L. 6. de Bell.

Gal.

this purpose it was, that even the Druides of old, as Cafar tells us, having made their Sacrifices, the Teftimony of their Union, whenever any of their People did obftinately disobey their Orders, the Punishment they inflicted on them, was, to interdict them the Ufe and Participation of their Sacrifices; and whoever fell under this Cenfure, was counted Criminal and Impious; his Company, Dif courfe and Converfation, fhun'd as the Plague; and he depriv'd of the benefit of the Law, and look'd upon as infamous and fcandalous. Such vifible Badges the Son of God, when he left the Earth, thought fit to give to the Christian World, to be witness of their Union and Communion,viz. Baptifm, and the Supper of the Lord; the former, as a Mark of their being admitted into his Church; the other, to advance and increase that Spiritual Life, of which the former may be fuppos'd to have fown the Seed, and laid the happy Foundation; and though all that come and apply themselves to the use of these Ordinances, are not therefore true Members of his Church, or lively Stones in that Spiritual Building; yet as these Myfteries, and frequenting of them, are ftanding Witnesses of their having addicted themselves and vow'd obedience to Chrift's Religion; fo they are means, whereby they may not only arrive to a lively fense of their Duty, but whereby their Union and Communion may be promoted, and proclaimed to all that are without the Pale of Chriftian Congregations. And were the ancient Difcipline of the Church revived, and reduced to its former luftre and glory, we may rationally conclude, that to be depriv'd of the use of these two, especially of the latter, would be more infamous and grievous, than it was among the Heathen to be excluded from the participation of their Sacrifices; as the Benefits, of which People are depriv'd thereby are of greater confequence and concernment,than thofe, which the Pagans expected from their unreasonable Service.

11. As to the Sacred Rite of Diftributing and Participa ting of Bread and Wine, univerfally practifed in the Chri

ftian Church, and which is the proper Subject of the enfuing Difcourfe, the reafon why it is called the Lord's Supper, is,

1. Because the Lord of Lords, and King of Yugi, in whofe Name is Wonderful, The Lord Jesus Cirik, Ence is lemnly inftituted, and ordain'd it. It was the fatal Ka when the Jews, prompted by the Prince of Lanset, and blind with Rage and Envy, were come dir parit him, as against a Thief, with Staves and beams is m ry him to Death and the Crow; et verse for a zing Tragedy began, having eater the Feftover with It Difciples, and by fo doing put an end to the ad Shadows of the Ceremona LOT DE 1901 bes Wine, and gave it to all the Church to them of bid them eat and drink of an issu er Thoughts, and reflect upon at the face Love to their immortal Sori ad eas for Be to do so too. The

was Crucified, and wowon Gu 12

Lord and Chrift, was the Mafe at by fiz

and from him r. ruft derives hate

2. Because the Eucose. Lemon is a Connroemorate the Leate

the Pafover, under Hav great Deliverance from the

of the Feat of Tarruan.. fer the Widener Di Civic,

L. 6. de Bell.
Gal.

this purpose it was, that even the Druides of old, as Cafar tells us, having made their Sacrifices, the Teftimony of their Union, whenever any of their People did obftinately disobey their Orders, the Punishment they inflicted on them, was, to interdict them the Ufe and Participation of their Sacrifices; and whoever fell under this Cenfure, was counted Criminal and Impious; his Company, Dif courfe and Converfation, fhun'd as the Plague; and he depriv'd of the benefit of the Law, and look'd upon as infamous and fcandalous. Such visible Badges the Son of God, when he left the Earth, thought fit to give to the Chriftian World, to be witness of their Union and Communion,viz. Baptifm, and the Supper of the Lord; the former, as a Mark of their being admitted into his Church; the other, to advance and increase that Spiritual Life, of which the former may be fuppos'd to have fown the Seed, and laid the happy Foundation; and though all that come and apply themselves to the use of these Ordinances, are not therefore true Members of his Church, or lively Stones in that Spiritual Building; yet as thefe Mysteries, and frequenting of them, are standing Witnesses of their having addicted themselves and vow'd obedience to Chrift's Religion; fo they are means, whereby they may not only arrive to a lively fenfe of their Duty, but whereby their Union and Communion may be promoted, and proclaimed to all that are without the Pale of Chriftian Congregations. And were the ancient Difcipline of the Church revived, and reduced to its former luftre and glory, we may rationally conclude, that to be depriv'd of the use of these two, especially of the latter, would be more infamous and grievous, than it was among the Heathen to be excluded from the participation of their Sacrifices; as the Benefits, of which People are depriv'd thereby are of greater confequence and concernment,than thofe,which the Pagans expected from their unreafonable Service.

