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The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul
Chapter 18
On Communion In The Lords Supper
1. If the reader has received the Ordinance of Baptism, and;
as above recommended, dedicated himself to God.--2. He is urged to ratify that
engagement at the Table of the Lord.-- 3. From a view of the ends for which
that Ordinance was instituted.--4. Whence its usefulness is strongly
inferred.--5. And from the Authority of Christ's Appointment; which is solemnly
pressed on the conscience.--6. Objections from apprehensions of Unfitness.--7.
Weakness of grace, &c. briefly answered.--8. At least, serious
thoughtfulness on this subject is absolutely insisted upon.--9. The chapter is
closed with a prayer for one who desires to attend, yet finds himself pressed
with remaining doubts.
1. I hope this chapter will find you, by a most express consent, become one
of God's covenant people, solemnly and most cordially devoted to his service;
and it is my hearty prayer, that the engagements you have made on earth may be
ratified in heaven. But for your farther instruction and edification; give me
leave to remind you, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed a peculiar
manner of expressing our regard to him, by commemorating his dying love, which,
though it does not forbid any other proper way of doing it, must by no means be
set aside or neglected for any human methods, how prudent and expedient soever
they may appear to us.
2. Our Lord has wisely ordained, that the
advantages of society should be brought into religion; and as, by his command,
professed Christians assemble together for other acts of public worship, so He
has been pleased to institute a social ordinance, in which a whole assembly of
them is to come to his table, and there to eat the same bread; and drink the
same cup. And this they are to do, as a token of their affectionate remembrance
of his dying love, of their solemn surrender of themselves to God, and of their
sincere love to one another, and to all their fellow-Christians.
3. That these are indeed the great ends of the
Lord's supper, I shall not now stay to argue at large. You need only read what
the apostle Paul hath written in the tenth and eleventh chapters or his first
epistle to the Corinthians, to convince you fully of this. He there expressly
tells us, that our Lord commanded "the bread to be eaten," and "the wine to be
drunk, in remembrance of him," (1 Cor. 11:24,25) or as a commemoration or
memorial of him; so that, as often as we attend this institution, "we show
forth the Lord's death," which we are to do "even until he come," (1 Cor.
11:26) And it is particularly asserted, that "the cup is the New Testament in
his blood;" that is, it is a seal of that covenant which was ratified by his
blood. Now, it is evident, that, in consequence of this, we are to approach it
with a view to that covenant, desiring its blessings, and resolving, by divine
grace, to comply with its demands. On the whole, therefore, as the apostle
speaks, we have "communion in the body and the blood of Christ," (1 Cor. 10:16)
and partaking of his table and of his cup, we converse with Christ, and join
ourselves to him as his people; as the Jews, by eating their sacrifices,
conversed with Jehovah, and joined themselves to him. He farther reminds them,
that, though many, they were "one bread and one body," being "all partakers of
that one bread," (1 Cor. 10:17) and being "all made to drink into one Spirit;"
(1 Cor. 12:13) that is, meeting together as if they were but one family, and
joining in the commemoration of that one blood which was their common ransom
and of the Lord Jesus, their common head. Now, it is evident, all these
reasonings are equally applicable to Christians in succeeding ages. Permit me,
therefore, by the authority of our divine Master, to press upon you: the
observation or this precept.
4. And let me also urge it, from the apparent
tendency which it has to promote your truest advantage. You are setting out in
the Christian life; and I have reminded you at large of the opposition you must
expect to meet in it. It is the love of Christ which must animate you to break
through all. What then can be more desirable than to bear about with you a
lively sense of it? and what can awaken that sense more than the contemplation
of his death as there represented? Who can behold the bread broken, and the
wine poured out, and not reflect how the body of the blessed Jesus was even
torn in pieces by his sufferings, and his sacred blood poured forth like water
on the ground? Who can think of the heart-rending agonies of the Son of God as
the price of our redemption and salvation, and not feel his soul melted with
tenderness, and inflamed with grateful affection? What an exalted view doth it
give us of the blessings of the Gospel-covenant, when we consider it as
established in the blood of God's only-begotten Son! And when we make our
approach to God as our heavenly Father, and give up ourselves to his service in
this solemn manner, what an awful tendency has it to fix the conviction, that
we are not our own, being bought with such a price! (1 Cor 6:19, 20) What a
tendency has it to guard us against every temptation, to those sins which we
have so solemnly renounced, and to engage our fidelity to him to whom we have
bound our souls as with an oath! Well may our hearts be knit together in mutual
love, (Col. 2:2) when we consider ourselves as "one in Christ:" (Gal. 3:28) his
blood becomes the cement of the society, joins us in spirit, not only to each
other, but "to all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord, both theirs and ours," (1 Cor. 1:2) and we anticipate in pleasing hope
that blessed day, when the assembly shall be complete, and we shall all "be for
ever with the Lord." (1 Thess. 4:17) Well may these views engage us to deny
ourselves, and to "take up our cross and follow our crucified Master." (Matt.
