I. We are to consider the original and actual institution of the
sacramental supper. It may not be improper or unuseful, just to
notice here as we enter on this important subject, the names, by
which this Ordinance of the New Testament dispensation, is commonly
known. I now, in the entry, call this ordinance, an ordinance of the
New Testament dispensation, because I hope to be able, in the
subsequent reasonings, to prove it to be so, to every mind that has
candour, and discernment, to see the force of arguments. It has been
differently denominated, in the Christian Church, and by different
communions of Christians. It has been called the holy Sacrament--the
great Gospel feast--the Christian Passover--the holy supper--the
Eucharist--the Communion--and the Lord's supper. Among all these
appellations, that by which it most commonly goes, among christians,
is the Lord's supper. In each of these names, there is a peculiar
significance and propriety, as is justly observed in those numerous
discourses, which have been published on this Gospel-ordinance. Pious
and sensible tracts have been published by learned men and sound
divines on the nature of this ordinance--the qualifications of the
worthy recipients--the terms of admission to its blessed
privileges--the due preparation for attending upon it--the graces to
be exercised while attending it--the design of it--and the temper and
conduct which become christians after rising from the holy table--as
well as the danger and sin of an unworthy and irreverent approach to
it.--There is, in holy scripture, most obviously, sufficient reason
for these several names given to it. But we readily concede, the word
_sacrament_ is not in the New-Testament-writings. It signifies
binding ourselves to the Lord by covenant-vows and promises. Whenever
we participate of the sacrament of the supper, we solemnly covenant,
engage, and promise visually to be the Lord's; to believe his truths,
to be faithful in his service, to perform the duties which he
enjoins--and to take him for our only Saviour.--
It may also, once for all, be here remarked, that there are, among
the various communions of christians, some circumstances relating to
this Ordinance, which are not essential, but are left to the
convenience, prudence, and situation of the followers of the Son of
God. Such as the frequency with which it ought to be celebrated; the
posture of the recipients;--the quantity of the _Elements_ to be
taken;--and several other less points, which indeed have caused much
contention among pious christians, to the disgrace both of reason and
religion. In all indifferent things, it is folly to contend. It is no
where said how often the Lord's Supper is to be solemnized--or
whether in the morning or evening of the Sabbath-worship--or whether
we shall sit--or stand--or kneel while we partake of the symbols of
the body and blood of the Redeemer. These circumstances are perfectly
immaterial. And how unhappy, that christians should ever interrupt
the harmony of churches on account of them, or divide and separate
from each other. But about what trifles, MERE NOTHING, will men
furiously quarrel! He who kneels at the holy table is as acceptable a
worshipper, as he who sits or stands. God looks at the heart, and not
at the outward appearance. A composed, decent, and respectful or
reverential posture is becoming, and is required. And as often, as
the body of the people, with whom we worship, deem it expedient to
solemnize the holy ordinance of the supper, we should do it, even if
our private opinions should happen to be different. All that
Christian Churches are concerned about, is that their Communion-days
or Sacramental seasons may not be too near each other, or too far
distant, lest the good effects, which they are intended to
accomplish, should be frustrated. These observations are made to
reconcile unhappy differences in Churches--to prevent needless
disputes--and to promote among all that love our Lord Jesus Christ,
however distinguished by name or distant in place,
union--love--charity--condescension--and mutual forbearance. I hope
the glorious day will soon arrive when God's people of the various
denominations, will make the most of their union, and the least of
their difference--and be in all ESSENTIAL THINGS, of one mind, of one
way: and will lay aside and be ashamed of their foolish attachment
to, and intemperate zeal for mere circumstantial points, names, and
forms. Happy are the persons or the church that can divest themselves
of all party-views and prejudice--of all bigotry and narrow notions,
and embrace all pious people, of whatever sect, in the arms of
fraternal affection--loving those most, who appear to have most of
the temper and holiness of the Gospel! Alas! what mischief to the
best of all causes, that of Jesus of Nazareth, hath bigotry done in
every age, and every land, where his name has been known!
