eph. ii. 1, 5, 6). All in the past tense, not in the future. t So Rom. viii. 30, not only the calling of believers and their justification, but their glorification also, is exhibited as something alreqdy com- plete, (oL'f §£ £§tz(uco(5£, TTovtovi xai £Sc|a(Jf). On this last passage, Olshausen's remarks are particularly striking; and closely related as they are to the whole topic now in hand, I may be permitted to quote them in full. "The essential point," he tells us, " in the doctrine, of Christ's active * The acts of God for our redemption are all fulfilled and accomplished in Jesus Christ. The several steps of development in Christ's life, are for this very reason so many steps in the work of redemption, from his birth or incar- nation on to his ascension. For he is our redemption, not his doctrine, nor his work, nor his example ; his work is not to be sundered irom his person ; and his life and death are the form precisely in which it has been accom- plished. It is sheer nonsense to give up the personal and historical Christ, and still think of retaining a firm hold upon Christianity." Kliefoth. Thcorie des KuUus, Vt. ISS. On this ground, he urges the true significance and impor- tance of the Church Festivals, as related to Christ. They are not simply the memorial, but the bond also, of the proper vital union that subsists between him and his people. t Et ceite quamvis salus nostra 'in spe sit adhuc abscondita, quantum ad nos spectat ; in Christo nihildminus beatam iinmnrtalitatem et gloriam possi- dcmus, Ideo addit, Tn Christo ; quia nondum hrcc quce commemorat, in mcmbris apparent, sod in solo capite ; propter arcanam tamen unitatcm, ad membra certo pertinent. Calvin, Comm. Eph. ii. G. — Cliristus ist der reale Typus fur alle Lebcnsgestaltung der Ileiligen bis ans Ende, so dass, was sie loben, nur die Entwickelung des in Kcim schon in ilim Gcgcbencn und von ihm aus in ihr Wesen Gepflantzten ist. Olshauscn in loc. BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 235 obedience is this, that his agency in our salvation is not negative in its form simply, but full as much 'positive. Christ does not simply take away sin in the case of men, and then leave them to work out holiness for themselves, but he has by his holy life wrought out this also, for himself and for all his people ; so that both, the destruction of the old and also the creation of the new, in the process of regeneration, are alike Christ's work, both completed by him too in his earthly state ; so as to be in the first place imputed to individual believers, and then communicated to them in a gradual way. This is here most distinctly expressed by the words iStxaiwcfE xai i5d|a«f. Even the first term implies a real communication of the ^Lxatosvvrj X^tor'ov (comp. Rom. iii. 21;) the other however, ido^an^, represents it as a matter of ac- tual possession even under its full form of holiness and perfec- tion — though Paul had a little before (v. 23,) disclaimed this for himself and Christians generally. As then the whole human race, naturally considered, lay originally in Adam, and all his- tory is thus but the development of what his nature included ; so Christ also is the real bearer of the entire Church, the new cre- ation, the sanctified humanity, as he not only by the virtue of his atonement destroys the old, but to the same extent creates the new also, and forms his own sacred image in every believing soul. Only in this view does it become clear, how faith is the one and all of the Christian life. The Christian is not called, either before or after his conversion, io form an independent holi- ness for himself; but only to receive continuously the stream of life that flows upon him from Christ; and this reception is itself faith. Just as the plant, when the germ has begun to grow, needs only to take in moisture, air and light, in order that it may unfold itself from within; whilst all the handling of an un- skilful gardener, for the purpose of precipitating its growth in some different way, serves only to frustrate what it seeks to advance. And still this dhsoXuiQ passivity is at the same time the highest activity; since Christ works, not without the man, but in the very inmost depths of his being, infusing into the will itself the active force of his own life. Only, the believer always feels that the power of which he is thus possessed is not from himself, and his humility accordingly grows with his perfection ; it is not he that works, but Christ lives and works in him, (Gal. ii. 20). Hence we may see, how in the passage before us it is just the aorist which is required for its proper sense ; so that every at- tempt to get rid of this tense must be absolutely rejected. The future here is not in place; for with the word, "// is finished P* our Lord made his whole Church, together with the xti.'5i.<;, nega- tively and positively complete, for all ages. No mortal can add any thing, however little, to his work ; all that unfolds itself in 236 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. the individual members of his Church through distant centuries, is but the development of what was previously at hand in his person. The Church and every particular believer, along with the xn'fftj which forms its necessary basis, are " God's workman- ship created in Christ Jesus," (Eph. ii. 10). Redemption is a new, glorified creation, and all creation must remain for ever the prerogative of God alone. The connection imperatively re- quires this sense; for it is the certainty of salvation, as superior to all earthly contingency, that Paul wishes to establish. But there is no true certainty, except as it lies in a divine act. Sal- vation would be the most uncertain of all uncertainties, if it were made to rest, not on the objective act of God in Christ, but upon the fluctuating subjectivity of men themselves. Only under this objective view does the gospel become a true joyful message, which nothing can overthrow, ixndLw\\iQ,\i infidelity itself can only reject." BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 237 SECTION VI. JOHN VI. 51-58. The sixth chapter of John is allowed on all hands to be of special interest and importance, in relation to the subject with which we are now employed. It has been of course very variously interpreted, both in ancient and modern times ; since in the nature of the case, the light in which it has been regarded has always depended on the view taken of the relation in general to which it refers. The passage, v. 51-5S, in which the repre- sentation of the whole, chapter is advanced to its most startling climax, has been felt to be particularly difficult ; as in addition to other sources of embarrassment, it has been entangled from a very early period with the sacramental question. A succinct history of the interpretation of the passage, in this view, is pre- sented by-LLicke,,in an excursus appended to the second volume of his Comm. on John, 2nd edition. In the early Church Origcn and Basil the Great, denied all reference in it to the sa- crament of the Lord's Supper. Chrysostom, Cyril, Theophylact ^ held the opposite view ; which became general subsequently in the Catholic Church. With the Reformation, the case was changed. Not only Zuingli and Calvin, but Luther also, on ditferent grounds, agreed in the view that the passage refers only to the general reception of Christ by believers, and not to the eucharistic communion as such. Some have still insisted since on the other view. But the more important modern commenta- tors generally allow, that there is no sufficient room to suppose any reference whatever to the Lord's Supper. So far as the historical institution is concerned, this judgment is no doubt correct. But it is equally clear, that the idea which the Holy Supper embodies is the same that is here brought into view; just as in the conversation with Nicodemus, the idea in- volved in the sacrament of baptism is urged, (John iii. 5,) al- •though the sacrament itself in its proper sense was not yet insti- tuted. Throughout the chapter, Christ exhibits himself to the Jews, with whom he was in conversation at Capernaum, as the true source and support of all spiritual life. *' Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you ; for him halh God the Father sealed. — The bread of God is he 238 ' THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. which Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. — I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunorer ; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. — This is the will of him that hath sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. — Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die." After the view we have already taken of the relation of Christ to his Church, we cannot be at a loss for a moment, with regard to the general sense in which this strong language is to be understood. It is of course in one respect figurative; as in the nature of the case all representations must be, that are borrowed from the sphere of nature to render intelligible what belongs to the sphere of the Spirit. But shall we say, that it refers only to Christ's doctrine, as the proper food of the soul. Even de Wette will tell us, that such a supposition here is decidedly false. The reference to his person is altogether too full and clear. Jesus himself is the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger. We come indeed by faith. But in doing so, we go truly out of our- selves and become joined to his very life, as the centre of a new consciousness in our own. " Neque enim fides Christum intuetur duntaxat quasi procul remotum," says Calvin, " sed eum amplec- titur ut noster fiat, et in nobis habitet; facit ut coalescamus in ejus corpus, communem habeamus cum ipso vitam, unum de- nique simus cum ipso." {Comm. John vi. 35.) The union in- volves in this view ever-lasting life; not simply in the form of a promise, but as an actual possession. Even the resurrection Itself is potentially included in it, as the proper necessary con- summation of the new form of existence to which it gives rise. The subject of this life may die ; but says the Saviour, I will raise him up at the last day. Here is something far deeper than mere doctrine, or mere moral influence of any kind. Christ gives us life, only by communicating himself to us in a real way. It is commonly admitted, that with the 51st verse, some ad- vance is made on the general thought previously presented; and it is now for the most part granted also, that this consists in a specific reference to Christ's death, as the point in which espe- cially his mediatorial character may be said to have become complete. It is not easy indeed to avoid the feeling, that the language carries in it such a reference. '' I am the living bread," says the Saviour solemnly, "which came down from heaven ; if any man eat of this bread, he shall BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 239 live forever. And the bread that T will give is my flesh, which 1 will give for the life of the world." By his flesh, to be given for the life of the world, cannot well be understood anythinor else than the sacrifice which he has made of himself for sin upon the cross. The Jews, we are told, now strove among themselves, saying. How can this man give us his flesh to eat? "Then Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, 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. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and 1 in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." All must feel the close correspondence, that holds between what is here said and the terms afterwards employed in the institution of the Lord's Supper. Here, as there, the participa- tion of the believer in Christ, is made to stand particularly in eating his flesh and drinking his blood. The same idea evi- dently is exhibited in both cases ; and whatever we find to be the sense and force of the representation in one case, we can hardly help allowing to it the same significance also in the other. In the eucharist, there is reference directly to Christ's death ; it is his body broken and his blood shed for sin, of which we are called to partake. And so in the passage now before us, the reference is the same. The Saviour had spoken before of his person in general, as the bread of life. Here he fastens atten- tion upon his person under a particular view. It is by his death, he is constituted the author of eternal life to all that turn towards him for this purpose. Except ye eat the^r^A of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. '"This — it is said in conclusion — is that bread which came down from heaven ; not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead; he that eateth o^ this bread, shall live forever." The passage then looks directly to the redemption wrought out by Christ upon the cross; but not to this, as something ab- stracted from his life, in the general view in which it had been presented before. It simply represents the form, under which specifically the life comprehended in Christ's person for the benefit of a dying world, becomes fully effective towards this jend. The case required, as we have before seen, a deadly con- Iflict with him that had the power of death (Heb. ii. 14, 15). The Life, to show itself positively as immortality, must reveal |itself negatively, in the first place, as the resurrection. Hencd' its whole force, and with it the whole power of the Christian alvation, may be regarded as concentrated in the idea of the 240 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. atonement, by which the power of sin and hell was broken by •Christ's death upon the cross. " lie was delivered for our offences, and so raised again for our justification" (Rom. iv. 25). But all this at last, is only the life of the Son of Man, brought into a real, and not simply fantastic, correspondence with our wants. He is still personally " the bread of life." Only, to be so in fact, he must be apprehended in the character in which he is here exhibited to our view. We must eat his flesh and drink his blood; participate actually and truly in his life, as it was made an offering for sin. This it is emphatically that constitutes him the bread which came down from heaven, of which if any man eat he shall live forever. Not by the atonement then, as something made over to us separately from Christ's person, are we placed in the possession of salvation and life; but only by the atonement as comprehended in his person itself, and received through faith in this form. To eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, is not to lay hold of the merits of his death simply in an abstract way, a thing impossible in the nature of the case; but to lay hold of them in Christ himself, who is made of God unto us all that we need for righteousness as well as life. Such clearly is the sense of the passage before us, taken in connection with the whole discourse of which it is a part. The hunger under which the world is suffering spiritually, does not consist merely in the want of reli- gious instruction or new impulses and motives for the will. The aliment for which it calls, must come to it in the form of life. In this form accordingly it is exhibited by Jesus Christ,' as it is to be found nowhere else. Here is the new birth of the Spirit (John iii. 3, 5, 6), secured by a living reception of Christ him- self (John i. 12, 13). Here is the water that quenches forever the deep inward thirst of the human soul, that never can be more than momentarily allayed from any other quarter; '' a well of water" in them that receive it, "springing up into everlasting life" (John iv. 10 — 14). " If any man thirst,'' says the Saviour, "let him come unto me and drink!" (John vii. 37, 38). Here again is the true bread of life, under the same form. *' He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Christ personally is this bread ; because it is only in his person, that the Life of the everlasting Word, which is the true Light of men, has revealed itself in the sphere of our common human existence (John i. 4, 14). Only in this form, does he still the gnawing hunger of humanity, by supply- ing it with the very substance of life itself; a hunger which is otherwise like the grave, that never cries. It is enough. " He that believeth on me, hath everlasting life." But how 1 What becomes of his sins, the cqrse of the broken law, the sentence BIBLICAL AIIGUMENT. 