2^7^ 
 
 , 
 
 ., 
 
 
 # 
 
 d! 
 
 
 # 
 
 IE 
 3 
 
 
 « 
 
 -D 
 JO 
 
 
 "^^ 
 
 IE 
 
 
 H, 
 
 Q. 
 
 M— 
 O 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 S 2 
 
 c 
 bJ) 
 < 
 
 R§ 
 
 
 ^ g 
 
 3 
 
 .■ : 
 
 
 br 
 
 E 
 
 § ^ b 
 
 <>> M 
 
 cd 
 
 •§ 5 -§ 
 
 ^ P^ 
 
 in 
 
 1 '^ J 
 
 .*-» fl4 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ ^ i| 
 
 %** 
 
 S 
 
 
 O^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 •^ 
 
 "a 
 
 
 % 
 
 <u 
 
 c 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 CO 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 qI 
 
 
THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT; 
 
 OR, 
 A SUITABLE COMPANION TO 
 
 THE LORD'S SUPPER: 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 ON EVERY PART OF THE LITURGY 
 
 USED BY 
 
 THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, 
 
 AT THE CELEBRATION OF 
 
 THAT DIVINE ORDINANCE. 
 
 -7-* 
 
 By W. "mason, Esq. 
 
 WITH A RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE, BY THE LATE 
 
 Rev. W. ROMAINE, M.A. 
 
 Feed on the Lord Jesus Christ in thy Heart by Faith with Thanksgiving, 
 
 A NEW EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED BY THE 
 
 Rev. H. C. MASON, A.M. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 BALDWIN AND CRADOCK, SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER, 
 BAYNES AND SON, AND R. BAYNES, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 
 
 1836. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 MARCHANT, PRINTER, INGRAM-COURT, FENCHURCH-STREEl 
 
MR. ROMAINE S PREFACE 
 
 Christian Reader, 
 
 I AM glad of an opportunity of recommen- 
 ding to thee this little book. Very hear^ 
 tily do I agree with my friend Mason in 
 his Preface, where he wishes for an Increase 
 of that Gospel Spirit, which makes less of 
 outward things, and more of Christ. This 
 is truly catholic. May it spread and grow, 
 till Protestants have done with contending 
 about their modes and forms, and all unite 
 in exalting the matchless Prince of Peace, 
 and in promoting fellowship with him. 
 
IV MR. ROMAINE'S preface. 
 
 The subject here treated of, is one of the 
 deep things of God : of which none can 
 write, as Mr. Mason has, unless he be in his 
 heart alive to God ; nor can any but such 
 understand the nature of the ordinance, or be 
 fed and nourished at it. It was instituted for 
 the living members of Christ's mystical body. 
 The dead cannot eat : but the living feed by 
 faith upon the flesh of Christ, which is meat 
 indeed, and upon his blood, which is drink 
 indeed ; and they grow up thereby into Christ 
 Jesus — a sweet, holy, and heavenly life. No- 
 thing better can I wish thee. Reader, than 
 that thou mayest have this life, and have it 
 more abundantly. May these Meditations be 
 the means of increasing in thee the comforts 
 of living by the faith of the Son of God. 
 May they all be realized to thee, whenever 
 thou goest to communicate. May every such 
 opportunity bring thee into nearer and happier 
 communion with thy dear Jesus ; and every 
 
MR. ROMAINES PREFACE. V 
 
 Lord's Supper have more and more of thy 
 Lord in it, until thou sit down with him at 
 the marriage-supper of the Lamb. There 
 may thou and I meet. So prays thy hearty 
 well-wisher in him. 
 
 W. ROMAINE. 
 
 Blackfriars, 
 
 a 2 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Having occasion to use this phrase, The 
 Faithful of the Church of England; I hope 
 no one will construe it so, as if I meant that 
 the faithful are found there only. Far be this 
 from me to assert ; farthest from my heart to 
 think. While I am fully pursuaded, there 
 are faithful members of Christ in the established 
 Church, who receive the truth as it is in Jesus 
 in love, hold it fast by faith, and adorn the 
 gospel in their lives ; so am equally confident, 
 there are such like gracious persons in the 
 churches of our Protestant Dissenting Brethren 
 also. 
 
 I most sincerely wish the spirit of bigotry 
 and party may be swallowed up in that apos- 
 
Vm PREFACE. 
 
 tolic truth, " Ye are all one in Christ Jesus." 
 O may the loving spirit of Christ reign more 
 and more in all our hearts. May he cause us 
 to love as brethren ; as brethren of one com- 
 mon Lord, and Head of the whole body. O 
 that instead of the pricking thorn, might come 
 up the ever-verdant fir-tree; and instead of 
 the goading briar, the fragrant myrtle-tree, 
 as a sign that we are members of the Prince of 
 Peace ; and for a name, that we serve the God 
 of love. 
 
 As to my judgment J I firmly believe the doc- 
 trines contained in the Articles of our Church 
 to be truly scriptural. In them, the grace of 
 God is laid as the foundation, and Jesus Christ 
 is established as the chief corner-stone in the 
 salvation of sinners. Therefore I do from my 
 heart abide by them. 
 
 As to my professidn, I have never yet been 
 convinced, that the Church of England retains 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 any thing in her worship, contrary to the faith 
 and hope of a Christian ; therefore see no 
 cause to dissent from her. Particularly, in 
 respect to the manner of administering the 
 Lord's Supper, in heart and conscience, I do 
 acquiesce with the form of sound words therein 
 used. It is (at least to me) unexceptionable. 
 I have often found a sweet savour and divine 
 unction to my own soul in the use of them ; 
 therefore esteem them excellent words. 
 
 Perhaps some may censure me as mistaken 
 herein. I have only to reply, I much rather 
 prefer feeding on the substance of Christ 
 Jesus by faith, than disputing with a strife of 
 words, about the shadow of forms and ceremo- 
 nies. For why should we " fall out by the 
 way" to our Saviour's kingdom, about those 
 things which are not essential to it ? 
 
 Having never seen any work of this kind, 
 my mind was led attentively to consider the 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 spiritual design of the venerable Compilers in 
 this prescribed form. I am sensible of my 
 mean abilities for such a work : yet, perhaps 
 it may be more suited to the capacities of some 
 persons, than if it came from the pen of a 
 person of great learning and fine parts. Such 
 might not be able or willing to let themselves 
 down to the conceptions of the weak. I trust, 
 that in simplicity and godly sincerity, my 
 heart has been engaged herein, with a sincere 
 aim to promote the glory of the grace of God 
 in Christ Jesus to poor sinners, and with a 
 view to their profit. 
 
 Christian Reader, I humbly commend 
 it to thee, hoping thou wilt be led, from the 
 obscurity of the Author, and the meanness of 
 his abilities, to look solely to that sovereign 
 Lord, "who chooseth weak things and things 
 which are despised," to work by, and to pro- 
 mote the glory of his own grace. Consider, 
 the dainties qf oiir tables are served up, apd 
 
PREFACE. 3d 
 
 the richest wines are delivered from the hands 
 of mean servants ; yet, by the blessing of 
 God, these are made to nourish our bodies, 
 and to revive our spirits. The most precious 
 seed is cast into the earth from the hands of 
 the menial husbandman; which the Lord of 
 the harvest causeth to bring forth food for the 
 noble and the wealthy. Therefore, if the God 
 of all grace is pleased to administer any 
 nourishment, edification, and comfort, by means 
 of this work, give all the glory to him ; and 
 let the poor labourer share in thy prayers. 
 
 To thee, O Jesu, thou glorious head of thy 
 church militant on earth, as also of thy church 
 triumphant in glory, would thy weak disciple 
 most humbly dedicate this work of faith, and 
 labour of love : beseeching thee, that it may 
 go forth with thy blessing, and be accompanied 
 with thy grace, to the hearts of its Readers ; 
 so that faith in thee, love to thee, and the 
 honour of thee, may be promoted in heart and 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 life. Fulfil, Lord, thine own word, that 
 " both he who soweth, and he who reapeth, 
 may rejoice together :" Rejoice in thy love on 
 earth, and in thy presence in glory. Even so, 
 Amen. 
 
THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT, 
 
 ETC. ETC. 
 
 As an Introduction to the following Treatise it is 
 necessary to inculcate this most important truth, 
 That the Holy Scriptures are the word of God. 
 Therein God speaks his thoughts and reveals his 
 mind to man. As one man speaks his mind and 
 makes known his thoughts to his fellow-creatures by 
 his words, just so doth the Lord to man in his word. 
 It is joyful to consider that the word of the Lord 
 breathes not condemnation and wrath, which might 
 affright penitent sinners from his presence, but 
 ^^ preacheth peace by Jesus Christ." Acts, x. 36. 
 Hence it is called '' the word of his grace." Acts, 
 XX. 32, and " the word of reconciliation.'' 2 Cor. 
 V. 19. For it reveals God in Christ reconciled to 
 his people. And God is in Christ, by means of his 
 word, reconciling poor sinners unto himself, not im- 
 puting trespasses unto them, this his word assures us 
 of; therefore it is called " the word of life," Phil. ii. 
 16, and " the word of salvation," Acts, xiii. 26. 
 For it reveals eternal life to us, and sets everlasting 
 salvation before us; and by the grace of the 
 Spirit, through means of the word, we, by faith, 
 actually partake of life and salvation. For " the 
 
25 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salva- 
 tion, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus," 2 Tim. 
 iii. 15. So that by faith in this blessed word of the 
 Lord, poor sinners have the most prevailing encou- 
 ragement, " with boldness and access, with confi- 
 dence to draw nigh unto God," Ephes. iii. 12. And 
 nothing, but unbelief of God's word in our hearts 
 can prevent this : it is unbelief which causes any of 
 the sons of men to live without that peace, comfort, 
 and joy, which are experienced in the knowledge of 
 a reconciled God in Christ. For as unbelief is a 
 practical rejection of divine truth, so it is an effectual 
 bar to the happiness of the human mind. 
 
 Suppose an earthly monarch were to declare to his 
 rebellious subjects, I love you, I am reconciled to 
 you : if they beheved what he spoke was the real 
 sense of his mind, how would this expel their re- 
 bellion against him, and beget love in their hearts 
 to him ? But if, to his declaration, he were to 
 add every kind action, which could demonstrate 
 his perfect reconciliation to them ; this would most 
 effectually put the matter out of all doubt, and 
 surely cause them to love him again. And while his 
 love was believed by them, their past rebellion could 
 not be remembered without shame and remorse. 
 And nothing but unreasonable doubts and surmises, 
 indulged in their minds, of the truth of his word and 
 the sincerity of his love towards them, could awaken 
 their affections for him. O Christian, hear the Lord 
 speak in his word : consider the manifestation of the 
 love of God to us in Christ ; look into your heart and 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 6 
 
 conduct, and apply this to our Lord's dealing with us, 
 and say, What could the Lord have spoken more to 
 us ? what could he have done more for us that he 
 hath not done, to assure us of his love ? 
 
 And doth our Lord require this to be the rule of 
 our conduct to one another ? " My httle children, 
 let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in 
 deed and in truth," 1 John, iii, 18. As though he 
 had said. To say you love one another is easy ; 
 but to prove it by your actions, this only is the test 
 of love. Now our Lord hath set us an example 
 herein ; for he hath taken the very same method 
 towards us, which he exhorts his disciples to follow 
 towards each other. For, did he love in word and 
 in tongue only? Doth he only declare in his word, 
 T love you, I am reconciled to you ? Nay, but in- 
 finitely more. The word of the Lord is not only the 
 declaration of his love, but the history of the acts 
 and deeds of his love. For his word not only assures 
 us of his love, but also acquaints us how this love 
 manifested itself in deed and in truth to us. For, 
 
 Love, almighty, everlasting Zove^ beamed forth 
 in the first promise of grace in Christ Jesus to the 
 sinful fallen pair in paradise. The Lord appeared in 
 the character of Love to the patriarchs. Love mani- 
 fested itself in the Lord's care and protection of his 
 chosen people Israel. All the ceremonies and the 
 institutions of the law pointed to and shadowed forth 
 Love itself, who was to come in flesh. The goodly 
 fellowship of the Prophets foretold the appearing of 
 Love in human form. The holy Evangehsts bear 
 
 b2 
 
4 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 witness that the fulness of time is come, that the 
 Son of God is of woman born ; they beheld the glory 
 of Love incarnate ; they record the miracles of Love 
 in our nature. The glorious company of the Apostles 
 testify that Love has brought heaven dov^n to sinners 
 upon earth, to bring apostate rebellious sinners up to 
 glory in heaven. The noble army of martyrs sealed 
 this truth with their blood, that " God ivas in Christ 
 " reconcihng the world unto himself, not imputing 
 " their trespasses unto them," 2 Cor. v. 19. And 
 this every Christian is called to be a witness of, through 
 faith in Jesus, that God is Love. 
 
 Most glorious wonders of Love ! Most blessed 
 knowledge of faith ! God hi Christ ! God recon- 
 ciled to Sinners! Sins not imputed! But where 
 then is divine justice, with all its threatened ven- 
 geance against sin ? Where is the holy law of God, 
 with all its direful curses against sinners ? Hath not 
 the law been violated by us? and are we not all justly 
 exposed to the denunciations of justice ? Yes, verily, 
 every mouth is stopped ; the whole world is become 
 guilty before God ; no one soul upon earth has the 
 east plea in himself to entitle him to God's favour. 
 But (O amazing Love !) God who is rich in mercy, 
 for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when 
 we were dead in sins, dead under the sentence of his 
 law, and condemned to death by his justice: even 
 then he sent — Whom ? not an angel, not a myriad 
 of angels, but his only begotten, his well-beloved 
 Son, to fulfil the law for us, and to satisfy justice in 
 our flesh by dying in our stead. For " in this was 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. D 
 
 ** manifested the love of God towards us, because that 
 ^' God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that 
 " we might live through him," 1 John, iv. 9. Herein 
 is love ! — Love, that exceeds all bounds ! — Love, that 
 is beyond all description ! — Love, that has no pa- 
 rallel ! — *' Herein is love, not that we loved God, 
 " but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the 
 *^ propitiation for our sins," v. 10. Hath God in 
 Christ so loved us ? Doth his word declare it ? 
 Have his actions manifested and proved it ? O then, 
 ye children of the most high God ! O ye saints of 
 Jesus ! ye, who know the love of Christ, ye are 
 called upon to comprehend what is the hreadth of 
 this love, which extends to all the misery and ruin 
 of your fall ; to consider its length, which reacheth 
 from eternity to eternity; to contemplate its deptJi, 
 which lets itself down to the low and abject state 
 into which sin had involved us ; and to meditate upon 
 its heightj which raises us up to the exalted state of 
 heaven and glory. 
 
 But, after such ample declarations of the love of 
 God, and such a glorious manifestation of his love 
 in Christ to sinners of mankind ; why, O why, do 
 any of the sons of fallen Adam continue in open 
 rebellion and wilful disobedience against the God of 
 love ? The reason is most plain. They do not credit 
 the word of God ; they do not believe in the Son of 
 God ; for truly, so soon as the word of God, which 
 is the mind of God, is really believed in the heart, 
 hatred of God, and rebeUion against him, are ex- 
 pelled from the mind. So soon as God is known, 
 
6 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 beheld, and believed on, in Christ Jesus, as the God 
 of love, love to God is begotten in the soul of man ; 
 delight in him takes place in the affections, and hope 
 of the enjoyment of him springs up in the heart ; for 
 " we love him because he first loved us," 1 John, 
 iv. 19. Hence it is very easy to see the distinction 
 between a mere professor of Christianity and one who 
 really is a Christian. The former lives in his natural 
 state of ignorance of the true God and Jesus Christ, 
 without hope of eternal life ; therefore continues 
 in hatred of God, rebelhon against him, and wilful 
 disobedience to his commands. And all this is, be- 
 cause he doth not know God in Christ— he doth not 
 receive Jesus the Son of God into his heart by faith; 
 and he rejects the means of this knowledge, which 
 is the word of God, through an evil heart of unbelief. 
 But " he that is of God heareth God's word," John, 
 viii. 47. " He who receive th me, receive th him who 
 " sent me," said Jesus, Matt. x. 40; that is, he 
 who believeth on the Son of God, receiveth the love, 
 the grace, and salvation of Jehovah, Father, Son, 
 and Spirit, into his heart. 
 
 Thus the true Christian is possessed of what is not 
 natural to him, faith in God's word — faith in God's 
 love — faith in God's son, the only Saviour of the lost 
 and guilty. Now to all such as these, the Son of God, 
 our Saviour, when in our flesh, spake these words : 
 ** This do in remembrance of me/* 
 
 Luke, xxii. 19. 
 Methinks I see the d^ar and tender-hearted Man, in 
 whom dv/elt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, with 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 7 
 
 his little selected company around him, and, with a look 
 of love, enjoining this his solemn, his dying request 
 to them. Remember me. Let my person, my love, my 
 work, and my salvation, ever dwell in your minds, and 
 upon your hearts. When you think of sin, remem- 
 ber my blood is to be spilt to atone for it. When 
 you mourn over yourselves, as the subjects of sin, 
 remember me, who am the Lord your righteousness. 
 When you think of death, remember me, who am 
 your resurrection and your life. When you think 
 your sins deserve hell and damnation, remember 
 me, who am your Saviour, to procure heaven and 
 salvation for you. Therefore, Do this : call to mind 
 my love and my salvation, eat bread and drink 
 wine, in commemoration of Me; and thus in eat- 
 ing this bread, and drinking this cup, shew ye 
 forth my death, till I appear a second time without 
 sin unto salvation. Now, in order fully to medi- 
 tate upon this dying injunction of our loving Lord 
 to his church, let us consider these words, " This 
 " do in remembrance of me," under the following 
 particulars : 
 
 \. Our Lord's positive command to all his disciples, 
 '' This do." 
 
 2. The end and design of doing this, " in remem- 
 
 " brance of me." And, 
 
 3. The manner in which the faithful of the church 
 
 of England do remember the Lord Christ in 
 the communion of his Supper. 
 O may the heart of him who indites be under 
 the influence of the Spirit of truth, the glorifier of 
 
O THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Jesus; and the hearts of those who read be warmed 
 and comforted with the divine love of Jesus, while 
 we consider his blessed design in this ordinance. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Our Lord's command to all his disciples, 
 This do. 
 
 A DISCIPLE of Christ is one who has been taught 
 to know somewhat of Jesus, in his precious person 
 as God-man; and in his glorious work, as God-man 
 and mediator, as having perfectly wrought out and 
 completely finished salvation for sinners, by the 
 obedience of his life, and the atonement of his 
 death ; and also of his resurrection from the dead, 
 ascension to glory, and sitting at the right hand of 
 God to pray for us. This enters into the very 
 essence of the Christian faith ; all this is taught in 
 the word of truth, and therefore the belief of this 
 is absolutely necessary to constitute a disciple of 
 Christ. And every one who is thus enlightened to 
 see the Son of God as coming^ in flesh to save lost 
 and miserable sinners, and views himself as one of 
 that guilty number, who must perish everlastingly 
 for his sins, ^^ ere it not for redemption in the blood 
 of Christ and justification through his righteousness;, 
 is disposed, by grace, to hunger and thirst after 
 the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the 
 world ; therefore to all such the dear Saviour saith. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 9 
 
 Tills do. As though our Lord had said, " Make an 
 open profession in the sight of God, angels and men, 
 of the faith of your hearts and the hope of your 
 souls in Mcy as the only Saviour, who was crucified 
 for your sins, and raised again for your justification. 
 Receive these instituted signs of my body, once wil- 
 lingly given up into the hands of men to be scourged, 
 nailed on the cross, and pierced for all your trans- 
 gressions ; and of my blood being freely shed as an 
 atonement to God for all your iniquities. Behold, 
 in the bread broken, and in the wine poured forth, 
 the outward and visible signs of my love to you, and 
 '0^ my salvation for you. Receive these as tokens of 
 my inward and spiritual grace. In this my institution, 
 look through the outward and visible signs wholly 
 unto Me; depend entirely on Me; trust solely in Me; 
 look only to Me; and be assured your souls shall be 
 strengthened in faith, and refreshed by the love of 
 Me, even as your natural bodies are strengthened 
 and refreshed by eating and drinking the outward 
 elements of bread and wine. 
 
 Thus " the body and blood of Christ are verily and 
 " indeed taken, and received by the faithful in the 
 ^^ Lord's Supper." How! verily and indeed taken! 
 Yes ; but it is natural for those who are carnal to 
 carnalize spiritual truths ; and hence it is that we 
 hear of the bread and wine beino- transubstantiated 
 and changed into the real body and blood of Christ. 
 Such is the gross absurdity of the tenet of the church 
 of Rome. But this is agreeable to carnal sense in- 
 stead of the spiritual views of faith. True, our Lord 
 
 b3 
 
10 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 declares, " he who eateth my flesh and drinketh my 
 '^ blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up 
 " at the last day," John, vi. 54. But he had before 
 explained his sense and meaning, ver. 47. " Verily, 
 " verily, I say unto you, he who helieveth on me 
 " hath everlasting hfe." So that the faithful have 
 eternal hfe given them in Christ Jesus ; and they 
 enjoy this life by faith before they can eat his flesh 
 and drink his blood sacramentally. While naturally 
 dead in trespasses and sins, a man can no more eat 
 and drink than he can hunger and thirst. Therefore 
 eating Christ's flesh and drinking his blood is not 
 the cause of our having eternal life, but is an evi- 
 dence and token of the spiritual life of souls : yea, 
 it is an act and exercise of our faith, and pro- 
 ceeds from the spiritual hunger and thirst of souls 
 after Jesus, the bread of life ; as well as it is a test 
 of our obedience to Jesus, who is our Life. So 
 again, our Lord saith, " he that eateth me, even he 
 " shall live by me," ver. 57. As traly as a living- 
 man finds the life of his body supported by means 
 of natural food, so Christ is verily and indeed taken, 
 received, fed upon, and digested in the hearts of 
 the faithful, by blessing, in the means of this his own 
 institution. Therefore, no object besides Christ him- 
 self, his blessed body, his precious blood, is to be 
 looked to, by faith, in this divine ordinance ; and look- 
 ing to him, by faith, as the only Saviour, is to reject 
 all trust, hope, and confidence in ourselves, either 
 in our own strength to save us, or our own righteous- 
 ness to justify us. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 11 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the end and design of this Sacrament ; saith our 
 Lord, Do THIS in remembrance of me. 
 
 The holy Communion is a standing memorial of 
 the unparalleled love of Christ, in his precious per- 
 son, his glorious offices, and his finished work, in 
 the redemption, justification, salvation, and eternal 
 glorification of poor, ruined, lost sinners; and is to 
 keep up in our hearts a spiritual acquaintance with 
 our Lord, and a lively sense of his love and salvation 
 in our souls. Therefore, 
 
 1. This do in remembrance of his precious person, 
 who is the Son of God from everlasting to everlast- 
 ing; who also became the Son of man — the Son of 
 Mary — made of a woman — made under the law, 
 under its execration, and devoted to the curse of the 
 law. So that he who is over all, God blessed for 
 evermore, was also made a curse, sentenced to an 
 accursed death, judged to die, as an ignominious 
 malefactor, upon the cross between two thieves. This, 
 even this person, this God and man in one Christ, 
 we, his disciples, are ever to remember in his Supper; 
 to remember that He, the very MAN who hung 
 upon the cross without the gates of Jerusalem, is 
 also truly JEHOVAH: " Very Godofveiy God." So, 
 
 2. This do in remembrance of Me, implies his 
 glorious offices and the blessed work he hath finished 
 for our salvation. As Jesus was the Son of God 
 
12 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICAN^f. 
 
 from all eternity, so he engaoed in the everlasting 
 covenant to become the Son of man in time, that he 
 might be capable, in that very nature which had 
 sinned, of sustaining those offices for man and fulfil- 
 ling all his covenant engagements to God his righteous 
 Father, that so sinful men might be redeemed, jus- 
 tified, and saved, perfectly consistent with the holy 
 law, divine justice, and eternal truth, to the glory of 
 the riches of God's free grace : yea, and that we might 
 enjoy the comfort of all this by faith now, before we 
 come to the full fruition of Jesus our God in glory. 
 For, as the poet sweetly sings, 
 
 Till God in human flesh I see, 
 
 My thouglits no comfort find ; 
 The holy, just, and sacved Three 
 
 Are terrors to my mind: 
 But if Emmanuel's face appear, 
 
 My hope, my joy begins ; 
 His name forbids my slavish fear, 
 
 His name removes my sins. 
 
 Let us therefore distinctly consider the various 
 offices which our Emmanuel, the Son of God in our 
 fiesh, sustained on our account and for our salvation* 
 These are most joyful to commemorate. 
 
 CHAP. HI. 
 
 1st. The Son of God became our surety. 
 
 We are to remember Jesus as made a surety of a 
 better testament, Heb. vii. 22, or covenant than the 
 covenant of works. As the surety of sinners, he dreu"! 
 nigh to God his righteous Father ; he interposed be- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 13 
 
 tweeii us the debtors, and God the creditor. We owed 
 debts to an infinite amount ; as finite creatures we 
 could never pay them; nor could God, in honour to his 
 sacred law and inviolable justice, ever forgive them. 
 We were therefore liable to be cast into prison, there 
 to suffer the punishment of divine justice, for the 
 violation of God's holy law, to all eternity. But, 
 O the love of Christ ! he placed himself in our 
 ste^d, he took all our debts upon himself, he un- 
 dertook fully to satisfy them, and for ever to acquit 
 and discharge us from them all. So that we are 
 freed from the charge and condemnation of God's 
 holy law ; " for there is now no condemnation to 
 " them who are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1 ; 
 and also, we have in our surety that to plead, which 
 is more than equivalent to all the dettiands of God's 
 holy law. For we have the atoning sacrifice, and 
 the everlasting righteousness of the Son of God, 
 our surety f to answer alL Hence, the blessed char- 
 ter, and free grant of that covenant, of which Jesus 
 is surety, is this, ^' I will be to them a God, and 
 " they shall be to me a people. I will be merciful 
 " to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their 
 " iniquities I will remember no more^' Heb. viii. 10, 
 12. Sins forgiven ! Iniquities forgotten ! Jehovah 
 himself our loving God, and we his beloved people ! 
 and all this, because God will have it so, for Jesus 
 is our surety. Shall w^e then forget, shall we not 
 ever remember, our blessed Surety '^ He who was 
 seized and arrested by divine justice ? He who 
 bled and died to pay our debts of an immense sum ? 
 
14 THE CFIRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Not remember Him, through whom all covenant 
 blessings come to us ? Him who burst the sealed 
 tomb — disarmed death of his sting — whose risen 
 body proclaims the mighty debt is paid, justice is 
 satisfied, for the prisoner is discharged ? This most 
 beneficent Lord saith to us, insolvent debtors. Re- 
 member me at my table ; feast upon my love, as your 
 Surety, who hath paid all your debts. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 2d. We are to rememher Jesus as our Redeemer. 
 
 ** As for our Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts is his 
 " name, and the Holy One of Israel," Isa. xlvii. 
 4. Even he was ^* made sin for us, and redemption 
 ** to us," 1 Cor. i. 30. His precious blood was the 
 price of our sins ; this he paid for the redemption of 
 our souls ; and with this inestimable price he pur- 
 chased our forfeited inheritance. " For we know 
 " we v/ere not redeemed with corruptible things — 
 " but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a 
 " Lamb without blemish and without spot," 1 Pet. i. 
 18, 19. But man is a corruptible creature. Yes. 
 But though Jesus was a man like unto us, yet not a 
 mere man ; for " his flesh saw no corruption." 
 Acts ii. 31. He was God in our nature ; hence his 
 blood is called " the blood of God, therefore with 
 ^^ this he purchased the church," Acts xx. 28. 
 
 Hence, this sweet song is introduced, in the service 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 15 
 
 of our church, to his glory ; " Blessed be the Lord 
 " God of Israel, for he hath visited," in flesh, 
 " and redeemed his people," by his blood, Luke i. 
 68. " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of 
 " the law, being made a curse for us," Gal. iii. 18. 
 '* He hath redeemed us to God by his own blood," 
 Rev. V. 9, yea, he " hath obtained eternal redemp- 
 " tion for us," Heb. ix. 12. Redemption from the 
 wages of sin, which is death ; from the curse of the 
 law, which is eternal punishment ; and from the 
 infliction of divine justice, which is everlasting 
 wrath. All this is everlastingly and completely ob- 
 tained for us. Well might the prophet say, ". There- 
 " fore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return," (to 
 whom, but to Jesus their Redeemer by faith ?) " and 
 " come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting 
 " joy shall be upon their heads : they shall obtain 
 " gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall 
 " flee away," Isa. li. 11. O the infinite evil of sin ! 
 Nothing less than the blood of the Son of God could 
 redeem from it. O the infinite love of Jesus to be 
 our Redeemer ! In the firm belief of this, how 
 joyful should we be to remember our God-Redeemer ! 
 But it might damp our joy to consider, that sin had 
 not only sealed as under wrath, and the law sen- 
 tenced us to death ; but had also shut up the king- 
 dom of heaven against us, " for the unrighteous 
 " shall not inherit the kingdom of God," 1 Cor. vi. 
 9 ; and this we are all by nature ; but " righteous- 
 '' ness dehvereth from death," Prov. x. 2, and 
 giveth a right and title to eternal life. Therefore, 
 
16 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 3d. Jesus is to be remembered as our Justifier. 
 
 Are we not all sinners ? Yes, verily, for the Spirit 
 of truth declares, " There is none righteous, no, not 
 " ONE," Rom. iii. 10. But behold, " Christ is 
 " made righteousness to us," 1 Cor. i. 30. For 
 this is his name whereby he shall be called, The 
 Lord our Righteousness. This precious name is 
 given to our Emmanuel by the Spirit of truth, Jer. 
 xxiii. 6. ; therefore, by faith, we know he is, what 
 the eternal Spirit calls him. Our Righteousness. His 
 righteousness *' is unto all, and upon all them who 
 *' beheve," Rom. iii. 22. Thus is fulfilled that word 
 of prophecy, " Thy people also shall be all righteous," 
 Isa. Ix. 21 ; and hence we hear this triumphant song 
 from each member of the church of Christ, " I will 
 " greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joy- 
 " ful in my God ; for he hath clothed me with the 
 " garments of salvation ; he hath covered me with 
 " the robe of righteousness," Isa. Ixi. 10. O how 
 joyful to know, through the behef of the truth, that 
 the shame of our nakedness doth not now appear in 
 the sight of God ; but that we are completely covered 
 with the robe of Christ's righteousness, and glo- 
 riously arrayed in his garments of salvation ! How 
 animating to the heart of a Christian to reflect ; I 
 approach to God, my heavenly Father, in the very 
 righteousness of his own beloved Son ! What bold- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 17 
 
 ness, what confidence, doth this inspire us with at 
 a throne of grace below ! O with what triumph 
 shall every beUever in Jesus be presented, in the 
 rich robe and glorious garments of Christ his elder 
 Brother above ! For there is not one jot or tittle of 
 the holy, just law of God, but what Jesus hath per- 
 fectly obeyed, and entirely fulfilled for us. This was 
 impossible to any one of the human race ever to do 
 for himself. Because, " the law is weak through 
 " the flesh," Rom. viii. 3, not weak to demand; 
 but v/e are weak perfectly to obey. But " by the 
 obedience of one," or the one obedience of Jesus, 
 " shall many be justified," Rom. v. 19. All, who 
 believe in him, are perfectly and everlastingly jus- 
 tified from all things in the sight of God, Acts xiii. 
 39. O how happy doth the behef of this make the 
 consciences of poor sinners ! For those sweet words 
 of Bishop Beveridge may justly be adopted by every 
 believer in Christ, — " I beheve that my person is as 
 *' really accepted, as perfectly righteous by the 
 " righteousness of Christ's life imputed to me, as 
 " my sins were pardoned by God, for the bitterness 
 " of the death he suffered for them : his righteous- 
 ** ness being as really by faith imputed to me, as my 
 " sins were laid upon him — So that every thing 
 *^ Jesus did in his Hfe, as well as every thing he 
 " suffered in his death, is mine. By the latter, God 
 " looks upon me as perfectly innocent, and there- 
 ** fore not to be thrown down into hell ; by the 
 '^ former, he looks upon me as perfectly righteous, 
 ^^ and therefore to be brought up to heaven." See 
 his Private Thoughts. 
 
18 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 This good bishop perfectly agrees herein with our 
 church in the homily of salvation. " It pleased our 
 " heavenly Father, of his infinite mercy, without 
 " any of our deserts or deservings, to prepare for us 
 " the most precious jewels of Christ's body and 
 " blood, whereby our ransom might be fully paid, 
 " the law fulfilled, and his justice fully satisfied. 
 '* So that Christ is noio the righteousness of all them 
 " who believe in him. lie for them paid their ransom 
 " by his death : he for them fulfilled the law in his 
 " life ; so that now in him, and by him, every 
 " Christian man may be called afulfiller of the law. 
 " Forasmuch as that which their infirmity lacked, 
 " Christ's righteousness hath supplied." 
 
 O how precious to the view of faith is this ! How 
 dear is the Lord our righteousness to every sensible 
 sinner's heart ! Behold, O Christian, how firm a 
 footing for thy faith ! Here is the Spirit of truth, 
 bearing witness to this righteousness of Jesus, in his 
 word, and by the mouths of prophets, apostles, by 
 the holy church and its faithful members in all ages. 
 Dost thou see thine own righteousness but as filthy 
 rags ? Dost thou renounce all trust in it ? And is 
 it the cry of thy heart also, ^' O that I may be found 
 " in Christ, not having on my own righteousness, 
 " but the righteousness of Christ by faith!" Phil, 
 iii. 9. Then art thou under infinite and eternal 
 obligation to thy Lord, who hath delivered thee from 
 that which is natural to sinful man, even pride of, 
 and vain confidence in, thine own righteousness. 
 Therefore remember him who hath clothed thee with 
 his perfect righteousness, which completely justifies 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 19 
 
 thee in the sight of God. May his blessed Spirit 
 help us to do this in the faith of him ! 
 
 CHAP. VL 
 
 4th. We are to remember Jesus as our High-Priest, 
 
 The Holy Ghost presents us with a sweet view of 
 Jesus in this office, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 
 that we should thus know him, believe in him, and 
 remember him : " For every high-priest is ordained 
 " to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of 
 " necessity that this man (Christ Jesus) have some- 
 " what also to offer," Heb. viii. 3. Therefore, when 
 he Cometh into the world, he saith, " A body hast 
 " thou prepared me : lo, I come to do thy will, O 
 " God," Heb. x. 5, 7. His precious body was 
 both the gift, and the sacrifice, and the peace 
 offering for sin. This he offered to God. This was 
 the will of God. " By the which will we are sanc- 
 " tified, through the offering of the body of Jesus 
 " once for all," Heb. x. 10. O the infinite perfec- 
 tion of his work ; it is never more to be repeated : 
 '^ He hath once appeared to put away sin by the 
 " sacrifice of himself," Heb. ix. 26. And this 
 " man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, for 
 " ever sat down on the right hand of God. For by 
 " one sacrifice he hath perfected for ever them who 
 " are sanctified — whereof the Holy Ghost is witness 
 " to us," Heb. X. 12, 14, 15. 
 
 See, Christian, art thou sanctified to God, by the 
 will of God, through the faith of Jesus ? Separated 
 
20 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 from the rest of the world, and from thy former 
 natural blindness of mind, and ignorance of heart 
 of this great high-priest Jesus ? Then is thy work 
 of offering for sin for ever perfected; thy sins are 
 for ever atoned for to God, and are all put away from 
 before God, by the sacrifice of Jesus. Faith is a 
 blessed evidence of this to thy heart. The Holy 
 Ghost is an infallible witness of this in the word ; 
 and therefore how peaceful and joyful should thy 
 conscience ever be ! For, in consequence of this 
 perfect offering of the body .of thy great high-priest, 
 hear the God of truth declaring, " I will put my 
 " laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I 
 '^ write them, and their sins and their iniquities will 
 " I remember no more," 16, 17. Blessed, un- 
 speakably, and everlastingly, ^^ blessed is the man 
 '' unto whom the Lord will not impute sin," Rom. iv. 
 8. Hence all fear and distrust of acceptance with 
 God is taken away ; an assured certainty of access 
 to God is given us. For the believer is not left to 
 that dubious question. Wherewith shall I come before 
 God ? "But having, therefore, brethren, boldness 
 " to enter into the holiest (even into the presence of 
 ** God himself, by the blood of Jesus) by a new 
 " and living way, which he hath consecrated, 
 ** through the vail, that is to say, his flesh ; and 
 " having an high-priest over the house of God ; let 
 " us draw near to God, with a true heart," not 
 divided between God and any other object ; not 
 looking to, or trusting in, any work or sacrifice of 
 our own ; but, *' in full assurance of faith," that the 
 sacrifice of Jesus for sin is offered to God, is ac- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COiMMUNICANT. 21 
 
 cepted by God, and perfectly satisfies the justice of 
 God ; and therefore the beUef of this truth brings 
 peace to the consciences of sinners : " Having our 
 " hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." All 
 sense of guilt is removed from the conscience, by 
 the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus on it, through 
 faith, " and our bodies washed with pure water," 
 Heb. X. 19, 20^ 21, 22, even the grace of the spirit 
 of Jesus. Thus " He sanctifieth and cleanseth his 
 " church with the washing of water by the word." 
 Eph. V. 26. 
 
 Thus, O Christian, thou seest the divine virtue 
 and glorious efficacy of the body and blood of Jesus, 
 thy great high-priest. It hath perfectly prevailed 
 with God. The great atonement for sin is made. 
 " By faith we receive this atonement." And what 
 is the happy effect ? Even '* joy in God, through 
 "our Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. v. 11. O then, whilst 
 thou livest up to thy blessed privilege, thou canst 
 not but joy in God. Verily, the Son of God, our 
 great high-priest, hath an " unchangeable priest- 
 hood." The very same person, who offered himself 
 for our sins, ever lives to pray for our persons : " For 
 " we have not such an high-priest, who cannot be 
 " touched with a feehng of our infirmities ; but was 
 " in all points tempted hke as we are, yet without 
 ** sin," Heb. iv. 15. O this is sweet ever to bear in 
 mind ! I have not an infirmity, but Jesus knows ; 
 not a sorrow and temptation, but he feels ; not a sin, 
 but he has atoned. " Wherefore he is also able to 
 " save them to the utteimost, who come unto God 
 " by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession 
 
22 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 " for them," Heb. vii. 25. Now, in the faith of this, 
 What says thine heart, Christian, to this injunction 
 of thy loving high-priest, Remember me? Verily, 
 thou art called to this high and honourable office, to 
 be " an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacri- 
 " fices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. 
 ii. 5. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of 
 " praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our 
 ^^ lips, giving thanks to his name," Heb. xiii. 15. 
 For, O wonderful ! Jesus hath not only '^ loved 
 " us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 
 " but hath made us Kings and Priests unto God 
 " and his Father : to him be glory and dominion for 
 " ever and ever. Amen." Rev. i. 5, 6. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 5th. Christ is to be remembered as our Prophet. 
 
