The duty of public worship, and its beneficial tendency.
MATTHEWiv. 10.
Then saith Jesus, get thee hence Satan, for it is written; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Among all the visible Creatures, it is man’s peculiar excellency, that he is capable of considering and worshipping his Maker and was made for that purpose. Your attention is again called therefore to the duty and beneficial tendency of public worship.—We have already largely argued the duty of it from reason and scripture, the two great sources of moral and religious knowledge.—The beneficial tendency of it we urged from a consideration of the purposes, for which it was instituted; which were these three, man’s present and temporal happiness:—his future spiritual and eternal happiness: and the divine glory.—Its beneficial tendency we likewise argued from this consideration, that it is an excellent expedient to prevent Religion from being lost in the world. There will never be much serious godliness among any people or in any family, where publicworship is lightly esteemed, or generally neglected. For it is an excellent expedient to keep alive on the mind a sense of Religion, and our obligations to a gracious and holy God.
This is the second consideration, which will be urged, to illustrate the great utility of public worship.
No man who has any just views of the nature and importance of Religion, can be indifferent about the state of it, among those with whom he lives, and in the place where divine providence has cast his lot, and where he expects to spend the remnant of his days. If he desire to have it flourish, to see morality honoured, and the happiness of others increased, he must be a firm friend to the public worship of God. He who treats his Maker with intire neglect, or disowns the obligations he is under to him, will treat his fellow-men with scorn, and make light of the obligations he is under to them. Without public worship God would soon be forgotten, and Religion lost among us. If man be once released from the obligations of Piety, no other will bind them: there will be no mutual trust and confidence among us: yea, society would be dissolved. The fear of God is the principal support of government, and of the peace and good order of the world. The more godliness there is among us, the more honesty, industry, and sobriety there will be. Nothing but religious principles will restrain men from secret wickedness, controul the licentiousness of the Great, who think themselves above law; and curb the wild passions of the people. And as there is no probability that Religion will ever flourish, or evensubsist among us, without public worship, it is very desirable it should be constantly and faithfully attended upon for the good of our country; that we may become a sober, virtuous nation, and God may not be provoked, to send upon us destroying judgments, or still more severely chastise us. Let every one then, who wishes well to the interests of his country, shew it, by diligence in attending upon the duties of Piety in God’s Courts. We hear many express themselves very high on the subject of honesty and faithfulness to promises. And too much cannot be spoken in praise of these. They are the pillars of public order. But in what way are we to expect, that the great body of people will be honest, sober, industrious, temperate, and faithful? In the omission, or in the practice of the duties of public worship? Can we hope that they will be regular, sober, honest members of civil society, while they despise the duties, which they owe to God, in his sanctuary, on his holy Sabbaths? If we flatter ourselves that this will be the case, we discover our want of wisdom, and a true knowledge of human nature. We may as well look for the streams to flow, when the fountain is dried up. Will the rose blossom and send forth its fragrance, when the root is decayed? some will tell us notwithstanding, that they have constantly attended public worship, for many years together, and still have never found any happy effects either on their minds or lives. They fail not, also, to add that others, in the circle of their acquaintance, are constant in appearing before God in Zion, who are very bad men, who practise all manner of wickedness.To what purpose, they ask, is it, then, to be constant in the duties of public worship on the Sabbath, if the week be spent in dishonesty, idleness, falsehood, and vice?—It would be perfectly safe to risk our cause in an appeal to experience or fact. Let us examine the lives and conduct of those, who make conscience of the duty of public worship, and those who deny or neglect it altogether. Every one who is capable of observation knows the difference. So true is this, that it is a common remark that no one denies or deserts public worship, but he falls into some vice, some scene of iniquity. He has done that which makes him ashamed to see his fellow-men, and join in worshipping God with them. Atheists and Libertines renounce the duty. They reproach it, and display all the bitterness of malice against it. Some, it is granted, are never seen, or seldom seen, within the walls of a Church, who are still honest and upright in their dealings—and against whom the charge of immorality and profaneness cannot be justly laid. Others may omit the duty, through mere sloth or negligence, or some prejudice or pique. But when candor has made this concession, it must stop. I would wish to wound the feelings of no man—much less to bring in a false accusation. However truth is sacred, and must not be given up.—Are not sabbath-breakers—look round and see, and judge righteous judgment, are not neglectors of the duties of Piety in God’s house, generally profane and immoral? Do they not too often prove, by their conduct, that they have no principle?
If any still object and say, “I have attended constantly for a succession of years, and havefound no real good effect on my heart or conduct. I am as much averse to religion as ever: as dishonest and unjust as ever: as ignorant and blind as ever, having no knowledge of one duty, doctrine, ordinance, or virtue of Religion—as profane, as hard-hearted, as unkind, as brutal in my manners and temper as ever, as intemperate and villainous as ever. I therefore am resolved, I will never go to public worship again. I have gotten no good. Public instructions have never taught me any thing. I know no more of the subject of Religion and morality, than if I had never heard one word about them. I have no more conscience about duty, or seriousness, than if I had never been urged and importuned to become an upright and good man.” Is this really the case? Can any one make this confession consistently with truth? If so, your situation is indeed awful and alarming. The tear of commiseration may be shed over you. If you have any sense or reason, you must tremble. An immediate reformation is now incumbent on you. You have not a day or moment to lose. But can you think this a valid objection against the importance and happy advantages of public worship? It is a full proof of your own guilt and iniquity, but no proof against the duty of a constant attendance upon the holy solemnities of Zion. But let me expostulate a moment with you. I feel an uncommon solicitude for you. Give me leave to ask, how do you know that public worship has been of no benefit to you? Can you possibly tell how bad you would have been, or how much more vile and abominable, or ignorant and abandoned, you would have been, than you noware, if you had always refused to attend public worship? You might have been in the midst of almost all evil. You have been under great restraint. If you be not sensible, that you ever received any instruction or one idea of christian doctrine, still you may have acquired much religious knowledge, and gained much strength against temptations and sins, and not be sensible of it. We imperceptibly acquire knowledge and the habits of moral honesty. Perhaps, by attending public worship, you have been saved from those open sins, which would have destroyed your reputation, and ruined you, both for this world and the next. But further, permit me, or rather suffer conscience to do its friendly office, and ask you, if you have never gotten any good at all by public worship, was the fault yours, or was it not? Where is the blame to be fixed? Somewhere it must lie: for it is exceedingly great.—When you have been in God’s Sanctuary, did you never hear one proper prayer offered to the throne of grace, did you never hear from any one, a discourse that contained, at least, some moral or religious truth, some really Gospel-doctrine, something to regulate your morals, to enforce duty, to invite you to love, fear, and serve God, to do good to man, and to live a pious and holy life? Is it possible for you to say, you never heard one prayer, or one discourse, that had any truth or knowledge in it? If you have heard both pious prayers, and edifying discourses, what is the reason you have gotten no good? The blame is yours. Have you not been prejudiced? Have you not been careless and inattentive? Have you not been stupid and thoughtless? How unreasonable then is your conduct inobjecting against public worship! How foolishly do you act to forsake God in his worshipping Assemblies? A man sick unto death calls an eminent Physician. The Physician repairs in haste to the chamber of the sick. He hears his groans, he critically examines his case. He prescribes the only proper and effectual remedies; and retires. The patient refuses, after viewing them to apply them. But he insists upon it, that the physician is unskillful, and the means ineffectual. The disorder rages: nature yields under its violence, and the poor Sick man dies, because he would not apply the prescribed means. Where is the blame to be charged? Let common sense furnish the answer.
