There is the lefs Occafion that I fhould enlarge on this Office, because I have explained in my Lectures on the Church Catechism, the principal Points, relating to the Lord's Supper. I have fhewn you in particular, that the Expreffion of eating and drinking Damnation to ourfelves, (which is used by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, and from thence taken into the Exhortation at the Communion) means only bringing upon ourselves a Condemnation to fome Punishment from God, without determining of what Kind. For the Verfes immediately following, (which I shall presently repeat to you) very clearly show that the Word in the Original, which is here translated Damnation, ought to have been rendered in this Place, as it is in feveral others, Judgement. Now Judgement is a general Term that fignifies any Degree of Correction or Punishment in this Life, or the next. That which had been incurred by those unworthy Receivers to whom the Apostle wrote was only Correction in the prefent Life. For undoubtedly he told them the worst of their Danger, and he tells them of nothing else. The very next Words are: For this Caufe many any weak and fickly among you, * Ch. xi. 29.

and

and many fleep, are dead. Then follows, what entirely clears up the Matter: If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chaftened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the World. The Punishment therefore of receiving unworthily will either be extended to another World or confined to this according to the Degree of the Fault: and if we repent fincerely and in Time, it will be forgiven in both. When in the fame Exhortation we are required to judge ourselves THEN, this by no Means implies, that we need not do it before, but that we should take Care it be now perfected. And when it is faid, that we must above all Things give Thanks to God, the Meaning is not, that Faith and Repentance are less neceffary: but that these being fuppofed to precede, the principal Point in the Act of communicating is a thankful Remembrance of God's Mercy, difpofing us to lay hold of it.

Form this last Exhortation we proceed immediately to the first Thing recommended in it, a penitent Confeffion of our Sins: which the ancient Church made alfo on the fame Occafion. When in this we say, that the Burthen of them is intolerable, we mean not always,

5

that

that the Sorrow, which we that Inftant feel for them, is extreme: for though very fincere, it may be imperfect in its Degree; or though as perfect, as the natural Constitution of our Mind and Body admits, it may not be very paffionate and afflicting; or though it were once so, it may now be moderated by a joyful Senfe of God's Mercy to us: but we mean, that the Weight, with which our Guilt, if not removed, will finally fit heavy on our Souls, is unspeakably greater, than we shall be able to bear.

After this Confeffion, the Minifter, himself one of the Sinners, who hath joined in it, agreeably to the Duty of his Office, affures the People, that God hath promifed Forgiveness to all, that turn to him as they ought; and earnestly prays, that they may obtain it: adding express Authorities of Scripture to confirm their Faith and Hope.

Then he exhorts them, thus comforted, to lift up their Hearts, and give Thanks to God: which Words, with the Answers, and the Substance of all that follows conftantly, as far as, Glory be to thee, O Lord most high, appear to have been used in the Communion Service 1500 Years ago: and might probably defcend from the Apoftolic Times.

Even the Custom of

appro

appropriating particular Prefaces to the more confiderable Festivals, is 1200 Years old, if not

more.

And now, approaching nearer to the Act of receiving, we again folemnly acknowledge our own Unworthiness, as all the old Liturgies did, though not fo fully: and pray, that our finful Bodies may be made clean by Chrift's Body, and our Souls washed through his most precious Blood: which Expreffions have been cenfured, as if they implied, that each of thefe, at least the latter of them, (his Blood) had fome peculiar Efficacy, of which the other was deftitute. But this cannot be intended: because very foon after, the Prefervation of our Bodies and Souls alfo unto everlasting Life, is afcribed feparately, both to his Body and to his Blood, as it is in Scripture alfo ". Therefore the Diftinction made here, was only meant for fome Kind of Elegance in Speech: and it much resembles what St. Clement the Roman, whom St. Paul intitles bis Fellow-Labourer, hath said in his Epiftle to the Corinthians, that Chrift gave bis Flesh for our Flesh, and his Soul for our Souls1.

After this follows the Prayer of Confecration, or fetting apart the Bread and Wine to the sa e Phil. iv. 3: * Sect. 49:

d Heb. x. 10, 19.

3

cred

ered Purpose, in wich they are about to be employed. A Prayer hath been used for that End, at least 1600 Years. And the Mention, which Ours makes of the Inftitution of the Lord's Supper, from the Words, who in the fame Night that he was betrayed, to the Conclufion, is in every old Liturgy in the World. The Romanifts have put into their Prayer of Confecration, Names of Saints, and Commemorations of the Dead, which we have thrown out. And indeed we have left nothing, that so much as needs explaining: unless it may be useful to observe to you, that our Saviour's one Oblation of himself is oppofed to the various Kinds of Oblations under the Law; and, once offered, to the continual Repetition of them: though probably a further View was, to intimate, that he is not, as the Papifts pretend, really facrificed anew in this holy Ordinance.

The first Part of the Words, which the Minifter speaks at delivering the Elements, is very ancient the reft is added by our Church; and the whole is unexceptionable. The Posture of kneeling, which we ufe, when we receive, is a very proper one. Some indeed think, that the Apostles received in the Pofture which they

ufed