third, fourth and fifth centuries. To evidence this (if it were called in queftion) I might cite many paffages from the hiftories of Eufebius and Socrates, and the writings of Juftin Martyr, Cyprian, Chryfoftom, Hierom, Ambrofe, Auguftine, and feveral others, who on that account used to call the Lord's day dies panis; but, it being a matter of fact fo notour, I need not blot paper with quotations to this purpofe. Nay, it is plain from the forefaid ancient writers, that the Lord's fupper continued to be difpenfed in fome places, not only every Lord's day, but also every day of the week, and that for feveral centuries: Which practice Auguftine (who lived in the fifth century) doth not feem fo heartily to approve; for, Lib.de Ecclefiafti sis, Gap. 53. he hath thefe words, Quotidie Communionem Euchariftia, nec vitupero nec laudo; omnibus tamen dominicis diebus communicandum fuadeo, i. e. 1 neither praife nor difpraife daily receiving of the Lord's fupper: but I would have all men to communicate each Lord's day: Moreover, learned men, who are beft acquaint with the antiquities of the chriftian church, do obferve, that unfrequency in celebrating this facrament did creep in together with other antichriftian errors and defections into the church of Chrift.

III. I fhall therefore pafs the ages of darkness and defection, and come to the two laft centuries of the church, and take a fhort view of the practice of some Proteftant churches fince our reformation from Popery. I grant, the Lord's fupper hath not been celebrated fo oft fince that time, as in the firft ages of the church. We have the reafon pointed at in a book, which reprefents the practice of the church of Geneva, particularly in celebrating the facrament of the Lord's fupper, which was four times in the year: The book is intituled, Laws and ftatutes of Geneva, anent Ecclefiaftick difcipline, tranflated out of the French, and printed, London, anno 1643. p. 7. we have these words; For as the fupper hath been inftituted by our Saviour Jefus Chrift to be frequented and used,

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andi

and alfo it hath been obferved in the primitive Chrifti« an Church, until fech time as the Devil hath turn'ed all upfide down,fetting up the mais inftead thereof, which fault ought to be corrected, and alio the rare 'celebrating thereof: We have determined and ordained, that it fhall be miniftred four times a year.'

Again, let us look into the practice of the reformed churches of France, whilft their liberty continued. In the acts of the national fynod held at Charentoun, printed London, anno 1644. Cap. 12. Art. 14. we have these words; Altho' it hath been a custom in • most of the churches in these parts, to celebrate the the holy communion only four times every year; " yet it is much wished and defired that it might be ufed more frequently.'

As for the reformed churches in the United Provin ces, or the Dutch churches, we fee what was their pra alice, in Corpus Difcipilina, published by the minifters and elders of the Dutch congregation in London, an no 1645. Cap.3. Sect. 2. Art. 3. It is appointed that the Lord's Supper be adminiftred every two months (i. e. fix times a year) wherein the churches under perfecution are left to their liberty?

As for the churches in New England, we have account of their practice, Brief narration of the pra Etice of the churches in New-England, printed London, anno 1651. P. 8. As for the adminiftration of the Lord's Supper, because Chrift defires us to do it of⚫ten, we commonly have it monthly, tho' we tye not ourfelves to any fet time, but alter it as often as reafon appears.'

Let us come to the church of Scotland, and confider the ancient practice of our worthy reformers in this matter. And, in the first place, it we look to the old Scots liturgy, or the book of common order, which was written by John Knox, first for the order of the Eng. lifh kirk at Geneva, whereof he was minifter, and approved by John Galvin, printed at Geneva, anno 1556,

and

and afterwards received and ufed by the reformed kirk of Scotland; we will find in the 10th chapter, concerning the manner of adminiftration of the Lord's Supper, thefe words; The day when the Lord's Supper is miniftred, which is commonly used once a-month, or fo oft as the congregation fhall think expedient, the minifter uleth to lay as followeth, &,' From which it appears, that the first practice of our reformers, after the reformation of tuis nation from popery, was, to adminifter the Lord's Supper commonly once a-month. Afterwards, it feemeth, they found that the people did not fo generally fall in with the forefaid order for monthly facraments as could be wished: And thefore in the general affembly, which was held a: Edinburgh in December 1562, they thought fit to condelcend to a lefs frequent administration of this ordinance; for in their act thereanent, as recorded by Cald. in his hiftory, page 816, we have these words;

It is ordained, that the communion be four times miniftred in the year within burrows towns, and twice in country parishes.

