ARTICLE XXIX.-"Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper." In this Article is again shown in a negative form, that it is only by faith and in a spiritual manner that Christ's Body and Blood are partaken of in the Sacrament. The wicked, who cannot have, and those simply devoid of, a "lively faith," though they duly and visibly receive the outward sign, are in no way partakers of Christ and all the benefits of His death and passion; for it is only by that "lively faith" joined to a "true penitent heart," that the outward sign is a pledge and means to receive, the " inward and spiritual grace" given us through the same. Lacking that, though we receive His "creatures of Bread and Wine," we cannot be "partakers of His most blessed Body and Blood." St. Augustine saw and set forth this truth even in his day, before the clouds of error and superstition had so closed round the Medieval Church that she could no longer discern the symbolised from the symbol, or separate the spiritual and the material. The following is the passage here referred to; "qui non manet in Christo, et in quo non manet Christus, procul dubio nec manducat spiritualiter carnem ejus, nec bibit ejus sanguinem, licet carnaliter et visibiliter premat dentibus sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Christi; sed magis tantæ rei sacramentum ad judicium sibi manducat et bibit." To join in the outward ordinance and receive the sacred pledges of that which we do not possess or care to seek, is to make a mockery of God's most holy institution, which will most surely bring upon us His wrath and judgment. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked," He can discern between mere visible profession, and the true worship of the heart in spirit and in truth. "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." ARTICLE XXX.-" Of both Kinds." This is again a protest against another abuse of the Church of Rome, in connection with the sacrament. The refusal of the Cup to the Laity has not the slightest warrant in Scripture. The Cup was given to the disciples on the institution of this rite with substantially the same words as was the Bread. St. Paul, writing to the Church-not the Minis ters alone at Corinth, uses such expressions as these. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." "Let a man,"-not a priest only" examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." The Apostolic Church, and the Primitive Church as mentioned by Justin Martyr in the second century, administered the communion in both kinds to the whole congregation, though in private communion sometimes but one kind was given. In the beginning of the twelfth century the use of the cup was by degrees denied in several Churches, "for fear of irreverence and effusion." The Council of Constance, A.D. 1414, confirmed this practice by canonical decree: it will be seen this refusal of the Cup was established about the same time as the doctrine of Transubstantiation. The Council of Trent in its Catechism gives the following reasons for the denial of the Cup. To avoid spilling the blood. Reserved wine might turn acid. Some cannot endure the taste or scent of wine. Because wine is scarce in some countries. To oppose more plainly the heresy which denies that the whole Christ is contained in either species; but the real object of the papal Church in this as all her other offices, was to make the Laity mere onlookers and assistants at a service which in its fulness was the priest's alone. The aim of the Reformed Church is to admit the We see by the above quotations, and many similar passages, how our Saviour was truly "Emmanuel," "God with us," "perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh. subsisting." And "as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ." It is evident the Divine could not have been united to the sinful: Christ has most surely taken our nature upon Him in all but its sinful aspect. The lamb offered as His prototype in the Jewish sacrifices was strictly ordered to be without blemish or spot, in token of "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." Only twice has man been created sinless. Adam was the first; he was without sin until being tempted, he fell, being but man, and brought sin into all the world, so that every descendant of his is born a child of wrath. Adam's sin was not original, but actual; humanity is ever since guilty of both, till the "second Adam the Lord from heaven came into the world, who not only, as Adam, was sinless in His human nature, but in the power of the Divine resisted and overcame temptation, and destroyed for ever the power of the tempter on all who believe in Him. All who truly believe are granted to be partakers of His nature, as He once partook of ours. "Now are we the sons of God:" but of the first Adam as well, therefore, so long as we remain in this world his evil nature must be ours too; the old man and be struggling within us for the mastery: We have constant need to pray to Him whose Diesbet was manifested that He might desuoy of the devil and make us the sons of Gros al 1. we shall be like him, for we shal ARTICLE XVI.-" Of Sen after 1 T The last group of Articles wCIC [ ( the great truth of Justification. upon that class which deals with the under discussion by the Calvinistic |
