§. VI.
Having now sufficiently shewn what the true Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is, how it is partaken of, and how it has no necessary Relation to that Ceremony of Bread and Wine used by Christ with his Disciples; II. Whether this Ceremony be a necessary Part of the New Covenant, and Obligatory.it is fit now to consider the Nature and Constitution of that Ceremony (for as to the proper Use of it, we have had Occasion to speak before) whether it be a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ obligatory upon all, or indeed whether it be any necessary Part of the Worship of the New Covenant Dispensation, or hath any better or more binding Foundation than several other Ceremonies appointed and practised about the same Time, which the most of our Opposers acknowledge to be ceased, and now no Ways binding upon Christians. We find this Ceremony only mentioned in Scripture in four Places, to wit, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and by Paul to the Corinthians. If any would infer any Thing from the Frequency of the mentioning of it, that will add nothing; for it being a Matter of Fact, is therefore mentioned by the Evangelists; and there are other Things less memorable as often, yea, oftener mentioned. Matthew and Mark give only an Account of the Matter of Fact, without any Precept to do so afterwards; simply declaring, [132]That Jesus at that Time did desire them to eat of the Bread, and drink of the Cup; to which Luke adds these Words, This do in Remembrance of me. If we consider this Action of Christ with his Apostles, there will appear nothing singular in it, for a Foundation to such a strange Superstructure, as many in their airy Imaginations have sought to build upon it; for both Matthew and Mark express it as an Act done by him as he was eating. The breaking of Bread was no singular Thing, but a Custom among the Jews.Matthew saith, And as they were eating; and Mark, And as they did eat, Jesus took Bread, &c. Now this Act was no singular Thing, neither any solemn Institution of a Gospel Ordinance; because it was a constant Custom among the Jews, P. Riccius.as Paulus Riccius observes at Length in his Celestial Agriculture, that when they did eat the Passover, the Master of the Family did take Bread, and bless it, and breaking it, gave of it to the rest; and likewise taking Wine, did the same; so that there can nothing further appear in this, than that Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all Righteousness, and also observed the Jewish Feasts and Customs, used this also among his Disciples only, that as in most other Things he laboured to draw their Minds to a further Thing, so in the Use of this he takes Occasion to put them in Mind of his Death and Sufferings, which were shortly to be; which he did the oftener inculcate unto them, for that they were averse from believing it. What it is to do this in Remembrance of Christ.And as for that Expression of Luke, Do this in Remembrance of me, it will amount to no more than this, that being the last Time that Christ did eat with his Disciples, he desired them, that in their eating and drinking they might have Regard to him, and by the Remembering of that Opportunity, be the more stirred up to follow him diligently through Sufferings and Death, &c. But what Man of Reason, laying aside the Prejudice of Education, and the Influence of Tradition, will say, That this Account of the Matter of Fact given by Matthew and Mark, or this Expression of Luke, to Do that in Remembrance of him, will amount to these Consequences, which the Generality of Christians have sought to draw from it; as calling it, Augustissimum Eucharistiæ Sacramentum; venerabile Altaris Sacramentum; the principal Seal of the Covenant of Grace, by which all the Benefits of Christ’s Death are sealed to Believers; and such like Things? But to give a further Evidence, how these Consequences have not any Bottom from the Practice of that Ceremony, nor from the Words following, Do this, &c. let us consider another of the like Nature, as it is at Length expressed by John, Chap. xiii. 3, 4. 8. 13, 14, 15. Christ’s washing of Feet, and its Manner related.Jesus riseth from Supper, and laid aside his Garments, and took a Towel, and girded himself: After that, he poureth Water into a Bason, and began to wash the Disciples’ Feet; and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith he was girded: Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my Feet; Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no Part with me. So after he had washed their Feet,—he said, Know ye what I have done to you? If I then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s Feet: For I have given you an Example, that ye should do as I have done to you. As to which, let it be observed, that John relates this Passage to have been done at the same Time with the other of breaking Bread; Compared with the breaking of Bread.both being done the Night of the Passover, after Supper. If we regard the Narration of this, and the Circumstances attending it, it was done with far more Solemnity, and prescribed far more punctually and