372 The Gofpel of the Brazen Altar. Reaf. t. Becaufe the Scripture calls it a Table, but not an Altar; and we mutt (peak of God and of his Ordinances, asGod bimfelf doth in his Word. So the Apoftle, i Cot. to. zi. ye cannot be Partaker of the Lord's Table, and ofthe Table of Devils : So Chrift, Luke 22.2I. the Hand ofbim that betrayetb me is with me on the Table. Reaf. 2. An Altar implies a Sacrifice and facrificing Prieíts; for Priefts, Altar and Sacrifice are relatives, and have a mutual and infe- parable Connexion and Dependance upon one another. But the Lord's Supper is not a Sacrifice; nor the Minifters of the Gofpel, Priefts ; therefore the Lord's Table is not an Altar. The life of an Altar is to 'offer Sacrifice upon ; but when we come to the Lord's Supper, do we come to Sacrifice Chrift again, and to Crucify the Son of God afrefh ? No, but we come to celebrate the Memory of his Death, who died once for all, Heb. to. ro. Chrift wah once offered to bear the Sins of many, Pleb. 9. 28. and 7. 27. To talk of a commemorative Sacrifice is meer non-fenfc, and a Con- tradi&ion ; for as the Pi&ure of a Man is no Man, fo the Commemo- ration of a Sacrifice, is in truth no Sacrifice. If it were a Sacrifice offered upon the Table as an Altar, they fhould make four Horns upon the four Corners of the Table, and they fhould make a Grate for the Fire, and they fhould put Fire to their Altars to burn the Sacrifice, even the Bread and Wine. Real 3. if the CommunionTable were an Altar, then it fhould be greater and better then the Sacramental Bread and Wine, then the Lord's Supper it felf, and a means toConfecrate them : For the Altar fan&ifies all the Gifts and Sacrifkes that are offered upon it, and Is greater then the Gift, Mattb. 23. r8, 19. Hence it is laid, the .attar (hall be Holinefs of Holineffes, or moft Holy, Exod. qo. io. But the Table is not greater then the Lord's Supper. Therefore the. Table is not an Altar. It is true, fome ofthe Ancients, have called it an Altar, but unfcrip- turally and improperly, as they did alto ufe other extravagant and wonton Metaphors, calling it Solinm Chrifii, the Throne of Chrift.; whereas Chrift is not reprefented on the Table in his Majefty, as up- on a Throne ; but in his loweft Humility and deepeft Abatement, as broken, crucified, c?'c. Thefe Expreffions of the Fathers. i. Theywere unfcriptural, the Scripture doth not ufe fuck Langu- age, nor fpeak of the CommunionTable in fuch a ftrain. 2. They have done much hurt in the Church, unawares to thofe good Men, and have been inlets and occafions of much Superftition. 3. When.
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