 The Spirit of inspiration thus speaketh by Moses to 
 God's people of old : " The Lord thy God will raise 
 " up unto thee a prophet, from the midst of thee, of 
 " thy brethren, like unto me ;" a man ; " unto him 
 " ye shall hearken," Deut. xviii. 15. This prophecy 
 is applied to Jesus by several inspired Expositors, 
 Acts iii. 22, 23. The prophets were to reveal, and 
 to instruct the people in the will of God. This they 
 delivered from the Lord in word. This was all they 
 could do. But Jesus, the great prophet of his 
 church, teacheth not in word only, but in spirit, 
 and in pov/er also. The words which he speaketh, 
 " they are spirit, and they are life," to the soul of 
 man. We are poor ignorant creatures. We can 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 23 
 
 know nothing of the love of God the Father, and of 
 his Son Jesus Christ, nor of the salvation of our 
 precious souls, but as we are told of them. And 
 we are also so very proud, and so very full of self- 
 sufficiency, that though we were told of them, yet 
 we should for ever reject the things of the Spirit of 
 God, and of our own salvation. For naturally we 
 count them foolishness. We set them at nought. 
 But our blessed Prophet will not suffer us to do this 
 to the destruction of our souls. By the power of his 
 Spirit, he openeth our understanding to understand 
 the holy scriptures ; so he makes us wise unto salva- 
 tion. " No man knoweth the Son, but the Father ; 
 ^* neither knoweth any man the Father, save the 
 " Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal 
 " him," says our Prophet, Matt. xi. 27. Therefore 
 he instructs our hearts in the know^ledge of his 
 Father's everlasting love ; his established counsel 
 and covenant ; the rich grace of his loving heart to 
 his people, in v/hat he has prepared and laid up for 
 them, and will bring them to the enjoyment of in a 
 bhssful eternity. In all these respects, '^ The only 
 " begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, 
 " he hath declared him," John, i. 18. So also he 
 teacheth our hearts the transcendent perfections of 
 his own nature, as the Son of God ; and what he 
 undertook and hath accomplished, as the Son of man, 
 for us men, and for our salvation. All this he makes 
 known and reverJs to our minds from his word, by 
 his Spirit ; who " is the Spirit of wisdom and re- 
 " velation in the knowledge of him," Eph. i. 17, 
 and therefore our Prophet saith, " Come unto me," 
 
24 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 &c. Matt. xi. 28. I am meek and lowly of heart to 
 receive you ; come, and receive instruction from me ; 
 come, and I will give you rest unto your souls. All 
 those who hear the sweet voice of our Prophet, and 
 come to him, find rest and peace in the faith of his 
 word : hence he says to them, Remember Me at my 
 Table. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 6th. We are called to remember Jesus as our 
 Advocate. 
 
 Says the beloved disciple, *^ My little children, 
 " these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." 
 But well knowing our present imperfect state, the 
 many corruptions of our evil nature, and how liable 
 we are to fall into sin : for who liveth and sinneth 
 not ? What then ? Must such a poor sinner lie 
 down and despair ? Must hope give up the ghost ? 
 No, blessed be God, praised be Jesus, *' we have 
 " an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
 " rio-hteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins," 
 1 John ii. 1,2. O precious words ! He who is our 
 rio'hteous Advocate for our persons, he is also the 
 full propitiation for our sins. He, who is our Right- 
 eousness, is now " with the Father ; for he is entered 
 " into heaven itself : He now appears in the presence 
 " of God FOR US," Heb. ix. 24. There he pleads 
 his rio-hteous cause in behalf of our persons ; his 
 wounds, and scars, and blood, as the all-sufficient 
 propitiation for our sins. Have we sinned against 
 God ? His blood hath atoned to God. Do we 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 25 
 
 sin ? He pleads his blood before the throne of God. 
 But though our Jesus is an Advocate for sinners, yet 
 not for sin. Though he loves the sinner, yet he 
 hates his sin. He is the advocate for our persons, 
 and he pleads that sin should not be imputed to us, 
 but that pardon should be applied to our souls. And 
 as to those very sins which we have committed, and 
 do commit, he pleads that '* he himself bore them 
 " all in his own body upon the tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24, 
 and there he made full satisfaction for them, and that 
 therefore in justice they ought not to be laid to our 
 charge, but that forgiveness of them should be ap- 
 plied to our souls for the comfort of our distressed 
 consciences. Thus he is a precious Advocate for us 
 poor sinners, and in the faith of this he enjoins us. 
 Remember Me in the Bread and in the Cup at my 
 Supper. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 7th. Jesus is to he remembered as our Sanctifier. 
 
 Though our sins were pardoned by the blood, 
 and our persons justified by the righteousness of the 
 Son of God, yet if our hearts were left in their na- 
 tural, unholy, unsanctified state, alas ! we could 
 never love God, deUght in Christ, nor be fit for the 
 enjoyment of God and Christ in his kingdom of 
 glory. But " Christ of God is made sanctification 
 " to us," 1 Cor. i. 30. So that in the faith and fel- 
 lowship of Jesus we find our souls partakers of his 
 hohness. The fruit of our being one with him ap- 
 
 c 
 
26 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 pears in our affections being raised from earth, and 
 all its vain pleasures and sensual enjoyments, to 
 heaven and all its richest glories. Instead of seek" 
 ing happiness in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh we 
 aspire after the joys of the spirit. Instead of placing 
 our hopes of salvation in ourselves, and upon any 
 thing we can do, we trust only in the blood and 
 righteousness of the Son of God to justify and save 
 us. Instead of living in the pride of our own self- 
 righteousness, and trusting in that, and depending 
 on that, we, with the prophet Isaiah, Ixiv. 5, look 
 on all " our righteousness but as filthy rags," which 
 " cannot endure the severity of God's judgment ;'* 
 as our Church declares. Art. 12; and with the apostle, 
 " we count all our own righteousness but as loss and 
 " duns^," and desire to be found only in " Christ," 
 clothed with his perfect righteousness and covered 
 with his glorious " garments of salvation," Phil. iii. 
 8, 9. Thus Jesus, by the instrumentahty of his word, 
 and the power of his spirit, " opens our bhnd eyes, 
 " and turns us from darkness to light, and from the 
 " power of Satan unto God, that we may receive 
 " forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them 
 " who are sanctified by faith which is in him," Acts, 
 xxvii. 18. He separates us from the world w^hich 
 lieth in wickedness, and also from our own natural 
 notions of pride and self-righteousness as well as our 
 carnal dehght in sin and wickedness. He sanctifieth 
 us to himself in holy love and heavenly dehght, and 
 therefore, being sanctified in Christ Jesus, we " give 
 " thanks to God the Father, who hath made us meet 
 " to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light." 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 27 
 
 For " we are delivered from the power of darkness, 
 " and are translated into the kingdom of God's dear 
 '' Son," Col. i. 12, 13. Thus, by being in the king- 
 dom of grace on earth, we are made meet for the 
 kingdom of glory in heaven. By being actually 
 united to, and hving in fellowship with Jesus by 
 faith, consists our sanctification by his spirit on earth, 
 so in this way it is preserved and promoted in our 
 souls until we come to the enjoyment of our living 
 head in glory. We receive out of the fulness of his 
 grace now till we are filled with all the fulness of 
 his glory hereafter. Thus the excellent 17th Article 
 of our Church declares, " Godly persons feel in 
 *' themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ 
 " mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly 
 " members, and drawing up their minds to high and 
 " heavenly things," &c. Therefore, saith our sanc- 
 tifying Lord to all his sanctified brethren. Remember 
 me, in feasting at my table. Feed upon me by faith 
 below till you come to feast with me in my mansions 
 above. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 8th. Jesus is to be remembered as our Shepherd. 
 
 " I AM," saith he, " the good Shepherd: the 
 " good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep," John, 
 X. 11. Such is his love to the sheep of his pasture. 
 He hath a distinct knowledge of eveiy one of them : 
 " I know my sheep." He gives them also a peculiar 
 knowledge of himself, " and am known of mine," 
 
 c2 
 
28 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 ver. 14. " They hear my voice, and follow Me." 
 
 we were naturally " as sheep going astray, we 
 " have erred and strayed from him and his ways like 
 " lost sheep." But such was his tender compassion 
 towards us that he not only called to us and sent after 
 us, but he came himself " to seek and to save us 
 '^ when lost." So that through the voice of his pre- 
 cious word, and the guidance of his blessed Spirit, 
 we are returned from the desert of sin and the wil- 
 derness of destruction : Yea, " we are now returned 
 " unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls," 
 
 1 Pet. ii. 25. He feeds us in the green pastures of 
 his word, by the ever-flowing streams of his grace. 
 He ever watches over us with the eye of his special 
 care. But if he had not sought us, we should never 
 have sought him at first. And still we are like silly 
 sheep which ^tremble, are soon affrighted, and are 
 ready to go away from the shepherd, and lose them- 
 selves. We cannot sometimes look back upon the 
 dano'er and destruction from which we are dehvered 
 without trembling; and then again we cannot help 
 looking forward to the many evils and snares to which 
 we are exposed without fear. We sometimes look 
 within ourselves, and we see sin and corruption ready 
 to overcome us ; and without us, we see Satan going 
 about to destroy us ; and around us, we see an evil 
 world, ever ready to entice and ensnare us : and 
 therefore are ready at times to fear and tremble, lest, 
 after all our dear Shepherd's love to us, and watchful 
 care over us, we should at last be lost, and perish 
 everlastingly. 
 
 But, O how do these words of our loving Shepherd 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 29. 
 
 forbid our fears, and revive our hopes ! / give unto 
 them eternal life. O, my dear Shepherd, what words 
 are here ! Lord, they do indeed give fresh hfe to our 
 drooping spirits. Dost thou give eternal hfe, and 
 give it freely? and to undeserving creatures too? to 
 wandering, erring and straying sheep, who are natu- 
 rally prone to leave thee, the good Shepherd, and to 
 seek death and destruction in the error of their ways ? 
 Yes, saith the Lord; and though they deserve to 
 perish, and would certainly ". perish everlastingly," 
 but that my love to them is too great ; the price I 
 paid for their purchase is too precious : therefore they 
 shall never perish. They are committed into my hands, 
 and I have engaged in covenant to present all before 
 my Father. What ! though a legion of devils combine 
 with all the wicked men upon earth, yet neither shall 
 ANY pluck them out of my hand. Indeed, leave our 
 good Shepherd, if left to ourselves, we certainly should; 
 but he never thus leaves nor forsakes us. No ; " we 
 *' are kept by the power of God through faith unto 
 " salvation." 1 Pet. i. 5. For, says our Shepherd, 
 My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all — 
 than all the power of sin, of men or of devils ; and 
 therefore none is able to pluck them out of 7ny Father s 
 hand, John x. 28, 29. It is absolutely impossible: 
 for, " when the chief Shepherd shall appear" (and 
 all his sheep are looking for and expecting that glo- 
 rious day), " they shall receive a crown of glory 
 " which fadeth not away," 1 Pet. v. 4. For then he 
 will present them all to his Father, with, " Behold I 
 " and the children which thou hast given me," Heb. 
 ii. 15. I have kept them all. I have lost none. O 
 
30 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 then how powerful, how prevaihng is the word of our 
 good Shepherd to all his sheep, Rememher me ! 
 Again, 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 9th. Our Lord is to be remembered as our 
 Husband. 
 
 What a near, what a dear, what an intimate rela- 
 tion is this ! None more so on earth. Yet in this 
 very relation Jesus stands to all who believe in him. 
 For thus saith the Spirit of truth and of comfort, in 
 his prophetic word, to the Church, " Thy Maker is 
 " thine Husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and 
 " thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, the God of 
 *' the whole earth shall he be called," Isa. liv. 5. 
 This very prophecy is applied to Jesus, according to 
 the marginal reference to Luke i. 32. What is the 
 conduct and duty of an affectionate husband to his 
 beloved wife ? Verily, he looks on her with love and 
 affection. He considers her as a part of himself. 
 " So ought men to love their wives as their own 
 *' bodies : he who loveth his wife loveth himself," 
 Eph. V. 28. This love influences the husband to sup- 
 ply all the wants of his wife, and to see that she lack 
 nothing which is conducive to her welfare and happi- 
 ness. As he took her for better and for worse, he 
 will be contented with what she is and has. He thinks 
 himself bound, both in law and love, to free her from 
 all her debts and incumbrances. He will strive to 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 31 
 
 make her mind easy and happy, to protect and defend, 
 to clothe and adorn, yea, to nourish and cherish her 
 all her days, '' till death doth them part." O what 
 a faint view ! how infinitely short is all this of the 
 precious love of our heavenly Bridegroom, the Lamb, 
 to the Church, his bride ! She was in deep debt 
 and extreme poverty ; in herself deformed and mise- 
 rable : but he saith, " I will betroth thee unto me 
 '* in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving- 
 " kindness, and in mercies : I will even betroth thee 
 " unto me in faithfulness." What a profusion of pre- 
 cious words are here ? all to express the sweet affection 
 and firm faithfulness of our loving Husband, to his 
 beloved wife, the Church. He farther adds, " And 
 " thou shalt know the Lord," Hos. ii. 19, 20, that 
 is, Thou shalt not only hear that I love in word and 
 in tongue only, but shalt know that I love in deed 
 and in truth also. Thou shalt prove my loving-kind- 
 ness and faithfulness to thee, in the experience of thy 
 heart, to the joy of thy soul. For the Lord *^ hath 
 '* so loved the church, as to give himself for it," 
 Eph. V. 25. He hath fully discharged all the debts 
 she owed to law and justice: he gave himself wholly 
 to his church. His blood is the ransom of her soul. 
 His obedience unto death is her justifying righteous- 
 ness, and her glorious dress. Hence, the church, 
 the Lamb's wife, "the king's daughter, is all glo- 
 " rious within," by the gifts and graces of the holy 
 Spirit: and she is " clothed in wrought gold." Psal. 
 xiv. 13. Thus she is perfectly "comely with the 
 " comeliness her Lord and Husband puts upon her," 
 Ezek. xvi. 14. Therefore thus saith the Lord, " as 
 
32 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 " a bridegroom rejoiceth over a bride, so doth thy 
 " God rejoice over thee," Isa. Ixii. 5. And our loving 
 Lord and Bridegroom '' nourisheth and cherisheth his 
 " bride the Church," Eph. v. 29. With his loving 
 words he delighteth our hearts. With his precious 
 promises, and assurance of his love, he rejoiceth our 
 souls; and vs^ith sweet fellowship and communion 
 with himself, he causes us to foretaste heavenly joys. 
 And as he hath purchased the church with his own 
 blood, therefore he " rests in his love to it: he is faith- 
 *' ful to his church, which is his body," Col. i. 24. 
 For, " He is head over all things to his church," 
 Eph. i. 22. Therefore whatever we want on earth, 
 his fulness can supply, and his love will bestow it. 
 And he will never leave nor forsake us, like an un- 
 faithful husband. No: but " He will present us to 
 " himself, as a glorious church, not having spot or 
 " wrinkle, or any such thing," Eph. v. 27. O then 
 being espoused to this one Husband, with what chas- 
 tity of heart, and tender affection of soul, should we 
 ever delight to hear and obey the kind request of our 
 heavenly Bridegroom, Remember me ! 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 10th. Christ is to be remembered as our King. 
 
 O WHAT glorious majesty shines, what deep humi- 
 lity is beheld, in Jesus our King ! What earthly 
 monarch ever stooped so low, as to visit the meanest 
 of his subjects, and to take up his residence among 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNIC A.NT. 33 
 
 those of the poorest and lowest sort ? but Jesus, who 
 is King of kingSf and Lord of lords, did this. Thus 
 saith the prophet, Zech. ix. 9, " Rejoice greatly, O 
 " daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: 
 " behold," with surprise and wonder, " behold, thy 
 " King Cometh unto thee : He is just, and having sal- 
 " vation ; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a 
 '^ colt, the foal of an ass." Here we are called to 
 adore his glorious majesty, while we admire his con- 
 descending humility. 
 
 What earthly king ever condescends to take such 
 notice of his mean and low subjects, as to ask them 
 after their affairs, — to feel for their distresses, and to 
 reach forth his kingly hand to relieve and supply their 
 wants? But our heavenly King does this by all his 
 subjects. The- most mean and contemptible in their 
 own eyes are not overlooked by him. How doth he 
 visit our hearts, and, by the kind and gentle 
 breathings of his Spirit, inquire after the state of our 
 souls? How doth he tell us in his word. That thing, 
 my beloved, is wrong in thee; the other will do thee 
 harm: this is the way wherein thou shouldest go; 
 walk in it, and enjoy my presence and my love? 
 And therefore our church joyfully adores. " Thou 
 art the King of glory, O Christ.'" For there is not 
 an enemy we have, but he has overcome and con- 
 quered. Is sin the enemy of our souls ? '* He hath 
 " once appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of him- 
 " self," Heb. ix. 26. Is Satan our adversary, and 
 would he destroy our souls ? Verily, '* Jesus over- 
 " came him by his blood, and destroyed him by his 
 " power," Heb. ii. 14; and his advice is to us, '' resist 
 
 c3 
 
34 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 " him stedfastly in the faith" of Me, 1 Pet. v. 9, and 
 " he will flee from you," James, iv. 7. He may 
 attack you, but he cannot stand against my name, 
 nor withstand my power. Is this present world our 
 enemy? Jesus saith, " Be of good courage, I have 
 " overcome the world." John, xvi. 33. Are we ready 
 to ask, What comfort doth this afford us, while we 
 find tribulation in the world? Verily, none at all, if 
 sense prevails over faith. But when faith is exercised 
 upon the victories of Jesus our Kijig, viewing them as 
 obtained for US; then we find, also, that this is our 
 victory which overcometh " the world, even our faith : 
 " For who is he that overcometh the world, but he 
 " who beUeveth that Jesus is the Son of God?** 
 1 John, V. 4. 5. He is the King of Saints^ who ob- 
 tained every victory for us, and on our accounts. 
 Faith brings his conquests into our hearts. This en- 
 dears him to our souls. This causes us to put our 
 feet upon the necks of our enemies. For our King 
 doth what the most potent earthly monarchs never 
 did, nor never could do. They may enact good laws 
 for their subjects, and cause the violators of them to 
 be punished; but our heavenly King " writes his laws 
 " in our hearts, and upon our minds;" and, by the 
 sceptre of his love, he sways the affections of our 
 souls, causing us to cry out, O how I love thy law — 
 I delight in the law of GOD after the inward man. 
 As faith makes our King Jesus precious to the soul, 
 so love makes all his commandments pleasant and 
 easy to the heart. But are not our lusts and corrup- 
 tions our enemies ? Why then doth our loving King 
 suffer such rebels in us, and not destroy them all? 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNKJANT. 35 
 
 Verily, because we are to fight the good fight of faith 
 under the banner against them. And Christ gets 
 daily glory to himself by our victories over them ; for 
 his strength is made perfect in our weakness: so we 
 learn to lean more upon him, and to love him more. 
 Thus he keeps down the pride of our hearts, while 
 he keeps up the exercise of faith and every grace on 
 him. Is death our enemy? Yes, to our mortal bodies 
 it is. But here also is the victory of our King. 
 Death only kills a vile body, that it may be raised 
 and fashioned like unto Christ's glorious hody. Death 
 only sends the new-born, imprisoned soul into the 
 arms of Jesus, and to the full enjoyment of him ni 
 glory. For " Death is swallowed up in the victory" 
 of our King. So that, in the joy and triumph of 
 faith, we cry out, " O death, where is thy sting ? 
 " O grave, where is thy victory ? Thanks be to 
 " God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord 
 " Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. xv. 54, 57. Shall we not then 
 commemorate these glorious victories of our all- con- 
 quering King ? O Christian ! is Christ thy faithful 
 Friend, thy loving Brother, thy victorious King, upon 
 his throne in glory ? Art thou translated into his 
 kingdom on earth ? Why then thy doubts and de- 
 jections because of thine enemies? Verily, thou hast 
 redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness 
 of all thy sins. O, look up to him ? Consider his 
 conquests for thee, and triumph in them. For we are 
 — What? Conquerors, yea, more than conquerors, 
 through our dear King who hath loved us. O for 
 stronger faith in him, and for more love to him, that 
 
36 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 we may ever most cheerfully obey him, who says, 
 Rememher Me ! 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 11th. We are to rememher Jesus as our Saviour. 
 
 " Fear not," saith the holy angel to poor sinners 
 — Why ? " Because unto you is born a Saviour ^ 
 " who is Christ the Lord," Jehovah the Son of God, 
 Luke, ii. 11. His very name implies the nature of 
 his office. " Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he 
 " shall save his people from their sins," Matt. i. 2 1 . 
 He is called Christ, because he is anointed of God 
 to this very office to be Jesus the Saviour. And 
 though this includes every other office-character of 
 him already considered ; yet a few words upon Christ, 
 as our Saviour, the Lord, may make it sweet and 
 profitable to our hearts. For this is a most precious 
 and suitable relation to us sinners. We cannot pass 
 it over unnoticed. Indeed we should ever be dwel- 
 ling on it in our minds. For Jesus was born to save: 
 he lived to save: he died to save: he rose again to 
 save us : and he ever lives *' to save to the uttermost 
 '^ all those who come to God by him," Heb. vii. 25. 
 When the beloved disciple had a vision of the glori- 
 fied Saviour, he fell down at his feet as dead : but 
 Jesus said unto him, " Fear not, I am the first and 
 " the last," the beginning and the end of salvation ; 
 the foundation and the top-stone of salvation. I am 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COiMMUNICANT. 37 
 
 the first hope and the last stay of the soul of poor 
 sinners. For " I am he who liveth and was dead; and 
 " behold I am alive for evermore, Amen: and 
 " have the keys of hell and of death," Rev. i. 18. 
 Did Jesus once die for us ? Doth he ever live to save 
 us ? And is he able to save us to the very uttermost ? 
 Hath he power over, and doth he keep the keys of 
 death and of hell ? And will our Saviour ever lock 
 up in everlasting death, and consign over to a hell of 
 misery, any of his beloved members, whom he 
 hath bought with his blood, sanctified by his Spirit, 
 and enabled to believe and trust in his name for sal- 
 vation ? O no, that is contrary to his precious love 
 and peculiar ofiice as the Saviour. But, 
 
 He saves to the uttermost of his almighty power as 
 God : He saves from the uttermost of all our misery 
 as sinners. His work is perfect. He doth not save 
 and comfort our souls for a season, and then leave us 
 to ourselves to go on and finish what he has begun : 
 No ; but he perfectly and everlastingly saves his peo- 
 ple from the guilt and power of sin, and from the 
 punishment due to sin. He is not barely a part, or 
 merely the cause of salvation : He is infinitely more ,* 
 he is Salvation itself. When he came to Zaccheus, 
 he said, " This day is Salvation come to thine house," 
 Luke, xix. 9. And thus it is, whenever the Saviour 
 is received into the heart of any poor sinner by faith. 
 That day, that hour, salvation is come to that soul. 
 He who believes in Jesus is saved — he hath salvation 
 now. It is meet and right that we should believe and 
 speak after the manner of the Hebrews. They called 
 the Lord their Salvation. Thus sung Moses and the 
 
38 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 children of Israel, " The Lord is become my Salva- 
 " tiorij^ Exod. xv. 2. " Though he slay me, yet will 
 " I trust in him,'' said Job. Why? Because he 
 shall be my Salvation, Job, xiii. 15, 16. The Lord 
 is my Salvation, whom then shall I fear ? says David, 
 Psalm xxvii. 1. *' Behold, God is my Salvation." 
 What then ? " I will trust and not be afraid," said 
 Isaiah, xii. 2. " I will joy in the God of my Sal- 
 " vation,'' says Habakkuk, iii. 18. And says blessed 
 Simeon, with Jesus in his arms, " mine eyes have 
 '* seen thy Salvation,' Luke, ii. 30. He saw Jesus, 
 who is Salvation unto the ends of the earth. " Neither 
 " is there salvation in any other," Acts, iv« 12. Thus 
 he who " believeth in the Son of God" is not merely 
 put into a salvable state; it is not only possible to be 
 saved, but he actually hath salvation ; he hath ever- 
 lastinor life. John, iii. 16. " He shall not come into 
 " condemnation," but is 'passed from " death to life," 
 says the Amen, our faithful and true witness, John, 
 V. 24. He is now passed from the condemnation of 
 the law against sin — from spiritual and eternal death 
 as the consequence of sin — passed into that state of 
 bliss and immortality, which our Saviour Jesus Christ 
 hath brought to hght through the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. 
 But while partial, mean and contracted views of the 
 salvation of Jesus are entertained in the mind, these 
 depreciate his glorious work ; they dishonour our 
 Lord; just as though he had only done a part, or 
 was merely the cause of salvation, to make it possi- 
 ble to us, and left it for us to effect and finish, by 
 fulfilling terms, and performing conditions. O these 
 legal notions sadly cherish unbelief, keep up pride, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 39 
 
 and contract love to him ! Therefore we should 
 never give place to them, no, not for a moment; we 
 should ever resist and oppose them. 
 
 For while we view Jesus as our infinitely perfect 
 Saviour, and that glorious and everlasting salvation 
 which he hath finished for us, whereby he hath saved 
 us from all our sins, and perfectly justified our persons 
 — O then our guilty fears subside— we rejoice in being 
 delivered from a condemning law — from the wrath of 
 God — from the curse of sin — from this present evil 
 world, and from our accusing, destroying adversary, 
 Satan. For he will save us in the hour of death, in 
 the day of judgment — and from all the miseries of 
 hell. Yea, he saves us now into the knowledge and 
 love of himself, into a conformity to his image in ho- 
 liness here, whereby we are meet for full enjoyment 
 of himself in glory hereafter. And all this he doth 
 perfectly, like himself, who is God. The knowledge 
 and comfort of this salvation he brings into our hearts 
 by his Spirit. We enjoy it by holding fellowship and 
 communion with our Saviour by faith ; in living by 
 faith upon him ; cleaving with purpose of heart to 
 him ; walking closely with him ; and giving up our- 
 selves to his service. And therefore that our souls 
 might be so happy, and that he might have the glory 
 of all this, he speaks to us, poor sinners, in love : — 
 I, who am your Saviour and your salvation, say unto 
 you, entertain the most noble and exalted sentiments 
 of my love and of my salvation in your hearts ; while 
 at my table, you Remember Me. Lastly, 
 
40 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 12th. We are to remember Jesus as our Judge. 
 
 The very thought of the day of judgment is enough 
 to fill the human mind with dread and horror. For 
 to guilty malefactors (and such we all are) the name 
 of a Judge is terrifying. But the name and person 
 of our Judge forbid our fears, and revive our joys. 
 When faith realizes the view of judgment, it affords 
 at once the most awful and delightful prospect. For 
 it is " the Son of man, who shall come in his glory, 
 " and all the holy angels with him ; then shall he sit 
 " upon the throne of his glory." Matt. xxv. 31. That 
 very person, the same Son of man, who came to seek 
 and to save us who were lost, shall judge us. The 
 same Jesus, who " for us men and for our salvation 
 came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the 
 Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, 
 and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate : 
 He who suffered and was buried, and the third day 
 rose again according to the scriptures, and ascended 
 into heaven, and sitting on the right hand of the Fa- 
 ther; even he shall come again to judge both the 
 quick and the dead." And he himself hath given us 
 the solemn process of that awful day. " Before him 
 " shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall separate 
 '' them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his 
 " sheep from the goats," Matt. xxv. 32. Here is, first, 
 an universal gathering: All must stand before the 
 judgment seat of Christ. Next, a particular separa- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 41 
 
 tion of Christ's sheep from the devil's goats. Then 
 the sentence of the Judge is pronounced. " He shall 
 *' set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on 
 '' the left," ver. 33. In the days of their flesh, he sepa- 
 rated the sheep from the world and called them unto 
 himself. He had purified them through faith in his 
 name, as a peculiar people, formed for his own glory, 
 and zealous of good icorhs. And now, lo, he is come 
 to take them to himself. " Then shall the King say 
 " unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of 
 " my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you 
 " from the foundation of the world," ver. 34. 
 
 But were not these sheep once sinners? Had they 
 not committed innumerable sins ? Yes, But behold, 
 here is not the least mention made of them. No, 
 the Judgey as God, is faithful to his own everlasting 
 covenant promise, " Their sins and their iniquities I 
 " will remember no more," Heb. viii. 12. As marif he 
 bore their sins in his own body on the tree — he re- 
 members Calvary — there he made a full atonement 
 for them all — and, through this man, was preached 
 unto them the forgiveness of sins — and by him 
 all who believe, were for qy^er justified, acquitted and 
 discharged /ro?w all things. Acts. xiii. 38. 39. Thus, 
 through his grace, as God-man and Mediator, they 
 are brought to glory. They were the blessed of God 
 the Father, according to his everlasting love. They 
 were blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Je- 
 sus, according to his rich grace. Tliey were " predes- 
 " tinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, 
 " according to the good pleasure of his will," Eph. i. 
 3-5. And now his good pleasure is fulfilled upon 
 
42 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 them, which was to give them the kingdom prepared 
 for them from the foundation of the world ; and they 
 being prepared for the enjoyment of it, therefore the 
 judge saith, come, inherit , possess, and enjoy it. 
 
 O this precious w^ord, from our most glorious Judge, 
 Come ! How sweet is it now to the faith of our weary 
 minds and heavy laden spirits, to obey his loving in- 
 vitation. Come unto me ! And how joyful to find his 
 gracious promise fulfilled, " I will give you rest," 
 Matt. xi. 28. But, O, what a rapture of heavenly 
 joy will fill our immortal souls, to hear that glorious 
 sentence from the lips of our gracious Judge, " Come 
 
 — be for ever with me — reign eternally in my pre- 
 sence and kingdom." Then shall be fulfilled those 
 words, which are now precious to our hearts, " The 
 " Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the 
 " Lord is om King, he will save us," Isa. xxxiii. 22. 
 
 O Christian, canst thou look forward to nature's 
 dissolution, " when the heavens shall pass away 
 '^ with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with 
 " the fervent heat ; the earth also, and the works 
 " that are therein, shall be burnt up?"— Canst thou 
 call to mind, that " the Lord himself shall descend 
 " from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 
 '^ archangel, and with the trump of God, and the 
 '* dead in Christ shall rise first" — Canst thou think of 
 the Lord Jesus, "being revealed from heaven, with 
 *' his mighty angels, to be glorified in his saints, 
 " and admired in all them who believe ?" — Canst thou 
 think of the awful solemnity of that day, when the 
 Judge *' in flaming fire shall take vengeance on them 
 " who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 48 
 
 '' Lord Jesus Christ ?"— Canst thou read the doleful 
 and bitter cry of such, " saying to the mountains and 
 " rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him 
 " who sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of 
 " the Lamb : for the great day of his wrath is come ; 
 *' and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. vi. 16, 17. 
 — Say, can you meditate on all these tremendous 
 events, and not rejoice to remember that your Judge 
 is your Saviour — your King — your Husband ^-yom 
 Shepherd — your Sanctifier — your Advocate — your 
 Prophet — your High-priest — your Justifier — your 
 Redeeyner, and your Surety ? Are you not then un- 
 der infinite and eternal obhgations to this precious 
 Person ; this God-man in one Christ ? Are you not 
 bound by every tie of love to obey his loving voice, 
 who saith, Remember Me in my supper at my table : 
 Me, who stand in such near relations, and sustain 
 such dear offices for you? Blessed, unspeakably, 
 and everlastingly blessed, is that man, who holds 
 these TWELVE stars of the redeemer's glory, in the 
 hand of faith ; he shall have " a crown of twelve stars 
 " upon his head" in heaven. Rev. xii. 1. Well might 
 the apostle exhort " let the word of Christ dwell in 
 " you richly in all wisdom," Col. iii. 16. As though 
 he had said, would you enjoy the peace of God ru- 
 ling in your hearts, to which you are called in one 
 body ? then let that precious word dwell abundantly 
 in your hearts, which teacheth you the person, the 
 offices, the work and salvation of Jesus. So shall 
 he be endeared more and more to your souls, in every 
 duty and in every ordinance which he hath enjoined 
 you. Thus to know Christ is our greatest wisdom : 
 
44 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 to possess him our greatest riches: to confess him our 
 greatest honour: and to remember him our greatest 
 comfort. Thus the just shall live by his faith; that 
 is, every justified person shall live upon Jesus, his 
 glorified head; and out of his fulness shall receive 
 grace for grace on earth, until they are filled with all 
 his fulness in glory. 
 
 Let us now proceed to the third general head pro- 
 posed. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 The manner in which the faithful do remember the 
 Lord Christ at his table, according to the pre- 
 scribed form of sound words used in the church 
 of England, 
 
 After some scripture exhortations are read, exci- 
 ting to love and good works, and the alms for the 
 poor are collected, the communicants are called upon 
 to join in praying for the whole state of Christ's 
 church militant here on earth. This is agreeable to 
 St. Paul. *' I exhort that first of all, supplications, 
 " prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made 
 " for all men: for this is good and acceptable in the 
 " sight of God our Saviour." 1 Tim. ii. 1, 3. Then 
 the minister delivers this solemn exhortation: 
 
 Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye who mind to come 
 to the holy Communion of the body and blood of 
 Christ, must consider how St. Paul exhorteth all per- 
 sons diligently to try and examine themselves before 
 they presume to eat of that bread or drink of that cup. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 45 
 
 The Communion of the body and blood of Christ 
 consists of two parts. First, those outward and vi- 
 sible signs, symbols, and tokens of bread and wine, 
 which the Lord hath commanded to be received. 
 These are in common to be dispensed to every one in 
 the church of Christ, who professeth to believe in his 
 heart that Jesus is the son of God, the only Saviour 
 of sinners; and that therefore he trusts alone in his 
 blood and righteousness for eternal life and salvation. 
 And hence he looks by faith to the second thing in 
 this holy Communion, " the inward part or thing sig- 
 " nified," namely, " the body and blood of Christ, 
 " which are verily and indeed taken and received by 
 " the faithful at the Lord's Supper." Therefore 
 rightly to receive this holy Communion, is to perceive 
 and understand, that more is implied in it than barely 
 to join in the outward act of eating bread and drink- 
 ing wine ; but that it is a spiritual act of the soul, 
 looking through the visible signs, to partake of com- 
 munion and fellowship with the Lord Jesus by faith, 
 and to receive spiritual communications of divine 
 blessings from him, to the " strengthening and re- 
 " freshing of our souls by the body and blood of 
 " Christ, even as our bodies are by the bread and 
 " wine." This is called a holy Communion^ because 
 believers partake of all things in common in and with 
 Christ, their head and representative. All that our 
 Lord did in our flesh, was upon our accounts. There 
 is nothing which he suffered, but was for our sins. 
 His obedience unto death was for our justification. 
 His whole life, as man, in all his doing, suffering and 
 obeying, was to fulfil the will of his righteous Father, 
 
46 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 and to obtain eternal redemption for us. His supper 
 is the outward pledge of all this. When he is pleased 
 in it to seal this truth upon our hearts, and to as- 
 sure our consciences of our interest in him by his 
 Word and Spirit, then it is a most joyful feast of love 
 indeed to our souls. And therefore to partake of 
 such precious blessings in and with our head, and 
 with one another, we his members mind to come to 
 this holy Communion. Thus by Communion is 
 meant the spiritual incomes of the grace of Jesus to 
 our souls ; and the outgoings of our affections towards 
 him. 
 
 Let us consider how St. Paul exhorteth all persons 
 to try and examine themselveSj before they presume to 
 eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. The 
 place alluded to is 1 Cor. xi. 28, 29. " Let a man 
 " examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread 
 '^ and drink of that cup. For he who eateth and 
 " drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation 
 " to himself." Why so? The apostle assigns this 
 single reason: "not discerning the Lord's body." 
 Here is one plain and easy rule for persons to try and 
 examine themselves by. The only question rests 
 here. — It is not. Have I never sinned ? Not, Am I 
 perfectly dehvered from all sin, both of nature and 
 practice ? — But as a poor, sensible sinner, Do I dis- 
 cern, do I consider the Lord's body ? Do I in mind 
 and judgment discern by faith, that " a body was 
 " prepared him ?" Heb. x. 5. Thatour Lord really 
 did assume a body of flesh ? Do I believe that his 
 righteous father truly did lay upon that body " the 
 " iniquity of us all ?" Isa. liii. 6. That Christ actu- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 47 
 
 ally " bore our sins in his own body upon the tree?"- 
 1 Pet. ii. 24. That we are " sanctified unto God, by 
 " the offering of the body of Jesus once for all ?" 
 Heb. X. 10. And that unless this temple of his body 
 had been destroyed, and raised up again the third 
 day, we poor sinners must all have gone down to our 
 graves in darkness, and our souls must have been 
 sealed up in horror and misery through a dreadful 
 eternity ? Do I discern and consider that all which 
 Christ did while in the body of flesh, was from love to 
 sinners, and for their salvation ? So that to discern 
 the Lord's body, is to behold by faith the Lamb of 
 God, who taketh away the sin of the world; and 
 who hath instituted this feast in commemoration of 
 his human body once broken, nailed to the cross, and 
 pierced for our sins. And that as truly as I discern, 
 with the eyes of my body, the visible elements of 
 bread and wine; so I really discern and consider, in 
 the faith of my mind, that these are signs and tokens 
 of the once living body of Jesus, born of the Virgin 
 Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, dead and bu- 
 ried; but it is now raised again, and is an exalted, 
 glorified body, at the right hand of God FOR US ? 
 
 Now all this enters into the faith of a Christian. 
 All this is impUed in " discerning the Lord's body." 
 Such a discernment would have prevented the evils 
 complained of in the church at Corinth. Such a 
 discerning or considering (for our church useth the 
 latter word instead of the former) is absolutely neces- 
 sary to the mind and judgment of every communicant. 
 For hereby sin is made hateful ; Christ precious ; and 
 love and thankfulness to him are excited in the heart. 
 
48 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICAlNT. 
 
