The Christian Sacrifice, Part 1
PART I. Of the Obligations we have to Communicate.
For the Firſt of theſe, to make you ſenſible of the neceſſity and weight of this Duty, there are theſe Six things to be conſidered.
THAT we have an expreſs Command for it, from our Lord and Maſter; to whoſe ſervice we were ſolemnly devoted, when we were Baptized. And leſt there ſhould be any room for ſhifting and excuſes, this Command is ſo ordered that it hath reſpect both to the Officers and Miniſters in his Church, and alſo to the People under their Care: to the former, that they might prepare this Holy Table; to the other, that they might come to pertake of it. Firſt, he requires his Apoſtles, Luke 22.19. to do this in remembrance of him. Which words, it is plain refer to what our Saviour then did, who took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave it unto them ſaying, this is my body which is given for you: thi… do in remembrance of me, And therefore it is as much as if he had ſaid, Do you take bread, give thanks, break it, and give it to all my family hereafter.
Now if they were bound to give it, then all Chriſtians no doubt muſt be bound (though there had been nothing more ſaid) to receive, and eat it. But the more to inforce the Duty, they are requir…d ſo to do, according as S. Paul hath declared the mind and intention of our Lord in this buſineſs (and he is the only perſon beſide S. Luke who makes mention of theſe words Do this in remembrance of me; though two other Evangeliſts mention the Inſtitution of this Sacrament.) He tells us, 1 Cor. 11.24. that when our Lord had given thanks, he brake the Bread and ſaid, take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you, Do this in remembrance of me. Here theſe words DO THIS immediately refer, to take, eat; which are not in S. Luke. And therefore DO THIS in his Goſpel, immediately refers, as I ſaid, to taking bread, giving thanks, breaking it, and giving it to them. In that, the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors were more peculiarly concerned; and none can Do this, (i. e. take bread, give thanks, break it, and give it) but they. But in the other, taking, eating, and drinking; all Chriſtians are concerned, and are bound to do this as long as the world laſts. Which appears ſufficiently from the whole diſcourſe of S. Paul to the Corinthians, who were, as he tells them v. 26. to ſhew forth the Lords death, as often as they did eat that bread, and drink of that Cup, which the Miniſters of our Lord gave to them. As they were not to neglect their duty, in making ready this holy food, inviting the Lords people to pertake of it, offering it and giving it to them: ſo it behoved them who were called to be careful not to neglect theirs; but to come, and eat and drink, at the Table of the Lord: that by the whole action, performed by both, the Lords death might be declared and ſolemnly commemorated, with Thankſgiving and Praiſe. And to make this Command appear more weighty, let me caſt in two or three conſiderations more, before I proceed any further.
1. That our Lord not only gave it to the Twelve Apoſtles; but to S. Paul alſo, after he was added to the number. From which we may clearly gather his intention of having this duty every where performed; not only by the Jews, but all others. For when he appeared to this perſon and revealed his whole mind to him, that he might be an Apoſtle and preach to the Heathen world; he left not out this precept, but gave him particular inſtructions about it. For I have received of the Lord; that which alſo I delivered to you, that the Lord Jeſus, the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, &c. v. 23. 1 Cor. 11. He had not this from the Apoſtles, nor was taught it by man, but Chriſt himſelf delivered it to him, as he had done to the reſt of his Apoſtles: that he might teach men to do this; if they had any regard to the expreſs Command of their deareſt Lord. And it is very hard, if they have not a great reverence to it, conſidering
2. That it is the very laſt Commandment which he gave before his Death. When he was parting with his Diſciples, and taking his farewel of them (till he ſhould ſee them again after his reſurrection) he left this charge with them, that they ſhould do, as they had ſeen him do, juſt before he went away. Read the verſes going before thoſe now mentioned out of S. Luke (ch. 22. v. 16, 17, 18, &c.) and you will find the ſenſe of our Saviours whole diſcourſe to be this.
This is the laſt Supper we ſhall eat together in this world: I ſhall keep no more Feaſts with you, till we meet in Heaven. But I would have you meet often and Feaſt together, upon my broken Body, and my Blood ſhed for you: according to the pattern which now I ſet before you. As you ſee me, take bread, give thanks, break it and give it to you, ſo do ye. This is my Will and Teſtament: if you have any reſpect to the words of a dying Maſter and Saviour; if you love me, and bear me in mind when I am gone from you; Do not forget to do this in remembrance of me.
