AND as touching the Jews, every one knows how ftrictly they were commanded to Cleanfe and Purifie themfelves,according to the Sanctifications of the Law, before they they prefumed to Eat and Drink before the Holy One of Ifrael; efpeci ally at the Fafchal Supper, in lieu whereof this Chriftian Solemnity is fubftituted and appointed: No Man was permitted to partake of the Paffover, that was not duly Prepared for it by the Rite of Circumcifion, No Profelyte was fuffered to come, that was not first Sanctified and fitted for it, according as the Law directed in that cafe. None that were in their Uncleanness, or in any refpect legally Impure, whether Men or Women, were to be admitted, till they were cleanfed from their Pollutions. Nay, not the People themselves only, but their very Houses· alfo were to be free from all defilements. And hence it was, that fome days before the Feaft, they purged all manner of Leaven out of their Rooms; and for fear any ferment fhould remain in any part of their dwellings, they were wont, the Night before the Paffover, to fearch with a Candle into every hole in their walls, and into every chink and crevife in their Floors And whatfoever Leaven was found, their Custom was to burn it, ufing

4

Synag.

cap. 12.

this Form of words, Let all the Leaven, and every Leavened thing that is with me, Buxtorf. whether I have feen or not seen it, whether I have carryed it forth or no, be diffipated and deftroyed, and accounted as the dust of the Earth: By which Solemn way of Imprecation, the Jews did clear them felves of Guilt, and protefted their Innocence to the utmost of their Knowledge. And when the Hour was come for the Eating of the Paffover, before they fat down, the Feet of the Commmunicants I were washed, as at other Feafts; only it is to be Noted, that at this Banquet they washed wathed twice, to fhew the Preeminence, and great Dignity of this Religious Solemnity above the reft.

SEEING then this was the general Practice of the Jews and Gentiles both, it abundantly argues it to have been the common Senfe of all Mankind, that great and ftrict Preparations were neceflary, before they durft present any Sacrifice unto God, or Feaft together upon any parts thereof. And the Correfpondence that is between this, and other Ancient Sacrifical Banquets, is enough to fhew how Religious and ftrict the care of Christians ought to be, in preparing and fitting themfelves for fo Solemn an Ordinance, before they prefume to addrefs themselves to the

Holy

1

Holy Table, to Feaft together upon a Sacrificed Saviour, the Spotless Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the world. For this is a Feast of the Higheft and Nobleft Nature, that ever was. We have an Altar, whereof, neither Heathen nor Jew, hath any right to Eat: And we have a Sacrifice to partake of, which is infinitely better than thousand of Rams, and ten thoufands of Rivers of Oyl. For here we feed on the Son of God himself, Christ our Paffover, that was Sacrificed for us, whofe Flesh is Meat indeed, and whofe Blood is Drink indeed. Here we enter into a close Alliance with the Holy One of Ifrael; we are One with Chrift by his Spiritual Body that is given us; we Receive the Seals of our Adoption, and are poffeft of a Title to the Kingdom of Heaven. And this being the Highest Mystery of our Religion, we must not dare to Celebrate it after a rude and rash manner; but come unto it after great Preparations, having first fearched into our State, and measured our felves by the line of the Gospel, according to which we fhall be Judged in the Great and Terrible day; and fo prefenting our felves before the Holy Table, with clean Hands and a Pure Heart, and with Souls full of God, and in Love with all manner of Piety and Goodness. Those Ceremonial

1

Ceremonial Rites, which were made neceffary Preparatives in order to a due Celebration of the Pafchal Feaft, were of Myftical fignification; pointing out that inward and fubftantial Purity, which is now required of those that enter into Covenant with God, by taking the Pledges of his Covenant into their Mouths. They muft Circumcife their Hearts, as the Jews did their Flefb: They fhould Examine their Souls and Confciences, as the Jews did their Chambers: They should keep the Feast, not with the Old Leaven, neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness, but with the Unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth: They fhould purge and Sanctifie their Affections, as Jews and Pagans were wont to wash their Hands and Feet; and fo compafs the Altar of God, having first cleansed their Bodies and Spirits in Innocence. These are the Moral Duties, which thofe Ritual Ordinances did fignifie, and which were the fubftance and infide of them. And there fore perhaps it was, that our Saviour delivered no particular Rules (that we Read of) about this matter; because those Purifications which were every where in the world, used in order to a right Participa tion of Sacrifical Feafts, did plainly Indicate to all Chriftians what their Duty

1

was; and did speak enough to inform us all, that we ought to be Religiously Qualified, Prepared, and Difpofed, before we approach unto his Table; and thus much he feems to have intimated, when he washed his Difciples feet with his own hands, before he proceeded to the Inftitution of this Solemnity.

2. NOW though this be fufficient to fhew the Neceffity of due Preparation in order to a Worthy Receiving of this Sacrament, yet for further proof hereof, we are, in the next place, to add thefe words of S. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a Man Examine himself, and fo let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup. There is not a Text in all the Scriptures, but this only, which gives us a Command and Di rection concerning this thing. But this is full and comprehenfive, if we understand it in its juft Latitude, Sompa is the word in the Original Greek, and it fignifies two things. 1. First, it imports fearching and trying; every one fhould look into his Breast, and see how his Heart stands affect ed and difpofed, before he goes to the Holy Communion. Seldom is a Man fo well acquainted with himself, but that he hath often Reason (especially before he draws near to God, to Contract for an Eter nity) to ask his Confcience seriously,

Is