Public worship is particularly calculated to keep up a sense of Religion on the soul. Such is the nature of man, that he must have forms of worship, or he will lose all sense of God and divine things. The substance and power cannot be preserved, where the forms are denied and relinquished. In the public Assemblies of God’s people, the various principles of human nature are made to operate in favor of religion: the power of sympathy, all know, is very great, and in public worship this may be the mean of exciting serious attention and thoughtfulness. When we go to the house of the Lord, weekly, to pray and praise, to speak and hear divine truths, we shall be ashamed to fall into vice—to commit scandalous crimes—or to act an unjust or unkind part. If we do what is mean, dishonest, or vile, we shall reluctate seeing our fellow-worshippers again, when the Sabbath revolves. All love the praise of others, and desire their esteem;and they therefore will endeavour to behave so as to see their fellow-worshippers with pleasure again. Joint prayers tend to solemnize the soul; joint praises to enliven the affections; and public instruction to enlighten the mind. Nay, barely seeing each other together, after the business, toils and dispersions of the week, tends to soften and humanize the soul:—to promote kindness and friendship, benevolence and morality:—to make us ashamed of our follies and vices—fearful of error—and to esteem and revere Virtue. It nourishes moral sentiments and keeps men from degenerating into an uncultivated unsocial state. In the institution of public worship, the supreme Being considers men as being what they are, as being influenced by the principles, we find they are, in our connexion with the world. He treats them as moral agents and social beings. And all the powers of human nature and principles of society are compelled to operate in favour of moral and divine things. Public worship, therefore, tends to make men sober and moral, pious and just: good citizens and obedient subjects, faithful parents and dutiful children, obliging neighbours and useful members of the Community.—The seasons of public worship are placed at a convenient distance. Were the distance greater or less, it would not be so well. Were the seasons of it to return once in three days, multitudes would not have time enough, to attend to their necessary concerns—or to provide for their comfortable subsistence. Were they to return only once a month, or three or four times in a year—we should forget our duty—be under disadvantages about acquiring religious knowledge, or beingfitted for duty. One day, in seven, seems to be a happy mean—a due proportion of time. Six days we may attend to our secular pursuits or callings. Everyseventhis to be consecrated to God, as a season of public devotion. And the solemnities of public worship have a direct and immediate tendency to impress the mind with a sense of the reality and importance of divine things, and to cherish and preserve a sense of religion among mankind.—
A third considerationto convince us of the happy tendency of public worship, is its adaptedness to diffuse extensively religious knowledge. That a just understanding of the holy scriptures, and of the essential principles of the Gospel and morality is of high importance, it is presumed no one will dispute. For the soul to be without knowledge is not good. We cannot be happy without it. We cannot be saved without it. It is the food of the mind; supports and invigorates. And here, it ought to be remembered, that such is the nature of the Christian Religion, that it cannot flourish, or be even continued in its purity, without knowledge. A high degree of ignorance is incompatible with salvation. Man is also exceedingly averse to the trouble and pains of acquiring knowledge. He is stupid and unwilling to attend to spiritual things. He needs line upon line: instruction upon instruction.—Besides, a very large proportion of the children of men must of necessity labour for a subsistence in the world. From the very state and circumstances, in which they are placed, laborious diligence is requisite. It is not optional with them, whether to be industrious or not. Necessity compels them. If they will not work,they cannot live. And this is a wise ordering in Providence. For industry is friendly to health and Virtue. If the earth were to yield, spontaneously all that man wants for his support, it would not be so well for him. It is a blessing then that he is obliged to be industrious. Idleness is the inlet of every vice. If man be not necessarily employed about what is useful and good, he will employ himself about evil. Since then so great a part of the human race are obliged to be engaged in laborious employments, public worship is a happy expedient to spread Christian knowledge. Innumerable multitudes may be instructed at one and the same time. The benefit of a whole week of diligent study may be enjoyed in one day by thousands. Public instructions, in God’s house of prayer, are the easiest way of communicating and diffusing knowledge. The Christian Minister, we hence learn ought to beableto teach—to befurnishedwith a high degree of knowledge—to be a man of learning and extensive science. An illiterate man, however pious and good he may be, is totally unqualified for sustaining the office, or discharging the duties, of a Gospel-Minister.