 Therefore this is the fixed and invariable standard for 
 Communicants to try and examine themselves by, 
 before they presume to eat of that Bread and drink 
 of that Cup. For indeed, v^^ithout this, they can 
 have no communion and fellowship with Jesus in this 
 ordinance ; but will rest in the bare external receiving 
 it, and go away just as they came, without having 
 their hearts engaged in it, and their affections attrac- 
 ted to Jesus by it. And then the end of this 
 ordinance cannot be answered by such, even to 
 " shew forth the Lord's death till he come." None 
 can do this, but such only as desire to be the 
 trophies of his cross, the conquests of his love, and 
 the glory of his crown: that their *^ faith may be 
 ^^ found unto praise, honour and glory, at the 
 " appearance of Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. ii. 7. These the 
 apostle describes, Eph. ii. 1. " You hath he quick- 
 " ened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." 
 Quickened to a sense of their miseries as fallen crea- 
 tures ; and to know and feel their wants as miserable 
 sinners. Hence they see themselves under condem- 
 nation by God's holy law: destitute of a righteous- 
 ness in themselves to justify them in his sight and to 
 screen them from his severe justice. For the scrip- 
 ture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise 
 by " faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them 
 " who believe." Gal. iii. 22. This is the promise 
 " of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, 
 " promised before the world began. '^ Tit. i. 2. There- 
 fore they " flee for refuge to lay hold upon this 
 " hope of eternal hfe set before them," Heb. iv. 18. 
 As Jesus is this only hope, and their only refuge, to 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 49 
 
 him they flee, on him they beUeve, crying, with 
 David, "Keep me as the apple of thine eye: hide 
 " me under the shadow of thy wings. How excellent 
 " is thy loving-kindness, O God (Jesus); therefore 
 " I will put my trust under the shadow of thy wings," 
 Psal. xvii. 8. xxxvi. 7. Here only can we be safe from 
 the aveng^er of blood. In Jesus alone we can be 
 screened from the wrath of divine justice. " For we 
 " have redemption in the blood of Christ, even 
 " forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of 
 " his grace," Eph. i. 7. and in the everlasting- 
 righteousness of Jesus, " which is unto all and 
 " upon all them who believe, sinners are justified 
 " freely by his grace," Rom. iii.22, 24. Now, unless 
 the mind be affected with one's state, as having 
 " sinned and come short of the glory of God," 
 and with a real concern to be saved from the wrath 
 of God; neither will sin be hateful in the sight, nor 
 the Saviour precious to the heart; and therefore we 
 cannot remember our Lord's love and salvation at his 
 Table with thankfulness; we cannot shew forth his 
 death till he come. The dead in trespasses and sin 
 cannot praise thee, O Lord Jesus; but the living, 
 the living, they shall rejoice in thy salvation, and 
 give glory to thy name. This the faithful do. Such 
 only shew forth the Lord's death. To do this is pub- 
 licly to declare, and openly to avow, from our conscien- 
 ces, before God ; in the presence of angels, our fel- 
 low Christians, and to all the world; in th€ face of 
 all opposition from without, and all discouragement 
 from within ourselves; that the death of the Son of 
 God hath perfectly finished our redemption and sal- 
 
50 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 vation; that we believe in hirriy and depend alone on 
 him, for the pardon of all our sins, the recon- 
 ciliation of our persons, and the eternal justifi- 
 cation of our souls. So that we glory only in our 
 once crucified Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; expec- 
 ting in him and through him a performance of all 
 God's precious promises, settled in his everlasting 
 covenant of grace in Christ Jesus, and revealed to 
 us in the word of the gospel unto our complete sal- 
 vation; even " until our Lord shall come again to 
 " receive us to himself." Now this faith of our hearts 
 we come to confess, ratify, and confirm, by receiving 
 the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Hence it is most plain that in such persons who do 
 come to the Lord's Table, are necessarily implied 
 these two things; 1st, A right knowledge of them- 
 selves, that they are born in sin: that they have 
 committed sin; that they are not now free from sin, 
 in a state of perfection; but are poor, weak sinful 
 creatures who are daily liable to sin ; are in themselves 
 nothing but sin; are exposed to all the evil, the curse, 
 and the misery of sin, yea, and that they deserve it 
 all too; and can do nothing of themselves to avert it 
 neither: so that they do not entertain a good opinion 
 of themselves, but of their state towards God, through 
 faith in Christ Jesus. For, 2dly, they believe accor- 
 ding to the scriptures, that " our Lord Jesus was 
 *' delivered (to death, and to the punishment of jus- 
 " tice) for our offences, and was raised agam for our 
 *' justification," Rom. iv. 25. The belief of this causes 
 them to rest all their hope entirely on Jesus; and to 
 make the life and death of Jesus all their plea with 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 51 
 
 God, for the pardon of their sins, and the justifica- 
 tion of their persons. So that this faith forbids all 
 self-righteous pleas, self-trusting, and self-sufficient 
 hopes in our hearts. And while it makes Christ and 
 his salvation exceeding dear and precious to our souls, 
 it makes sin exceeding sinful in our eyes, and hateful 
 to our hearts. For they see such an infinite evil in 
 sin, that nothing less than the blood of the Son of 
 God could atone for its guilt, wash it away from their 
 consciences, and reconcile them to God. Thus, by 
 this faith, their minds are changed from self-righte- 
 ous pride, to be abashed in humihty: their hearts 
 are changed from the ways of sin, to the love of God, 
 and keeping his commandments: they are sorry for 
 their past sins, and desire to serve God in newness 
 of life. Now this is what our church calls, " a true 
 ^' penitent heart and lively faith." 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 The necessity of a true repentance and a lively faith. 
 
 The henefit is great, if, with a true penitent heart 
 and a lively faith, we receive that holy Sacrament, 
 To sin against God to reject the word of his grace, 
 and the Son of his love, through the unbelief and 
 impenitence of our hearts this is natural to us all. 
 But that precious Lanib of God, who died upon the 
 cross for our sins, is " exalted to be a Prince and a 
 " Saviour, and he gives repentance to our hearts, 
 " and forgiveness of our sins," Acts, v. 31. For he 
 
 D 2 
 
52 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 knows, unless the bitterness of sin is tasted in our 
 hearts, our souls could never feast upon the sweetness 
 of his love. When the Lord destroyed his people's 
 enemies, and saved their souls alive, he instituted the 
 Passover. The Paschal Lamb was to be killed ; its 
 blood sprinkled; its flesh roasted \vith fire, and eaten 
 with hitter herbs, Exod. xii. 7, 8. This was a type 
 of the salvation of Jesus, who was " the lamb with- 
 " out spot, fore-ordained before the foundation of the 
 *^ world, to be slain for us;" that his precious blood 
 might be sprinkled upon our hearts, to cleanse us 
 from an evil conscience, defiled with the guilt of sin. 
 He was first roasted with the fire of God's wrath; 
 and his flesh is to be eaten by us, in his Supper; in 
 memory of his love, with the bitter herbs of repen- 
 tance. This is to remind us of what we are; how 
 evil and bitter a thing sin is; and to loath ourselves 
 as the subjects of it. And in this we experience the 
 great love of God the Holy Ghost, the comfortei\ 
 Rather than we should perish in our sins, he makes 
 us sick of them, and of ourselves on account of them. 
 For '' he convinceth us of sin," of the sin of our na- 
 ture; the sin of our lives; and of the cursed evil of 
 that heart-sin unbelief. O then, when we see its 
 fatal malady, we bemoan ourselves; our minds are 
 changed concerning ourselves. We heretofore 
 thought we were whole, and had no need of a Phy- 
 sician for our souls: we had no doubt of our state; 
 we had no fear but that we should be saved, as well 
 as the best. Now the scene is changed; our lan- 
 guage is altered: w^e cry out undone, undone — we 
 have sinned : woe unto us — we shall perish. But no : 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 53 
 
 there was love in the conviction; there is comfort in 
 its issue : for this is the work of the Comforter y He 
 glorifies Jesus in all this: " He takes of the things of 
 " Jesus and shews them unto us.*' When we cry, 
 What must we do to be saved ? he leads us to view 
 by faith " the Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
 *' sin of the world," as revealed in the word of the 
 gospel. Then, like Saul, when he saw the glory of 
 Jesus, " behold we pray," we cry unto him, " Son 
 " of God, we beseech thee to hear us. O Lamb of 
 " God who takest away the sins of the world, have 
 " mercy upon us ; grant us thy peace. Graciously 
 " hear us O Christ; graciously hear us O Lord 
 " Christ." But how often have we uttered these pray- 
 ers of our church in form and custom ; Now they 
 are indeed the very prayers of our hearts. For we 
 feel sin now in our consciences ; we cannot rest under 
 its burden; we pray the Son of God to take it away. 
 And unless Christ hears us, and hath mercy on us, 
 and grants us his peace, we cannot be happy. For 
 now we know ourselves; we confess from our very 
 hearts, that we are indeed miserable sinners. But 
 glory to Jesus, he is a precious Saviour to the most 
 wretched and the most miserable sinners who come 
 unto him. And glory to the grace of the Hoty 
 Spirit, who reveals him as such in the word, and 
 breathes desires in our hearts, to look to him, and 
 call upon him to be saved by him. 
 
 For thouo'h God the Father in his everlastino; love 
 gave his Son to us ; and though Jesus from his ama- 
 zing grace gave himself for us; yet such is the 
 pride of our hearts, the blindness of our understan- 
 
54 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 dings, and the rebellion of our wills, that we should 
 never come to a throne of grace to sue for mercy, nor 
 to the feet of Jesus for salvation, confessing our mi- 
 sery as sinners, expecting rehef as insolvent debtors 
 and impoverished beggars; looking to be " justified 
 " freely by God's grace," and saved fully and wholly 
 by the precious blood and perfect righteousness of 
 the Son of God. 'No. Indeed we should ever be 
 quite thoughtless of our undone state; totally unaf- 
 fected with a sense of our sins, and utterly regardless 
 of our precious souls : unconcerned about God's love 
 to us, and Christ's propitiation for our sins. Yea, 
 in this thoughtless unaffected way, every one of us 
 would certainly go on to fill up the measure of our 
 iniquity, till death overtook us, hell opened to receive 
 us; and our precious, our immortal souls, were 
 doomed to eternal misery, as the just desert of our sins. 
 But it is the love and grace of the eternal spirit 
 that prevents this. Glory to him for a penitent heart 
 and a lively faith. These are inseparable. They are 
 both his heavenly gifts. He makes our hearts peni- 
 tent, not to make us miserable, but to be happy in 
 the joys of a lively faith in Jesus. And this lively 
 faith keeps up the penitence of our hearts; for it 
 keeps Jesus in our view and in our hearts: and 
 while we cleave to him, and walk close with him, and 
 live by faith on him, sin loses all its bewitching 
 charms; our hearts are broken on the account of it, 
 our minds are exercised upon the most bitter sufferings 
 of our Lord for it. Hence we mourn, because we 
 still find ourselves the subjects of its evil and defiling 
 nature, which is so contrary to the love and purity of 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 55 
 
 our dear Lord. So lon^ as we have need of faith, 
 we shall have need of penitent hearts. A lively faith 
 in Jesus works a penitent heart before him; and thus 
 pride and sin are kept down : the sinner is kept hum- 
 ble at his feet; and so he is made meet to come to 
 his Table in peace and love, with thankfulness to the 
 Saviour. Thus a penitent heart turns from sin and 
 self, and, by a lively faith, embraces Jesus and salva- 
 tion. See then the necessity of these graces, in 
 order to come worthily to the holy Communion. 
 Consider, O ye saints of God, ye disciples of Jesus, 
 to whose grace ye are indebted for them, and give 
 the eternal Spirit the glory of them. But, poor, 
 penitent hearts, do you say with David, " Mine 
 " enemies are lively, and they are strong ?" Psalm 
 xxxviii. 19. Remember, a lively faith draws all its 
 strength and comfort from the lively oracles of God, 
 because Jesus is the sum and substance of them. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 The great benefits such partake of. 
 
 We spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink 
 his blood, Repentance and faith give a relish for this 
 divine food. But, O what a mystery of love and 
 grace is this ! What a rich feast is here for spiritual 
 minds ! O the consolation and joy of faith ! that we, 
 poor miserable sinners, who as it were yesterday were 
 gone from our Father's house, spent our substance 
 in sin and folly — brought ruin and destruction upon 
 
56 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 our souls — daring the most High with our provocations, 
 that we, returning prodigals, who deserve to feed 
 with swine, or perish with hunger, yea, to lift up our 
 eyes in torment, and cry for a drop of water to cool 
 our parched tongues, yet have to-day the richest 
 dainties set before us. What ? Ansel's food ? No, 
 infinitely more rich. For it is the flesh and blood of 
 God's only and well-beloved Son. But, 
 Never did angels taste above 
 Iledeeming grace and dying love. 
 
 Here is the work of faith ever to be exercised upon 
 " the word of the Lord : for he saith. Whoso eateth 
 " my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal hfe, 
 " and 1 will raise him up at the last day." John, vi. 
 54. This declaration of our church is the word of 
 Jesus. Says our church. We spiritually eat, &c. 
 Faith looks not to carnal, but to spiritual objects. 
 We believe, that as truly as the bread is given us, 
 to .eat, and the wine to drink, " without money and 
 " v/ithout price;" so verily did the Son of Godi freely 
 give his body to be crucified, and his blood to be 
 shed for our sins; and he now as freely gives us his 
 flesh and blood to be the food of our souls. And he 
 assures us in the truth of his w^ord, that ^' his flesh 
 '^ is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed." 
 Faith realizes this to the heart. Hence a lively hope 
 springs up in the soul, that we, sinful dust and ashes, 
 whose bodies must shortly go down to the silent grave, 
 yet that we must have eternal life in Jesus, and he 
 will raise them again at the last day. Then our 
 bodies shall be fashioned like unto Christ*s glorious 
 body ; never to know sin or sorrow any more for ever. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 57 
 
 Oh what an almighty God is our Saviour ! Blessed 
 are they who beheve. " There shall be a performance 
 " of all those things which he hath spoken. With 
 '* Jesus our God nothing is impossible." Again, 
 
 We diuell in Christ and Christ in us. This is also 
 a divine truth. Saith our Lord "He who eateth my 
 " flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and 
 " I in him," John, vi. dQ. O blessed mutual inhabi- 
 tation ! all beUevers are united to Christ. As every 
 member of the natural body is united to and dwells 
 in that body: so every member of Christ's mystical 
 body is united to and dwells in him. We dwell in 
 his heart by love ; infinite, everlasting love. Just as 
 any object, which is very dear to us, dwells in our 
 minds and affections, so the objects of Christ's love 
 dwell in him. We dwelt in the love of his heart from 
 all eternity; therefore he came in time to seek and 
 to save us. Through his whole life upon earth, we 
 dwelt in his thoudits and affections. Those we love 
 are most in our hearts, uppermost in our thoughts, 
 and are the subjects of our prayers. Thus we were 
 with Jesus. See his most affectionate prayer for us, 
 even before we had a being. " Neither pray I for these 
 " alone" (his apostles and other living members) 
 " but for them also luho shall believe in me through 
 " their word," John, xvii. 20. in every period of time 
 to the end of the world. Here, O beUever, weak 
 believer; yea, the weakest of the weak, even thou 
 art remembered and included. Art thou often wish- 
 ing to know whether thou art an object of Christ's 
 love ? Behold, thy Lord remembers thee — he prays 
 for thee: just as though he had called thee by thy 
 
 D 3 
 
58 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Very name. Dost thou believe on the Son of God 
 in thine heart, according to the word ? Here then is 
 an answer to thy doubts. 
 
 Did we not dwell in Christ's heart by love, when 
 he hung upon the cross ? else why his bitter agonies 
 and painful death ? Why the doleful cry from his 
 dying lips ? Why his precious death and burial ? 
 All was in love to us ; all vvas for our sins, and 
 to save us : for " by his stripes we are healed." 
 We so dwell in him, that he loved us more than his 
 own life; for as maiiy he laid down his life for us. 
 Now he is in his own kingdom in glory, hath he for- 
 £^ot us ? O, no ! his love is still the same. All the 
 floods of wrath he suffered could not quench his love, 
 nor wash away our names which were written upon 
 his loving heart. He still lives. He ever loves. 
 He for ever prays " in the presence of God FOR US." 
 He sympathizes with us in all our sorrows. He is 
 touched with a tender feeling of our infirmities. He 
 has compassion on us; for he declares, " He who 
 " toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye," 
 Zech. ii. 8. A once-bloody-minded Saul could not 
 worry and destroy his beloved sheep, but he feels it, 
 and calls from heaven, ** Why persecutest thou me .<"' 
 In all our afflictions he is afflicted. He is the angel 
 of God's presence to save us. In his love and in his 
 pity he redeemed us : and he bears us and carries us 
 all our days on earth, till he brings us to himself in 
 glory. See then how we dwell in Christ by love. 
 
 And Christ in us. How doth he dwell in us ? 
 Verily, by faith, " To as many as received him, to 
 *' them gave he right to become the sons of God; even 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 59 
 
 *• to them who believe on his name," John, i. 12. 
 What is his name ? JESUS, the Saviour; Emannel, 
 God with us, God in our flesh. We welcome his 
 name, his person, his offices, his work and salvation, 
 into our hearts by faith with joy. God and man, in 
 one Christ, dwells in our minds and our affections. 
 Our thoughts are exercised upon him : we see no one 
 like Jiim. " He is our beloved and our friend " Do 
 we each of us see ourselves as the " chief of sinners?" 
 " Lo, our beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand ; 
 " He is altogether lovely," in all that he is in his 
 person to us, his salvation for us, and his work in 
 us. For he dwells in us by his Spirit. He bears 
 witness of Jesus to our hearts. He glorifies Jesus in 
 our affections, as our atoning sacrifice — the Lord our 
 righteousness — our living head and representative — 
 our prevailing intercessor — our loving King, to rule 
 in and over our hearts and lives. Thus Christ 
 dwelleth in our hearts, the hope of glory. Therefore 
 we come to his Table to confess this — to glorify and 
 praise him for this — to receive the tokens of his love ; 
 expecting in them to enjoy more sensible communion 
 with him: that so our faith maybe strengthened by 
 him; our love enflamed to him; our hope enlivened 
 in him; our affections more set on him; and that our 
 lives may be more and more devoted to his service on 
 earth, till we come to enjoy him in glory. Thus " to 
 " them who believe, Christ is precious," 1 Pet. ii. 7. 
 Therefore we can never speak too highly '^ of precious 
 " faith." We can never extol it too much. Those 
 who think we can, are strangers to the nature of 
 Christian Faith, For Christ dwells in our hearts by 
 
60 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT, 
 
 faith J Eph. iii. 17. But they think, faith is a mere 
 notion in the head, common to all professors, and do 
 not see that it embraces Christ in the heart, and is 
 the very source and spring of all good works. For 
 works which flow not from faith in Jesus, however 
 specious they appear to man, yet^ says our church, 
 they are not -pleasant to God — they have the nature 
 of sin, Art. 13. Sin has not the dominion over us; 
 because Christ's love dwells in us, and our hearts are 
 purified by faith. See then how Christ dwells in us 
 by faith. Again, 
 
 We are one with Christ, and Christ with us, A& 
 God and man are one Christ: as soul and body are 
 one man; so Christ the head, and all his beheving 
 members, make up one mystical body. I in them^ 
 and thou in me, that they " may be made perfect in 
 " one — thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me,'' 
 Thus prays our loving Lord to his loving Father, for 
 all his beloved members, John, xvii. 23. O the in- 
 scrutable mystery of this oneness of Christ and be- 
 lievers! O the insurmountable heights of the love 
 of God to us in Christ Jesus ! That God the Father 
 should love us at all, is joyful to know; but that he 
 should love us with the very same infinite, ever- 
 lasting, unchangeable love, with which he loves 
 his only begotten Son, O this indeed " passeth know- 
 " ledge !" But this is a revealed truth. Therefore 
 this is the most joyful object of our faith. All is, be- 
 cause we are one with Christ, and Christ with us. 
 " He took the manhood into God." Hence " both he 
 " who sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are 
 " all ONE:" of one nature; one Father; of one 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 61 
 
 body; partakers of one spirit; of one covenant; of 
 one inheritance. " Wherefore Christ is not ashamed 
 " to call us (us fallen creatures, us miserable sinners) 
 ** brethren: saying, I will declare thy name unto my 
 " brethren," Heb. ii. 1 1, 12. Love is the name of 
 our covenant God and Father; for God is love, 
 1 John, iv. 8. He views us in his Son, one with his 
 Son; and so loves with the same love as he loves his 
 Son. We know the love of the Father, because 
 Jesus hath declared him to us. All other pretended 
 knowledge of God is but the pompous ignorance of 
 men. The Father's love is manifested to us in the 
 Son; and, being one ivith the Son, the Holy Ghost 
 sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts, and 
 " fills us with all joy and peace in believing,^' Rom. 
 XV. 13. Our Lord and head instituted the holy Com- 
 munion as a standing memorial to all his members, 
 of our oneness with him, and of the Father's love to 
 us in him. He inwardly nourishes our souls up to 
 eternal life by his blessed body and blood. Of this, 
 the holy Sacrament is the outward sign and seal. 
 So our church declares. Art. 25. " Sacraments 
 ordained of Christ, be not only badges or tokens of 
 Christian men's profession; but rather they be certain 
 sure witnesses and effectual signs of .grace, and God's 
 2;ood-will towards us, by which he doth work visibly 
 in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen- 
 and confirm our faith in him:" Even of being one 
 with him, " members of his body, of his flesh, and 
 " of his bones," Eph. v. 30. See then how we are 
 one with Christ, and Christ with us. 
 
62 THE CHRISTIAN COMiMUNICANT. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 The danger of vnworthy receiving. 
 
 The minister, having declared the exceeding great 
 and precious benefits which are partook of by true 
 penitent hearts and a hvely faith, next proceeds to 
 admonish of the contrary evils. 
 
 So is the danger great, if we receive the same un- 
 worthily ; for then we are gtiilty of the body and 
 blood of Christ our Saviour: we eat and drink our 
 own damnation^ not considering the Lord's body ; we 
 kindle God's wrath against us ; we provoke him to 
 plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of 
 death. 
 
 Awful sentences! Not mere human declaration, 
 but are of divine inspiration. Thus speaketh St. Paul, 
 1 Cor. xi. What doth the apostle and our church 
 mean by receiving unworthily ? Who is worthy, in 
 the strict sense of the word, to claim the blessings 
 which the Lord hath to bestow? What poor sinner 
 dare presume to approach the Lord, and say, I am 
 worthy, I am deserving of thy favours ? Verily such 
 a thought cannot be entertained in the heart of a real 
 Christian. He knows it springs from pride; he hates 
 it; for it is an abomination to the Lord. V/e must 
 all plead, with Jacob, " I am not worthy, O Lord, of 
 '^ the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth 
 " which thou hast showed unto thy servant," Gen. 
 xxxii. 10. Even St. Paul, who says, " he who eateth 
 " and drinketh unworthily,'" &c. testifies of himself, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 6-3 
 
 '^ of sinners I am the chief," 1 Tim. i. 5. And again, 
 " I know that in me," that is, " in my flesh, dvvelleth 
 " no good thing," Rom. vii. 18. In what then con- 
 sisted his worthiness'} And the very communicants 
 declare to the Lord, in the words of our church. We 
 are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs 
 under thy table. What kind of worthiness do they 
 possess? So that it is plain, a real worthiness, such 
 as irnphes merit or desert in ourselves, is not here 
 meant. Yet there is a proper sense or meaning of 
 the word, in which all who come to the Lord's Table 
 must come, or else they come unworthily. This con- 
 sists in the mind being disposed, or made meet, as is 
 expressed in this exhortation. It is easy to observe, 
 that the whole stress which the apostle and our church 
 lay, in regard to this matter, is upon these words, 
 not discerning, not considering the Lord's body. 
 
 The want of this renders persons unmeet for the 
 Table of the Lord, and causes them to receive the 
 Sacrament unworthily. For to discern and consider 
 the Lord's body, is absolutely necessary to a worthy 
 partaking of it. This prevents persons from receiving 
 unworthily, and incurring those dreadful evils which 
 are denounced. For this puts the soul into a right 
 frame for this ordinance. But this has been in some 
 measure spoken to already. Yet in humble hope, 
 that the Lord may be graciously pleased to make a 
 word more, even from me, who am less than the least 
 of all, of use to detect what is wrong, and to comfort 
 doubting and drooping minds ; therefore I would en- 
 large a httle more on this most essential point. 
 
 There are spiritual as well as natural objects to be 
 
64 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 discerned by us. This is plain from Scripture and 
 the nature of things. For the apostle saith, " The 
 " natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit 
 " of God, for they are foohshness unto him ; neither 
 " can he know them." Why so ? " Because they are 
 " s-piritually discerned,'' 1 Cor. ii. 14. Let us apply 
 this to the discerning our Lord's body in the Sacra- 
 ment. 
 
 The natural man, as Mr. Burkit observes on this 
 place, " is one who acts only by the principles of 
 human reason and worldly wisdom ; who, though well 
 furnished with intellectual and moral improvements, 
 is yet destitute of the eydightening Spirit, and the 
 renewing grace of God J" Such persons, who come 
 to the holy Communion, can see nothing of the spi- 
 ritual end of this institution. They look no farther 
 than the outward ordinance ; they see nothing more 
 in it than the visible signs of it : these they receive ; 
 with these are contented. They think they have 
 done their duty. Conscience is satisfied. The du- 
 ties they perform, build them up in self-righteous 
 confidence. They trust that these will recommend 
 them to the favour of God, and entitle them to sal- 
 vation. Hence such, if they receive the Sacrament, 
 think all is well. Now this St. Paul calls, " having: 
 *' theformof godhness, but denying the power thereof," 
 2 Tmi. iii. 5. For the heart of such a professor doth 
 not discern, with St. Paul, that ^' the law is spiritual ;" 
 but that he is " carnal, sold under sin," Rom. vii. 14. 
 Hence he doth not " discern and consider the Lord's 
 " body," as once crucified on the cross for our sins ; 
 and as now given to us in the sacrament to be the 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 65 
 
 food of our souls through faith. The eye of his mind 
 seeth not the Lord, our Saviour: his faith fixes not 
 on him as the hope, the only hope, of his soul ; the 
 love and affections of his heart go not out after him: 
 therefore Jesus gets no glory of his cross and 
 sufferings from such communicants. And where the 
 heart is not right with Jesus, the life cannot be agree- 
 able to his will. Such souls can get no profit in this 
 ordinance. Of such our church declares, " The 
 wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, al- 
 though they do carnally and visibly press with their 
 teeth (as St. Augustine saith) the sacrament of the 
 body and blood of Christ, yet in no wise are they 
 partakers of Christ; but rather to their condemna- 
 tion, do eat and drink the sign or sacrament of so 
 great a thing," Art. 29. The church here defines 
 who are the wicked. Observe, they are not distin- 
 guished as guilty of gross and abominable sins, but, 
 " as void of lively faith ;" therefore are in no wise 
 '* partakers of Christ." Again, Art. 28. " The Sup- 
 per of the Lord is a sacrament of our redemption by 
 Christ's death:" insomuch that, such as rightly, 
 worthily, and with faith, receive the same; " the 
 bread which we break, is a partaking of the body of 
 Christ; and hkewise the cup of blessing is a partak- 
 ing of the blood of Christ."—" The body of Christ 
 is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after 
 an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean 
 whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten, is 
 faith.'' Thus scripturally speaketh our church. 
 Would to God that all, who profess to be members 
 thereof, would solemnly, as in the presence of a 
 
66 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 heart-searching God, consider this, and examine 
 themselves as to this momentous point, before they 
 presume to come to the Lord's Table! Is the body 
 of Christ eaten m the Supper, only after an heavenly 
 and spiritual manner ? Is a liveli/ faith the mean or 
 medium, by which it is received and eaten? Are all 
 such as are void of this faith, the wicked, who only 
 receive the signs, but are not partakers of Christ? 
 Am I then worthy ? Am I rightly disposed to receive 
 the Supper of the Lord ? For it rests upon this single 
 question. Have I received this heavenly, this spiritual 
 gift, precious faith? Do I believe that the Son of 
 God is the onl?/ Saviour, for guilty, lost sinners, to 
 trust in for salvation ? Do I see, in the history of 
 the life and death of Jesus Christ, such a wonderful 
 display of the glorious love, the infinite wisdom, and 
 the rich grace of Almighty God to sinners, as forbids 
 despair, encourages hope, attracts my heart to Christ, 
 and kindles desires to love God ; and to be a willing 
 disciple of our blessed Saviour ? And, am I now 
 going to his Table, in hopes of finding fellowship 
 with Christ, and feeding upon Christ in my heart, 
 by faith, with thanksgiving ? If so, this is truly to 
 discern, this is rightly to consider the Lord's hody. 
 Let not such souls write bitter thino;s aoainst them- 
 selves, nor draw harsh conclusions upon themselves, 
 from the solemn, yet absolutely necessary declarations 
 of our church. For they are not levelled against them : 
 they are not intended to " break the bruised reed, 
 " nor to quench the smoking flax ;" not designed to 
 distress weak faith, deject trembling hearts, not to 
 disquiet doubting minds and contrite spirits, who seek 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 67 
 
 Jesus sorrowing. Our Saviour would not have it so. 
 But he saith, " To this man will I look, even to him 
 *' who is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and who 
 '' trembleth at my word," Isa. Ixvi. 2. " For (hear, 
 " O ye poor sensible sinners, and be comforted) thus 
 " saith the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eter- 
 " nity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and 
 " holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and 
 " humble spirit :'' even to this blessed end, " to 
 " revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the 
 " heart of the contrite ones," Isa. Ivii. 15. Are we 
 then sick of sin ? Are we sick of ourselves as guilty, 
 perishing, lost sinners ? Verily, Jesus came to seek 
 and to save such. 
 
 " Where then my boast of immortality ? 
 I boast it still, tho' cover'd o'er with guilt : 
 For guilt, not innocence, his life he pour'd ; 
 If sick of folly, I relent; he writes 
 My pardon free, with that inverted spear 
 (A spear deep-dipt in blood) which pierc'd his side." 
 
 Night Thoughts. 
 
 Blessed be God, we may truly pronounce of such sin- 
 sick souls, what Jesus did of Lazarus, " This sickness 
 " is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the 
 " Son of God might be glorified theVeby," John, xi. 
 4. For the Spirit *' convinceth our hearts of sin," 
 that he may glorify Jesus in our hearts by faith. 
 " He ta,keth of the things of Christ, and sheweth 
 them unto us, that we may trust in Christ's love to 
 us, and glory in his salvation of us." Therefore such 
 are made meet to come : and such should come to 
 the Lord's Table, to glorify Christ; and to praise 
 God the Father for his unspeakable gift of his be- 
 loved Son, in spite of all objections and discourasfe- 
 
OO THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 ments to the contrary. For thus, in obedience to 
 the institution and command of Jesus, they may ex- 
 pect to enjoy the communion and comfort of God the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 But without this inward discerning and considering 
 the Lord's body, the minister declares, We are guilty 
 of the body and blood of Christ. How are any thus 
 guilty? The Papists are guilty of the body and 
 blood of Christ, in supposing that these are actually 
 changed into the real substance of creatures of bread 
 and wine. This is to dishonour and undeify the Lord 
 of life and glory. This destroys the very nature of 
 this ordinance. So those who protest against this 
 error of transubstantiation, are also guilty of the 
 body and blood of Christ ; who, as it were, defy the 
 outward elements of bread and wine, so as to put such 
 trust and confidence in the bare act of receivins^ the 
 outward signs, as if nothing more was intended by 
 this institution. For they conclude, because they 
 have been at the Lord's Table, they are real Christians; 
 their state is safe; their sins are pardoned ; and think, 
 by receiving the sacrament, they have made their 
 peace with God. This also is to change the nature 
 of this ordinance. The hfe of Jesus is not manifest 
 in such. They have no spiritual view of him. They 
 trust to their duties, instead of trusting in him. 
 They have no right knowledge of him in their under- 
 standing; true behef of him in their hearts; real 
 love to him in their souls ; nor devotedness to his 
 glory in their lives. They Mve just as the rest of the 
 world [do — Strangers to the spiritual joys of Chris- 
 tianity, and seeking all their happiness from the 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 69 
 
 objects of sense. Hence, some such communicants 
 (awful to mention !) live in gross sins, fulfilling the 
 lusts of the flesh. 
 
 Now surely all such are guilty of the body and 
 blood of Christ in coming to the Lord's Table. 
 For they, in the full sense, are guilty of a wilful 
 breach of the third commandment, " Thou shalt not 
 '^ take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." 
 And the Lord declares, " he will not hold them guilt- 
 " less, who take his name in vain." But this they 
 actually do in the words of the Communion Service. 
 They beseech the Lord " to cleanse the thoughts of 
 *' their hearts by the inspiration of his holy Spirit, 
 " that they may perfectly love him, and worthily 
 " magnify his holy name." When, alas! they had no 
 real desires of heart perfectly to love the Lord : no 
 solicitous concern worthily to magnify his name in 
 their lives ; nor any real behef in their minds of any 
 such thing as the inspiration of his holy Spirit. 
 Again they confess unto the Lord, that they ^' bewail 
 " their manifold sins and wickednesses — that they 
 " earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for their 
 " misdoings — that the remembrance of them is 
 '^ grievous, and the burden of them is intolerable." — 
 They cry for mercy and grace, " ever hereafter to 
 ** serve and please God in newness of life'' — But if 
 their hearts have not felt what they confess of sin, 
 and their desires go not with their hps, to be saved from 
 sin, and to walk in newness of life, wiiat is all this but 
 to take the name of the Lord in vain ? Is not this 
 to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ ? Is 
 not this to receive, without any inward reverence of 
 
70 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 mind, and godly fear of heart ? Verily, such are 
 condemned for what they do. Their own act testifies 
 that they are guilty. " They eat and drink their ow^n 
 damnation ;" or rather condemnation. For the word 
 is not used by the apostle, nor our church, to express 
 eternal damnation. This is plain from what follows, 
 both in the apostle's writing, and the church's decla- 
 ration. They provoke God to plague them with divers 
 diseases and sundry kinds of death. Then follows. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 A solemn charge to self-examination. 
 
 Judge therefore your selves j brethren, that ye he not 
 judged of the Lord. Repent you truly for your sins 
 past: have a lively faith in Christ our Saviour; 
 amend your lives, and he in perfect charity with all 
 men; so shall ye he meet partakers of these holy mys- 
 teries. 
 
 Self-judging is a means to prevent self-deceivmg. 
 This our church requires as absolutely necessary for a 
 right receiving of the Lord's Supper. Impenitent 
 persons are unfit for the Table of the Lord. Those 
 who are void of a lively faith in Jesus, are not proper 
 subjects for it. A life of sin is contrary to the holy 
 nature of it. An uncharitable heart, and an unfor- 
 giving spirit, quite indispose for this feast of love. 
 Now, after so faithful a charge, should we not, in 
 the judgment of charity, conclude, that no one would 
 presume to come to the Table of the Lord, without 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 71 
 
 " repentance for their former sins, a steadfast purpose 
 to lead a new life, a lively faith in God's mercy 
 through Christ, a thankful remembrance of his death, 
 and charity with all men?" But suppose such do 
 come, (and indeed it is to be feared and lamented, 
 that there are too many of this number, not only in 
 our church, but in others also) what then ? Will any 
 infer from hence. That the church of England is not 
 a church of Christ? That the Lord's Supper is not 
 duly administered there ? That there are none of 
 Christ's real members, who do communicate there ? 
 Indeed a revival of the ancient discipline of the 
 church, is much wished for by the godly among us. 
 And is it not too much neglected in other churches also ? 
 Still there are doubtless a very great number of mem- 
 bers of the estabhshed church, " who worship God 
 " in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, have no con- 
 " fidence in the flesh ;" and who also adorn the gospel 
 of Christ in their lives. But if any think otherwise, 
 and would cavil and dispute about outward modes and 
 ceremonies, and seem to be contentious ; we say with 
 the apostle, " we have no such custom, nor the 
 " churches of God." 1 Cor. xi. 16. If they cannot 
 abide with us, but think their souls will prosper more 
 elsewhere, let them depart in peace. We have no 
 artillery of anathemas, like the church of Rome, to 
 discharge against them. Jesus, our master, hath 
 taught us better. We entirely agree as touching 
 unworthy communicants with a learned Expositor, 
 who is minister of a dissenting church. In regard 
 to the unworthy members in the church of Corinth, 
 he says ; ^^ Let it be observed, that such an one is 
 
72 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 said to eat and drink this judgment or condemnation 
 to himself y and not to another. He is injurious to 
 nobody but liimself. This may serve to make the minds 
 of such easy^ who are not so entirely satisfied with some 
 persons who sit down with them at the Lord's Table ; 
 w^hen they consider it is to their own injury, and not 
 to the hurt of others, they eat and drink, not dis- 
 cerning the Lord's body." See Dr. Gill on 1 Cor. xi. 
 O, then, let us be concerned to fix the eye of our 
 faith more steadily on the Master of the feast ! If 
 we see any whom we think unworthy guests, let us 
 look on others, not with a censorious eye of contempt, 
 but of pity and prayer. For what have we which we 
 have not received ? We have no cause for boasting ; 
 it is excluded by grace. This truly humble, cathohc 
 spirit, our church teacheth us. 
 
 For what gives any poor sinner a right to the Table 
 of the Lord ? Verily, the Lord's gracious invitation. 
 What gives a title to the benefits and blessings of it? 
 Our Lord's free and gracious promises. How are 
 many made meet to partake of these holy mysteries ? 
 Truly, we must each unite with the apostle, " By the 
 " grace of God, I am what I am," 1 Cor. xv. 10. 
 Have I a precious Faith ? "It is the gift of God," 
 Eph. ii. 8. Have I a true Repentance? " Jesus is 
 exalted, he bestowed it," Acts, v. 31. Have I 
 charity or love ? It is a " fruit of the spirit." 
 Gal. V. 22. It is an excellent gift, poured into my 
 " heart by the Holy Ghost." Do I " follow after 
 " hohness ?" It is because " Christ is made of God 
 ^' sanctificationuntome," ICor. i.30. Whatistheend 
 of coming ? To remember the love of Jesus, in be- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 73 
 
 coming the Saviour of sinners, and in dying for sin, 
 to feed on him by faith, while we obey his will ; to 
 shew forth his death till he comes, that we may grow 
 up more in the grace which is in him, and in the 
 knowledge of him in our hearts : that so we may glo- 
 rify him more and more, with our lips and in our 
 lives. Thus are we to judge ourselves. To judge 
 concerning our state, in Jesus, as to our faith, repen- 
 tance, love and obedience, flowing from him. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 An earnest exhortation to praise and thanksgiving, 
 
 AND above all things, ye must give most humble 
 and hearty thanks to God the Father , the Son, and 
 Holy Ghost J for the redemption of the world, by the 
 death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God 
 and man : who did humble himself, even to the death 
 upon the cross, for us miserable sinners, who lay in 
 darkness and the shadow of death, that he might 
 make us the children of God, and exalt us to ever- 
 lasting life. 
 
 Here observe, 1. The reason why the church so 
 frequently insists, that Faith is absolutely necessary 
 to make any one a meet partaker of this ordinance. 
 For as faith begets love to God, and works by love 
 to him, so it is the source and spring of praise and 
 thanksgiving to him. 
 
 2. The object of the Christian faith is, God in 
 
 E 
 
74 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Trinity. God engaged in covenant love, solemn oath, 
 precious promises, and everlasting faithfulness, to 
 redeem, justify and glorify us, miserable sinners. 
 Therefore, 
 
 3. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are to be 
 equally praised and adored for our redemption. God 
 the Father's love is the first source of it. He so loved 
 us, that he gave his son to us. God the son in 
 human flesh, " God and man in one Christ," gave 
 himself for us; and by his death upon the cross, 
 hath obtained eternal redemption, both of our captive 
 souls and our forfeited inheritance. And God the 
 Holy Ghost enlightens our understandings, regene- 
 rates our hearts, and leads us to Jesus for salvation ; 
 and seals us through the faith of Jesus unto the day 
 of redemption. And O ye faithful ! to heighten your 
 love, to animate your gratitude, and to quicken you 
 to praise, consider, 
 
 4. The cross and passion of our Saviour Christ 
 both God and man. O what a depth of deepest hu- 
 mility ! What a scene of direful suffering, and of 
 o;reatest love ! There Christ the ransom paid. The 
 ransom infinite he fully paid. Yes, and what exalts 
 the bounty more, it was paid for us. Us, sinners 
 ao*ainst God's holy laws: Us, rebels against God's 
 government: Us, " enemies to God in our minds." 
 For " in due time Christ died for the ungodly" Rom. 
 v. 6. died in the greatest agonies, the most accursed 
 death on the cross. 
 
 " Sun ! didst thou fly thy Maker's pain? or start 
 At that enormous load of human guilt, 
 Which bow'd his blessed head ; o'erwhelm'd his cross, 
 Made groan the centre, burst earth's marble womb 
 "With pangs, strange pangs ! delivered of her dead ; 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 75 
 
 Hell howl'd ; and heav'n that hour let fall a tear : 
 Heav'n wept that man might smile, heav'n bled that man 
 Might never die." 
 
 Sinners, believe, adore, rejoice and love, for, 
 
 *' To man the bleeding cross has promised all j 
 The bleeding cross has sworn eternal grace ; 
 Who gave his life, what grace shall he deny? 
 See'st thou, O sinner, where hangs all our hope? 
 Touch' d by the cross we live." 
 
 '^ Live not unto yourselves, but unto him who died 
 " for, and rose again." Ever view then, O soul, 
 the sovereign cure of death, the eternal source of life, 
 " God and man in one Christ," on the accursed tree. 
 
 " There hangs all human hope : that nail supports 
 Our falling universe : that gone we drop ; 
 
 Horror receives us. 
 
 O what a groan was there ! a groan not his, 
 
 He seized our dreadful right, the load sustain'd ; 
 
 He heav'd the mountain from a guilty world." 
 
 O with what transports of soul, in the views of 
 faith, may we cry out ! 
 
