566 THE LORD'S- SUPPER, AT NOON OR EVENING. whowere all men, andjust after anòther supper ; but can any man think that we must never administer, but where there are just twelve men to receive it, and that ne woman must ever partake of it ; and that we must always eat another supper before we receive this ? Yet further, what christian ever thought it necessary, that it should be performed on the same day of the week, that is Thursday, and on the same dayof the month too, as it was first instituted, that is the thirteenth or fourteenth of March ? Then it canbe celebratedbut once in five or six years; when the same day ofthe month happens on the same day of the week: And I be- lieve, we all think it necessary to receive it oftener, that on the fourteenthof March only, even if that couldpossibly fall on the Lord's -day every year. Yet again, if the Lord's-supper must be always administered in the evening, it cannot be always at the same hour of the day as we compute our hours in England. The evening hour or sun-set, which is six o'clock in March and September, will be complete night in December, and complete day in June. And thus if we receive the Lord's supper every month, it will be sometimes perfect day, and sometimes perfect night, if we keep to the same hour in which our Lord adminis- tered it. Besides, St. Paul did not celebrate this ordinance al- ways in the evening. See Acts xx. 7. He continued his preach- ing at 'I'roas till midnight. Then Eutychus fell down asleep, was taken updead, was restored to life, and after all this they broke bread, and continued in discourse till break of day. And theprimitive christians often celebrated this sacrament " horis ante lucanis," that is, " before break of day," as the ancients inform us, most probably for fear of being disturbed by their persecuting enemies. Thus the conveniency of performance must determine the season or hour of administration, as well as the place and other circumstances. I confess it is usually called, the Lord's-supper, because it was in the evening that Christ instituted it, just after the Jewish passover, which was a supper ; but let it be observed, that sup- per was a very considerable, if not a chief meal, in many coun- tries in those days, as dinner is now amongst us. Therefore, ifwe may change the posture of leaning- at table into sitting up- right, because it is our present table-posture, why may we not as well change supper time, which was their chief meal, for the season of our chief meal, that is at noon ? Especially since we cannot find that the precise time is made any part of the worship itself, or has any holy or religious signification in it. Let us standfast then in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and not be entangled with yokes of bondage; Gal. v. 1. nor im- pose hours snd seasons upon ovr consciences, which we cannot find the word.of God has imposed, but which Christ has left indifferent to the free choice and conveniency of his churches.-
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