[After a fhort pause.] "IN LIKE MANNER ALSO AFTER SUP PER, HE TOOK THE CUP, AND GAVE IT UNTO HIS DISCIPLES," [Here the Minifter gives the Cup,]" SAYING, THIS CUP IS (6 THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD, (6 SHED FOR THE REMISSION OF THE SINS OF MANY; DRINK YE ALL OF IT. FOR AS OFTEN AS YE EAT OF THIS BREAD, 66 AND DRINK OF THIS CUP, YE DO SHEW (6 THE LORD'S DEATH, UNTIL HE COME "AGAIN." [AFTER THE SERVICE.] 'Draw near my foul, and behold this great fight! Thy Saviour, the Son of God, and equal to God, in agony, upon the crofs ! COMMUNICANTS! COMMUNICANTS! that agony was for you. It was to fave you from the wrath to come. It was to restore you to the favour and image of God; and to present you one day before heaven, a glorious Church, perfect in the beauty of holiness. Forbid it, O communicants, that you should ever be of that number who crucify the Lord afresh, and by your ungodly lives dishonour that name by the which you are called. The religion of Jesus may be attacked by its enemies, but it can only be hurt by its friends. Much, therefore, O Chriftians, depends upon you. The fincerity of your faith, the truth of your religion, and the honour of your Mafter, are at ftake. Shew to the world, the divinity of the gospel, by leading lives becoming its glorious light; and never forget the vows which you have this day made. To animate you to run the race of glory, lift up your eyes, O communicants, from these symbols of the Lamb facrificed, to the throne of the Lamb reign ing in glory. There, the harps of heaven are all employed, and the fong of Mofes and the Lamb is heard from ten thousand voices. The bleffed above, with one accord, caft down their crowns at the foot of the throne, and cry out, Hofannah, and bleffing, and praife! Many who, like ourselves, were frail and imperfect creatures, who, like us, ftruggled under the bondage of corruption, have now entered within the gates of the heavenly Zion, and have fat down with Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob in the new Jerufalem. O city of the living God! when shall we approach to thee. When shall the day come, when death fhall be swallowed up in victory; when this corrupted shall put on incorruption; when this mortal shall put on immortality! This is our fong in the house of our pilgrimage. Because of this our glory rejoices, and our flesh shall reft in hope. "AS YE HAVE received the LORD JESUS, COMMUNICANTS, SO WALK YE IN HIM. GO IN PEACE; AND MAY THE GOD OF ALL PEACE AND GRACE GO WITH YOU." Amen. PSALM ciii. * iO THOU my foul, blefs God the Lord, and all that in me is Be stirred up, his holy name to magnify and bless. 2 Blefs, O my foul, the Lord thy God, and not forgetful be Of all his gracious benefits TABLE * The Minister now generally quits the head of the Table; and after communicating at the Second Service, refumes his place in the Pulpit. One or more neighbouring Ministers, who act the part of his Affistants, prefide, in fucceffion, at the remaining Tables. TABLE SECOND. [BEFORE THE SERVICE.] COMMUNICANTS! you have fat down at this table, to commemorate the death of your Redeemer. It was the folemn charge of your Lord himself, "Do this in remem"brance of me." We are so formed by the Author of our frame, that the memorial of a friend who is no more, and the token of a love that is past, has a wonderful power over the affections. The flighteft circumftance that recals a departed friend, awakens the fenfibility of the foul. The smallest relick acquires a value: a robe, a ring, or a portrait, calls up a hiftory, on which the heart delights to dwell. How much more, the memorials of our glorious Redeemer, the dearest friend of the whole human race! 'Remember now then, O communicants! the Man of forrows. Remember his Z 2 state |