Places, and the other eafily to be come at almost every where. But notwithstanding the outward Simplicity of this Inftitution, the pious Chriftian perceives in it abundant Matter for his profound Veneration; fince it reprefents to him, in the moft lively Manner, a Pattern of the moft perfect Innocence, the moft exalted Virtue, and the greatest Miracle of Goodnefs that ever was exhibited to the Sons of Men. To conclude this Chapter: The Blessed Son of God, being willing to perpetuate his Church, and give to all fucceeding Chriftians all the Helps and Comforts which they stood in need of, provides for them in the most efficacious Manner, by the Inftitution of this holy Sacrament. Being wholly taken up with the Defire to eftablish an Ordinance which was to be fo beneficial to Mankind, neither the killing Thought of that most shameful Part one of his Difciples (who was with him at the Table) was going to act, in betraying him, nor the Machinations of the Jews, who he knew were at that Time in deep Confpiracy against his Life; neither the amazing Agony he was to undergo in the Garden, nor the loweft Ignominy he was to fuffer from the moft Abject of the People, all which Circumftances were certain Preludes to a moft shameful and cruel Death: None of thefe, I fay, could divert his Attention from it. With Defire, he defired to eat this last Passover* Whereas the Christian Elements (should they be purchased at. the Expence of the Worshipper) are fo cheap, as effectually to prevent any invidious Diftinétion of Circumftances. *Luke xxii, 15. with his Difciples, in order to have an Opportunity of fubftituting in the Place of it a new one, which was to be infinitely more excellent in its Signification and defigned Effects. In a Word, this Sacrament appeared to him of that Importance, as to induce him to take upon himself the Care of appointing and settling it: He did not leave it to his Difciples to institute fome Kind of Ceremony, whereby to remember him after he was taken from them, altho' it is plain he left many important Things to be afterwards revealed to them by the Holy Ghost; but he himself takes Bread and Wine,* and having bleffed them, that they might thereby represent his Body and Blood, he gives them to his dear Apoftles: He (acting like those tender and generous Friends, who, when they are going to be feparated from us for any confiderable Time,. leave us their Picture, or fome other precious Token of their Affection) beftows upon them, and thro' them upon all Believers, a Sacrament which in fome Measure was to fupply his Abfence. Do this, fays he, in Remembrance of me: We fhall have Occafion in the third Chapter to explain wherein this Remembrance confifts. * St Paul, when he gives an Account of the Inftitution, prefaces it with this extraordinary Commendation of it: For I bave, fays he received of the Lord, that which I also delivered unto you, I Cor. xi, 23; intimating, that it was of that vaft Confequence, that he had an extraordinary Revelation of it from Heaven. CHA P. II. Of our Obligation to frequent the LORD'S SUPPER. Shall mention a three-fold Obligation lying upon all Chriftians to receive the holy Communion, each of them fufficient of itself, but all of them together of the greatest Force imaginable to engage thereunto: I mean Duty, Gratitude, and Interest. I. We are obliged to it in Point of indifpenfible Duty †, and in Obedience to a plain Precept and most folemn Inftitution of our Bleffed Saviour, that great Lawgiver, who is able to fave and to destroy, as St James calls him.* 'Tis he who has faid, Do this in Remembrance of me: 'Tis he who commanded his Apoftles, and thro' them all the Minifters of the New Covenant ‡, to do what he himself had done before them; namely, to take Bread and Wine, to blefs and diftribute them. Now if it be incumbent on Paftors to follow this Order §, it can be no lefs the Duty of those committed to their Care to receive from them the confecrated Elements; for the Obligation is mutual: This then is a very exprefs Com † Tillotson's Sermons, Vol. II, p. 170, &c. 2 Cor. iii, 6. James iv, 12. mand. mand. Now for a Man that profeffes himself a Chriftian, to live in the open and continued Contempt or Neglect of a plain Law and Inftitution of Chrift, is utterly inconfiftent with fuch a Profeffion. To fuch our Lord may say as he did to the Jews in the Gofpel, Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the Things which I Say? How far the Ignorance which fome are bred up in, and the Mistakes which others fall into about it, may extenuate this Neglect, is another Confideration: But after we know our Lord's Will, in this Particular, and have the Law plainly laid before us, there is no Cloak for our Sin; for nothing can excuse the wilful Neglect of a plain Inftitution, from a downright Contempt of our Saviour's Authority. And let us here observe, that we no-where elfe fhew ourselves fo immediately his Difciples, as in the Participation of this holy Rite (and Baptifm) because the fole Reafon for our doing it is his Command. For altho' Chrift has taught us Humility, Temperance, Juftice, Gratitude, Charity, and the like, he is not fingular in these Things, which were before known, (for the most Part) to the Jews, and in fome Measure to the Gentile World, by natural Confcience. In declaring them, he had a Way made for him, and the Confciences of Men were ready to ftrike in with him, which, among all ingenuous Minds, would much facilitate their Reception. But in this Command he ftands alone; for mere natural Reafon enjoins † Luke vi, 14. no no fuch Thing, nor will the Confcience of any Man but a Chriftian engage him to it: So that here we have no Light but his Word, no Obligation but his Command; and therefore when we do it, it's purely for his Sake, and upon his Authority. Befides, this is in a Manner the peculiar Command of our Saviour, the only proper Act of Chriftian Worship that he has appointed. To affemble together in Publick for the Service of God; for the asking Pardon for our Sins; for the begging Mercies and Favours from him; for the returning our Thanks, and Praises, and Acknowledgements for Benefits received; and also for the receiving Inftructions and Admonitions about our moral Converfation, and the Truths and Duties of our Profeffion, is common to all the Religions in the World: Both Jews and Turks do this, as well as Chriftians: But to join together in Commemoration of, and to fhew forth, the Death of Christ,* is the peculiar Duty that is incumbent on us, as we profefs to be Followers of Jefus. It is the diftinguishing Badge of our Profeffion.. It is an Act of Worship that our Lord has ordained for our evidencing to all the World that we are his Difciples, and that we own him to be our Lord and Maiter.. We thereby virtually declare that we are not ashamed of the Cross of Christ. And therefore, tho' in our other Offices of Devotion we may be truly said to worship God, and to give honour to our Saviour, yet we cannot fo properly be faid to worship as Chriftians, except we join in thofe facred Myf*1.Cor. xi, 26. |