Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

The Churches, like the Primitive, have no Times universally stated for their Celebration of the Eucharist. Some have it once in Four Weeks, some in Six, some in Eight, and some, the first Lord's Day in every Calendar Month; and some the last: Some in the close of the Afternoon: but most in the close of the Forenoon. And the Pastors likewise reserve to themselves a Liberty of Altering the Times as they judge fit upon Emergencies.

The Churches, like the Primitive, have no Times universally stated for their Celebration of the Eucharist. Some have it once in Four Weeks, some in Six, some in Eight, and some, the first Lord's Day in every Kalender Month; and some the last: Some in the close of the Afternoon: but most in the close of the Forenoon. And the Pastors likewise reserve to themselves a Liberty of Altering the Times as they judge fit upon Emergencies.

The Churches do generally see no Necessity of taking the Evening for the only Time of Celebrating the Lord's Supper. For though it be called by the Name of ΔΕΙΠΝΟΝ, 'tis well known, that in the Ancient Greek Authors, as Ancient as Homer himself, the Word is used for a Dinner, for a Breakfast, for any Eating, as well as for a Supper. And Coena, which is the Term that Answers it in Latin, signifies any Eating in Common. Yea, the English Word Supper does not necessarily imply Night-Eating; The last Meal in the Day is a Supper, though it be several Hours before Night; and the Word being derived from SOP (which is Bread that is dipped in some Liquid thing) the Diet rather than the Season of Eating, is therein ⟨p. 96⟩intimated. Wherefore the Churches do generally count themselves obliged no more to the Time of Night for the Lord's Supper, than to the Place of an Upper Chamber for it, or the Number Twelve of the Communicants.

The Churches do generally see no Necessity of taking the Evening for the only Time of Celebrating the Lord's Supper. For though it be called by the Name of ΔΕΙΠΝΟΝ, 'tis well known, that in the Ancient Greek Authors, as Ancient as Homer himself, the Word is used for a Dinner, for a Breakfast, for any Eating, as well as for a Supper. And Coena, which is the Term that Answers it in Latin, signifies any Eating in Common. Yea, the English Word Supper does not necessarily imply Night-Eating; The last Meal in the Day is a Supper, though it be several Hours before Night; and the Word being derived from SOPPE (which is Bread that is dipped in some Liquid thing) the Diet rather than the Season of Eating, is therein