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get the doing of good and the fellowship, for with fuch facrifices God is well pleased.

With a view of fupporting the poor, some have thought of laying up a fund, a part, or the interest of which, is to be employed for this purpose ; but this is improper, and is calculated to defeat one great end of the ordinance of the fellowship. In appointing this ordinance, the Lord, it would feem, not only had in view the fupplying the wants of his people, but the advancement of brotherly love and tenderness of heart in Chriftians to each other. This end will be beft attained by a supply constantly ministered, according to the neceffities of the faints at the time they occur. This prevents money being taken out of the hands of the Lord's people, who fhould employ it as his stewards, until it be needed. It may be urged, that, without a fund, there will be danger of a deficiency. Let it be remembered, that the Lord will have a feed to ferve him for ever, that the filver and gold are his, and that we have reafon in this, as in other things, confidently to expect that, as our day is, fo fhall our ftrength be. Let us, to the utmost of our power, then, support our poor brethren to-day, and let us not be afraid of tomorrow.

SECTION III.

Breaking of Bread, or the Lord's Supper.

THIS is another ordinance appointed by Chrift to be obferved in the churches. It was obferved by the church of Jerufalem, Acts ii. 42. Paul delivered this ordinance to the church of Corinth by revelation from the Lord: "I have received of the Lord that which alfo I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jefus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me," 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24.

The Lord's fupper is a focial ordinance. When obferving it, we profess our faith in the death of Jefus, as the only ground of our hope. By thus fhewing forth or commemorating his death, we declare our confidence of his refurrection and his fecond coming, 1 Cor. xi. 26. We also profess our union one with another, as many members of the one body of Christ, 1 Cor. x. 17. Under the law, when a facrifice of peace-offering was offered, after certain parts had been burnt on the altar, and others given to the prieft, the offerer feafted with his family on what remained. This reprefented his fellowship with God, and the fatisfaction enjoyed in this fellowship. Chrift our paffover is facrificed for us.

He is our peace

per, joying in God through Jefus Christ, by whom we have also received the atonement. Eating and drinking of the emblems of his facrifice, reprefents this.

We have the fame evidence that this ordinance was a stated part of the worship of the churches every Lord's day, as that they statedly obferved the day at all by affembling together. In Acts ii. 42. we read, "They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and in the fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers." It is evident the ordinance of the fupper is here intended by the breaking of bread; for furely an account of their common meals would not be introduced between the different parts of God's worship; and it feems equally plain, that they were as conftant in breaking bread, as in attending on the apoftles' doctrine and public prayer. It formed a part, then, of their stated worship.

We have an explicit teftimony to the fame purpose, in Acts xx. 7. " Upon the first day of the week, when the difciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them." The church at Troas was probably planted by Paul. We learn in this chapter, that while bafting to fpend the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem, he paffed through Troas, where he arrived on the day called by us Monday, and, notwithstanding his hafte, tarried with them feven days, evidently waiting for the first day of the week, that he

SECTION III.

Breaking of Bread, or the Lord's Supper.

THIS is another ordinance appointed by Chrift to be obferved in the churches. It was obferved by the church of Jerufalem, Acts ii. 42. Paul delivered this ordinance to the church of Corinth by revelation from the Lord: "I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me," 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24.

The Lord's fupper is a focial ordinance. When observing it, we profess our faith in the death of Jefus, as the only ground of our hope. By thus fhewing forth or commemorating his death, we declare our confidence of his refurrection and his fecond coming, 1 Cor. xi. 26. We also profess our union one with another, as many members of the one body of Chrift, 1 Cor. x. 17. Under the law, when a facrifice of peace-offering was offered, after certain parts had been burnt on the altar, and others given to the priest, the offerer feafted with his family on what remained. This reprefented his fellowship with God, and the fatisfaction enjoyed in this fellowship. Chrift our paffover is facrificed for us. He is our peace

per, joying in God through Jesus Christ, by whom we have also received the atonement. Eating and drinking of the emblems of his facrifice, reprefents this.

We have the fame evidence that this ordinance was a stated part of the worship of the churches every Lord's day, as that they ftatedly obferved the day at all by affembling together. In Acts ii. 42. we read, "They continued ftedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and in the fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers." It is evident the ordinance of the fupper is here intended by the breaking of bread; for furely an account of their common meals would not be introduced between the different parts of God's worship; and it feems equally plain, that they were as conftant in breaking bread, as in attending on the apoftles' doctrine and public prayer. It formed a part, then, of their ftated worship.

We have an explicit teftimony to the fame purpose, in Acts xx. 7. "Upon the first day of the week, when the difciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them." The church at Troas was probably planted by Paul. We learn in this chapter, that while bafting to spend the day of Pentecoft at Jerufalem, he paffed through Troas, where he arrived on the day called by us Monday, and, notwithstanding his hafte, tarried with them feven days, evidently waiting for the first day of the week, that he

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