The general conclusion, therefore, appears to me to stand on solid ground; to wit, that Baptism is in the Scriptures instituted as a symbol of the Affusion of the Spirit of God, upon the soul, in regeneration, and the cleansing of its sins by the blood of Christ; and that the Mode, in which it is administered, is not in the Scriptures exhibited as a subject of serious importance, and is no where declared to be Immersion. SERMON CLX. THE EXTRAORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE. THE LORD'S SUPPer. ITS NATURE AND DESIGN. THE QUALIFICATIONS OF COMMUNICANTS. MARK XIV. 22-25.—And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed, and brake 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 my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. And HAVING considered at length the Nature, Intention, and Subjects, of Baptism, and the Manner in which it is to be administered; I shall now proceed to examine the other Sacramental ordinance of the Christian Church; the Lord's Supper. In the progress of this examination, I propose to consider, I. The Nature, and, II. The Design, of this ordinance; III. The Qualifications necessary for attendance upon it; V. The Motives to this attendance. 1. The Nature of this ordinance may generally be described in the following manner. It is a symbolical religious service, instituted by Christ as a commemoration of his death. The symbols are Bread broken, and Wine poured out: denoting the breaking of his Body, and the effusion of his Blood upon the cross. The bread is to be broken, and the wine poured out, by a Minister of the Gospel only; and, by him, both are to be distributed to every member of the Church, who is present. All these are to receive them both: the Romish doctrine, that the Laity are to receive this ordinance in one kind, and only the Clergy in both kinds, being merely a human invention, uncountenanced by the Scriptures. Before the administration of each of these elements, a prayer is to be made: in which the blessing of God is to be implored upon the celebration of the ordinance, and thanks are to be given to him, for his mercy, and goodness, generally, and, particularly, as displayed in the interesting event which is commemorated. The whole service is to be concluded with singing a psalm, or hymn, by the communi cants. This solemnity has been commonly styled a Sacrament, from the resemblance between the engagement, made to Christ by the communicants, and the oath of the Roman soldiery, by which, they pledged their fidelity to their general. This name, however, it bears in common with the ordinance of Baptism. It is also often called the Eucharist; Exagusia; probably from the use of the word suxagisndas, having given thanks, found in all the accounts of this Institution, contained in the New Testament. But the most usual name, which it bears among Christians, is the Lord's Supper; the origin of which needs no explanation. The Time, at which this ordinance is to be celebrated, is of no material importance. It was instituted in the evening: it is, however, celebrated most commonly at noon. This fact seems to have been determined by mere convenience: and, as the Scriptures have laid no stress on the time of celebration, it has been determined, I think, with entire propriety. I cannot but observe here, that as the time, and manner, of celebration, when this ordinance was instituted, are distinctly exhibited: those who contend so strenuously for Immersion, as essential to the ordinance of Baptism, from the meaning of the word Barriga, and the few hints, which they think they find in the language of the Scriptures, at the best doubtful, are bound on their own principles, to spread a table in the evening, to sit in a reclining posture, and thus to celebrate this sacrament on the evening preceding every Lord's day. All this ought, also, to be done in a large upper room, contained in a private dwelling. It is presumed, no reason can be given, why so much solicitude should be shown concerning the mode of administering Baptism, and so little concerning the mode of administering the Lord's Supper. This ordinance is customarily celebrated by a great part of the churches in New England, on the first Sabbath of every month. This seems to be as frequent, as convenience will ordinarily allow. In the Presbyterian churches, it is celebrated either twice, or four times, in a year: an infrequency, for which, I am unable satisfactorily to account. II. The Design of the Lord's Supper may be summarily exhibited in the following manner ; It is intended, 1. To represent the great sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. The truth here declared is sufficiently evident from the breaking of the bread, and the pouring out of the wine; and completely, from the words of Christ; This is my body which is broken for you. 1 Cor. xi. 24. And this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many. Mark xiv. 24. Accordingly, all Christians, so far as I know, have admitted the position as true. In a former discourse concerning Baptism, I have remarked, what indeed is felt and acknowledged by all men, that sensible impressions are much more powerful than those which are made on the understanding. This truth is probably neither so fully, nor so deeply, realized in any religious ordinance, as in the Lord's Supper. The breaking of the bread, and the pouring out of the wine, exhibit the sacrifice of Christ, with a force, a liveliness of representation, confessed by all Christians, at all times; and indeed by most others also; and unrivalled in its efficacy even by the Passover itself. All the parts of this service are perfectly simple, and are contemplated by the mind