A fourth argumentto prove the beneficial tendency of public worship is, that the duties or exercises of it are well adapted to promote the Salvation of men.—If any under the peculiar advantages of the public stated worship of God finally perish, it will be a dreadful reflection, when they shall be forced to say,how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof? And have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me. I wasin almost all evil in the midst of the congregation and Assembly.—Wisdom says unto all, of every rank and condition,hear instruction, and be wise and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.Blessed, indeed, are all who hear the word of God and keep it;—who are constant in attending upon, and who duly improve sanctuary-opportunities and privileges; who never fail, except when strict necessity or charity may be pleaded, to appear in God’s house, and exert themselves to have its duties of essential service to them. Every part of divine service is fitted to awaken serious consideration—to call the mind off from vanity and folly—to represent all vice and hypocrisy in an odious, and all Virtue and duty in an amiable light. God and angels are witnesses of the devotions of his worshipping people. When we are before him, here in his courts, his all-seeing eye is upon us. He records in the book of his remembrance what is amiss or insincere, and an account must at last be rendered unto him of the hours we spend here, as well as of all our thoughts, words, and deeds. This is sufficient to compose the mind, to solemnize the heart, and to render us attentive. We may well exclaim with Jacob,how dreadful is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!We should all say with Cornelius,now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
A fifth argumentto evince the beneficial tendency of public worship is, that it is calculated tobring people to a friendly temper towards each other, and to mutual love and forbearance. In divine ordinances, the worshippers appear like brethren. They ask for the same mercies. They look to the same Mediator for a full pardon of their manifold impieties. They profess to believe the same truths, to need the same purifying grace to restore unto their hearts the lost image of God. They partake of the same ordinances. Their voices are mingled in the same praises. Can they, then, fall out by the way? Must they not be mild and forgiving towards each other? Can they refuse to practice condescension? They all appear before a holy God—profess to hope for the same salvation—and at last to enter into the same kingdom of Glory.—
The sixth and last considerationto evince the beneficial tendency of public worship is, that it serves to train us up for the worship and employments of the celestial kingdom. Pious worshippers cannot but rejoice, to think that the institution of public worship is, as it were, aconcertof prayer—that all Christians in past ages have loved to engage in it, and left their testimony in its favour by their constant attendance upon it. They recorded their sweet experience of its pleasure. And all sincere friends to the cause of the Redeemer, over the Countries where the Gospel is known, make conscience of assembling together to honour God in public worship. When we address ourselves to the various parts of it, we are animated, we are consoled, with the thought that we are not alone, but that all God’s people are joining with us. How has my heart been enlarged with this idea! But what isthe worship of God here on earth compared to the heavenly! Here sin stains our best duties. Imperfections cleave to all our warmest devotions. Clouds of error obstruct the clear and full view of truth. We know but in part, we prophesy but in part. Our harps are hung on the willows. A dead languor rests on all our religious performances. But in heaven there will be no cold hearts—no dissenting voices.—Perfect love will animate all the worshippers in the realms of eternal day. They are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. Their joy is one. Their happiness is one. And their worship is the perfection of ardour, sublimity and purity.—How can we behold worshipping Assemblies joined in prostrate adorations before the throne of grace, and uniting their voices in hallelujahs of praise to the Eternal King, without having our thoughts led forward to that delightful scene of heavenly worship, where mingled choirs of angels and saints, whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, are continually saying with a loud voice,worthy is the Lamb! blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne.Do not the crouded Assemblies of Christian worshippers bear some distant resemblance to the Zion above?—Let it be our supreme concern, to be fitted and trained up by the humbler forms of devotion in the Church militant, for the exalted services and work of the Church triumphant.——Such are the happy effects of stated public worship and instructions, prayers and praises. “Prayers,” says a mahometan writer, “are the pillars of Religion; and they that forsake prayer, forsake Religion.”—Thepublic devotions of God’s house, how advantageous: how useful: how beneficial in their tendency!—“To thee, O devotion, we owe the highest improvement of our nature, and much of the enjoyment of our life. Thou art the support of our virtue, and the rest of our souls in this turbulent world. Thou composest the thoughts. Thou calmest the passions. Thou exaltest the heart. Thy communications, and thine only are imparted to the low, no less than to the high, to the poor as well as the rich. In thy presence worldly distinctions cease; and under thy influence worldly sorrows are forgotten. Thou art the balm of the wounded mind. Thy sanctuary is ever open to the miserable; inaccessible only to the unrighteous and impure. Thou beginnest on earth the temper of heaven. In thee hosts of angels and blessed spirits eternally rejoice.” So important is the duty of public worship to the world and the interest of moral Virtue, that we can hardly be too zealous in recommending it, or exceed in our encomiums upon it. For it is impossible a man should be good, while he altogether omits the duties of Piety. The neglect of them shews that we have no right notions of God, no sense of his presence, no hearty desires of his mercy, and no solid hope of his favour.—
We will here, at the proper place to insert the remark, and as a further proof and powerful recommendation of the duty of public worship, see what the views, and opinions, or feelings and practice of the scripture-saints were in regard to it. How the Apostle Paul viewed it, we learn from the following direction of his.Not forsakingthe Assembling yourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another.These words teach us that there were, in the days of the Apostles, and should be in all ages, Christian Assemblies for the public worship of God and mutual edification: and that it ever was, and ever will continue to be the duty of all Christians to frequent these Assemblies in obedience to the command of God, to perpetuate and maintain his worship in the world, and for the confirmation of their faith, and their mutual edification unto life eternal. To the Corinthian christians, he says,In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together: He speaks of their being convened for public worship, as theirstatedcustom. And in his salutation to them as a Church, he mentions thosethat in every placecall upon the name of Jesus Christ.Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are Sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.Thosein every place that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christare all worshipping Assemblies of Christians. Our Lord himself promises, in a most tender and affecting manner, his gracious notice, presence, and blessing with ever so small a number of his worshipping disciples or followers.For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.His calling his followers achurchimplies necessarily their assemblingstatedlyfor worship and mutual edification. Public worship directly honors Jesus Christ, and is a most expressive way of owning him before men; and denying it or neglecting it, is denying him and being ashamed of him.He that denyeth me, andis ashamed of me and my words before men, him will I deny before my father which is in heaven and his angels.The Psalms are full of expressions of warm affection and attachment, as all know who read them, to the courts of the Lord, to public worship. All good men love the ways of Zion, esteem and value exceedingly the word of God—the house of God—the ordinances of God—the Sabbaths of God.—Man never appears in so amiable an attitude as when on hiskneesbefore his Maker. The pleasure of engaging cordially in public worship is noble. How often too does God honor his worshipping Assemblies by his favorable presence—by communicating his grace—mercy—peace, and pardon to pious worshippers. What delight! what joy! what sweet experience! what comfort—what transport in joining “in work and worship so divine.” As a specimen of the esteem for the public worship of God, of delight in it—of ardent desires after it—of the profitableness of it—I have selected from the Psalms, the following passages—How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord.—Blessed is the man whom thou chusest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, to see thy power and glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. My soul shall be satisfied with marrow and with fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.—Onething have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord; and to enquire in his temple; for those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God; they shall bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing.Again—I was glad, when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord, whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem to my chief joy.
I have now, my Hearers, largely argued the duty and beneficial tendency of public worship. Better reasons I cannot offer. More powerful inducements to a constant attendance upon it, unless real necessity may be pleaded, as your excuse, cannot be laid before you, that are contained in those considerations which prove its beneficial tendency, above illustrated. If by those you will not be convinced, and reformed, if heretofore negligent of the duty, you must remain unconvinced and unreformed. Divine power and grace alone can awaken, convince, and reform you. Remember, if you neglect or deny public worship, you provoke God—you neglect a plain duty—you set a bad example—you dishonor Jesus Christ—you injure religion—you disserve the cause of morality—you contribute your proportion of influence to extirpate from the earth the christian religion—and must be responsible for all the evils you are the occasion of.Let us all, then, make conscience of so plain and so important a duty as public worship, that by it, we may be trained up for the worship of heaven, forthere, they are before the throne of God and serve him, day and night, in his temple.
The Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper not a human invention, but a divine Institution.
MATTHEWxxvi. 26–31.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said take, eat, this is my body.—And he took the Cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sin. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day, when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.—And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.