And what he ſaid to them, we are to take as ſaid to us, for
3. S. Paul ſaith, this is to be done till his coming again, 1 Cor. 11.26. It is not a Temporary Command like thoſe given to Moſes, but layes a perpetual obligation upon us: till Chriſt, who appeared to put away ſin by this Sacrifice of himſelf (which we commemorate) ſhall appear the ſecond time, without ſin, unto Salvation. From whence it neceſſarily follows, that not only the Apoſtles, but all the Miniſters of Chriſt to the end of the world have power to do this: and that the people are bound to do their part, when the Miniſter hath done his. How they will excuſe themſelves from an open breach of our Saviours Commandment, who do not do this in remembrance of him, I cannot imagine. There is nothing that he enjoyns with more ſolemnity, and particular care, than this Action: and therefore the ſame neceſſity lyes upon us for the performance of it, that there doth for obedience to other of his Commands. If there be any difference, it is ſuch as ſhould rather make us exceeding careful about this duty, than otherwayes. For,
It is a Command whereby our Love and Affection to Chriſt Jeſus, our ever bleſſed Redeemer, is more than ordinarily tryed and proved: there being no other reaſon for performing it, but merely our reſpect to his will and pleaſure. To moſt other duties in our Religion there is ſomething in Nature to prompt us, or to ſhew us the reaſon of them. That we ſhould be juſt, and merciful, and ſober, and grateful, &c. we can derive from a Reaſon within our ſelves. But this duty, to which I am exciting you, is one of the things for which there is no other ground, but his Divine Commandment and appointment. We have no other reaſon why we ſhould do this, but becauſe he would have us. And therefore the doing of it is a piece of pure obedience, ariſing wholly out of our reſpect and affections to him and his injunctions. It being indeed deſigned for the keeping him in Memory; his appointment of it for that purpoſe, hath added a good Reaſon to it: Which doth mightily enforce our duty, if we have any love to the Memory of ſo dear a Saviour: and deſire to perpetuate the ſtory of ſo rare a Love, and make it known to all ſucceeding generations.
By this it is apparent, that the thing which makes moſt men negligent of this duty, is that which if they were underſtanding Believers, ſhould make them moſt zealouſly affect it. Natural Conſcience not reproving them for not doing this, as it doth for injuſtice, cheating, lying, and ſuch like ſins, they live ſecurely in their neglect of it. And this is the very reaſon why the people known by the name of Quakers, have ſo little, or rather no regard to it. But if Chriſtian Faith were planted and deeply rooted in mens hearts, they would upon this very account be the more forward to do it. Becauſe it is a peculiar mark of a Chriſtian, a work proper to him alone: who is moved to this, not by Nature and the common light of mankind, but purely by his Religion, and Devotion to his Saviour. For there is no piece of Divine Service in which he is intereſſed ſo much as this. It is more properly Chriſtian worſhip than any other. All the world think their Religion binds them, to pray to God, to praiſe him, and give him thanks: but to acknowledge him, and render thanks to him by doing this, belongs only to Believers in Jeſus. And that was one cauſe, I make no Queſtion, that the firſt Diſciples of Chriſt made this ſo great a part of their Devotion: which is the next conſideration.