But the principle design of the present discourse is to prove, from
scripture, the reality of such an ordinance, as we call the sacrament
of the supper. Is there, then, such an ordinance, in the Christian
Church, to be observed by all the followers and disciples of our
Lord, in every age and country? If there be not, we are, in our
attendance upon it, justly chargeable with adopting human inventions
and corruptions. Consequently are guilty of will-worship or
superstition. We go beyond what is required of us. We cannot, of
course, hope, upon reasonable grounds, for the divine acceptance and
approbation. For God is never honored by, or pleased with our
religious observances, however seemingly devout or pious we may be,
when we presume to offer him, either what he hath not required of us
by plain instructions of his own word, or made known to us by the
dictates of reason: or when we offer it in the way, which he hath not
required. We are to admit as articles of faith all that he hath
enjoined, and only what he hath enjoined, and no more. In our
practice, as professed christians, we are to do precisely as he hath
commanded us. To believe as he tells us, and to do as he bids us, is
the chief of religion. As professed followers of the Redeemer of the
world, we are to walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the
Lord blameless. On the subject of positive duties we are to be
guided, in our inquiries, altogether by the revealed will of him, who
appoints them.
Laying aside all prepossessions from education, tradition, or other
sources, let us candidly and critically enquire, whether Jesus Christ
did not, in the most POSITIVE and EXPRESS manner, institute the
sacrament of his supper, or a solemn commemoration of his passion and
death by partaking of bread and wine set apart to be emblems of his
body and blood. And it is not possible for any language to be plainer
or easier to be comprehended, than the passage of scripture chosen
for our present meditation. In it we have an account, concise, but
full, of the original appointment. We have, in it, the history of the
first Christian sacrament ever attended upon. The Jewish Passover is
done away EXPRESSLY, by him whom it typified, and who alone had
authority to change or abrogate the whole Jewish system. He says, in
so many words, that he abolishes it, and would never more attend it.
He says, he sets up another and new ordinance, in its room, to be
continued in his Gospel kingdom. He himself dispenses the Elements
after consecrating them by prayer. His disciples partook of them. All
the circumstances are minutely set down. Nay, he ordained, as king of
Zion, as head over all things to his Church, that the commemoration
of him, by material bread and wine, should be STATEDLY observed to
the end of the world, in his Church, for the important purposes of
honouring him as a Saviour, and preserving warm in the heart, and
perpetuating the memory of his sufferings, his dying love and rich
grace. I will explain and illustrate this history of the institution
of the Lord's supper, in the following manner, and principally in the
words of an _approved expositor._
At the close of the paschal supper before the table was cleared,
Jesus to show that he was thereby typified as the lamb of God who was
to be sacrificed for us, took in his hand such bread as was in common
use, and having set it apart for sacred service, by thanksgiving and
prayer, he brake it and distributed it among his disciples, saying
_take eat_; for I appoint this sacramental bread to be henceforth
eaten as the memorial of my body's being broken for your redemption
by my sufferings and death; in like manner as the eating of the
paschal Lamb was appointed to be a memorial for the preservation of
Israel from the destroying angel, and of their deliverance out of
Egypt.----After the same manner he likewise took the cup of such wine
in his hand as they had at the paschal supper, and setting this apart
by thanksgiving and prayer to sacramental use, delivered it to his
disciples, saying to every one of them, _drink of this_: for I
appoint this sacramental wine to be henceforth drunk by all my
disciples as the representation and memorial of my blood's being shed
for the confirmation of the new covenant, and purchasing of all its
blessings; and particularly for the forgiveness of the sins of vast
multitudes, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles, also, even of
all that by faith receive the atonement.----
But I tell you that from this time forward I have done with drinking
the juice of the grape in commemoration of Israel's deliverance, and
will have that Ordinance continued NO LONGER than till the things it
typified shall be fulfilled by a more glorious redemption in the
Gospel-kingdom, which will take place after my resurrection, and will
call for a NEW USE of wine in the commemorative Ordinance which I
have NOW INSTITUTED.----And when at the close they had sung an hymn
or song of praise suited to the occasion, Christ knowing that the
time of his being betrayed was just coming on, would not stay to be
apprehended in the house, lest he should bring the Master of it, into
trouble, nor in Jerusalem, lest he should occasion public tumults and
outrages, but retired with his disciples to the Mount of Olives. Here
is a minute and circumstantial account given us by the Evangelist
Matthew, of the ABROGATION of the Jewish ordinance of the Passover,
and the INSTITUTION of the Christian Ordinance of the Lord's supper.