16:24) Well may they engage us to do our utmost, by prayer, and all other
suitable endeavors, to serve his followers and his friends; to serve those whom
he hath purchased with his blood, and who are to be his associates and ours, in
the glories of a happy immortality.
5. It is also the express institution and command
of our blessed Redeemer that the members of such societies should be tenderly
solicitous for the spiritual welfare of each other: and that, on the whole, his
churches may be kept pure and holy, that they should "withdraw themselves from
every brother that walketh disorderly;" (2 Thess. 3:6) that they should "mark
such as cause offences" or scandals among them, "contrary to the doctrine which
they have learned, and avoid them;" (Rom. 16:17) "that if any obey not the word
of Christ by his apostles," they should "have no fellowship or communion with
such, that they may be ashamed;" (2 Thess. 3:14) that they should "not eat with
such as are notoriously irregular" in their-behavior, but, on the contrary,
should "put away from among themselves such wicked persons," (1 Cor. 5:11-13)
It is evident, therefore, that the institution of such societies is greatly for
the honor of Christianity, and for the advantage of its particular professors.
And consequently, every consideration of obedience to our common Lord, and of
prudent regard to our own benefit and that of our brethren, will require that
those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity should enter into them, and
assemble among them, in these their most solemn and peculiar acts of communion,
at his table.
6. I entreat you, therefore, and if I may presume
to say it, in his name and by his authority, I charge it on your conscience,
that this precept of our dying Lord go not, as it were, for nothing with you;
but that, if you indeed love him, you keep this, as well as the rest of his
commandments. I know you may be ready to form objections. I have elsewhere
debated many of the chief of them at large, and I hope not without some good
effect.* The great question is that which relates to your being prepared for a
worthy attendance; and in conjunction with what has been said before, I think
that may be brought to a very short issue. Have you, so far as you know your
own heart, been sincere in that deliberate surrender of yourself to God,
through Christ, which I recommended in the former chapter? If you have, whether
it were with or without the particular form or manner of doing it there
recommended, you have certainly taken hold of the covenant, and therefore
should devote yourself to God, in obedience to all his commands. And there is
not, and cannot be, any other view of the ordinance in which you can have any
further objection to it. If you desire to remember Christ's death; if you
desire to renew the dedication of yourself to God through him; if you would
list yourself among his people; if you would love them, and do them good
according to your ability, and, on the whole, would not allow yourself in the
practice of anyone known sin, or in the omission of any one known duty, then I
will venture confidently to say, not only that you will be welcome to the
ordinance, but that it was instituted for such as you.
7. As for other objections, a few words may
suffice by way of reply. The weakness of the religious principle in your soul,
if it be really implanted there, is so far from being an argument against your
seeking such a method to strengthen it, that it rather strongly enforces the
necessity of doing it. The neglect of this solemnity, by so many that call
themselves Christians, should rather engage you so much the more to distinguish
your zeal for an institution in this respect so much slighted and injured. And
as for the fears of aggravated guilt, in case of apostacy, do not indulge them.
This may, by the divine blessing, be an effectual remedy against the evil you
fear; and it is certain, that after what you must already have known and felt,
before you could be brought into your present situation, (on the supposition I
have now been making) there can be no room to think or a retreat; no room, even
for the wretched hope of being less miserable than the generality of those that
have perished. Your scheme, therefore, must be to make your salvation as sure,
and to make it as glorious, as possible; and I know not any appointment of our
blessed Redeemer which may have a more comfortable aspect upon that blessed
end, than this which I flat recommending to you.