It affords peculiar satisfaction to the thinking mind, in attending any duty of Religion, to be well assured that it hath either a divine warrant, asthus saith the Lord,or is supported by the clear light of Reason. If we make that a duty which God hath not enjoined upon us, either taught us by the light of nature, or the light ofRevelation, we are guilty of will-worship or superstition. In this case, it may justly be said to us,who hath required this at your hands: bring no more vain oblations.To worship God in a way not appointed in his word, or by rites and ceremonies not authorised by him is to presume to interfere with the kingly office of the Saviour. He is king in his Church, and alone had power to make laws and appoint ordinances of worship. It is an infallible mark of an apostate and antichristian Church to pretend to institute sacraments or ordain modes of worship. Our Lord, knowing the proneness of human nature to err, and to adopt modes of worship of their own, has left his people this needful warning and excellent advice.But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.We reject, with abhorrence, all human inventions or commandments in things divine. We glory in being guided solely by plain scripture, and not by the opinions or decrees of any men—body of men, or venerable ecclesiastical councils, however wise, or learned, or pious. Superstition and impiety are two extremes, in Religion, which ought to be shunned with equal care. We are not to turn aside to the right hand or to the left. While we anxiously flee from superstition, we should tremble lest we run to the opposite extreme of irreligion. Excellent is the advice of the wise man on this head.Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.The right-hand errors of superstition, and the left-hand errors of irreligion are to be avoided with the utmost solicitude.
As worshipping God in more ways than he has appointed, or in unauthorized ways is superstition; so neglecting the ways and ordinances of worship, which he hath most obviously appointed is irreligion. If we refuse, under any pretence whatever, to attend upon that, asduty,which he hath most expressly commanded, and which is altogether reasonable in itself, we are guilty of impiety, or despising his authority, breaking his laws, and rising up in rebellion against him; and of course shall be dealt with accordingly. For to retrench is no less criminal than to add. We are as strictly prohibited from taking away from, as adding to, the revealed will of God. The conscientious mind, therefore, would wish above all things to avoid both crimes, taking from or adding to, going beyond or stopping short of duty. To determine which crime of the two is most heinous, is perhaps beyond our abilities. It is enough for us to know that both are very aggravated Sins, and to be avoided with the utmost solicitude.
We should carefully and diligently worship and serve the Lord our Maker, just as he has commanded us, precisely, and not according to any traditions of men, decrees of councils, uninspired canons, or our own vain imaginations. Religious and Gospel-worship and ordinances should be kept, pure and entire, free from all human mixtures and inventions. These are the feelings and views which our Churches profess to entertain—to walk by—and to hold. If inany instances, or degree, we deviate from them, we do it mistakenly—and unintentionally; and therefore we trust, should this be the case, it will not be imputed to us, as a wilful aberration from the original purity and primitive glory of the Gospel. We profess, and wish to take Christ’s spiritual and heavenly Religion, just as he, and his Apostles have delivered it to us, in the sacred Volume.—And that we may all be fully and perfectly satisfied, that while remembering the bitter sufferings and agonies of our once crucified, but now risen Redeemer in the sacrament of his supper—in the elements of bread and wine, we are only acting in pious obedience to a plain, positive, and express command, as express as any one can be, of our glorious high Priest, the captain of our salvation.—It is proposed, in the sequel, to—
I. Consider the original and actual institution of the sacramental supper—
II. And—the nature of it, and who may rightfully attend upon it.
I. We are to consider the original and actual institution of the sacramental supper. It may not be improper or unuseful, just to notice here as we enter on this important subject, the names, by which this Ordinance of the New Testament dispensation, is commonly known. I now, in the entry, call this ordinance, an ordinance of the New Testament dispensation, because I hope to be able, in the subsequent reasonings, to prove it to be so, to every mind that has candour, and discernment, to see the force of arguments. It has been differently denominated, in the ChristianChurch, and by different communions of Christians. It has been called the holy Sacrament—the great Gospel feast—the Christian Passover—the holy supper—the Eucharist—the Communion—and the Lord’s supper. Among all these appellations, that by which it most commonly goes, among christians, is the Lord’s supper. In each of these names, there is a peculiar significance and propriety, as is justly observed in those numerous discourses, which have been published on this Gospel-ordinance. Pious and sensible tracts have been published by learned men and sound divines on the nature of this ordinance—the qualifications of the worthy recipients—the terms of admission to its blessed privileges—the due preparation for attending upon it—the graces to be exercised while attending it—the design of it—and the temper and conduct which become christians after rising from the holy table—as well as the danger and sin of an unworthy and irreverent approach to it.—There is, in holy scripture, most obviously, sufficient reason for these several names given to it. But we readily concede, the wordsacramentis not in the New-Testament-writings. It signifies binding ourselves to the Lord by covenant-vows and promises. Whenever we participate of the sacrament of the supper, we solemnly covenant, engage, and promise visually to be the Lord’s; to believe his truths, to be faithful in his service, to perform the duties which he enjoins—and to take him for our only Saviour.—
It may also, once for all, be here remarked, that there are, among the various communions of christians, some circumstances relating to this Ordinance, which are not essential, but are leftto the convenience, prudence, and situation of the followers of the Son of God. Such as the frequency with which it ought to be celebrated; the posture of the recipients;—the quantity of theElementsto be taken;—and several other less points, which indeed have caused much contention among pious christians, to the disgrace both of reason and religion. In all indifferent things, it is folly to contend. It is no where said how often the Lord’s Supper is to be solemnized—or whether in the morning or evening of the Sabbath-worship—or whether we shall sit—or stand—or kneel while we partake of the symbols of the body and blood of the Redeemer. These circumstances are perfectly immaterial. And how unhappy, that christians should ever interrupt the harmony of churches on account of them, or divide and separate from each other. But about what trifles,mere nothing,will men furiously quarrel! He who kneels at the holy table is as acceptable a worshipper, as he who sits or stands. God looks at the heart, and not at the outward appearance. A composed, decent, and respectful or reverential posture is becoming, and is required. And as often, as the body of the people, with whom we worship, deem it expedient to solemnize the holy ordinance of the supper, we should do it, even if our private opinions should happen to be different. All that Christian Churches are concerned about, is that their Communion-days or Sacramental seasons may not be too near each other, or too far distant, lest the good effects, which they are intended to accomplish, should be frustrated. These observations are made to reconcile unhappy differences in Churches—to prevent needless disputes—and to promote among allthat love our Lord Jesus Christ, however distinguished by name or distant in place, union—love—charity—condescension—and mutual forbearance. I hope the glorious day will soon arrive when God’s people of the various denominations, will make the most of their union, and the least of their difference—and be in allessential things,of one mind, of one way: and will lay aside and be ashamed of their foolish attachment to, and intemperate zeal for mere circumstantial points, names, and forms. Happy are the persons or the church that can divest themselves of all party-views and prejudice—of all bigotry and narrow notions, and embrace all pious people, of whatever sect, in the arms of fraternal affection—loving those most, who appear to have most of the temper and holiness of the Gospel! Alas! what mischief to the best of all causes, that of Jesus of Nazareth, hath bigotry done in every age, and every land, where his name has been known!