241 of death already lodged in the inmost constitution of his nature ? The life, which is in Christ, includes all that is needed to meet in full the demands of the entire case. It has triumphed over death, and him that had the power of death. By the sacrifice of HIMSELF Jesus has put away sin, and perfected forever them that are sanctified (Heb. viii. 26; ix. 10, 14). The power of this sacrifice, is that particularly which imparts to his life its saving, renovating value, in the circumstances in which it is offered for our use. Still the sacrifice is only the life itself, in successful struggle with sin and death. It is not the doctrine in the case, but the fact only, that brings salvation; and this, let it be well considered, can never be separated from Christ's person. The bread of life then, in this view, is Christ as slain for the sins of the world, received into the believer and made one with him by the power of the Holy Ghost. We must eat \\\s jlesh and drink his blood ; otherwise we can have no life. His flesh is meat indeed — his blood drink indeed; axrj^(Zs, in reality, not in a shadowy or relative sense merely, but absolutely and truly in the sphere of the Spirit. The participation itself involves everlasting life; not simply in the form of hope and promise, but in the way of actual present possession; and not simply as a mode of existence for the soul abstractly considered, but as embracing the whole man in the absolute totality of his nature, and reaching out to the resurrection of the body itself as its legitimate and necessary end. Christ once crucified, but now in glory, is the principle of immortality in every true be- liever. As the Resurrection and the Life, he will raise him up at the last day, " He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my hlood, dwelleth in me and 1 in him (iv ijxol ^itj-tt, xdyCj h airtj)." Stronger still : '* As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." Could language more clearly teach, that the salvation which we have by Christ, including his whole mediatorial grace, comes to us only by the communication of his own life? All this at the same time is accomplished in a purely spiritual way, through the activity of faith. Here is no oral communica- tion with Christ's flesh and blood. And yet the communication is real. It is not the thought or image of Christ simply, that is apprehended in the case, but the very substance of his life itself, as it was once offered for sin and now reigns gloriously exalted in heaven. Such is the mystery of the new creation in the Spirit. The common understanding may object and cavil, in its old style. How can this man give us his flesh to eat? But still the testimony of God is clear and sure. God hath given to us eter- nal life; this life is in his Son, Jesus Christ; and it becomes ours only as we have the Son himself formed in us by the power 21 242 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. of the Holy Ghost. This then is the very nature of faith as con- cerned with our salvation, that it brings its subject truly and really within the scope of this life, and subjects his whole being to its organific action ; causing him thus to become a new man, or as the apostle has it, xau^j xtlaii, more and more, on to the final resurrection, in Christ Jesus our Lord. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life," This observation of the Saviour, occurring in close con- nection with the passage before us, and having reference directly to the offence which had been taken with it on the part of many as" a hard saying," (John vi. 63), has been considered by some a clear intimation that all which had been spoken before was to be understood in the most common metonymical sense. They will have it that the whole of this most solemn representation, in which, over and over again, the necessity of eating Christ's flesh, and drinking his blood is urged, as that without which men can have no life — was intended only to bewilder and con- found the carnal Jews ; while the true meaning of it comes simply to this, that we must be joined to the Saviour, by a be- lieving reception of his doctrine, or a simply mental correspon- dence with him at most in the power of his sufferings and death. But surely no exegesis could well be more poor and flat than this. It belongs itself emphatically to that very carnalism, to which it affects to be in its own way so vastly superior ; for it sticks plainly in the self-same abstraction, which rendered it so difficult for the Jews of Capernaum to understand our Saviour, and by which the things of the Spirit so generally are made to appear foolishness to the mere understanding as such. The imagination that Christ by the words, Thejlcsh projileth nothing, intended simply to intimate that his flesh or body could do no good, and that he must be understood therefore to refer in what he had said to a purely moral communication with his person, must be pronounced well nigh as crass as the notion of an actual oral manducation of his material flesh itself Spirit and flesh here are opposed in a quite different and far deeper sense. The one represents the sphere of mere nature as embraced in the fallen life of Adam, soul, body, and all. The other designates the higher order of existence, of which Christ himself is the principle {Ttvsvixa ^coortotoi;^) , and which reaches out from him by the Spirit, as a new divine creation, over, the whole range of our being. It is this that quickeneth or giveth life both to soul and body. The flesh on the other hand, whether as soul or body, profiteth nothing. The bearing of all this on the question of the eucharist, must be at once evident to every reflecting mind. The passage before BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 243 ^us has no direct reference to this ordinance, as it was afterwards to be instituted. It refers to the Christian life in general. But very plainly the idea here exhibited, is the same that is presented to us in the institution of the Lord's Supper under a different form. If such a view as we have now taken of the extra-sacra- mental life of the believer, on the ground of the representation here made by Christ himself, be admitted with any clear and full conviction, it will not be possible to resist the impression, that the sacrament itself can involve, to say the least, nothing less. Those on the other hand who deny a real communication with Christ's person in the eucharist, must in the nature of the case deny also a real extra-sacramental union with him to the same extent. This does not imply that the communion of the sacrament and the general Christian life, are at last simply the same thing. It comes to this only, that the order of life com- prehended in the two cases is the same. A man lives by his food, in the same sense in which his life holds as life, and not in some different sense. So here, if the new life of the Chris- tian be at last a moral relation only to the Saviour, the power of the sacrament must be of course of the saine order. But if this new life stand in the form of a real incorporation with the per- son of the Redeemer, the power of the sacrament cannot hold in the form of mere good thoughts and good feelings. It must involve too a real participation, under its own form, in Christ's life. This much then we reach for the right understanding of the Holy Supper, by what we have thus far learned of the nature of the mystical union in general. As the communion of Christ's body and blood, concentrating in itself the inmost sense of the great fact of Christianity, it can involve nothing less at least than it was supposed to involve in the Calvinistic theory, as originally held by the Reformed Church generally. "In the Supper," to use the language of Ursinus, " we are made partakers not only of the Spirit of Christ, and of his satisfaction, justice, virtue and operation ; but also of the very substance and essence of his true body and blood, which was given for us to death on the cross, and which was shed for us, and are truly fed with the self-same unto eternal life." And yet this implies no local comprehension of the Saviour's body in the elements, no oral or corporeal con- tact with it in any way. The mystery holds not in the sphere of the flesh, but in the sphere of the Spirit. We feed upon the broken body and shed blood of Christ, by faith. But that which is imparted to us through our faith, by the power of the Holy Ghost, is the true divine human life of the Son of Man himself, objectively present in the sacramental transaction as such, and really carried over into our persons under this form. 544 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE SECTION VII. THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORd's SUPPER. It must ever betray a most poor and narrow conception of the nature of Christianity as a whole, to suppose that the question of Christ's presence in the Eucharist may be settled by a few texts of scripture, taken in an isolated way, and without regard to the general revelation of which they form a part. It is not in this way, that the true weight of the scriptural evidence for any great truth is to be reached. The doctrine of the Trinity for instance is never exhibited under any such formal, categorical statement, as we find employed for the purpose in our modern catechisms and confessions. We may say the same thing of the doctrine of Original Sin. The Unitarian in the one case, and the Pelagian in the other have taken advantage of this circum- stance to create distrust with regard to both. So very momen- tous and fundamental as these points are allowed to be, how is it to be accounted for, they have asked, that they have not been so plainly and directly affirmed, as to cut off at once and forever all room for scepticism or cavil ? The objection is specious; but we need only to go deeper into the true idea of the Chris- tian revelation, to feel its utter worthlessness. Christianity we have seen already to be a Life. Its form is the spirit that maketh alive, and not the letter that killeth. Its revelations are not theorems but facts; not facts in the form of mere tradition, but actually subsisting, always enduring facts; not disjointed, fragmentary facts, but a glorious system of facts, organically bound together and growing out of each other, as a single super- natural whole. A theology that builds all its doctrines upon mere abstract texts, may arrogate to itself the character of biblical, in the most eminent sense ; but it can never have any good claim to be considered so in reality. It belongs to the very genius of sect, to magnify itself in this way. It always affects to be biblical, in the highest degree. It will stand upon the bible, and upon nothing but the bible. In the end however, its biblicity is found to resolve itself invariably into such a poor, circumscribed conception of revealed truth, as is now described. Isolated texts, viewed through the medium of some particular sect hobby, are made to exhaust the whole proof, whether for or against the position on which thQy are made to bear. But no use of the scriptures can well be more truly unbiblical than this. BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 245 Christianity is not a skeleton, nor yet a corpse for the use of the dissecting room. The bible is not to be understood, by frag- ments, and as seen from any and every point of view where the beholder may happen to stand. \ All turns on the position of the beholder himself, and his power of observing and comprehend- ing the revelation as a whole. He must stand in the truth, have sympathy with it, feel the authority that belongs to it in fact, in order that he may have power to do justice at all to its presence. What could such a spirit as that of Voltaire, be expected to un- derstand of the apostle Paul? Who would trust the rationalism of Priestley, or tlie abstract spiritualism of the Quaker, in any exegetical judgment, bearing on the question of our Lord's divi- nity in the first case, or on the true idea of the Church in the second? All turns on the stand-point of the interpreter, and the comprehensive catholicity of his view. He must be consciously within the horizon, and underneath the broad canopy, of the new supernatural creation, he is called to contemplate ; and then each part of it must be studied and expounded, in full view of its relations to every other part, and to the glorious structure in which all are comprehended as a whole. This is the true con- ception of biblical theology. Only under this form, can bible proof, as it is called, in favour of or against any doctrine, be en- titled to the least respect. So in the case before us, the sacramental question can never be settled by the formula of institution. This is my body, This is my blood, separately considered ; nor by any other single text under the same abstract view. The interpretation of every such text, depends invariably and necessarily on the theological posi- tion, from which its bearings and relations are observed. Hence it means one thing to the Romanist, another thing to the Lu- theran, and something different altogether to the rationalistic Socinian. The idea of settling the sense of the eucharist by the words of institution separately taken, is perfectly quixotic. It has been said indeed, that this ambiguousness constitutes itself a strong presumption against the idea of any special mys- tery in the ordinance ; since more care must have been em- ployed, on this supposition, to guard the institution from being misunderstood. But every such judgment, proceeds on a wrong theory of the Christian revelation itself, as we have already at- tempted to show. Why is not the doctrine of the Trinity cate- gorically asserted ? Why have we not the constitution of Christ's person, succinctly described as in the Westminster Catechism? Why is it not taught in so many words that infants are proper subjects for baptism, and that the first day of the week was to be substituted for the seventh, as the Christian sabbath ? Simply, we answer, because the Christian revelation is constructed on a 21* 246 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. wholly difterent plan, infinitely more worthy of its author, and infinitely better adapted for the accomplishment of its own glori- ous end. The Lord's Supper can never be understood, except as viewed in its relations to the whole system of truth, which has been brought to light by the bible. The view we have already taken then, of the new creation in Christ Jesus, and his mystical rela- tion to the Church, has all served only to open the way for placing the ordinance in its true and proper light. The great difficulty here is, in rising to a full, abiding sense of the truth and reality of Christianity itself, as a supernatural constitution permanently established under this character in the world. We are too prone, to restrict the idea of supernatural interposition in this case, to the single historical person of Jesus Christ himself; an error that tends directly to throw a certain magical, docetic character, over the whole fact of the incarna- tion, and to sink Christianity at the same time to the form of a mere abstract spiritualism in the sphere of the flesh. For it is one thing to be spiritualistic in the flesh, and quite another thing to be divmely real in the Spirit. We must not sunder the super- natural in Christ, from the life of his body which is the Church. Christianity is strictly and truly a new creation in Christ Jesus ; a supernatural order of life, revealed and made constant and abiding, in the midst of the course" of nature as it stood before. As