concerned in the Reformation 1638, were fincerely defirous to promote greater frequency in remembering the dying love of Jefus. And accordingly the Affembly referred the above-mentioned article to the Committee's report to the confideration of Prefbyteries; and declared that the charges fhould rather be paid out of that day's collection, than that the congregation want the more frequent use of the facrament.

A pamphlet was printed at Edinburgh, 1641, intitled, The Order and Difcipline of the Church of Scotland. The author only obferves in the general, that the Lord's Supper is more frequently miniftered in fome congregations than in others, but he does not mention how often in any. Hẹ informs us, p. 21. "The Sabbath next, before "the communion fhall be celebrated, public "warning thereof is made by the pastor, and of "the doctrine of preparation to be taught the "last day of the week, or at least towards the "end of the week, that the communicants may "be the better prepared by the use of the means

both in public and private." Here is no mention of any other minifter's affifting the minister of the parish, nor of any Faft-Days or Thankfgiving-Days regularly obferved before and after the facrament. On the contrary, it is faid, p. 24. "The communion being thus célebrated in the "forenoon, the people meet again in the after66 noon, at which time the minifter teacheth the "doctrine of thanksgiving, and closeth the public "and folemn worship of that day, from which "the people ufe to depart refreshed with the grace and "peace of God, and strengthened with new and "fresh refolutions to ferve the Lord."

Ia

In the 14th Seffion of the Affembly met at, Edinburgh 1645, of which Mr. Robert Douglafs was Moderator, the opinion of the committee for keeping the greater uniformity in this Kirk was laid before them, and, after serious confideration, approved in all its articles, and ordained to be obferved in all time hereafter. Among other things they injoined, "That there be no read

ing in the time of communicating, but the "minifter make a fhort exhortation at every "Table; that thereafter there be Silence during "the time of the communicants receiving, ex"cept only when the minifter expreffeth fome "few fhort fentences, fuitable to the present "condition of the communicants in their receiv

ing, that they may be incited and quickened "in their meditations in the action. That when "the communion is to be celebrated in a parish,

one Minifter may be employed for affifting the "minifter of the parifh, or, at the most, two. "That there be one Sermon of preparation, deli❝vered in the ordinary place of public worship, "upon the day immediately preceding. That "before the ferving of the tables, there be only "one fermon delivered to thofe who are to com"municate, and that in the fame Kirk there be "one fermon of thanksgiving after the commu"nion is ended. That the minifter who cometh "to affift, have a special care to provide his own "parish, left otherwife while he is about to mi"nifter comfort to others, his own flock be left "deftitute of preaching (u)."

(u) Acts of the General Affembly from 1638 to 1649, P. 267, 268.

It

It is now time to enquire, how the present rareness of communions, and the multitude of week-days fermons before and after them, was first introduced. And all I can do, is to mention two or three probable conjectures, as I know no certain account of that matter.

It began, fays one, in the perfecuting times, when many minifters under hiding, and the whole Prefbyterians of a country, by ftealth, got together. And when they met for this end, it may be once in feveral years, they knew not how often to preach; and the people had a boundless appetite to hear, fo long as they could be fubfifted and fafe. But though the perfecution they were under fufficiently excufed their fo feldom receiving the Lord's Supper, is it poffible for us to vindicate our conduct, who live in quiet and peaceable times? It was neceffity with them, and therefore not blame-worthy It must be choice with us, and therefore criminal.

The author of Dan in Beerfheba, gives the following account of the matter, from two books printed at London, 1657, (viz. Uldericus Veridicus five de ftatu Ecclefia Scoticana. And, A true Reprefentation of the Rife, Progress, and State of the Divifions in the Church of Scotland,) both of them writ by public Refolutioners. The General Affembly say they, in the year 1645, did establish an order for preventing confufion in the celebration of the facrament, with which the whole church were fatisfied. Yet, fince our divifions, our diffenting brethren have taken up a new and irregular way of difpenfing the holy Supper, whereby they have turned it, either into a theatrical pomp, or into the Popish error of opus operatum. It is but feldom they difpenfe this ordinance. But when it

comes

'comes to be administrated in a church where any of them is minifter, even they who are in the remoteft parts of the kingdom, being warned, flock to them. To those of their own party, of whatever parish, the heavenly bread is diftributed, while most of their own parishioners are excluded. They have a great many minifters affifting them, fix or feven, nay, fometimes double that number, whofe congregations are generally left destitute of preaching that day. Every day of their meeting, viz. Saturday, the Lord's Day, and Monday, (N. B. They had then no Faft-Days), many of these minifters do preach fucceffively one after another; fo that three or four, or sometimes more, do preach at their Preparation, and as many on the Monday following. And on the Sabbath fometimes three or four preach before they go to the Action, befides those who preach to the multitude of the people, who cannot be contained in the church. Never before were there fo many fermons in any church in fo fhort a time. Thefe practices, as they are a clear violation of the order unanimously established in the church, and do occafion great animofity and alienation of fimple people against thofe minifters who will not imitate thofe irregular courfes; fo uninterefted obfervers perceive a clear defign in all this, to fet up themselves as the only zealous and pious people, worthy to be trufted and followed in our public differences: Which if it be not an injury to that facred ordinance, and an improving that, which should be a bond of unity and communion, to be a wedge to drive and fix a rent, let the judicious and fober judge.-Poffibly fome of these reflections were too fevere, and dictated by Party Spirit:

Spirit; yet there is ground to think they were not wholly without foundation.

It is not improbable, that the practice of the minifters of the counties of Down and Antrim, about 1626, many of whom afterwards came over to Scotland, might contribute to multiply fermons, particularly in the fields, before and after communions. But when the fpirit is carrying on a remarkable work of conviction and conversion, as he then was in these counties, things may be fit, which at other times would be highly unfeafonable (v).

After the Revolution, the Lord's Supper continued to be feldom administered; fermons on the Faft-Day, Saturday, and Monday, were kept up, and many minifters employed to affift. The general affembly 1701, to remedy these things, recommended it to prefbyteries," to take care, "that the facrament of the Lord's Supper be "more frequently adminiftered in their bounds; " and that the number of minifters to ferve "thereat be reftricted, fo that neighbouring churches "be not thereby caft defolate on the Lord's "Day (w)."

The fixth act of the affembly 1711, gives fo ftrong a proof of the zeal of our church for frequent communicating, that I cannot but infert it intire. "The general affembly confidering, "that, in fome places, the facrament of the "Lord's Supper is administered only in the Sum"mer feafon, where-through people are deprived "of the benefit of that holy ordinance during the "reft of the Year, do therefore recommend to