particularly than the former. It is said only, As he was eating, he took Bread; so that this would seem to be but an occasional Business: But here he rose up, he laid by his Garments, he girded himself, he poured out the Water, he washed their Feet, he wiped them with a Towel: He did this to all of them; which are Circumstances surely far more observable than those noted in the other. The former was a Practice common among the Jews, used by all Masters of Families upon that Occasion; but this, as to the Manner, and Person acting it, to wit, for the Master to rise up, and wash the Feet of his Servants and Disciples, was more singular and observable. In the breaking of Bread, and giving of Wine, it is not pleaded by our Adversaries, nor yet mentioned in the Text, that he particularly put them into the Hands of all; but breaking it, and blessing it, gave it the nearest, and so they from Hand to Hand: But here it is mentioned, that he washed not the Feet of one or two, but of many. He saith not in the former, That if they do not eat of that Bread, and drink of that Wine, they shall be prejudiced by it; but here he saith expresly to Peter, That if he wash him not, he hath no Part with him; which being spoken upon Peter’s refusing to let him wash his Feet, would seem to import no less, than not the Continuance only, but even the Necessity of this Ceremony. In the former he saith, as it were passingly, Do this in Remembrance of me; but here he sitteth down again, he desires them to consider what he hath done, tells them positively, The washing one another’s Feet was left as an Example.That as he hath done to them, so ought they to do to one another: And yet again, he redoubles that Precept, by telling them, He has given them an Example, that they should do so likewise. If we respect the Nature of the Thing, it hath as much in it as either Baptism or the breaking of Bread; seeing it is an outward Element of a cleansing Nature, applied to the outward Man, by the Command and the Example of Christ, to signify an inward Purifying. I would willingly propose this seriously to Men, who will be pleased to make use of that Reason and Understanding that God hath given them, and not be imposed upon, nor abused by the Custom or Tradition of others; Whether this Ceremony, if we respect either the Time that it was appointed in, or the Circumstances wherewith it was performed, or the Command enjoining the Use of it, hath not as much to recommend it for a standing Ordinance of the Gospel, as either Water-baptism, or Bread and Wine, or any other of that Kind? I wonder then what Reason the Papists can give, Why they have not numbered it among their Sacraments, except merely Voluntas Ecclesiæ & Traditio Patrum.
[132] Matt. 26. 26. Mark 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 23. &c.
Object.But if they say, That it is used among them, in that the Pope, and some other Persons among them, used to do it once a Year to some poor People;
Answ.I would willingly know what Reason they have why this should not be extended to all, as well as that of the Eucharist (as they term it) or whence it appears from the Text, that [Do this in Remembrance of me] should be interpreted that the Bread and Wine were every Day to be taken by all Priests, or the Bread every Day, or every Week, by the People; and that that other Command of Christ, Ye ought to do as I have done to you, &c. is only to be understood of the Pope, or some other Persons, to be done only to a few, and that once a Year? Surely there can be no other Reason for this Difference assigned from the Text. The Protestants use not the washing of Feet.And as to Protestants, who use not this Ceremony at all, if they will but open their Eyes, they may see how that by Custom and Tradition they are abused in this Matter, as were their Fathers in divers Popish Traditions. For if we look into the plain Scripture, what can be thence inferred to urge the one, which may not be likewise pleaded for the other; or for laying aside the one, which may not be likewise said against the Continuance of the other? If they say, That the former, of washing the Feet, was only a Ceremony; what have they, whence they can shew, that this breaking of Bread is more? If they say, That the former was only a Sign of Humility and Purifying; what have they to prove that this was more? If they say, That one was only for a Time, and was no Evangelical Ordinance; what hath this to make it such, that the other wanted? Surely there is no Way of Reason to evade this; neither can any Thing be alleged, that the one should cease, and not the other; or the one continue, and not the other; but the mere Opinion of the Affirmers, which by Custom, Education and Tradition, hath begotten in the Hearts of People a greater Reverence for, and Esteem of the one than the other; which if it had fallen out to be as much recommended to us by Tradition, would no Doubt have been as tenaciously pleaded for, as having no less Foundation in Scripture. But since the former, to wit, The washing of one another’s Feet, is justly laid aside, as not binding upon Christians; so ought also the other for the same Reason.