say I then, that an idol is any thing, or that which is offered to idols is any thing, but I say, the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God, and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils, 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."

Whence we may collect, in the first place, that the cup of blessing is not merely a general commemoration of a dead benefactor, but principally, a commemoration of the death and passion of that benefactor. The inference which the apostle draws, from it, puts his meaning out of question—For we being many (says he), are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread; i. e. our being partakers of one bread, in the communion, makes us of many, (which we are by nature) to become (by grace) one body in Christ. This inference is manifestly just, if the rite be of the nature of a feast upon sacrifice, for then the communion of the body and blood of Christ, unites the receivers into one body, by an equal distribution

of one common benefit. But if it be merely the commemoration of a dead benefactor, it leaves the receivers as it found them, not one body incorporated by a common benefit, but many separate individuals, professing one common faith.*

The apostle having thus represented the last supper, to be of the nature of a feast upon sacrifice, endeavours to convince the Corinthians of the impiety of their beha

*Suicer, in his Thesaurus, observes in reference to the Eucharist, that the greek word, koinonia, means communion, or participation. 1. Because of the union of the faithful with Christ. 2. Because believers are thereby not only united to Christ, but are also made partakers of his kingdom. 3. Because through this fellowship or communion, they are deemed worthy of partaking of all that appertains to Christ.

In the confession of faith, in the oriental churches, we find the following remarkable exposition of this communion, or participation, vid suic. Thesaur. voc. (koinonia.) The holy communion is a symbol of our being incorporated and engrafted in the incarnated son and word of God, by which engrafting we are delivered from eternal death; for while the root is sound, and always flourishing, it is not possible that the branches united with it, should not also be sound, and ever verdant.

viour, in eating of those things offered to idols, when they held the opinion, that they who eat of the sacrifices were partakers of the altar, that is, had the benefit of the sacrifice. But what had these eaters of the things sacrificed, in common with the partakers of the bread and wine in the last supper, if this supper was not a feast of the same kind with the sacrificial feasts? If the three religious feasts, Pagan, Jewish, and Christian, had not one common nature, so far as they really conveyed, or were supposed to convey, benefits to the participants, how could the apostles have inferred that this intercommunity was absolutely inconsistent?" Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils." For though there was great impiety in the promiscuous use of Pagan and Christian rites, yet the inconsistency arises from their having one common nature, which springing from contrary originals, destroys one anothers effects. The reasoning of St. Paul stands thusThose who eat of the sacrifice are partakers of the altar, that is, are partakers of the benefits of the sacrifice. These benefits, whether real or imaginary, were confirmed

by a covenant, or convention between the sacrificer and his God.

They who eat in the feast on that sacrifice, are partakers of the supposed benefits of the sacrifice, and consequently are partakers in the foederal rites which confirmed those benefits; so that the same man, could not consistently with himself, be partaker of both tables, the Lord's table, and that of devils. From these premises I conclude, that the Lord's supper is the same among Christians, in respect of the Christian sacrifice, as the Jewish feasts or sacrifices were among them, and the feasts upon idol sacrifices were, among the Gentiles; therefore as to eat of the Jewish sacrifices under the law was to partake in the legal sacrifices themselves, and as to eat of things offered up in sacrifice to idols, was to be partakers of the idol sacrifices, and therefore was unlawful, for the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils; so to eat the symbols of the body and blood of Christ, in the eucharist is a feast upon a sacrifice, a fœderal banquet, a real communication in

his death, and sacrifice offered up to God for us.*

Such, I presume, is the true nature of the Lord's Supper. If a correct notion of it had been a matter of little moment, I should have been much shorter upon this head, and have left the discussion of it (under the simple idea of a religious custom of christian antiquity) to the Ecclesiastical historian: but the institution abounds with important consequences, in support of that doctrince which I wish to illustrate and confirm,-for if the last supper be a feast upon a sacrifice, the inference is unavoidable,-That the death of Christ was a real sacrifice.

I shall now, particularly consider the manner of celebrating this divine institution.

It is not required that the symbol should partake of the nature of the thing represented. The cherubims shadowed out the celerity of angels; but not by any physical celerity of their own, the bread and wine shadowed out the body and blood of Christ, but not by any change in the elements.

Ꮓ