F the nature, end, and defign of the Lord's fupper, the benefits which cbriftians are made partakers of by re- CHA P. IV. THE GREAT DUTY OF Communicating, &c. СНАР. І. Of the nature, end, and defign of the Lord's Supper; the benefits which chriftians are made partakers of by receiving it; and the obligations which they lie under to receive it. I N order to a full and clear understanding of the nature of the Lord's Supper, we fhall do well feriously and particularly to confider the account which the fcriptures give us of our bleffed Master's institution of it. And this by comparing together Mat. xxvi. Mark xiv. Luke xxii. 1 Cor. xi. we shall find, in fhort, to be this. Our bleffed Saviour, when he was eating the paffover with his twelve apostles, the evening before his paffion, took bread, and gave thanks, or blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to them, saying, take, eat, this is my body which is given for you: This do in remembrance of me. Likewife alfo the cup after fupper; and when he had given thanks, be gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he faid unto them, this is my blood of the new teftament (or the new teftament in my blood) which is shed for you and for many: This do in remembrance of me. For the better explaining of which words, and ascertaining the extent of their obligation, we will distinctly confider thefe three things. First, What it is that is here commanded to be done, Do this. Secondly, Who the perfons are that are concern'd to do this. Thirdly, The end for which it is to be done, in remembrance of me. Firft, What it is that is here commanded to be done; and this can be nothing elfe than what our Saviour and his apoftles had been just then doing, viz. taking bread, and bleffing and breaking it, and likewife taking wine, and giving thanks, and partaking of and diftributing both. To this, and every part of this action, must the words do this neceflarily refer; because they immediately follow the doing of all this, and no part of this is excepted in our Saviour's command. Those who are to provide and distribute, are to provide and distribute both bread and wine, for so had our Lord done; and those who are to receive, are to receive both bread and wine, for fo had the apoftles received. And therefore the church of Rome is inexcufable, which, directly contrary to our Lord's inftitution, gives the bread only to fome receivers without the wine. Secondly, Who the perfons are that are concerned to do this; and they are all christians whatsoever. By which I mean, Firft, All fucceffions and generations of christians that fhall be in the world, as long as it fhall laft. For they being all equally concerned in the benefits of our Saviour's viour's death and paffion, must according to reafon be fuppofed to be equally obliged to keep up this holy Supper in com memoration of them. So that if we had no direction about this matter in scripture, the reason of the thing it felf must then have taken place, and that would have made this fupper perpetual. But the fcriptures have not been filent in this point, but have plainly told us, that we are thus to fhew the Lord's death, till be come: that is, till his fecond coming to judge the world. Secondly, All forts of chriftians, the laity or people, as well as the clergy or minifters of the gospel. For tho it is pretended by fome, that because our Lord gave the bread and wine only to the apoftles, who were all minifters, and not any one lay-difciple; therefore he defign'd this Supper only for the minifters of the gospel, but not at all for the people; yet I think the contrary may very plainly be proved, both from reafon and fcripture: From reafon, both because it appears moft probable, that the apostles, in the inftitution of this fupper, were the reprefentatives of the people, and not of the minifters, who were then |