It is a plain and particular account, as much so, as can well be
conceived. And of all the four Evangelists, it is often observed,
Matthew is the most circumstantial and particular in giving us the
memoirs of our blessed Lord's life, discourses and conduct. St. Mark
and St. Luke rehearse to us, in the same words, as nearly as may be,
the ORIGINAL INSTITUTION of the ordinance of the Supper, and the
abolition of the paschal Supper, and of the continuance of the former
in the room of the latter. The Evangelist Mark's account is this.
_And as they did eat Jesus took bread and blessed and break it and
gave to them and said, take eat this is my body.--And he took the
cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all
drank of it. And he said unto them this is the blood of the new
Testament which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink
no more of the fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new
in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out
into the Mount of Olives._ St. Luke's account is of an exactly
similar tenor, though the order be a little different. _Saying with
desire have I desired to eat this PASSOVER with you before I suffer.
For I say unto you I will not any more, eat thereof, until it be
fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup and gave thanks
and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto
you, I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine until the kingdom of
God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it and
gave unto them saying, This is my body which is given for you: this
do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying
this cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you._ No
words can be more particular. All the three Evangelists exactly agree
in their account. There is indeed a wonderful harmony in this, as in
all their other accounts of the birth, life, doctrines, institutions,
sufferings, and death of the son of God. They vary so much as is a
full proof that they did not transcribe from each other--or pen their
Gospels by previous concert:--and they harmonize so completely as to
satisfy all candid minds, that they gave a true, and not a false or
fictitious history. All these three Evangelists tell us that Jesus
Christ, DIRECTLY and EXPRESSLY, abolished the ordinance of the
PASSOVER. And that he also in the Gospel-kingdom, or his Church,
would have bread and wine used as an ordinance commemorative of his
broken body and shed blood. He was very formal, as well as solemn and
particular in this. He told his disciples what the bread was a sign
or symbol of--his body broken: and what the cup was the sign or
emblem of--his blood shed for the remission of sin.--All reasonable
people will agree that his disciples, who were present and heard him,
and partook of the consecrated bread and wine, understood him
perfectly. But how did they understand him? If they did not
comprehend his meaning, it was because he did not utter himself
intelligibly, or they had not common capacities to take up his
meaning.--How they understood him, their conduct explains to all who
have eyes to see, and ears to hear. Did they ever more after this
attend the paschal Ordinance, which had been so dear to the Jewish
Church, from the day of its institution?--Did they not on the _first
day of the week,_ the Lord's day, attend public worship, and
solemnize the Lord's Supper? They did. What did they do this for, if
their Lord and Master had not ordered them to do it? Dared they, of
their own accord, undertake to appoint an ordinance of worship? Their
actions speak louder than words can do. In the Acts of the Apostles,
we are told xx. Chapter--7. that the disciples and believers
solemnized the ordinance of the Lord's supper--on the LORD'S-DAY--the
day of his resurrection, the FIRST DAY of the week. _And upon the
first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread
Paul, preached unto them._ This could not be common _breaking of
bread._ No person, in his senses, can imagine the Apostles went about
from house to house to do this. It could be no other, therefore, than
the sacramental _breaking of bread._ It was on the FIRST DAY of the
week--the Christian Sabbath, or Lord's day. They met for public
worship. Paul preached to them. They had likewise public prayers.
They assembled as we do, and as the Christian world ever since have
done, on the Christian Sabbath to preach, to pray, and to solemnize
the holy Ordinance of the Supper.--A still more minute account is
given us of the various parts of pubic worship observed in the
Apostolic days--ii. Chapter--41 and 42 verses--_They gladly received
the word, and were baptized, and continued steadfast in the Apostle's
doctrine and fellowship--and in breaking of bread and in prayers._
They were steadfast. They gladly received the word--took a pleasure
in hearing it--in being where it was preached. The ordinance of
water-baptism was administered to them. The ordinance of the Lord's
Supper was celebrated and prayers were attended. _They_--that is, all
the professed believers in Jesus Christ _continued steadfast in the
Apostle's doctrine and fellowship._----It is then a fact
incontrovertible, that in the primitive days of Christianity, the
disciples all attended the divine ordinances of baptism and the
Lord's supper--public worship and prayers, on the FIRST day of the
week.