 ** With joy, with grief the healing hand I see ; 
 The skies it form'd, and now it bleeds for me. 
 
 Survey the wond'rous cure ; 
 
 And at each step let higher wonder rise ! 
 
 Pardon for infinite offence ! And pardon 
 
 Thro' means that speak its value infinite ! 
 
 A pardon bought with blood ! with blood divine ! 
 
 With blood divine of him I made my foe ! 
 
 Persisted to provoke ! Tho' woo'd and aw'd, 
 
 Bless'd and chastis'd a flagrant rebel still 1 
 
 A rebel midst the thunders of his throne ! 
 
 Yet for the foulest of the foul he dies. 
 
 Bound every heart! and every bosom burn ! 
 
 O what a scale of miracles is here ! 
 
 Hail heav'n ! All lavish of strange gifts to men I 
 
 Thine all the glory, man's the boundless bliss." 
 
 Night Thoughts. 
 
 And, 5. To keep down the risings of pride, re- 
 member what you were by " nature the children of 
 " wrath even as others," Ephes. ii. 3. The deplora- 
 
 E 2 
 
76 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 ble condition you were in ; you " lay in darkness ;*' 
 without sight of your danger ; without hght to see 
 your own misery. For you were even in the shadow 
 of death. Your eternal state was suspending on the 
 slender thread of life. Had it been possible for that 
 to be broke ere your spirits had been translated into 
 the kingdom of God's dear Son, your souls must have 
 sunk from the shadow of death, into the gulph of 
 eternal death itself. Yet you were quite easy and 
 thoughtless. O can you look back upon your mise- 
 rable estate, without shuddering to see what you have 
 escaped? Can you behold the love and grace of the 
 holy Trinity, without most humble and hearty praise ? 
 Can you see what you now are by grace without 
 comfort ? Can you look forward to the heavenly world, 
 without hope of enjoying God your Father, Christ 
 your Redeemer, the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier, 
 without joy and gratitude ? For you are not only 
 delivered from your depths of misery, but raised to 
 the heights of mercy. 
 
 6. Medernption hy the death and 'passion of JesuSj 
 is to make us, miserable sinners, the children of God, 
 and exalt us to everlasting life. To make us children 
 of God ! Consider this exalted blessing. By nature 
 we are not the sons of God; but the children of 
 wrath. It is by the free favour of God's adopting 
 love, we are put among his children. We could do 
 nothing to deserve this. But Jesus hath redeemed 
 us to this blessed privilege. O, the amazing wonders 
 of his redemption ! What a glorious change doth it 
 make in our state ! What exalted privileges doth 
 it bring us to the enjoyment of! For " we are by 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 77 
 
 nature the children of wrath, even as others." We 
 are miserable sinners as well as others. Our carnal 
 minds are enmity against God's law : and our lives 
 and practices were contrary to God's commands, like 
 others' ; yet that such rebels should be made his be- 
 loved, his adopted children. O what sovereign love ! 
 O what special grace is this ! One is almost ready 
 to say. How can this be ? Surely, this news is too 
 good to be true. One can scarce believe it for joy. 
 Ah, we are indeed too slow of heart, to believe the 
 truths of our God, and the love of our Saviour. 
 Hence our hearts are so cold to the love of him, and 
 our praises to him too oft freeze on our lips. Had 
 not Jesus obtained his blessing ; did not the Spirit 
 of truth bear witness to it in the word, then indeed 
 to believe it would be bold presumption ; but now to 
 reject it is criminal unbeUef. The beloved disciple 
 ushers it in with behold; take special notice, dwell 
 with delight upon it. O ye sons of fallen Adam — 
 " Behold what manner of love the father hath be- 
 *' stowed upon us, that we should be called the sons 
 " of God,'' 1 John, iii. 1. So the Psalmist in admi- 
 ration breaks out, " Who is like unto the Lord our 
 " God who dwelleth on high ; who humbleth himself, 
 " to behold the things that are in heaven and on earth ? 
 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and hfteth the 
 " needy out of the dunghill ;" all expressive of our 
 abject state of misery and wretchedness; "that he may 
 " set us with princes, even with the princes of his 
 " people," Psalm cxiii. 5 — 8. A prince, we know, is 
 the son of a king. Jesus is called a prince. Acts, v. 31. 
 He is the Son of God by generation. We are made 
 
78 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 princes, as being the sons of our heavenly King, of 
 our Father God, by regeneration and adoption. 
 
 But how was this effected ? We are told " When 
 " the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his 
 " son, made of a woman, made under the law, to 
 " redeem them who were under the law," Gal. iv. 
 4, 5. We are all under obhgation to fulfil the 
 moral law, in all its righteous precepts, to the utter- 
 most perfection in time; or else we incur all its 
 dreadful curses to all eternity. But we never could 
 fulfil the former, and therefore are liable, as trans- 
 gressors, to suffer the latter. But the son of God 
 was made under the law, both to ful fil all its righteous 
 demands, and to suffer all its rigorous penalties in 
 our stead. Eternal praises to his name ; this he hath 
 perfectly done. He hath redeemed us from the curse 
 of the law ; " being made a curse for us." And thus 
 through him this divine blessing comes to us, " that 
 " we might receive the adoption of sons." How do 
 any receive this? St. John tells us, i. 12. " To as 
 " many as received Jesus, to them gave he right to 
 " become Sons of God, even to them who believe 
 " in his name,*' So St. Paul, " Ye are all the 
 " children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," Gal. iii. 
 26. And saith St. John, 1 Ep. iii. 2. " Now are we 
 " the sons of God." How did he know this ? Even 
 by one and the same way which is common to all 
 converted Christians; by faith in the heart ; — by 
 " the belief of the truth,"— by *^ the truth dweUing 
 " in us ;" — and, " because we are the sons of God 
 " (through faith in Jesus) God sends forth the Spirit 
 " of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father," 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 79 
 
 Gal. iv. 6. Without faith in Jesus, we cannot receive 
 the witness of his Spirit ; but, beheving in his name, 
 " the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirits, that 
 " we are the children of God," Rom. viii, 16. Thus 
 this matter is made clear and plain to us. And it is 
 of great moment that this hope, that we are the 
 children of God, be kept clear in the conscience. 
 For this sweetens our tempers, and purifies our hearts, 
 " And every man, who hath his hope in him, puri- 
 " fieth himself, even as he is pure," 1 John, iii. 3. 
 Christ's redemption not only makes us the children 
 of God here, but exalts us to everlasting life hereafter. 
 For, if we have faith in Jesus, we are sons of God ; 
 and if sons of God, then our salvation is sure. O 
 how plain ! how joyful this reasoning ! " And if 
 " children, then heirs of God. and joint-heirs, with 
 " Christ," Rom. viii. 17. " For as many as are led by 
 " the Spirit of God," [led to believe on the SON of 
 GOD] " they are the sons of God," Rom. viii. 14. 
 
 Lastly, Blessed be God, we are not left in igno- 
 rance to erect an altar to the Unknown God. We 
 know whom we worship. As the children of men 
 know their earthly father, so the sons of God know 
 their heavenly Father. They know him manifested 
 in Christ ; they love him in Christ ; they give him 
 the praise of their redemption and salvation in Christ. 
 This comfortable knowledge they are taught by the 
 word. They receive it into their hearts from the 
 Spirit of truth by faith. And the Lord's Supper is 
 instituted as a blessed means to keep up a lively 
 remembrance of our redemption and adoption in our 
 hearts and minds, and to excite the praise of our 
 
80 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 spirits to our Triune God. Therefore the minister 
 further declares. 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 The kind invitation of our Lord to us in this 
 ordinance. 
 
 And to the end that we should always rememher the 
 exceeding great love of our Master j and only Saviour 
 Jesus Christy thus dying for us ; and the innumerable 
 benefits which hy his precious blood he hath chtained 
 to us : he hath instituted and ordained these holy mys- 
 teries as pledges of his love, and for a continual re- 
 membrance of his death, to our great and endless 
 comfort. 
 
 Every sentence breathes the love of our God-Re- 
 deemer, and tends to inspire our hearts with love and 
 gratitude to him. Here consider, 
 
 1. Christ was inconceivably happy in the bosom 
 of his heavenly Father from all eternity. But such 
 was his exceeding great love to us, that he came from 
 heaven, to wade through a hell of agony, punishment, 
 and death on earth, to make us happy with him in 
 glory. Without his precious blood-shedding, he 
 knew we must have been eternally miserable ; but by 
 it he hath obtained eternal life and glory for us. 
 
 2. He knows what is in man: how prone the 
 best of us are to be fond of trifles; how apt to forget 
 him who is our best and dearest friend, and to be 
 unmindful of our richest blessings. But he will not 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 81 
 
 have us so to be. For, as " he hath prepared for us 
 *' such things as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
 ** neither have entered into the heart of man," 1 Cor. 
 ii. 9. Therefore he will have us to be happy now in 
 the enjoyment of them, through faith in him. And 
 hence, 
 
 3. He hath instituted these holy mysteries di^ pledges 
 to assure us of his love. The first fruits of the earth 
 were pledges and earnests to the Jews of the ensuing 
 harvest. The earnest they had in hand. The harvest 
 they were sure to reap in due season. They presented 
 the first fruits before the Lord, both to acknowledge 
 his mercy in giving them the earnest ; and of their faith 
 in him for the expected harvest. Thus it is with the 
 Christian. Hence how sweet to beheve and meditate 
 thus in one's heart ! — I am here an inhabitant of 
 a body of sin and death— am the subject of manifold 
 corruptions — experience many uncomfortable frames 
 and feelings — and these are often attended with 
 gloomy apprehensions ; so that was I to look only to 
 what I find in myself, alas, dejection and despair 
 would seize on me. But my blessed Master and only 
 Saviour hath given me an inward earnest of my inhe- 
 ritance ; the first fruits of the Spirit, whereby the 
 desires of my soul are drawn to Jesus ; and also out- 
 ward pledges, to assure me of his love. Therefore 
 he cannot be unfaithful to his word; he will not 
 deceive my hopes of the fulness of good thino-s to 
 come, and of the greatest blessings to be enjoyed; 
 even the innumerahle benefits, which, by his precious 
 blood, he hath obtained for me : hence my spirits 
 revive, and I am comforted. For, 
 
 E 3 
 
82 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICAKt. 
 
 4. This holy mystery is also to our great and 
 endless comfort. Christ knows what fools we are, 
 and how slow of heart to believe ; therefore he hath 
 given us outward signs and symbols, as a mean or 
 medium to help our faith, and lead us continually to 
 remember him to our comfort. Doth our great and 
 endless comfort arise, and is it maintained in our 
 hearts, by the continual remembrance of Christ's 
 death and blood-shedding ONLY ? O that in the 
 belief of this, we may be ever exercising our thoughts 
 upon him ; looking more continually to him ; be ever 
 remembering Jesus at his Table and looking off from 
 every object beside him, for comfort of mind, purity 
 of heart, and eternal salvation of our souls. But, 
 
 5. Will any one say, Cannot I remember Christ, 
 without receiving the Sacrament ? Is not the Spirit 
 of Christ able to keep up the memory of his love in 
 my heart, without these outward and visible signs ? 
 Thou mightest as well ask, Cannot I be a sincere 
 disciple of my master Jesus, without obeying his 
 commands ? Verily, such reasoning is not good ; it 
 is not the fruit of simple faith and sincere love ; it 
 doth not discover an humble, obedient mind. For 
 hath Christ instituted an outward pledge and earnest 
 of his love ? Shall we refuse it ? Are we wiser 
 than he ? O soul, ever remember, he gives his holy 
 " Spirit to those (only) who obey him," Acts, v. 32. 
 When Jesus had by a miracle raised the daughter of 
 Jarius to hfe, he would not keep her alive by a miracle, 
 but " commanded that something should be given 
 " her to eat." Mark, v. 43. Beware tiierefore, O 
 Christian, of living in disobedience to the Lord's 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 83 
 
 positive command. Consider, thy growth in grace 
 and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, is 
 connected with the duty. Away then with all such 
 reasoning ; which is not from faith in the Lord's word, 
 and which tends to deprive our souls of that great 
 and endless comfort j which is enjoyed in this continual 
 remembrance of him. 
 
 O soul, wheresoever thou art, whatsoever thou 
 hast been, though even the vilest of sinners ; yet if 
 now thou hast faith in Jesus in thy heart, and the 
 desire of thy soul is tov/ard him, to save thee from 
 thy sins ; O come and remember thy Lord's love at 
 his Table. Thou art bound to this by all the ties of 
 love and gratitude. Let not Satan, the enemy of thy 
 soul — nor thy own carnal reasonings — fears of un- 
 worthiness — scruples of unfitness, keep thee away, 
 and so prevent thy soul receiving great and endless 
 comfort from thy loving Saviour. But come and 
 join thy fellow redeemed sinners, in ascribing to Jesus 
 the glory of his grace and salvation, saying, To Mm 
 therefore J with the Father and holy Ghcst, let us 
 give (as we are most hounden) continued thanhs, 
 submitting ourselves wholly to his holy will and plea- 
 surCy and studying to serve him in holiness and righte- 
 ousness before him all the days of our life. Amen. 
 
 In all things to submit w-holly to the will of 
 Jesus our God, is our bounden duty, as his followers. 
 To study to serve him in true holiness and righteous- 
 ness, is our highest honour, as his beloved disciples : 
 to this we are called ; to this faith enjoins, and love 
 ever constrains. And this Sacrament ever tends, 
 through the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit, to 
 
84 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 keep up the vigour of faith in Jesus, the ardour of 
 love to Jesus, and the hfe of devotedness to his 
 service. 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 The Ministers affectionate address to the Communi- 
 cants. 
 
 Ye that do truly and earnestly repent y ^c, draw 
 Jiear with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your 
 comfort. Ye precious souls, who know the grace of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in his word, and 
 therefore believe in his name, repent of your sins, 
 have love and charity in your hearts, and desire to 
 glorify the Lord Christ by the obedience of faith ; 
 approach to his Table in person and draw near to 
 your Lord in faith ; and take this holy Sacrament to 
 your comfort. Faith in your Lord's word, is your 
 warrant to come ; and through faith expect comfort. 
 But are you ready to draw back, because you still 
 find and feel that you are a sinner ? — Are you ready 
 to say. How can I, who am a subject of sin, be a fit 
 guest at the Table of a holy Lord ? Nay, but re- 
 member it is not a good opinion of thyself, but a 
 ri^ht view of the Lord's love, and a steadfast faith in 
 his name, that puts the soul in a right frame to come 
 in. To whom then wilt thou go ? Whither wilt thou 
 flee to hide thee from the presence of the Lord ? 
 From whom canst thou obtain relief of conscience, 
 pardon of sin, and peace of mind ? Because thou 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 85 
 
 art a sinner, wilt thou therefore flee from the precious 
 Saviour, who is a God of love, rich in mercy, and 
 abundant to pardon 1 This is the way to be hardened 
 through the deceitfulness of sin. Because thou hast 
 sinned, wilt thou therefore turn thy back upon Jesus? 
 — What ! upon him " whom God hath exalted to be 
 " a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance and 
 " forgiveness of sins ?" Acts, v. 31. Nay, but this 
 were to add provoking unbelief to thy numerous sins; 
 yea, to forsake thy own mercies, and to act a base 
 ungrateful part to thy best friend. To whom then 
 should a sin-burdened conscience, a heavy-laden soul, 
 betake itself, but to him who saith, " Come unto Me, 
 " and I will give you rest?" See the humble con- 
 fidence of David's prayer; " For thy name's sake, 
 " O Lord, pardon mine iniquity (amazing plea !) for 
 " it is great" Psalm xxv. 11. A true sight and 
 sense of sin is given to us for these very ends and 
 purposes : to humble the soul under it — to break the 
 
 heart of it — to make us sick of it, and sorry for it 
 
 to cause us to flee from it, to the friend of sinners 
 for pardon and deliverance, both from the guilt of sin 
 in the conscience, and from the power of sin in the 
 life and practice. Thus is Jesus truly believed on, 
 and honoured as the Saviour, Who saith, " Turn, O 
 " backshding children. For I am married to you. 
 " Return, ye backshding children, and I will heal 
 *' your backslidings." O precious encouraging words, 
 when received in faith ; then the reply of our heart 
 is, " Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the 
 " Lord our God," Jer. iii. 14. 22. Here see the ne- 
 cessity of faith — of drawing near with faith. 
 
86 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Methinks I hear the Lord of hfe and glory putting 
 this close question to us, which he once did to his 
 beloved disciples in the days of his flesh, Will ye 
 also go aivay ? Have you seen that in my conduct 
 towards you ? Have you heard that from my words 
 to you, which tends to dishearten your minds, and 
 discourage your souls ? As he said to his church of 
 old, " O generation, see the word of the Lord : Have 
 " I been a wilderness unto Israel ? a land of dark- 
 " ness ? Wherefore say my people, We are lords, 
 " we will no more come unto thee ?" Jer. ii. 31. O 
 base ingratitude ! For what could I have done more 
 to manifest my love to you, that I have not done ? 
 And still doth there remain a single thought in your 
 hearts, of turning your back upon mey and of 
 forsaking me? O may the thought of this, quicken 
 our faith, animate our hope, and draw out our affec- 
 tions to our loving Saviour; so that with Peter we 
 may well answer, " Lord, to whom shall we go?" 
 Though we have sinned unto death, yet thou, O 
 glory for ever to thy grace ! " Thou hast the words 
 " of eternal hfe," John, vi. 68. To thee therefore 
 we will come, and confess what we are, sinners; the 
 God who receive th and justifieth, and forgiveth sin- 
 ners; to thee we will come, pleading this encouraging 
 warrant of thy own word, " if w^e confess our sins, 
 " God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and 
 " to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," 1 John, i. 9. 
 Thus evangelical faith in the heart causes the sensi- 
 ble sinner to draw nigh to God; opens the heart in 
 humble confession of sins before him ; and encourao;es 
 hope of pardon before him; and this in a way of 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 87 
 
 justice and faithfulness. The faithful soul is deeply- 
 affected with a sense of sin against the Lord ; because 
 he considers his sins as committed, not so much 
 against a God of terror and wrath, as against a 
 loving, affectionate Father in Christ Jesus. There- 
 fore, as exhorted, he is led to make his humble 
 confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon 
 his knees. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 The humble confession of the faithful. 
 
 Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jes2is 
 Christ, maker of all things, judge of all men ; we 
 acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wicked- 
 ?iess, which we from time to time most grievously 
 have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against 
 thy divine Majesty, provoking most justly thy Wrath 
 and Indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, 
 and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings: the 
 remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden 
 of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy 
 upon us, most merciful Father; for thy Son, our 
 Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all that is past ; 
 and grant that, ice may ever hereafter serve and 
 please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory 
 of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen, 
 
 Upon this humbling, self-abasing confession, 
 observe, 
 
88 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 1. That as faith forbids sin most powerfully, so it 
 humbles the soul under the sense of sin most deeply; 
 while it beholds and applies to the remedy against sin, 
 and the pardon of sin most joyfully, and influences 
 to holiness most effectually. 
 
 2. That the faithful are still the subjects of sin. 
 Those who think they are not, cannot join in this 
 confession; nor indeed do they need either Christ to 
 save, faith to justify, or the Sacrament to comfort 
 them. Sensible sinners only rightly confess sin, and 
 are heartily sorry for it : they only feel it grievous to 
 their remembrance, and an intolerable burden upon 
 their conscience. For though the fear of wrath, and 
 the dread of hell be taken from them; yet the sense 
 of love quickens their grief, and heightens their 
 sorrow, for offending against their heavenly Father. 
 Therefore, 
 
 3. With vehemence of spirit, they repeat their 
 cry. Have mercy upon us^ have mercy upon us; not 
 most wrathful Judge, but most merciful Father. 
 Though sin hinders the comfortable enjoyment of the 
 Father's love in his children's hearts, and interrupts 
 their sweet fellowship with him; yet our church 
 teaches us to call God, Father still; thereby in- 
 structing us, that sin destroys not the near relation of 
 a Father. This, God for ever stands in to all 
 beUevers in Christ Jesus. 
 
 4. We plead ONLY for thy Son our Lord Jesus 
 Christ's sakcj forgive us all that is past. Here is no 
 self-righteous plea; as, " I have not been so bad as 
 some others — though I have done some things amiss, 
 yet I have done some things good — I have been 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. Oy 
 
 constant at my church, and regular at the sacrament, 
 &c. — Lord, remember these things, and on these 
 accounts have mercy upon me." No; as such pleas 
 are most hateful to God, for they dishonour the Son 
 of his love, and set at nought his atoning blood 
 which v^^as spilt for sin: so they are abhorred also by 
 every behever in him. Therefore for Christ's sake 
 alone, we pray our Father, Have mercy upon us — 
 forgive us all that is past, 
 
 5. Consider the blessings prayed for, namely, 
 mercy and forgiveness. Mercy implies misery; and 
 forgiveness guilt. Sin hath brought both upon us. 
 The faithful are sensible of this. A sense of guilt on 
 the conscience makes them miserable : therefore they 
 cry to God to take it away. Nor can they be easy 
 with barely repeating this prayer, nor truly happy, 
 till the Lord answers them, and takes it away, and 
 fills their conscience with peace in believing. A frown 
 from an indulgent father, creates sorrow in the breast 
 of a loving child ; he cannot be in ease and comfort, 
 till the father's loving smile is again bestowed. So 
 it is with the lovins: children of God. And 
 therefore they pray. Grant that we may hereafter 
 serve and please thee in newness of life. Sensible 
 that this is their constant duty, yet they know the 
 power of living thus cometh from God; therefore 
 they seek it from his grace. But what is the end 
 they have in view, in serving and pleasing God in 
 newness of life ? Is it to merit his favour, or to ren- 
 der themselves the objects of his love, and to entitle 
 themselves to his kingdom ? No ; these are ends 
 quite subversive of their faith in God : " who, to the 
 
90 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 " praise and glory of his grace," according to the 
 great love wherewith he loved us, " hath made us 
 ^' accepted in the beloved," Eph. i. 6. And such 
 views lead from the free everlasting favour of God, 
 who " hath saved us, and called us with a holy call- 
 '* ing, not according to our works, but according to 
 " his own purpose and grace, which was given us in 
 " Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9. 
 Besides, this were to set up our serving and pleasing 
 God, in opposition to our hope of eternal life through 
 the free promise of a faithful God: " in hope of 
 " eternal hfe, which God, who cannot lie, promised 
 " before the world began," 1 Tit. i. 9. Therefore 
 newness of life springs from new covenant grace, 
 received out of the fulness of Jesus, who is " the new 
 " and living way." Serving and pleasing God in 
 newness of life, is to the most glorious ends, even to 
 the HONOUR and glory of his name, through Jesvs 
 Christ our Lord. For we are delivered from the law, 
 as a covenant of works, whereby to obtain God's 
 favour, and a title to his kingdom. But we are called 
 to serve in newness of spirit, from faith in Jesus, 
 with love to God, through the grace of the Spirit, 
 ^* and not in the oldness of the letter," Rom. vii. 6. 
 Not as under the curse of the law — the fear of wrath 
 — and dreading the terrors of hell — striving to pla- 
 cate divine justice, and to appease an angry God. 
 No, blessed be God for Jesus Christ, the Son of God 
 hath made us free indeed from all this. It is a glo- 
 rious liberty he hath called us to. A most sweet and 
 pleasant service we are enjoined, even to live by faith 
 on the Son of God — to live as becometh the sons of 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 91 
 
 God—" to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us," 
 Eph. V. 2. and " to serve God without fear, in hoh- 
 " ness and righteousness before him all the days of 
 " our hves," Luke, i. 75. And thus God is honoured 
 and glorified, when by the grace of God, his 
 " children have their conversation in the world," 
 2 Cor. i. 12. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 The ministerial ahsolution pronounced. 
 
 Almighty God, our heavenly Father y who of 
 his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to 
 all them that with hearty repentance and true faith 
 turn unto him ; have mercy upon you, pardon and 
 deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen 
 you in all goodness, and hring you to everlasting life 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
 Every sentence is full of the abundant grace, the 
 pardoning mercy, and the forgiving love of our hea- 
 venly Father: springing from his everlasting loving 
 mind, manifested in his beloved Son, and revealed 
 and promised in his gospel of glad tidings to sinners. 
 What true Christian but will from his heart join his 
 sincere Amen to each sentence ? We all daily stand 
 in need of mercy to pardon; mercy to deliver us from 
 our sins: mercy to confirm and strengthen us in all 
 goodness, and mercy to bring us to everlasting life. 
 All is of God's great mercy from first to last. There- 
 
02 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 fore " the faithful are looking for the mercy of our 
 *' Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life/' Jude, 21. 
 Methinks one is here led to view the Lord of love, 
 commanding the high-priest of old, " to bless his 
 " people with these Trinity of evangelical blessings," 
 Numb. vi. 23. See. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. 
 Here is the abiding, preserving love of God the 
 Father. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, 
 and he gracious unto thee. — Here is the comfort of 
 the bright shining grace of God the Son, the sun of 
 righteousness. The Lord lift up his countenance 
 upon thee, and give thee peace. — Here is the sweet 
 communion of God the Holy Ghost, in giving peace 
 to the beheving soul. 
 
 Then shall the priest say, 
 For the comfort of drooping minds, and for reviving 
 dejected spirits of poor sinners: Hear what comforta- 
 ble words our Saviour Christ saith to all who truly 
 turn unto him; Come unto 7ne, all who travel and are 
 heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Matt. xi. 28. 
 Turning from sin, and turning to Christ, is essential 
 to the nature of true repentance. Coming to Christ, 
 is beheving on him, and looking to him to be saved 
 from the guilt and power of sin; yea and also from 
 the very being of sin. But until this is effected in 
 glory, he refreshes our fainting spirits on earth with 
 rest in him ; strengthening food from him ; reviving 
 cordials of love by his word and spirit : so he enables 
 us to hold on, hold out and to " endure to the end, 
 " seeino' him who is invisible." 
 
 o 
 
 Again he declares So God loved the world, that he 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 93 
 
 gave his only begotten Son, to the end, that all 
 who believe in him should not perish but have ever- 
 lasting life, John, iii. 16. Sinners, estimate the love 
 of God the Father to you by the gift he gave for you. 
 True, this aggravates your sins; this deeply affects 
 your beheving minds ; this sinks you in low abase- 
 ment. It is fit it should. But say, have you sinned 
 against a Father's love ? Still there is the love of a 
 father's heart to pardon and save you. Here is a 
 sweet word suppHed in this passage of scripture, by 
 our venerable compilers, which is not in our Enghsh 
 translation ; " to the end that all who beUeve, &c." 
 It is as though they had said. Verily, the very end 
 for which God gave his Son to a world of sinners, is 
 answered upon thee, even upon thee, whosoever thou 
 art, who beUevest in Jesus. Though thou art a sin- 
 ner in thyself, yet thou shalt never perish — God's 
 end is answered upon thee — thou shalt assuredly 
 have everlasting life. Most comfortable hope ! 
 Again we are called upon ; 
 
 Hear also what St. Paid saith, 
 This is a true saying y and worthy of all men to be 
 received^ that Jesus Christ came into the world to save 
 sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. The trembhng self-abased 
 sinner is prone to be looking within himself, to find 
 some worth or worthiness whereon to fix his hope of 
 eternal hfe. But here is a faithful saying, firm as 
 the rock of ages, and durable as eternity itself, for 
 him to receive : " Christ Jesus came into the world 
 " to save sinners." But the humble soul is ready to 
 start back, and utter this objection, " but I am not 
 " worthy to receive it."— True, but know, O soul. 
 
94 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 the worthiness hes in the saying, not in the receiver. 
 It is worthy of all men, yet no man is worthy of it. 
 If it was never to be received but by those who are 
 worthy of it, verily, the end of Jesus' s coming would 
 be frustrated. Was Paul worthy of it ? No, says 
 he, I am the chief of sinners ; " In me, that is in 
 " my flesh, dwelleth no good thing." If an inspired 
 apostle was not worthy of this saying, who is ? Yet 
 he accounted both the saying, and Jesus the sub- 
 stance of the saying, worthy to be received by him. 
 It is worthy to be received by the worst and vilest of 
 sinners in all ages also. They who receive it have 
 this infallible evidence, " they come to Christ," for 
 they are partakers of like precious faith with St. 
 Paul and the rest of the apostles. They have also 
 the same blessed object to look to, and live upon, 
 even Jesus the Saviour of sinners. 
 
 Hear also what St, John saith. 
 If any man sin, we have an advocate with the 
 Father y Jesus Christ the righteous : and he is the 
 propitiation for our sins, 1 John, ii. 1 , 2. Here is a 
 sovereign remedy for sinners, and against all the 
 sad effects of sin ; but not one encouraging word 
 concerning sin. Though the sight of sin dejects, 
 and though the sense of sin distresses us : yet belief 
 in our propitiation. Advocate, and Pleader, Jesus, 
 before the throne, forbids despair, encourages hope, 
 and animates joy. Therefore the minister exhorts. 
 
 Lift up your hearts. 
 
 Pore not over yourselves : let not your hearts be cast 
 down : sorrow not as sinners without hope ,* but lift 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 95 
 
 up your hearts unto Jesus. Look to his propitiation 
 for sin, and to him, the advocate for sinners. 
 
 We reply, We lift them up unto the Lord. 
 Faith in the Lord's word causes hearts to ascend up 
 wliither the Lord is. 
 
 Priest. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God, 
 
 People. Lt is meet and right so to do. 
 That we, God provoking sinners, are out of hell, is 
 matter for praise : that we are in the land of hope, 
 calls for our thanksgiving ; but that we really have 
 in our hearts " Jesus, the hope of glory, the hope 
 " of salvation ;" O this calls for the loudest praises 
 from us ! Therefore the minister declares to the Lord, 
 
 Lt is very meet, right, and our hounden duty, that 
 we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks 
 unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, Almighty, ever^ 
 lasting God. O the solemn sight ! O the joyful 
 harmony, when a company of sinners, saved by 
 grace, are prostrate before the Lord, and uniting its 
 heart and voice in this sweet ascription ! In this, 
 earth conspires with heaven, to laud and magnify the 
 glorious riches of redeeming grace and dying love I 
 
 TJierefore with angels and archangels, and with all 
 the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy 
 glorious name ! — Why therefore ? Truly, for one 
 and the same reason. For all the heavenly host, 
 with the church triumphant above, praise and mag- 
 nify the glorious name, divine attributes, and har- 
 monious perfections of Jehovah for his salvation in 
 Christ Jesus. So the church militant on earth, 
 having seen the glory of God shining in the person 
 of Jesus, unite in the same ascriptions of glory, and 
 
96 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 acclamations of joy. For we, perishing sinners, 
 once lost, are now brought home by the love of God 
 the Father, through the grace of God the Saviour, 
 by the power of God the Sanctifier. — This causes joy 
 in the presence of the holy angels; and joy amongst 
 all the redeemed on earth as well as heaven. For we 
 have " beheld by faith the glory of Jesus, as of the 
 '* only begotten of the Father, full of grace and 
 " truth," John, i. 14. He hath saved us by the 
 fulness of his grace, according to the truth of Jeho- 
 vah, " This the angels desire to pry into," 1 Pet. i. 
 12. They partake of its joy, and join to give us 
 glory for it. 
 
 Evermore praising thee, and saying , Holy, holy, 
 holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full 
 of thy glory. These words are borrowed from in- 
 spiration. " I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne," 
 says Isaiah, vi. 1. What Lord? Not God essen- 
 tially considered. No man hath thus seen God at 
 any time. His essence is not to be seen by mortal 
 eye. But, like Stephen, he saw " Jesus Christ, who 
 " is Lord of all, in whom dwells all the fulness of 
 " the Godhead bodily.'' Col. ii. 9. An infallible 
 expositor explains this, John, xii. 41. " These 
 " things spake Isaiah, when he saw his glory and 
 " spake of him;" even Jesus. And the cry around 
 his throne was. Holy, holy, holy. Holy Father, 
 holy Son, holy Ghost; "Thou ONE Lord of hosts." 
 For thou lovest and savest sinners, according to thine 
 own holiness, to the glory of thine own name, and 
 thine own grace. Thy life in flesh was a life of un- 
 spotted holiness. All the doctrines of thy gospel 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 97 
 
 display thy holiness ; and lead thy redeemed ones to 
 love holiness, and to follow after holiness. Heaven 
 and earth are full of thy glory. Jesus shewed forth 
 the glory of his " eternal power and godhead," in 
 the miracles he wrought on earth. He still manifests 
 his glory in heaven, in his miracles of grace on the 
 hearts of sinners. We have felt and experienced 
 this; and now we join to give him the glory of it, 
 with all his redeemed ones in heaven and earth. 
 We, before his throne of grace on earth ; they, 
 before his throne of glory in heaven ; saying, " Holy, 
 " holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, which was, and 
 " is, and is to come," Rev. iv. 8. 
 
 Glory he to thee, O Lord most high. To thee, 
 who once emptiedst thyself of thy glory, madest 
 thyself of no reputation, and became obedient to the 
 death of the cross ; but art now, " O Christ, with 
 " the Holy Ghost, most high in the glory of God 
 " the Father." To thee be all the glory of our sal- 
 vation. Amen, so be it, for ever. 
 
 But when Isaiah had seen this visioi), struck with 
 a sense of his own state as a sinner, he cries out, 
 " Woe is me, I am undone, for I am a man unclean; 
 " mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts." 
 So Peter fell down before Jesus, with " I am a sinful 
 " man O Lord," Luke, v. 8. And St. John, when 
 he beheld the glory of Jesus, " fell at his feet as 
 " dead," Rev. i. 17. Thus we, after our hearts 
 have been aspiring towards heaven, considering the 
 Lord's grace and glory, praising the Lord with our 
 tono-ues, we return to a view of ourselves, and to an 
 acknowledgement of our utter unworthiness to the 
 
 F 
 
98 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Lord. O that we may be favoured as Isaiah was ! 
 May a Uve coal from the altar of Jesus' love touch 
 our hearts with " Lo, thine iniquity is taken away, 
 " and thy sin purged." May Jesus speak to our 
 hearts as he did to St. John, " Fear not." — Why are 
 our fears forbid ? Is it because we are not sinners, 
 and have no sin in us ? No : we should above all fear 
 this he. But, " behold I your Saviour, your Salva- 
 " tion, who was dead, am alive for evermore ; and 
 " have the keys of hell and death." Here is the 
 life of our faith : this the death of our fears : this 
 the joy of our souls. For our Jesus hath said, 
 " because I live, ye shall live also," John, xiv. 13. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 The faithful join in renouncing all plea in their 
 workSf and all trust in themselves. 
 
 We do not presume to come to this thy table, O 
 merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, 
 hut in thy manifold and great mercies. It is as 
 natural to us all to trust in our own righteousness, 
 as it is to sin against God ; yea, so to trust in it, as 
 to expect to be saved for our own good works and 
 obedience. This leaven of pride is hid in our fallen 
 nature. How came we to renounce it ? It is an act 
 of special grace to see it, and be delivered from it. 
 It is part of our salvation to be saved from trusting 
 to what we are in ourselves, to what we can do to 
 save ourselves ; and to commend ourselves entirely to 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 99 
 
 the free favour and undeserved grace of God. For 
 it is of the very essence of our Christian faith to 
 beheve (contrary to our proud, natural notions) that 
 the Lord hath loved us freely, justified usfrlly, and 
 saved us whollyy by his great mercy, through the 
 blood and righteousness of his dear Son. As this 
 behef is according to the scriptures ; so it inspires 
 trust in Christ alone. Love of heart, and devotion 
 of life to him, proceed from it. The view of 
 Christ's righteousness at once begets confidence in it, 
 and deadens the sinner's trust in his own. Hence he 
 becomes of the " true circumcision, who worship 
 " God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus only, and 
 " have no confidence in the flesh." Phil. iii. 3. 
 Such see the mercy of the Master of the feast, in 
 cloathing their naked souls with his robe of righte- 
 ousness, and in feeding their hungry souls with his 
 body and blood. They come to his Table to give him 
 the glory of these, his manifold and great mercies to 
 them. But those cannot be thankful for Christ's 
 righteousness, who trust in an imaginary righteous- 
 ness of their own. They cannot join with our church 
 in truth. If they repeat these words, the trust of 
 their hearts gives their tongues the lie. 
 
 But it is too common for those to be most confident 
 of their state, who have the least cause for it. The 
 humble, self-abased behever in Christ, seeing so 
 much in himself, he abhors himself, and judges 
 himself unworthy to come to the Lord's Table : 
 while the self-righteous pharisee is a stranger to any 
 doubts and fears, because he is blinded to his own 
 state as a sinner, by an imaginary goodness and 
 
 f2 
 
300 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 righteousness he thinks himself possessed of. Hence 
 he is confident of his access to God, and acceptance 
 with God ; thinking he has some goodness to recom- 
 mend himself to the favour of God. Most precious 
 is the word of the Lord. There is not a frame of 
 spirit we are in danger of faUing into, nor a hope we 
 can indulge in our hearts, which is contrary to the 
 grace and truth of the gospel, and injurious to our 
 own soul, but what our Lord hath censured and con- 
 demned in his word. See the picture of the pharisee 
 and the publican drawn by him, who perfectly knows 
 what is in the heart of man, Luke, xviii. 
 
 Behold the self-righteous pharisee, with his look 
 of confidence towards heaven : hear his proud, yet 
 affectedly humble boast, " God, I thank thee, that / 
 " am not as other men.'' A lost sinner in myself. I 
 have some goodness of my own to plead before thee 
 — some righteousness of my own to trust in, and to 
 recommend myself to thee — I am not as other men ; 
 not upon a level with the common herd of sinners, 
 in point of acceptance with thee, and of justification 
 in thy sight ; " not even as this publican." I have 
 fasted twice this week — 1 have been guilty of no out- 
 ward gross sin — I have prepared myself for thy Table 
 — now I am come to do my duty — to satisfy my 
 conscience in performing this farther good work of 
 receiving the holy Sacrament ; in order to maintain 
 a good opinion of myself; to keep up thy favour 
 towards me ; and to entitle me to salvation. Here is 
 a whited sepulchre, fair without, foul within. 
 
 View, as the greatest contrast, the humble, self- 
 abased publican — see him " standing afar off," con- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 101 
 
 scious that he is not worthy in himself to draw nigh 
 to a holy God— convinced that he has nothing in 
 himself, nor has done any thing, for which he 
 deserves God's favour — not daring " to lift up his 
 " eyes to heaven." But looking into the dreadful 
 corruption and depravity of his own desperately 
 wicked and deceitful heart — poring over the ruins 
 and misery of his fallen nature — seeing swarms of 
 lusts and corruptions within, and innumerable trans- 
 gressions outwardly in his life ; so that, like David, 
 " his iniquities have taken such hold of him, that he 
 " is not able to look up." Therefore, sensible that he 
 is condemned by the righteous law of God, and exposed 
 to the severe justice of God ; and that he is not able 
 to fulfil the former, nor to ward off the latter ; behold, 
 he smites his labouring, sin-accused breast — consci- 
 ence is cut off from every hope and every plea in 
 himself; he unburthens his sin-distressed mind, and 
 breathes forth the ardent cry of his sorrowful heart, 
 God he merciful to me a sinner ! A sinner who has 
 nothing in himself to plead for pardon from thee, or 
 justification by thee. A sinner, who, for every thing 
 found in him and done by him, thou mightest justly 
 condemn him. Lord, I flee from myself to thee — 
 from all hope, all trust in myself, to that free mercy 
 and sovereign grace which is in thee, and by which 
 " the ungodly are fireely justified." God be merciful 
 — Lord be propitious — Lord receive me. 
 
