The principal Things relating to this INSTI- As a Memorial of the Death of CHRIST. By HENRY GROVE. First printed in the Year 1732. To which are added, I. A DISCOURSE on the Obligations to II. DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES re- EDINBURGH: Printed by SANDS, MURRAY, and COCHRAN, DISCOURSE Concerning the LORD's SUPPER. T HE Chriftian religion, contained in the fcriptures of the New Teftament, is fo called, because it is the religion of Jefus Chrift, which he taught partly in his own perfon while he was upon earth, and more fully by his apoftles after his afcenfion into heaven; from whence he fent down his Holy Spirit upon them, to lead them into the knowledge of all truth; and, by the gifts of languages, and a power of working miracles, to enable them to propagate and establish it in all the earth. Among many things which fhew the great excellency of this religion, not only above the falfe religions of the world, but even that of Mofes himself, (though that alfo was from God), we are to regard this as none of the leaft confiderable, that it is a most reasonable and fpiritual fervice; having but two duties belonging to it that are of a pofitive nature; that is, fuch as might never have A 2 been been duties, and would never have been fo, without a particular and exprefs command of God for them. And thefe are, baptifm, and the Lord's fupper. The outward action in both thefe is of itfelf indifferent, and obliges only by virtue of its being injoined by one whofe authority we have no room to dispute. By baptifm, they who had embraced the doctrine of falvation by Chrift, took upon them the public profeffion of it, and were received into the number of his difciples; as all thofe in like manner are, to whom baptifm is now adminiftered. By communicating in the Lord's fupper, we endeavour to keep alive in ourselves, and to preferve in the world, the memory of the divine author of that religion into which baptifm first enters us This is a plain account of these two gofpel-ordinances, with regard to the first and moft general defign of each. The former hath a more immediate refpect to the religion itself which we profefs; the latter, to the author of it, in remembrance of whom this inftitution of his is to be obferved throughout all generations. That men having fufficient evidence of the truth of the gofpel, fhould readily believe and entertain it; and believing it to be true, fhould openly profess it, is a dictate of natural reafon; in other words, a moral duty. But the obligation they are under to declare and profefs their faith by the particular ceremony of baptizing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ho ly ly Ghoft, doth not arife out of the nature of the ceremony itself, but is wholly to be refolved into the divine appointment. So again, that we should gratefully remember our benefactors, and that perfon, therefore, above all, who hath proved himself the greateft friend to mankind they ever had; is what reafon, and all the principles of ingenuity,. will not fuffer us to be ignorant of But for fetting apart bread and wine to this ufe by folemn prayer, and then eating and drinking in memory of our bleffed Lord, we have no other warrant but his exprefs command, De this in remembrance of me. However, there is this to be faid for thefe two rites or ceremonies, that they have nothing burdenfome and difficult in the practice of them, and will bear an eafy and obvious application, as figns to the things fignified and intended by them; which, no doubt, is one reafon of their having been chofen by our Saviour for this purpose. I fay one reason, not the only one; fince, befides this, another inducement feems to have been, that he might not depart, further than was neceffary, from the received cuftoms of the Jews; among whom, as frequent washings were a great part of their religion, fo John his forerunner came baptizing with water, in token of that repentance by which they were prepared for the kingdom of hea ven, or the gofpel-difpenfation, which was then at hand. And in eating the paffover, it was their manner, having taken bread, to blefs and break it, and to hallow or blefs feA 3 veral |