with them on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God came upon them; when their minds were opened, and when they discovered, for the first time, the nature of his kingdom: and these spiritual Passovers he has since eaten, and continues to eat, with all those whose minds, detached from worldly pursuits and connections, are so purified and spiritualized as to be able to hold communion with God. It is reported of him next, that "he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave to his disciples, saying, This is my body, which is given for you."

On these words the Quakers make the following observations: The word "this" does not belong to the word "bread;" that is, it does not mean, that this bread is my body. For the word "bread" in the original Greek is of the masculine, and the word "this" is of the neuter gender. But it alludes to the action of the breaking of the bread; from which the following new meaning will result: "This breaking of the bread, which you now see me perform, is a symbol or representation of the giving, or, as St. Paul has it, of the breaking of my body for you.".

In the same manner, the Quakers say that

the

the giving of the wine in the cup is to be understood as a symbol or representation of the giving of his blood for them.

The Quakers therefore are of opinion, when they consider the meaning of the sayings of Jesus Christ, both with respect to the bread and to the wine, that he endeavoured again to turn the attention of his disciples from the type to the antitype, from the bread and wine to his own body and blood, from the paschal lamb that had been slain and eaten to the Lamb that was going to be sacrificed; and, as the blood of the latter was, according to St. Matthew, for the remission of sins, to turn their attention from the antient object of the celebration of the Passover, or salvation from Egyptian bondage, to a new object, or the salvation of themselves and others by this new sacrifice of himself.

It is reported of him again by St. Luke, after he had distributed the bread, and said, "This is my body which is given for you," that he added, "This do in remembrance of me.'

These words the Quakers believe to have no reference to any new institution, but they contain a recommendation to his disciples to meet in a friendly manner, and break their

bread

bread together in remembrance of their last supper with him; or if, as Jews, they could not all at once leave off the custom of the Passover, in which they had been born and educated, as a religious ceremony, to celebrate it, as he had then modified and spiritualized it, with a new meaning.

If they relate to the breaking of their bread together, then they do not relate to any Passover or sacramental eating, but only to that of their common meals; for all the Passovers of Jesus Christ with his disciples were in future to be spiritual—and in this sense the primitive Christians seem to have understood the words in question; for in their religious. zeal they sold all their goods, and, by means of the produce of their joint stock, kept a common table and lived together: but in process of time, as this custom, from various causes, declined, they met at each other's houses, or at other appointed places, to break their bread together in memorial of the Passover-supper. This custom, it is remarkable, was denominated the custom "of breaking of bread;" nor could it have had any other name so proper, if the narration of St. Luke be true. For the words "do this in remembrance of me" relate solely, as

he has placed them, to the breaking of the bread. They were used after the distribution of the bread, but were not repeated after the giving of the cup.

If they relate, on the other hand, to the celebration of the Passover as it had been modified and spiritualized with a new meaning, then the interpretation of them will stand thus: "As some of you, my disciples, for ye are all Jews, may not be able to get over all your prejudices at once, but may celebrate the Passover again; and as it is the last time that I shall celebrate it with you as a ceremonial, I desire you to do it in remembrance or as a memorial of me. I wish the celebration of it always to bring to your recollection this our last public meeting, the love I bear to you, and my sufferings and my death. I wish your minds to be turned from carnal to spiritual benefits, and to be raised to more important themes than the mere escape of your ancestors from Egyptian bondage. If it has hitherto been the object of the Passover to preserve in your memories the bodily salvation of your ancestors, let it be used in future, if you cannot forsake it, as a memorial of your own spiritual salvation; for my body, of which the bread is a

8

repre

representation, is to be broken; and my blood, of which the wine is an emblem, is Ito be shed for the remission of your sins.'

But in whatever sense the words "do this in remembrance of me" are to be taken, the Quakers are of opinion, as far as St. Luke states the circumstances, that they related solely to the disciples themselves. Jesus Christ recommends it to those who were present, and to those only, to do this in remembrance of him; but he now here tells them to order or cause it to be done by the whole Christian world, as he told them to preach the Gospel to every creature.

To sum up the whole of what has been said in this chapter: If we consult St. Luke, and St. Luke only, all that we can collect on this subject will be, That the future Passover-suppers of Christ with his disciples were to be spiritual; that his disciples were desired to break their bread together in remembrance of him; or if, as Jews, they could not relinquish the Passover, to celebrate it with a new meaning; but that this permission extended to those only who were present on that occasion.

SICTION