deftroys the reigning Power of Sin in her, and the government of the Flesh; for the leaner this grows, and the more the authority of it is diminish'd, the better the Soul thrives, and the more vigorous and active it be comes in all its Faculties. III. Though to call this Feaft, The Lord's Supper, when it is in moft Churches celebrated in the Morning, feems to be improper, yet the reason why it still bears the Name, is, because the fame fubftantial Actions are ftill obferv'd in the Celebration of it, that were used by Chrift and his Difciples at his firft inftitution in the Night; and not only the fame Actions, but the fame End and Defign is kept on Foot, which we find in its firft foundati on; and whenever it is celebrated, it's still in imitation of that Supper,and that Supper is ftill remembred in it. The reason why Christ in inftituting of it, made ufe of the Night, which gave it the name of a Supper, was, be caufe it was to be fuccedaneous, to the Paffover, which, according to Custom, was eaten at Night, as the Delive rance, which the Jews remembred then, was perform'd by the Angel at Night And as the Paffover represented the Old Covenant or Teftament, and this Feaft the New, fo it was fit, that the latter fhould be inftituted immediately after the Celebration of the former, that both being fet together, their different fignification might more plainly appear, and Men might fee, what Mercies they might expect from the bringing in of a better Covenant. This being the occafion of Christ's celebrating this Feaft at Night, and confequently the reafon cealing with the Typical Paffover, the Chriftian Churches, in procefs of time, took the liberty of celebrating it at all Seafons, as they faw it either neceffary or expedient. And though what I have faid about the Paffover, is the principal reafon, why Chrift made choice of the Night for this Inftitution, yet, for ought we know, it might be with an intent alfo to hint to us, how by: this Sacrament, the Night of Ignorance, which fate heavy on the minds of most Men, would be difpell'd; that by " B Night Night is fometimes understood, the Night of Ignorance, in Scripture, is evident from Matth. 4. 16. Ef. 9. 1, 2. Rom. 13. 12. and that by the devout and religious ufe of this Sacrament, our Ignorance is in a great measure cured, experience is a fufficient teftimony: Hereby certainly our Minds are fignally enlightned, and we behold the Wif dom, Love, and Goodness of God, difcover the methods and ways of Salvation, get clear Apprehenfions of the Mysteries of our Faith, and fee how inconsistent the works of Darkness are with this folemn remembrance of the Death of Chrift; hereby we come to feel the Power of God toward them that believe, and find out the Secret of the Union, that is betwixt Chrift and his true Followers; and learn to know, that what is faid in the Word of God, concerning the tender regard of Chrift to his Church and Friends, is no Fable. Add to all this, that Chrift made choice of the Night, poffibly to put us in mind of his fudden coming to Judgment, which is frequently expreffed in Scripture by his coming in the Night, Mark 13. 35, 36. Luke 12. 38, 39. 1 Thef. 5. 2. Rev. 3. 3. nor is it an unfuitable Reflection in this Sacrament to contemplate his coming to judge the World; for though that coming may ftrike terror into Men, that put the evil day far from them, and prepare not for their Lord's coming, yet to a Soul enlightned and fanctified, it cannot but afford matter of Comfort, to think at fuch times, that the fame Jefus, who was Crucified, will e'er long appear in Glory with all his mighty Angels, to give thofe that have followed him in the Regeneration, full poffeffion of the purchas'd Glory. However at the best, the Celebration of this Feaft at Night was but a circumftantial thing, and therefore the Church is not oblig'd to keep to it, circumftantial things depending much upon Conveniency, or Inconveniency, which vary in feveral Ages; and this was the reafon, that though standing at the eating of the Paffover was a commanded Circumstance, Exod. 12. 11. yet the Jewish Church, in after Ages, varied from it, even by Chrift's own Approbation, and turned that posture into leaning, learning, as I fhall have occafion to fhew more largely in the Chapter about Kneeling at the Communion. The Church therefore fins not in celebrating this Feast at any other time, especially in a Circumftance barely related, not commanded. Yet, as I faid before, because this Spiritual Feaft, kept up in all Churches, is ftill in imitation of Chrift's Supper, and that Supper is religiously remembred in it, and the fame effential things, together with the scope, drift, and design of all, are still preserved, it is not unfitly called the Lord's Supper ftill; fo that if any Man feems to be contentious about the Name, We have no fuch Custom, neither the Churches of God, 1 Cor. 12. 