Part 44

[Sidenote: Object.] But if they say, _That it is used among them, in that the _Pope_, and some other Persons among them, used to do it once a Year to some poor People_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I would willingly know what Reason they have why this should not be extended to all, as well as that of the _Eucharist_ (as they term it) or whence it appears from the Text, that [_Do this in Remembrance of me_] should be interpreted that the _Bread_ and _Wine_ were every Day to be taken by all _Priests_, or the _Bread_ every Day, or every Week, by the _People_; and that that other Command of Christ, _Ye ought to do as I have done to you_, &c. is only to be understood of the _Pope_, or some other Persons, to be done only to a few, and that once a Year? Surely there can be no other Reason for this Difference assigned from the Text. [Sidenote: _The _Protestants_ use not the _washing of Feet.] And as to _Protestants_, who use not this Ceremony at all, if they will but open their Eyes, they may see how that by Custom and Tradition they are abused in this Matter, as were their Fathers in divers _Popish_ Traditions. For if we look into the plain Scripture, what can be thence inferred to urge the one, which may not be likewise pleaded for the other; or for laying aside the one, which may not be likewise said against the Continuance of the other? If they say, _That the former, of washing the Feet, was only a Ceremony_; what have they, whence they can shew, that this _breaking of Bread_ is more? If they say, _That the former was only a Sign of Humility and Purifying_; what have they to prove that this was more? If they say, _That one was only for a Time, and was no Evangelical Ordinance_; what hath this to make it such, that the other wanted? Surely there is no Way of Reason to evade this; neither can any Thing be alleged, that the one should cease, and not the other; or the one continue, and not the other; but the mere Opinion of the Affirmers, which by Custom, Education and Tradition, hath begotten in the Hearts of People a greater Reverence for, and Esteem of the one than the other; which if it had fallen out to be as much recommended to us by Tradition, would no Doubt have been as tenaciously pleaded for, as having no less Foundation in Scripture. But since the former, to wit, _The washing of one another’s Feet_, is justly laid aside, as not binding upon _Christians_; so ought also the other for the same Reason.

§. VII. [Sidenote: _The _breaking_ of _Bread_ not used now in the same Manner as Christ did._] But it is strange that those who are so clamorous for this _Ceremony_, and stick so much to it, take Liberty to dispense with the Manner or Method that Christ did it in; since none that ever I could hear of, except some _Baptists_ who now do it, use it in the same Way that he did: Christ did it at _Supper_, while they were eating; but the Generality of _Protestants_ do it in the _Morning_ only by itself. What Rule walk they by in this Change?

[Sidenote: Object.] If it be said, _These are but Circumstances, and not the Matter; and if the Matter be kept to, the Alteration of Circumstances is but of small Moment_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] What if it should be said the Whole is but a _Circumstance_, which fell out at that Time when Christ eat the _Passover_? For if we have Regard to that which alone can be pleaded for an Institution, _viz._ these Words, _Do this in Remembrance of me_; it doth as properly relate to the Manner as Matter. For what may or can they evince in Reason, that these Words, _Do this_, only signify _eat Bread_, and _drink Wine_, but it is no Matter _when ye eat_, or _how ye eat it_; and not as _ye have seen me eat it at Supper with you, who take Bread, and break it, and give it you; and take the Cup, and bless it, and give it you; so do ye likewise_? And seeing Christ makes no Distinction in those Words, _Do this_, it cannot be judged in Reason but to relate to the Whole; which if it do, all those that at present use this Ceremony among _Christians_, have not yet obeyed this Precept, nor fulfilled this Institution, for all their Clamours concerning it.

[Sidenote: Object.] If it be said, _That the Time and Manner of doing it by Christ was but accidentally, as being after the _Jewish Passover_, which was at Supper_;