 This is a suitable frame of spirit, in which to 
 approach a throne of grace, and to come to the Table 
 of the Lord at all times. Nor has the most holy 
 saint on earth a greater right to the mercy of God, 
 
102 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 nor a better plea in and from himself, than this pub- 
 lican had : " For the scripture hath concluded all 
 under sin," Gal. iii. 22. The whole world is 
 become guilty before God. Therefore " every mouth 
 is stopped/' Rom. iii. 19. We have no plea of 
 righteousness in and of ourselves : those who think 
 otherwise, are wiser even than our Lord. Now hear 
 the judgment of the friend of sinners upon these 
 two opposite characters. " I tell you;" I, who shall 
 judge all flesh, assure you, " this man went down to 
 '^' his house justified, rather than the other." Hear 
 the reason. " For every one who exalteth himself 
 " shall be abased ; and he who humbleth himself 
 " shall be exalted." *' Every one who is proud in 
 " heart, is an abomination to the Lord," Prov. xvi. 5. 
 " God resisted the proud, but giveth grace unto the 
 " humble." James, iv. 4. ^^ He fiUeth the hungry 
 ** with good things f but the rich (such as are in- 
 creased in goods, and need nothing) " he sendeth 
 " empty away." Now consider the end and design 
 of our Lord in these famihar images. " Jesus spoke 
 " this parable unto certain, who trusted in themselves 
 ^' that they were righteous^ Pray mind what is here 
 condemned, trusting that we are righteous in ourselves. 
 — This is very natural to us all : 1 . Because of our 
 partial views of the perfect and righteous law of God ; 
 2. From comparing our outward conduct with that of 
 others ; and, 3. Through the pride of our hearts. 
 Hence we think we are righteous, and trust in our- 
 selves as being so. But our Lord spoke this very 
 parable to condemn all this ; yea, to discourage such 
 a thought from being ever indulged in our minds. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 103 
 
 VVhenever it is, that moment we fall under his censure 
 in this parable ; for a righteous sinner is a contradic- 
 tion in terms. If we are righteous, we are no longer 
 sinners. If sinners, we are not righteous. Even 
 inspired apostles do not declare they were righteous, 
 but sinners in themselves. For, " if we say that ice 
 " have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is 
 " not in us," 1 John, i. 8. But if we think we are 
 righteous, then such a false conceit of ourselves will 
 instantly be attended with bold presumption towards 
 God, and with a proud and censorious spirit towards 
 our brethren and fellow-sinners. We shall despise 
 others. And it will also set us above an humble trust 
 in the blood of Christ shed for sinners, and an hum- 
 ble submission to his righteousness, wrought out for 
 the j ustification of sinners ; and therefore we shall be 
 very unfit guests for the Lord's Supper, w^hich is a 
 feast of love and grace for sinners. 
 
 We are not worthy so much as to gather up the 
 crumbs under thy table. We here confess, instead 
 of feasting as guests, we do not deserve to be even 
 treated as dogs. That soul that looks on itself as a 
 dog, will prize a crumb from Jesus, the Master's 
 table. But, saith our Lord, " It is not meet to take 
 " the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." 
 Still faith will reply, " Truth, Lord, yet dogs eat the 
 " crumbs which fall from the master's table." Though 
 we are not children of God by nature, but " children 
 ^* of wrath even as others ;" though sin has cut off 
 all plea of worthiness in ourselves : yet looking by 
 faith to God's precious promises in Christ Jesus, to 
 undeserving sinners, we are encouraged to take and 
 
104 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 feed upon the bread of life. To this we are freely 
 invited. God denies us nothing, when, like Abraham, 
 we plead, " I am dust and ashes," Gen. xviii. 27. 
 Jesus is pleased with humble faith. He honours it. 
 He feeds and comforts the subjects of it, because it 
 honours him. It puts a glory upon his word and 
 work. It empties the soul. It causes it to hunger 
 after him, and to plead with him. 
 
 For thou art the same Lord, whose property is 
 always to have mercy. What same Lord ? Even he, 
 who appeared to our first parents, after their fall into 
 sin and misery, with love in his heart, and with a free 
 and gracious promise of mercy on his tongue. The 
 same Lord who speaks to us sinners in the word, 
 " Behold ye, my beloved, in whom my soul dehght- 
 " eth," Isa. xliii. 1. "This is my beloved son, in 
 " whom I am well pleased, hear ye him." Matt, 
 xvii. 5. We have beheld by faith ; we have heard 
 the sweet voice of the Son of God, speaking, as 
 never man spake, to our hearts. He hath invited us 
 to his Table. We are come to plead the grace of 
 our Lord Jesus, thy Son ; and to obtain thy mercy, 
 God, our Father, to the comfort of our souls. 
 For, " Thou art the same Lord over all, rich in mercy, 
 " to all who call upon thee," Rom. x. 12. 
 
 Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat 
 the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink 
 his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by 
 his body, and our souls washed through his most pre-* 
 cious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, 
 and he in us. 
 
 Like as the bread and the wine are received into 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 105 
 
 US, incorporated, and become one with us, in a natu- 
 ral way ; so we pray, that the flesh and blood of 
 Christ may be received into our hearts by fliith, after 
 an heavenly and spiritual manner. Here is the mys- 
 tery of godhness. Our bodies are naturally sinful ; 
 our souls are polluted with guilt. But, as our church 
 sweetly expresses it, in the communion collect for 
 Christmas Day, " Christ was made very man, of the 
 " substance of the Virgin Mary, his mother, and 
 " that without sin, to make us clean from all sin." 
 So we expect cleansing by his blessed body and 
 precious blood from all sin and pollution, both of 
 body and soul. Thus we are made perfect, as per- 
 taining to our consciences, so as to have no more 
 sense of sin to our guilt and condemnation. Thus 
 we live in a holy pardoned state, ever dwelling in 
 Christ by faith, and Christ in us by his spirit. O 
 may " the very God of peace sanctify us wholly, 
 " that our whole spirit, and soul and body, may be 
 " preserved blameless in the everlasting union of the 
 " Son of God, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus 
 " Christ," 1 Thess. v. 23. 
 
 Then follows the prayer of consecration. 
 Observe, our church doth not deem it an act, as 
 though by some certain word spoken, or action done 
 by the priest, the natural elements of the bread and 
 wine were transubstantiated, and changed into the 
 very substance of the body and blood of Christ. 
 No : but as before we receive our natural food, it is 
 the reasonable duty and constant practice of every 
 Christian to look up to God, and beg his blessing 
 
 F 3 
 
106 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 upon it ; so, in this spiritual feast of our souls, the 
 bread and wine are sanctified hy the word of God 
 and prayer. Jesus, our God, hath commanded these 
 elements to be set apart for this holy use, to continue 
 a perpetual memorial of his precious death till he 
 come again. He set us an example herein, for he 
 blessed the bread before he broke it. This was the 
 apostohc practice. The cup of blessing is blessed ; 
 and " the bread, which is broke, is thus sanctified 
 " or set apart," 1 Cor. x. 16. But, believing the 
 bread and wme still retain their natural state, we 
 pi'ay, 
 
 Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humhhj 
 heseech thee; and grant that we, receiving these thy 
 CREATURES of bread and icine (creatures still) ac- 
 cording to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Clirisfs holy 
 institution, may he partakers of his most Messed body 
 and blood, &c. 
 
 ^^ Do this in remembrance of me," saith our Lord. 
 It is the joy of believing hearts to remember thee, 
 our Saviour. O Lord Jesus Christ, do thou remem- 
 ber us now thou art in thy kingdom. 
 
 CHAP. XXVL 
 
 The act of receiving the Lord's Supper. 
 
 After the minister hath received the Communion 
 himself, he proceeds to deliver it to the people, 
 kneelino". Those who w^ere favoured with our Lord's 
 bodily presence, were indulged to sit with him. Now 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 107 
 
 Jesus is gone into his kingdom, we " come and 
 " worship, bow down, and kneel before him, the 
 " Lord our maker," Psahn xcvi. 5. 
 
 The minister pronounceth these words to each 
 communicant. 
 
 The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, ichich was 
 given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto ever- 
 lasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that 
 Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart 
 by faith with thanksgiving. 
 
 The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was 
 shed for thee, preserve thy body and soid unto ever- 
 lasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ's 
 blood was shed for thee, and be thankful. 
 
 The Lord help us to dwell in sweet meditation 
 upon these precious words, and to draw some com- 
 fort from them. Here is, first, a declaration, ^^ The 
 " Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given 
 " for thee."" Here a poor sinner may be ready to ask. 
 By what authority does the minister thus particularly 
 declare this of me ? On what ground may I venture 
 to believe, that the Body and Blood of Jesus was 
 given for my soul in particular I The answer is very 
 plain and easy. All the objects of the Father's love, 
 and of his Son's redemption, are made in due time 
 the subjects of his Spirit's grace and influence. All, 
 foi- whom the Lord Jesus gave his body and blood to 
 be sacrificed and shed ; to whom he gives repentance 
 unto life, when they return from sin, and faith to 
 turn to him. Thou, O soul, hast publicly professed 
 to have received these. Therefore the minister speaks 
 thus to thee. These words are not pronounced indis- 
 
108 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 criminately to any one, much less to every one, without 
 respect to the profession they make of faith in Jesus 
 — repentance towards God — charity towards our 
 neighbour— and an intention to lead a new hfe, fol- 
 lowing the commandments of God, Sfc. But every 
 one, who comes to the Lord's Table in our church, 
 does first make this solemn profession. Therefore, 
 in the judgment of charity, founded upon the reason 
 of the thing, this ministerial declaration is pronoun- 
 ced . So sure as thou hast faith in thy heart in the 
 life and death of Jesus for sinners, verily his body 
 was given for thee, and his blood was shed for thee. 
 Thus is the minister fully justified in this declaration. 
 He cannot see the heart. If men profess to be wliat 
 they are not, they may deceive ministers, but not 
 God. 
 
 For these graces, of faith, repentance, love, and 
 hohness, are the fruits of the Spirit : we partake of 
 them by a new birth into Christ, and union to him 
 through faith. Our being new born into Christ, and 
 believing on him, is in consequence of Christ's loving 
 us, and giving himself to redeem and save us. If 
 Jesus had no love to thee, O soul, thou wouldest 
 never have had one grain of real faith in him, hope 
 in him, desire of salvation by him, nor atFection of 
 heart towards him ; nor would thy heart ever have 
 felt the least degree of godly sorrow for sin — grief at 
 having offended him — concern of soul for want of 
 love to him — nor sense of uneasiness for being unlike 
 him ; neither wouldest thou have any desire of fellow- 
 ship with hira, nor concern about living at a distance 
 from him, nor dread of eternal separation from the 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 109 
 
 Lord of life and glory. Desires after communion and 
 fellowship with Jesus, by faith, are the results of his 
 love to us, and grace in us: they evidence knowledge 
 of him, views of him, and dehght in him. And that 
 our sins and corruption do cause sorrow and distress 
 of soul to us, this is still a farther evidence of a 
 heart alive to Jesus, and panting after the enjoyment 
 of him. Therefore, by the Christian's sorrows, as 
 well as his joys, is he known to be peculiarly belo- 
 ved of Christ; because both the one and the other 
 spring from faith in him. And thus our state is mani- 
 fested, and our conversion evidenced, by the faith of 
 our heart in Jesus. In looking after various marks 
 and evidences of our interest in Christ, ^^ Faith, 
 ^' which is the substance of things hoped for, and 
 " demonstrable evidence of things not seen," Heb. 
 xi. 1. is too often overlooked: and then no marvel if 
 souls are distressed. For, faith draws all its hope 
 from the word of Christ; all its strength from the 
 fulness of Christ; and all its assurances from the 
 promises which are in Christ: and by faith the soul 
 cleaves to, loves, lives upon, and glorifies the Son of 
 God. Vv^e can fix upon no object besides Christ, to 
 derive a comfortable assurance of our own interest in 
 his love and salvation. For the Father's love is mani- 
 fested in him. The Spirit's witness is enjoyed in the 
 heart, through the faith of him. 
 
 All genuine marks and evidences centre in, and 
 flow from this one truth, our vital union to Christ by 
 faith. Our conversion is evidenced by our coming to 
 Christ; that is,- receiving him by faith, or believing 
 on him. That " Christ dwells in our hearts by faith;" 
 
110 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 that *' Christ is in us the hope of glory;" that 
 " Christ is made precious to us by faith ;" that we 
 feed upon him in our hearts hy faith : these are sure 
 marhs of his love to us, and our interest in him. 
 Hence St. Paul exhorts, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. '* Examine 
 " yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your 
 " own selves; know ye not your own selves how 
 " that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- 
 " bates?" So that the proof that we are in the faith, 
 is, that Christ is in us by faith. And thus saith St. 
 John, 1st epist. v. 20. " We hnow that the Son of 
 " God is come, and hath given us an understanding 
 ^' heart, that we may know him that is true; and we 
 " are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. 
 ^' This is the true God, and eternal life." So that 
 we know that we are in Christ Jesus, and have eter- 
 nal life, because we have an understanding heart to 
 know Christ and believe on him. Thus the Spirit 
 o-brifies Christ in our hearts, and bears witness of 
 him to our consciences. So that we can say, with 
 the church, " My beloved is mine, and I am his," 
 Cant. ii. 16. And with St. Paul, ^' Christ loved me, 
 '' and gave himself for me,"" Hence, the life we live 
 in the flesh, we live " by faith on the Son of God," 
 Gal. ii. 20. O that Christ, the sun of righteousness, 
 was more looked to, for his enlivening rays of com- 
 fort; and more Hved upon for the divine joy of assu- 
 rance. 
 
 This is an excellent passage in the homily of our 
 church on the sacrament: '^ Always holding fast, and 
 '^ cleaving by faith, to the rock (Christ) whence we 
 " may suck the sweetness of everlasting salvation." 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. Ill 
 
 Thus the faithful see^ hear, and know the favourable 
 mercies of God sealed, the satisfaction by Christ 
 towards us confirmed, and the remission of sin 
 established. Here they may feel wrought the tran- 
 quillity of conscience; the increase of faith; the 
 strengthening of hope; the large spreading abroad 
 of brotherly kindness; with many other sundiy graces 
 of God. The taste whereof they cannot attain to, 
 who be drowned in the deep dirty lake of blindness 
 and ignorance. From the which (O beloved) wash 
 yourselves in the hving waters of God's word, whence 
 you may perceive and know both the spiritual food of 
 this costly Supper, and the happy trustings and 
 effects, that, by the blessing of the holy Spirit, the 
 same doth bring with it. Now it followeth to have 
 with this knowledge, a sure and constant faith; not 
 only that the death of Christ is available for the 
 redemption of all the world, for the remission of sins, 
 and reconciliation of God the Father; but also, that 
 he hath made upon his cross a full and sufficient 
 sacrifice for thee, a perfect cleansing of thy sins ; so 
 that thou acknowledgest no other Saviour, Redeemer, 
 Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, but Christ only ; 
 and that thou mayest say with the apostle, that he 
 loved thee, and gave himself for thee. For this is to 
 stick fast in Christ's promise, made in his institution 
 (of the Supper) to make Christ thine own, and to 
 apply his merits unto thyself." O, may the Lord the 
 Spirit enable us so to do ! We should beware of 
 such who deny the heart- felt comforts of faith : the 
 seeing, hearing, knowing, tasting, and feeling the 
 love of Jesus, to one's own soul. For all such are 
 
112 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 strangers to the power of godliness, and unexperien- 
 ced in the comforts of Christianity. Let us con- 
 sider, 
 
 2. The precious prayer used for us in these words. 
 Preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. 
 Lord, what a miracle of rich grace, what a mercy of 
 everlasting love is here hoped for ! This crazy, infirm 
 body of mine, which is now crawling upon the earth, 
 the seat of many pains and disorders, and subject to 
 death and dissolution, and must shortly be food for 
 worms ; yet, wilt thou, O my " Saviour Lord Jesus 
 *' Christ, change this vile body, that it may be fash- 
 " ioned like unto thy glorious body?" O animating 
 hope ! And this tried, tempted, and often distressed 
 soul of mine, once dead in trespasses and sins, still 
 Hable to be defiled by sin, and harassed by Satan, 
 wilt thou preserve and bring safe to the eternal 
 enjoyment of thyself, in thine own kingdom and 
 glory ? And shall my " whole spirit, and soul, and 
 " body, be preserved blameless unto the coming 
 " of thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ?" O, for a 
 heart full of love, praise, and devotion to thee, my 
 dear redeeming God ! It is to thy unspeakable love 
 we owe these lively hopes. Methinks, when one 
 views the Son of God, our brother in flesh, we can- 
 not but think we have acted an infinitely more base 
 and ungrateful part to him, than ever the sons of 
 the Patriarch did to their brother Joseph ; yet, like 
 him, when raised to the head of Pharaoh's house, 
 our Jesus, who ^' is exalted at the right hand of God," 
 thus speaks to us in the like affectionate language 
 of Joseph to his unkind brethren, " Come near to me 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 113 
 
 " — I am your brother— therefore be not grieved :" 
 sorrow not as men without hope : though your sins 
 sold me to the Jews, and nailed me to the accursed 
 cross, and pierced me with the cruel spear; " yet 
 " God did send me before you to preserve life," Gen. 
 xiv. 5. You were sanctified by God, my Father; 
 preserved in me, your anointed Saviour; and you are 
 called now to know me: therefore, '* mercy be unto 
 " you, and peace and love be multiplied," Jude, i. 2. 
 " As my Father has given me power over all flesh, 
 " that I should give eternal hfe to as many as he hath 
 '' given me," John, xvi. 2. Therefore, '' whoso 
 " eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath 
 *' eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last 
 " day," John, vi. 54. I have given you to have eter- 
 nal life by faith in me now, ye shall assuredly enjoy 
 the fruition of it in glory with me hereafter. Thus 
 speaks our loving Lord, in the affection of his heart, 
 to all his beloved brethren. O that, while our eyes 
 flow with tears of love, and oar hearts are filled with 
 sorrow for our sins, our souls might be comforted 
 with the joys of faith, and the hope of everlasting 
 hfe, from the words of Jesus ! For consider, 
 
 3. The injunction. Take and eat this in remem- 
 brance that Christ died for thee — Drink this in 
 remembrance that Christ's blood ic as shed for thee. 
 Put forth thy hand, and take these pledges of thy 
 Lord's love; eat and drink these instituted signs 
 of his most blessed body, which was given for 
 thee; and of his most precious blood, which was 
 shed for thee. Exercise the faith of thy heart, the 
 hope of thy mind, and the love of thy soul upon him; 
 
114 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 who died on the cross for thy sins, procured pardon 
 for them by his blood, and hath obtained eternal re- 
 demption for thy soul. Remember all this. Let thy 
 Lord have all the praise, and all the glory of his 
 love, and of thy salvation. O, when one considers 
 the guilt, the curse, the misery, and the wrath of 
 God, which were first brought upon us, by the put- 
 ting forth of the hands of our first parents to take 
 and eat the fruit forbidden by the Lord, one is struck 
 with terror and dread. When we reflect how often 
 we have put forth our hands, and have taken and fed 
 upon such things which are forbidden by our Lord, 
 and might have proved the eternal death and destruc- 
 tion of our precious souls, verily, we must sink into 
 shame and sorrow. Well might the Holy Ghost put 
 this cutting interrogation to us, ^* what fruit had ye 
 " then in those things, of which ye are now ashamed ? 
 " For the end of those things is death." Rom. vi. 
 21. Truly, we now find it so. We have put forth 
 our hands to sow sin, we now reap shame, and 
 justly deserve to receive our wages, eternal death. 
 But O, what a loving friend is Jesus to us, even to 
 us, his enemies ! For, " while we were yet enemies, 
 " Christ died for us— he hath reconciled us to God 
 ^' by his death." And how sweetly may we reason 
 with the apostle : " Much more being reconciled, we 
 " shall be saved by his life," Rom. v. 10. And doth 
 he thus command us ? "If thine enemy hunger, 
 " feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so 
 " doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head," 
 Rom. xii. 20. O how effectually hath the Son of God 
 thus acted towards us ! To our hungry souls, he gives 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 115 
 
 his blessed body for food. To our thirsting spirits, 
 he gives his precious blood for drink. With the hea- 
 venly fire of divine love, he melts down the enmity of 
 our hearts ; dissolves their natural hardness into the 
 heavenly disposition of love. We hate our former 
 base and injurious conduct towards our God. We 
 are ashamed of ourselves for it. We love our com- 
 passionate Lord, who has acted most lovingly to- 
 wards us. Consider, 
 
 4. The exhortation. Feed ow Mm in thy heart, 
 hy FAITH with thanksgiving. O soul ! thou who read- 
 est, and him who writest these words, how justly might 
 Jesus have said of each of us, what the haughty king 
 of Israel said of Micaiah : "Put this fellow in prison, 
 •* and feed him with the bread of affliction, and with 
 ** the water of affliction, until I come in peace," 1 
 Kings, xxii. 27. Verily, "our mouths must have been 
 " stopped, for we are all become guilty before God. 
 " The scripture hath concluded us all under sin," 
 Gal. iii. 22. And therefore to be eternally shut up in 
 the prison of hell, is our just desert. But, " O the 
 " depth of the riches both of the wisdom and know- 
 " ledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judg- 
 " ments, and his ways past finding out !" For, 
 instead of feeding upon the anguish of our guilty 
 spirits, in black despair here, and being doomed with 
 devils and damned spirits to gnaw our tongues for 
 pain in the kingdom of hell hereafter ; lo, we are 
 called to feed upon the Son of God, who is the bread 
 of life which came down from heaven, and to drink 
 of the living water of salvation ! Verily, therefore, 
 the very stones would cry out against us, if we did 
 
116 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 not give him thanks. Faith works by love, and 
 creates a thankful heart, while unbehef shuts the 
 mouth to praise. Well therefore do the faithful pray, 
 in the words of our church, " Lord, open thou our 
 " lips; and our mouths shall shew forth thy praise." 
 Well doth the minister exhort, " Feed on Jesus in 
 " thine heart by faith with thanksgiving." As faith 
 receives Jesus into the heart, so faith feeds upon and 
 digests the wonderful love and rich grace of our once 
 crucified Saviour and redeemintr God. Faith feeds 
 upon our risen, exalted, and ever-living Emmanuel, 
 in the preciousness of his person ; the fulness of his 
 grace ; the perfection of his atonement and righteous- 
 ness ; and the glory of his finished salvation for us. 
 And O, in the lively exercise of faith, how^ doth the 
 sweet incense of praise and thanksgiving arise in our 
 hearts, and ascend from our tongues to him, " who 
 " hath loved us, and hath redeemed us to God by 
 " his own blood !" Well mayest thou, O soul, join 
 in that sweet song of praise, entitled, " A joyful 
 *' thanksgiving of the faithful, for the mercies of God," 
 Isa. xii. " And in that day," that gospel-day, when 
 mercy, grace, peace, and pardon, are multiplied by 
 Jesus Christ, then " thou shalt say, O Lord, I will 
 " praise thee: though thou wast angry wdth me, 
 " thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. 
 " Behold, God is my salvation ; I will trust, and not 
 ** be afraid : for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and 
 *• my song; he also is become my salvation. There- 
 ** fore with joy do I draw water out of the wells of 
 " salvation." Thus faith is, as it were, like a bucket, 
 which draws the water of consolation and joy from 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 117 
 
 the original fountain of God the Father's everlasting- 
 love ; streaming, in all the fulness of grace, which is 
 in God the Son Christ Jesus; and communicated, 
 through the word and influence of God the Holy 
 Spirit, to the hearts of the faithful. O, this is an 
 ever-flowing, overflovvang, inexhaustible fountain of 
 joy, and a never-failing spring of praise ! Therefore, 
 from the experience of this, ver. 4. " In that day 
 " shall ye say, praise the Lord, proclaim his name, 
 " declare his doings among the people ; make men- 
 " tion that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, 
 " for he hath done excellent things ; this is known 
 " in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabi- 
 *^ tant of Zion : for great is the holy One of Israel 
 " in the midst of thee." O what a rapture of 
 extatic joy is this ! Behold — praise — declare — make 
 mention — sing — cry out — shout ! What a rich profu- 
 sion of words are here ! And all rise out of the 
 fulness of a grateful heart, to celebrate this glorious 
 truth, that our God, Jesus, is become, — What ? A 
 Saviour to make salvation probable ? To make 
 salvation possible ? To be the cause of salvation, 
 and leave us to perform the conditions to entitle us to 
 salvation ? Infinitely more : for, " behold, God is 
 " my salvation — Jehovah is become my salvation,'' 
 He is not the part of it, but the whole of it, even 
 the substance, the thing itself — salvation itself. " I 
 '^ will trust, and not be afraid ; he is my song;" says 
 the faithful, joyful, praising soul : therefore I v/dl 
 sing of the wonders of his love, and ascribe the 
 whole and sole glory of salvation to HIM ONLY. 
 
118 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 *^ heart by faith." I enjoy a hope full of immortality. 
 Then, as taught by our Lord, we again, in his words, 
 call upon his and Our Father, &c. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 The free will offering of the sacrifice of 'praise, and 
 the self-dedication of the faithful to their Lord. 
 
 O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy humhle 
 servants entirely desire thy fatherly goodness merci- 
 fully to accept this our sacrifice of ^^raise and 
 thanksgiving. 
 
 The Lord's Supper is a feast of love to us, and it 
 is a sacrifice from us to our God; but not a sacrifice 
 to make atonement for our sins, or to entitle us to the 
 favour of God. The Lord forbid that we ever 
 entertain such a thought ! It is dishonourable to the 
 blood and righteousness of the Son of God. But 
 the Sacrament is a sacrifice of praise and thanks- 
 givino^ to Jesus, who hath redeemed us to God bv his 
 blood, justified us before God by his righteousness, 
 and made us kings and priests unto God, " to offer 
 " up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto God by 
 *' Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. ii. 5. O how precious is the 
 plea of faith ! As children, we come to our heavenly 
 Father ; and we cast all our duties for acceptance upon 
 our heavenly Father's mercy ; and entirely rely upon 
 liis fatherly goodness to receive our Sacrifice. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 119 
 
 We most humbly beseech thee to grant y that, by the 
 merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and 
 through faith in his blood — 
 
 Still the faithful lean upon their beloved. Their faith 
 fixes wholly upon his merit and death. All their plea 
 is for his sake only. And what will the loving Father 
 withhold from those, who thus plead the blood of his 
 beloved Son ? '* He who spared not his own Son, 
 " but delivered him up for US all; how shall he not 
 " with him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 
 viii. 32. 
 
 That we and all thy whole church — 
 This prayer breathes a truly cathohc spirit. We wish 
 " grace to all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ 
 "insincerity. Thy whole church." All whom thou, 
 
 Jesus, " hast redeemed to God by thy blood, out 
 " of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and 
 " nation," Rev. v. 9. Our prayer is as extensive as 
 our Lord's love. Where we see the image of Christ, 
 we should love for Christ's sake. It shows a misera- 
 ble contracted spirit, where love is shut out by 
 difference of outward forms and ceremonies. We 
 may, we ought to love as brethren of Christ, though 
 we differ as short-sighted men. 
 
 May obtain remission of our sins. — 
 But hath not Jesus actually obtained this by his 
 blood ? Yes, doubtless. But here we pray that all 
 the redeemed may have the sweet knowledge of this 
 through faith. The sins, even of all ^' little children 
 " in Christ, are pardoned for his name's sake," 
 
 1 John, ii. 12. But being young in knowledge, little 
 in experience, and weak in the faith of Jesus, they 
 
120 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 do not assuredly know their interest in Christ; they 
 can scarce beUeve that their sins are actually pardoned 
 in his blood. Their poor hearts are in doubt of 
 this. They cannot cry to God in the strength of 
 faith, Ahhtty Father: yet they do in reality beheve 
 there is salvation in Jesus, and in none other; that 
 there is forgiveness of sins in his blood only, and by 
 no other means. So that they have true faith in 
 Jesus. They are " blessed of God: he doth not 
 '* impute sin unto them." Though they do not know 
 their blessedness, that their sins are forgiven; still 
 they cleave unto Jesus, and are waiting when the 
 times of refreshing shall " come from the presence of 
 " the Lord." Such as these compose a great part of 
 Christ's church, and surround his Table. Here they 
 are all prayed for. Yea, we pray that all of us may 
 live in the happy sense of Christ's pardoning love; 
 be all witnesses that the Son of man hath power on 
 earth to forgive sins; and so be ever joyful in him. 
 And we not only pray for pardon of sin, but 
 
 All other benefits of his death and passion. 
 Faith looks to and rejoiceth in the past transactions 
 of the hfe and death of Jesus. Hope looks forward, 
 expecting to receive still more and more benefits from 
 him. O who can number all the glorious benefits 
 which the Redeemer's death and passion hath ob- 
 tained to us sinners ; Reconciliation to God — adoption 
 into his family — ^justification in his sight — sanctifica- 
 tion into his image, pardon, peace, and joy in God — a 
 heaven on earth by faith now — and persevering grace 
 to endure to the end till we are admitted into his glory 
 hereafter. All, all is given us by free gift of rich 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 121 ' 
 
 grace, from the love of God the Father, through the 
 merits and death of his beloved Son, by the commu- 
 nication of God the Holy Ghost. Therefore we 
 plead for all in faith. 
 
 Here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, 
 ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be reasonable, holy, 
 and lively sacrifice unto thee. 
 
 This voluntary self-dedication of the faithful proceeds 
 from the faith and love of their hearts. It is agreea- 
 ble to the sweet reasoning of St. Paul, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 
 20. " Know ye not that your body is the temple of 
 '' the Holy Ghost, w^iich is in you, which ye have of 
 " God, and are not your own ? For ye are bought 
 " with a price (O most precious invaluable price !) 
 " therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
 " spirit, which are God's." And in this solemn act, 
 it is as though we were to say, " O Lord, other lords 
 beside thee have had the dominion over us." We 
 have not renounced the devil and all his wicked 
 works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, 
 and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; but have lived 
 after the course of this present world. Our whole 
 hearts have been set upon it, and our affections given 
 up entirely to it. Its vain pleasures and sensual en- 
 joyments have been the dehght of our minds — we 
 have been fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, the lust of 
 the eye, and the pride of hfe — *' the god of this 
 " world, the prince of the power of the air, ruled in 
 " our hearts, and we were the children of unbehef 
 " and disobedience." But now. Lord Jesus, we 
 beheve thy infinitely great love wherewith thou hast 
 loved us; and the inestimably precious price thou 
 
 G 
 
122 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 hast paid to redeem us; and we find the grace of thy 
 Holy Spirit within us; therefore we would glorify 
 thee for thy love and salvation; we would now in 
 heart, affection and life, be wholly thine, and only 
 thine. We see infinitely greater joys, more substan- 
 tial pleasures, and sweeter delights, in communion 
 and fellowship with thy blessed Self, than all the gay 
 scenes of worldly diversion and carnal pleasures can 
 afford us. They are dead to us; and, by the enjoy- 
 ment of thy love, we become dead to them. Accept, 
 most gracious God and Father; accept, most loving 
 God and Redeemer, this reasonable, holy, lively 
 Sacrifice of our souls and bodies, which we here offer 
 unto thee upon the altar of thy love. 
 
 O never, never did any real Christian repent of 
 this solemn sacrifice. He can never see cause to 
 chano-e his mind concerninsr his dedication of his 
 whole self to the service and enjoyment of God in 
 Christ. But he does repent for having lived so long 
 in the service of sin and Satan, and to the vain plea- 
 sures of a sinful world. He still is grieved he finds 
 himself the subject of desires and dispositions, which 
 are contrary to his being wholly devoted to the love, 
 service, and enjoyment of his God Redeemer. " For, 
 " the flesh lusteth against the spirit, so that he can- 
 '' not do the things that he would." But O, the 
 awful state of those, who, instead of sacrificing their 
 souls and bodies to God, to devote them to sin and 
 Satan; and kill their precious time in the vain plea- 
 sures and sinful diversions of a perishing world ! 
 What distress awaits such in an hour of death ! 
 What anguish of spirit will seize on all, who live and 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 123 
 
 die thus, in the day of judgment; O Christian, what 
 a debtor art thou to the divine grace of thy Lord, 
 which has snatched thee from this danger, and caused 
 thee to act otherwise. 
 
 Humhly beseeching thee, O Lord, that all we icho 
 are partakers of this holy communion, may he filled 
 with thy grace and heavenly benediction. The Lord 
 having emptied our souls of the pride of self-righteous- 
 ness, and of our natural love of sin, we now beg to be 
 " filled with all the fulness of God," Even the fulness 
 of his divine grace and heavenly blessings in Christ 
 Jesus. A taste and relish of divine love, ever causes 
 hunger of soul for more, yea, to be filled full of it. 
 '^ If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious,'' 
 saith the apostle, " ye will then be coming unto Jesus, 
 " as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, 
 " but chosen of God, and precious," 1 Pet. ii. 3, 4. 
 But here conviction of humihty strikes gracious hearts. 
 Are we worthy ? Are we deserving to be filled with 
 God's favour and heavenly grace ? What terms and 
 conditions have we fulfilled to intitle us to this ? O ! no : 
 our church knows no such pleas. But we confess, 
 
 And although we be unworthy, through our mani- 
 fold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice : yet we 
 beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and 
 service ; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our 
 offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom 
 and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all 
 honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, 
 world without end. Amen. 
 
 Thus, in this humbled frame of spirit, the faith- 
 ful commemorate the Lord's love to them and his 
 
 G 2 
 
124 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 salvation of them at his Table. Thus they pre- 
 sent their sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto 
 him. And thus they offer and present their souls 
 and bodies, as a lively sacrifice to his glory and 
 service. Still sensible that their manifold sins 
 render them unworthy to approach the Lord ; yet, 
 considering his institution hath made it their bounden 
 duty, therefore they willingly obey him, and beseech 
 him to accept this their duty and service. And can 
 they think of the high honour and inestimable privi- 
 lege, here enjoyed, without some such meditation as 
 this : " WHAT AM I? A sinful worm of the earth ; 
 born in sin — my soul was naturally dead in sin— -by 
 nature, a child of wTath — by practice, an enemy to 
 God in my mind by wicked works — living without 
 God, without Christ, and without hope in the world 
 — carelessly going on to fill up the measure of iniquity, 
 and to render myself ripe for eternal destruction?" — 
 Where am I ? In the presence of the Lord — in the 
 sight of his holy angels — ^^joining with his holy saints 
 upon earth, to commemorate the dying love of a once 
 crucified Saviour— JToi^ came I here ? Son of David, 
 Son of God, thou knowest. Hath not thy grace in- 
 terposed between my soul and eternal misery ? Didst 
 thou not call me by thy word, Co7ne unto me ? Hath 
 not thy holy Spirit enlightened my mind to know 
 thee, the only Saviour : and to know that without 
 thy blood to pardon my sins, thy righteousness to 
 justify my person, and thy Spirit to sanctify my soul. 
 Lord, I must perish ? And, Lord, did not thy holy 
 Spirit, the Comforter, encourage my mind, incline 
 my spirit, yea, and put faith into my heart, to beheve 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 125 
 
 that thou wouldest receive me, even me, a returning 
 sinner, to thee, my Saviour? Wherefore am I come? 
 In obedience to thy command, Lord; to remember 
 thee ; to commemorate thy love in dying for sinners ; 
 and to glorify thee for becoming salvation to sinners ; 
 and to pray thee, that my soul may partake of the 
 comforts of thy love, the peace of thy Spirit, and 
 the joys of thy salvation at thy Table on earth, as 
 the earnest and pledge of eternal glory in heaven. 
 
 And now I am come. Lord, do not " weigh my 
 merits," I disclaim all merit in myself — I have none 
 to plead — I have not deserved the least favour at thy 
 hands — I have no claim to any grace at thy hands — 
 all is freely given — all is richly bestowed — instead 
 therefore of weighing my merits, forgive, Lord, my 
 demerits — pardon my offences — if. Lord, thou art 
 extreme to mark what is amiss, even in this my 
 bounden duty and service, there is enough to con- 
 demn me. For thou hast taught me, " after I have 
 done all, I am but an unprofitable servant." But in 
 thee, O Jesu, there is all fulness of grace for pardon ; 
 and perfection of righteousness for acceptance in God's 
 sight. It is thou who takest away the iniquity of our 
 holy things by thy much incense. It is in thee, our 
 beloved, we are perfectly accepted. It is in thy 
 righteousness we are complete, and are justified, and 
 have a title to glory. Therefore, by Christ, we come 
 to God the Father ; and, with him in the Unity of 
 the Holy Ghost, all the honour of grace to sinners, 
 and all the glory of salvation for sinners, he unto 
 thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen, 
 
 O that our hearts might ascend to our Lord, while 
 
126 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 we consider that sweet ascription of glory to him, 
 which concludes the service of the faithful at the 
 Lord's Table : 
 
 Glory he to God on high. 
 Thus begins the joyful anthem, with which " the 
 " multitude of the heavenly host ushered in the birth 
 '^ of the Son of God in human flesh." Luke ii. 14. 
 The rich, free, sovereign, everlasting love and grace 
 of God descends from heaven to earth. The glory of 
 his wisdom, his justice, his righteousness, and his 
 truth ; yea, the glory of every attribute and perfec- 
 tion of Jehovahj shine bright in the person of Jesus. 
 And when his grace takes possession of sinners' hearts 
 on earth, then it causes glory to ascend to God on 
 high. Grace bestowed on fallen men, raises the 
 shouts of glory to God, from the church militant on 
 earth. And the church triumphant in glory, is inces- 
 santly employed in celebrating the glory of God in 
 the salvation of Jesus throughout eternity. Says the 
 beloved disciple, " I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, 
 " which no man could number, of all nations, and 
 " kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before 
 " the throne, and before the Lamh, clothed with 
 " white robes :" not a sin within them ; not a spot 
 upon them ; but all are for ever washed away in the 
 blood of the Lamb, and they are presented in the 
 glorious white robe of the Lamb's righteousness, 
 faultless before the throne of God's glory, with ex- 
 ceeding joy, Jude 24. Thus they have more than 
 angelical purity. " And palms in their hands." The 
 trophies of victory over every enemy, sin, death, 
 and hell. While exceeding great joy fills their hearts. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 127 
 
 and an eternal crown of glory adorns their heads ; 
 they break forth with " a loud voice," in this trium- 
 phant song, saying, ''Salvation to our God, which 
 sitteth upon the throne^ and unto the LamhT And 
 all the angels, though they never tasted the redeem- 
 ing grace and dying love of the Son of God, yet 
 bemg the subjects of electing love and confirming 
 grace, therefore they "stood round about the throne;" 
 and joined the redeemed sons of men, saying, '* Amen: 
 " blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, 
 " and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God, 
 ''for ever and ever. Amen." Rev. vii. 9, 10, 11, 12. 
 Our Jesus is the God both of angels and saints. He 
 is their confirming, he is our redeeming God. 
 
 See then, O Christian, grace brings sinners to the 
 feet of Jesus. Grace brings Christ into the heart of 
 sinners on earth : and O, what glory doth this bring 
 to God in heaven ! O, my soul, admire, adore, and 
 rejoice ! Thou art here before the Lord's Table cele- 
 brating his praises, with all the heavenly host of 
 angels, and of the spirits of just men made perfect, 
 in the mansions above. All are uniting in one and 
 the same blessed employ. Thus when " God, who, 
 in the beginning, caused hght to shine out of dark- 
 ness, shines into our hearts ; then we enjoy the 
 knowledge of the glory of God, shining in the face 
 of Jesus Christ." Then we may be truly said to be 
 " come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the 
 " living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an in- 
 " numerable company of angels; to the general assem- 
 " bly of the church of the first-born, which are enrolled 
 " in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the 
 
128 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 " spirits of just men made perfect ; and to Jesus the 
 *' mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of 
 '' sprinkhng." Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. Then we unite 
 in heart and voice, " Glory be to God on high." 
 
