tions of it, we are unworthy to wear the Christian name, and to live in a Christian nation.

(2.) It implies a serious thought and contemplation of the sufferings of Christ, such as is fed and supplied with matter to work upon, not from a strong fancy, but from a strong faith. Natural passions may be raised by the power of imagination, representing the story of Christ's sufferings as very doleful and tragical; but pious and devout affections are best kindled by the consideration of Christ's dying as a propitiation for our sins, and the Saviour of our souls; and this is the object of faith, not of fancy. We must here look unto Jesus as he is lifted up in the gospeltake him as the word makes him, and so behold him. (3.) The contemplation of the sufferings of Christ must make such an impression upon the soul, as to work it into a fellowship with, and conformity to Christ in his sufferings. This was the knowledge and remembrance of Christ which blessed Paul was ambitious of, to know Christ, and the fellowship of his sufferings,' (Phil. iii. 10.) and we all, by our baptism, are, in profession, planted together in the likeness of his death'....Rom. vi. 5. Then we do this in remembrance of Christ effectually, when we experience the death of Christ killing sin in us, mortifying the flesh...weaning us from this present life... weakening vicious habits and dispositions in us, and the power of Christ's cross, both as a moral argument and as the spring of special grace, crucifying us to the world, and the world to us....Gal. vi. 14. When, in touching the hem of his garment, we find, like that good woman, (Mark v. 27.) virtue comes out of him to heal our souls, then rightly remember Christ crucified.

6

Secondly, It is a confessing ordinance. If the heart believe unto righteousness, hereby confession is made unto salvation....Rom. x. 10. The Lord's Supper is one of the peculiaries of our holy religion, by the observance of which the professors of it are distinguish

ed from all others. Circumcision, which was the initiating ordinance among the Jews, by leaving its mark in the flesh, was a lasting badge of distinction; baptism, which succeeds it, leaves no such indelible character in the body: but the Lord's Supper is a solemnity by which we constantly avow the Christian name, and declare ourselves not ashamed of the banner of the cross under which we were listed, but resolve to continue Christ's faithful servants and sol diers to our lives' end, according to our baptismal

vow.

In the ordinance of the Lord's Supper we are said to shew the Lord's death, (1 Cor. xi. 26.) that is,

(1.) We hereby profess our value and esteem for Christ crucified. KATAGGELLETE*-ye shew it forth with commendation and praise; so the word some times signifies. The cross of Christ was to the Jews a stumbling-block, because they expected a messiah in temporal pomp and power: it was to the Greeks foolishness, because the doctrine of man's justification and salvation by it, was not agreeable to their philosophy. The wisdom of this world, and the princes of it, judg ed it absurd to expect salvation by one that died a captive, and honor by one that died in disgrace; and turned it to the reproach of Christians that they were the disciples and followers of one that was hanged on a tree at Jerusalem. They who put him to such an ignominious death, and loaded him with all the shame they could put upon him, hoped thereby to make every one shy of owning him, or expressing any respect for him but the wisdom of God so ordered it, that the cross of Christ is that which, above any thing else, Christians have cause to glory in...Gal. vi. 14. Such are the fruits...the purchases...the victories...the triumphs of the cross, that we have reason to call it our crown of glory, and diadem of beauty. The politi cians thought it had been the interest of Christ's fol lowers to have concealed their Lord's death, and that *(Greek.)

they should have endeavored to bury it in forgetfulness; but, instead of that, they are appointed to shew forth their Lord's death, and to keep it in everlasting remembrance before angels and men.

This, then, we mean when we receive the Lord's supper :-we thereby solemnly declare that we do not reckon the cross of Christ any reproach to Christianity; and that we were so far from being ashamed of it, that, whatever construction an unthinking, unbelieving world may put upon it, to us it is the wisdom of God, and the power of God; it is all our salvation, and all our desire. We think never the worse of Christ's holy religion for the ignominious death of its Author; for we see God in it glorified-man by it saved: then is the offence of the cross ceased; then is the reproach of it rolled away forever.

