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God otherwise than was written, and placed equal holiness in our customs as God's commands. But —
2. I answer in particular —
[1.] To the matter of love-feasts. It is true the christians of the primitive times had their avaTra?, love-feasts, before the sacrament. Warrant in the word of God there is none for these feasts that I could ever see. For the rise and ground of them, some make it to be in imitation of the heathens, wlio, whensoever they had a general sacrifice (that is, when more than one did sacrifice at a time), and a general sacrifice they had once a year for the whole village, did meet, jjberd rca twv Kaprrcov avyKOfziSaq (as Aristotle speaks in the 8th Book of his Ethics, chap. 9), after the gathering in of their first- fruits, offering their sacrifices and feasting one another. Now, because the sacrament came nearest to this sacrifice and was most like it, the christians would not come behind them ; they would have their feasts too ; for it is manifest the primitive christians did come as near the customs of the gentiles as possi])ly their religion would give them leave. Or some say they were in imitation of the Jews, who did always finish their sacrifices with feasts and banquets, as is manifest out of scripture ; and therefore some conceive these love-feasts were after the sacrament ; but the former opinion is more probable. Again, some think they did this in imitation of Christ, who instituted the sacrament after a full supper ; therefore, to express their love one to another, they would have their feasts too. Whether this or that were the cause or rise of it, it matters not much ; certain we are there is no ground in scripture for them.
But then you will reply — It is lawful, then, to do many times more than is written, to observe that in our practice which is not prescribed in the institution.
I answer, therefore, further concerning these love-feasts —
1. It is uncertain whether they were lawful or no at that time of the ordinance. It is true, indeed, there is no express prohibition in the scripture against them, and the apostle seemeth rather to reprove the abuse than the use of them ; but yet, if you mark it, there is nothing said to encourage the Corinthians to continue them, but rather to give them over, it being but a thing of their own devising, since it was so much abused ; for you shall see the apostle speaks somewhat slightingly of them ; he calleth it their ' own supper,' 1 Cor. xi. 21 ; that is, a supper of their own devising. He would be sure to set it far enough from the ordinance ; it should not claim kin of that, and fetch its descent as high as the Lord's suj^per ; it was their supper — ' every one taketh his own supper.' Besides, in ver. 22, that seemeth to condemn the very use of them : ' Have ye not houses to eat and drink in ? ' Cannot ye feast at other times? Besides, the apostle Jude speaketh very meanly of them too : Jude 12, 'These are spots in your love-feasts.' He doth not say ' in the love-feasts,' as being an approved, received, grounded custom ; but iv ayd7rai<i vfxwv, ' in your love-feasts ;' they are not Christ's feasts, but yours ; feasts of your own appointment. But besides, if it be not plain out of the word of God, yet certainly much language may be fetched out of the works of God ; for you see he blasted this custom
346 SERMONS ON THE SACRAMENTS.
of theirs by his providence. As soon as ever it was begun amongst them it was corrupted, and within a little while after, it so stank in the nostrils of men that it was altogether given off. It was abused to riot, and excess, and contempt of the poor in the apostle's time as soon as ever it was set up, and afterward no doubt it grew worse ; and therefore the church left it off, God providing by his providence that we should only know the name of it and no more. Therefore we may guess it was not very pleasing to God, because he suffered it to rot so timely.
Again, it was no way, as I conceive, a fitting custom for communi- cants to come with a full gorge and a clogged stomach to the elements. You know we are most apt to feel the comfort of the creature when we are hungry, and so then also most likely to be sensible of that spiritual nourishment which is signified by the comfort of the crea- ture. Therefore, all these things considered will make us suspect that custom, that it was but a will- worship, an innovation of theirs, and that the thing itself was not warrantable. You know what Abraham said to God : Gen, xviii., ' Far be it from thee to slay the righteous with the wicked.' So say I, Far be it from me to confound a righteous custom with the wicked abuse of it; yet these things will make it uncertain whether that were a lawful custom or no. But—