such, it includes resources, powers, divine realities, not only peculiar to itself, but altogether transcending the common na- tural constitution of human life. All this, at the sam'e time, under a true historical form. The supernatural has become itself natural; not in the way however of putting off its own dis- tinction, as compared with what nature had been before, and still is under any other view; but by fiiUing into the regular process of the world's history, so as to form to the end of time indeed its true central stream. To question the presence of such supernatural resources and powers in Christianity, when we look at it properly, is to question in fact the revelation of the supernatural in Christ himself Either we must fall back at best to the old Ebionitic stand-point of Christian Judaism ; or we must allow that the power of a truly divine life, the constitu- tion of the Spirit as distinguished from the constitution of mere nature, is in the Church, not transiently and sporadically as under the old Testament, but with real immanent constancy, as forming the inmost character of the Church itself The supernatural, as thus made permanent and historical in the Church, must, in the nature of the case, correspond with the form of the supernatural, as it appeared originally in Christ him- self. For it is all one and the same life or constitution. The BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 247 Church must have a true theanthropic character throughout. Thefunion of the divine and human in her constitution, must be inward and real, a continuous revelation of God in the flesh, exalting this last continuously into the sphere of the Spirit. Let all this be properly apprehended and felt, and it cannot fail at once to exert a powerful influenceover our judgment with regard to the Lord's Supper. For it is plain, that this ordinance holds a central place in the general system of Christian worship. The solemn circumstances under which it was originally insti- tuted, the light in which it has always been regarded in the Church, and the very instinct, we may say, of our religious na- ture itself, which no rationalism can effectually suppress, all con- spire to show, that it forms in truth the inmost sanctuary of religion, and the most direct and close approach we are ever called to make into the divine presence. The mystery of Chris- tianity is here concentrated into a single visible transaction, by which it is made as it were transparent to the senses, and caused to pass before us in immediate living representation. No matter how poor may be the general view entertained of the gospel, even for the lowest rationalistic spiritualism itself, the Lord's Supper, (if it be not discarded entirely, as with the unhappy Quaker,) constitutes the most significant and impressive exhibi- tion of the grace of the New Testament; the most graphic pic- ture, at least, if nothing more, of the salvation which has been procured for us by the Saviour's sufferings and death. All that is wanted, then, to make it a true sacrament to our view — the seal as well as the sign of the invisible grace it represents — is that we should have a true and full persuasion of the supernatu- ral character of Christianity itself, as a permanent and not simply transient fact in the history of the world. Low views of the sacrament betray invariably a low view of the mystery of the in- carnation itself, and a low view of the Church also, as that new and higher order of life, in which the power of this mystery con- tinues to reveal itself through all ages. Those who entertain such views may claim the credit of more than common spiritu- ality ; it may be their object professedly to exalt the character of Christ, by sinking the thought of all that is outward and mate- rial, in order to make more room, as they dream, for his being honoured in a higher form. So indeed it has ever been. The enemies of the sacraments have always affected to be more spi- ritual than others. And who were such sticklers for the highest order of spirituality in the early Church, as the Gnostics, who at the same time turned the whole fact of the incarnation itself into a mere docetic abstraction. Such spiritualism, as it begins in the flesh in fact, and never gets beyond it, even in its highest flights, is sure to end in it also palpably at the last. On the other 248 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. hand, let the great fact of the incarnation be apprehended with fuU'faith, as a world fact — the centre of all history — the fountain of a new creation, which is still present and progressive, not fantastically, but in the way of actual human, historical develop- ment, in the Church ; let it be felt that the Church is, in very deed, the depository and continuation of the Saviour's thean- thropic life itself, and as such a truly supernatural constitution, in which powers and resources wholly transcending the common order of the world are constantly at hand, involving a real inter- communion and interpenetration of the human and the divine ; let all this, I say, be fdt, and it is easy to understand how natu- rally and necessarily, at the same time, we must be led to see the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, epitome as it is of the mys- tery of the Christian salvation itself, in a corresponding light. And is not this, it may be asked, the only true and right posi- tion for coming to any just judgment in the case? Is not Chris- tianity in fact such a supernatural constitution, under a true historical form in the world? And may the man be trusted to interpret the sense of its mysteries, who does not feel this? Shall I go to the spiritualistic Gnostic, or Anabaptist, or (Quaker, to learn the manner of Christ's presence in the Church ? Shall I ask the rationalist Ammon, or Wegscheider, or Paulus, or some rationalizing Grotius or Macknight, to explain to me the words of institution, in the sacrament of Christ's body and blood? Just as reasonably might I study Paul at the feet of Voltaire. The very first and most indispensable condition to a safe and sound judgment here, is that we should stand in the full sense of what is comprehended in the idea of Christianity itself, as a true and real revelation of the supernatural in the flesh. This is of more account in the case, than all exegetical helps besides. This was emphatically the position of the primitive Church ; and it was this right standpoint in relation to divine truth no doubt, more than any thing else, which served in the case of the first Chris- tians, to set both the doctrines and institutions of Christianity in proper view, if not at once for the understanding, at least for the heart and the inward life. They saw in Christ a new order of life, divine and yet most perfectly human at the same time, really active in the flesh by the Church, and destined to triumph, (in a very little while, as they supposed,) in the form of a true earthly millenrt'ium, over the entire state of the world as it stood before. They felt that in the sphere of this new creation, they were mystically joined to the Saviour himself, by the power of the Holy Ghost, so as to participate in his very nature and life. And how then was it possible, that they should look upon the communion of his body and blood in the Lord's Supper as a mere, sgn or token, in the common acceptation of these terms ? In BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 249 the nature of the case, they could see in it nothing less than a real communication of the Saviour's life itself; and they under- stood, of course, and interpreted, the words of institution ac- cordingly, as conveying the assurance of this supernatural grace, to be perpetuated in the ordinance to the end of time. As Christianity fmds a general adumbration in the religion of the Old Testament, so its sacraments in particular are specifi- cally prefigured in the types of Circumcision and the Passover. In the case of the Lord's Supper, a still more remote analogy is presented to our view by Paganism itself, in those sacred feasts which it has been customary in all ages to hold in coimectioa with sacrifices. Under all systems of worship, religion has ever been made to centre in the altar and the ofiering of sacrifice; while, by partaking of what was thus offered, the worshipper was supposed to come into the nearest communion with the object of his worship.^ The sacrifice, to serve its purpose in full, must be eaten, and thus united in the most intimate and living way with the person of him, who sought to propitiate the favour of heaven by its means. Whatever of value or merit it comprehended, became available through an actual participation of the sacrifice itself, in communion with the altar. The same idea, variously modified, may be said to run through the entire sacrificial sys- tem of the Old Testament. It is most strikingly exhibited, how- ever, in the institution of the Passover. The Passover was instituted (Ex. xii. 1-27) in connection with the memorable deliverance of the children of Israel, on the night when the Lord smote the first-born of the land of Egypt ; and was ordained to be observed afterwards perpetually in com- memoration of this event. The offering in the case was required to be a lamb icitliout blemish. The victim must be slain, as an offering for sin, and its blood sprinkled on the door posts; where it becarpe an atonement or satisfaction, in view of which the plague was not permitted to enter the dwelling thus protected. " The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are ; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the and of Egypt." But it was not enough that this outward exhi- bition of the blood should take place, the ordinance made it necessary also that the sacrifice should he eaten. In this case at least, more was intended by this than an act of general commu- nion with God. It represented the necessity of a true, living conjunction with the sacrifice itself The lamb whose life was poured out as an offering for sin, must be itself incorporated as it were with the life of the worshipper, to give him a fair and i * Scheibcl. Das Abendmahl des Ilcrrn, chap. 1. 250 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. full claim on the value of its vicarious death. It became to him an atonement, by entering really into his person. It lay in the very nature of the economy itself, that all this should be in a merely outward way. The atonement itself was only a type or shadow; and the union with the victim now mentioned was but relative and imperfect in like manner. All formed an adum- bration simply of the glorious mystery of redemption, as it was afterwards to be revealed in Christ. For it is allowed on all hands, that the Passover, as it con- tinued to be observed afterwards, was more than a mere com- memoration of the deliverance in Egypt. This event was itself a grand type of the spiritual deliverance, which has since been accomplished for the world by the death of Christ ; and the paschal celebration accordingly, in calling it continually to mind, involved a prophetical reference continually by its means to the coming of this great salvation. It involved an acknowledgment of spiritual need, with a profession of faith in God's covenanted grace, as it was to be revealed in due time for the removal of sin; and for the true Israelite, it carried in it a sure pledge at the same time that the atoning grace it represented would avail to preserve, him personally from the power of the destroying anorel. All this however on the ground of an actual union vvitii the sacrifice itself, in the way which has been already noticed. In the end, the shadow found its full sense in the presence of the substance. The death of Jesus formed the proper end of all the sacrifices, and of the paschal offering in particular. " Be- hold," said the Baptist, when he pointed him out to his disciples, " the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world !" So Paul calls him expressly our Passover, who has been sacrificed for us (1 Cor. v. 7). This is still more expressively signified however by the Saviour himself, in the institution of the Holy Sup- per. By his own appointment, the one sacrament was formally substituted for the other. Thus was it distinctly signified, that the Passover had looked forward from the first to the sacrifice of Christ as the true atonement for sin ; and that it ceased accord- ingly to have afiy meaning, when this sacrifice was offered. The sacrament of the Passover was at once abolished and fulfilled, in the sacrament of Christ's body and blood. The two institutions then are to be considered of parallel character, and as having in some sense- the same significance and force. Both look directly to the broken body and shed blood of the Redeemer, as the great and only true propitiation for the sins of the world. Their relation to each other however, is like that of the two Testaments in general. The one is rela- tively only, what the other is absolutely. The sacraments of the Old Testament are no proper measure, by which to graduate BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 251 directly the force that belongs to the sacraments of the New We have seen already, that the Old Testament made nothina perfect. Its ordinances and ministrations were all more or less shadowy and incomplete. The substance of their sense is re- vealed only in Christ. To make Baptism no more than Circum- cision or the Lord's Supper no more than the Passover, is to wrong the new dispensation as really, as we should do by attri- buting to the levitical priesthood what is to be found only in him who is a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek. The Passover was at best but an unreal adumbration of the grace that IS exhibited to us in the Lord's Supper. It was a picture or sign only of what it was intended to represent; not a sacrament at all indeed, in the full New Testament sense, but a sacrament simply in prefiguration and type. Still, as such a type, it is well adapted to illustrate the true force of the higher institution, in which ultimately it came to its end. The Lord's Supper was instituted under circumstances, which show clearly that U was intended to take up into itself, (as the comprehension of the whole idea of Christianity,) the full typical import of the Old Testament, which might be said to find its central representation in the Passover. Through this sacrament in particular all looked forward to Che great sacrifice of Calvary, as the end in which its shadows were to become real. That Sacrifice was now reacfy to be offered. On the night in which he was betrayed — at the close of the paschal feast— with his sufferings in full view, and the full consciousness at the same time of the relation in \vhich he stood to the old dispensation now ready to pass away in his person — our Saviour solemnly took bread, ^blessed and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my hodij, which is given for you : — and then again the cup, saying, This cup is the new testament in mifhlnod which is^shed for you, drink ye all of it, (Matt. xxvi. 2C-2:), Luke xxii. 15-20). Thus was instituted the sacrament of the Lord's Sup- per, in the room of the Jewish Passover, for the use of the Church in all following time. Now it is only necessary to have • some actual sense of the immeasurable solemnity of tiie occa- sion itself, to feel how perfectly frigid and rationalistic every view must be that can find nothing more in the words of insti- tution, than that this ceremony was to be a simple conventional memorial to all ages of the Redeemer's suflTerings and death. We may not indeed take the words in their strictly literal sense, as is done by the Church of Rome ; but we have just as little right on the other hand, to resolve them into the merest com- mon-place in the way of pretended figure. The occasion is too solemn, the phraseology too strikingly pregnant, for that. Let due regard be had to all the circumstances of the transaction, 252 