[Sidenote: _Answ_.] Besides that it may be answered, and easily proved, _That the Whole was accidental_, as being the _Practice of a Jewish Ceremony_, as is above observed; [Sidenote: _The_ breaking _of_ Bread _was a Jewish Ceremony_.] may it not the same Way be urged, That the _drinking of Wine is accidental_, as being the natural Product of that Country; and so be pleaded, That in those Countries where Wine doth not grow, as in our Nation of _Scotland_, we may make use of _Beer_ or _Ale_ in the Use of this Ceremony; or _Bread made of other Grain_ than that which Christ used? And yet would not our Adversaries judge this an Abuse, and not right Performing of this _Sacrament_? Yea, have not Scruples of this Kind occasioned no little Contention among the Professors of _Christianity_? [Sidenote: _Contests between the _Greek_ and _Latin Churches_, concerning the _leavened_ and _unleavened Bread_ in the _Supper.] What great Contest and Strife hath been betwixt the _Greek_ and _Latin_ Churches concerning the _Bread_? While the one will have it _unleavened_, reckoning, because the _Jews_ made use of _unleavened Bread_ in the _Passover_, that it was such Kind of _Bread_ that Christ did break to his Disciples; the other _leavened_: Therefore the _Lutherans_ make use of _unleavened Bread_, the _Calvinists_ of _leavened_. [Sidenote: Farellus.] And this Contest was so hot, when the Reformation was beginning at _Geneva_, that _Calvin_ and _Farellus_ were forced to fly for it. But do not _Protestants_, by these Uncertainties, open a Door to _Papists_ for their excluding the People from the _Cup_? Will not [_Do this_] infer positively, That they should do it _in the same Manner, and at the same Time_, as Christ did it; as well as that they should use the _Cup_, and not the _Bread only_? Or what Reason have they to dispense with the one, more than the _Papists_ have to do with the other? Oh! What strange Absurdities and Inconveniencies have _Christians_ brought upon themselves, by superstitiously adhering to this Ceremony! Out of which Difficulties it is impossible for them to extricate themselves, but by laying it aside, as they have done others of the like Nature. [Sidenote: _The _Clergy_ taking Bread do bless, and give it: The _Laity_ must take and eat, not bless it._] For besides what is above-mentioned, I would gladly know how from the Words they can be certainly resolved that these Words [_Do this_] must be understood to the Clergy, _Take, bless, and break this Bread, and give it to others_; but to the Laity only, _Take and eat_, but do not _bless_, &c.

[Sidenote: Object.] If it be said, _That the Clergy only were present_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] Then will not that open a Door for the _Popish Argument_ against the _Administration of the Cup to the People_? Or may not another from thence as easily infer, _That the Clergy only ought to partake of this Ceremony_; because they were the Apostles only then present, to whom it was said, _Do this_? But if this [_Do this_] be extended to all, how comes it all have not Liberty to obey it, in both _blessing_, _breaking_, and _distributing_, as well as _taking_ and _eating_? [Sidenote: _Hot Contests about the Manner of taking it, and to whom to give it_.] Besides all these, even the _Calvinist Protestants_ of _Great Britain_ could never yet accord among themselves about the _Manner of taking it_, whether _sitting_, _standing_, or _kneeling_; whether it should be given to the _Sick_, and those that are _ready to die_, or not? Which Controversies, though they may be esteemed of small Moment, yet have greatly contributed, with other Things, to be the Occasion, not only of _much Contention_, but also of _Bloodshed_ and _Devastation_; so that in this last Respect the _Prelatick Calvinists_ have termed the _Presbyterians_ schismatical and pertinacious; and they them again superstitious, idolatrous, and papistical. Who then, that will open their Eyes, but may see that the Devil hath flirted up this Contention and Zeal, to busy Men about Things of _small Moment_, that _greater Matters_ may be neglected, while he keeps them in such ado about this Ceremony; though they lay aside others of the like Nature, as _positively commanded_, and as _punctually practised_; and from the Observation of which half so many Difficulties will not follow?

