"Abfurdity. Therefore, It cannot be the "Natural Body and Bloud of Christ which " is eaten and drunk in the Lord's Supper : "but Something elfe, [viz. Bread and "Wine] in remembrance of Them." All this is founded upon the plain Notion of the word Remembrance, as used in this Rite: and this Remembrance is exprefsly mentioned, in the original Inftitution, by St Luke ; and more remarkably by St Paul, as a part of the Inftitution, received by Him from our Lord himself: and confequently, it is this Remembrance which conftitutes the very Nature of this Holy Rite. It cannot therefore, be an Offering, or Sacrificing, a prefent Body; because This is not doing (as we are commanded) One thing, in order to remember and celebrate Another; but is in truth pretending to do a Thing, in remembrance of itfelf: which is an Abfurdity.

It ought to be remarked alfo that the phrase of Feeding upon Chrift's Body and Bloud, and all like to it, when used by Those who disclaim the notion of eating his Natural Body, are very figurative Expreffions; and not fo peculiarly proper to this Rite, as Those Expreffions which ftrictly preserve that effential Notion of Remembrance, without which This part of Chriftian fervice ceases to be what it was de

figned to be by its Great Inftitutor: And indeed, We so long only strictly keep up to the Original Institution, whilst We confider it as a Rite to be seriously performed in remembrance of an Abfent Saviour; and take the Bread and Wine, as Memorials of his Body broken, and his Bloud fhed; and not as the Things themselves, in Remembrance of which They were ordained to be received.

IX. Whoever therefore, in a ferious and Religious Sense of his Relation to Christ, as his Difciple, performs these Actions of eating Bread and drinking Wine, in remembrance of Chrift, as of a Perfon corporally abfent from his Disciples, most certainly performs them agreeably to the End of the Inftitution declared by Chrift Himself, and his immediate Disciples.

The Behaviour of our blessed Lord, before his Crucifixion, whilft He was alive and present with his Difciples; I mean, his taking Bread and Wine, and diftributing Them to be eaten and drunk; and his add

ing this Direction, Do this in remembrance of Me; His declaring One to be defigned by Him as a Memorial of his Body actually given and broken, and the Other to be a Memorial of his Bloud actually fhed; as the Words used exactly fignify: This part, I fay, of our Lord's Behavior muft relate to what his Disciples were to do, after He fhould be taken from them. They could not do the Actions here nam'd, in remembrance of Him, whilft He himself was corporally prefent with Them: nor in remembrance of any thing done, which was not then done and past. But after his Death, They could. For then, tho' not before, They could eat Bread, and drink Wine, in remembrance of his Body actually given and broken; and of his Bloud, actually bed and poured forth, for the good of his Followers. This Remembrance of Christ, during the time of his Bodily Abfence, was by Himself and his Apostles, declared to be the End of this Pofitive Inftitution. Those fincere Believers therefore, who eat and drink for this purpose, or, in Remembrance of Him, certainly do these actions agreeably to the End propofed in it. On the contrary, I fear it must follow that They who have attempted

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to introduce into this Rite, the natural Body and Bloud of Chrift; and a Real Sacrifice of a prefent Body; have not only endea voured to introduce Endlefs Abfurdities into a plain Duty: but have presumed to destroy, as far as they can, the Whole Nature and End of our Lord's own Inflitution; and cannot be faid to celebrate the Lord's Supper, agreeably to the Inftitution, in remembrance of Chrift; but only to act over a Ceremony of their own Invention, and of quite another fort.

X. There being Other Paffages of the New Teftament, befides thofe already cited, which occafionally relate to this fubject: It is of importance to all Chriftians to confider them; and to examine what farther Inftructions They contain about this Holy Rite.

1. The firft of those I mean, is in I. Cor. chap. x.

Ver. 16. The Cup of Bleffing, which We bless, is it not the Communion of the Bloud of Chrift? The Bread which We

break,

break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chrift?

17. For we being Many, are one Bread and one Body: for we are all partakers of that One Bread.

18. Behold Ifrael after the Flefb: Are not They which eat of the facrifices partakers of the Altar?

19. What fay I then? That the Idol is Any thing, or that which is offered to Idols, is Any thing?

20. But I say that the things which the Gentiles facrifice, They facrifice to Devils, and not to God and I would not that Ye should have fellowship (ar Communion) with Devils.

21. Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord, and the Cup of Devils. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's Table, and of the Table of Devils.

This whole Passage was occafioned by the State of the Corinthian Chriftians, with regard to the Heathens then all around them. And the Intent of it, I think, may be truly expreffed in the following Paraphrafe. Ver. 16." When We Chriftians, în our Religious Affemblies, partake in common of the Cup of Blessing; or, the Thankf