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. and it will be impossible to avoid the feeling that it requires to be understood in a higher sense * What the Passover signified prophetically, and in the way of shadow, is here exhibited under the character of a real and ac- tually present salvation. For the paschal lamb, Christ solemnly substitutes himself. The Old Testament sacrament is made to give way to the power and glory of the actual grace, it was em- ployed to foreshadow. Participation in the promise, is to be- come now particpatioh in the fact itself. "This is the Lord's Passover," said Moses to the Jews at the time of its institution ; and so as it was observed, from year to year in subsequent time, this word was still repeated, "Tt is- the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Eaypt, when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses!" (Ex. xii. 11, 27). This did not mean of course, that the paschal elements were themselves this ancient deliverance. But it did mean, that they were something more than a mere Fourth of July commemoration in the case. They were, in pledge and seal, the very covenant itself, such as it was, which that occasion served to ratify, as the shadow of blessings to come. In contrast * To estimate at all the force of our Saviour's words, in the case of this solemn institution, it is above all things necessary, of course, that we should fiave present to our minds, in a lively way, the circumstances under which all took place. That most wretched rationalist, Paulus of Heidelberg, resolves the whole transaction into the poorest common-place ; by supposing that i Jesus, his thoughts full of the violence he expected to suifer shortly atier, | whilst handing round to his disciples the broken bread, took occasion to say, ; mournfully, of the suggestive symbol, It is my body. The aftectmg words , made an indelible impression on the minds of all present; and so it came to pass " very psychologically," we are told, that as long as they Fived, when they afterwards broke bread together, the simple association served power- , fullv to recall him to their thoughts, &c. Co7nm. in Matt. xx\i. 26. And yet Paiilus affects to be graphic, too, in painting the scene as it was, i" o^^r to ( show us how natural the symbolical and hyperbolical must be considered in the case ! At such exegesis, we mav well shudder. But may we not tear that there is oftentimes an approximation towards the same rationalistic stand- point, where the ordinance is spoken of in much more respectful terms, while at the same time its whole significance is tried by the measure of common or merely human relations ? No occasion could well be more solemn, than that which gave birth to the holy institution. Let the circumstances be ielt. Let tlie truths of overwhelming interest, presented by our Lord in his last dis- course with his disciples, be present to the soul. Let the calm, divine sell- possession of the Son of Man, the past and the future all in clear vision before him, be distinctly apprehended. Let it be felt, that a new creation was in fact comprehended in his person; and that the shadows ot all past time were now to be made actual in the reality they foretokened. Let it be remembered that the idea of the atonement, the great central truth ot Chris- tianity, had never yet been distinctly enunciated by Christ himselt ; but was liere first proclaimed, just before the sacrifice was to take place, under a tonn intended to lodge it in the heart of the Christian worship to the end of time. Let all this be considered and felt, and then how poor and jejune does the interpretation become, which can find nothing beyond a cold logical figure in the actions and words of Christ, as presented to us in this perpetual sacra- ment of his body and blood ! BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 253 with all this, and in fulfilment of its true meaning at the same time, Christ, with direct reference to his own expiatory death now immediately at hand, makes himself over to his disciples in the sacrament of the Supper. " This is mi/ body, broken for you — this cup is the neio covenant in my blood, shed for many, for the remission of sins." Did he mean that the elements themselves were his body and his blood, literally taken ? Of course not. Did he mean then only, that they were a figure of a certain truth, comprehendedi n his sufferings and death, which the mind was to be assisted in contemplating and embracing in this way? More, undoubtedly, than this. Under the elements here exhibited, was offered truly and really the substance itself of which the Passover was only a type — that is, the new covenant in Christ's death, as that in which was verified and fulfilled all that lay included as promise merely in the old. This is the Lord's Passover in its last and most true sense — not the sacrifice of a typical lamb simply, but my body, my blood — not the pledge and seal of blessings to come, but the new covenant itself, the pledge and seal of blessings already come, and now compre- I hended in this sacramental transaction, as ordained for the use I of the Church, to the end of time. All of course however in the I way of a living connection with the sacrifice itself The bread and wine are not Christ's flesh, and blood as such; they are I only, (but this in a real objective way), the new covenant in his {death, made actual by pledge and seal under this outward form; ; still a participation in the covenant, requires and implies, in the nature of the case, a participation in the very life, by which j alone the expiatory value of the covenant can have any reality or I force. The paschal lamb must be eaten, physically incorporated svvith the life of the worshipper, to give him part in the covenant jof which it was the seal. A fleshly shadow of the true life I union, on the ground of which, and by the power of which alone, I we can ever have part in the blessings of the new covenant in jChrist's blood. Communion with the covenant, involves of Inecessity communion with the sacrifice. All fleshly conceptions ['are to be of course excluded. The case calls for something higher than popish transubstantiation, or the kindred doctrine of the old Lutheran Church. " It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing." But the idea of a true participation in Christ's life, as the necessary condition of an interest in his sufferings and death, runs clearly through the whole transaction. The bread is given to be eaten ; the wine must be drunk. To quote the words of another: "The breaking of the bread serves to bring into view Christ's death ; the eating of the broken bread is a symbol that this death is appropriated in the way of a living tiiunion with the Saviour himself As however Christ, in giving 22 254 THE MYSTICAI. PRESENCE. the bread to eat and the wine to drink, declares them to be the pledge of the new covenant itself in his blood, it follows that the bread and wine are not simply symbols, but that they serve to place him who eats and drinks, in real communion with the atonement through his death. And since such communion with Christ's death can have no place without a life-communion (Le- bensgemeinschaft) with Christ himself, or since in other words the new covenant holds in the form of a real inward and living fellowship only, it follows again that the Lord's Supper involves for the worthy participant a true, personal, central communica- tion and union with Christ's actual life." We have in it the same fact that is presented to us in those memorable words spoken at Capernaum, to which we have already attended, and which connect themselves irresistibly with the institution of the wonderful ordinance : Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you! " The cup of blessing which we bless," says the apostle, " is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ," (1 Cor. X. 16). He does not mean to explain the nature of the Lord's Supper, in these words, but makes his appeal in the case simply to the view generally entertained of the institution among Christians at the time. The representation is general, and gives no new light on the mode of our communication with the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament. But this much it does most certainly imply, that the communion is something more than figurative or moral. It is the communion of Christ's body and blood — a real participation in his true humaji life, as the one only and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world. " Figurative language, 1 confess," says Calvin, "only let not the truth of the figure be put out of the way — that is, let the thing itself also be present, to be apprehended by the soul as really as the outward elements are by the mouth." The passage, Eph. v. 22 — 82, has been already noticed, in connection with the general subject of the mystical union. It is proper to add here, however, that as it includes a distinct reference to the sacrament of Baptism, (v. 26, 27), as it is allowed also by the best commentators to regard in the close (v. 30 — 32) not merely the general communion of Christ with believers, but particularly at the same time his special com- munion with them in the sacrament of the Holy Supper. Such is the view of Theodorct, Calvin, Bcza, Calovius, Grotius, fully approved and endorsed in our own time by such men as Holz- Jiausen, Hairless, and Olshausen. Calvin remarks ; " Paul de- * Ebrard, Das Dogma von heil. Abendmahl. vol. i., p. 119. BIBLICAL ARGUMENT. 2o3 vscribes here that union we have with Christ, of which the sym- bol and pledge is given us in the Holy Supper. Some indeed complain that the application of the passage to the Supper is forced, since there is no mention here of the Supper, but only of marriage; in this however they are altogether mistaken. For whereas they allow only a commemoration of Christ's death in the Supper, and will not admit an actual communication, such as we assert from his own words, we urge against them this testimony : Paul declares that we are members of Christ's body, of his flesh and of his bones. Need we wonder then that he gives us his body to partake of in the Supper, that it may be to us the aliment of eternal life? Thus we show, that we teach no other representation in the Supper, than that whose truth and power are proclaimed by Paul." Harless, one of the coolest and most circumspect of commentators, holds the reference to the Lord's supper, in the passage to be beyond doubt ; not so much on the ground of any particular expressions separately taken, as in view of the concinnity which is thus imparted to the whole thought from v. 23 to 32, in full harmony at the same time with the proper interpretation of the passage in its details. The general thought is the close, constant communion in which Christ, as the Redeemer, stands with his Church. Reference is made first to Baptism, under this view, as the pledge and seal of the intimate relation. From this there is then an advance, (for that is evidently the character of the representation), to the other sacrament, in which the same mystery is still more strik- ingly exhibited and confirmed. " If we have come to under- stand the nature of the Lord's Supper," says Harless, " as un- folded in the Scriptures and held by the Protestant Church, we shall be forced to allow that the image itself, which is employed by the apostles, carries us irresistibly to this institution as its proper object." The whole subject the apostle pronounces, in this connection, *' a great mystery." This itself is sufficient to overthrow the rationalistic view, by which it is attempted to resolve the whole representation into a common figure, denoting nothing more than the close correspondence in which Christ stands with the souls of his people. If ever there was a clear case in exege- ries, we might seem to have it here. The union of the be- liever with Christ, by which the two are said to be constituted one flesh, (as they are elsewhere denominated one Spirit), and which the apostle in tJiis view, with such deliberate reflection — pausing as it were to weigh the import of all he had said — pro- claims a great mystery; this union, I say, ?nust be real in the form in which it is here presented, involving an actual commu- nity of life with the glorified Son of Man in his whole person. 256 THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE. " They are preposterous," says Calvin, " who allow in this mat- ter nothing more, than they have been able to reach with the measure of their understanding. When they deny that the flesh and blood of Christ are exhibited to us in the Holy Sup- per, Dijine the mode, they say, or you will not convince us. But as for myself, I am filled with amazement at the greatness of the mystery. Nor am I ashamed, with Paul, to confess in admira- tion my own ignorance. For how much better is that, than to extenuate with my carnal sense what the apostle pronounces a high mystery !" J. B. LIPPINOOTT & CO BOOKSELLERS & PUBLISHERS, PHILADELPHIA, Respectfully inform the public that they have recently purchased the Copyright and Plates, of the following invaluable work, with the balance of the present edition, (printed in six volumes super- royal octavo,) which they are now sellino- at the reduced price of $2,00 per volume. A liberal dis- count will be made to agents and those who buy to sell. T'^^RF^RO^I^^^nfl''^ COMMENTARY ON J- IHJ^ HOLY BIBLE; containing the Text accord ing to the authorized version; Scott's Marginal refe- rences; Matthew Henry's Commentary, condensed, but retaining every useful thought; the Practical Observa- tions of Rev. Thomas Scott, D. D.; with extensive ex- planatory critical, and philological Notes, selected from Scott Doddridge, Gill, Adam Clarke, Patrick, Poole, Lowth, Burder, Harmer, Calmet, Rosenmueller, Bloom- held Stuart, Bush, Dwight, and many other writers on the Scriptures. The whole designed to be a digest and combination of the advantages of the best Bible Com- mentaries, and emh^acing nearly all that is valuable inHenry, Scolt.and Doddridge: conveniently arranged ior^ family and private reading, and, at the same time, particularly adapted to the wants of Sabbath School leachers, and Bible Classes; with numerous useful Ta- bles, and a neatly engraved Family record. Edited by Kev. William Jenks, D. D., Paster of Green Street ' Church Boston. Embellished with five portrails, and other elegant engravings, from steel plates; with several Maps and many wood cuts, illustrative of Scripture manners, customs, antiquities, &c. ( 2 ) Perhaps there has never been olTered to the patronage of the American pubhc, a work of greater magnitude and import- ance, nor of a religious character, involving so miicli expense to the publisher, as the Compfikhensive Commentary — and it may be added with truth, never has one been received with more universal approbation, or sustained with more important testimonials. It embraces, in one work, nearly every thing of value in numerous popular Commentaries, (the purchase of which would require a large sum,) together with a vast amount of matter drawn from other sources, calculated to illustrate the sacred text, while the price, all things considered, is undoubtedly less than tiiat of any work ever issued from the press of an American publisher. Itis well printed, on fine paper, and neatly and durably bound. The Maps are done in a new style, on steel, by Annin, from new designs, and are among the finest specimens of the art. The Engravings, also on steel, (Frontis- pieces and Vignette Titles,) have been done by the first artists, at an expense of fr»m $200 to $300 each, 'i he outlines are from paintings by the old masters ; the wood-cuts are all illustra- tive of the manners and customs, natural history, botany, &c., of the Bible, and cannot but be useful and acceptable, and are a novelty in such a work. On the whole, it is believed all will admit, that it is what it has been pronounced to be — a credit to the country, " and a truly national worky It is admh'ably fitted for the use oi families; and meets the wants of eycry one who desires to study the Scriptures understandingly, while to the Sabbath School Teacher it is almost indispensable, and to the Minister of the Gospel, a treasure. To the latter, the publishers especially look for countenance and aid in their undertaking. The work is designed to accomplish the following pur- poses: 1st. To combine, as far as possible, in one work of reasonable and convenient compass, at a price to bring it within the reach of all, the peculiar excellencies and advantages of Henry's, Scotfs, and Doddridge^s Commentaries, (confessedly the most popular and useful in the language,) together with a large quantity of other matter, explanatory and illustrative of the Scriptures, from other sources. 