§. VIII. How then? Have we not Reason, not finding the Nature of this Practice, to be obligatory upon us, more than those others which our Adversaries have laid aside, to avoid this Confusion; since those that use it can never agree, neither concerning the _Nature_, _Efficacy_, nor _Manner of doing it_? And this proceeds, because they take it not plainly, as it lies in the Scripture; but have so much intermixed their own Inventions. For would they take it as it lies, it would import no more, than that _Jesus Christ at that Time did thereby signify unto them, that his Body and Blood was to be offered for them_; and desired them, That _whensoever they did eat or drink, they might do it in Remembrance of him, or with a Regard to him, whose Blood was shed for them_. Now that the _Primitive Church_, gathered immediately after his Ascension, did so understand it, doth appear from their Use and Practice, if we admit those Places of the _Acts_, where _breaking of Bread_ is spoken of, to have Relation hereto; [Sidenote: _By _breaking of Bread_ they had all Things in common, remembering the Lord._] which as our Adversaries do, so we shall willingly agree to: As _First_, _Acts_ ii. 42. _And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread_, &c. This cannot be understood of any other than of their ordinary eating; for as nothing else appears from the Text, so the Context makes it plain; for they had all Things in common: And therefore it is said, Ver. 46. _And they continuing daily with one Accord in the Temple, and breaking Bread from House to House, did eat their Meat with Gladness and Singleness of Heart._ Those who will not wilfully close their Eyes, may see here, that the _breaking_ being joined with their _eating_, shews, that nothing else is here expressed, but that having all Things in common, and so continuing together, they also did break their Bread, and eat their Meat together: In doing whereof, I cannot doubt but they remembered the Lord; to follow whom they had, with so much Zeal and Resignation, betaken themselves. This is further manifest from _Acts_ vi. 2. for the _Apostles_, having the Care and Distribution of that Money, which the Believers, having sold their Possessions, gave unto them, and finding themselves overcharged with that Burthen, appointed _Deacons_ for that Business, that they might give themselves continually to _Prayer_, and to the _Ministry of the Word_; not leaving that, to serve Tables. [Sidenote: Deacons _appointed for serving Tables._] This cannot be meant of any _sacramental Eating_, or _religious Acts of Worship_; seeing our Adversaries make the Distributing of that the proper Act of _Ministers_, not of _Deacons_: And yet there can be no Reason alleged, That that _breaking of Bread_, which they are said to have _continued in_, and to have done from _House to House_, was other than those _Tables_ which the Apostles served; but here gave over, as finding themselves overcharged with it. Now as the Increase of the Disciples did incapacitate the Apostles any more to manage this; so it would seem their further Increase, and dispersing in divers Places, hindered the Continuance of that Practice of _having Things in common_: But notwithstanding, so far at least to remember or continue that _ancient Community_, they did at certain Times come together, and break Bread together. [Sidenote: _At_ Troas _the Supper deferred till Midnight_.] Hence it is said, _Acts_ xx. 7. on _Paul_’s coming to _Troas_, That _upon the fist Day of the Week, when the Disciples came together to break Bread, _Paul_ preached unto them, ready to depart on the Morrow, and continued his Speech until Midnight_. Here is no Mention made of any _sacramental Eating_; but only that _Paul_ took Occasion from their being together to preach unto them. And it seems it was a _Supper_ they intended (not a _Morning-bit_ of _Bread_, and _Sup_ of _Wine_) else it is not very probable that _Paul_ would from the _Morning_ have preached until _Midnight_. But the 11th Verse puts the Matter out of Dispute, which is thus: _When he therefore was come up again, and had broken Bread, and eaten, and talked a long While, even till Break of Day, so he departed_. This shews, That the _breaking of Bread_ was deferred till that Time; for these Words [_and when he had broken Bread, and eaten_] do shew, That it had a Relation to the _breaking of Bread_ before-mentioned, and that that was the Time he did it. _Secondly_, These Words joined together [_and when he had broken Bread, and eaten, and talked_] shew, it was no religious Act of Worship, but only an Eating for bodily Refreshment, [Sidenote: _They only did eat for refreshing the Body._] for which the _Christians_ used to meet together some Time; and doing it in _God’s Fear_, and _Singleness of Heart_, doth notwithstanding difference it from the Eating or Feasting of _profane Persons_. [Sidenote: _By some called a_ Love-feast.] And this by some is called a _Love-feast_, or a being together, not merely to feed their Bellies, or for outward Ends; but to take thence Occasion to eat and drink together, in the Dread and Presence of the Lord, as his People; which _Custom_ we shall not condemn. But let it be observed, That in all the _Acts_ there is no other nor further Mention of this Matter. But if that _Ceremony_ had been some _solemn Sacrifice_, as some will have it, or such a _special Sacrament_ as others plead it to be; it is strange that that _History_, which in many less Things gives a particular Account of the _Christians_ Behaviour, should have been so silent in the Matter: Only we find, That they used sometimes to meet together to break Bread, and eat. [Sidenote: _The _Christians_ began by Degrees to depart from the Primitive Purity._] Now as the _early Christians_ began by Degrees to depart from that primitive Purity and Simplicity, so did they also to accumulate superstitious Traditions, and vitiate the innocent Practices of their Predecessors, by the Intermixing either of _Jewish_ or _Heathenish Rites_; and likewise in the Use of this, Abuses began very early to creep in among Christians, so that it was needful for the Apostle _Paul_ to reform them, and reprove them for it, as he doth at large, 1 _Cor._ xi. from Ver. 17. to the End: [Sidenote: 1 Cor. 11. 17.] Which Place we shall particularly examine, because our Adversaries lay the chief Stress of their Matter upon it; [Sidenote: _Concerning the _Supper_ of the _Lord_ (so called) explained_.] and we shall see whether it will infer any more than we have above granted. _First_, Because they were apt to use that Practice in a superstitious Mind beyond the true Use of it, so as to make of it some _mystical Supper of the Lord_, he tells them, Ver. 20. That their _coming together into one Place, is not to eat the Lord’s Supper_; he saith not, _This is not the _right Manner_ to eat_; but, _This is_ NOT _to eat the Lord’s Supper_; because the _Supper of the Lord is spiritual_, and a _Mystery_. _Secondly_, He blames them, in that they came together for the _Worse_, and not for the _Better_; the Reason he gives of this is, Ver. 21. _For in Eating every one hath taken before his own Supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken._ [Sidenote: _Why the Custom of _Supping in common_ was used among Christians._] Here it is plain that the Apostle condemns them in that (because this Custom of _Supping_ in General was used among Christians to increase their Love, and as a Memorial of Christ’s Supping with the Disciples) they had so vitiated it, as to eat it apart, and to come full, who had Abundance; and hungry, who had little at Home; whereby the very Use and End of this _Practice_ was lost and perverted: And therefore he blames them, that they did not either eat this in Common at Home, or reserve their Eating till they came all together to the publick Assembly. This appears plainly by the following Ver. 22. _Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in? Or despise ye the Church of God, and shame them that have not?_ Where he blames them for their irregular Practice herein, in that they despised to eat orderly, or reserve their Eating to the publick Assembly; and so shaming such, as not having Houses, nor Fulness at Home, came to partake of the common Table; who, being hungry, thereby were shamed, when they observed others come thither full and drunken. Those that without Prejudice will look to the Place, will see this must have been the Case among the _Corinthians_: For supposing the Use of this to have been then, as now used either by _Papists_, _Lutherans_, or _Calvinists_, it is hard making Sense of the Apostle’s Words, or indeed to conceive what was the Abuse the _Corinthians_ committed in this Thing. Having thus observed what the Apostle said above, [Sidenote: _The Rise of that Custom._] because this Custom of _Eating and Drinking together some Time_ had its Rise from Christ’s Act with the Apostles the Night he was betrayed; therefore the Apostle proceeds, Ver. 23. to give them an Account of that: _For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same Night in which he was betrayed, took Bread_, &c. Those that understand the Difference betwixt a _Narration_ of a Thing, and a _Command_, cannot but see, if they will, That there is no Command in this Place, but only an Account of _Matter of Fact_; he saith not, _I received of the Lord, that as he took Bread, so I should command it to you to do so likewise_; there is nothing like this in the Place: Yea, on the contrary, Ver. 25. where he repeats Christ’s imperative Words to his Apostles, he placeth them so as they import no Command; _This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in Remembrance of me_: And then he adds, _For as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do shew the Lord’s Death till he come_: [Sidenote: _That _[As often]_ imports no Command of this Supper._] But these Words [_As often_] import no more a _Command_, than to say, _As often as thou goest to _Rome_, see the Capitol_, will infer a _Command_ to me to go thither.