 And in earth peace. 
 " Jesus is the Prince of Peace," Isa. ix. 6. He hath 
 brought peace from the God of heaven, to us sinful 
 rebels on earth. '* He hath made peace for us, 
 " through the blood of his cross," Col. i. 2. And be- 
 fore he expired upon it, he left us this precious legacy 
 in his word, " My peace I leave with you, my 
 peace I give unto you," John xiv. 27. And, through 
 believing in his name, the God of hope fills us with 
 joy and peace. For, "being justified by faith, we 
 " have peace with God through Jesus Christ our 
 " Lord," Rom. v. 1 . And we hence dehght to " fol- 
 " low peace with all men, and hohness, without which 
 '* no man shall see the Lord." Heb. xii. 14. 
 
 Good-will towards men. 
 Herein is love ; not that we loved God, but that he 
 loved us. Herein is grace ! not that we had a good- 
 will to God ; but his good-will is first towards us. 
 And who shall declare the wonders which God's 
 good-will towards us hath wrought for us ? His word 
 declares it. Christians experience it ; and they come 
 to the Lord's Table to celebrate it. All the hopes of 
 grace we partake of, and all the means of glory we 
 entertain, are all from the good-will of God towards 
 us. That we have a good-will to use the one, and to 
 be delighted with the prospect of the other, this also 
 Cometh of the good-will of God. " For it is God 
 ** who worketh in us both to will and to do of his 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 129 
 
 *' own good pleasure/' Phil. ii. 13. Thou, O Chris- 
 tian, who knowest thyself, who art acquainted with 
 the corrupt nature of thine own will, that it is natu- 
 rally prone only to will that which is evil, averse to 
 what is good ; thou canst boast no more of thy own 
 free-will to that which is spiritually good. The belief 
 of God's good-will towards thee is entertained with 
 joy, and celebrated with humility. The faithful mem- 
 bers of our church, who come to the Lord's Table, do 
 most heartily acquiesce in judgement with our Church 
 in her thirty-nine articles. They not only assent to 
 this form of sound words, but are acquainted also 
 with the sense and meaning of them in their own 
 hearts. In particular, Art. \0. of Fr^ee-will. 
 
 " The condition of man after the fall of Adam is 
 " such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by 
 *^ his own natural strength and good works, to faith 
 " and calhng upon God ; wherefore we have no power 
 " to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, 
 " wihout the grace of God by Christ preventing" 
 (that is, first disposing) " us, that we may have a 
 " good-will, and working with us when we have that 
 " good-will." 
 
 O God ! Am I wiUing to be saved by thy grace, 
 and to receive the kingdom of heaven as the free gift 
 of thy good pleasure I Have I a will to embrace thy 
 beloved Son Jesus Christ ? to believe in his name as 
 the only Saviour of sinners ? to submit to his righte- 
 ousness, by which alone sinners are j ustified ? to rely 
 on his blood, through which alone sinners are par- 
 doned ? Have I a will to hve by faith on the Son of 
 God ? to walk in love, and to devote my life in ser- 
 
 G 3 
 
130 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 ving and obeying thy will, O my God ? Have I a 
 will to hate sin, repent of sin, turn from sin ; to love, 
 delight in, and follow after holiness ? O Lord, I this 
 day prostrate myself before thee ; and, in thy sacred 
 presence) and in the presence of angels and men, 
 would give the whole glory of all this to thee. By 
 thy grace, O God, I am what I am — it is all because 
 thy good-will is towards me. O my God, my will is 
 naturally contrary to all this : but the day of thy 
 power, O glorious Immaiiuel, is come upon me ; 
 therefore, with " thy people, I offer thee free-will 
 " offerings, with an holy worship," Psalm ex. 3. 
 
 We praise thee, we bless thee, we ivorship thee, we 
 glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great 
 glory, O Lord God : 
 
 Even thou, holy Spirit, who dwellest in us, and 
 walkest in us, and comfortest us in the truth of the 
 Saviour's love, and art his blessed witness in our 
 hearts. 
 
 Heavenly King. 
 Jesus thou King of saints, we give thanks to thee for 
 thy great glory, who reignest for 21s above, and 
 reignest in us by faith and love. 
 
 God the Father Almighty. 
 Thou, O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and our Almighty God and Father in him; "the 
 " Father of all our mercies, and the God of all our 
 " comforts :" we give thanks to thee for thy great 
 o-lorv, for that thou " hast loved us, and given thy 
 " Son for us f and, in the faith and knowledge of 
 him, hast given lis " everlasting consolation and good 
 " hope through grace," 2 Thess. ii. 16. " Thus in all 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 131 
 
 " things, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in 
 " Unity, is to be worshipped." And thus the praises 
 of the holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, are pro- 
 claimed from gracious hearts. So it was in the 
 church of old. " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, 
 '* but unto thy name," Jehovah, the covenant-God, 
 the Trinity of Persons, in the Unity of essence, " we 
 " give glory for thy mercy and truth's sake," Psal. 
 cxv. 1. Thou hast shewed mercy to the miserable, 
 therefore our praises ascend to the merciful one. We 
 are the objects relieved by thee; and thy mercy is 
 bestowed on us for truth's sake. For the sake of the 
 truth of covenant-engagements, according to the truth 
 of everlasting love ; agreeable to the promise of truth, 
 and the oath of truth, ratified and confirmed by the 
 blood of Jesus, who is emphatically the truth, John 
 xiv. 17. Therefore we call upon him. 
 
 O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, O 
 Lord God, Lamh of God, Son of the Father, that 
 takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon 
 vs. The Spirit of inspiration stiles the saints of 
 God, "the faithful in Christ Jesus," Eph. i. 1. As 
 " they are in him who is the truth," so they con- 
 fess, and call upon and worship him in truth, as the 
 Lord, the Lord God Jesus, the only begotten of the 
 Father. " God of the substance of the Father, 
 " begotten before ail worlds ; and man of the sub- 
 " stance of his mother, born in the world ; per- 
 " feet God and perfect man;" who, as a Lamh 
 without spot of sin, was once sacrificed to redeem a 
 lost world — who is the " Lamh of God, that taketh* 
 " away the sin of the world ;" and who ever lives to 
 save all who cry to him for mercy. Those who do 
 
132 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 not believe Jesus is both Lord and God, cannot 
 worship with us ; cannot communicate with us, 
 cannot call upon Jesus with us, nor hope for 
 mercy from him ; and yet, without the mercy of 
 Jesus our Lord and our God, they must remain 
 miserable sinners, and perish everlastingly. " But 
 " to them who believe, Christ is precious," as our 
 God-man and Mediator. So we believe. We know 
 we constantly stand in need of his mercy ; and there- 
 fore we cry again and again to him for it. 
 
 Thou lolio takest away the sin of the icorld have 
 mercy upon us. 
 
 As verily as we believe thy righteous Father did 
 lay all our iniquities upon thee ; as truly as thou 
 didst " bear all our sins in thine own body upon the 
 " tree ;" as surely as thou, O holy Lamb of God, 
 hast " put away our sins by the sacrifice of thyself,'' 
 removing its punishment from us, and its filtli and its 
 guilt from before the sight of God thy righteous 
 Father ; so take away the guilt of sin from our con- 
 sciences — so pardon sin in our hearts — so save us 
 from its power — that it reign not in us, nor have 
 dominion over us, in our lives — yea, so have mercy 
 upon us, as to deliver us in thine own time, way, 
 and manner, from the very being of sin in us, which 
 is thine enemy and our grief. 
 
 Thou loho takest away the sin of the world receive 
 our prayer. 
 
 On the belief of thy sacrifice, O Lamb of God, for 
 our sins, our prayer is founded. As we plead thine 
 atonement for mercy, so for an answer to our prayers. 
 Hast thou not said, " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my 
 " name, that will I do, that the Father may be 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 133 
 
 glorified in the Son ?" Yea, Lord : and as knowing how 
 slow of heart we are to believe thy love, and how 
 backward to ask thy greatest blessings and richest 
 comforts; therefore, to quicken and encourage us, 
 thou hast again repeated, " If ye shall ask any thing 
 " in my name, I will do it,'' John xiv. 13. Thanks 
 to thee, Lord, for these sweet words of promise. It 
 is enough. Thou hast said it, / will do it. In 
 humble prayer we call, and in humble hope we 
 will wait. We have thy word for the object of 
 our faith, and the warrant of our hope. That keeps 
 our souls looking up to thee, and waiting upon thee, 
 till thou shalt accomplish all thy will in us, and save 
 us to the very uttermost. 
 
 Thou who sittest at the right hand of God the 
 Father, have mercy upon us. 
 
 Thou, Lord of hfe and glory, who once wast " crucified 
 " between two thieves, the one on thy right hand, 
 *^ and the other on the left ;" and, w^hen thou wast 
 hanging on the cross, didst answer that prayer from 
 the lips of a dying malefactor ; " Lord, remember 
 '' me, when thou comest into thy kingdom ;" O hear 
 us. Lord remember us, now thou art in thy kino-dom. 
 We also stand in need of the very same mercy as the 
 thief whom thou savedst in the last hour. For we 
 also are malefactors, miserable evil doers, as he was. 
 There is no way for us to be saved, and to enter into 
 thy kingdom, O Jesus, but by thy free, unmerited 
 mercy. Therefore, Lord, have mercy upon us, 
 who are ^^ looking for the mercy of thee unto eternal 
 "life." Jude21. 
 
 For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord. 
 
134 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 We believe in thee, as the only essentially holy Lord 
 God of thy people. Therefore thou, O Jesus, art 
 worthy of all our trust and confidence. We adore 
 thee as our only God. We believe in thee as the holy 
 one of God, the only holy MAN Christ Jesus. We 
 rejoice in thee as our God- Man, Mediator, Redeemer, 
 and Saviour. Thus the prophecy of the Lord is ful- 
 filled in us, " We stay ourselves upon the Lord, the 
 " holy One of Israel, in truthj^ Isa. x. 20. " For in 
 "that day (this precious gospel-day) shall the deaf 
 " hear the words of the book." We who naturally 
 were like ** the deaf adder, that stopped her ear, and 
 " heard not the sweet voice of the charmer, Jesus," 
 though he charmed never so wisely in his word ; yet 
 now find 'Uhe testimony of Jesus is the spirit of 
 "prophecy," Rev. xix. 10. therefore we say, with 
 Jeremiah, xv. 16. " thy words were found, and I did 
 " eat them ; and thy word was unto me the joy and 
 "rejoicing of mine heart: for thy name is called 
 " upon by me, O Lord God of hosts." " And the 
 " eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity.*' We, 
 sinners, were born blind ; our minds were once dark- 
 ened to our own misery, and the glories of Imma- 
 nuel ; but " the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, 
 " who is the imaoe of God, hath shined into our 
 " hearts, to give us the knowledge of the glory of 
 " God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. 
 We confess " his eternal power and Godhead," who 
 is the Saviour of men. " The meek also shall in- 
 " crease their joy in the Lord : and the poor among 
 " men shall rejoice in the holy One of Israel," Isa. 
 xxix. 18, 19. Who are the meek? Who are the 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 135 
 
 poor among men ? Even we, all of us, are miserable 
 sinners. We are all in debt, insolvent bankrupts. 
 We have nothing that we can call our own but sin ; 
 and this is our curse and our shame. We are so 
 poor, that we are in want of every thing to make us 
 holy and happy. Adam's transgression hath so im- 
 poverished us, that we are quite naked. But though 
 we are so miserable, wretched, and poor, yet we are 
 abominably proud also. For we are prone to reject 
 " the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who became 
 " poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made 
 " rich." Therefore we are not naturally meek. But 
 being taught to see ourselves in the light of God's 
 word, our hearts are humbled. Our pride and self- 
 sufficiency are brought down. We become poor in 
 our own eyes. Our lofty looks and strong reasonings 
 are cast down. " Our high thoughts of ourselves, 
 " which exalt themselves ag-ainst the knowledoe of 
 " God, are brought into captivity to the obedience 
 '* of Christ." So indeed our hearts become meek. 
 We wiriingly receive the revelation of Jesus. We 
 gladly sit at his feet. We rejoice to hear the 
 words of his lips. We bow to his cross ; submit to 
 his righteousness ; and confess ourselves wholly and 
 solely indebted to him for salvation. We comme- 
 morate his love at his Table with a thankful heart. 
 Possessing the unsearchable riches of Christ, we 
 crown him with the whole and sole glory of saving 
 us. Thus ^' we joy in the Lord, and rejoice in the 
 " holy one of Israel." " We rejoice in the Lord 
 ^' Jesus Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh." 
 As our knowledge of him groweth, and our faith in 
 
136 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 him increaseth; so our joy of him, and rejoicing in 
 him, aboundeth more and more unto the perfect day. 
 Therefore we say from our very hearts, 
 
 Thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord ; thou 
 only, O Christ, with the holy Ghost, art most high, 
 in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 
 
 " For that which we beheve of the glory of the 
 " Father, the same we beheve of the Son and of the 
 " Holy Ghost, without any difference or inequality ; 
 " who art one God, one Lord, not only one person, 
 " but three persons in one substance." Thus, scrip- 
 turally, all the faithful of our church believe and 
 confess in the collect for the feast of Trinity ; * and 
 in the collect for Trinity Sunday, we thus address 
 the Lord : *' Almighty and everlasting God, who hast 
 " given unto thy servants grace, by the confession of 
 *' a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eter- 
 " nal Trinity, and, in the power of the divine 
 " Majesty, to worship the unity; we beseech thee 
 " that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith 
 " and evermore defend us from all adversities, who 
 " livest and reignest, one God, world without end. 
 '' Amen." 
 
 Here we may obseiTe, 1st, That " God hath from 
 
 * I gladly embrace this method of confessing myself greatly 
 indebted to the reverend Mr. Jones, rector of Pluckley, in Kent, 
 for his excellent treatise on the Trinity. I heartily bless God 
 that I ever read that best of all human compositions I have met 
 with on this important subject. It has been a blessed means of 
 establishing my mind in that scripture doctrine. The learned and 
 judicious author has fully proved the truth of this sacred mystery ; 
 not by nice, abstracted, metaphysical reasoning, but by that which 
 is of all others the most convincing and establishing to Christians ; 
 namely, comparing spiritual things Viith spiritual things ; explain- 
 ing scripture by scripture. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 137 
 
 " the beginning chosen us to salvation, through 
 " sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth," 
 2 Thess. ii. 13. 2dly, " The faith of God's elect 
 " receives and acknowledges the truth, vv^hich is 
 ** according to godhness," Titus i. 1. 3dly, " Love 
 " rejoiceth in the truth," 1 Cor. xiii. 6. 4thly, 
 Humility confesseth from whom the truth cometh : it 
 is given us by the inspiration of the Spirit in the word. 
 5thly, That the truth doth not naturally spring up in 
 our minds; but that grace is given us from God, 
 whereby we believe and confess the truth. 6thly, 
 That our hoipe is fixed upon God, to keep us stedfast 
 in this our most holy faith. And, lastly. That we 
 are exposed to many enemies to this truth ; and there- 
 fore we pray the Lord to defend us against them. 
 All this enters into the very essence of this prayer. 
 Therefore a rejection of this truth, of the gloiy of the 
 eternal Trinity, is a sad evidence of being left to the 
 pride of fallen nature ; and to walk " in the vanity of 
 " our minds, having the understanding darkened, 
 " being alienated from the life of God through the ig- 
 " norance that is naturally in us, because of the blind- 
 " ness of our hearts," Ephes. iv. 17, 18. and also, 
 that all such persons are destitute of the graces of 
 faith, love, and humihty. 
 
 But we have not so learned Christ; if so be we 
 have heard him, and have been taught by him, as 
 the truth is in Jesus. For we see the glory of the 
 holy, blessed Trinity, manifested and displayed to 
 sinners, in the grace and salvation of Christ. And 
 therefore, with believing Simeon, embracing Jesus in 
 the arms of our faith, well may each of the faithful 
 
138 ' THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 also joyfully say, "Blessed be God, for mine eyes 
 " have seen thy salvation." I have seen Jesus, by 
 faith, as evidently set before me this day, in the in- 
 stituted emblems of his human body once crucified 
 for us, and of his precious blood once shed for us. 
 I have fed on him by faith ; and would now and ever 
 rejoice in him, as " the glory of all God's people/' 
 and as the only glory of my soul. God forbid_, I 
 should ever glory in sin, which is my greatest shame. 
 God forbid, I should ever glory in myself, which is 
 the greatest pride. God forbid I should ever glory in 
 mine own righteousness, which is the greatest igno- 
 rance. " God forbid, I should glory in any thing, 
 " save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." O 
 may I ever glory in him, who is my greatest glory. 
 
 In these lively views of thee, O Jesus, by faith 
 may I now depart from thy Table. And, when the 
 approaching messenger death shall come, to bid 
 nature dissolve, and my soul depart out of this vale 
 of tears ; then may I find thy victories, O my 
 redeeming God, the joy and triumph of my departing 
 soul. May I then say, Lordj now lettest thou thy 
 servant depart in peace , according to thy word ; for 
 mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Thus, O Lord, 
 " Let all those who seek thee, rejoice and be glad in 
 " thee ; and let such as love thy salvation, say con- 
 " tinually. The Lord (Jesus) be magnified, but I am 
 " poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon rae : 
 " thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarry- 
 " ing, O ??2?/ God," Psal. xl. 16, 17. "Amen, even 
 " so come, Lord Jesus," Rev. xxii. 20. 
 
 Thus, upon the whole, we see the essential diffe- 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 139 
 
 rence there is between learning Christianity as a 
 scholar, so as to have the form of godliness, and 
 receiving it as a poor, needy, guilty, and miserable 
 sinner. For such, and such only, it was intended. 
 By such only it is embraced. From such only, Jesus, 
 the God of our salvation, gets glory. Thus, the 
 religion of Jesus appears to be the religion of sinners 
 — the ordinances were appointed for sinners — insti- 
 tuted by the Friend of sinners — are suited to the 
 state of sinners. The means of grace beget, and 
 increase love to holiness and the hopes of glory in the 
 hearts of sinners ; yea, the whole design of the reli- 
 gion of the Bible is to cement, unite, and keep the 
 soul close to Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, by faith 
 now, till it is brought to the enjoyment of him in 
 glory ; according to the meaning of the word religion, 
 which signifies to hind again. Thus the soul, once 
 fallen away from, becomes bound again to, its proper 
 object of rest, and only centre of happiness, God in 
 Christ. Therefore, agreeably to this faith, the 
 minister dismisseth the congregation of the faithful 
 with his apostolic blessing : 
 
 The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 
 keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love 
 of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord ; 
 and the Messing of God Ahnighty, the Father, the 
 San, and the Holy Ghost, he amongst you, and 
 remain with you always. Amen. 
 
 Thus endeth the office for the administration of 
 the Lord's Supper in the Church of England. 
 
140 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICA^^T. 
 
 PRACTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL 
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 PEACE OF GOD, &c. 
 
 This divine benediction, which concludes the 
 solemn service of our church, is an epitome of the 
 Gospel of Peace. It includes all the comfort which 
 a Christian can enjoy in this life, till his soul returns 
 to God. Therefore let us make some practical and 
 experimental observations on it. O that, through 
 the blessing of the eternal Spirit, they may be made 
 profitable to the faith of the Christian's heart, and 
 the reofulating: the conduct of his life ! Let us 
 consider. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The nature of this Messing, 
 
 It is justly stiled the peace of God. It is the 
 offspring of heaven. God the Father is the author 
 of it. Hence called " the God of peace," Rom. xv. 
 33. God the Son is the procurer of it. " The chas- 
 " tisement of our peace was laid upon him," Isa. liii. 
 5. " He hath made peace by the blood of his cross," 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. l41 
 
 Col. i. 20. And God the Holy Ghost, in conse- 
 quence of this, bestows this peace upon the believing 
 sons of men. For, " the fruit of the Spirit is peace," 
 Gal, V. 22. Thus, " these Three who bear record in 
 " heaven bear witness in earth also. They agree in 
 ^^ one." One essence, one truth, even to grant this 
 blessing of peace to the rebellious sons of fallen 
 Adam. Hence, they held a council of peace, Zech. 
 vi. 13. They entered into the covenant of peace. 
 Thus saith Jehovah, " The mountains shall depart, 
 " and the hills shall be removed ; but my kindness 
 " shall not depart from thee ; neither shall the cove- 
 " nant of my 'peace be removed from thee, saith the 
 ^* Lord, who hath mercy on thee." Isa. liv. 10. 
 This •' covenant is ordered in all things, and sure," 
 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Images, taken from the strongest 
 things in nature, are alluded to, to represent the 
 firmness and stability of it. It is established upon 
 everlasting kindness : supported by everlasting faith- 
 fulness: and shall be fulfilled by the everlasting truth, 
 according to the everlasting mercy of the everlasting 
 Jehovah, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
 It is declared as to one Person, in the singular 
 number thee. The objects of God's everlasting 
 kindness and mercy, are collectively considered, as 
 making up but " one body, the church ; of which 
 " Christ is given to be the head," Eph. i. 22. They 
 are all viewed as one in him. Hence "Jesus was 
 " made a surety of this covenant." Heb. vii. 22. 
 Glory be to his loving heart and precious name : he 
 saw thee and me, O soul, at this distant period of 
 time : he foresaw all the evils sin would bring upon 
 
142 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 us: he knew all the miseries to which sin would 
 expose us ; and all the wants to which it would 
 reduce us. Therefore, he engaged in the everlasting 
 covenant to become our surety ; to be made like unto 
 us in all things, sin excepted : to be Immanuel, God 
 with us : God in human flesh : to fulfil all the terms 
 and conditions of this covenant for us, which law 
 demanded, and justice required : to pay all our debts 
 to God : to satisfy his strict justice, which we had 
 offended : to fulfil his righteous law, which we had 
 violated : to atone for sins, which must have des- 
 troyed us : to open the kingdom of heaven, which 
 sin had shut against us, and thus to remove every 
 hindrance between God and our souls ; and to make 
 way for free communication from God's heart to us, 
 that peace and love might flow from our heavenly 
 Father into our hearts and minds, through Jesus our 
 blessed surety. Thus, this " covenant, which was 
 " of God IN Christ, nothing could disannul, that 
 " should make the promise of life, and salvation 
 " by Jesus, of none effect," Gal. iii. 17. Hence 
 the prophets testified of Jesus ; of the covenant of 
 grace, and the council of peace, which he engaged 
 in, to ratify, and fulfil, on our behalf. My counsel 
 shall stand, and I will do all " my pleasure," saith 
 the Lord ; therefore " hearken unto me," Isa. xlvi. 
 10. For, '^ he worketh all things after the counsel 
 " of his own will," Eph. i. 11. And when Jesus 
 appeared in flesh, the heavenly host usher in his 
 glorious birth with this joyful anthem. Peace on earth, 
 God and man are reconciled in one Christ. This 
 flows from the good-will of God towards men ; and 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 143 
 
 this brings glory to God in the highest^ Luke, ii. 14. 
 All is from the covenant of grace, and the council of 
 peace. The apostles, with one accord, unite in 
 saying, " Lord, of a truth, against thy holy child 
 " Jesus, whom thou hast anointed (to be our peace- 
 " maker) both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the 
 " Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered 
 '^ together." To what end ? Even " to do what- 
 " soever thy hand, and thy counsel^ determined 
 '' before to be done." Acts iv. 27, 28. Though all 
 the powers of earth and hell had combined, verily, 
 they could not have crucified Jesus if he had not 
 permitted it. But, he knew our peace was to be 
 made by his sufferings and death, therefore he sub- 
 mitted. — " And being delivered by the determinate 
 ** counsel and foreknowledge of God, he was taken 
 ^* by wicked hands, and crucified and slain." Acts 
 ii. 23. O marvellous mystery; The very wicked 
 hands, which took and crucified the Son of God, 
 fulfil the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of 
 God. Amazing to think of! The malice of Satan, 
 and the hatred of men against Jesus, are the very 
 means of our peace being made by his blood. Un- 
 paralleled love ! the Son of God is made a curse — 
 suffers divine wrath, — groans and dies in exquisite 
 torture, to reconcile offending man — to make peace 
 with an offended God. Yes ; his expiring breath 
 proclaims the mighty deed is done — the almighty 
 work effected. It is finished, said the Prince of 
 Peace, when he bowed his precious head and gave 
 up the Ghost. What is finished ? Verily, ail the 
 toils of his holy Ufe, in obedience to his Father's 
 
144 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 holy law — all the sufferings of his painful and accur- 
 sed death, as the satisfaction to his Father's justice, 
 were all finished ; thereby the work of our salvation 
 is perfectly wrought out, and everlastingly finished : 
 and thus is our peace made with God. For, in the 
 human nature of Jesus, " the mercy and truth of 
 " Jehovah met together ; his righteousness and peace 
 '^ kissed each other," Psal. Ixxxv. 10. All the 
 attributes of God harmonize. Mercy is estabhshed ; 
 truth fulfilled ; the law magnified and made honour- 
 able ; justice fully satisfied ; righteousness rejoiceth 
 that peace is made ; and the God of love freely 
 bestows his blessing of peace upon rebelhous men. 
 For " God, willing more abundantly to show unto 
 " the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, 
 " confirmed by an oath : that by two immutable 
 " things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, 
 '' we might have strong consolation, who have fled 
 " for refuge, to lay hold of the hope set before us," 
 Heb. vi. 17, 18. This peace is not a mere speculative 
 truth, to be assented to only in the judgment ; but, 
 glory to Jesus, it is enjoyed in the heart. Therefore 
 let us consider, 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 How this peace is brought into the heart and 
 mind. 
 
 It is very natural to us all, through ignorance of 
 our Bibles, and being strangers to our own hearts, to 
 talk of making our peace with God. Nothing is 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUxNICANT. 145 
 
 more commonly heard from the hps of men than this. 
 But, poor souls, they know not what they say, nor 
 whereof they affirm. Such language is the result of 
 ignorance, pride, and unbehef. 1st. Of ignorancey 
 of the holy law of God, against which we have all 
 sinned — of the strict justice of God, which we have 
 all provoked — of those attributes and perfections of 
 God, which are set in array against us— of " the 
 " carnal mind that is in us, which is enmity against 
 " God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, 
 *' neither indeed can it be," Rom. viii. 7. 2d. Oi pride j 
 because such language proceeds from the haughtiness 
 of our hearts, and proves that " strong reasonings 
 " are not brought down ; and high thoughts, which 
 *' exalt themselves against God, are not yet brought 
 " into captivity to the obedience of Christ," 2 Cor. x. 
 5. 3d. Of unbelief, for such vain pretensions are 
 directly repugnant to the truth of God's word ; and 
 discover a total rejection of the gospel of Christ, 
 which is glad tidings to poor sinners, that Christ has 
 already made peace by the blood of his cross. 
 Hence it is called '' the gospel of peace," Eph. vii. 
 15. For it '* preacheth peace by Jesus Christ ; he is 
 *' Lord of all," Acts x. 36. So that, as to any sin- 
 ner's attempt to make his peace with God, it is vain; 
 it is utterly impossible. Not the holiest saint on 
 earth could effect this ; not the highest archangel in 
 heaven could accomphsh this, for man. Indeed, 
 men who talk most of making their peace of God, 
 attempt the least towards it. They put off the 
 j^houghts of it, to an hour of sickness, or the day of 
 cjeath. Though they pretend to do it, yet they can 
 
146 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 never effect it. For what poor sinner is able to make 
 an atonement to God for his sins ; to satisfy his jus- 
 tice, which we have offended ; to fulfil his holy law, 
 which we have violated ; to change our own hearts, 
 which are desperately wicked ; to renew our own 
 souls, which are utterly sinful ; and, to turn the 
 whole disposition of our nature, from the love of sin, 
 to delight in God ? Say, O ye sinful son of fallen 
 Adam, who among you is equal to this work ? Yet, 
 all this is absolutely necessary to make your peace 
 with God ; and nothing short of all this can procure 
 it. But, alas ! we must all lie down in despair ; die 
 in enmity against God, and in open war with heaven, 
 if it be left for us to make our peace with God. AW 
 created nature must let this work alone for ever. 
 But glory to the everlasting love of God our Father 
 — glory to the rich grace of God his Son, our Savi- 
 our, the work is done, everlastingly and completely 
 done. It was the wisdom of heaven to plan it ; it 
 was the work of Jesus on earth, to finish it. Heaven 
 rings with acclamations of joy, on account of it ; 
 and saints on earth triumph in the enjoyment of this 
 peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 For it is brought into our hearts and minds. How ? 
 Glory to the Holy Spirit, by his almighty grace. It 
 comes to us, through " the communion of the Holy 
 " Ghost." It is, as our church says of love, " an ex- 
 " cellent gift, poured into our hearts by the Holy 
 *' Ghost." But how doth he effect it ? By immediate 
 inspiration, without any means ? No. We pray, in 
 the words of our church, that, '* by the inspiration 
 of the Holy Spirit, we may perfectly love God, and 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 147 
 
 worthily magnify his holy name." Now here it is 
 plainly imphed, that without inspiration, or breathing 
 into our hearts the love of God by the Holy Spirit, 
 we cannot love God. Yet this is prayed for and ex- 
 pected, " through Christ our Lord." Therefore know- 
 ledge of, and trust in Christ, is here implied. Even, 
 to know and trust, that Christ hath atoned for sin by 
 his blood ; justified sinners before God by his righte- 
 ousness ; that God looks on sinners in him ; loves 
 them in him; is fully reconciled to them, and at 
 perfect peace with them, in hi?n. But how do we 
 thus know Christ ? Is this by immediate inspira- 
 tion ? No, verily ; to expect this, we have no war- 
 rant : to pretend to this, is rank enthusiasm. Are 
 we to expect the Spirit will teach us to know Christ, 
 by any immediate, secret whispers, and inward sug- 
 gestions, without the means of the word ? No, 
 truly : for this was to set aside his revealed word, 
 which he has caused to be written, wherein he testi- 
 fies of Jesus. This is to run into the errors of Qua- 
 kerism : to supersede all outward means, all revealed 
 truths, and instituted ordinances. To reject the written 
 word is downright infidelity. To expect the Spirit to 
 teach the knowledge of Jesus without the word, 
 comes from the spirit of delusion. What is this but 
 to impeach the wisdom of God, in giving us an out- 
 ward revelation of Jesus, which he supersedes as 
 useless and unnecessary, if he inwardly teaches us 
 to know Christ by immediate inspiration ? But yet, 
 says the heavenly-instructed soul, '* I will hea?' what 
 " God the Lord will speak ; for he will speak peace 
 " unto his people, and to his saints," Psalm Ixxxv. 8. 
 
 H 2 
 
148 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 How do any hear ? By any articulate word spoken ? 
 How doth God speak peace ? Is it by an audible 
 voice ? Fancy may suggest this ; a warm imagina- 
 tion may believe this ; and the spirit of delusion may 
 propagate this. But there is neither scripture nor 
 reason to support this ; nor doth the nature of the 
 thing require it. To expect it, is to tempt the Lord. 
 The Lord speaks peace in and by his word. To hear 
 it, is to receive the truth into the understanding. To 
 believe it, is to welcome it into the heart in the love 
 of it ; " not as the word of man, but, as it is in 
 truth, the word of God." But is faith given us by 
 immediate inspiration ? jYot so neither. *' For faith 
 " cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of 
 *' God," Rom. X. 17. Doth the Spirit breathe the 
 peace of God by immediate inspiration, without 
 faith ? No. '' The wicked, who are void^ of a 
 '^ lively faith, are not the subjects of the peace of 
 " God. There is no peace, saith my God, to the 
 " wicked," Tsa. Ivii. 21. Who are wicked, but those 
 who do not please God ? '* But without faith it is 
 '' impossible to please him," Heb. xi. 6. And so far 
 from unbelievers being at peace with God, we are as- 
 sured, " He who believeth not is condemned al- 
 " ready — he who beheveth not the Son, the wrath 
 ** of God abideth on him," John iii. 18. 36. 
 
 So then, here is Jesus the object, who has pro- 
 cured peace. Here is the word of God, which is 
 the means of our knowing Christ. Here is faith, 
 which is the medium by which the word is received 
 into our minds, and the instrument of receiving 
 Christ into our hearts. And here is the holy Spirit, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 149 
 
 who is the agent, by whom the eyes of our under- 
 standing are enhghtened by means of the word, to 
 know our caHing, which is to enjoy the peace of God 
 in Jesus Christ. Thus he brings this peace into our 
 hearts and minds, through faith in Jesus, according 
 to the word of God. For the Spirit bears witness to 
 Jesus in the word. The word is the seed sown in the 
 heart. The Spirit, hke the sun in nature, quickens 
 what his sown there. By the word, the Spirit dis- 
 covers the abominable vileness of man's fallen 
 nature ; the exceeding sinfulness of sin ; and that 
 hereby man is become an enemy to God. By the 
 word, the Spirit opens our eyes to see our nakedness : 
 convinceth us of our helplessness and inability to do 
 any thing to make our own peace with God ; affects 
 our minds with our misery without the peace of God ; 
 and convinceth us of our danger, that we must have 
 eternally perished in our sins under the wrath of God, 
 had not Jesus made peace by his blood. The Spirit 
 sets before us, in the word, the abundant fulness of 
 the grace of Jesus ; the perfection of his atonement 
 for sin ; the glory of his everlasting righteousness for 
 the j ustification of sinners ; and that these are 
 accepted of God, and imputed to sinners: that 
 hereby our peace with God IS perfectly made, and 
 everlastingly finished. And therefore, " being 
 '^ justified by the blood and righteousness of Christ, 
 " by faith we have peace with God," Rom. v. 1, 
 peace in [our hearts and minds. Thus, by the pre- 
 cious word of the Lord, the holy Spirit silenceth our 
 proud reasonings ; answers all our carnal objections, 
 stops our cavilling mouths ; brings our high thoughts 
 
150 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 into captivity to the obedience of Christ ; stills the 
 clamours of our consciences, by assuring us, " there 
 " is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ 
 " Jesus/' Rom. viii. 1, and comforts our hearts with 
 this divine testimony, " Nothing shall be able to 
 '* separate us from the love of God, which is in 
 " Christ Jesus our Lord," ver. 39. And hence we 
 throw down our arms and cease our hostihties against 
 God, being conquered by his love. Here then is a 
 peace established, firm as a rock, durable as the 
 pillars of heaven. Here is a peace enjoyed ; of 
 which God the Father is author ; God the Son the 
 procurer; and God the Holy Ghost the inspirer. 
 Well therefore do we use that sweet custom in our 
 church, after the portion of the gospel of peace is 
 named by the minister, we join in proclaiming, glory 
 he to thee, O Lord. As if we were to say, that 
 there is peace with thee, O Lord, for us miserable 
 sinners — that this is preached to us in the gospel by 
 Jesus Christ — that this is brought into our hearts and 
 minds by thy Spirit : the glory of all this is due to 
 thee, O Lord ; therefore we join in ascribing it wholly 
 unto thee. 
 
 But how different is this scriptural peace from that 
 which carnal, unregenerate men fancy they possess ? 
 Alas ! they cry to themselves, ^' Peace, peace, when 
 there is no peace." For behold, while they " say 
 " peace and safety, sudden destruction cometh upon 
 " them, as travail upon a woman with child, and 
 " they shall not escape," 1 Thess. v. 3. Their ease 
 of mind is a false security. Their peace of con- 
 science is a fatal delusion. For they are at peace 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 151 
 
 with their sins ; conscience is asleep, unaffected by 
 the law which worketh wrath. They are ignorant of 
 the gospel of peace : strangers to the Prince of 
 Peace : they resist the Holy Ghost, the inspirer of 
 Peace : are at war with the God of Peace. How 
 long ? Even till the Lord quickens them by his grace 
 here, or awakens them by the voice of the archangel 
 and the trump of God hereafter. 
 
 And how vastly different also is this solid scriptural 
 peace of God, from that which many profess to 
 experience, which is only airy and visionary? A 
 mere human fancy ; a phantom of the mind ; created 
 by a warm imagination, and supported by the power 
 of nature's passions. As the tide of these flows in, 
 their peace is enjoyed; as these ebb, their peace 
 subsides. Now they feel peace, but they can- 
 tell why. Anon they have lost it, but they 
 cannot tell how. Their frames and feelings are 
 substituted in the place of faith : imagination and 
 fancy supply the room of the word of God : their 
 human passions are attended to, instead of the spirit 
 of truth ; and the grand object of their minds for 
 peace, is a good opinion of themselves, instead of a 
 scriptural knowledge of, and steady behef in the 
 Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, 
 and who has made peace with God by the blood of 
 his cross. Thus where the passions hold the reigns, 
 and fancy is the guide, men often drive on for a season 
 in the road of self-righteousness, imagining them- 
 selves possessed of the peace of God. But when 
 the strength of their passions tires and abates — their 
 frames and feelings fluctuate and change — and their 
 
152 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 warm imaginations forsake them : then their peace is 
 lost. Thus it appears that what sprung up in 
 nature's summer, expires in nature's winter. What 
 was the effect of nature's heated passions dies away 
 in the coldness of nature's feehngs : thus effects 
 prove the cause from whence they sprang. Hence 
 it is common for those who judge more by carnal 
 reason, and according to appearances, than by 
 righteous judgment founded upon the word of God, 
 to deem such temporary professors saints of God ; 
 and to conclude that they are fallen from grace — 
 from a justified state, which they were never brought 
 into ; and that they have lost what they never pos- 
 sessed, even the peace of God. For that preserves 
 the children of God from finally falling away ; 
 because it keeps their hearts and minds in the know- 
 ledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Let us examine then whether our peace 
 springs from the belief of God's word, and faith in 
 God's Son. We now proceed to consider. 
 
 CHAP. in. 
 
 That the peace of God passeth all understanding. 
 
 THIS is an excellent observation of Dr. Seeker, 
 late archbishop of Canterbury, in a sermon on Phil, 
 iv. 7. Of the peace of God, he says, "■ It is that 
 sense of being in friendship with God, i\\?Li feeling of 
 comfort and joy flowing from him, which passeth all 
 understanding; exceeds the conceptions of those 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 153 
 
 uho have not experienced it, and will exceed here- 
 after the present conceptions of those who have." 
 The archbishop uses three sweet words here, sense — 
 feeling — experience. Had they not come from the 
 pen of his Grace, they might have fallen under the 
 censure of enthusiasm. But who ever deemed his 
 Grace an enthusiast? Yet he useth these words. 
 By them is most plainly imphed, that a real 
 Christian is one who has spiritual sensCj spiritual 
 feeling, and spiritual experience. I shall have occa- 
 sion frequently to use these words : I have the 
 authority of the archbishop for this. — Not that I 
 would flee for shelter to his Grace's authority, fearing 
 the charp:e of enthusiasm. Alas ! what is all flesh 
 but grass ? What is all the glory of man, but as the 
 flower of grass ? " But the word of God liveth and 
 ■'' abideth for ever," 1 Pet. i. 23, 24. In that I 
 would glory. And this sense, feeling, and experi- 
 ence, is preached to us by the gospel. Thereby we 
 " taste that the Lord is gracious," 1 Pet. ii. 3, " find 
 " that we are not past/eeZiVi^," Eph, iv. 19, but we 
 experience " the love of God shed abroad in our 
 " hearts by the Holy Ghost," Rom. v. 5. These 
 are all scriptural expressions : therefore the use of 
 them is justified by an infinitely greater authority 
 than the most dignified mortal on earth ; even by the 
 Spirit of wisdom and truth. But w'ill this screen 
 one from the charge of enthusiasm ? By no means. 
 The more we speak of enjoying the life, spirit, and 
 power of the gospel, so much the more enthusias- 
 tical we are deemed. Such is the glory of the pre- 
 sent day. Enthusiasm is the common cant word 
 
 H 3 
 
154 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 which is applied to divine truths which men do not 
 understand, and to spiritual blessings, which they 
 never experienced. 
 