2d. To present the whole, thus collected and combined, in a form at once attractive. and convenient for family use and private reading, with special reference to the wants of Sabbath Schools and Bible Classes. 3d. In the selections, the aim has been, throughout, on the one hand, to be as full as possible, drawing largely from the rich ( 3 ) sources opened by a range of as many as a hundred authors; and, on the other hand, to guard against tediousness and repul- siveness, by too great minuteness. The design has been to draw out the best parts of the best writers, with a strict watchful- ness that every part should be evaiigeliccd, plain, familiar, and apphmtory, and adapted to the exigencies of our country and the times, and suited to the wants of tlie great body of the people. To this end, all words in foreign languages are "omitted in the critical notes and quotations. Each of the leading Commentaries forming the main body of this work has its peculiar advantaaes, and its friends and admirers; and each has its defects. It is hoped that here, the advantages of all will be found combined without their defects, so that the admirers of each may here meet on common ground. To accomplish this object, great care has been taken. The TexU according to the authorized version in common use, is arranged in a column by itself, to admit of its being read independently of all remarks ; to this are added the pooular and full Mar- ginal References of Scott, entire; Henry's Exposition or Com- mentary will be found slightly abridged, or, more properly, perhaps, condensed; but every useful and important thought IS retained, and in his own language, and this is also placed by Itself in columns parallel with and by the side of the text, so as to be read independendy of all the rest. At the end of every suitable division of the text, are placed the Practical Observa- tions of Scott, arranged separately as in his own work ; and at the bottom of the page is a large body of explanatory, illustrative, and Critical Notes, containing whatever in addition is valuable in Scott and Doddridge, with copious selections from Adam Clarke, Gill, Burder, Calmet, Rosenmueller, Bloomfield and many other authors. Wherever it is practicable, wood engravings, illustrative of the subjects, are introduced. Thus an amalga- mation of the different authors is carefully guarded against and each reader may often consult his own favourite. In the notes, also, the manners and customs, natural history, geography, botany, &c., of the Bible, are fully illustrated. It is therefore believed that this work offers to the reader more advantages tiian the possession of the works of Henry, Scott, and Doddridge themselves would, even could they altoge- ther be procured at the same expense; as he is saved the trou- ble of turning over and searching for a passage in three different works, and finding much of the same matter in all, besides having the additional views of many other esteemed writers. ( * ) In the abridgment of Henry, great carefulness has been useJ, so that his most jealous friends should not be offended by any liberties taken ; and it is confidently believed it will be found much more pleasant reading in this form than in the original. On the doctrines^ it may confidently be asserted that Henry, Scott, and Doddridge speak their own opinions unadulterated and entire. Where any thing has been omitted from Scolt, it was because it was anticipated in the remarks of Henry. In the mechanical department, the publishers have exerted themselves to the utmost to present the work in a handsome and durable form, and have spared no pains nor expense to pro- cure materials, having imported every work which they could learn would be of essential service to the Editor. In preparing the work, also, the Editor has had access to two or three of the most valuable Libraries in America. To render the Comprehensive Commentary the most com- plete work of the kind in the English language, and as perfect a help to the study of the Bible as possible, the publishers have issued a sixth or supplementary volume, uniform in size, paper, binding, and price, with the regular volumes, and super- intended by the same editor. Its principal contents are as follow : I. A VERY FULL AND COMPLETE ALPHABETICAL InDEX of all the matters discussed in the Commentary. The importance of this must be obvious. It will enable any one to turn, readily and without delay, to every passage in the Bible and Commen- tary, where any given fact, opinion, or sentiment is touched upon ; thus bringing together, for comparison, on each topic, all the different remarks scattered through more than 4000 pages ; saving much time, which must, for want of such a help, be con- sumed in tedious researches, oftentimes in a great degree fruitless. In this respect, there is a great deficiency in the works of Henry, Scott, Clarke, and others, which any person who has had occasion to consult them extensively, must have frequently felt. In such extended works, an index of this kind is invalu- able, not only to the Minister and Sabbath School Teacher, but to every student of the Bible. How often, indeed, does it happen, that one wishes to consult the Commentary on some subject, and to examine it fully and in detail, when the remarks upon it may be scattered through all the volumes, and based, perhaps, upon twenty different passages of Scripture, to find which would require much time and careful attention? Such ( 5 ) an Index would at once place them all as it were under the eye. II. A New, Full, and Complete Concordance; illustrated with monumental, traditional, and oriental engravings, founded on Butter wortli's, with CrKden's Definitions; forming, it is believed, on many accounts, a more valuable work than either Butterworth, Cruden, or any other similar book in the language. The value of a Concordance is now generally understood, and those who have used one consider it indispensable in connexion with the Bible. III. A Guide to the Reading and Study .of the Bible; being Carpenter's valuable Biblical Companion, lately published in London, containing a complete History of the Bible, and forming a most excellent introduction to its study. It embraces the Evidences of Christianity, Jewish antiquities, manners, customs, arts, Natural History, (fee , of the Bible, with Notes and Engravings added. IV. Complete Biographies of Henry, by Williams ; Scott, BY HIS Son; Doddridge, by Orton; with sketches of the lives and characters, and notices of the works of the writers on the Scriptures, who are quoted in the Commentary, living and dead, American and foreign. This part of the volume not only affords a large quantity of interesting and useful reading for pious families, but will also be a source of gratification to all those who are in the habit of cmisulting the Commentary, — every one naturally feeling a desire to know some particulars of the lives and characters of those whose opinions he seeks. Appended to this part will be a Bihliotheca Biblica, or list of the best works on the Bible, of all kinds, arranged^under their appropriate heads. V. A Complete Index of the matter contained in the Bible Text. VI. A Symbol Dictionary. A very comprehensive and valu- able Dictionary of Scripture Symbols, (occupying 'ahoui fifty -six closely printed pages,) by 'J'homas Wemyss, (author of " Biblical Gleanings," &;c.) Comprising Daubuz, Lancaster, Hutche- son, &c. VIL The work contains several other Articles, Indexes, Tables, &c., &c., and is, VIII. Illustrated by a large Plan of Jerusalem, identi- fying, as far as tradition, &:c., go, the original sites, drawn on the spot, by F. Catherwood, of London, architect. Also, 1* { 6 ) two steel engravings of Portraits of seven foreign and eight American Theological writers, and numerous wood engravings. The whole forms a desirable and necessary accompaniment to the original work, and affords a great fund of instruction for the use not only of Clergymen and Sabbath School Teachers, but also for families. When the great amount of matter it must contain is considered, it will be deemed exceedingly cheap, and COULD not be afforded, at the price proposed, ex- cept IN CONNEXION WITH THE COMMENTARY, the ValuC of whicll it greatly enhances. iCj^The work is bound and lettered exactly to match the Commentary, forming a sixth volume. Some copies are also bound without the index to the Commentary, and published under the title of "A COMPANION TO THE BIBLE," designed to accompany the Family Bible, or Henry's, Scott's, Clarke's, Gill's, or other Commentaries. ( 7 ) NOTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE COMMENTARy. The Publishers select the following, from the testimonials they havo received as to the value of the work; — We the Subscribers having examined the volume of the Comprehensive Commentary, just issued from the press of Messrs. Fessenden & Co., and highly approving its character, would cheerfully and confidently re- commend it as containing more matter and more advantnges than any other with which we are acquainted; and, considering the expense in- curred, and the excellent manner of its mechanical execution, we believe it to be one of the cheapest works ever issued from the press. We hope the publishers will be sustained by a liberal patronage, in their expensive and useful undertaking. We should be pleased to learn that every fa- mily in the United States had procured a copy. B. B. WISNER, D. D. Secretary of Am. Board of Com. for For. Missions- WM. COGSWELL, D. D. « " Education Society. JOHN CODMAN, D. D. Pastor of Congregational Church, Dorchester. WARREN FAY, D. D. » « « Charkstown. Rev. G. W. BLAGDEN, '* « " Salem-st. Bos. Rev. HUBBARD WINSLOW, " '' Bowdoin-st. ^' Rev. SEWALL HARDING, Pastor of T. C. Church, Waltham. Rev. J. H. FAIRCHILD, Pastor of the Cong. Church, South-Boston. GARDINER SPRING, D. D. Pastor of Presb. Chh. JVew York city, CYRUS MASON, D. D. " " " THOS. McAULEY, D. D. " " *' " « JOHN WOODBRIDGE, D. D. « " " " «« THOS. DE WITT, D. D. " Dutch Ref. «' " " E. W. BALDWIN, D. D. « " " " « Rev. J. M. McKREBS, « Presb. " " " Rev. ERSKINE MASON, " " " " *» Rev. J. S. SPENCER, " " " Brooklyn. EZRA STILES ELY, D. D. Slated Clerk of Gen. Assem. of Presb. Chh. JOHN MDOWELL, D. D. Perwanenf " " " " «* JOHN BRECKENRIDGE, Cor. Scc'y of ./Assembly's Board of Education. SAMUEL B. WYLIE, D. D. Pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Chh. N. LORD, D. D. President of Dartmouth Collecre. JOSHUA BATES, D. D. " Middlebury " H. HUMPHREY, D. D." Amherst « E. D. GRIFFIN, D. D. " Williamsfown " J. WHEELER, D. D. " University of Vermont, at Burlington. J. M. MATTHEWS, D.D." JVeio York city University. GEO. E. PIERCE, D. D.« JVestern Reserve College, Ohio. Rev. DR. BROWN, " Jefferson College, Penn. LEONARD WOODS, D. D. Prof of Theology, Andover S THOS. H. SKINNER, D. D. " Sac. Rhet. " Rev. RALPH EMERSON, « Eccl. Hist. " ( 8 ) , Rev. JOEL PARKER, Pastor of Presb. Church, jYew Orleans. JOEL HAWES, D. D. " Cong. « Hartford, Conn. JN.S. S. BEAMAN, D. D. " Presb. " Troy, ^\ Y. MARKTUCKER, D. D. " " " Rev. E. N. KIRK, " " " Mbany, " Rev. B. B. EDWARDS, Ed. of quarterly Observer. Rev. STEPHEN MASON, Pastor ^st Cong. Church, JYantuckeL Rev. ORIN FOWLER, " " " " Fall River. WILLIAM M. ENGLES, Editor of the Presbyterian. GEORGE W. BETHUNE,D.D. Pastor of the First Reformed Dutch Ch. ■ The following are Extracts from Letters to the Publishers^ and Notices in Periodicals. Dr. Hujiphrey, President of Amherst College. 'The execution of the plan thus far exceeds my high expectations: I have Henry, Dod- dridge, and Scott, and admire them all; but to say that your great work promises, when completed, to be more valuable than either, would be little more than saying that the best things in the three combined must be better than any one of them alone.' Dk. \jOKV>, President of Dartmouth College. <1 have made conside- rable examination of the Comprehensive Commentary, and am satisfied of its superiority over all others which I have seen for the purposes intended.' Dr. Griffin, President of Williams College. ' The Comprehensive Commentary appears to be on a plan better than any other which I have seen, and, judging from a short examination, and from the strong testi- mony of the ministers of Boston and vicinity, 1 have no doubt the exe- cution is as good as the design.' Dr. Hawes, Hartford. 'The plan and execution, so far as I have been able to examine, I highly approve. * * * I sincerely hope that the work may have a wide circulation, and any thing i can do to aid it, shall be done cheerfully.' Dr. WifitiZR, Secretary of American Board of Foreign Missions. *I am exceedingly pleased with the volume published of the Comprehen- sive Commentary. I have all along had strong confidence that it would be well done, but my expectations are more than realized.' Dn. Matthkws, Chancellor of A''eic York city University. * 1 had ex- pected that the Comprehensive Commentary would be a valuable work; but, judging from the volume on the Gospels, it exceeds my expectations. It gives us Henry nearly at large; and superadds a synopsis of what is important in many of the other most enlightened commentaries on the Bible. I have no hesitation in saying, that I shall esteem it the most valuable Commentary in our language, should it be finished as it has been commenced.' JVew York, Jiiig. 29, 1834. J. M. MATTHEWS. Dr. Batks, President of Middlehury College. *I am free to express my entire approbation of the work, both in respect to the editorial la- bours, and the mechanical execution. Notwithstanding my previous high opinion of the Editor, the present specimen of the work altogether - ( 9 ) exceeds my high expectationg. Most sincerely do I hope that it will Ob lain an extensive (and I might say universal) circulatio^nt.roUhTur country and m England. Besides the other qualities which recommend It it possesses one of great importance to English Literature vTzThat of possessmg the same Saxon purity, both as tS the choice of lords' and tL T°eTt of the'B.fr'".'- *H Uh^^^°---tary (Henry) as charact^'rizes the lext ol the Bible, which Fisker Ames used to say had done more to guard against the corrupting influence of foreign words and iSfoms, and thus to preserve the punty and simplicity of the EnMish lancruaffe than all other causes combined.' '^ J o =" ''^"guage, man From Rev. Lyman Beecher, D. D. Pres. of Lane Thtol Seminary, Ohio fhP^Ltt'T^f ""m ^^P°«'t?^l«f,the Bible, Henry and Scott are amon^ the best for lamily use. The Comprehensive Commentary is intended to include, in a condensed form, the excellencies of both, with copious explanatory notes from all the best critics and commentators. From what I know personally of the publishers and the editor of the work, and from what I know of its execution, I am persuaded it will meet the expectation of subscribers, and be cheaper and better for Familv use than any other; and that it will be a treasure to any family who shall obtain It : and I cordially recommend it for universal family use.' LYMAN BEECHER. Dr. Woods, Professor of Theology in Andover Seminari/. ' I hope It win be extensively circulated, and doubt not that it will be very useful in Bible classes, as well as in the study of Ministers, and the closets of private Christians. Rev. Asa Cjimmi^gs, Editor of Christian Mirror, and author of Memoir oj Payson 'It is with no ordinary degree of pleasure that I can express myself satisfied with the Comprehensive Commentary— it is far superior to what 1 have dared to expect.' From the Professors at Princeton Theol Seminary. ^ The Comprehensive Commentary contains the whole of Henry's Exposition m a condensed form, Scott's Practical Observations and' Mcygmal References, and a large number of very valuable philological and critical notes, selected from various authors.