'A lively image of the great sacrifice of the Cross': a Francis Atterbury sermon for Good Friday 1718
Mindful that Atterbury was a representative of the High Church tradition, the (thoroughly Protestant) sacramental teaching he here sets forth was commonplace across the Church of England, a sign of the 'unity and accord' of 18th century Anglicanism. While it would come to be condemned by the Tractarians and their successors as an unacceptably 'low' eucharistic theology, Atterbury demonstrates how it could give rise to a warm and vibrant sacramental piety.
The sermon is an example of how the language of 'symbols' and 'remembrance' - the standard eucharistic discourse of 18th century Anglicanism - should not be dismissed. For at the Table is set before us "a lively image of the great sacrifice of the Cross", renewing us in love for and gratitude to the Crucified.
A Third instance and proof of our glorying as becomes us in the cross of Christ, is, if we frequently and worthily celebrate the memorial of his death, the blessed sacrament of his body and blood. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew forth the Lord's death, until he come" .... ye do significantly express it, ye do solemnly publish and declare it. Indeed both the sacraments, that of baptism, and this of the Lord's Supper, as they derive their efficacy from the cross of Christ, so do they carry in them some resemblance of his death: Baptism, of his death and resurrection jointly; the eucharist, of his death only; being instituted for this very end and purpose, to imprint on our minds, by symbols of bread broken, and wine poured out, a lively image of the great sacrifice of the cross, and to inspire us by that means, with such holy thoughts and affections, as a good Christian would have, if he were really an eye witness of the passion of Christ. Often therefore ought we to resort to this mysterious repast, even as often as we have occasion (and when have we not occasion?) to raise our gratitude, and improve our devotion, and inflame our love towards God, for the abundant mercies bestowed on us, in the sufferings and death of our Saviour. Nor can we abstain from this table of the Lord, without forgetting (indeed without so far renouncing) our relation to Christ crucified, and thereby declaring ourselves utterly unworthy of that holy name whereby we are called. "Verily, verily, except we eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, we have no life in us". Twas his dying charge to us, "Do this in remembrance of me". And surely, considering how much he has done and suffered for us, had he commanded us some hard thing, we should not have refused to comply with him: How much less should we refuse, when we are only commanded to remember him, by an action naturally pleasing and delightful to us? when he invites us only to eat and to drink at his own table?
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