of sin*; and count the blood of the covenant, wherewith they profess to be sanctified, an unholy thing +. Partaking therefore of this holy ordinance is renewing, in the most awful manner, our engagements to the service which we owe, as well as our claims to the favours, that God hath promised. It is our sacrament, our oath, to be faithful soldiers under the great Captain of our salvation §: which surely we cannot take thus, without being efficaciously influenced to the religious observance of it, in every part of a Christian life. But there is one part especially, and one of the utmost importance, to which this institution peculiarly binds us, that of universal good-will and charity. For commemorating, in so solemn an action, the love of Christ to us all, cannot but move us to that mutual imitation of his love, which, just before his appointing this holy sacrament, he so earnestly and affectionately enjoined his followers, as the distinguishing badge of their profession. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Hereby shall all men know, that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another ¶. Then besides, commemorating his love jointly, as the servants of one master, and members of one body, partaking of the same covenant of grace, and the same hope of everlasting happiness, must, if we have any feeling of what we do, incline us potently to that reciprocal union of hearts, which indeed the very act of communicating suggests and recommends to us. For we, being many, are one bread 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4. Gal. ii. 17. § Heb. ii. 10. + Heb. x. 29. John xv. 12, 13, 14. John xiii. 35. and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread*. Another grace, which this commemoration of our Saviour's death peculiarly excites, is humility of soul. We acknowledge by it, that we are sinners; and have no claim to pardon or acceptance, but through his sacrifice, and his mediation, whose merits we thus plead, and set forth before God. And this consideration must surely dispose us very strongly to a thankful observance of his commands, to watchfulness over our own hearts, to mildness towards others. For we ourselves also have been foolish, disobedient, deceived: and not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, God hath saved us, which he shed on us abundantly through Christ Jesus our Saviour. And as this sacrament will naturally strengthen us in all these good dispositions, we cannot doubt but God will add his blessing to the use of such proper means, especially being appointed means. For since he hath threatened punishment to unworthy receivers, he will certainly bestow rewards on worthy ones. Our Saviour hath told us, that his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed: sustenance and refreshment to the souls of men. When he blessed the bread and wine, he undoubtedly prayed, and not in vain, that they might be effectual for the good purposes, which he designed should be attained by this holy rite. And St. Paul hath told us, if it needs, more expressly, that the cup which we bless, is the communion, that is, the communication to us, of the blood of Christ; and the bread, which we break, of the body of Christ§: that is, of a saving union * 1 Cor. x. 17. Tit. iii. 3. 5, 6. § 1 Cor. x. 16. with him, and therefore of the benefits procured us by his death: which are, forgiveness of our offences; for he hath said, This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for the remission of sins*: increase of the gracious influences of the Holy Ghost; for the Apostle hath said, plainly speaking of this ordinance, that we are all made to drink into one Spirit +: and everlasting life: for whoso eateth his flesh, and drinketh his blood, dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in him, and he will raise him up at the last day‡. Whence a father of the apostolic age, Ignatius, calls the eucharist, the medicine of immortality: a preservative, that we should not die, but live for ever in Jesus Christ §. But then what hath been already hinted to you must be always carefully observed; that these benefits are to be expected only from partaking worthily of it: for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, St. Paul hath told us, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, that is, guilty of irreverence towards it, and eateth and drinketh judgement to himself ¶. Our translation indeed hath it, damnation to himself. But there is so great danger of this last word being understood here in too strong a sense, that it would be much safer, and exacter, to translate it (as it is often translated elsewhere, and once in a few verses after this passage, and from what follows ought undeniably to be translated here), judgement or condemnation: not to certain punishment in another life, but to such marks of God's displeasure as he sees fit; which will be confined to this world, or extended to the next, as the case requires. For re * Matth. xxvi. 28. § Ign, ad Eph. c. 20. || 1 Cor, xi. 27. + 1 Cor. xii. 13. John vi. 54.56. See Waterland on the Eucharist, p. 217. I 1 Cor. xi. 29. ceiving unworthily may, according to the kind and degree of it, he either a very great sin, or comparatively a small one. But all dangerous kinds and degrees may with ease be avoided, if we only take care to come to the sacrament with proper dispositions, and, which will follow of course, to behave at it in a proper manner. To these dispositions our catechism proceeds. But more is needful to be known concerning them than can well be laid before you now. Therefore I shall conclude at present with desiring you to observe, that no unworthiness, but our own, can possibly endanger us, or prevent our receiving benefit. Doubtless it would both be more pleasing and more edifying, to come to the table of the Lord in company with such only as are qualified for a place at it: and they who are unqualified, ought, when they properly can, to be restrained from it. But we have neither direction nor permission to stay away, because others come who should not: nor can they ever be so effectually excluded, but that tares will be mixed among the wheat: and attempting to root them up may often be more hurtful than letting both grow together until the harvest. Nay, should even the stewards and dispensers of God's mysteries‡ be unholy persons, though it be a grievous temptation to others to abhor the offering of the Lord §, yet that is holy still. They shall bear their iniquity: but notwithstanding, all the promises of all God's ordinances are yea and amen, sure and certain, in Jesus Christ|| to as many as worship him in spirit and in truth ¶. * 1 Cor. x. 21. § 1 Sam. ii. 17. + Matth. xiii. 28-31. 1 Cor. iv. 2. ¶ John iv. 23. LECTURE XXXVIII. OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. Part III. WHAT qualifications and dispositions are required of them who come to the Lord's Supper, the Scripture hath not particularly expressed: for they are easily collected from the nature of this ordinance. But our catechism, in its fifth and last answer concerning it, hath reduced them very justly to three: repentance, faith, and charity. I. That we repent us truly of our former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life. For as we are by nature prone to sin; and the youngest and best among us have in more instances than a few been guilty of it, the less the better: so in Christianity, repentance is the foundation of every thing. Now the sorrow that we ought to feel for the least sin, must be a very serious one: and for greater offences in proportion deeper. But the vehemence and passionateness of grief will on every occasion, and particularly on this, be extremely different in different persons. And therefore all that God expects, is a sincere, though it may be a calm, concern for every past fault, of which we are conscious, and for the multitudes, which we have either not observed or |