If it fhould be here objected, That there is mention of a Sacrifice and Oblation in the Second Liturgy. Firft in the Prayer for Chrift's Church, wherein we beseech God to accept our Alms and Dblations (if we have made any) and again, in the Poft Communion, We beseech thee to accept this our Sacrifice of Pzaile and Thanksgiving. It is plain that neither of thefe have refpect to the proper Evangelical Sacrifice, which it's prefum'd we defign then to commemorate in Union with the whole Church of Chrift: For thefe are not the New Sacrifice or Pure Offering prophecy'd of; thefe are fuch Sacrifices as Men have been taught both by natural and reveal'd Religion to offer; Tythes and Oblations were both before and under the Law, Jews and Hea thens paid thefe Acknowledgments to the Almighty Sovereign of Heaven and Earth; and where Chriftianity is not yet known, fuch Donatives are made at this Day. The Lay Chriftian, in his Closet, is bound to make a daily Offering of himself to GOD's Service, and to confume his own Self-will and Affections, as a Holocauft to the Praise of his Grace; and every one, according to his Ability, is bound to do good, and diftribute to the Wants of his Fellow-Creatures, for that God is pleased with such Sacrifices. But thefe fall infinitely fhort of that Sacrifice which GOD prepar'd for himself, that, in and through which, the others have Merit and Acceptance with him. What are our Alms and Oblations, but a little of that Abundance which he himfelf gives us? What are our Souls, but the finful Inhabitants of Flefh? And our Bodies, but polluted Tabernacles; both lefs innocent, and confequently lefs fit for an Offering to the Ho

lieft

lieft of Holies, than a Lamb or a Dove? The Chriftian Sacrifice then, as it is the Inftitution of Chrift the Son of God, the Sacrifice of that moft bleed Body which was affumed into one Perfon with GOD himself, must be more tranfcending and excellent than all that went before, which were but Figures, Types and Shadows, of what it is the Substance and Antitype. It is not then the internal Sacrifice, which every Christian is bound to offer, by the Spiritual Priesthood he partakes in Virtue of the Myftical Union with Chrift his Head; these are the Conditions, Qualifications, and Concomitants of a worthy Of ferer but it confifts in doing what Chrift appointed and authorised his Ministers to do, when he faid, Do this in Commemoration of me; and, As often as ye eat this, &c. The Apostle St. Paul, in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, fheweth the Translation of the Church, the Change of Sacrifices, and the Appointment of a more honourable Priefthood, in regard of the more excellent Sacrifice of the Evangelical Difpenfation; and particularly Chap. xiii. 10. We have an ALtar (a), whereof they have no Power to eat who ferve the Tabernacle: This cannot be restrained to fignify the Crofs in a metaphorical Senfe, for the Particle (have) denotes fomething prefent, and opposed to the Tabernacle, as (eating) is here opposed to the real and proper eating of the Jews at their Legal Sacrifices. And speaking of the Friefthood, Chap. v. he fays, Every HighPrieft taken from among Men, is ordained for Men in Things pertaining to GOD, that he may offer both

(α) Θυσιαςήριον.

K 2

Gifts

Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins. •And no Man taketh this Honour to himself, but he that is called of God. Aaucáve (taketh) in the prefent Tenfe, agreeable to which the Words are ftill ufed against those who facrilegiously ufurp the Priests Office; and as the Senfe of Scripture is belt found amongst the early Writers, fo we may fee all the primitive Fathers agreeing in this Doctrine of Sacrifice and Priesthood, which CHRIST hath appointed to continue in his Church till his Second Coming; they speak of them in the moft fublime and lofty Terms. St. Clement calls the Holy Eucharift the Mystery of the New Teftament. St. Irenæus calls it the New Oblation of the New Teftament. St. Cyprian, the pure Oblation of the New Offering in the New Law; the vital and unpolluted Hoft, the honourable and dreadful Sacrifice, the Sacrifice of Eucharift or Thankfgiving In fine, a Sacrifice which fucceeds all the Sacrifices of the Old Law, and comprehends all Difference of Sacrifices. Both he and Tertullian ufually call it a Sacrifice and Oblation, and Dominicum, i. e. our Lord's Sacrifice. St. Cyril calls it the Holy, Unbloody, and Life-giving Sacrifice in the Church. So St. Epiphanius, St. Hierom, St. Chryfoftome, and St. Auguftin fpeak of it as a Myftery full of Wonder, with most high Elogies of Praise and Admiration.

