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the great sacrifice was actually offered, (for the reason just now given) it was on that account (not to mention other causes) necessary, that some symbolic elements should be substituted, in the place of the very body and blood. These elements were bread and wine; on this occasion, naturally, properly, and elegantly called-The body and blood.

Dr. Cudworth, who has written a very learned Discourse on the Lord's Supper, has fully proved, Chap. 1. That it was a custom among the Jews and Heathens, to feast upon things sacrificed. And he proves, in Chap. 2. from scripture, and Jewish authors, that the passover was a true sacrifice; and the paschal feast, a feast upon a sacrifice. And in chap. 4. He demonstrates, that the Lord's Supper, in the Christian church, in reference to the true sacrifice of Christ, is a parallel to the feasts upon sacrifices, both in the Jewish religion, and heathenish superstition; and concludes in chapter 5. That the Lord's supper is not a sacrifice, but a feast upon a sacrifice. Dr. Cudworth properly divides the sacrifices under the law into three kinds. First such as were wholly offered to God,

and burnt upon the altars, as the holocausts, or burnt-offerings.-Secondly such as the priests ate a part of, besides a part offered to God upon the altar, as the sin-offerings and trespass-offerings.-Thirdly, such as the owners themselves had a part of; besides a part bestowed on the priests, and a portion offered to God.-These were termed peaceofferings.—That the Gentiles feasted on the sacrifices offered to their Gods, is well known by those who have read the Greek and Roman Classics.*

The ancient Persians were accustomed to pour out the blood of the victims, to their Gods, and then feast on the flesh. And the ancient Arabians did the same at their

* "But Agamemnon in his tent prepar'd
For sacrifice, to all commanding Jove,
A fifth-year fatted ox, and to his feast
Summon'd the noblest of the sons of Greece."

H. B. ver. 403-431.

The viands dress'd, and from the spits withdrawn
They sat to share the feast.

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Eclogue 3. ver. 77. "When instead of offering

fruits, I shall sacrifice a heifer, come thou to the feast."

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camel-feasts, and as Dr. Cudworth remarks, from this custom of the Heathens, of feasting upon sacrifices, arose that famous controversy, among the primitive Christians, mentioned in the new Testament, "Whether it be lawful to eat things sacrificed to idols." Indeed this custom was so common among the ancient Heathens, that he who made use of any flesh at his table, which had not been offered to the Gods, was deemed a profane person, hence the Greek Proverb--“To eat things which had not been sacrificed," was used, as a brand of a notoriously wicked

man.

This reasoning, on the nature of the institution, from the words of the institutor, receives additional strength, even from what hath been supposed to invalidate it, namely, the conclusion of them--"Do this in remembrance of me." For although these words, when delivered alone, might enjoin no more than a remembrance of a dead benefactor, (which is the sense the Socinians put upon them) yet when preceded by-"This is my body"-"this is my blood," - they are certainly an injunction to keep in remem

brance his death and passion, for our redemption. And could there be a feast upon a sacrifice, in which that sacrifice was not to be kept in mind? It is true that (the disciples of Christ being commanded to do this in remembrance of him,) the command shews, that the celebration of this feast, was continually to be repeated, which was not the practice in the Pagan and Jewish feasts, after the sacrifice, but in this particular, the reason of the difference is apparent The great sacrifice itself (of which the Jewish were types), put an end to that mode of religious worship amongst the followers of Jesus.

Jewish and Pagan obligations, had, or were supposed to have a passing and temporary virtue. "For the law having a shadow of good things, to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year, by year, continually, make the comers thereunto perfect, for then would they not have ceased to be offered." But the sacrifice on the cross is the very image, or the thing itself, and therefore has more than a passing and temporary effect, it conti

nues operating, till the consummation of all things, because it makes the comers thereunto perfect, "we being sanctified through the offering of the body, and blood of Christ, once for all, for where remission of sins is, there is no more offering for sin." It seemed expedient therefore that the operating virtue of this sacrifice offered once for all, should be continually set before our minds, in repeated celebrations of the feast upon it.

Let us see, next, what may be collected from St. Paul, in that place of his first epistle to the Corinthians, where he reproves the proselytes to christianity, for the idolatrous practice of sitting with the Gentiles, in their feasts upon sacrifice, and eating of the meats that had been offered to idols. His words are these, "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what say, the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?

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The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? for we being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh, are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? what

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