16. IV. Yet this is no Argument, but that it may also lawfully be called and expreffed by other Names, and this we find the Chriftian Churches have done from time to time. Tertullian was the first that called it a Sacrament, taking the Name from the Oaths the Roman Soldier's took, that they would be true and faithful to their Emperor, and the rather, because we vow Allegiance and Fidelity in this Ordinance to the great Mafter that died for us. Others have call'd it an Oblation, because we of fer up our humble Prayers and Supplications to the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Christ, and our Souls and Bodies too, when we remember his Beneficial Death. Sometimes it hath been call'd a Sacrifice, because it is not only a commemoration of the wonderful Sacrifice of Chrift's Death, but we chearfully offer up the Sacrifice of our Praifes for this ineftimable Mercy. The Name of Communion occurs frequently in the Writings of the Ancients, because all fincere Chriftians are hereby tied in a Bond of mutual Love, participate of the fame Bread, are Fellow-members of the Myftical Body of Chrift, and have Communion with Chrift their Head, and enjoy all the fame Benefits of his Death and Sufferings. The Word Eucharift is used as often as any other, because thanksgiving and magnifying the Goodness, Mercy, and Charity of God the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, B 2 are are great part of the Service here. The mame Mafs which they of the Roman Perfuafion, and even the Luthe ran Churches made ufe of, as it was not known in the Church for the firft Four hundred Years after Chrift, fo the Original of it was this; When the Lord's Supper was to be celebrated after Sermon, the Deacon or fome other Officer of the Church, called to the People, that did not, or were not to receive, in thefe words, Ite, miffa eft, Depart, the Congregation is difmiffed. In time, that which was only a preliminary Circumftance of the Lord's Supper, was applied to the whole Office, and the Service was called Miffa, or Mafs, a word which the Romanists make a great stir with, and turn into a perfect Charm, and a monftrous Sacrifice, to the great difparagement of Chrift's Sufferings, and the Benefits that accrue thereby to true Believers. Some of their Writers make it a Hebrew word, and fetch it from the Old Teftament; others derive it from the Greek, others from the Northern Language; and though it expreffes less than any of thofe Names we mention'd before, yet hath this fwallowed up all the reft, and the more fuperftitious in the Roman Church are almoft afraid to call it by any other Name; and the Mafsis that which both young and old, both learned and unlearned among them, have most frequently in their Mouths, though few of the Vulgar know what it means. I omit here many other Names, appropriated by Writers to this Mystery; fuch as Collect Oeconomy, Liturgy, Dominical, Agenda, Anaphora, Synaxis, &c. partly, because I intend no Critical Hiftory; and partly, becaufe by the Names I have already fpoken of, this Sacrament is ufually known in the Western Churches. That we do fo often call it a Mystery, is, because the things discover'd and intimated here, do altogether de pend upon Divine Revelation, and are fuch as Flesh and Blood understood not, and the Secrets of which, none but a Perfon enlightened by the Spirit of God, apprehends to any purpose, and which tranfcended all the Arcana or hidden Points of Heathen Divinity. V. The Name of the Lord's Supper puts us in mind that this Holy Feast differs from common Suppers. 1. In that common Suppers are for the fupport of Nature, this for the fupport of Grace and Goodness in our Souls. The former are intended for the ftrengthning of the Body, this for the corroboration of our Faith, and Hope and Love. Our common Supper reprefents to us the Ordinary Providence of God, which opens its hand, and fills the defire of every living thing; This, God's extraordinary Difpenfation; which fhews at what coft and charges we are made the Children of God, and fitted for everlasting habitations. The former gives us an account of the Bleffings of God's Left, this of the Favours of his Right Hand: The former bids us look into the nether, this into the upper Springs of the Divine Cle mency. 2. In our common Suppers, our Spirits may unbend, and our Minds and Tongues take liberty of thinking and speaking of things relating to our neceffary Employments in the World; in this, our Thoughts must raife, mount up with Wings as Eagles, pierce the Clouds, and fix on the Riches of Divine Love, retire from the World, view God, and his glorious Attributes, and unite with that excellent Object, improve themselves into Contemplation, and adore the Mystery of Redemption. In the former, no other Preparation is required, but what we are to bring with us to common Affairs and Business, i. e. Gravity and Sobriety; but in this, the Heart must be prepared, the Soul chafed, the Affections warmed, Prayers offer'd. Ejaculations prefs into God's Prefence, and Self-examination difpofes the Soul for the vifits of the Holy Ghoft, that it may be a worthy Gueft at fuch a Table, and the rather, because God is in a special manner prefent here; for where-ever-Providence difplays its brighter Beams of Love, there God is eminently prefent; that makes Heaven what it is, because there the Divine Goodness fhines moft gloriouйly. In this Sacrament are fet before us more than ordinary Characters of God's Love; the Angels of Heaven, faith B 3 St. Chry |