8. One thing I would at least insist upon, and I
see not with what face it can be denied. I mean, that you should take this
matter into serious consideration; that you should diligently inquire, "whether
you have reason in your conscience to believe it is the will of God you should
now approach to the ordinance or not;" and that you should continue your
reflections, your inquiries, and your prayers, till you find farther
encouragement to come, if that encouragement be hitherto wanting. For of this
be assured, that a state in which you are on the whole unfit to approach this
ordinance, is a state in which you are destitute of the necessary preparations
for death and heaven; in which, therefore, if you would not allow yourselves to
slumber on the brink or destruction, you ought not to rest so much as one
single day.
A Prayer for one who earnestly desires ins to approach the Table of the
Lord, yet has some remaining doubts concerning his right to that solemn
ordinance.
"BLESSED LORD! I adore thy wise and gracious
appointments, for the edification of thy church in holiness and in love. I
thank thee that thou hast commanded thy servants to form themselves into
churches; and I adore my gracious Savior, who hath instituted, as with his
dying breath, the holy solemnity of his Supper, to be through all ages a
memorial of his dying love, and a bond of that union which it is his sovereign
pleasure that his people should preserve. I hope thou, Lord, art witness to the
sincerity with which I desire to give myself up to thee; and that I may call
thee to record on my soul, that, if I now hesitate about this particular manner
of doing it, it is not because I would allow myself to break any of thy
commands, or to slight any of thy favors. I trust thou knowest that my present
delay arises only from my uncertainty as to my duty, and a fear of profaning
holy things by an unworthy approach to them. Yet surely, O Lord! if thou hast
given me a reverence for thy command, a desire of communion with thee, and a
willingness to devote myself wholly to thy service, I may regard it as a token
for good, that thou art disposed to receive me, and that I am not wholly
unqualified for an ordinance which I so highly honor and so earnestly desire. I
therefore make it my humble request unto thee, O Lord! this day, that than
wouldst graciously he pleased to instruct me in my duty, and to teach me the
way which I should take `Examine me, O Lord! and prove me, try my reins and my
heart!' (Psa. 26:2) Is there any secret sin, in the love and practice of which
I would indulge? Is there any of thy precepts in the habitual breach of which I
would allow myself? I trust I can appeal to thee as a witness, that there is
not. Let me not, then, wrong my own soul, by a causeless and sinful absence
from thy sacred table! But grant, O Lord! I beseech thee, that thy word, thy
providence. and thy Spirit, may so concur as to `make my way plain before me!"
(Pro. 15:19) Scatter my remaining doubts. if thou seest that they have no just
foundation! Fill me with more assured faith, with a more ardent love, and plead
thine own cause with mine heart in such a manner as that I may not be able any
longer to delay that approach, which, if I am thy servant indeed, is equally my
duty and my privilege! In the mean time, grant that it may never be long out of
my thoughts; but that I may give all diligence. If there be any remaining
occasion of doubt, to remove it by a more affectionate concern to avoid
whatever is displeasing to the eyes of thine holiness, and to practice the full
extent of my duty. May the views of Christ crucified be so familiar to my mind;
and may a sense of his dying love so powerfully constrain my soul, that my own
growing experience may put it out of all question that I am one of those for
whom he intended this feast of love!
"And even now, as joined to thy church in spirit
and in love, though not in so express and intimate a bond as I could wish,
would I heartily pray that thy blessing may be on all thy people; that thou
wouldst `feed thine heritage, and lift them up for ever!' (Psa. 28:9) May every
Christian church flourish in knowledge, in holiness, and in love! May all thy
priests be clothed with salvation, that by their means thy chosen people may be
made joyful. (Psa. 132:16) And may there be a glorious accession to thy
churches every where, of those who may fly to them `as a cloud, and as doves to
their windows.' (Isa. 60:8) May thy table, O Lord! be `furnished with guests,'
(Matt. 22:10) and may all that `love thy salvation say, Let the Lord be
magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants.' (Psa. 35:27)
And I earnestly pray, that all who profess `to have received Christ Jesus the
Lord,' may be duly careful to `walk in him,' (Col. 2:6) and that we may all be
prepared for the general assembly of the first-born, and may join in that
nobler and more immediate worship where all these types and shadows shall be
laid aside; where even these memorials shall be no longer necessary; but a
living, present Redeemer shall be the everlasting joy of those who here his
absence have delighted to commemorate his death. Amen'
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