Here indeed there is a diftinction made betwixt the frequency of burghs and country parifhes: But in the firft book of ditcipline, which was compiled by feverals of our famous reformers, by way of addreis to the civil government, and much about the fame time approved and established both by church and ftate, we find four times in the year condefcended upon for the facrament, without any distinction of congregations, Cap. 2. Parag. 2. They tell us indeed, that the order of Geneva, concerning the Ministration of the facraments, was at that time used in fome of their churches, ie. the book of common order forecited, which declareth for monthly Sacrameuts; but, in Gap. 11. Parag. 5. they give their judgment for quarterly communions in thefe words; Four times in the year we think fufficient to the adminiftration of the Lord's Table, which we defire

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• to be dist'a@ed, that the fuperftition of times may be avoided to far as may be For your honours are not ignorant how fuperftitiously the people run to that action at Pafch, even as if the time < gave virtue to the facrament; and how the rest of the whole year they are careless and negligent, as if it appertained not to them but at that time onWe think therefore most expedient, that the firft Sonday of March be appointed for one time to that fervice, the firft Sonday, of June for another, the first Sonday of September for the third, the first Sonday of December for the fourth. We do not de. ny but any feveral kirk for reasonable causes may change the time, and may minifter oftner; but we ftudy to repres fuperftition.'

• lv.

From all which we may fee what it was that came to be the more general, fettled and declared mind of the church of Scotland after the reformation, concerning the frequency of the Lord's fupper, viz. that it fhould be at least celebrated once in the quarter, allowing liberty to any minifter or congregation to adminifter it oftner if they thought fit. Some perhaps may doubt, if it was altogether right in our reformers, to reduce the primitive practice of celebrating the Lord's fupper once a week to once in the month, and afterwards to once in the quarter; but we are to fuppofe that they had weighty reafons for it at that time but there are many now of the mind, that we of this age cannot fo well account for reducing the ancient practice of this church in adminiftrating this facrament once in the quarter, to once in the year. Is not this a lamentable deviating from the fentiments and practice of our great and zealous reformers ? What can our unfrequency in celebrating this Chriftcommemorating ordinance be imputed to fo much, as a fad decay of love to a crucified Jefus ? Alas that love to our unchangeably lovely redeemer fhould cool by length of time! We fadly verify what he foretold of the latcer days, Mat. xxiv. 12. Iniquity

Shall

But

fhall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold. oh! are not Chrift's benefits as great as ever, his blood as fresh and efficatious as e er? Why then should not Chriftians love be as warm as ever, and their respect to his golpel inftitutions as ftrong as 'ever? O that the Chrift ans of this age were fenfible from whence we are fallen; how far we have departed from the zeal of our ancestors, and left our fit love to a crucified Christ; fo that all ranks were concerned to revive and recover it, in and by the ufe of the means which God hath appointed for that end; that by degrees we might again attain to our reformers trequency of celebrating this Chrift exalting and lo es inflaming ordinance and fo change our annual to quarterly communions! I know it is affecting to fome hearrty well withers to the profperity and credit of the church of Scotland to think that a church, fo excellently well confticuted, and which had attained to a greater pitch of reformation in other things than her neighbours, fhould yet ly behind them in this point,

I acknowledge, that matters were so put out of or der in this church, by reafon of the long oppreffion The groaned under, and the great defections of many, be ore the late happy Revolution, that minifters in fe. veral places were afraid to difpenfe this fealing ordinance to their flocks for iome time: and finding themfelves very much straitned betwixt the indilpofition of their people, and the hazard of a total omif fion, they came to an unfrequent celebration of this ordinance, perhaps but once in two or three years, till this unfrequency became customary and too general. Serious Chriftians indeed flocked into these places where it was difpenfed, whereby their lofs at home was in fome mealure repaired.

But the General Affembly, being fenfible of the evil of this unfrequency, began to take notice of it, and make several excellent Acts for the mo e frequent celebration of the Lord's Supper, as in the years

1701,