(2.) We hereby profess our dependance upon, and confidence in, Christ crucified. As we are not ashamed to own him, so we are not afraid to venture our souls, and their eternal salvation with him-believing him able to save to the uttermost, all that come to God by him; and as willing as he is able-and making confession of that faith. By this solemn rite we deliberately, and of choice, put ourselves under the protec tion of his righteousness....the influence of his grace, and the conduct and operation of his holy spirit. The concerns that lie between us and God are of vast consequence; our eternal weal or woe depends upon the right management of them : now hereby we solemnly declare, that having laid them near our own hearts in a serious care about them, we choose to lodge them in the Redeemer's hands, by a judicious faith in him, which we can give a good reason for. God having declared himself well pleased in him, we hereby de clare ourselves well pleased in him too: God having committed all judgment to the Son, we hereby commit all our judgment to him likewise, as the sole referee of the great cause, and the sole trustee of the great concern-knowing whom we have believed, even one

who is able and faithful to keep what we have committed to him against that day-that great day when it will be called for....11 Tim. i. 11..

This, then, we mean, when we receive the Lord's supper:-we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we own ourselves to be his subjects, and put ourselves under his government: we confess that he is a skilful physician, and own ourselves to be his patients, resolving to observe his prescriptions: we confess that he is a faithful advocate, and own ourselves to be his clients, resolving to be advised by him in every thing: in a word, in this ordinance, we profess that we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, nor of the cross of Christ, in which his gospel is all summed up-knowing it to be the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe,' (Rom. i. 16.)—and having found it

so to us.

Thirdly, It is a communicating ordinance: here are not only gospel truths represented to us, and confessed by us but gospel benefits offered to us, and ac-, cepted by us; for it is not only a faithful saying, but well worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus died to save sinners....1 Tim. i. 15. This is the explication which the apostle gives of this ordinance, (1 Cor. x. 16.) The cup of blessing which we bless-that is, which we pray to God to bless...which we bless God with and for, and in which we hope and expect God will bless us, it is the communion (the communication) of the blood of Christ: the bread which we break is the communion, or communication, of the body of Christ, which was not only broken for us upon the cross, when it was made an offering for sin, but is broken to us, as the children's bread is broken to the children in the everlasting gospel, wherein it is made the food of souls.

By the body and blood of Christ, which this ordi nance is the communion of, we are to understand all those precious benefits and privileges which were pur chased for us by the death of Christ, and are assured to us, upon gospel-terms, in the everlasting covenant.

When the sun is said to be with us, and we say we have sun, as in the day, as in the summer, it is not the body and bulk of the sun that we have, but his rays and beams are darted down upon us, and by them we receive the light, warmth, and influence of the sun -and thus the sun is communicated to us according to the law of creation; so, in this ordinance, we are partakers of Christ, (Heb. i. 14.) not of his real body and blood (it is senseless and absurd, unchristian and inhuman to imagine so), but of his merits and righte ousness for our justification....his spirit and grace for our sanctification. We must not dream of ascend, ing up into heaven, or of going down to the deep to fetch Christ into this ordinance, that we may partake of him; no, the word is nigh thee, and Christ in the word....Rom. x. 6, 7, 8.

Unworthy receivers-that is, those who resolve to continue in sin, because grace hath abounded, partake the guilt of Christ's body and blood, and have communion with those, that crucified him; for, as much as in them lies, they crucify him afresh....Heb. vi. 6. What they do, speaks such ill thoughts of Christ, that we may conclude, if they had been at Jerusalem when he was put to death, they would have joined with those that cried, Crucify him, crucify him.

But humble and penitent believers partake of the blessed fruits of Christ's death: his body and blood are their food...their physic...their cordial....their life.... their all all the riches of the gospel are virtually in them.

:

(1.) Christ and all his benefits are here communicated to us: here is not only bread and wine set before us to be looked at, but given to us to be eaten and drunknot only Christ made known to us, that we may contemplate the mysteries of redemption, but Christ made over to us, that we may participate of the benefits of redemption. God, in this ordinance, not only assures us of the truth of the promise, but, according to our present case and capacity, conveys to us, by his spirit,