[Sidenote: Object.] But whereas they urge the last Words, _Ye shew forth the Lord’s Death till he come_; insinuating, That _this imports a necessary Continuance of that _Ceremony_, until Christ come at the End of the World to Judgment_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, They take two of the chief Parts of the Controversy here for granted, without Proof. _First_, That [_as often_] imports a _Command_; the contrary whereof is shewn; neither will they ever be able to prove it. [Sidenote: _Christ’s outward and inward Coming._] _Secondly_, That this _Coming_ is to be understood of _Christ’s last outward Coming_, and not of his _inward_ and _spiritual_, that remains to be proved: Whereas the Apostle might well understand it of his _inward Coming_ and _Appearance_, which perhaps some of those carnal _Corinthians_, that used to come drunken together, had not yet known; and others, being weak among them, and inclinable to dote upon Externals, this might have been indulged to them for a Season, and even used by them who knew Christ’s Appearance in Spirit (as other Things were, of which we shall speak hereafter) especially by the Apostle, who became _weak_ to the _Weak_, and _all_ to _All_, that he might _save some_. [Sidenote: _To remember Christ’s Death till he come to arise in the Heart_.] Now those weak and carnal _Corinthians_ might be permitted the Use of this, to shew forth, or remember Christ’s Death, till he came to arise in them; for though such need those outward Things to put them in Mind of _Christ’s Death_, yet those who are _dead with Christ_, and not only _dead with Christ_, but _buried_, and also _arisen_ with him, need not such _Signs_ to remember him: And to such therefore the Apostle saith, _Col._ iii. 1. _If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those Things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God_: But _Bread_ and _Wine_ are not those Things that are above, but are Things of the Earth. But that this whole Matter was a mere Act of Indulgence and Condescension of the Apostle _Paul_ to the weak and carnal _Corinthians_, appears yet more by the _Syriack_[133] Copy, which Ver. 17. in his entering upon this Matter, hath it thus; _In that concerning which I am about to command you (_or_ instruct you) I commend you not, because ye have not gone forward, but are descended unto that which is less, _or_ of less Consequence_: Clearly importing, That the Apostle was grieved that such was their Condition, that he was forced to give them Instructions concerning those outward Things; and doting upon which, they shewed they were not gone forward in the _Life of Christianity_, but rather sticking in _beggarly Elements_. And therefore Ver. 20. the same _Version_ hath it thus, _When then ye meet together, ye do not do it, as it is just ye should do in the Day of the Lord, ye eat and drink it_: Therefore shewing to them, That to meet together to eat and drink _outward Bread and Wine_, was not the Labour and Work of that _Day of the Lord_. But since our Adversaries are so zealous for this _Ceremony_, because used by the Church of _Corinth_ (though with how little Ground is already shewn) how come they to pass over far more positive Commands of the Apostles, as Matters of no Moment? As _First_, _Acts_ xv. 29. where the Apostles peremptorily command the _Gentiles_, [Sidenote: _To abstain from Things strangled._] as that which was the Mind of the Holy Ghost, _To abstain from Things strangled, and from Blood_: And _James_ v. 14. [Sidenote: _The Anointing with Oil._] where it is expresly commanded, _That the Sick be anointed with Oil in the Name of the Lord_.