To put the matter beyond all doubt, we will see what St. Paul's view
of it was. He was the chief of the Apostles. An immediate revelation
was given to him, and he was a wonderful and most successful
instrument of spreading the glory of the Gospel--and by whom also a
very considerable part of the New Testament was penned.--In his first
Letter to the Church at Corinth, he gives us a very particular
account of the ORIGINAL INSTITUTION of the ordinance of the Lord's
supper--and EXPRESSLY informs us that it is to be perpetuated in the
christian Church till the end of the world--that is all christians
are by it, to show forth the death of Christ till he _come_--come to
judge the world, and to render to every man according to his
deeds.--xi. Chapter--23-27--_For I have received of the Lord, that
which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night
in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks,
he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken
for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he
took the cup when he had supped, saying this cup is the new Testament
in my blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the
Lord's death till he come._ That this is not common daily eating and
drinking to support life--to satisfy hunger and thirst is evident to
every person, who makes use of his reason in things of religion.
Could the Apostle speak as he does, if he meant no more than our
common meals? If he meant only common eating and drinking, must he
not be insane to speak as he does? Is common eating and drinking a
remembrance of Christ's sufferings and death? If we eat and drink, at
our common meals, without a pious and thankful heart, are we guilty
of the body and blood of the Lord? Is our common eating and drinking,
if not done in a holy manner, eating and drinking damnation to
ourselves--not discerning the Lord's body? Are we to wait, in
partaking common nourishment, till we have examined ourselves? _But
let a man examine himself, and SO LET HIM eat of THAT bread, and
drink of THAT cup._ The Apostle severely reproves the converts at
Corinth for an unworthy, disorderly partaking of the Lord's Supper,
when they assembled for that purpose. He calls the ordinance, the
_Lord's Supper. When ye come together into one place, this is not to
eat the LORD'S SUPPER._ What the Lord's Supper is, we know as well as
we know the meaning of any word ever used: as well as we know what
the _Lord's prayer_ means. The Lord's Supper is not every meal or any
partaking of any food, but a _Supper_ that is PARTICULARLY
SO--EMINENTLY SO. If I were to call every prayer the _Lord's
prayer_--and every meal I made--or food I received, the _Lord's
Supper,_ I should justly be looked upon, either as a wilful perverter
of scripture, or insane.----
Further, the Apostle calls the ordinance now under
consideration--_the Communion_--and partaking of it--setting at _the
Table of the Lord,_ the cup--_the cup of the Lord. The cup of
blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of
Christ. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body
of Christ._ 1. Cor. x. 16. Again, verse 21. _Ye cannot drink the cup
of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the
Lord's table, and the table of devils._ We may also observe, that the
abolition of the Jewish passover, and institution of the ordinance of
the holy Sacrament of bread and wine, in the room of it, is plainly
intimated, when the Apostle calls Christ our Passover sacrificed for
us--and directs us to keep the feast, alluding to the paschal feast,
in a sincere manner. _For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for
us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither
with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened
bread of sincerity and truth._ It is most easy and natural to
understand this, of the Gospel-feast of the sacramental supper--and
that this comes in the room, of the Jewish passover. This is the way
in which it is generally and justly understood. Christians, in
general, and all denominations, have from this and other very plain
passages of scripture, been of the opinion, that the _Lord's Supper_
as a holy ordinance succeeds the ordinance of the Passover. There
were two stated or fixed ordinances in the Jewish church,
Circumcision and the Passover. There are two, in the Christian
church, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The latter, no doubt, came in
place of the former. At least this hath been the common belief; and
it will not be given up with out very solid reasons.--None, generally
satisfactory, have ever yet been alledged, and it is presumed never
will.----To evade the force of the above reasonings and plain
scripture, it has been said, all that is contained in scripture
relative to the sacramental supper, is only allegory--mere
metaphor--and that the Apostle John speaks of a spiritual supper in
