SERMON IV.

ON THE LORD'S SUPPER.

1 COR. xi. 28.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

I ENDEAVOURED to shew last Sunday, from the 27th and 29th verses of this chapter, that the sin of unworthy communicants of the present day was unlike that of the Corinthians, to whom St. Paul was immediately writing; and also, that the circumstances, under which Christianity now exists, being different in some material points from its primitive state, we had no reason whatever to expect, that the judicial punishment which was inflicted upon the early profaners of the

Lord's Supper would fall upon persons of the present day, who were guilty of eating and drinking unworthily. That being unlike them, therefore, in their sin, and having no reason to expect their punishment, the fears of being exactly in the same unhappy condition, which now operated in keeping Christians away from the sacramental commemoration of their Lord's death, were entirely unfounded. This was an inference to be naturally drawn, although little has hitherto been said about the unreasonableness of those fears. Unreasonable, however, as they are, the manner in which they still tend to keep persons from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is greatly to be deplored, and cannot be too much spoken against. And yet, after all that has been preached upon the subject, and all that has been written in the wisest, the plainest, and most attractive manner to meet every comprehension; after all the exhortations in public and in private that have been made; how commonly do some persons excuse themselves for

keeping away from this holy ordinance, by alleging their fears lest they eat and drink their own damnation! How strange is it that Christians, who are not devoid of common understanding in other matters, should allow themselves without due consideration to be kept out of the use of the best means of grace, which have been appointed for the strengthening and refreshing of their souls! Why will they suffer themselves to be so deceived by the great enemy of their salvation, into the belief, that their Saviour's dying request is one too great to be now complied with, and thus live and die in disobedience of his will? The answer to this question is the same as may be given to any others concerning the sins, the follies, the inconsistencies of human conduct, when they are practised in spite of better knowledge, viz. the love of the world, the disregard of the appeals of eternal life. Devotion to sensible comforts and pleasures, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, all more or less are inter

fering with the effect which the word and the Spirit of God should be making. If men would but suffer themselves to think why they leave any plain commandment undone, or continue in the practice of any thing for bidden, the main step towards doing the one and forsaking the other would be made but the melancholy fact is, that they will not let thought do its work. Habit is so strong with them, that, "as the ox goeth to the slaughter," they will not take pains to retrace their steps; and so they blindly advance, till it is too late, even if they wish it, to recover themselves from their ruinous courses.

I may be at this present time addressing some who have never attended the Supper of the Lord; although they have been confirmed, and perhaps are now advanced many years in life beyond the time when they gave that public testimony of their Christian profession. The reason why they have continued so long in such profane disregard of their Saviour's love has just been stated: but I pray that God may dispose their hearts

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to serious reflection and enquiry, that their fears and scruples and objections may be thoroughly sifted, and that the fuch bloow may be persuaded to adopt a wiser and holier course both of thinking and acting.

Let them be assured, however, (and let it be understood by all,) that although the particular kind of sin which the Corinthians used to commit in their profanation of the Lord's Supper cannot be committed now, and also, that although the fears of eating and drinking such "damnation," as St. Paul speaks of, ought not now deter any from the Sacrament, still that it is possible to profane it, and also to incur the displeasure of God in consequence. The Apostle's exhortation, therefore, is still necessary. Men require now as then to be urged to look into their own hearts, to search out their motives, their desires, to discover the tendencies of their minds, their liability to this or to that error, to understand what their peculiar circumstances are; in short, to make themselves thoroughly masters of