H. As to the Sacred Rite of Diftributing and Participa ting of Bread and Wine, univerfally practifed in the Chri

ftian Church, and which is the proper Subject of the enfuing Difcourfe, the reafon why it is call'd the Lord's Supper, is,

1. Becaufe the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, be whofe Name is Wonderful, The Lord Jefus Chrift, bath folemnly inftituted, and ordain'd it. It was the fatal Night, when the Jews, prompted by the Prince of Darkness, and blind with Rage and Envy, were come out against him, as against a Thief, with Staves and Spears, to hurry him to Death and the Crofs; juft before this amazing Tragedy began, having eaten the Paffover with his Difciples, and by fo doing put an end to the Types and Shadows of the Ceremonial Law, he took Bread and Wine, and gave it to all the Church then prefent, and bid them eat and drink of it, and in fo doing,have higher Thoughts, and reflect upon all the Inftances of his Love to their Immortal Souls, and teach their Succeffors to do fo too. This Jefus, who by wicked hands

was Crucified, and whom God hath made both Acts 2. 36. Lord and Chrift, was the Master and Author of this Feast, and from him it justly derives its Name.

2. Because the End of this Eating and Drinking is to Commemorate the Death of the Lord Jefus. As the end of the Paffover, under the Law, was to remember the great Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage; and that of the Feast of Tabernacles, their being guided through the Wilderness by a Cloud, and their Ancestors dwelling in Booths and Tents: As the Feast of Trumpet's was inftituted either by way of Anticipation, that they might remember afterwards how the Walls of Jericho fell; or to refresh their Minds with Ifaac's Sacrifice, (an Emblem of the Meffiah's Death,) and the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecoft, was ordained as a Teftimony of their Gratitude for a plentiful Harveft, and to put them in mind of the Liberty they gain'd, when God gave them the Law, and entred into a Covenant with them; and that of Purim, to bring into their Memories, how they were rescued from the Cruelty of Haman the Amalekite; and that of the Dedication, to suggest to them the Rebuild

ing of the Temple: So the Lord Jefus enjoyn'd and recommended the keeping of this Feaft to his Followers, that they might remember,how their Master loved them, and made his Death a Demonftration of Love; how he died to make them happy, and denied himself in all the Contents of Life, to make theirs bleffed and glorious for ever; how he submitted to the Power of the Grave, to purchase their comfortable Resurrection, and fell a Sacrifice, that they might have hopes of Pardon thro' his Blood; a Remembrance fo juft, that if this Charity deferves not frequent Commemoration, no Mercy, no Benefit, no Favour, no Providence can deferve it, for this goes beyond all, that the Word of God calls glorious and beneficial to Mankind.

3. It's the Lord's Supper, because the Lord Jefus is Meat and Drink in this Feaft; Meat indeed, and Drink indeed, as the Expression is, John 6. 11. for though that Chapter fpeaks not directly of this Supper, yet the Phrafes and Modes of Speech used there, may very piously be applied to what is reprefented by the Elements in this Feaft; for the Benefits, Advantages,and Emoluments of Chrift's Death, are Food fo proper to a religious Soul, and a gracious Mind feeds fo favourly upon thefe,that nothing deferves the Name of Spiritual Meat and Drink, fo much as thefe; and indeed, these nourish and feed the Soul, make her strong and lively; these are her Cordials and Restoratives, and in the Nature of David's Oil, Pfalm 104. 15. which make her Face to fhine.

4.It's the Lord's Supper,because the nourishment and strength it affords or yields, is by the Influence of the Lord Jesus He fends his Spirit into the Soul, that comes to hi Feaft hungry and thirfty, and longing after the Riche of God's Love, whereby the Soul is inflam'd to lov him, who bought her at this dear rate; and that lov produces Peaceableness, and Gentleness, and Faith, an Purity, and Sincerity, and Delight in good Works which are excellent figns of the Souls growing strong i the ufe of the Spiritual Food. The Holy Spirit of Chri destroy