Page images
PDF
EPUB

sin: the broken bread being a lively emblem of his broken body; and the wine poured out, of the shedding of his blood.

We are led to consider the death of our Lord Jesus Christ as an atonement for sin by the very words of the institution of the Eucharist; for, of the bread, our Lord says,

spiritual consolation and support from God's promises; and we shall soon find a peace in God which will more than repay us for all we suffer here; and by and by we shall be conveyed by angels to Abraham's bosom,-to those happy regions where sorrow and sighing shall for ever flee away, where the wick-This is my body, which is given for ed cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. Which may God of his infinite mercy grant, for Jesus Christ our Redeemer's sake. Amen.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

THE Sacrament of the Lord's Supper has frequently been made the subject of long and laboured controversy and contention. There are also many very excellent treatises on the practical and experimental uses of this holy institution; but most, if not all, of those valuable volumes, are perhaps rather too diffuse and elaborate for the generality of Christians.

I have often thought that a short sketch of what seems most essential respecting this divine ordinance, would be helpful to the devout communicant. With this view I have written the following brief outline; and if you deem it sufficiently correct for the Christian Observer, its insertion may prove acceptable to many of your readers.

A SUMMARY VIEW OF THE LORD'S
SUPPER.

1st. Its nature and design.
The Lord Jesus Christ requires
that Christians should in a solemn
manner eat bread and drink wine in
their religious assemblies, as a com-
memoration of his death-a token
of their engagements to him-a
pledge of the blessings of his cove-
nan-and a sign of their mutual
affection to each other.

This holy ordinance is not merely a memorial of the Redeemer in general, but is expressly designed as a visible representation of his death, particularly as it was a sacrifice for

you;" and of the wine, "This is my
blood of the new covenant, which is
shed for many for the remission of
sins." The wine is an emblem of
the new covenant in the Redeem
er's blood, by the shedding of which
that covenant of grace was ratified
and confirmed.
The bread and

wine are to be received by every member of the church, to represent their receiving and applying the blessings of redemption, or, in other words, receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, and by faith partaking of his body and blood for their spiritual nourishment. The Lord's Supper, therefore, may be considered as a sign and seal of the blessings of the covenant of grace to all who believe and repent.

2d. What is professed by partak ing of the Lord's Supper. We hereby publicly avow ourselvesto be the disciples of a crucified Master. It is the express command of Christ: "Do this in remembrance of me." In obeying this command, we profess gratefully to recollect what the Redeemer did and suffered for our sakes; and especially to bear in mind that Divine love, which is the spring of all he has accomplished, and the source of our safety, hope, and hap piness. We own him not merely as a Teacher sent from God, to be our instructor and guide; but we confide in him, as our Almighty Friend and Saviour; rely upon his sacrifice; and commit ourselves to him, to be redeemed, sanctified, and saved. By attending the Lord's Supper, we publicly profess our faith in the ef ficacy of the Saviour's death to put away sin, our cordial approbation of that method of salvation which God hath appointed, and our thankful acceptance of the Divine mercy

manifested through the Redeemer. We gratefully acknowledge our infinite obligations to God for the blessings of the new covenant, and express our hearty compliance with all its requirements-i. e. that we repent of sin, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; that we obey his Gospel; and devote ourselves to God, through the Mediator, to be his for ever; to be, to do, and to bear whatever God would have us. By partaking of the Lord's Supper in a social manner with the members of Christ's church, we profess our sincere love to them as brethren, and our determination to perform all the duties of this relation.

3d. By whom the Lord's Supper should be celebrated.

Not by all those persons who merely admit that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Messiah; but by those only who truly believe in him as their Saviour; rely upon him for pardon, acceptance with God, sanctification, and eternal life; sincerely repent of sin, and resolve to live suitably to their Christian profession. This will appear, not only from the nature of the ordinance itself, which is a declaration of mercy on God's part, and a profession of faith, love, and obedience on ours; but from all those passages of Scripture which demand purity of heart and uprightness of conduct, which condemn hypocrites, and which describe the members of the church of Christ as holy persons.

It is further evident, that sincere believers only ought to celebrate the Lord's Supper, because the Apostle Paul enjoins on all communicants the duty of self-examination. The object of this scrutiny is to prove, or try, ourselves, our tempers and lives, by the rules of Scripture, previously to receiving the Supper of the Lord, in order to ascertain whether there be any thing in our disposition, character, or conduct, which is inconsistent with our Christian profession. This injunction seems to prove that sin

cere Christians are the only persons who have a scriptural right to attend the Lord's Supper.

4th. The advantages which arise from a devout attendance on this holy ordinance.