 But such happiness our church teaches her mem- 
 bers to expect. In that sweet benediction, at the 
 visitation of the sick, the minister thus scripturally 
 says, '^ The Almighty Lord, who is a most strong 
 tower to all who put their trust in him — make thee 
 to know and feel that there is none other name 
 under heaven, in whom, and through whom, thou 
 mayest receive health and salvation, but ONLY in 
 the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'' Here 
 observe, 1st. It is the work of the Lord the Spirit to 
 make any sinner know and feel the health and 
 salvation of Jesus. 2. That our souls have maladies 
 as well as our bodies, which must be healed, or we 
 shall die eternally. 3. That health and salvation for 
 any sinner, are to be found in and from the Lord 
 Jesus ONLY. 4. That no soul can die comfortably, 
 without knowing Riid feeling this truth ; and receiving 
 health and salvation from Jesus. 5. That it is the 
 dehght and glory of our heavenly Physician, to 
 bestow this health and salvation upon all sensible 
 sinners — all sin-distressed souls. For, 6. He is the 
 Almighty Lord — a most strong tower to all them who 
 put their trust in him. Thus our church holds forth 
 the Lord, as a most kind Physician — a most precious 
 Refuge — a most blessed Asylum — a most impregna- 
 ble Defence to all who flee to him, and put their 
 trust in him ; and that they have the sweet know- 
 ledge, feehng, and experience of this too. For, 
 says our church in her excellent 17th Article, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 155 
 
 " Godly persons d^ofeel in themselves the working of 
 " the Spirit of Christ," &c. 
 
 Men, brethren, and fathers— Seeing these things 
 are so, Why then should not Christians know and feel 
 the comforts of Christ's grace, in the peace of God, 
 through the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, in the 
 day of health, as well as in the hour of sickness ? 
 Why should they not be happy in receiving the health 
 and salvation of Jesus in the day of life, as well as 
 at the hour of death ? Sure I am, if we cannot die 
 comfortably without this, we cannot live happy des- 
 titute of it. To the glory of my dear Lord's precious 
 name, and matchless grace ; and for the encourage- 
 ment of my fellow-sinners, I am bold in glorying in 
 the health and salvation of Jesus ; and that he makes 
 me to know and feel his love in my heart. 
 
 Enthusiastic this ? then all are weak, 
 But rank enthusiasts 
 
 Fearless of the indignant frown— regardless of the 
 contemptuous sneer — unconcerned at the pointed 
 satire ; and unawed by the dread of a nickname from 
 the carnal world ; w^hy should not Christians rejoice 
 to glory of their inestimable previleges, enjoyed in 
 fellowship with God the Father, and his Son Jesus 
 Christ I Do the men of this world glory in their 
 shame ; and shall we be ashamed of our greatest 
 gloiy ? We know mere natural men do not know nor 
 feel these things. We know they cannot desire to 
 enjoy them. The reason is plain. They never knew 
 nor felt the evil of sin in their hearts ; nor the burden 
 
156 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 of sin upon their consciences ; therefore they are not 
 suitably affected at the consequences of sin. Hence 
 the blessings and privileges of the gospel of the grace 
 of God, seem just as unsuitable to them as a prescrip- 
 tion from a physician would be to a man who is in 
 sound health. Such as are whole in their own sight, 
 see no need of Jesus, the physician of souls. It is 
 quite natural of them to speak evil of things, of his 
 Spirit, and of his kingdom, which they know not of: 
 they d,re foolishness to them. For, "the natural man 
 " receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for 
 " they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he 
 " know them, because they are spiritually discerned," 
 1 Cor. ii. 14. 
 
 Mr Burkitt very judiciously observes here : *• There 
 are some things of God which a natural man may 
 know ; but the things of the Spirit of God, as truths 
 purely evangelical, these he receiveth not, neither in 
 his understanding nor wilL A person of the most 
 exquisite natural accomplishments, and one who has 
 improved his reason to the highest pitch, cannot 
 behold evangelical mysteries in their proper light, or 
 embrace them in their verity and beauty, without the 
 assistance of the Holy Spirit." Now this peace of 
 God is one of the things of the Spirit of God. 
 But the natural man has no *' sense of being in 
 friendship with God — no feeling of comfort and 
 joy flowing from him — no experience of the Peace of 
 God — it exceeds his conception ; " as the archbishop 
 phrases it. But who will take this character of the 
 natural man to himself ? The man of fine parts and 
 acquired abilities, thinks it cannot belong to him — 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 157 
 
 the minister, who thinks himself sent to teach others, 
 has no suspicion but that he is a spiritual man — the 
 mere nominal Christian, because he conforms to the 
 outward duties of rehgion, believes he is not a natural 
 man : and the outwardly profane think nothing at all 
 of the matter. Who then is this natural man the 
 apostle speaks of? By these two marks he is easily 
 distino^uished : 1st. He does not know himself : he is 
 blind to his own ignorance of spiritual things ; he is 
 a stranoer to his own heart and state. He knows 
 neither the spirituality of the law, nor the grace of 
 the gospel. But the spiritual man judgeth all things ; 
 he can see he was once a natural man : but the 
 natural man, whilst in his state of fallen nature, 
 unrenewed by the grace of God, and unenlightened 
 by the Spirit of God, cannot see his own state : and 
 will not own himself to be the natural man : he doth 
 not even know himself. But, 2. he is known to 
 others. Only try him as to the sense, feeling, and 
 experience of this blessing of the Peace of God ; you 
 will soon discover he has no conception of it : he will 
 " count it foolishness ; " yea, he will speak evil of 
 the things which he knows nothing of; they go be- 
 yond his understanding. Cast a pearl, one of the 
 truths of the gospel, one of the blessings of Chris- 
 tianity, before such; and, instead of receiving it, 
 they will turn upon you, and rent you, saith our Lord. 
 Tell them, " That all who believe in Jesus, arejus- 
 " tified from all things,'' Acts xiii. 39. " That to 
 *' such there is no condemnation,"" Rom. viii. 1. 
 That you are a living witness of this truth ; that, 
 
158 THE CHRISTIAT^ COMMUNICANT. 
 
 *^ being justified by faith, you have peace with God, 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ ; " and that God the 
 Spirit has inspired into you a sweet sense of being in 
 friendship with God ; a feeling of comfort and joy 
 flowing from God ; yea, that you now expej^ence this 
 peace in your own conscience. What would natural 
 men say to this ? Though it is the language of 
 scripture, of our church, and of the late archbishop; 
 yet they do not understand it. It is a happiness they 
 have no conception of. Therefore, with the same 
 breath, they would honour you, and manifest their 
 own state ; for they would " cast out your name as 
 evil for Christ's sake.;" and in so doing, prove them- 
 selves mere natural men. Your faith they would con- 
 demn as romantic. Your experience they would 
 brand as enthusiasm : and your person they would dig- 
 nify with being righteous over-much ; that too much 
 religion hath turned your brain. Such honour have 
 all God's saints from the men of this world. They 
 ^* know them not." They account both the faith and 
 experience of a Christian, foolishness. The apostle 
 assigns a very plain reason for this, " The things of 
 God a natural man cannot know, because they are 
 spiritually discerned." Says bishop Beveridge ; '^ I 
 beheve it a thousand times easier for a worm, a fly, 
 or any other despicable insect whatsoever, to under- 
 stand the affairs of men, than for the best of men, 
 in a natural state, to understand the things of God. 
 — We must have a spiritual light, before we can 
 understand spiritual things ; which every natural man 
 beino; destitute of, he can see no comeliness in Christ, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 159 
 
 why he should be desired ; nor any amiableness in 
 rehgion, why it should be embraced." Private 
 Thoughts. 
 
 Thus the peace of God passeth the understandings 
 of all mere natural men. Yet this very benediction 
 is constantly pronounced by our ministers, at the 
 dismission of the congregation. It contains nothing 
 more than what every real Christian doth in common 
 enjoy. And we may safely assert, without breach of 
 charit}^, that he is not a true Christian, who desires 
 not to experience a sense and feeling of the comforts 
 contained in this blessing. For the word of truth 
 declares, " If any man have not the spirit of Christ, 
 " he is none of his," Rom. viii. 9. Therefore he is 
 a stranger to the love of Jesus, and to the peace of 
 God. O what numbers of such professors are found 
 among us ! 
 
 But, even as to you, O ye children of God by 
 faith in Christ Jesus — who have the sense of God's 
 friendship in your hearts — who/eeZ the peace of God 
 in your minds — who experience the comfort of it in 
 your consciences : doth not this pass your under- 
 standing also ? For can you fully explore the amazincr 
 heights and the wondrous depths of this blessing ? 
 Dwell on it you may, you ought with rapture ; speak 
 of it you may, you ought with joy, saying with 
 David, " Come and hear, all ye who fear God, and 
 " I will tell you what he hath done for my soul ! " 
 Psal. Ixvi. 16. But fully to comprehend, and ex- 
 phcitly to explain the inward comfort of heart-felt 
 peace with God — here all reason is nonplussed — con- 
 ception is at a stand — understanding is perplexed. 
 
160 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 and all language fails in description. But here faith 
 is all in all. We believe what we cannot fully com- 
 prehend : we experience what we cannot fully explain : 
 we rejoice, adore, and praise for " the love of Christ 
 which passeth knowledge ;" and for the happy con- 
 sequence of it, *' the peace of God which passeth ail 
 understanding." Both the one and the other, it is 
 our happiness to know by faith ; but it is not our 
 calling perfectly to understand, nor fully to explain. 
 
 Yet thus much we do know; we are fully assured 
 of it by the infaUible word of truth, that the eternal 
 Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, is at peace with 
 his people. Those who believe this, experience the 
 comfort of it. For, '* by faith we have peace with 
 " God, through our Lord Jesus Christ," Rom, v. 1. 
 The gospel proclaims this. Christ's ministers preach 
 this. The holy Spirit" glorifies Jesus for this; and 
 breathes this peace into our hearts. And when 
 rebellious man hears such joyful tidings, and receives 
 such welcome news into his heart, O how doth it con- 
 quer his stubborn will ; subdue the rebellion of his 
 nature ; slay the enemy of his spirit ; and cause him 
 to cast his weapons of hostility to the ground, and to 
 lift up his eyes to heaven, with O God, is there 
 peace for me! Are thy thoughts of peace towards 
 me! What ME! — Such a vile rebeUious wretch 
 as me! O Lord, can it be ! Yes; for Jesus " hath 
 " ascended up on high ; led captivity captive ; re- 
 ^* ceived gifts for men;* yea, even for the rebelhous 
 
 * I could not pass over this passage without remarking, that 
 this Psilm is applied toour Immanuel, by an infallible commen- 
 tator, Ephes. ir. 8. The word which the translators have tendered, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 161 
 
 " also ; that the Lord God might dwell among them," 
 Psalm Ixviii. 18. And he saith, '^I will dwell in 
 " them, and walk in them, and" (though they were 
 naturally perverse and rebellious children, yet) " 1 
 " will be their God, and they sltall be my people ; 
 " and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my 
 " sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty," 2 
 Cor. vi. 16, 18. Hear, O soul, the Lord speaks in 
 the sovereignty of his grace, and in the fulness of 
 his precious love ; / will ; such is my determined 
 favour towards you ; You shall ; your foraier rebel- 
 lions shall not prevent, your present state of unwor- 
 thiness shall not hinder you from enjoying the tokens 
 of a tender Father's love to his beloved children. 
 You shall experience the smiles of my face ; you shall 
 feel the comforts of my love ; you shall enjoy a sense 
 of my peace in your hearts and minds. — O thou once 
 rebelHous, but now love-conquered soul ! doth not 
 thy Lord's love surprize thee ? Doth not this amazing 
 declaration of Peace to thee, who wast naturally afar 
 off, pass — surpass, and go beyond all thy conception 
 — all thy understanding ? 
 
 But art thou revolving in thy wondering mind, 
 what am I to do nothing towards enjoying this 
 ]:)eace ? Yes ; stretch forth thy hand ; take what the 
 Lord freely bestows. For he saith, " Let him take 
 " hold of my strength, that he may make peace with 
 " me, and he shall make peace with me," Isa. xxvii. 
 
 for men, stands in the margin of our Bibles, as it may be rendered, 
 IN THK MAN ; SO that the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit were 
 received in the manhood, or human nature of Jesus, as the cove- 
 nant-head and surety of all his spiritual seed, to be communicated 
 out of his fulness to thera. 
 
162 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 5. Here is the poor sinner, who was naturally at 
 war against the God of peace. Here is an answer 
 to his inquiring soul after peace, from Jesus, the 
 Prince of Peace. But what can we conceive our 
 Lord means by his strength ? Doubtless some- 
 what we have heard of in his word. What can it be 
 but the strength of his love, his infinite, his everlas- 
 ting, his almighty Love. His love is stronger than 
 death. All the floods of divine wrath could not 
 quench it. " Nothing shall be able to separate from 
 the love of Christ." Love to us brought Jesus to the 
 death of the cross, to make peace for us : and, in 
 spite of all opposition from devils or men, his love 
 will keep us in peace on earth, and bring us to a 
 crown of glory in heaven. For if God be at peace 
 with us, who shall be against us to destroy us ? 
 What then is it to take hold of the strength of 
 Jesus's love, but to believe it in our hearts, and to 
 hold it fast in our consciences ? " That in me, saith 
 '' the Son of God, ye might have peace," John xvi. 
 33. Believe in me, and be comforted — abide in me, 
 and be happy. Hence we are exhorted, " Hold fast 
 " the form of sound words, in faith and love, which 
 " is in Christ Jesus," 2 Tim. i. 13. This is an evi- 
 dence, that " we are made partakers of Christ, if we 
 " hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto 
 " the end," Heb. iii. 14. And to encourage us to this, 
 says our dear Lord, '^ Behold, I come quickly" (your 
 time and trials are but short in this vale of tears), 
 " hold fast" (your faith in the love of me) " that no 
 man take thy crown" (of rejoicing in me) Rev. iii. 1 1 . 
 Thus as this peace passeth all understanding in 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 163 
 
 the enjoyment, so also in the way in which it is 
 experienced. Even by taking hold of the strength 
 of Jesus's love ; beheving in the Son of God ; and 
 abiding in him by faith. For he who was the des- 
 pised MAN, the suffering Saviour, upon whom the 
 chastisement of our peace was laid, is also the Lord, 
 almighty in strength. He wrought miracles in 
 nature in the days of his flesh. He still works 
 miracles of grace by his Spirit, in the hearts of sin- 
 ners : so he brings the peace of God into our souls. 
 ^' All things were made by the Son of God : and 
 " without him was not any thing made that was 
 *^ made." Without him are not any sinners saved 
 who are saved. Without him none can enjoy the 
 peace of God here. And by him all shall be judged 
 and sentenced eternally with, " Come, ye blessed — 
 " or go, ye cursed" — hereafter. Therefore he saith. 
 Take hold of my strength, and be at peace with me. 
 ** Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace," 
 saith Ehphaz, Job xxii. 21. 
 
 When we are acquainted with Jesus, O then we 
 joyfully cry out, W^hat hath the beloved Son of God 
 done ! What hath he wrought for us sinners ! He 
 hath saved us from hell. He hath reconciled us to 
 God. He hath made peace with God for us by his 
 blood. He brings this peace into our hearts by his 
 Spirit. And thus he gives us a foretaste of heaven 
 upon earth. "This, this is my beloved and my 
 ** friend — he is the chief of ten thousand, and 
 " altogether lovely." Cant. v. 16. The more we 
 know of Jesus, the more we long after greater know- 
 ledge of him. St. Paul, who had long known, and 
 
164 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 long lived by faith on the Son of God ; yet it seems 
 to be the one desire and prayer of his heart, " That 
 I may know him," Phil. iii. 10. For in the know- 
 ledge of Jesus, our Prince of Peace, " standeth our 
 eternal life" of glory, and our present peace on 
 earth. But all this passeth our understanding fully 
 to conceive of, and perfectly to explain. Yet it is 
 the joy of our souls to find and feel the truth of this 
 by faith, in the experience of our hearts. There is a 
 still farther mystery, and joyful truth, in the next 
 words, which we proceed to consider. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 How this peace of God keeps our hearts and 
 minds. 
 
 This is, " through Christ Jesus," saith the apos- 
 tle, Phil. iv. 7. " In the knowledge and love of 
 '* God, and of his Son Jesus Christ," saith our 
 church. This is a just comment upon the divine 
 truth. The Christian's peace is not a phantom of 
 the mind : the effect of imagination ; nor the fruits 
 of a prolific fancy. But as it proceeds from the 
 knowledge of God in his word, and is enjoyed by 
 faith : so it produceth effects correspondent to its 
 own nature, and to the good of the subject who is 
 possessed of it. As the knowledge of God in Christ 
 first captivates the human mind ; so the peace of 
 God in Christ ever after keeps the heart in the know- 
 ledge and love of God. By the knowledge of God, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 165 
 
 peace is created in the soul : by peace, the mind is 
 preserved in knowledge. The peace of God is a 
 blessing bestowed on us who were once his enemies. 
 This peace ever keeps our minds as friends in the 
 knowledge of God, as our loving reconciled Father. 
 
 Hence we have an answer to some objections, 
 which may be urged. 
 
 1st, How do you know the peace you enjoy, is 
 not rather a fancy of the mind, or an illusion of 
 Satan, than from God ? We answer. The effects 
 prove its cause. What comes from God, leads the 
 heart and mind to God. But the peace of God 
 comes from God ; therefore that leads the heart and 
 mind to God. This we experience from a sense of 
 being in friendship with God. Feeling comfort and 
 joy flowing from God, we find our minds kept in the 
 knowledge and love of him. But is it objected again, 
 This is walking by sense and feeling, and not bv 
 faith. Not so, neither. For, though we may for a 
 season lose our sweet sense and comfortable feeling, 
 yet still we walk by faith. Yea, even when we do 
 enjoy these, our object is still the same : not our 
 sense and feehngs, but Christ, w^ho is the life of our 
 souls, as he is revealed in his word, God manifested 
 in Christ reconciled to us, and thus known in the 
 heart by faith. So that when we enjoy sense of 
 peace, and feeling of comfort, we praise our dear 
 Lord for this ; for these flow from him. If we are 
 destitute of this comforting sense and feeling, still 
 he keeps our hearts and minds in the knowledge 
 and love of him. We cannot lose his word, 
 which is the means of our knowing him; having 
 
166 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 once tasted his love in the peace of our hearts, 
 he keeps us in the knowledge of him, " by his 
 power, through faith." So that with David we 
 say, in the faith of our hearts, " In God's word will 
 *' I rejoice, in the Lord's word will I comfort me.'' 
 Thus our hearts and minds are kept in the know- 
 ledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, 
 by the truth of his word, and the grace of his Spirit, 
 through faith. Hence we are led to prize the word 
 of God as precious ; and to take heed to our ways to 
 rule ourselves after his word, lest we grieve the holy 
 Spirit, the inspirer of peace into our minds. The 
 knowledge and love of God in Christ constrain us to 
 hate sin, which God hath forbidden ; and to follow 
 after holiness, which he hath commanded. Thus the 
 peace, which we enjoy, proves that it comes from 
 God, and from none other. The first cause of any 
 sinner upon earth enjoying peace with God, are his 
 thoughts of peace to us. For thus, ** saith the Lord, 
 ^' I know the thoughts that I think towards you, 
 " thoughts of peace, and not of evil," Jer. xxix. 11. 
 As an effect of this, God brings us to the knowledge 
 of himself. This is declared in the next words^ 
 " Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and 
 '^ pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you," ver. 
 12. We cannot call upon an unknown God. We 
 know him by faith, as revealed in his word. We 
 call upon him, as manifested in Christ Jesus. And 
 what is the effect of this caUing on the Lord ? We 
 are told in the next verse, 13, ^' Ye shall seek me 
 " and find me, when ye shall search for me with all 
 " your heart." That is, saith our redeeming God, ye 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 167 
 
 " shall know that in me is your righteousness," Isa. 
 xlix. 24. ^* And that the work of my righteousness 
 is peace ; and the effect of my righteousness, quiet- 
 " ness and assurance for ever," Isa. xxxii. 17. From 
 this ye shall have that sense of being in friendship 
 with God : that feeling of comfort and joy flowing 
 from God, which passeth all understanding. This 
 shall certainly be the happy experience of every soul, 
 who seeks the Lord with his whole heart. The Lord 
 will bring his people to seek him, and search after 
 him ; just as one does after any thing one's heart 
 is set upon, and one cannot be happy till we 
 have found it, and do really possess it. Thus the 
 Lord had thoughts of peace towards St. Paul, 
 though he was in such daring, open war, against the 
 Lord, his truth and his members. The Lord made 
 himself known to him in a wonderful manner. He 
 spoke to him from heaven in an extraordinary way, 
 saying, ''I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." 
 What was the consequence ? Lord, says he, 
 " What wouldest thou have me to do ?" 1 would 
 gladly be at peace with thee. I will now serve thee 
 with all my heart. And, says the Holy Ghost, 
 " Behold, he prayeth," Acts ix. 11. He sought, 
 with all his heart, to enjoy peace from the Lord. 
 He found it. And this peace of God ever after kept 
 his heart and mind m the love of Christ. " That I 
 " may know Jesus" — '^That I may win Christ" — 
 " That I may be found in Christ." This was ever 
 after the language of his heart. Just so it is with 
 every sinner who is naturally born vvith enmity to 
 God, and hves in rebellion against him : but when 
 
168 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 he comes to know the peace of God, as revealed in 
 the word, and manifested in Christ Jesus, then he 
 believes in him, prays to him, and loves him. 
 Aoain, here is an answer to another question. Doth 
 the Lord keep the heart and mind of any in peace, 
 without the concurrence of their own will ? without 
 any actings of their own minds ? without any suita- 
 ble dispositions of their affections towards him ? 
 without conformity of life in obedience to his will ? 
 No ; this would be contrary to scripture, reason, and 
 the nature of the thing. I would appeal to the 
 experience of every true Christian, whether they do 
 not find that their hearts and minds are kept in the 
 sense of peace, ONLY, while they are stayed upon 
 God ? I think no one will dispute, or deny this. 
 But we have the more sure word of prophecy to 
 prove this : " Thou, O Jehovah, wilt keep him in 
 " perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee, 
 " because he trusteth in thee," Isa. xxvi. 3. Thus 
 the church of old sung ; thus they beheved ; and 
 thus they experienced. Trusting in God, explains 
 what is meant by staying the mind upon God. Now 
 here we view the behever exalted to the highest state 
 of honour ; while at the same time he is debased to 
 the lowest degree of humihty. For the very nature 
 of trusting in God, or the mind being stayed upon 
 God, implies these two things : first, a real convic- 
 tion, that we have nothing in ourselves that we can 
 trust in, or stay our minds upon. Here is our lowest 
 humility. And, 2dly, that we are warranted and 
 encouraged to trust in, and stay our minds upon 
 God. Here is our highest honour. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 169 
 
 The mind of the Christian is taught the reahty of 
 both these truths by the Word and Spirit of God. 
 And thus his mind is kept in peace. But what God 
 is it whom he trusts in and stays his mind upon ? 
 Not an imaginary, absolute being, which his own 
 natural fancy forms to his mind; a being possessed 
 of such and such amiable quahties, attributes, and 
 perfections, which men are pleased to ascribe to him, 
 and compliment him with. No. All men believe 
 there is a God : few know God. To know there is 
 a God, and to know God, are two distinct thino^s. 
 But the Christian believes his Bible. By means of 
 that he is taught to know God. He believes on God 
 as manifest in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world 
 unto himself. The hght of God hath shined in his 
 heart, to give him " the knowledge of the glory of 
 " God, in the face, or person, of Jesus Christ." 
 He sees in Jesus all the glorious attributes and per- 
 fections of God, displayed in their utmost splendour 
 and glory ; while they all harmonize and appear in 
 the most alluring, inviting view to poor sinners. 
 The Christian has an "understanding heart given 
 him to know that the Son of Grod is come ; that we 
 might know him who is true ; and we are in him 
 who is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is 
 the true God and eternal life." All others but God 
 in Christ are idols. Therefore we are exhorted 
 " Little children, keep yourselves from idoi^," 
 1 John V. 20, 21. But the true Christian's mind is 
 kept trusting in, and stayed upon, the Lord Jehovah: 
 the Covenant God : " God Almighty the Father— 
 the Son,~and the Holy Ghost;" as our church ex- 
 
170 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 presses it in this blessing — the Three-one God, who 
 sustains these office-characters in the covenant of 
 grace, redemption, justification, and salvation of us 
 sinners. All the blessings of God the Father's ever- 
 lasting love ; all the riches of God the Son's ever- 
 lasting grace ; and all the comfort of God the Holy 
 Ghost's everlasting consolations, are treasured up in 
 the fulness of Jesus, to be dispensed to all his 
 members. Thus runs the divine testimony : "It 
 " pleased the Father, that in Jesus, who is the head 
 " of his body the church, should all fulness dwell ; 
 " that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, 
 " as having made peace by the blood of his cross," 
 Col. i. 18 — 20. Thus runs the Christian's experi- 
 ence. " Of his fulness have we all received, and 
 " grace for grace," Johni. 16. Thus runs the divine 
 charter, " My God shall supply all your need, 
 " according to his riches in glory by Jesus," Phil, 
 iv. 19. Thus runs the believer's obedience, "We 
 " serve the Lord Christ, of whom we shall receive 
 " the reward of the inheritance," ' Col. iii, 24. Thus 
 declares our blessed Peace-maker ; " All things are 
 " delivered unto me of my Father : no man know- 
 " eth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth 
 " any man the Father, save the Son, and he to 
 " whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Therefore 
 saith Jesus, — "Come unto me, ye weary and heavy 
 " laden sinners," Matt. xi. 28. "Thou hast deli- 
 " vered thyself, but in me is thine help," Hos. xiii. 
 28. " Blessed is he who shall not be offended in 
 " ??ze," Matt. xi. 6. " Beheve me that I am in 
 " the Father, and the Father in ME," John xiv. 11. 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 171 
 
 " Believe in mey^ ver 1. "Abide in me,'' xv. 5. 
 " These things I have spoken, that in me ye might 
 " have peace," xvi. 33. lYor has any sinner, (and 
 such every man upon earth is) any other object for 
 his faith to fix on, his mind to stay on, nor his heart 
 to trust in, for 'peace, but God in Christ : God made 
 manifest in flesh. The scriptures reveal no other, 
 nor direct to any other. Not to God the Father con- 
 sidered without the Son ; for, " the Father is in the 
 " Son. And no man knoweth the Father, save the 
 " Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal 
 " him. No man cometh unto the Father, but by 
 " me,'' saith Jesus, John xvi. 6. Not to the Holy 
 Ghost ; for, saith Jesus, the Father sends him in my 
 name — " he shall testify of ?we," John xv. 26. " He 
 " shall glorify me." He is the witness for Jesus in 
 the world. He is the comforter of our souls. For, 
 saith our precious Immanuel, " He shall receive of 
 " mine." Oi my adorable person — of my infinite 
 love — of my rich grace — of my glorious righteousness 
 — of my perfect atonement — of my eternal redemp- 
 tion — of my finished salvation — and of my everlasting 
 kingdom, and " shall show it unto you," John xvi. 
 14. Hence upon Jesus, the faith of the heavenly- 
 instructed soul fixes its whole hope, stay, and sup- 
 port — What though all such are sensible, that they 
 are day after day the most poor, the most needy, 
 and the most miserable sinners upon the earth ; yet 
 their minds shall be kept in the knowledge and love 
 of God in Christ. Hence they live, even the very 
 same life which inspired apostles did, namely, " a 
 " life of faith on the Son of God, who loved them - 
 
 I 2 
 
172 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 " and gave himself for them," Gal. ii. 20. What a 
 precious life is this ! what a precious peace is enjoyed 
 by this hfe ! and, what a precious knowledge doth 
 this peace keep the heart and mind in ! " Thou, O 
 Jehovah, wilt keep him in perfect peace ;" or in 
 peace, peace; denoting the abundance of peace 
 which such are kept in, who stay their minds upon 
 the Lord. We may know the precise meaning of 
 this phrase, staying the mind. It is used, 2 Kings 
 xviii. 21. The explanation of it is easily come at. 
 The children of Israel were then invaded by that 
 powerful and insulting monarch, the king of Assyria. 
 Rabshakeh was sent to revile God's people, and to 
 ridicule their confidence. Says he, " Now behold 
 thou trustest upon the staff of Egj^pt," Sfc. That 
 is, as he would insinuate, under their present dis- 
 tressing circumstances, when they had neither 
 strength nor power of their own to resist their inva- 
 ders, they leaned their whole weight of dependence, 
 for the support of their sinking minds, upon king 
 Pharaoh. The word alludes to a weary traveller, 
 who, finding his own strength fail him, leans and 
 trusts upon his staff for support. This is quite simi- 
 lar to our state and circumstances. Are not we in- 
 vaded by enemies whom we cannot resist ? Insulted 
 by foes, against whom we are not able to stand ? 
 Are not the world, the flesh, and the devil, in battle 
 array against us, continually warring against the 
 peace of our minds ? A far more powerful host than 
 the king of Assyria brought against Israel, we have 
 to conflict with. For, '^ we wrestle not (only) with 
 " flesh and blood, but, against principalities, against 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 173 
 
 " powers, against the rulers of darkness of this 
 *' world, against spiritual wickedness in high places," 
 Eph. vi. 12. A far more subtle enemy than a Rab- 
 shakeh attacks our faith, reviles our confidence, and 
 ridicules our hope ; even Satan, with all his artful 
 devices. And what can we do ? We are not of 
 ourselves sufficient to think, much less to do any 
 thing as of ourselves. And, saith our dear Lord, 
 " Without me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5. 
 Therefore, just as a weary traveller, whose strength 
 fails him, leans his weight upon his staff for support ; 
 so our weary souls lead and trust upon our beloved 
 Saviour for righteousness and strength. Thus we 
 walk on in the heavenly road without fainting: 
 cheerfully singing with those of old, " In the Lord 
 " [Jehovah Jesus] have I righteousness and 
 " strength." For, " IN him shall all the seed of 
 " Israel be justified, and shall glory." Isa. xlv. 25. 
 Thus our church defines the household of faith, 
 as '* leaning only upon the hope of God's heavenly 
 " grace," fifth collect after Epiphany. So the 
 church of old is described, as " coming up from the 
 " wilderness, Zea?^^^^^ upon her beloved." Cant. viii. 
 5. Having no confidence in the flesh ; conscious of 
 weakness and inability to perform the duties of reli- 
 gion ; to withstand the temptations of Satan ; to 
 escape the snares of the world ; to answer the 
 demands of the law ; and to hold on, and hold out 
 to the end of their Christian race ; it is the wisdom 
 of Christians to see both righteousness and strength 
 in their beloved Jesus for them ; and it is the glory 
 of their souls daily to repose their trust in him, and 
 
174 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 constantly to stay their minds upon him. For his 
 everlasting righteousness is the clothing of our souls, 
 and our title to glory. His almighty strength is our 
 armour, in which we are enabled to fight the good 
 fight of faith, and to persevere, even till we lay hold 
 of eternal life. Therefore, saith St. Paul, to his 
 son Timothy, and also to every son of God, " be 
 " strong" (not in confidence of your own inherent 
 strength or righteousness, but) *' in the grace which 
 " is in Christ Jesus," 2 Tim. ii. 1. Ever trust to 
 that : ever stay your minds upon " Christ. So 
 " David, when he was greatly distressed, encouraged 
 " or strengthened himself in the Lord his God," 1 
 Sam. XXX. 6. Thus the peace of God keeps our 
 heart and minds in the knowledge and love of God, 
 and of his Son Jesus Christ, as our only staff of 
 strength, our only stay of comfort. Let us next 
 consider, 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 That it is not only our hounden duty^ hut our exalted 
 ^privilege also, at all times and seasons, to trust in 
 the Lord, and stay our minds upon him for peace, 
 
 THE knowledge of the Lord is given us in his 
 word to this very end. We are not only invited, 
 encouraged, and exhorted : but again and again com- 
 manded, even by the Lord himself, to trust in him. 
 For, not only our good is hereby promoted, but also 
 our Lord's word is honoured, and his name is glorified. 
 And are we assured, that the Lord will help him in 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 175 
 
 perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon him ? Yes, 
 saith the prophet, and he assigns the reason. " Be- 
 cause he trusted in the Lord." The trust of the heart 
 makes the Lord a debtor to fulfil his own word of 
 promise. Indeed, seeing what vile and wretched 
 beings we are, doubt and diffidence might well take 
 place, if we were only to look to ourselves, and had 
 no word from the Lord to encourage our confidence in 
 him. But, glory to his grace, there is no one state 
 in life, nor fr^me of mind, we can possibly be in, but 
 we have a word from the Lord, suited to our circum- 
 stance, to encourage our trust in him. Hear the 
 voice of the Spirit, " Trust ye in the Lord for ever ; 
 " for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength," 
 Isa. xxvi. 4. O let your minds ever set a mark upon 
 that precious word, Jehovah, Whenever we see it 
 occur, let us remember it is the name of the self- 
 existed God; even of our precious Immanuel — God 
 with us — God for us — God in Christ — God incarnate 
 — God in our nature. This Lord is to be the object 
 of our faith, and the trust of our hearts for ever. 
 " He only is our salvation and our glory ; the rock of 
 *^ our strength and our refuge." Therefore we are 
 called upon, " Trust in him at all times ; ye people, 
 " pour out your heart before him ; God is a refuge 
 " for us," Psalm Ixii. 8. And David adds, Selah, 
 just as we put N. B. for nota bene. As much as to 
 say, mark this well : consider it attentively ; spread 
 it before your minds : let it ever dwell on your hearts, 
 that what you are most backward to, is of the utmost 
 importance to the peace of your souls, at all times to 
 trust in the Lord. — Why ? Because God is our refuge. 
 
176 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 O, in times of danger, difficulty, and distress, how 
 happy is the soul who flies for refuge to Jesus, the 
 God of his salvation ! how comforting ever to place 
 confidence in HIM ! what ease doth it give the mind ; 
 what refreshment yield to the conscience, to pour out 
 the heart before Him : That is, with holy famiharity, 
 as to a loving Brother or a faithful Friend, to lay 
 open all one's burdens, griefs, trials and distresses, 
 to our Lord. O how joyful to remember our merciful 
 High Priest is touched with a feehng of all our in- 
 firmities, and sympathizes with us in all our sorrows 
 and suflferings ; Such is the love of Jesus ! Such the 
 blessedness of his members ! 
 
 Christian, thou hast been at the Table of thy Lord, 
 to commemorate his love in becoming the hope of thy 
 soul, and the stay of thy mind. Thou art called : and^ 
 as a behever in Jesus, thou canst not but desire and 
 dehght to glorify thy Lord in thy life. But this can 
 only be done by trusting in the Lord, and staying thy 
 mind upon him. Consider this under the following 
 particulars : 
 
 1 . The sight and view of thyself, as a fallen crea- 
 ture, must be sorely distressing to thy mind. How 
 many things art thou conscious of being the subject 
 of, which are ever working against the purity and 
 peace of thy soul ! Natural men, who are dead in 
 trespasses and sin, if they commit sin, and their con- 
 science is a little alarmed, and reproves them ; yet 
 time, assisted by carnal remedies, soon lulls the con- 
 science asleep again ; the sin is forgot, and the evil 
 is soon effaced from their memory. But thy renewed 
 soul has an abiding sense of the dreadful corruption 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 177 
 
 of thy fallen nature, and of the desperate wickedness 
 of thine own heart. Thou dost see, and therefore 
 wilt say with the apostle, " I know that in me [that 
 is, in my flesh] dwelleth no good thing ;" and must 
 confess, " When I would do good, evil is present with 
 me," Rom. vii. 21. Yon feel a war within as well as 
 without. A continual conflict between the old man 
 and the new — the flesh lusting against the spirit —the 
 risings of carnal lusts — the workings of pride and un- 
 behef from the carnal mind — the rebeUion of thy 
 corrupt nature against God's sovereignty, his provi- 
 dence, his truths, and his grace in Christ Jesus. 
 Now, under all this sightj sense, and feeling^^ what 
 can support thy heart, and keep thy mind from 
 sinking ? Verily, nothing, but its being stayed upon 
 the Lord, beheving his everlasting, unchangeable 
 love —confiding solely in the infinitely perfect righte- 
 ousness of Jesus, for the justification of thy person 
 in the sight of God — relying only on the everlasting 
 atonement, which his precious blood hath made for 
 thy sins to God — trusting wholly to the all-sufficient 
 fulness of the grace which is in Jesus ; that his 
 strength may be perfect in thy weakness, for the sub- 
 duing thy sins, and mortifying thy lusts — staying the 
 mind upon the Lord, as being risen and ascended in 
 our nature into heaven — " there sitting in the glory 
 " of the Father" — his prevailing intercession at the 
 right hand of God for us — the exceeding great and 
 precious promises which are in Christ Jesus, yea and 
 amen, to the glory of God ; and shall be fulfilled in 
 us — looking for the glory which shall be revealed at 
 the appearing of the great God, and our Saviour 
 
 i3 
 
178 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Jesus Christ ; and shall be enjoyed hy us — all these 
 are the revealed truths of God's word — all flow from 
 the everlasting love of God to us ; therefore are the 
 object of our faith, and are as a staff of strength, 
 and a stay of support to our minds. And, by staying 
 our mind upon them, we honour our Lord's precious 
 word, and glorify his rich grace : we prove ourselves 
 his faithful disciples ; bear our testimony to the truth 
 before men ; and therefore in this way he will com- 
 fort us, by keeping our minds in perfect peace, 
 because we trust in him. 
 
 2. We are called to fight the good fight of faith. 
 This imphes enemies without, as well as within. 
 Here is the world, with its bewitching snares, flat- 
 terino; smiles, beouilino; baits, and threatenino; frowns. 
 x\ll its honours, riches, and pleasures, decked out in 
 the most enchanting dress, to allure and captivate. 
 And here is Satan, the god of this world, ever ready 
 to suggest to thy mind. Cast in thy lot; taste of 
 sensual joys and pleasures, and thou wilt long after 
 more ; there is a sufficiency to gratify and delight ; 
 and we are the subjects of a nature suited to all that 
 Satan and the world set before us. How then shall 
 we be able to stand and maintain our ground ? Not 
 at all ; unless, like good Jehoshaphat, our minds are 
 stayed upon the Lord ; and, with him, our hearts 
 appeal against them, " O, our God, wilt thou not 
 " judge them? For we have no might against this 
 " great company that cometh against us ; neither 
 " know we what to do ; but our eyes are upon thee," 
 2 Chron. xx. 12. O, when the eye of our faith is 
 upon Jesus, and the glories of his kingdom, how 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 179 
 
 contemptible does the shining pomp and gUttering 
 vanity of this world appear ! It all sinks in our 
 eyes ; it all dies in our esteem. For, this " is the 
 " victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 
 " Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that 
 " beheveth Jesus is the Son of God ?" 1 John v. 4, 5. 
 As Christ dwells in the heart by faith ; so his love 
 casts out the love of the world, and gives the victory 
 over it. So we find strength for every battle ; enjoy 
 peace in every conflict ; and possess joy after every 
 victory. " For in all things we are more than con- 
 " querors, through him who hath loved us." And, 
 " nothing shall be able to separate us from Christ's 
 " love." The firm behef of this inspires the soul 
 with warm zeal in God's cause, and undaunted 
 courao^e ao-ainst the Lord's enemies and ours, the 
 world, the flesh, and the devil. 
 