— The work, as far'as it has proceeded appears to be executed with judgment, fidelity, and care; and will furnish a rich treasure of scriptural knowledcre to the Biblical student, and to the teachers of Sabbath Schools and Bible classes.' A. ALEXANDER D. D. SAMUEL MILLER, D. D. CHARLES HODGE, D. D. From the Professors at Bangor Theological Seminary, 4'C. 'This certifies that we have examined to some extent the volume of the Comprehensive Commentary, recently issued from the press; and although from our knowledge of the design and plan of the publication, and of the qualifications and character of the gentlemen concerned in it,' we had no doubt as to its general interest and importance, we must say that our expectations are more than realized. The work is altocrether one of great value, and merits the attention and patronao-e, not only of ( 10 ) private Christians, and those concerned in Sabbath Schools, but of th& public teachers of religion also.' ENOCH FOiND, Prof, of Theology, Thcol. Seviinary, Bangor. ALVAN BOND, " Biblical Lit. " " " L. S. POMROY, Pastor of 1st Congregational Church, '' JOHN MALTBY, " Flammond-st. " " " American Quarterly Observkr. ' We have looked over the first volume of this long expected work, with great satisfaction, * * * Henry is permitted to speak his own sentiments in his own quaint and admi- rable manner. The notes are selected with taste and judgment. * * * We are well satisfied that it has been done judiciously and faithfully.' Boston Recorder. ' We are glad to learn that the publishers have received many names as patrons of the work from various portions of the United States; we think now that they can present a volume libe- rally *' got up" as this is in respect to engravings, paper, printing and binding, and combining so many advantages, their list will receive daily additions, and the cheapness of the work is such that they can only be remunerated from extended sales.' New Hampshire Observer. 'The excellence of the design is too obvious to be mentioned. To bring together in one work what is most valuable in all our commentaries, for about the price of one of them, is certainly doing the public a great service. Such a work, tolerably exe- cuted, must, we think, take the place of all other Commentaries for ge- neral reading.' New York Observer. Whoever desires to obtain the exposition of Matthew Henry, along with the better part of Scott and Doddridge, and the most valuable criticisms on the English text, of Adam Clarke, Gill, Burder and others, will do well to subscribe for the Comprehensive Commentary. The character of the editor is a sufficient guarantee for the remaining volumes, that neither learning, integrity nor industry, will be wanting to render them worthy of the most extensive patronage. New York Evangelist. 'The Editor is well known as a gentleman of extensive learning and deep research, and in this work he has dis- played a good judgment in the selection of notes. It is handsomely printed, well bound, and on good paper. We hope the publishers will take special pains to gain the assistance of American ministers. The note from Dr. Wisner, on Luke xxiv. 3G— 48, is a sample of what might be done by American writers in making portions of Scripture tell upon the Christian action of the church. The work has been unusually fortu- nate in obtaining the commendation of ministers.' Conn. Observer. Comprehensive Commentary. 'The publisliers of the Comprehensive Commentary, seem determined to make it as near perfect as it can be made by care, and labour and expense. It bears examination well, and the attentive reader after a thorough perusal will doubtless assent to the correctness of the remark, that aside from all its other excellencies il presents the commentaries on zchich it is based in a better stiape than the originals.^ Vermont Chronicle. 'We have examined parts of it with a good deal of care; and can assure subscribers and others, that the work is in all respects faithfully done. Having taken pains to compare the abridg- ments of Henry, and the extracts from Scott with the originals, to con- ( 11 ) siderable extent, and looked critically at the notes from other sources we have no hesitation in saying that, in our opinion, it is very decidedly superior, m many important respects, to anv Commentary^ eve %ub^ lished in this country. The admirers of Henry have the fubstanTe of his Commentary faithfully before them, in his own lan.uaae and fitted to be more generally useful by the removal of repetitio°ns and other re dundancies, and the omission of words and phrases that are ill-iud/ed and m bad taste The selections from Scott and Doddridge have b^en carefully and judiciously made. The miscellaneous note^sffom other sources are the result of extensive reading, and furnish a great mass of llustrative facts and hints that can be found together nowhere else ^n'/fr!hn, '"/' f,"^^^'^'^ ^^^^^ ^^ the few, have ifere been laid under contribution for the service of all. The whole has been prepared for popular use, and IS conveniently arranged. As to its orthodoxy, and the spirit that it breathes, we need only say that Henry, Scott, and bod- dndge are permitted to speak out their views and fielings fully, and that with these, the other materials are in harmony. The price is very low-so low as to place the work within the means of almost every one Many thousands of copies of Henry and Scott have been sold among us at a higher price. Can pastors do a better service to the interests of rehgion in any similar way, than by exerting themselves to introduce this work among the people of their charge?' From the Literary and Theological Review, A'ew York, Edited brj Rev, Leonard fVoods, Jr. 'While the standard Commentaries in our language certainly have great excellencies, they also have glaring defects, and it was k good thought to form a commentary which should combine the excellencies and exclude the defects of our most approved interpreters of the Bible. Such IS the ob|ect of the Comprehensive Commentary. The task was certainly a difhcult one, and failure would not have been strancre. But It has been accomplished thus far, under the auspices of the lear'ned and able editor, in such a way as to realize the expectations of the public. \Ve have no doubt that the best and only way of promoting a thoroucrh knowledge of the Scriptures, is for writers to devote themselves to the more careful study of particular books. The whole Bible is too lar^e a held to be successfully cultivated by a single hand, hence we think the labours of Prof. Stuart, Robinson, Bush and others, are far more wisely directed in being employed on particular portions of the Sacred Word than in being extended like those of some others over the whole Bible' ihis opinion, however, does not diminish our approbation of the at- tempt to render the riches of scripture knowledo-e and particular in- struction a^rewrf?/ existing in the language, more available by the great 'f^^^u, the community. The one is an effort to elevate the standard ot Biblical learning— the other to disseminate the knowledge already accumulated; and for the latter object no work on the Scriptures which we have seen is better calculated than the Comprehensive Commentary.' From the Portland, (Me.) Christian Mirror, Edited bij Rev. Asa Cummings, author of Life of Pay son. 'When the first volume of this work made its appearance, we spoke with a measure of caution, as to its merits. From the time of issuing the Prospectus, we have heard good men express fears, that it was to ( 12 ) faTOur a mitigated theology, and weaken the hold of the Churches upon "the faith once delivered to the saints." We of course felt it incum- beqi; on us to wait till we could examine it with some care before ex- pressing a fnll and decided judgment of its merits. We have accord- ingly made it a part of the business of every week to consult the Com- prehensive Commentary, and the examination has afforded us a degree of satisfaction which we did not anticipate. So far from commending it with reluctance, we feel that we should do wrong to withhold an ex- pression of approbation. — This we give in the language of the Editors of the Protestant Vindicator^ — and we could not use stronger.' Nt;w York Protestant Vindicator. 'Having devoted nearly a who.u day to a close scrutiny of its contents, we are able to express a decisive opinion respecting its merits and its claims to public patronage. Of the quantity of matter contained in this volume an accurate idea may be formed from one remark. The Commentary of Henry, and the practical observations of Scott, are published nearly entire. The addi- tional notes are selected from a regiment of authors, for we ascertained that there are nearly Jifty diff*erent writers quoted in the first four chap- ters only of the gospel by Matthew. The decorations are fine specimens of the artist's skill and are judiciously selected. JJs printers, we pro- nounce, that the mechanical execution of this volume cannot be sur- passed until some additional discovery in the typographical art gives more accuracy of composition and lucidness to ink, for we have not encountered one literal error or a stray ^' Monk or Friar,'' through any of the ^^ forms," which we have deliberately perused. These topics, however, although they comprise economy, taste and even the multi- plication of books at a price so low that there is not a Christian parent in this republic " Glory to God in the highest," who cannot procure them; yet these attractions are "altogether lighter than vanity," when placed in competition with the momentous inquiry, — Does the Compre- hensive Commentary on the Holy Bible speak ^^ as the truth is in Jesus?" To this ineff'ably important inquiry, we give a deliberate answef. As we have already stated, we have extensively searched the volume which comprises the four Gospels. We have amply scrutinized its pages in reference to the fundamental doctrines of Christian theology, and our examination has been very gratifying. The passages which we most inquisitively explored included the topics to which the principal modern controversies advert, and especially the cardinal points " of the faith which was once delivered to the saints." We have not stumbled upon a comment that in our opinion is contrary to "that which is noted in the Scriptures of truth." — We therefore, most conscientiously avow our preference of the "Comprehensive Commentary on the Holy Bible," to any others, or rather we say all others. It must be remembered this is not an ephemeral publication. A sum of money the ordinary interest of which is amply sufficient to support any temperate family in comfort, must be expended and laid up only in the Stereotype plates, which are requisite to complete the work. We have often recommended books to the perusal of our brethren and friends, but never have we performed that duty with such deep solicitude; as we now advise all who duly value the "one pearl of great price," to buy this most "goodly pearl."' Salem, (Mass.) Landmark. * We have no hesitation of giving it as 13 ) our opinion, that for the greater portion of readers, this work will be more valuable than the separate Commentaries of the various eminent men who have just been named. The most important matter that these severally contain is here collected together, and the reader can be fur- nished with it without looking through a number of volumes. There is a rich variety of notea supplying abundant information re- specting the geography, and the manners and customs of the country in which the writers of the Bible lived, * * * The Sabbath School teacher will find it an able coadjutor in the instruction of his class.' Christian Intelligencer. (JV'ezo York city. From the pen of the Rev. W. C. Brownlee, D. D.) * The able Editor is the Rev. Dr. Jenks, of Bos- ton; one in whom the evangelical community have full and unshaken con- fidence. We call the attention particularly of young clergymen, and of all lovers of sound and practical truth, to this great work. Were I again to select my books of this character, and were 1 to have my choice of this work on the one hand, and of Henry, Scott, and Doddridge,! would decidedly choose this work. Besides the choice being one suggested by economy, which is always something to young clergymen, I should in that case have every leading sentiment and valuable idea of these favourite Commentators set down together on the page before me, and thereby save much time and trouble in examining each of them apart. I have had this volume under examination for several months, and for one I gay deliberately that the more I examine it, the more I am convinced of its intrinsic value and superior excellence. It appears evident to us that the able and truly estimable Editor has faithfully exhibited the doctrinal sentiments of Henry, Scott, and Doddridge. It would be ex- tremely difficult to detect a single omission of any real consequence. And the labour and industry of Dr. Jenks in quoting and culling valu- able sentiments from such a host of writers, is really astonishing. The grand and precious doctrines of the gospel are carefully exhibited in this work. And we must add, that we have not yet met with one sentiment which the devout and intelligent Christian who embraces the doctrines in the standard of the Reformed Churches can with any show of justice find fault with. Hence it is a work of exceedingly great value to the private Christian, and to the heads of families. it exhibits a most correct and truly beautiful specimen of printing. * * * Here is an honest appeal to every patriot, who is called on to en- courage domestic enterprise, and the arts and manufactures among us; and to every lover of the gospel of Jesus, to patronise the excellent Edi- tor and enterprising publishers, who are undertaking such a laborious work, and embarking such immense capital in the laudable endeavour to promote evangelical truth and diffuse the knowledge of our Saviour throughout the land. We conclude by earnestly recommending this work to our brethren and friends. It is indeed "a goodly pearl," which every devout and good man should seek to possess in his family, for his own benefit and that of his children. W. C. B.' The Phila DELPHIAN. {Edited by Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, D. D.) ' The work we confidently expect will be as valuable as any two, if not three, of the Commentaries from which extracts are made, and all, we repeat it, for fifteen dollars. We like the plan and execution of the work. < Having so far examined the Comprehensive Comvicntunj now in o ( 1* ) course of publication by Fessenden &/• Co., and edited by Rev. Dr. Jenks, as to be satisfied of its 2;reat advantages over those of any other work of the kind extant; — in addition to the already copious recommendations, from a large number of highly distinguished clergymen, Presidents of Colleores and other literary gentlemen in the Northern and Middle States, we would cheerfully commend the work to the Southern com- munity as one of great and permanent value — highly worthy the patron-' age of all — especially heads of Families and Bible Class and Sunday School Teachers; and we cannot but cherish the hope that it will be re- ceived with the favour and patronage which its merits deserve, and which are so indispensable to the arduous and expensive enterprise of publishing so extensive and valuable a work.' Rev. STEPHEN TAYLOR, Pastor o/2rf Presh. Church, Richmond, Va, Rev. H. KEELING, 3d Baptist '' " " Rev. GEO. WOODBRIDGE, Rector of Christ " " * Rev. JAMES B. TAYLOR, Pastor of 2d Baptist " « Rev. A. CONVERSE, Editor of So. Re I. Telecrraph, Richw.ond, Va. Rev. WJVt S. WHITE, Gen. Agent of Virginia Trad Society. ' From Clergymen in Baltimore. ' I cordially approve of the plan and design of the Comprehensive Commentary, and of the execution of the work, so far as a cursory ex- amination of the volume published qualifies me to judge of it, and I re- commend it to the people of my pastoral charge and others, as a work well deserving of their patronage.' WILLIAM NEVINS, Pastor of the First Presb. Chh. Baltimore. ' The commentaries intended to be comprised in the work for which you propose to solicit subscribers are too well known and too generally ap- preciated to require commendation. The plan, as set forth by the pros- pectus, is a very good one, and if the whole execution proves tor be in keeping with the specimen which you have sent me for inspection, the work will well deserve, and I have no doubt will receive, the liberal pa- tronage of the Christian community.' J. JOHNS, Rector of Christ's Church, Baltimore. 