It tends to confirm our faith in the doctrines of the Gospel, and is one of the instituted means of obtaining fresh supplies of Divine grace for our Christian warfare. It strengthens our obligations to a life of uni versal holiness and integrity: the most forcible motives to act worthy of our character and profession are here presented to our minds. It tends to excite the utmost abhorrence of sin, the greatest care in watching against it, and the warmest zeal in endeavouring to oppose it; for we have the most lively view of the evil of sin, and its awful consequences, in the sufferings and death which the Son of God endured to make atonement for it, and which this ordinance is intended to represent. It is adapted to promote the Christian's comfort and peace: for what can afford such joy and tranquillity to a mind burdened with a sense of guilt and sin, as the distinct exhibition here made of that blood which cleanseth from all sin, and of the abundant mercy of God to all peni. tent believing souls? In this ordinance we enjoy, in a peculiar manner, the presence of God and the Redeemer; and have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, through the influences of the Holy Spirit. Here we gratefully receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, in all the endearing characters he sustains; and we joyfully accept of the blessings he bestows on true believers. The intimate relation of Christians to their Lord and Saviour, and their dependence on him, are represented in Scripture in the strongest possible language. They are said to be in Christ, and Christ in them: he is called their life: they are spoken of as being one with Christ; and their vital union to him as like that of the branch to the

foot; or of the members of the body to the head. But there is another strong metaphor, used by our Lord himself, to denote the absolute and entire dependence of Christians on him, for the maintaining and perfecting of the divine life in the soul-he represents himself as the food of believers, and describes them as feeding on his flesh and blood, and as living thereby, This cannot be understood of merely receiving the doctrines which the Redeemer taught. Divine instruction is indeed sometimes spoken of as the food of the mind, and compared to meat and drink; and teachers are said to feed their disciples: but there is no other instance to be found in which the teacher himself is called food, and his disciples are required to eat his flesh and drink his blood. By eating his flesh and drinking his blood, our Lord seems clearly to mean, believing the divine efficacy of his atonement; embracing and relying on it by faith; and accepting the glorious blessings which are the fruits of it, particularly the free mercy of God, the pardon of sin, and the influences of the Holy Spirit to renew, purify, and transform our souls into the Saviour's image. The Apostle Paul evidently alludes to this, when he says, "Christ, our passover, was sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven,' &c. Here he represents believers as partaking of that sacrifice which the Lord Jesus Christ offered; as exercising a believing regard to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, of whom the pascal lamb, which the Jews were required to eat, was a type. The celebration of the Lord's Supper may therefore be well considered in the light of a feast upon a sacrifice. The bread and wine which we take, are memorials of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The eating and drinking of these, are emblematic of our feeding by faith on the Redeemer, so as to derive spiritual

nourishment from him for the life, vigour, and joy of our souls.

5th. The preparation which is required of those who would properly and profitably attend the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

To celebrate this holy ordinance in a manner which will be acceptable to God and beneficial to our selves, it is not only necessary that our judgments be rightly informed, but that our wills be properly in clined, and our affections duly ex cited. It is necessary that we should exercise repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; hope in the mercy of God, through the Redeemer; and love to God, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to all our Christian brethren; hatred to all sin, united with a sincere endeavour, in the strength of Divine grace, estirely to subdue every evil principle and passion; and a determined reso Jution, by the grace of God, to live as becometh the profession of Christianity. These are indispensably requisite to holy communion at the Lord's table. It is also ne cessary to a comfortable attendance on this divine ordinance, that we should experience a devotional frame of mind, and have good grounds to hope that we are the genuine disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. In proportion as the true spirit of devotion is wanting, and our fears prevail with respect to our true character in the sight of God, will our spiritual comfort in attending this ordinance be diminished.

With respect to the means to be used for a profitable attendance on the Lord's Supper, I would observe, that it requires not merely the same previous preparation which public worship in general requires-such as serious perusal of the Scriptures, meditation, watchfulness, and prayer; but that those exercises should be conducted with a particular reference to this ordinance, to the objects which are there to be presented to our view, and about which the mind is to be devoutly employed.

There is one duty which is peculiarly proper to precede this solemnity, and which the Scriptures expressly recommend, namely selfexamination. The exhortation to the frequent practice of this duty is applicable to every Christian, and the work of self-inquiry should be the work of every day. But besides this, we should fix on certain

seasons

a

to be appropriated to more minute and extended survey. And what more proper time can be chosen than when we are about to approach the table of the Lord? An accurate knowledge of our real cha

racter and condition is not to be obtained without frequent, serious, and impartial self-examination. As there is always a great danger of self-deception, so there is constant need of self-scrutiny. This inquiry should respect not merely the reality of our religion in general, but the particular state of our hearts in the sight of God. The examination should be directed to ascertain whether we are advancing in piety, or declining in our Christian course: we should inquire into what sins we have fallen, what duties we have omitted, to what temptations we are most exposed, and in what respects we most need to be on our guard, and to have our resolutions confirmed and our graces strengthened. We should also notice what we have most to complain of, what to rejoice in, what to deprecate, and what to desire. These inquiries are necessary to promote humiliation, thanksgiving, watchfulness, and prayer. They will furnish suitable subjects for meditation and devotion, and be a means of rendering the celebration of this holy ordinance instrumental in promoting the interests of vital religion in our souls*.