the soul. That he describes the regeneration of the soul, by Christ's
coming into it, and the sweet pleasures of internal religion, by his
supping in the soul, in the following words, is granted.--And the
language being highly figurative and metaphorical, is just and
beautiful is also allowed. _Behold I stand at the door and knock; if
any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and
sup with him and he with me._ The spiritual supping of Christ in the
regenerated soul, or his imparting to it, divine consolations, no
more proves that there is no ordinance of the Lord's Supper, to be a
_standing ordinance_ in the Church, to the end of the world, than the
first verse in the book of Genesis proves it. It doth not refer to
it, so much as in the remotest degree. Before a person can bring
himself to believe in such a strange perversion of scripture, he must
have resolved that he will understand nothing, according to what is
in truth. What will not man do, to get clear of plain truth! How will
he twist and pervert the plainest words!----
It hath also been alledged, that our divine Lord, directed his
disciples to wash one another's feet as a token of humility--John
xiii.--from the 4th to 15th verse. There is no word, in this whole
transaction, that can possibly denote that _washing of the feet_ was
to be a standing ordinance in the New Testament-dispensation.--Most
plainly doth Christ tell them, that what he had done was only an
_example_ of humility, or significant way to teach them this
important Virtue. It was an outward action calculated to impress
their minds with a sense of the duty of being
meek--humble--condescending--and forbearing. So they understood
it--for they never practised it as an ordinance. We have a right to
say they did not, because, we are no where told of their observing it
as a divine ordinance. So Christians have, in general, understood
it.--One very small handful of pretended followers of Christ have
understood it differently--and observed it as a CHRISTIAN RITE. But
admitting it to be an ordinance to be observed in Christ's Church, it
doth not disprove the other ordinances.----Upon the whole, we may as
well deny any duty as the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. We may with
as good reason affirm that all the scripture is mystery, and none of
it capable of being understood, as to affirm that what it says
relative to the institution of the Lord's Supper as a _standing
ordinance_ to be continued in his Church to the end of the world, his
second coming to judgment, is only mere metaphor--allegory, or
figurative language.--But it is one thing to show malice against
God's special ordinances, and another to disprove them. All who
reject, despise, and deny them, cannot, with any consistency, pretend
to receive the word of God, as the only rule of faith and practice.
Having reviewed the scripture account of the Institution of the
Lord's Supper, as a standing ordinance, in the Christian Church, to
be continued to the end of the world.--We shall, as was proposed,
examine
II. Very briefly into its nature, and enquire who may rightly attend
upon it.--God is infinitely wise, in all that he requires of us, as
duty. He never did require, or enjoin upon man what was inconsistent
with his wisdom or goodness, or when complied with, would be of no
benefit to him. The ordinances of the gospel are spiritual in their
meaning, and highly subservient to the purposes of fervent
piety.--And the ordinance of the Supper, is an ordinance wherein by
giving and receiving _sensible signs,_ we show forth the death of
Christ till he come to judge the world at the last day. By visible
signs, it represents to us the body and blood of the Saviour. The
material emblems, the bread and wine, convey to us, or signify
spiritual things; and are designed to impress the mind, with the
liveliest ideas of the dreadful sufferings of the son of God, of his
blood shed, and body broken for us, by the aid of our external
senses, our eyes and taste.--By these Elements, as they are termed,
we behold him crucified afresh:--as groaning on Calvary:--as expiring
on the Cross:--as rising from the dead:--as bursting asunder the
cords of death:--as ascending up into heaven:--as sitting at the
right hand of God:--as an all-willing and all-powerful Saviour. Our
eyes see it, in the sensible signs. May our hearts realize it! The
duty of remembering our Redeemer, in the memorials of his dying love,
is most reasonable. We consist of body and soul, and in this
ordinance, the apprehensions and devotions of the latter, are aided
by the senses of the former. This is treating human nature as being
what it is. Had we no BODY, or were we unembodied spirits this
ordinance would be absurd.----
It may be here pertinently added, God has had his sacramental
institutions in every age of the world--even, before the FALL of man.
