they are. 1. Liberality to the Poor. 2. Fraternal Forgiveness.

* Gyrald Syndagm. c. 17. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. c. 17. & multi

alii.

Apol. 2.

1. FOR Liberality to the Poor. * The Old Heathens themselves, efpecially the Greeks, were wont at their Sacrifical Banquets to remember their abfent Friends, and to fend them portions of the Juftin Martyr, Sacrifices. † The like Cuftom was in the Chriftian Churches, (as Justin Martyr tells us) in the very next Age to the Apostles, of fending fome of the Confecrated Bread and Wine to fuch Chriftians as were abfent; which makes me ftill believe, that the Primitive Chriftians look'd upon this Sacred Solemnity as Analagous to thofe Sacrifical Feafts which had been used all the World over. In this there feems to be a great difference; that among the Pagans diftribution was made to their Friends and Relations only; whereas the Charity of Chrift's Difciples was not limited, but extended unto all that were neceffitous, though they were more efpecially regarded, who were of the Houfhold of Faith.

THIS kind of Charity to our FellowCreatures, God who extendeth his Mercies to all his works, hath ftill required of Mankind, and more abundantly fince he hath fent his Son to us, which was

the

the most Eminent inftance of his own fincere Love and Goodness to the whole World. How many Commands do we find in the New Teftament, to be Merciful, as our Heavenly Father is Merciful; to lay up our Treasures in Heaven; to do Good; to be ready to give; to be glad to diftribute; to be Rich in good works, and the like? But at the Bleffed Eucharift we are more especially concern'd to be mindful of this matter, because there are more efpecial Confiderations to excite us to it; for here we commemorate the Charity of the Lord Jefus Chrift, that though he was Rich, yet for our fakes he became Poor, that we through his Poverty might be Rich, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 8. 9. Here we fee how he parted with his Heart-blood, and laid down his very Life for us. And here he feeds us with Food from Heaven, with that Divine and Spiritual nourishment, whereof the Manna in the Wilderness was a poor Type and Figure; with the true Bread of Life; with his Flesh which is Meat indeed, and with his Blood which is drink indeed; more ftrengthning than the Manna, more efficacious, more durable; for he that partaketh hereof shall 1 Live for ever.

2. THESE Confiderations do of themfelves Naturally tend to stir us all up to L 2 these

thefe acts of Mercy and Charity at this time. A thing fo Univerfally, fo Conftantly observed by all Chriftian Churches fince the beginning of Chriftianity, that we cannot flew any one Age when this Bleffed Sacrament was ever adminiftred without it; perhaps it is the only Ecclefiaftical Right, which hath come down and becaufe the thing may be of fome confiderable use and fatisfaction, I fhall give this fhort account of it.

to us without any contradic me down

2

OUR Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount had faid, If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar, and there remembreft that thy Brother bath ought against thee, leave there thy Gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift, Mat. 5. 23, 24. The Primitive Chriftians understood these words to have been fpoken by way of Anticipation, with refpect to that Charity which all were to exprefs at this Sacrament. * Because all Legal Sacrifices were now in a fhort time utterly to cease; Learned they could not conceive why our SaDifcourfe of the Altar, Viour fhould prefcribe a New Right and Duty to be used at the prefenting of the Mofaical Oblations, and that in a Sermon which he purpofely intended for the perpetual and standing ufe of his own

* See Mr.

Mead's

Church;

Church; and therefore they look upon it as a standing Law, which he gave oc-. cafionally, and before-hand, to oblige all his Followers to acts of Charity, especially when they come to his own Table, Hereupon arofe two Cuftoms, which all Christians univerfally obferved in the Primitive Ages, and which had no other plain Text of Scripture in all the New Teftament to warrant them, but this Text only. One was in token of their mutual Reconciliation nd fincere Love, for as they were going to Celebrate this Divine Mystery, the Deacon cryed aloud to this purpose, Mn Tis na TW, Let no Man have a quarrel against any; whereupon the Devout Communicants prefently Saluted one another with an Holy Kifs. The other Custom was what I am now speaking of, of providing for the neceffities of the Poor. None came before the Altar with empty hands, but every one according to his abilities brought fomething to be offer'd upon the Holy Table for the ufe of their indigent Brethren; part of the Offerings being first Confecrated for the Celebration of the prefent Solemnity; and these they called aya dwes, Holy Gifts, according to our Saviour's Language.

WHICH Custom was undoubtedly ob•ferved even in the Apostles time; as you may fee by these Proofs. 1. First faith St. Paul, upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath profpered him, 1 Cor. 16. 2. Though the Apostle here fpake directly and chiefly of a fpecial Collection which was then to be made for the poor Chriftians in Judea, yet because he directed the Corinthians to lay by fomething in ftore upon the first day of the week, the day on which the Holy Sacrament was conftantly adminiftred in the Apostles time, it feems highly propable that St. Paul fpake of an Accumulation of Charity, over and above the ordinary proportion which they were wont on that day to prefent before the Lord's Table.

2. BUT there is another paffage of St. Paul's, and that in the very fame Epiftle to the Corinthians, which puts the thing out of all Controverfie; 1 Cor. 11. 20, 21, 22. When ye come together in one -place,this is not to eat the Lord's Supper; for in eating every one taketh before other his own Supper, and one is Hungry, and another is Drunken. What, have ye not Houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the Church of God? and fhame them that have not? Here the Apostle exprefly speaks of eating the

Lord's