'I entirely concur in the recommendations of the Comprehensive Com- mentary, given by Drs. Johns and Nevins.* J. P. K. HENSHAW, Rector of St. Peter's Church, Baltiviorc. *If my opinion is considered of any value by any one, I very readily say, that I should consider the " Comprehensive Commentary," when faithfully completed on the plan laid down in the prospectus, by far the most valuable work of the kind to be found in any language, for the com- mon reader. Matihew Henry is before all men as an expositor, and Dr. Scott's Practical Observations are scarcely equalled; while those two, with Doddridge, are of all doctrinal guides the safest amongst commenta- tors, to say nothing of others. Such a work as the one proposed, if fairly executed upon the basis of the labours of these holy, wise, and I will add learned men, must be above price.' J.R. BRECKENRIDGE, Pastor of the York-st. Presh. Churchy Baltimore. ( 16 ) From Clergymen in Wusfdngton City, D C J7u ^}T "^^Vl^ ^^ ^" acquainted with the character and standing- of the distinguished men who have recommended this work no oihef recommendation can be necessary. The undersigned fully accords with them in their opinion, and believes that they'have not rated 3 It must be an invaluable help to the correct understanding of the sacred th/ E hff ■ A^^' ;"^^^d',V'^« wish to have an excellent Commentary on lor? w^ 7" tf ""''"""""'u^^*''" ^''' Commentaries in one single 1 f 7 i' i'°'!,''''^' P"''^'' themselves of this. It is handsomely Sx- ecuted, and ottered on very reasonable terms. R. POST Pastor \st Pros. Church, Washington City: *I cheerfully concurin the views and recommendationsexprcssed above JAMES LOWRIE, D. D. Pastor F Street Church: 'The high recommendation given to the work above referred to bv the reverend gentlemen whose names are well known to the public in- duces me to believe that it is entitled to the approbation and patronatre ot all who are desirous of rightly understanding the Scriptures of Divine Kevelation, which are able to make them wise unto salvation. WILLIAM HAWLEY, Rector of St. John's Chh. Washington City: ' After such an inspection of the first volume of this work as mvtirae has permitted me to make, in the space of three or four days I freelv add my suffrage to that of many others, that it is a publication well worthy the title which it bears. It is " a Comprehensive Commentary " Whoever possesses it, will be able, without reference to other books to make himself acquainted with the leading opinions of the best and most approved Commentators, both critical and practical, on the four Evan- gelists. If the subsequent volumes shall be prepared with the same care, judiciousness and talent, which are exhibited in the one already published— and this it seems reasonable to presume— the work will be one of great value to young clergymen, to Sabbath school teachers, and- to heads of families; and, indeed, to ail who love the study of the liible, not excepting those who are already provided with other expositions of the sacred text. ASHBEL GREEN, D. D. Philadelphia, Nov. 23, 1834.' National Intelugencer, Washington City, D. C. ' The first volume of this long expected work is just published in royal octavo, in a very superior style, on a beautiful clear type and fine paper. The price of this valuable work is only three dollars per volume, substantially bound, and a cheaper work has perhaps never issued from the press.' { 16 Statesman. (^Washington, Korth Carolina.^ 'We are confident It ia a V/ork of very great merit, and for beauty of its typography and engra- vings,surpasses any thing we have seen on the same subject. This work is edited by Dr. Wm, Jenks, of Boston, and professedly combines the labours and learning of those great lights in the Christian world, Henry, Clarke, Scott, Lowth, Doddridge, Gill, and others, and will bind up in five volumes of about 800 pages each, in quarto form, embellished with superb engravings, at the astonishing low price of three dollars per vo- lume. The high recommendations of the work by distinguished Clergy- men conclusively attest its value.' The Presbvtehian. {Philadelphia.) ' We have heard this work highly commended by competent critics. * * * The volume contain- ing the Evangelists has been submitted to us, and we are decidedly of opinion, that if the other volumes are equal to this in point of execution, it will be a work every way worthy of patronage, as comprehending for family use, a larger amount of valuable matter than any Commentary extant. To such as are not furnished, we would recommend an ex- amination of this work, as containing a vast fund of matter, and at a rea- sonable price.' Petersburg Virginia Constellation. 'The price is loio, we think, for the splendid manner in which this edition of the sacred writings is gotten up.' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE; OR, Dictionary of the Bible, Theology, Religious Biography, all Religions, Ecclesiastical History, and Missions; containing Definitions of all Religious Terms; an impartial Account of the principal Christian De- nominations that have existed in the World from the Birth of Christ to the present Day, with their Doctrines, Religious Rites and Cere- monies, as well as those of the Jews, Mohammedans, and Heathen Nations; together with the Manners and Customs of the East, illus- trative of the Holy Scriptures, and a Description of the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Reptiles, Insects, Trees, Plants, and Minerals men- tioned in the Bible: a Statement of the most Remarkable Trans- actions and Events in Ecclesiastical History; Biographical Notices of the early Martyrs and distinguished Religious Writers and Characters of all Ages. To which is added a Missionary Gazetteer, containing De- scriptions of the various Missionary Stations throughout the Globe; by Rev. B. B. Edwards, Editor of Quarterly Observer. The whole brought down to the present Time, and embracing, under one Alpha- bet, the most valuable part of Calmet's and Brown's Dictionaries of the Bible; Buck's Theol. Dictionary; Abbott's Scripture Natural His- tory; Wells' Geogrnphy of the Bible ; Jones' Christian Biography; and ( 17 ) numerous other similar Works. Designed as a complete Book of Reference on all Religious Subjects, and Companion to the Bible*; forming a cheap and compact Library of Religious Knowledge. Edited by Rev. J. Newton Brown. Illustrated by Wood Cuts, Maps, and Engravings on Copper and Steel. PUBLISHERS' ADVERTISEMENT. The present is an age, and ours is a country, demanding great con- densation and brevity in writers who would secure attention. So active and busy are the habits of the mass of our countrymen, that they have neither lime nor patience to turn and peruse the pages of tlie cumbersome quartos and folios of the 17ih century; while a tolerable competency would scarcely suffice for the purchase of the numerous works of which the modern press is so fruitful, on the subjects embraced in this volume. The work, then, combining and condensing the most valuable results of the researches of the best writers on any subject, while it will be most likely to be received with favour, will at the same time be best calculated to facilitate the acquisition, and consequently the diffusion of knowledge. With these views the " Compuehensive Commentary on tiie Bible" was projected; and in its unprecedented sale has encouraged the same pub- lishers to offer to the public the present volume. The subjects embi-aced iri this work are interesting to all, and as it is not designed to he in ike least sectarian, or denoniinatio7ial, it cannot fail to be desirable for alL^ whether 'professedly religions or not, at least as a book of reference. The following are some of the peculiarities of the plan: — 1. It is designed to be a standard and permanent work; and here it is believed will be found collected and compressed in one super-royal octavo volume of upwards of twelve hundred pages, in a shape combin- ing convenience and cheapness, and in a style blending the sweetness of the popular with the richness of the proibund, wliat has heretofore been scattered through more than forty volumes, and mixed with much of little or no value. Among the works, all the valuable matter of which will be found in this, together with some from which copious e.ttracts have been made, are the following: — Biblical Illustration. — (hairnet's Dictionary of the Bible; Brown'a do.; Barr's do.; Wells' Scripture Geography; Home's Introduction; Harris' Scripture Natural History; Abbott's edition of Carpenter's do.; Paxton's Illustrations of Scrij)ture; Draper's do ;Harmer's Observations: Jahn's Archaeology; Mrs. Sherwood's Dictionary of Types and Emblems; Burdur's Oriental Customs; Josephus' Jewish Customs; Keith's Evi- dence of Prophecy ; Cogswell's Harbinger of the Millennium; Robinson s Biblical Repository; Crabbe's English Synonymes. Ecclesiastical History. — Mosheim's History of the Christian Church; Milner's do.; Jones' do.; Waddington's do.; Neander's do,; Murdock's Elements of Dogmatic History; Lord Kings History of the Primitive Church; RobinsoiT's History of Baptism; Sismondi's History of the Crusades against the Albigenses. Religious Biography. — Fox's Lives of the Martyrs; Middleton's Evangelical Biography; Jones' Christian Biog.; Davenport's Dictionary of Biography; Universal Biographical Dictionary; Belham"s Female Bi- ography; Clissold's Last Hours of Eminent Christians; Ivimey's History 2-^ ( 18 ) of the Baptists; Benedict's do.; Mather's Magnalia; Elliot's American Bi- ography; Allen's do.; Memoirs of American Missionaries; Encyclopaedia Americana. Theology. — Buck's Theological Dictionary, enlarged by Dr. Hender- son; Jones' Biblical Cyclopedia; Hawker's Biblical Dictionary; Watson's Biblical and Theological Dictionary ; Christian Examiner; Campbell's Dissertations; Dwight's Theology; Spirit of the Pilgrims; Works of Andrew Fuller; do. of Robert Hall; Douglas on the Advancement of So- ciety in Knowledge and Religion. Chkistian Denominations. — Evans' Sketch of Religious Denomina- tions; Jones' Dictionary of Religious Opinions; Hannah Adams' do.; Robbins' do. ; Douglas on Errors regarding Religion; Benedict's History of all Religions; Williams' Dictionary of do. ; Ward's Farewell Letters; Edwards' Quarterly Register. Missions. — Edwards' Missionary Gazetteer. [O^Jl/anT/ articles are original, especially those relating to the principal denominations in this country, as will be seen on reference to the fourth paragraph below. 2. It is designed for a complete book of reference on all religious sub- jects,- to which a person can turn when any thing occurs in reading or conversation connected with Religion which he does not understand, or in regard to which he wishes to refresh his memory, as he would to a dictionary for the definition of a word. Nearly every subject treated in the books which form the basis of this, is touched upon; but those which are of minor importance are very brief, and those of greater utility handled more at length. Articles rarely recurred to will be found here; but it is not burdened with any thing that is altogether useless. 3. In Theology, the general plan of Buck's Dictionary is followed ; espe- cially in its evangelical cast and Christian candour, in its copious illus- trations of important topics, and its valuable references to the iest works on both sides of the question. Watson, Jones, and others, how- ever, have supplied us occasionally with articles of superior value. [j^ The edition of Buck which has been used is the new one lately published in England, edited by Professor Henderson, who has added nearly five hundred new articles, which will be found incorporated in this. 4. The accomits of the History. Doctrines, <^c. of different denominations, have been prepared with an aim at the strictest impartiality. Where it teas practicable, some leading m.an of the principal sects existing in this country has been employed to prepare the article relating to it; and where it has not been, the matter has been draw7i from some one or more promi- nent writer of the denomination, of acknowledged authority. The work DOES NOT AIM TO EFFECT A COMPROMISE of opiniou among the different denominations of Christians, but to present the views of^ each fully, and in their own words, leaving the reader to form his own conclusions as to which is most correct. This must be a truly acceptable course to all who can respond to the sentiment quoted by Robert Hall, ^^ Amicus Plato^ amicus Socrates, sed magis arnica Veritas." The following are some of the contributors under this head; — Baptism. Pedohaptist Views, Rev. J. Tracy, Editor of the Boston Re- corder. Baptist Views, Rev. J. D. Knowles, Professor in tiie Newton Theological Institution. ( 19 ) Baptists. Prepared under the revision and sanction of Rev. Dr. Sharp Boston. '^' CongregationaRsts. Prepared by a member, and revised and sanctioned by Rev. Prof. Emerson, of Andover Theological Seminary, and Rev. Dr. Wisner, of Boston. Christians. Rev. J. V. Himes, Boston. Disciples of Christ, or Reformers. Alexander Campbell, of Bethany, Virginia. Free Will Baptists, Rev. S. Beede, Editor of the Morninff Star, Dover, N. H. & » Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. S. W. Willson, Editor of Zion'a Herald, Boston. Presbyterians. Rev. Dr. Miller, of Princeton Theological Seminary. Protestant Episcopal Church. Rev. Mr. Boyle, presbyter, of Boston. Protestant Methodist Church, Rev. T. F. Norris, President of the New England Conference. Unitarians. Rev. Prof. Palfrey. Universalists. Rev. L. R. Paige. Universal Restorationists. Rev. Paul Dean. 5. To adapt it to popular use, all words in foreign languages have been omitted; or where Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek terms unlivoidably oc- cur, they are given in English characters. 6. Scripture Biography, which occupies a large space in most Bible Die- tionuiies, is handled here in the briefest manner possible — giving only the characteristic outlines, except when difficulties occur which'require to be cleared up. 7. In consequence of the space thus gained, the new department of Re- iigious Biography is made full and extensive; embracing, it is believed, every distinguished religious writer, preacher, and character, including the most distinguished females, and those philanthropists who were actuated by religious principles. Every denomination will find here notices of its most illustrious men, especially such as have lived and died in this country, from its settlement to this time. To every notice of an author a list of his principal writings (so far as possible) is given, with a reference to the best biographies of the individual. 8. .45 a Dictionary and Gazetteer of the Bible, the work will be found, it is believed, more copious and accurate than any other now in use, adapting it to the wants of the Pulpit and of Sabbatii Schools. In the notices of the various cities and countries mentioned in the Bible, the fulfilment of the prophecies regarding them, so far as developed, are particularly noticed. 