[133] And likewise the other _Oriental Versions_, as the _Arabick_ and _Æthiopick_, have it the same Way.

[Sidenote: Object.] If they say, _Those were only temporary Things, but not to continue_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] What have they more to shew for this; there being no express Repeal of them?

[Sidenote: Object.] If they say, _The Repeal is implied, because the Apostle saith, We ought not to be judged in Meats and Drinks_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I admit the _Answer_: But how can it be prevented from militating the same Way against the other Practice? Surely not at all: Nor can there be any Thing urged for the one more than for the other, but Custom and Tradition.

[Sidenote: Object.] As for that of _James_, they say, _There followed a Miracle upon it_, to wit, _The Recovery of the Sick_; _but this being ceased, so should the Ceremony_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] Though this might many Ways be answered, to wit, That _Prayer_ then might as well be _forborn_, to which also the _Saving of the Sick_ is there ascribed; yet I shall accept of it, because I judge indeed that _Ceremony_ is ceased; [Sidenote: _A Ceremony ought to cease, its Virtue failing_.] only methinks, since our Adversaries, and that rightly, think a _Ceremony_ ought to cease where the Virtue fails, they ought by the same Rule to forbear the _laying on of Hands_, [Sidenote: _Thus laying on of Hands._] in Imitation of the Apostles, since the Gift of the _Holy Ghost_ doth not follow upon it.