In a state of innocence, before the Apostacy, the tree of life was
the Sacrament, or standing sign by which Adam was to be confirmed, if
he had maintained his integrity.--The Rain-bow, a natural phænomenon,
was expressly appointed by God, as a sacramental sign, by which his
covenant with Noah was ratified, and in which he promised that the
world should not, a second time, perish with water.--In the Jewish
dispensation, the Passover and circumcision were two noted
sacramental institutions, by which God's covenant of grace, was
confirmed.--And in the last, best, and most perfect dispensation of
all, the Gospel, are two most plain and important Sacraments, Baptism
and the Lord's Supper.
In all these instances, the wisdom, goodness, condescension and grace
of the Supreme Being are remarkably manifested. He considers what we
are, weak and frail Creatures. He treats us as being what we are,
imperfect Creatures; and hath, in the sacraments, appointed outward
signs to assist us in conceiving rightly of divine things, and to
move and affect the heart.
2dly. The nature of the ordinance of the supper is a commemoration of
the sufferings of a dying Redeemer. This is sufficiently proved by
the very words of the blessed Jesus in the original institution and
distribution of the Elements. THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. He, as
our passover, is sacrificed for us. We are then to remember him,
principally, as dying for us:--as bearing our sins in his own body on
the tree:--as our propitiatory sacrifice:--as our righteousness. This
needs no other proof, than the very words used in the distribution of
the outward signs. _This is my body which is broken for you_:--broken
with an inconceivable weight and variety of sufferings.--So again,
_This Cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you:_
shed for you--a ratification of the new covenant, which is the
meaning of the word Testament here.--Who can hear the divine
Jesus--who can see him holding out life and glory, in these appointed
signs, saying eat, _O friends, and drink ye all of it,_ without being
melted into love, gratitude, and a cordial compliance!--The
sacramental supper, then, is a memorial of his dying love, bleeding
piety, and wonderful grace.--By it, as the Apostle expresses himself,
we _show his death_ TILL HE COME--till he come to visit our guilty
world as the final judge. As a dying friend he gives us this memorial
of his love. He knew that we, in this wicked world, and amid its
concerns and temptations, should be apt to forget him in the riches
of his grace and bitterness of his death. Accordingly that the manner
of his death, and magnitude and variety of his sufferings might never
be effaced from the mind, the same night in which he was betrayed, he
instituted this precious Ordinance, and bid all his followers, to
remember him in it, with all the weight of his divine authority, and
affection of ardent friendship.----And can we forget thee, O
suffering Immanuel! Whom should we remember, if we forget thee!--Can
our cold hearts be unmoved at those things, which thou didst undergo
for us!--Can any pretend to be thy disciples, deceiving mortals, and
still exert themselves to persuade others not to remember thee, in
thy DYING COMMAND!
3dly, The sacramental supper is a Communion-Ordinance. _The cup of
blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of
Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body
of Christ? For we being many are one bread and one body, for we are
all partakers of that one bread._ This ordinance from these words is
often called, by way of eminence, the Communion; and it has been
celebrated ever since the days of Christ, as a _standing ordinance,_
in every Country, where the Gospel hath been enjoyed by all
denominations of Christians, except some deniers of all outward
ordinances. Serious and enlightened Christians have always highly
valued it. They have always loved it. They always deemed it a blessed
privilege to remember their dear, departed Lord in his own appointed
emblems. And while attending upon this great Christian solemnity, the
Communion-Table, we commune with one another--with our Father who is
in heaven--and with the Redeemer of a fallen world.--As brethren we
sit at the same table, commemorate the same suffering Lord,
participate in the same rich provision. This shows our union in all
essential doctrines, our charity; that in the things of God and
Religion we have one heart, one Lord, one hope, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of all, and that we acknowledge one
another as fellow-Christians. We stand, as it were, at the foot of
the Cross, beholding the awful sufferings of our Lord, and
professedly rest all our hope on his merits and precious blood, our
hope of pardon, hope of peace, hope of acceptance with a holy God,
and hope of eternal blessedness in heaven.--We also commune, by the
divine spirit, with God himself. A spiritual intercourse, at the
Sacred Gospel-Passover, is maintained between him and his pious
people. He communicates, by the influence of his holy spirit, his
love to them; and they pour out their hearts, desires, and prayers
before him, and to him. He draws near to them, in mercy, and in the
tokens of his favour. They draw near to him in duty. Hence he is said
to dwell in them. He smiles upon them through the Son of his love. He
owns them in the covenant of grace. He pities them in all their
sorrows. He comforts them with his own consolations. He establishes
them in the truth and right way. They are, in fine, seated at his own
table--a Father's board, upon the best provision.--What a high
privilege! What a sublime felicity!--
And who may rightfully attend upon, and enjoy this divine Ordinance?