But the principle design of the present discourse is to prove, from scripture, the reality of such an ordinance, as we call the sacrament of the supper. Is there, then, such an ordinance, in the Christian Church, to be observed by all the followers and disciples of our Lord, in every age and country? If there be not, we are, in our attendance upon it, justly chargeable with adopting human inventions and corruptions. Consequently are guilty of will-worship or superstition. We go beyond what is required of us. We cannot, of course, hope, upon reasonable grounds, for the divine acceptance and approbation. For God is never honored by, orpleased with our religious observances, however seemingly devout or pious we may be, when we presume to offer him, either what he hath not required of us by plain instructions of his own word, or made known to us by the dictates of reason: or when we offer it in the way, which he hath not required. We are to admit as articles of faith all that he hath enjoined, and only what he hath enjoined, and no more. In our practice, as professed christians, we are to do precisely as he hath commanded us. To believe as he tells us, and to do as he bids us, is the chief of religion. As professed followers of the Redeemer of the world, we are to walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless. On the subject of positive duties we are to be guided, in our inquiries, altogether by the revealed will of him, who appoints them.
Laying aside all prepossessions from education, tradition, or other sources, let us candidly and critically enquire, whether Jesus Christ did not, in the mostpositiveandexpressmanner, institute the sacrament of his supper, or a solemn commemoration of his passion and death by partaking of bread and wine set apart to be emblems of his body and blood. And it is not possible for any language to be plainer or easier to be comprehended, than the passage of scripture chosen for our present meditation. In it we have an account, concise, but full, of the original appointment. We have, in it, the history of the first Christian sacrament ever attended upon. The Jewish Passover is done awayexpressly,by him whom it typified, and who alone had authority to change or abrogate the whole Jewishsystem. He says, in so many words, that he abolishes it, and would never more attend it. He says, he sets up another and new ordinance, in its room, to be continued in his Gospel kingdom. He himself dispenses the Elements after consecrating them by prayer. His disciples partook of them. All the circumstances are minutely set down. Nay, he ordained, as king of Zion, as head over all things to his Church, that the commemoration of him, by material bread and wine, should bestatedlyobserved to the end of the world, in his Church, for the important purposes of honouring him as a Saviour, and preserving warm in the heart, and perpetuating the memory of his sufferings, his dying love and rich grace. I will explain and illustrate this history of the institution of the Lord’s supper, in the following manner, and principally in the words of anapproved expositor.
At the close of the paschal supper before the table was cleared, Jesus to show that he was thereby typified as the lamb of God who was to be sacrificed for us, took in his hand such bread as was in common use, and having set it apart for sacred service, by thanksgiving and prayer, he brake it and distributed it among his disciples, sayingtake eat; for I appoint this sacramental bread to be henceforth eaten as the memorial of my body’s being broken for your redemption by my sufferings and death; in like manner as the eating of the paschal Lamb was appointed to be a memorial for the preservation of Israel from the destroying angel, and of their deliverance out of Egypt.——After the same manner he likewisetook the cup of such wine in his hand as they had at the paschal supper, and setting this apart by thanksgiving and prayer to sacramental use, delivered it to his disciples, saying to every one of them,drink of this: for I appoint this sacramental wine to be henceforth drunk by all my disciples as the representation and memorial of my blood’s being shed for the confirmation of the new covenant, and purchasing of all its blessings; and particularly for the forgiveness of the sins of vast multitudes, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles, also, even of all that by faith receive the atonement.——
But I tell you that from this time forward I have done with drinking the juice of the grape in commemoration of Israel’s deliverance, and will have that Ordinance continuedno longerthan till the things it typified shall be fulfilled by a more glorious redemption in the Gospel-kingdom, which will take place after my resurrection, and will call for anew useof wine in the commemorative Ordinance which I havenow instituted.——And when at the close they had sung an hymn or song of praise suited to the occasion, Christ knowing that the time of his being betrayed was just coming on, would not stay to be apprehended in the house, lest he should bring the Master of it, into trouble, nor in Jerusalem, lest he should occasion public tumults and outrages, but retired with his disciples to the Mount of Olives. Here is a minute and circumstantial account given us by the Evangelist Matthew, of theabrogationof the Jewish ordinance of the Passover, and theinstitutionof the Christian Ordinance of the Lord’s supper. Itis a plain and particular account, as much so, as can well be conceived. And of all the four Evangelists, it is often observed, Matthew is the most circumstantial and particular in giving us the memoirs of our blessed Lord’s life, discourses and conduct. St. Mark and St. Luke rehearse to us, in the same words, as nearly as may be, theoriginal institutionof the ordinance of the Supper, and the abolition of the paschal Supper, and of the continuance of the former in the room of the latter. The Evangelist Mark’s account is this.And as they did eat Jesus took bread and blessed and break it and gave to them and said, take eat this is my body.—And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said unto them this is the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.St. Luke’s account is of an exactly similar tenor, though the order be a little different.Saying with desire have I desired to eat thispassoverwith you before I suffer. For I say unto you I will not any more, eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup and gave thanks and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it and gave unto them saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying this cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you.No words canbe more particular. All the three Evangelists exactly agree in their account. There is indeed a wonderful harmony in this, as in all their other accounts of the birth, life, doctrines, institutions, sufferings, and death of the son of God. They vary so much as is a full proof that they did not transcribe from each other—or pen their Gospels by previous concert:—and they harmonize so completely as to satisfy all candid minds, that they gave a true, and not a false or fictitious history. All these three Evangelists tell us that Jesus Christ,directlyandexpressly,abolished the ordinance of thePassover.And that he also in the Gospel-kingdom, or his Church, would have bread and wine used as an ordinance commemorative of his broken body and shed blood. He was very formal, as well as solemn and particular in this. He told his disciples what the bread was a sign or symbol of—his body broken: and what the cup was the sign or emblem of—his blood shed for the remission of sin.—All reasonable people will agree that his disciples, who were present and heard him, and partook of the consecrated bread and wine, understood him perfectly. But how did they understand him? If they did not comprehend his meaning, it was because he did not utter himself intelligibly, or they had not common capacities to take up his meaning.—How they understood him, their conduct explains to all who have eyes to see, and ears to hear. Did they ever more after this attend the paschal Ordinance, which had been so dear to the Jewish Church, from the day of its institution?—Did they not on thefirst day of the week,the Lord’s day, attend public worship, and solemnize the Lord’sSupper? They did. What did they do this for, if their Lord and Master had not ordered them to do it? Dared they, of their own accord, undertake to appoint an ordinance of worship? Their actions speak louder than words can do. In the Acts of the Apostles, we are told xx. Chapter—7. that the disciples and believers solemnized the ordinance of the Lord’s supper—on theLord’s-day—the day of his resurrection, thefirst dayof the week.And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread Paul, preached unto them.This could not be commonbreaking of bread.No person, in his senses, can imagine the Apostles went about from house to house to do this. It could be no other, therefore, than the sacramentalbreaking of bread.It was on thefirst dayof the week—the Christian Sabbath, or Lord’s day. They met for public worship. Paul preached to them. They had likewise public prayers. They assembled as we do, and as the Christian world ever since have done, on the Christian Sabbath to preach, to pray, and to solemnize the holy Ordinance of the Supper.—A still more minute account is given us of the various parts of pubic worship observed in the Apostolic days—ii. Chapter—41 and 42 verses—They gladly received the word, and were baptized, and continued steadfast in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship—and in breaking of bread and in prayers.They were steadfast. They gladly received the word—took a pleasure in hearing it—in being where it was preached. The ordinance of water-baptism was administered to them. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated and prayers were attended.They—that is, all the professed believersin Jesus Christcontinued steadfast in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship.——It is then a fact incontrovertible, that in the primitive days of Christianity, the disciples all attended the divine ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper—public worship and prayers, on thefirstday of the week.