9. The object of the Encyclopedia being to do good on evangelical principles, the work preserves throughout, as far as possible, a devotional and practical, as well as a critical, picturesque, and popular character, that it may minister to the heart, no less than to the judgment and the imagination. 10. Maps and Engravings, as well as Wood Cuts, have been added to enrich and adorn, as well as illustrate, the work. On the v.hole, the amount of information imbodied in this work is immense, and it is hoped the matter, by collation., arrangement, abridg- ment, and addition, has been very greatly improved; and while itwill be found interesting and valuable to Families, and those individuals who only desire to acquire general knoiclcdge, to the Sabbath School ( ^20 Teacher and Bible Class Leader it cannot but prove an invaluable treasure. NOTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE. * The EncyclopaBdia of Religious Knowledge is, upon the whole, a valuable book of reference, and the theological articles are, in the main, good. The work is rich in biographical notices, and contains much use- ful information respecting the tenets of different sects, which in most cases is supplied by their own writers. The theological student will find it a convenient and useful companion. A. ALEXANDER, D. D. Princeton Theological Seminary, JV. J.' 'I regard the Ency. of Rel. Knowledge as a vefy valuable book of re- ference. While it is particularly convenient and useful to ministers of the gospel, it will be found to be very entertaining and instructive to others, and is well worthy of a place in every family library. B. TYLER, D. D. Pres. of E. Windsor Theol. Institute, Conn.' *I have examined the Ency. of Rel. Knowledge in sundry of its arti- cles; and holding in my library its principal authorities, I am ready to say that 1 much approve it. We have no work which contains, a.nd judi- ciously contains, so much informing matter at so moderate a price. Rev. JONATHAN HOMER, D. D. Newton, Mass.* 'This volume is certainly an exception to the general style in which compends, summaries, and Encys. are manufactured among us.^ It bears the marks of care, honest research, and accurate statement. The commendable practice is followed of giving the authorities at the close of each article. It is not a bookselling expedient, prepared in the haste of a plagiary from English works; but in part original, and in part condensed, and ac- commodated to suit the general intention of the volume. The depart- ment of religious biography is very complete ;— a field of labour in which the American Encyclopaedia is notoriously deficient. Candour and good judgment are here manifested. On the whole, we heartily commend this publication to our readers. It will repay many fold the cost of its purchase. J\'o single volume in the language, so far as toe knoio, contains a larger amount of valu- able knowledge.' [Biblical Repository and Quarterly Observer. * We are confident that this must be a valuable acquisition to any man's library: and one who expects to purchase and use much hteralure of this sort, we are equally confident, will save both money and time by subscribing for this. We iiave Encys. in other departments of science; but we do not know that any thing in the form of a Religious Ency. has ever been published in this, or any other country. A work of this kind has there- fore been a great desideratum in the religious and reading community. ( 21 ) So far as we have examined it — and we have devoted some lime and care to the subject — the book fulfils the large promise of the title quite as well a§ could reasonably be expected. It is a vast storehouse of in- formation — all the subjects indicated, judiciously selected — condensed, perspicuous, and well arranged; and, what is of great importance, with references, at the end of the more important articles, to works from which more particular information may be obtained. The work is hand- somely printed, on good paper; the type is clean and fair, and sufficient- ly large. On the whole, it is entirehj beyond any thing else extant as a convenient book of reference for clergymen, teachers of Bible classes and Sabbath schools, and all, in fact, who wish for any book of reference of the kind to assist them in their biblical *and religious reading. It is marvellously cheap. We recommend it confidently. It will not disap- point any reasonable expectations.' [Vt. Chronicle. * A very useful work, 1300 imp. 8vo. pages. Its usefulness in the fa- tnily, in reading religious intelligence and other publications, and in writing on religious subjects, is obvious. The price, for so large a vo- lume, prepared with so much labour, must be acknowledged very rea- sonable — cheap.^ [JV. Y. Evangelist. 'The editorial execution altogether surpasses my expectations, and I am persuaded the work will be extensively popular. Rev. GEO. BUSH. Prof, of Ori. Lit. in JV. Y. City University.' *lts plan is very comprehensive, and embraces a variety of informa- tion respecting the state of religion throughout the world, which cannot be obtained except by recourse to a great number of original sources. In regard to the different denominations in our own country, it is ne- cessary only to recur to the names of the gentlemen who furnish the ac- counts of them, to obtain full confidence in the fidelity with which those accounts may be expected to be composed.'— Boston Christian Register. This work contains in itself a religious library,- and as such we consider it one of great value to the Christian public. The plan of.it is happily adapted to make it a book of reference, a con- venient substitute, and more than a substitute for many volumes which Christian readers have heretofore had occasion to consult. And from an examination of a large number of articles, the plan appears to have been well executed. Many of the original articles are ably written. Those condensed from other works were evidently prepared with great care and attention, and show the result of extensive reading and pa- tient research. Its cheapness strongly commends it to public favour.' [^Southern Rel. Telegraphy Richmond, Va. 'The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge is deservedly having a large sale.' [Boston Recorder. 'Though it is a large volume, yet in view of its variety and compre- hensiveness, it is multum in parro, — much in a small space, — an ocean of matter in a drop of words. The work has been compiled with im- mense labour, with sreat accuracy and uncommon impartiality. Mr. Brown has performed his difficult and delicate task in a judicious man- ner — in a manner to highly promote the public benefit, and to entitle him ( 28 ) to the approbation and gratitude of the community. We are happy to add, that the work has been got up in a handsome style, and in good taste. We should sincerely hope, that the cause of truth and the inte- rest of the religious public may be promoted by its extensive circula- tion. It should be a companion to the Bible in every family; it should find a place in the library of every Sunday school teacher; and we ven- ture little in saying that, as a v.'ork of reference, the minister of the gos- pel would find it convenient and useful.' — American Baptist (jV. F.) 'The object of the work is to condense into one volume the most im- portant matter now scattered throughout many expensive publications. The compiler appears to have executed his task with commendable dili- gence and good judgment. It requires more than ordinary wisdom, in compiling such a work, lo determine what to reject and what to retain. As far as we have been able to examine the work, we think the author deserves the credit of a faithful and judicious compiler. — We deem the work worthy of extensive patronage. It is well executed, on good paper, and illustrated with engravings and wood cuts; and we hope the enter- prising publishers will be well repaid for their expenditure on this praise- worthy and expensive work.' iRichmond Rel. Herald. 'The general execution of the work is decidedly good. We recom- mend it for its general excellence, as a most useful book of reference, to families which desire information on religious subjects.' \_Presbyierian {Philadelphia.) 'This work is emphatically what its title imports, a repository of every description of religious knowledge, alphabetically arranged, for easy and familiar reference. It seems to embrace just that kind of knowledge which the ministers of the gospel, and the curious and enlightened Christian of every denomination, requires, relative to the Bible, theology, religious biography, ecclesiastical history, missions and all religions. The amount of matter embraced in about 1300 large octavo pages^on these subjects is incalculable — enough, we should think, to fill 15 or 20 volumes of the Family Library. We consider it, in fact, if not the only, the most recent, comprehensive, illustrative, and trustworthy work of reference on all denominational points, and topics adverted to above, extant. It is designed as a complete book of reference on all religious subjects, and companion to the Bible, forming a compact library of reli- gious knowledge: and when its excellence is fully known, it will, we doubt not, find a place in almost every Christian family.' [JV. y. Weekly Messenger. , * We have recently procured a copy of this excellent work; — it is just such a work as the religious public have long needed. It fills a place that is not occupied by any other icork in the English language. We wish one could be placed in the hands of every minister of the gospel throughout our country. This one volume would be to him a valuable library of religious knowledge; he might accumulate a great variety of books before he could otherwise obtain the information which he needs upon various points, and which would be directly available in the great work in which he is engaged. Here he has a condensed, but accurate and satisfactory view of the religious customs and sentiments of the dif- ferent denominations of Christians; and, notwithstanding their number and diversity, he can in this volume hear them nearly all speak their own language and assign their own reasons. ( 23 ■) But besides information with regard to different religions, and the dif- ferent denominations of the Christian religion, the minister of Christ may here find a distinct and evangelical statement of the o-reat leadintr doctrines of the Scriptures; which will be no small advantage to any who may have had to enter upon the ministry with but little prepara- tion. On the same account, this work recommends itself as a most impor- tant help to every Bible class and Sabbath school teacher. Indeed, every head of a family, who wishes to acquire and impart to his children correct and enlightened views upon religious subjects in general, should have in his library this Encycloprcdia. Were tliis generally the case, we might soon expect to see a higher degree of religious knowledcre in cir- culation, and fewer misconceptions and misrepresentations respecting the sentiments of different religious denominations.* [Zions Jidvocate {Portland.) *Few works of more value can be named, even in this time of con- densing books. For theological students as a book of reference, and as a family book for youths, to which they may devote their evenings, and imbibe correct information upon the almost boundless field of survey which is connected with the moral and religious condition of mankind, it is unequalled in variety and amplitude of knowledge. We have ex- tensively searched the articles of which it is composed; and can attest to the general fidelity with which the work has been compiled. We have ascertained that the Ency. of Kel. Knowledge comprehends the substance of FIFTY valuable works; all of which formerly were consi- dered necessary to the library not only of a scholar, but also of all Chris- tians who were anxious to obtain accurate and enlarged information of scriptural truth and ecclesiastical history. We can conceive of nothing more beneficial to the American churches than this laborious and grand scheme for the diffusion of religious knowledge, [JV. Y. Protestant Vindicator. {From the Literary and Theological Review, {JVew York,) edited by Rev. Leonard Woods, Jr.) ' It is enough to say in commendation of it, that it fulfils the promise set forth in its long, descriptive, comprehensive title. The original arti- cles contained in it are numerous, and of great value. The mechanical execution is excellent, and the whole constitutes, we have no doubt, the completest and most valuable book of reference, adapted to the use of families, Sunday school teachers, and ministers of the gospel, that has ever been prepared and published in this country.' (From the New York Observer.) *This volume is on a plan which we believe to be original, and which cannot fail, if its execution be judicious and faithful, to secure to the work extensive popularity and usefulness. So far as we have examined the articles in the work, with a few exceptions we think favourably of the skill, judgment and fidelity with which it has been executed. The names of several of the original contributors arc sufficient to warrant the highest expectations concerning the articles which they have prepared.' ( 24 ) LIPPINCOTT'S EDITION OF THE OXFORD QUARTO BIBLE. The publishers have spared neither care nor expense in their edition of the Bible, it is printed on the finest white vellum paper with large and beautiful type, and bound in the most substanial and splendid manner, in the following styles: — Velvet, with richly t gilt ornaments; Turkey, super extra, with gilt clasps, and in numerous others to suit the taste of the most fastidious. Opinions of the Press. " In our opinion, the Christian public generally will feel under great obligations to the publishers of this work, for the beautiful taste, arrange- ment, and delicate neatness with which they have got it out. The in- trinsic merit of the Bible recommends itself. It needs no tinsel orna- ment to adorn its sacred pages. In this edition every superfluous ap- pendage has been avoided, and we have presented us, a perfectly chaste, specimen of the Bible without note or comment. It appears to be just what is needed in every family, 'the unsophisticated word of God.' "The size is quarto, printed with beautiful type, on white sized vellum paper of the finest texture, and most beautiful surface. "The publishers seem to have been solicitous to make a perfectly unique book, and they have accomplished the object very successfully, We trust that a liberal community will afford them ample remuneration for all the expense and outlay they have necessarily incurred in its pub- lication. It is a standard Bible. " The publishers are Messrs. J. B. Lippincott & Co., corner of 4th and Race Streets, Philadelphia." — Bapt. Record. "A beautiful quarto edition of the Bible, by J. B. Lippincott & Co. Nothing can exceed the type in clearness and beauty; the paper is of the finest texture; and the whole execution is exceedingly neat. No illustrations or ornamental type are used. Those who prefer a Bible executed in perfect simplicity, yet elegance of style, without adornment, will probably never find one more to their taste." — M. Magazine. THE COMPANION TO THE BIBLE, Designed to accompany the Family Bible, or Henry's, Scott's, Clarke's, Gill's, or other commentaries. II. jJ new, full, and complete concordance ; illustrated with monumental, traditional, and oriental engravings, founded on Butterworth's, with Cruden's definitions; forming, it is believed, on many accounts, a more valuable work than either I3utterworth, Cruden, or any otiier similar book in the language. The value of a concordance is now generally understood, and those who have used one, consider it indispensable in connexion with the Bible. ,J TP (P:,>}f Ji>->?7,/- •<-.tvt,rAf.,iwrtrm*.:W^.:'^ i-'. ■.:■..■;. Date Due ClAN 3 1 ^63 jmiimax?ff'st»<*fmft. , ,«<*^" PRINTED IN U. S. A.