 3. We are called to walk in all the commandments 
 and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But unless 
 our minds are stayed upon the Lord, seeing our Lord's 
 love and grace to us in his commands and institutions, 
 our minds will tire in duty, and we shall be ready to 
 say with those of old, '^ Behold, what a weariness 
 " is it ? It is vain to serve God ; and what profit is 
 '* it, that we have kept his ordinances, and walked 
 " before the Lord of hosts?" Mai. iii. 14. They 
 walked mournfully — they found no pleasure in duty 
 — no comfort in waiting upon God. But, why not? 
 Truly because the mind was not stayed upon Jesus, 
 the Alpha and Omega ; the first and the last ; the 
 sum and substance ; the all in all of what was engaged 
 in. But when the soul comes to ordinances with a 
 
180 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 firm belief of the love of Jesus to sinners ; a sweet 
 confidence in him as the friend of sinners ; a steady 
 dependence on him as the life of sinners ; looking to 
 him as the comforter of sinners ; and therefore engages 
 in duties, to enjoy his sweet presence: to hear more 
 of his precious love : to be fed more with his rich 
 grace : to be established more in the knowledge, 
 faith, and love, of his adorable person ; in the un- 
 searchable riches of his grace, and the perfection of 
 his finished salvation ; that Jesus may have the love 
 of our whole hearts, the praises of our lips, and the 
 obedience of our hves ; thus when Jesus is looked to 
 for all — lived upon in all — and studied to be glorified 
 by all — then we find that in waiting upon him, we 
 renew our strength. " Thus the Lord gives peace by 
 all means.'' 
 
 4. The Christian sometimes walks in darkness. 
 Not in the darkness of sin. No : the children of 
 God hate that; for it is contrary to the hght of 
 truth, the life of faith, and the constraints of love. 
 " They are delivered from the power of such dark- 
 ^' ness," Col. i. 13. But they often walk in darkness 
 with respect to God's dispensations, both in provi- 
 dence and grace towards them. Their affairs in 
 providence may wear a gloomy aspect. With Jacob 
 they may be ready to say, " All these things are 
 " against me," Gen. xlii. 36. One comfort is taken 
 away. Such a blessing I am deprived of. This 
 support fails me. That dependence is quite removed. 
 O ! but when the mind is stayed upon God, who 
 will never leave nor forsake : who worketh all things 
 after the counsel of his own will, and who makes all 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 181 
 
 things to work together for good to them who love 
 him, and are called according to his purpose to know 
 him ; then we see, that not one evil we feel and com- 
 plain of, but sovereign love is in all. This brings 
 peace and contentment to the heart. All is swallowed 
 up in God's sovereignty; all is enjoyed in God's 
 covenant love. But the frame of the Christian's mind 
 may also be in darkness, and have no light. The 
 sun of righteousness may appear as it were eclipsed 
 to his view. No stars to give light to the promises of 
 God : and God himself hiding his face ; and therefore 
 the soul is troubled. This doth befal souls. But it 
 is only for a season. 1 he trouble they have on the 
 account of this, shews their love to God, and delight 
 in him. It also answers the good end that God in- 
 tends by it. If he hides his face, because they have 
 offended him, it makes the soul seek him sorrowing, 
 and causes it to prize the enjoyment of God's favour 
 the more highly. Yet in their darkest frames, the 
 love of God is ever the same towards them — the God 
 of peace is for them, and at peace with them. Though 
 it is very natural in darkness to mistake objects, and 
 to draw false conclusions. " But the darkness and 
 " the light are both alike to our Lord," Psal. cxxxix. 
 12. His love is the same at all times to his children, 
 whether he caresses or chastises. His smiles are the 
 tokens of an affectionate Father. His stripes are the 
 chastisements of a loving Father. Both alike pro- 
 ceed from the love of his heart towards us. Suppose 
 a tender parent to be angry with, and to correct his 
 child ; yet if the child be at a distance in the dark 
 for a season, the parent would discover its affection 
 
182 THE CHRISTIAN COiMMUNICANT. 
 
 by inquiry after it. Just so the Lord aets towards us. 
 For he puts this tender and affectionate question, 
 " Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and 
 ^* obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in 
 " darkness, and hath no hght V Doth our Lord leave 
 such without hope, counsel, and direction? Doth 
 he say, let them walk on till the night of death over- 
 take them, and the darkness of hell encompass them ? 
 No : blessed be his loving name ; there is love in the 
 inquiry: there is comfort in the advice. For he adds, 
 *' Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stai/ 
 " himself upon his God," Isa. 1. 10. His covenant, 
 his reconciled God. Covenant love changeth not. 
 Covenant relations can never be broken. That is 
 impossible : for they are " confirmed of God in 
 Christ," Gal. iii. 17. Who art thou then that sayest, 
 " My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is 
 " passed over from my God ?" O, soul, remember, 
 everlasting love — eternal truth — immutable faithful- 
 ness — inviolable promises — the solemn oath of God 
 — all, all are engaged for the heirs of promise, who 
 have fled to Jesus for refuge to trust in, and stay 
 themselves upon in seasons of darkness, affliction, 
 and desertion. To what end ? Verily, that so they 
 might have consolation, yea, strong consolation. For 
 what is the name of our Lord ? St. John tells us, 
 God is love, 1 John, iv. 8. He is the God of conso- 
 lation, Rom. XV. 5. When Peter was in darkness as 
 to his Lord's designs, saith our Lord, " W^hat I do, 
 " thou knowest not now ; but thou shalt know here- 
 " after," John xiii. 7. 
 
 The tim,e is drawing on apace : we shall very soon 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 183 
 
 be where there shall be no more night ; but it shall 
 be always hght and day with us. Then we shall see 
 our Lord's love in all ; that there was a needs-be for 
 all : and we shall then praise him for all. Let it 
 suffice at present for us to know that the government 
 of his church, of our souls, and of all our concerns, 
 is vpon his shoulders, who was ** a child born for us : 
 " a son given to us : even Jesus, the Prince of 
 " Peace ;" upon whom " the chastisement of our 
 " peace was laid ;" — who hath made peace for us, 
 and will keep us in perfect peace, because our minds 
 are stayed upon him. And this we shall have need 
 for in the last particular, namely, 
 
 5. In the solemn closing scene of life. We have a 
 dreary passage to travel, before we arrive at the en- 
 joyment of our beloved. We must walk through the 
 valley of the shadow of death. But what can change 
 a substance into a shadow ? Is not death a real 
 thing ? Why doth David call it a shadow ? Because 
 he spake by the same spirit as New-Testament saints 
 do. They call death sleep. This is but an image or 
 representation of it. " Those who sleep in Jesus, will 
 « God bring with him," 1 Thess. iv. 14. Though 
 death is a dreadful enemy to unbelievers ; yet " if we 
 " believe that Jesus died and rose again," death loses 
 its horror : its ghastly face is changed : he comes with 
 the smile of love. " Though I walk through the 
 " valley of the shadow of death, I wall fear no evil ;" 
 Why so ? ^* Because thou, O my God and Saviour, 
 " art with me," Psalm xxiii. 4. My mind is stayed 
 upon thee : thou wilt comfort me. Thus faith in 
 Jesus makes a bridge over the river of death. Well 
 
184 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 therefore may the Christian, at all times, and in all 
 seasons, say with confidence of spirit, " Thou wilt 
 " guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive 
 " me to glory. Whom have I in heaven to trust in, 
 " but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I 
 " desire besides thee. And though my flesh and my 
 " heart faileth, yet God is the strength of my heart, 
 '' and my portion for ever," Psalm Ixxiii. 24 — 26. 
 Though ^' the sting of death is sin, and the strength 
 " of sin is the law ;" yet Jesus, by atoning for our sins, 
 and fulfilling the law for us, hath disarmed death of 
 his sting. So that, in the triumph of faith, we joy- 
 fully cry out, " O death, where is thy sting ?" It is 
 left and lost in the body of Jesus. " O grave, where 
 ** is thy victory V Jesus hath conquered thee for 
 us. Therefore, " Thanks be to God who giveth us 
 " the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 
 XV, 55 f &c. Giveth us the victory I 
 
 O my fellow-sinners, pray mind that. For this is 
 a most precious word indeed to living, dying Chris- 
 tians ! It is as if he had said, " Has sin begot 
 and brought into the world two most dread and 
 formidable monsters, death and the grave? Is sin, 
 the sting of death, in your bodies ? is sin, armed 
 with the strength of the law, against your bodies I 
 Must your bodies soon and certainly die of this fatal 
 sting, and fall victims under the resistless strength of 
 the law? Yet fear not, behold, there is a perfect 
 victory obtained for your souls." Verily, Jesus, by 
 his righteous life — atoning death — triumphant resur- 
 rection — glorious ascension, and eternal glorification, 
 hath gained a complete and entire conquest over 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 185 
 
 these enemies. The gospel trumpet loudly proclaims 
 the fact. This is joyful ; but this is not all. For 
 this victory is not only gained, proclaimed, and pro- 
 mised ; but it is actually given. By whom ? Even 
 by God the Father ; who is well pleased with and is 
 glorified by the conquests of his own beloved Son ; 
 and, according to the good pleasure of his will, and 
 the purposes of his gracious heart, he giveth this 
 victory. To whom ? Even to us, poor sinners : for 
 he actually bestows on us — invests us with — imputes 
 to us, and makes us sharers in all the glorious 
 conquests of our hving head. Jesus our dear con- 
 queror's righteous life is ours ; therefore the law can- 
 not condemn us. His atoning death is ours ! there- 
 fore sin can never destroy us. His triumphant resur- 
 rection is ours : '' God hath raised us up together 
 " with him, and made us sit together in heavenly 
 *' places in Christ Jesus," Eph. ii. 6. Therefore death 
 and the grave ^ can have no more dominion over us, 
 the members of Jesus, than they have over him, our 
 living, risen, glorified head. Now all this is given to 
 us, and bestowed upon us, by God the Father, 
 through his beloved Son Jesus. All is of free gift : 
 all is of rich grace ; all is actually bestowed, and 
 really enjoyed. How? By whom? Who receive 
 and enjoy this blessing? The faithful. ... all, who 
 believe in Jesus, share in the love of his heart, the 
 trophies of his cross, and the victories of his crown. 
 By faith we now receive this gift of victory — triumph 
 in it — glory of it : and give abundant tlianks to God, 
 who freely bestows it upon us. 
 
 O then, how precious is Jesus to them who be- 
 heve ! Precious in the day of life — more precious 
 
186 THE christia:n communicant. 
 
 in the hour of death — most inestimably, yea, infinite- 
 ly and everlastingly precious will he be through the 
 never-ending days of eternity. Then my fellow- 
 Sinners, we shall be for ever uninterruptedly reaping 
 the spoils, and enjoying the trophies of his glorious 
 victory. Now we possess all in divine faith — then 
 we shall enjoy all in divine sense. Now we live upon 
 Jesus — then we shall live and reign with Jesus. O 
 then, study much in the mount of contemplation 
 Jesus, your life — your conqueror, and your victories 
 in him ! So that, while you see nothing in your 
 flesh, but sin ; and the consequence of it, misery ; 
 and the wages of it, death ; you may behold and live 
 upon Jesus J your righteousness. 
 
 O how sweetly doth that late eminent minister 
 of Jesus, Mr. Hervey, speak of this in his dialogues ! 
 " Nothing is so sovereign as the righteousness of 
 Christ to calm our fears, and to remove all appre- 
 hensions of divine wrath. It is a sure support for 
 the Christian in an hour of desertion, and in the 
 agonies of death. Casting anchor on this bottom, 
 he may dismiss every fear, and ride out every storm. 
 Leaning upon this staff, he may go down to the 
 repose of the grave ; and neither be appalled at the 
 solemn harbinger of dissolution, nor terrified at its 
 most awful consequences." — And so indeed did that 
 excellent man of God find it in the sweet experience 
 of his own soul ; for he comfortably fell asleep 
 in the faith of Jesus, while these words quivered 
 from his dying lips, precious salvation ! precious 
 salvation ! 
 
 Thus the life of a Christian consists in a continued 
 experience of his own weakness — a constant sense of 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 187 
 
 his own vileness — daily feeling his own emptiness — 
 and therefore ever seeing the need of his perpetual 
 dependence on Christ, to receive out of his fulness. 
 Thus Christ is to be lived upon as our Ufe— our 
 streno;th--our rig;hteousness, and our salvation. Now 
 this trusting and staying of the soul upon Jesus, as 
 it keeps the heart humble, in close fellowship with 
 him ; so it sets it at the greatest opposition against 
 sin, while it is in our members. And thus the soul 
 enjoys true rest and real happiness in Christ : derives 
 strength from him, for the exercise of eveiy grace, 
 for the discharge of every duty ; to resist every tempt- 
 ation ; to withstand every enemy ; for support under 
 every trial ; and to follow after hohness in this life, 
 till the Christian has fought his fight, run his race, 
 and finished his course, and entered into glory. 
 Thus Christ is all in all to the believing soul. And 
 thus the Christian, by faith in Christ, walks with 
 God, and enjoys his peace. Let us now see, 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 That to he carnally-minded is contrary to all this. 
 
 We hve in a day of great profession. May we 
 not add, of great declension also from the purity 
 and peace cf the gospel ? Look at the spirit and 
 temper of professors ; see their walk and conduct ; 
 and say, are they such as become the gospel of 
 Christ ? Verily of many professors it may as truly 
 be said, they are walking barefoot to Jerusalem, as 
 
188 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 that they are following the Son of God. The mind 
 determines the walk. The outward conduct evi- 
 dences the inward frame of the mind. If the mind 
 is stayed upon God, the Christian cannot walk in 
 the vanity of his mind, fulfilling the desires of the 
 flesh. If he does, it is fully manifest that his mind 
 is not stayed upon God. Is it any marvel such is 
 not kept in peace ? It would be strange indeed if 
 they were. For it would be contrary to the nature of 
 God, the word of his truth, and the purposes of 
 his grace. Yea, it would be inconsistent with God's 
 fatherly love towards them, as also incompatible 
 with the good of their own souls. It is not con- 
 sistent either with the love or wisdom of an earthly 
 parent, to caress, pamper, and indulge his child, in 
 a course of disobedience to his commands, and re- 
 bellion against his will. Surely infinite wisdom 
 knows better : surely infinite love acts otherwise. 
 
 See Gnosticus, He hears the enchanting sound 
 of the gospel. He is dehghted with it. He is joined 
 to the people of God. He constantly fills up his 
 seat at the place of worship. He regularly attends 
 at the Lord's table. But, excepting all this, Gnos- 
 ticus lives and walks all the week just as the rest 
 of the world do. His mind is wholly taken up with, 
 and his affections set upon, the things of this world. 
 Perhaps he does not run to the same excess of riot 
 as others. This he thinks would hurt his character 
 as a professor ; yet he is a companion of those who 
 do. He resorts to the same places with them. He 
 partakes of their pleasures. He thinks himself at 
 full liberty to enjoy the same scenes of mirth and 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 189 
 
 jollity. His mind is under no constraint, as to the 
 enjoyments of carnal amusements and sensual de- 
 lights, which gratify the vitiated taste of corrupt 
 minds, who know not God, and are strangers to the 
 love of Christ. Sometimes he indulges himself at 
 the playhouse. He frequently regales himself with 
 the diversion of the card-table. And in a very 
 serious mood, Gnosticiis demands. What harm is 
 there in seeing a good play ? What evil in an inno- 
 cent game at cards ? Now these very questions dis- 
 cover the state of his mind ; as his practices prove 
 that it is not stayed upon God. Can it be supposed 
 that the minds of such professors are kept in the 
 peace and love of God ? What harm ! What evil ! 
 Is there no harm in having the mind diverted from 
 God ? No evil in the affections being turned to 
 vanity, instead of being placed on God ? No evil 
 in precious moments, being worse than lost, because 
 vainly spent, instead of redeeming the time for the 
 service of God ? No harm in lavishing money, of 
 which we are stewards, to gratify the lust of the 
 eye, instead of doing good to the poor members of 
 Christ ! No harm in being carnally minded ? Why : 
 it is death ! Death to the hope, love, peace, and 
 joy of the soul. Yea, most awful to think of — eter- 
 nal death to the soul itself, if lived and died in. 
 
 Go to that sordid miser, whose gold is his god ; 
 whose mind is set upon, and whose happiness cen- 
 tres in his riches ; bid him leave his bags for the 
 unsearchable riches of Christ — be rich in good 
 works, and give to the poor. He will tell you, his 
 happiness lies another way. His mind is set upon 
 
190 THE CHRISTIAT^ COMMUNICANT. 
 
 a different object. All this would draw off his atten- 
 tion from his grand pursuit. He has neither time 
 nor inclination for this. 
 
 Tell that gentleman of pleasure of the joys of 
 rehgion, and the infinite pleasures there are in fel- 
 lowship with God, and his Son Jesus Christ : invite 
 him to leave his pursuits after earthly pleasures, and 
 to give up himself to seek those pleasures which are 
 at God's right hand for evermore. You will find 
 his heart too strongly attached to other objects, than 
 to forsake them. His mind is his kingdom. He can 
 be happy only while pursuing what his mind is set 
 upon. 
 
 Address that gentleman, whose mind is set upon 
 the honours of this world. Assure him that Christ 
 is an honour to them who believe. Tell him the 
 King of kings has declared, " Them who honour 
 " me, I will honour." 1 Sam. ii. 30. He would 
 reply. My mind is fixed upon the honours from the 
 noble and wealthy : religion would make me con- 
 temptible in their eyes. Leave me to my mind, 
 and do you enjoy yours. Now each of these disco- 
 vers what his mind is fixed upon. And is the miser, 
 the man of pleasure, and the man who seeks the 
 honours of this world, more faithful to the god they 
 serve, than thou who dost profess to serve the living, 
 the loving, and true God, who alone can make thy soul 
 happy in time, and happy in eternity ? O blush at 
 thyself ! be ashamed of thy conduct. Talk no more 
 of thy notions of Christianity, and thy knowledge of 
 divine truths. Verily, all seem but empty specula- 
 tions to thee. For where are thine affections ? 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 191 
 
 Upon whom is thy mind stayed ? If on the Lord, 
 thou wilt be followino; on to know him, and turning 
 away from those objects which tend to draw thy 
 heart from him. Dost thou talk highly of gospel 
 truths ? Dost thou greatly extol the perfections of 
 Jehovah in the scheme of salvation ? and yet walk- 
 est in the vanity of thy mind, after the lust of 
 thine heart, and the sight of thine eyes ? Take 
 knowledge of thyself. Truly thy conduct is just 
 like a husband who pretends the greatest affection 
 for his wife : is ever extoUing her person, and raising 
 the highest encomiums upon her conduct ; and yet, 
 after all, he doth not keep chaste to her, nor make 
 up ail his happiness in her ; but, when disposed, 
 o'oes a whorino; after his own imam nations. 
 
 O Christian, dost thou really believe there is such 
 a thing as pleasing Satan — dishonouring our God 
 and Saviour — grieving his holy Spirit — offending thy 
 Christian brethren —and wounding the peace of thy 
 ow^n mind ? Be assured thou canst not more effec- 
 tually do all this, than by walking after the course of 
 this present evil world. Complain no more of lean- 
 ness and barrenness of soul; of doubts and fears; 
 of want of peace of mind, comfort of heart, and 
 joy in the Holy Ghost. How canst thou expect 
 these, while thy heart wanders from thy God ; thy 
 mind is not stayed upon him ; nor art thou content to 
 make up all thy happiness in community with him ? 
 Surely, living by faith on the Son of God, is living 
 above the low and carnal gratifications of corrupt 
 lusts., and having fellowship with the unfruitful works 
 of darkness. Remember God gives his holy Spirit, 
 
192 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 in his comforts and joys, only to them who obey him 
 in their hfe and walk, Acts v. 32. If one was to 
 see a person, who was beheved to be a real Chris- 
 tian, entering the doors of a theatre ; should not one 
 be naturally led to reason thus ; " Is that the person 
 who professed, at the Lord's Table, to present his 
 soul and body as a living sacrifice, holy and accep- 
 table to God, as his reasonable service ; who 
 solemnly confessed his past ways to be grievous ; and 
 besought the grace of God, that he might hereafter 
 serve and please him in newness of life ? — Is this he, 
 who, the other day, talked so sweetly of the love of 
 Christ, and the peace of God ; and so earnestly 
 contended for the truths of the gospel ? Alas, what 
 do I now see ! Surely, if he really believed these 
 things in his heart — if he enjoyed the peace of God 
 in his soul, he could not enter these doors ; lest his 
 mind should be diverted from God, his soul lose the 
 sweet sense of his peace, and his heart be filled with 
 sorrow. If his mind enjoys not now the sense of 
 God's peace, sure he never can go there to seek it. 
 Though I rejoiced at his good confession before 
 many witnesses ; yet I now grieve at his conduct. 
 Is he now acting like one who feels the importance of 
 eternal things upon his mind ? Is he now giving all 
 diligence to work out the salvation of his precious 
 soul, and to make his great calling and election sure ? 
 O Christian, I must leave thee ! The eyes of the 
 Lord are upon thee. The Lord will visit ; and thy 
 soul will surely smart for these things." 
 
 And, how must the Christian himself reason (if 
 any such are to be found) who can fill up a seat at 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 193 
 
 such places ? Is not this very natural ? " Hath it 
 pleased the God of love to give his beloved Son to 
 die for me, to save me from sin and hell ? Have I, 
 through his grace, heard the voice of Jesus in his 
 word ? Have I found in him rest and peace to my 
 soul ? Do I profess to be a disciple and follower of 
 the Son of God ? Do I believe his word to be the 
 rule of my faith ; and Jesus, the exemplar of my 
 life ? Hath my Lord bid me ' deny myself, 
 take up my cross and follow him V But whither am 
 I now going ? Is this walking as Christ walked ? 
 Is this following the steps of my Lord? Is this 
 obeying his loving commands ? Can I expect to 
 enjoy the sense of my Saviour's comforts there ? 
 Shall I not be sorry for this hereafter ? Will it not 
 cause my head to hang down, and my heart to be 
 dejected, when I approach his throne of grace ? 
 And, O, shall I not be ashamed of such conduct, 
 when I appear before him at his coming? Can I then, 
 upon cool reflection, deliberately enter those doors 
 in faith ? Well, if so, what is an act of faith, mav 
 most justly be accompanied with the prayer of faith. 
 Consider, O my soul, what kind of address would 
 be suitable upon such an occasion. Surely not such 
 an one as this. 
 
 " O God, my Saviour, thou hast called me to follow 
 thee — to renounce the pomps and vanities of this 
 wicked world, and all the sinful desires of the flesh. 
 Thou hast assured me, ' As many as are led by thv 
 ' Spirit, they are thy children.' Thou hast com- 
 manded, Whatever I do in word and deed, to do 
 all in thy name to thy glory. Can I appeal to thee, 
 
194 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT.- 
 
 thou great Searcher of hearts, that I am now follow- 
 ing thee to a house of pleasure and vanity ? Am I 
 now led by thy holy Spirit to gratify the desires of 
 my flesh, the lust of my eye, and the vanity of my 
 mind ? Am I not my own, but bought with the 
 price of thy precious blood, O Christ ; can I in thy 
 name, and in this way, glorify thee with my body 
 and spirit, which are thine ? Can I expect, while at 
 the play-house, to enjoy the sense of thy love, the 
 witness of thy Spirit ; and that feeling of comfort 
 and joy from thee, which passeth all understanding? 
 Can the mind be stayed upon thee, O Lord, while 
 attentively engaged at the scenes of the theatre ? 
 And wilt thou, my Lord, accept such devotion of 
 my heart and time, &c." 
 
 Now where is the Christian but would shudder at 
 such an address ! But actions speak louder and are 
 a more true index of the mind than words. 
 Christian, canst thou use such a prayer in faith ? If 
 not, canst thou go to the play in faith ? Remember, 
 '' Whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Rom. xiv. 23. 
 Indeed such a kind of prayer should not have ob- 
 tained a place here ; but, as a mirror, to expose the 
 inconsistency of the Christian's walk, in deliberately 
 allowing himself in such gratifications, which are 
 not agreeable to the word of God — to his faith and 
 hope as a follower of the Son of God — which have 
 no tendency to promote the peace of his mind, and 
 the glory of God ; and upon which he cannot pray 
 for the blessing of God. Such reasoning, and such 
 a view of prayer, are suitable also to expose all other 
 kinds of gratification, which tend to draw away the 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 195 
 
 mind from being stayed upon God, and enjoying 
 communion with God in Christ Jesus. But perhaps 
 treating of these outward things may be condemned 
 by some professors, as dwelhng on trifles of no 
 moment. This very objection fully indicates the 
 necessity for it ; while it manifests what a low, 
 carnal, sensual frame of mind, such are sunk into. 
 Can they be delighted with such trifles ? Do things 
 of no moment call oflf their attention from God's 
 heavenly love, and sweet peace in Jesus ? Are they 
 not ashamed that trifles, light as air, should take up 
 their precious moments— engage their affections — 
 dissipate their minds, and prevent their pursuits after 
 the one thing needfuV^ Surely, then, love to our 
 Lord, zeal for his cause, regard for precious souls, 
 causes one to be bold to testify against them. Is 
 there not cause ? Is the Christian's walk of no 
 moment ? Is his example of no consequence ? Is 
 the peace of his mind, with which the exemplariness 
 of his walk is connected, such a trifle ? Are we 
 exhorted, " Keep yourselves in the love of God ?" 
 Jude 21. ** Let the peace of God rule in your 
 hearts ?" Col. iii. 15. 
 
 Consider the meaning of these words : remember 
 these exhortations are from the same Spirit, who 
 assures us, God hath loved us with an everlasting 
 love, so as to give his only begotten Son to save us. 
 Therefore they demand the same attention. Sure, 
 somewhat is imphed in them, which is the duty of 
 Christians to be constantly engaged in. Though we 
 are not agents in procuring salvation for our souls ; 
 yet certainly, as being " wise unto salvation," we 
 
 K 2 
 
196 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 are called upon to walk so as to please God : not as 
 fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the 
 days are evil." What can the Holy Ghost mean by 
 these exhortations — " Keep yourselves in the love of 
 God ?" — " let the peace of God rule in your hearts ?" 
 Surely nothino- less than, 
 
 1st, Carefully abstaining from such things, which, 
 in their own nature, have a direct tendency to defile 
 the purity of the mind — dissipate the thoughts — 
 carnalize the affections, and quicken delight in the 
 gratifications of sense. For these certainly draw the 
 heart from God, and the sweet sense of his peace 
 and love. Though such things were not forbidden 
 by the word of God, (but they absolutely are,) yet it 
 is the wisdom of a Christian to abstain from them ; 
 not considering only their lawfulness, but their 
 expedience/ ; and also to weigh well the tendency 
 of them. For that professor, who wiUingly allows 
 himself in such gratifications, which are contrary to 
 the peace and purity of his mind, thereby declares 
 by actions, which speak plain as words, I prefer 
 this thing of no moment — even this trifle — to the 
 peace and love of God : this 1 will enjoy ; and I am 
 careless whether my heart is kept in the sense of 
 God's love and peace, or not. Ah, but if our 
 hearts were right with God ; if we did not deceive 
 our souls with notions of doctrines in the head, 
 without the grace of those doctrines in our hearts, 
 we should see the absolute necessity of '* abstaining 
 from the vejy appearance of evil." We should 
 feel the love of Christ constraining to this : we 
 should experience^ that our souls cannot be kept 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 197 
 
 happy in the love of God ; and sensible of the peace 
 of God ; but while we are engaged in keeping our- 
 selves unspotted from the world and its idols. But, 
 
 2dly, These exhortations positively imply a diligent 
 use of such means of grace, as have a direct ten- 
 dency to accomplish those blessed ends ; and which, 
 through the grace of the eternal Spirit, most cer- 
 tainly will. For, '^ the Lord gives his people peace 
 by all means." The means of grace are most wisely 
 calculated to keep the soul lively in the sense of the 
 peace and love of God, and in the hopes of glory. 
 Therefore we may be sure, if the means of grace 
 are neglected, the God of all grace is shghted. If 
 carnal gratifications are indulged, dejecting fears 
 will be promoted. Careless walking will be attended 
 with comfortless beheving. Sensual joys will bring 
 on spiritual griefs. That Christian, who walks not 
 close with God, in the means of grace, will neces- 
 sarily be the subject of many awful suspicions and 
 distressing doubts of his eternal state. And, 
 
 3dly, In order to keep ourselves in the love of God 
 — and that the peace of God may rule in our hearts, 
 we are thus exhorted, " build up yourselves in your 
 most holy faith." In building up our souls upon 
 Jesus Christ the foundation, we are daily to be fetching 
 one truth after another from the word of God, con- 
 cerning the life, death, resurrection, and finished 
 salvation of Jesus, FOR US. By exercising our 
 believing minds upon the love of God to us in Christ 
 Jesus ; and the peace of God obtained for us by 
 Christ, we grow more established in the faith of HIM 
 — feel our souls more sensibly united to HIM — 
 
 K 2 
 
198 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 have more intimate fellowship with HIM ; and more 
 comfortable enjoyment of HIM ; and all this by our 
 faith; our most holy faith. While we are thus 
 building up ourselves upon our faith in Jesus, we 
 become dead to all sinful joys, worldly vanities, and 
 sensual delights. Our hearts being engaged with 
 our beloved, we despise and trample them as dirt 
 under our feet, in comparison to the enjoyment of the 
 love and peace of God in Christ Jesus. Again, 
 
 4thiy, " Praying in the Holy Ghost." This is 
 another blessed means to keep ourselves in the sense 
 of God's love and peace, ** Pray evermore." " Pray 
 without ceasing;." Our minds are ever to be in a 
 praying frame, " in the Holy Ghost:" in the words 
 he hath taup^ht us : aoreeable to his truths revealed 
 to US : for the fulfilment of the precious promises he 
 hath given us in Christ Jesus ; and as helped by his 
 grace and power. O ! this constant frame of spirit 
 raises our hearts above seeking after low, carnal joys, 
 and worldly dehghts. And, 
 
 5th ly and lastly. Would we keep ourselves in the 
 love of God, &.C. ? We are called upon to be " look- 
 ing for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eter- 
 nal life." O ! this daily, constant, looking to Jesus 
 for mercy, implies a constant sense of miseiy in our- 
 selves : and the assured hope of eternal life in the 
 enjoyment of Jesus : while it preserves in us a sense 
 of the love and peace of God ; it elevates the affec- 
 tions above the vanities of time and the pleasures of 
 sense. Thus we see the work, the duty, yea, the 
 privileges of Christians ; what they are to be engaged 
 jn ; what they are to obstain from.— The Lord knows, 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 and the Christian knows also, thai he is called daily 
 to work enough of self-denial, mortification, watch- 
 fulness, striving against sin, and following after 
 holiness, to approve himself to God : to have the 
 testimony of a good conscience; and to justify his 
 faith before men, without carrying his heart into the 
 midst of lusts and temptations. For this is willingly 
 and deliberately to expose one's self to dangers. It 
 is but solemn mocking of God, to run into the midst 
 of temptations ; and then to pray him to keep one 
 from the evil of them. It is to tempt our Lord to 
 expect him to keep our minds in peace, in such places, 
 to which we are not called by his providence, and 
 from which we may be sure not to return without a 
 sting in our minds, and a wound to the peace of our 
 consciences. Indeed, it is quite natural for the 
 children of this world, which lieth in wickedness, to 
 have their plays, routs, assembhes, balls, card-tables, 
 &c. &c. Poor souls ! their minds are suited to these 
 things. They would be miserable without them. 
 They have no rehsh for spiritual joys. They are ever 
 crying, " who will shew us any good ?" They are seek- 
 ing all good in the enjoyment of sense. It is misery 
 for them to indulge one serious thought on death, one 
 solemn reflection on eternity. But what have the 
 children of God to do with their carnal pleasures ? 
 Their minds are formed for more refined joys. The 
 language of renewed souls is, " Lord, hft thou up 
 the hght of thy countenance upon us ;" that alone 
 can make us happy. The apostle's reasoning, m 
 another case, is quite applicable here : " When I was 
 carnal, I spake as a carnal man, I understood as a 
 
200 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 carnal man, I lived and acted as a carnal man ; but 
 when 1 became spiritual, I put away carnal things." 
 Is it not meet, right, and our bounden duty so to do? 
 How else do we bear our testimony to the glory of 
 Jesus and the honour of his religion ? For, are our 
 bodies the temples of the Holy Ghost ? are we bought 
 with the precious blood of Jesus ? Then surely we 
 have no right to go where we please, nor to do what 
 we will. We are not our own. We are the Lord's 
 property. We are bound by the strongest ties of 
 faithj love, and Jiope, to glorify God in our bodies, 
 and in our spirits, which are God's. O holy Spirit, 
 who hast thus taught us in thy word, do thou influ- 
 ence us to this by thy power. Again, 
 
 Hath our Lord given himself to redeem us from all 
 iniquity, that he might purify us to himself, as a 
 peculiar people, zealous of good works? How can it 
 appear we are of this happy number ? Merely be- 
 cause we have pecuhar notions in our heads from the 
 rest of the world ? No, truly. For, unless we have 
 peculiar affections in our hearts, which the men of 
 the world are strangers to : and are peculiarly dis- 
 tinguished in our lives and conversations from them, 
 truly we shall have reason to suspect, whether we 
 are of God or of the world. For if there is nothing 
 peculiar in our outward walk, in sacrificing our lusts 
 and dying to sin from love to Christ ; verily, it is a 
 sad evidence, that there is no peculiar love to Christ 
 in our hearts. It is the essential character of those 
 who are justified by faith, they walk not after the 
 flesh, but after the Spirit. Suppose our dear Lord 
 was to call to us from heaven, and assure us, that we 
 
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 201 
 
 should live many years upon earth ; what Christian 
 would say, " I thank thee, Lord, I love to Uve at a 
 distance from thee : I prefer the gratifications of my 
 corrupt sense, to communion with thee in my heart ; 
 and now I shall have a long season to walk after the 
 flesh, and to indulge myself in the delights of sense ?" 
 It matters not whether any would say this with their 
 lips, if the conduct of their hves loudly proclaims it. 
 But our blessed Lord doth really speak to us, in the 
 very last words that ever we shall hear from him, till 
 we see his blessed face in glory, and hear him pro- 
 nounce. Come ye blessed — and go ye cursed. Hear 
 the Son of God. Behold, he speaketh to me who 
 write, and to thee who readest, " Surely I come 
 quickly,'' Rev. xxii. 20. Come ! To what end ? 
 Most awfully glorious ! most tremendously dreadful ! 
 rejoice with trembling. For, '' the Lord Jesus shall 
 *' be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking 
 " vengeance on them who obey not his gospel.^' O 
 most solemn sight ! we shall see Jesus, " our God in 
 grandeur, and the world on fire." But, O most 
 joyful sight ! " he shall also come to be glorified IN 
 *' his saints, and to be admired IN all them who 
 " beheve," 2 Thess. i. 8, 10. O with what resplen- 
 dent lustre will the glory of Jesus then shine forth 
 IN his perfect redemption — IN his complete salvation 
 — IN his eternal glorification, of that great multitude, 
 which no man can number ! How will he then be 
 most gloriously admired IN his everlasting love to 
 them — IN his everlasting righteousness upon them — 
 IN his everlasting salvation of them — and IN all his 
 grace and glory, which shall then be displayed IN 
 
202 THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT. 
 
 them. O ! may we now realize the view of this by 
 faitli, admire Jesus in our hearts, cleave to him with 
 our affections, honour him in our lives, be daily look- 
 ing for his appearing, and constantly longing after 
 his coming ; that our hearts may joyfully reply, JE^ven 
 sOj come Lord Jesus, Amen and Amen, 
 
 THE END. 
 
 MARCHANT, PRINTER, INGRAM-COURT, FENCHURCH-STREET. 
 
BOOKS 
 
 PRINTED FOR 
 
 SHERWOOD, GILBERT, & PIPER. 
 
 PATERNOSTER-ROW. 
 
 - THE PARLOUR PREACHER; a Pack of Cards, for 
 all who are determined to win Christ. By the late WILLIAM 
 MASON. Price Is. 
 
 IL 
 
 Also, by the same Author, 
 
 THE BELIEVER'S POCKET COMPANION, or One 
 
 Thing needful to make Poor Sinners Rich, and Miserable Sinners 
 Happy. Is. 6d. bound. 
 
 III. 
 
 Palmer's Family Prayers, 
 
 A COLLECTION of FAMILY PRAYERS from the 
 Devotional WRITINGS of BAXTER, WILLISON, WATTS, 
 HENRY, BENNET, DODDRIDGE, and others, with various 
 occasional Forms, Selected and Revised by the late Rev. S. 
 PALMER, of Hackney. Second Edition. Price 3s. 6d. bound. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Fenelons Manual of Piety, translated by Mrs. Mant. 
 
 Elegantly printed, in a neat Pocket Volume, with a new Portrait, 
 price 2s. in boards, or 3s. bound and gilt, forming a very suitable 
 Present, or as a Reward-Book in Schools, 
 
 THE MANUAL OF PIETY; containing- PIOUS 
 THOUGHTS concerning the KNOWLEDGE and LOVE of 
 GOD ; DIRECTIONS for a HOLY LIFE, and the ATTAINING 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION ; and PIOUS REFLECTIONS 
 for EVERY DAY in the MONTH. Translated from the French 
 of Fenelon, Archbishop of Cambray, by Mrs. MANT. 
 
 *^* For the accommodation of the Pablic, the above little Books 
 
Books printed for Sherwood Sf Co. Paternoster-Roio. 
 
 are sold separately, price is. each in boards, or 2s. in imitation of 
 morocco. 
 
 1. FENELON'S PIOUS REFLECTIONS for EVERY 
 DAY in the MONTH. Sixteenth Edition. To which is added, 
 a Sketch of the Life of the Author, and a Father's Advice to his 
 Son. 
 
 A very neat Edition of the Pious Reflections, with appropriate 
 Poetical Illustrations to each Day, printed on large post paper. 
 Price 2s. 6rf. bound and guilt. 
 
 2. FENELON'S PIOUS THOUGHTS concerning the 
 KNOWLEDGE and LOVE of GOD, and other Holy Exercises. 
 To which are added, DIRECTIONS for a HOLY LIFE, and the 
 ATTAINING CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. 
 
 %• These much-esteemed little Manuals of the Archbishop of 
 Cambray have been very favourably received by the Public ; and 
 the Publishers being desirous of extending their circulation to the 
 fullest possible extent, take leave to recommend them as a suitable 
 Book lor Presents or Distribution, to the Clergy and Heads of 
 Families, at 10s. 6d. per Dozen, in boards. 
 
 ++t Be particular in asking for, or ordering^ the Edition translated 
 by Mrs. MANT, and published by SHERWOOD and Co. 
 
 V. 
 
 Hart's Hymns, Genuine Edition. 
 New and beautiful Miniature Edition, price Is. 6d. or neatly 
 bound in roan, 2s. 
 
 HYMNS, composed on VARIOUS SUBJECTS, with 
 the Author's Experience, the Supplement, and Appendix. By the 
 Rev. J. HART, late Minister of the Gospel in Jewin-Street. 
 
 •^* The attention of the public is particularly called to this 
 new and beautiful Edition of Mr. Hart's Hymns, and the pub- 
 lishers beg to inform those Congregations which use his Collection, 
 that this is the only Edition in which the pages are printed according 
 to the Author's Original Arrangement ; a circumstance of great 
 importance— in giving out the Hymns for public worship. As this 
 Edition is printed under the authority of the Author's Assignment, 
 the public will please to notice that all other Editions, except 
 SHERWOOD'S, are spurious. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Sikess Poems and Hymns. 
 
 HYMNS and POEMS on VARIOUS SUBJECTS, 
 adapted to the Capacities of Youth. By S. SIRES. Second 
 Edition. Price 3s. bound. 
 
 f+f These Hymns and Poems, the object of which is to implant 
 in the youthful mind the love of religion and virtue, are calculated 
 for more advanced years than Dr. Watts's Divine Songs for Chil- 
 dren, and intended as a Sequel to them.