To put the matter beyond all doubt, we will see what St. Paul’s view of it was. He was the chief of the Apostles. An immediate revelation was given to him, and he was a wonderful and most successful instrument of spreading the glory of the Gospel—and by whom also a very considerable part of the New Testament was penned.—In his first Letter to the Church at Corinth, he gives us a very particular account of theoriginal institutionof the ordinance of the Lord’s supper—andexpresslyinforms us that it is to be perpetuated in the christian Church till the end of the world—that is all christians are by it, to show forth the death of Christ till hecome—come to judge the world, and to render to every man according to his deeds.—xi. Chapter—23–27—For I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he took the cup when he had supped, saying this cup is the new Testament in my blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.That this is not commondaily eating and drinking to support life—to satisfy hunger and thirst is evident to every person, who makes use of his reason in things of religion. Could the Apostle speak as he does, if he meant no more than our common meals? If he meant only common eating and drinking, must he not be insane to speak as he does? Is common eating and drinking a remembrance of Christ’s sufferings and death? If we eat and drink, at our common meals, without a pious and thankful heart, are we guilty of the body and blood of the Lord? Is our common eating and drinking, if not done in a holy manner, eating and drinking damnation to ourselves—not discerning the Lord’s body? Are we to wait, in partaking common nourishment, till we have examined ourselves?But let a man examine himself, andso let himeat ofthatbread, and drink ofthatcup.The Apostle severely reproves the converts at Corinth for an unworthy, disorderly partaking of the Lord’s Supper, when they assembled for that purpose. He calls the ordinance, theLord’s Supper.When ye come together into one place, this is not to eat theLord’s Supper.What the Lord’s Supper is, we know as well as we know the meaning of any word ever used: as well as we know what theLord’s prayermeans. The Lord’s Supper is not every meal or any partaking of any food, but aSupperthat isparticularly so—eminently so.If I were to call every prayer theLord’s prayer—and every meal I made—or food I received, theLord’s Supper, I should justly be looked upon, either as a wilful perverter of scripture, or insane.——
Further, the Apostle calls the ordinance now under consideration—the Communion—and partaking of it—setting atthe Table of the Lord, the cup—the cup of the Lord.The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ.1. Cor. x. 16. Again, verse 21.Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the table of devils.We may also observe, that the abolition of the Jewish passover, and institution of the ordinance of the holy Sacrament of bread and wine, in the room of it, is plainly intimated, when the Apostle calls Christ our Passover sacrificed for us—and directs us to keep the feast, alluding to the paschal feast, in a sincere manner.For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.It is most easy and natural to understand this, of the Gospel-feast of the sacramental supper—and that this comes in the room, of the Jewish passover. This is the way in which it is generally and justly understood. Christians, in general, and all denominations, have from this and other very plain passages of scripture, been of the opinion, that theLord’s Supperas a holy ordinance succeeds the ordinance of the Passover. There were two stated or fixed ordinances in the Jewish church, Circumcision and the Passover. There are two, in the Christian church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The latter, no doubt, came in place of the former. At least this hath been the common belief; and it willnot be given up with out very solid reasons.—None, generally satisfactory, have ever yet been alledged, and it is presumed never will.——To evade the force of the above reasonings and plain scripture, it has been said, all that is contained in scripture relative to the sacramental supper, is only allegory—mere metaphor—and that the Apostle John speaks of a spiritual supper in the soul. That he describes the regeneration of the soul, by Christ’s coming into it, and the sweet pleasures of internal religion, by his supping in the soul, in the following words, is granted.—And the language being highly figurative and metaphorical, is just and beautiful is also allowed.Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and sup with him and he with me.The spiritual supping of Christ in the regenerated soul, or his imparting to it, divine consolations, no more proves that there is no ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, to be astanding ordinancein the Church, to the end of the world, than the first verse in the book of Genesis proves it. It doth not refer to it, so much as in the remotest degree. Before a person can bring himself to believe in such a strange perversion of scripture, he must have resolved that he will understand nothing, according to what is in truth. What will not man do, to get clear of plain truth! How will he twist and pervert the plainest words!——
It hath also been alledged, that our divine Lord, directed his disciples to wash one another’s feet as a token of humility—John xiii.—from the 4th to 15th verse. There is no word, in this wholetransaction, that can possibly denote thatwashing of the feetwas to be a standing ordinance in the New Testament-dispensation.—Most plainly doth Christ tell them, that what he had done was only anexampleof humility, or significant way to teach them this important Virtue. It was an outward action calculated to impress their minds with a sense of the duty of being meek—humble—condescending—and forbearing. So they understood it—for they never practised it as an ordinance. We have a right to say they did not, because, we are no where told of their observing it as a divine ordinance. So Christians have, in general, understood it.—One very small handful of pretended followers of Christ have understood it differently—and observed it as aChristian rite.But admitting it to be an ordinance to be observed in Christ’s Church, it doth not disprove the other ordinances.——Upon the whole, we may as well deny any duty as the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. We may with as good reason affirm that all the scripture is mystery, and none of it capable of being understood, as to affirm that what it says relative to the institution of the Lord’s Supper as astanding ordinanceto be continued in his Church to the end of the world, his second coming to judgment, is only mere metaphor—allegory, or figurative language.—But it is one thing to show malice against God’s special ordinances, and another to disprove them. All who reject, despise, and deny them, cannot, with any consistency, pretend to receive the word of God, as the only rule of faith and practice.