without the least distraction or labour. The Symbols are exact, and most lively, portraits of the affecting Original; and present to us the crucifixion, and the sufferings, of the great Subject of it, as again undergone before our eyes. We are not barely taught; we see, and hear, and, of consequence, feel, that Christ our Passover was slain for us, and died on the Cross, that we might live. As this event, more interesting to mankind than any other which has ever existed, is thus clearly presented to us in this ordinance: so those doctrines of the Christian system, which are most intimately connected with it, are here exhibited with a corresponding clearness. Particularly, the Atonement, which this Divine Person thus accomplished for mankind, is here seen in the strongest light. With similar certainty, is that depraved character of man, which is here expiated, unfolded to our view: the impossibility of our justification by works of Law; our free justification by the grace of God, through faith in the blood of Christ and generally, the whole scheme of reconciling apostate man to his offended Creator. The guilt of sin, particularly, is exhibited to us, in the strongest colours. This ordinance, by presenting to us in the most lively and affecting manner, the sufferings of the Redeemer, powerfully enforces on us a conviction, that those sufferings were necessary. Every Christian will readily subscribe to the declarations of St. Paul; If there had been a Law given, which could have given life; verily Righteousness should have been by the Law; and if righteousness come, or be, by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain. Had such a law been possible, and proper in the sight of God; it would, I think, certainly have been published to mankind. Had it been possible, this cup would have passed from Christ. Could the great purpose of pardoning sin, and justifying sinners, have been accomplished without the death of the Son of God; this event could never have found a place in the counsels of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness. To accomplish this end, then, the Infinite mind saw no proper way, which was less expensive. How fearfully guilty are those, to expiate whose sins this glorious Person died on the Cross; to save whom, this death was indispensable! In this solemn ordinance, these truths are in a sense visible. The guilt of sin is here written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. Christ in a sense, ascends the Cross; is nailed to the accursed tree; is pierced with the spear; and pours out his blood, to wash away the sins of men. Thus in colours of life and death, we here behold the wonderful scene, in which was laid on him the iniquity of us all. 2. The Lord's Supper is designed to be a standing proof of the Mission of Christ, and of the truth of the Gospel, which is an account of that Mission. In the first of the Discourses concerning Baptism, I made a similar observation concerning that ordinance; and remarked, that I should defer the particular consideration of it to a future time. The present is the occasion, to which I then referred. I now, therefore, observe generally that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are, together with the Christian Sabbath, standing proofs in the Church, of the mission of Christ, and the truth of his Gospel; and that the observations, which, in this view, are applicable to one of these subjects, are substantially applicable to the others also. St. Paul, after finishing his account of the Institution of this ordinance, makes this remark, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come. That, which the Spirit of Inspiration declares to be invariably done in the celebration of an ordinance, was undoubtedly included in the Institution of that ordinance. But the Spirit of Inspiration here declares, that, whenever Christians celebrate the Lord's Supper, they show forth, or exhibit, the reality of his death, until the time of his second coming. To do this, then, was one design, with which this ordinance was instituted. The manner, in which the Lord's Supper becomes, and operates, as a proof of these things, may be seen in the following particulars. First. It was instituted, either at the time specified, or afterwards. If it was instituted at the time specified; it was certainly instituted by Christ himself. His enemies certainly would not, and did not, institute a solemn religious service, as a memorial of a Person, whom they hated, and despised. His Friends would not dare to institute a religious service, unless it had been enjoined, or directly countenanced, by himself; or, in other words, unless He himself had directed it. It was, therefore, instituted by himself. But if it was instituted by himself, it is unnecessary to observe, it was instituted before his death, and with a full expectation on his part, that he should die in the manner, predicted in the Institution itself; viz. upon the Cross. It was also instituted by a Person, and in commemoration of the death of a Person, assuming the character, and being believed by his followers rightfully to assume the character, attributed to Christ: a Person, who came into the world with a mission from God, to publish the way of salvation, and to give his life a ransom for many. It is impossible, that men of that age, and country, should not know whether the Person, who is declared to have instituted this ordinance, lived; and lived among those, who were witnesses of the Institution. They could not but know whether the character, which is declared of him, was his true character in the view of his followers; and whether he so lived, preached, and wrought miracles, suffered |