Primitive uſe and practice upon this Command of our Saviours, doth very much explain his intentions, and tell us the obligation of it. They who were taught by the Apoſtles of our Lord beſt underſtood the weight of this Commandment. And truly they underſtood it ſo, that they did as conſtantly do this, as they did publickly meet together to pray, or hear; and as oft as they did eat and drink together in token of their love and friendſhip. Both which they did very frequently. In the Church of Hieruſalem every day; as we read. Act. 2.46. They continued daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread at home, did eat their meat with gladneſs, and ſingleneſs of heart. That is, after they had daily performed their common Devotions with the Jews in the Temple Service, they went to their own houſes to tender a more particular Service to our Saviour; by doing this in remembrance of him, and keeping feaſts of charity for the poor and indigent. At thoſe Meales it is manifeſt they forgot not this, 1 Cor. 11.20, 21, &c. Act. 20.7, 11. which they took to be an exact imitation of Chriſt, who after the Paſchal Supper inſtituted this Holy Sacrament. And that it accompanied other parts of Divine Service and Chriſtian duties is as manifeſt from Act. 2.42. where you find they continued ſtedfaſtly or unweariedly in hearing the Apoſtolical inſtructions, in communicating to each others neceſſities, in breaking of bread, and in Prayers. The word we render continued ſtedfaſtly *foreign.denotes both the frequency of the action, and that they were not tired with it. But the principal time for it, ſeems to have been on the Lords day: according to what you read in the place juſt now mentioned, (Act. 20.7.) that the Diſciples were aſſembled on the firſt day of the week to break bread: and the Syriack tranſlation of thoſe words, 1 Cor. 11.20. which runs thus; when you meet together, you do not eat and drink as becomes the day of our Lord *As if they had found in their Copy foreign not foreign.Which it is moſt likely was the ſet day on which, Pliny ‖Stat… die. …. 10. Epiſt. 97ſaith, they were wont to aſſemble before it was light, to ſing a Song of praiſe together to Chriſt, as God: and to bind themſ…lv… by a Sacrament, not to any wickedneſs ha…, … they would not commit theft, nor rob…e…, nor adulteries; nor break their words, nor deny any thing that was depoſited with them in truſt, when it was demanded. This done; their cuſtome, he adds, was to depart, and to meet together again to partake of a common but innocent meale. Which aſſembly, it is plain from the Scripture, was in the evening, as the other was held before the morning light. So that it ſhould ſeem, in ſome places they remembred our Lord by doing this, 'twice in a day, both morning and evening. In their aſſemblies before day (as Tertullians words are*Cap. 3. de Corona.) as well as in the time of meat: which we know was Supper time; when they held their Feaſts of Charity. This is ſufficient to ſhew what a great affection they had to this duty, and in what high account it was among them: in that, no aſſembly of Chriſtians, of whatſoever ſort it was, could paſs; wherein Chriſts death was not remembred with thankſgiving and praiſe.
And indeed it is part of the food which our Lord hath appointed for his family; and which his Stewards, as I have ſhewn you, are to provide for them and give unto them. It ought therefore to be thankfully received and conſtantly uſed, when we are invited to it: unleſs we mean to ſtarve our ſelves; and provoke our Lord by refuſing this, to withdraw his bleſſing from other means of our ſpiritual growth and nouriſhment. The very names as you ſhall hear, whereby it is called, ſuppoſe it to be Food. And ſince for the Body it is not intended; it muſt be Chriſtian Food: part of the plentiful proviſion, which Chriſt hath left in his Houſe for the Souls of his Faithful Servants; that they may be well maintain'd, and able to do their work. And truly, as long as we have any need to grow in the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to increaſe in ſtrength and power to maſter all temptations and do our ſeveral duties, to renew the ſenſe of our obligations to God, and bind our ſelves faſter to him, to heighten our Love and Gratitude, and to ſtir up delight and joy in God our Saviour: ſo long will there be a neceſſity of Doing this; which ſerves for all theſe ends and purpoſes.
And did we but ſeriouſly conſider this one thing; that a principal end for which both this and the other Sacrament was inſtituted is, that by theſe outward ſigns we might expreſs our hearty conſent to the new Covenant made by Chriſt in his Blood, and ingage our ſelves to ſtand to the terms and conditions of it; we ſhould be extremely afraid to refuſe to come to this holy Communion: becauſe that is the ſame with refuſing to be of his Religion. For he that made the New Covenant with us and is the Author of the Chriſtian Religion, hath made theſe outward Rites and Solemnities to be Inſtruments of ſtipulation: whereby they who are willing to enter into that Covenant, and be of that Religion, ſhould expreſs their agreement and ſubmiſſion to it; and openly declare that they own Jeſus to be the Lord, and will perform due obedience to every one of his Commands. Which when they have once done, they are to ſignifie their continuance and ſtedfaſtneſs in that Religion, to which by theſe means they have addicted themſelves, by the repeated uſe of the ſame things. Otherways, they live as if they repented of the contract which they have made, and renounced our Bleſſed Saviour: who hath made the doing this to be a ſpecial teſtification of our Devotion to him and his Service. This is a thing to be ſadly ponder'd; and might prevail much, were it laid to heart as it ought.
To which if you add all the other purpoſes and ends for which it was ordained, they would ſtill make it appear more neceſſary: if either the will of Chriſt, his ſpecial Command, the practice of all Chriſtians, our own wants, our reſpect to the Chriſtian Religion, or the great Benefits we may receive by doing this in remembrance of him; can make us judg any thing ſo. And that is the ſecond part of my Diſcourſe; to which I now proceed.