Having reviewed the scripture account of the Institution of the Lord’s Supper, as a standing ordinance,in the Christian Church, to be continued to the end of the world.—We shall, as was proposed, examine
II. Very briefly into its nature, and enquire who may rightly attend upon it.—God is infinitely wise, in all that he requires of us, as duty. He never did require, or enjoin upon man what was inconsistent with his wisdom or goodness, or when complied with, would be of no benefit to him. The ordinances of the gospel are spiritual in their meaning, and highly subservient to the purposes of fervent piety.—And the ordinance of the Supper, is an ordinance wherein by giving and receivingsensible signs,we show forth the death of Christ till he come to judge the world at the last day. By visible signs, it represents to us the body and blood of the Saviour. The material emblems, the bread and wine, convey to us, or signify spiritual things; and are designed to impress the mind, with the liveliest ideas of the dreadful sufferings of the son of God, of his blood shed, and body broken for us, by the aid of our external senses, our eyes and taste.—By these Elements, as they are termed, we behold him crucified afresh:—as groaning on Calvary:—as expiring on the Cross:—as rising from the dead:—as bursting asunder the cords of death:—as ascending up into heaven:—as sitting at the right hand of God:—as an all-willing and all-powerful Saviour. Our eyes see it, in the sensible signs. May our hearts realize it! The duty of remembering our Redeemer, in the memorials of his dying love, is most reasonable. We consist of body and soul, and in this ordinance, the apprehensions and devotions of the latter, are aided by the senses of the former. Thisis treating human nature as being what it is. Had we nobody, or were we unembodied spirits this ordinance would be absurd.——
It may be here pertinently added, God has had his sacramental institutions in every age of the world—even, before thefallof man. In a state of innocence, before the Apostacy, the tree of life was the Sacrament, or standing sign by which Adam was to be confirmed, if he had maintained his integrity.—The Rain-bow, a natural phænomenon, was expressly appointed by God, as a sacramental sign, by which his covenant with Noah was ratified, and in which he promised that the world should not, a second time, perish with water.—In the Jewish dispensation, the Passover and circumcision were two noted sacramental institutions, by which God’s covenant of grace, was confirmed.—And in the last, best, and most perfect dispensation of all, the Gospel, are two most plain and important Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
In all these instances, the wisdom, goodness, condescension and grace of the Supreme Being are remarkably manifested. He considers what we are, weak and frail Creatures. He treats us as being what we are, imperfect Creatures; and hath, in the sacraments, appointed outward signs to assist us in conceiving rightly of divine things, and to move and affect the heart.
2dly. The nature of the ordinance of the supper is a commemoration of the sufferings of a dying Redeemer. This is sufficiently proved by the very words of the blessed Jesus in the original institution and distribution of the Elements.This do in remembrance of me.He, as our passover, is sacrificed for us. We are then to remember him, principally, as dying for us:—as bearing our sins in his own body on the tree:—as our propitiatory sacrifice:—as our righteousness. This needs no other proof, than the very words used in the distribution of the outward signs.This is my body which is broken for you:—broken with an inconceivable weight and variety of sufferings.—So again,This Cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you:shed for you—a ratification of the new covenant, which is the meaning of the word Testament here.—Who can hear the divine Jesus—who can see him holding out life and glory, in these appointed signs, saying eat,O friends, and drink ye all of it,without being melted into love, gratitude, and a cordial compliance!—The sacramental supper, then, is a memorial of his dying love, bleeding piety, and wonderful grace.—By it, as the Apostle expresses himself, weshow his deathtill he come—till he come to visit our guilty world as the final judge. As a dying friend he gives us this memorial of his love. He knew that we, in this wicked world, and amid its concerns and temptations, should be apt to forget him in the riches of his grace and bitterness of his death. Accordingly that the manner of his death, and magnitude and variety of his sufferings might never be effaced from the mind, the same night in which he was betrayed, he instituted this precious Ordinance, and bid all his followers, to remember him in it, with all the weight of his divine authority, and affection of ardent friendship.——And can we forget thee, O suffering Immanuel! Whomshould we remember, if we forget thee!—Can our cold hearts be unmoved at those things, which thou didst undergo for us!—Can any pretend to be thy disciples, deceiving mortals, and still exert themselves to persuade others not to remember thee, in thydying command!
3dly, The sacramental supper is a Communion-Ordinance.The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.This ordinance from these words is often called, by way of eminence, the Communion; and it has been celebrated ever since the days of Christ, as astanding ordinance,in every Country, where the Gospel hath been enjoyed by all denominations of Christians, except some deniers of all outward ordinances. Serious and enlightened Christians have always highly valued it. They have always loved it. They always deemed it a blessed privilege to remember their dear, departed Lord in his own appointed emblems. And while attending upon this great Christian solemnity, the Communion-Table, we commune with one another—with our Father who is in heaven—and with the Redeemer of a fallen world.—As brethren we sit at the same table, commemorate the same suffering Lord, participate in the same rich provision. This shows our union in all essential doctrines, our charity; that in the things of God and Religion we have one heart, one Lord, one hope, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, and that we acknowledge one another as fellow-Christians.We stand, as it were, at the foot of the Cross, beholding the awful sufferings of our Lord, and professedly rest all our hope on his merits and precious blood, our hope of pardon, hope of peace, hope of acceptance with a holy God, and hope of eternal blessedness in heaven.—We also commune, by the divine spirit, with God himself. A spiritual intercourse, at the Sacred Gospel-Passover, is maintained between him and his pious people. He communicates, by the influence of his holy spirit, his love to them; and they pour out their hearts, desires, and prayers before him, and to him. He draws near to them, in mercy, and in the tokens of his favour. They draw near to him in duty. Hence he is said to dwell in them. He smiles upon them through the Son of his love. He owns them in the covenant of grace. He pities them in all their sorrows. He comforts them with his own consolations. He establishes them in the truth and right way. They are, in fine, seated at his own table—a Father’s board, upon the best provision.—What a high privilege! What a sublime felicity!—
And who may rightfully attend upon, and enjoy this divine Ordinance? The answer is, all Christ’s disciples. His professed followers who believe in him, and obey his precepts. All are bound to honor the God of ordinances. He alone can make them profitable and savingly beneficial. Without him, they will be inefficacious.—And to have a right to approach them, we must profess the religion of the Gospel, must admit all its essential doctrines. And behave and conduct accordingly.Do this in remembranceof meis the absolute command. And we are to remember a dying Redeemer, as his friends, as his followers. All, therefore, who have a disposition to live a life and piety and Virtue, to perform the duties thereof, and to walk in the fear of the Lord all their days, may, and ought to approach the holy ordinances of the Gospel.—
In the review of what hath been offered, we infer the indispensible duty of partaking in divine Ordinances. It is as much our duty, as professed Christians, to remember the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ to atone for sin, in his own appointed way, as it is to practice the moral virtues of compassion, honesty, or truth. A positive duty is absolutely binding. When it is made known to us, we may not neglect it any more than a moral duty: though moral duties may be more important, and be not to give place to positive: forGod will have mercy and not sacrifice.Ifboth,as both are obligatory, cannot be complied with, under certain given circumstances, themoralclaims the precedency. All, therefore, are obligated to prepare themselves to wait on God, and to honor him in his own institutions. None can excuse themselves. And what is required on their part hath now been concisely stated.
