LECTURE LI.**

ON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. PART III.

The same Text.

THIS Discourse having been extended to considerable length, from my wish to afford you the fullest instructions on the subject, I have divided it into three parts; and as it contains matter of the greatest importance to your eternal welfare, I request your serious attention to what remains of it. I left off at that very interesting part which particularly describes the sense in which we are said VERILY AND INDEED (that is, really and truly) to RECEIVE THE BODY AND BLOOD of CHRIST, in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper;

Upon referring to Vol. II. p. 1 and 17, it will be perceived that Lecture XVII. is divided into two separate Discourses: so that although the present Lecture is numbered LI. it is, in fact, the 52d, and completes the author's design of supplying an exposition of the Church Catechism for every Sunday in the year.

and how far, and in what an unexceptionable sense, we acknowledge the presence of Christ, as differing from the gross and erroneous doctrine of the church of Rome. And as in this method of instructing you, I do not study elegance of expression so much as conviction and profit, I shall not spare words to give you the fullest sense of so valuable an instrument for the advancement of your religious improvement; to which good end, some repetitions will be unavoidable.

The receiving this holy sacrament, you must always understand, so strengthens your souls, as that it conveys new confirmation to you every time you take it, of God's infinite mercy towards you, through the mediation and for the sake of his Son Jesus Christ; and as the Almighty cannot lie, and the merits of our Lord have satisfied the severity of God's justice against an imperfect and unprofitable race of creatures, the belief of this fortifies us more and more, both in the discharge of our duties, and to resist all such temptations and attacks as may be made against us by the different enemies of our souls in this state of trial. It strengthens us also in another material respect; for, being thus secured of an interest in the Saviour's sacrifice for us, all doubts flowing from the consciousness of our insufficiency to merit salvation, are happily removed: we are thereby

supported against all fear of present danger or suffering for the cause of religion, which if it is in God's wisdom appointed us to undergo, we shall reckon it not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us, when we are free from the prison of this sinful body: in short, it strengthens us against the fear of death itself; for this sacrament, if properly received, will teach us to consider that as a passage only to a most blessed and everlasting life. These being such necessary and inestimable benefits, all that remains is to put you in a way of obtaining them, or, in other words, to inform you what that preparation is which will qualify you to cherish a good hope of experiencing their blessed effects. Now, that which is absolutely REQUIRED OF THOSE WHO COME TO THE LORD'S SUPPER, you know, our Catechism declares to be this: THAT THEY SHOULD EXAMINE THEMSELVES, WHETHER THEY REPENT THEM TRULY OF THEIR FORMER SINS, STEADFASTLY PURPOSING TO LEAD A NEW LIFE, &c.

Before we proceed to the more particular points of examination, I will beg leave to offer a few words, as to the seasons and manner of it in general. When it should be done, must be obvious to all thinking persons. Much is it to be wished that we could all be persuaded to live under a constant practice of this exercise, and consider every week, or indeed every day, how

ance.

our accounts stand with God: this would powerfully assist towards CONTINUAL preparation : but at least, if we neglect it at other times, yet certainly we are to do it very nicely and scrupulously, before we come to the holy table. And this supplies another benefit, in that it is so solemn a call to self-examination and repentExamine yourselves (saith the Apostle) whether ye be in the faith. What, know ye not your own selves? (2 Cor. xiii. 5.) Alas! my brethren, if each of us do only put the question to ourselves this moment, How are we now prepared to stand before God? it will loudly speak the necessity of looking about us: and, when so convinced, the manner how this examination should be made, will readily present itself. We should carefully and diligently search into the principles and conduct of our lives and actions, whereby we may come to some profitable knowledge what the state of our soul is. Respecting the various particulars on which we are directed by our Church, and the rule of Christ's Gospel, to examine ourselves, we should accompany the act with earnest prayer to God for his assistance in, and blessing upon, our own endeavours.

The first point of self-examination that is mentioned in the Catechism is, WHETHER WE REPENT US TRULY OF OUR FORMER SINS. It will not be sufficient to say we repent of them, but

we must repent of them TRULY. In order to know whether we do this so effectually as is here required of us, there is but one method of judging, which is by the present frame and disposition of our souls: e. g. if we are heartily sorry for, and ashamed of our sins-if we fully confess them, and earnestly desire God's forgiveness of them, as having been expressly and perversely committed against his holy laws; if we are constant in our prayers for pardon, and where we have done any injury to our neighbour, if we are ready to ask his forgiveness also, and to make him all reasonable satisfaction in our power; if, as far as we can judge of ourselves, we do all this uprightly and sincerely (which can be done only through God's help), and which may be proved by the ease and readiness of our doing it again, if we do not wilfully retain any secret design of any sin in our souls, but universally resolve, by God's grace, to forsake all our evil ways, with which conscience reproaches us, and in all things to follow the · known rule of our duty; we may then justly conclude, that our repentance and resolutions are sound, and void of hypocrisy, and such as will qualify us for the worthy (that is, the safe) receiving of this holy sacrament, as far as imperfect and unworthy creatures at best, can be so esteemed.

But we are still in the body; we shall be