The answer is, all Christ's disciples. His professed followers who
believe in him, and obey his precepts. All are bound to honor the God
of ordinances. He alone can make them profitable and savingly
beneficial. Without him, they will be inefficacious.--And to have a
right to approach them, we must profess the religion of the Gospel,
must admit all its essential doctrines. And behave and conduct
accordingly. _Do this in remembrance of me_ is the absolute command.
And we are to remember a dying Redeemer, as his friends, as his
followers. All, therefore, who have a disposition to live a life and
piety and Virtue, to perform the duties thereof, and to walk in the
fear of the Lord all their days, may, and ought to approach the holy
ordinances of the Gospel.--
In the review of what hath been offered, we infer the indispensible
duty of partaking in divine Ordinances. It is as much our duty, as
professed Christians, to remember the sufferings of the Lord Jesus
Christ to atone for sin, in his own appointed way, as it is to
practice the moral virtues of compassion, honesty, or truth. A
positive duty is absolutely binding. When it is made known to us, we
may not neglect it any more than a moral duty: though moral duties
may be more important, and be not to give place to positive: for _God
will have mercy and not sacrifice._ If _both,_ as both are
obligatory, cannot be complied with, under certain given
circumstances, the _moral_ claims the precedency. All, therefore, are
obligated to prepare themselves to wait on God, and to honor him in
his own institutions. None can excuse themselves. And what is
required on their part hath now been concisely stated.
Again, from our subject we see how exactly we follow Christ in the
way, in which we attend upon the Sacramental Supper. We profess to
follow him altogether, and to make nothing essential, which he doth
not make essential. Every communicant is left to his own opinion and
free liberty to stand, or sit, or kneel, as he conceives is the will
of his divine Lord. As our professed aim is to honor God, and Jesus
Christ, we endeavour to make the revealed will of our Lord, in this
Ordinance, our rule. Did he set apart the sacramental bread by
prayer, so do we. Did he do the same as to the Cup, so do we. Did he
close all by an hymn of praise, so do we. We close the solemnity by a
well adapted religious song of praise to God and the Saviour.--
We infer, further, from what hath been said, how painful to the real
lover of Virtue and piety it is to reflect that this divine
Ordinance, upon which we have been discoursing, should be so much
disregarded, as it is, among those who call themselves Christians.
Some profane it. Some deprecate and speak evil of it, and of all
divine institutions even the christian Sabbath and Christian worship.
Some cast off prayer, and maliciously and impiously reproach all
christian duty. In this Country, it is with difficulty, that many
who, in the judgement of Charity, are Christians, can be persuaded to
honor God in his special ordinances. How melancholy the idea!--But
what is of all the most affecting is, that there should be so many
open enemies to that very Redeemer, who died on purpose to save man,
lost man! For he came to seek and save that which was lost. His
sceptical scoffers, will not have him to reign over them. Such should
remember the observation of the wise man respecting the Deity's
treatment of scorners. _Surely HE scorneth the scorners: but he
giveth grace unto the lowly._--Those who deny Jesus Christ in his
word, in his worship, and in his ordinances, and will not have him to
save them from sin and misery, will never have any salvation at all.
_If ye believe not,_ says our Lord, _that_ I AM HE, the promised
Messiah, _ye shall die in your sins._
To conclude all--IN THE ABOVE DISCOURSE, I have endeavoured to plead
the honor of the only Saviour in his holy ordinance:--I have enquired
what saith the scripture, not what men have said, or Councils
decreed. If in any thing I have misapprehended, or misrepresented
divine truth, I hope it may be forgiven me by a gracious God; and
that all my sins may be washed out, as to their guilt, in the
precious blood of that Jesus, whose Religion I solemnly believe to be
divine, and on whom I am entirely willing, after the most deliberate
examination of his celestial pretensions, to risk my ETERNAL FELICITY.