So likewife the Fathers fpeak of the Priests of the Evangelical Law as of Perfons ordained to offer this Sacrifice.

"That it is

St. Ignatius the Martyr (b) fays, not lawful to offer or make Sacrifice without "the Bishop, i. e. without his Leave.

(b) Ep. ad Smyr.

St.

St. Juftin Martyr, (c)

"God does not re

ceive Hofts from any one, but from his "Priests, in whom CHRIST JESUS did give « us all Sacrifices, which are done in his Name; "that is, in the Eucharist of the Bread and the Cup, which Chriftians offer in all Places.

St. Cypr. (d) "As JESUS CHRIST our "LORD and GOD, the High-Priest, did "firft offer himself a Sacrifice to his Father, and "command this to be done in his Commemo"ration, fo the Priest truly executes CHRIST's "Place, and imitating that which CHRIST "did, offers the true and perfect Sacrifice in "the Church to GOD the Father, in doing. "according to what he has feen CHRIST "JESUS to offer. And elsewhere, (e) " Cer"tainly the Prieft holds truly the Place of "CHRIST, who doth that which JESUS "CHRIST did, and then offers the true " and entire Sacrifice to GOD the Father in "the Church, &c.

The Holy Fathers in the First Council of Nice, A. D. 325. (f) It is reported to the Council, that in fome Places and Cities the Deacons adminifter the Sacrament to Priefts: Neither Rule nor Custom hath deliver'd, that those who have not Power to offer Sacrifices, should give it to them who offer Chrift's Body.

The Third Council of Carthage hath this Canon (g); " In the Sacrament of the Body and "Blood of our Lord, nothing more is to be of“ fered, than what our Lord himself hath de

(d) Epift. 63. (e) Lib.2. (g) Can. 24.

(c) Dialog. cum Tryph. Ep. 3. (f) Can. 14.

"liver'd,

"liver'd, that is, Bread, and Wine mixed with "Water; no more is to be offered in the Sacri"fices, but of the Grape and Wheat.

I fhall conclude this Head with the Words of the learned Bishop Sparrow, in his Rationale, of the Word Prieft. "Befides thefe Spiritual Sa

crifices mentioned, the Minifters of the Gospel "have another Sacrifice to offer, viz. the unbloody

Sacrifice, as it was anciently called, the Com"memorative Sacrifice of the Death of CHRIST; " which does as really and truly fhew forth the "Death of CHRIST, as thofe Sacrifices under "the Law did forefhew it; and in refpect of "this Sacrifice of the Eucharift, the Antients "have usually call'd those that offered it up

Priests. And if Melchized.ch was called a Prieft (as he is often by St. Paul to the Hebrews) who yet had no other Sacrifice that we read of, but that of Bread and Wine, why may not they, whofe Office it is to bless the People, as Melchizedech did, and besides that to offer that Holy Bread and Wine, the Body "and Blood of Christ, of which his Bread and "Wine was at the moft but a Type, be as truly "and without Offence call'd Priests alfo?

I have been the longer on this, as it is of the greatest Concernment to the most principal Part of our religious Worship; the unbloody Sacrifice of the Altar being the Mean, by which the bloody Sacrifice on the Crofs, which was offered for the Sins of the whole World, is particularly apply'd to every one of the Faithful for their Salvation. And our Pious Reformers fhew'd great Regard to this, when they enjoyn'd the Celebration of it by fuch a Form, as the Liturgies of all Churches and Ages agree in, as the Effential of Holy Worship;