G. B.

Those who wish carefully to study this important subject, may, consult Dr. Wall's Critical Notes on Matt. xxvi. 17; Dr. Waterland's Review of the Doctrine of the Eucharist; Dr. Cudworth's Discourse on the Nature of the Lord's Supper; Dr. Newcombe, archbishop of Armagh; and Dr. Adam Clarke's CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 118.

your

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THERE is not any part of I humbly think, so calculated for work, extensive usefulness, as your "Review of New Publications."-The review in the last number, on "the Refutation of Calvinism, &c." is truly excellent.-I think it would answer a good purpose, if a selecclergymen, on the various topics tion from the writings of eminent discussed in that book, were printed. If you judge the following extract on Regeneration worthy a place in your work, I shall be obliged by its insertion.

R. H.S.

-"None can be members or citizens of the kingdom of God, but only those who are the sons of God. The means to become the sons of children of God, is by regeneration, or new birth. This is the mystery our Saviour told Nicodemus of, when he came to him by night;

Except a man' (saith our Saviour), 'be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' John iii. 3. Now regeneration, or new birth, consists of these two parts,-repentance towards God, and faith towards Christ, according to that which the Apostle Paul told the elders of the church of Ephesus, Acts xx. 21; that he had testified both to Jews and Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ' that is, the whole mystery of regeneration, whereby a man becomes the child of God, and a member of the kingdom of Heaven. Where we are to note (as it will serve us to understand these things the better) that repentance properly and distinctly taken, looks towards God the Father, and faith unto Christ our Mediator. The one, is our returning unto God from whom we are gone astray by sin: the other the means or way of our return unto him,-by Christ, without whom we can never be reconciled to our heaDiscourse on the Nature, Design, and Insti tution of the Eucharist.

4 M

venly Father, nor perform any service acceptable unto him. These two, therefore, our Saviour distinguisheth, when he saith, Repent and believe the Gospel; the one looking to his Father, the other to himself. Both joined together make a new birth, or a new man, even as

the soul being united with the body makes a natural man; repentance here, being as the body or matter, which faith in the Gospel of Christ enlivens and informeth as a soul," &c.-Discourses, by Joseph Mede, B. D. of Christ's College, Cambridge. London: 1652. p. 30.

MISCELLANEOUS.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I AM the father of a large family, and beg leave to offer to you my thoughts on education. As a practical man, I should have addressed you perhaps with less diffidence than becomes me, if we had not lately, in the discussions on another subject, had a very useful memento of the prejudices and errors to which practical men are liable, While, however, I shall be led by the lesson thus afforded me, to deliver my opinions with diffidence, I think it my duty not to withhold from your readers (if you think them worth their perusal) those reflections which have been the result of my experience. Had not circumstances prevented me, I should have done this sooner, in conformity with an intimation I formerly gave in your miscellany *. My situation continues to be such, that I must beg your further indulgence as to time. It is impossible for me to say, that I shall be able to execute the plan I have formed for the treatment of my subject, without serious interruptions.

The years which precede manhood are naturally divided into several periods. The first is from early infancy to the time when the child begins to read. The next is from that important event, to another as

See Vol. for 1808, p. 13.

important, namely, to going (if a boy) to school or to a private totor. The years spent at school naturally form a distinct period;-and those devoted to college, or to a clerkship, or an apprenticeship, another. The last period is that in which a young man is just entering on the full duties and privileges of manhood. No better division of my subject occurs to me, than that which this division of the years devoted to education suggests.

The period of infancy is generally suffered to slide away with little or no attention to the work of education. The child is supposed to be in a kind of irrational state, which will scarcely admit of moral discipline, and its parents seem to think only of its health and amusement. If it wants any thing its wish must be gratified; if it cries, it is to be quieted by indulgence; or if this cannot be, attempts are frequently made to cheat it into a belief that the desired object has suddenly vanished If it has been hurt, the immediate cause of its misfortune, whether animate or inanimate, is not seldom to be beaten, and the child itself is encouraged to join in inflicting the punishment. Things proceed in this way nearly till the time when the child can talk, and often much longer; and when this system is changed for another, still it gives way very slowly, and in many cases some remains

« PreviousContinue »