Again, from our subject we see how exactly we follow Christ in the way, in which we attend upon the Sacramental Supper. We profess to follow him altogether, and to make nothing essential, which he doth not make essential. Every communicant is left to his own opinion and free liberty to stand, or sit, or kneel, as he conceives is the will of his divine Lord. As ourprofessed aim is to honor God, and Jesus Christ, we endeavour to make the revealed will of our Lord, in this Ordinance, our rule. Did he set apart the sacramental bread by prayer, so do we. Did he do the same as to the Cup, so do we. Did he close all by an hymn of praise, so do we. We close the solemnity by a well adapted religious song of praise to God and the Saviour.—
We infer, further, from what hath been said, how painful to the real lover of Virtue and piety it is to reflect that this divine Ordinance, upon which we have been discoursing, should be so much disregarded, as it is, among those who call themselves Christians. Some profane it. Some deprecate and speak evil of it, and of all divine institutions even the christian Sabbath and Christian worship. Some cast off prayer, and maliciously and impiously reproach all christian duty. In this Country, it is with difficulty, that many who, in the judgement of Charity, are Christians, can be persuaded to honor God in his special ordinances. How melancholy the idea!—But what is of all the most affecting is, that there should be so many open enemies to that very Redeemer, who died on purpose to save man, lost man! For he came to seek and save that which was lost. His sceptical scoffers, will not have him to reign over them. Such should remember the observation of the wise man respecting the Deity’s treatment of scorners.Surelyhescorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.—Those who deny Jesus Christ in his word, in his worship, and in his ordinances, and will not have him to save them from sin andmisery, will never have any salvation at all.If ye believe not,says our Lord,thatIam he,the promised Messiah,ye shall die in your sins.
To conclude all—In the above discourse,I have endeavoured to plead the honor of the only Saviour in his holy ordinance:—I have enquired what saith the scripture, not what men have said, or Councils decreed. If in any thing I have misapprehended, or misrepresented divine truth, I hope it may be forgiven me by a gracious God; and that all my sins may be washed out, as to their guilt, in the precious blood of that Jesus, whose Religion I solemnly believe to be divine, and on whom I am entirely willing, after the most deliberate examination of his celestial pretensions, to risk myeternal felicity.
Baptism by water not a piece of Superstition, but appointed by Jesus Christ.
MATTHEW xxviii.—and this part of the 19 verse.
Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Every true friend of Christ and his Religion mourns over every departure from the duties he enjoined, the doctrines which he taught, and the Ordinances which he appointed. The more sincere and cordial his friendship, the more dear to him, will be the duties, the doctrines and the institutions of his divine Lord and Master.
We should be exceedingly solicitous, then, to abide in the doctrines of Christ, to preserve Gospel-ordinances in their purity; avoiding carefully all human additions, supplements, and traditions; adhering to the original primitive simplicity of Gospel-worship and order; rejecting all that Christ rejects; holding to all, to which he holds; hoping all from him; and keeping from whatever contradicts his doctrines. All the appointmentsof the Savour are to be highly esteemed, and diligently observed by his professed people. And one of these, is the Ordinance of Baptism by water, to be astanding ordinancein the Church to the end of the world; of the clear and express institution of which it is now proposed to lay before the audience, a plain and faithful account from scripture; being in the enquiry wholly directed and guided by what Christ and his Apostles have left us, have said, and practised respecting it.
So far, my hearers, as I know my own heart, I would cheerfully give up any thing, which I could not find duly supported in scripture understood in its plain and natural sense, and not perverted by ignorance and wilful misrepresentation.—That the ordinance of water-baptism has been greatly abused and perverted, is readily acknowledged. Different denominations of professing christians, have entertained different opinions about its nature, as well as the subject and mode. But different opinions and different practices do not disprove the reality of the ordinance, or its utility as a christian privilege. They are however a full proof of the weakness, prejudice, and imperfection of human nature. If we must relinquish all that has been perverted and abused in religion, or disputed and differently understood, we shall have nothing left. We must, as many have done, commence infidels. For there is no article either of religion or morals but has been disputed, perverted and differently understood. I hope for a patient and candid hearing of the arguments, which shall be alledged to prove that baptism by water or christian baptism is not apiece of superstition, butappointedby Jesus Christ.—I would attempt humbly to enquire, what is the mind or will of God, as revealed in the holy scriptures, concerning christian baptism. I have taken all proper pains to search them, looking to the Father of lights for his guidance and spiritual illumination—to weigh and compare what they affirm, and to examine the original language. I hope, by divine grace, to be preserved from all error in opinion, and intemperance of words, or harsh and uncharitable expressions, being fully persuaded,that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.——
The words chosen, as the subject of present meditation, make a part of that great Commission, which our Lord after his resurrection and before his ascension to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God, gave to his Eleven Disciples or first Ministers. The whole Commission runs thus,Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, lo! I am with you always even unto the End of the world.To remove all possible doubt, if any could remain, of his authority to ordain and commission them, he informs them, that all power was given unto him, in heaven and on earth: power to do every thing in his church, and even to render the whole system of nature obedient to him. He appointed the time and place, when and where theeleven discipleswere to meet him in order to be invested with the commission to preach his Gospel, to gather and organize churches, and to admit converts to the Sacramentof baptism.Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus, had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
1st. The first argument that there is such an ordinance as water-baptism to be administered to all, who are the professed people of God, to be continued to the end of the world, is taken from the very words of the text:baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.In the original, it isinto; which however altereth not in the least the meaning of the passage. To baptizeinandintothe name of thesacred threeis precisely one and the same thing. And the word,baptize,as all the learned know, is applying water in some way or other to the subject, as will be proved in its proper place. And in the commission which our Lord, just before his ascension into heaven, in a very formal and solemn manner, gave to his Apostles, theEleven Disciples,we should naturally expect, if any where, as the most fit time and place, on account of the institution of the ordinance of baptism, as an initiatory or introductory ordinance in his Gospel kingdom or New Testament-dispensation. Accordingly the very thing is done; the ordinance isinstitutedin as plain, and as clear, and as precise a manner as words can state. The very particular form of words is given. That precise form which Jesus Christ would have us use, and which the christian world, in all its various ages and different communions, have ever since used. For the sacraments or ordinancesof the Gospel are positive institutions; and in all positive institutions the observers are wholly confined to the declared will and form of the institutor. They are neither to go beyond or fall short of it. They can do neither, without offending the institutor. In the appointment of christian baptism our Lord hath then prescribed the very form of words to be used. The Sacrament of baptism has a most important meaning, and by an outward sensible sign, exhibits to us divine truth, or one of the foundation-doctrines of the whole system of christianity. And outward signs are a most affecting way of teaching mankind spiritual doctrines. By these, as well as by words, doth God, in his infinite wisdom, teach us. It discovers a particularly base and disingenuous mind to object against any of the ways in which it may please him to teach us, sinful and guilty creatures. Christian baptism teaches us, in a most striking and affecting manner,by an outward rite,the absolute need of our being washed by regeneration:—that we are defiled with sin, in our natures, and cannot be saved unless this defilement be done away by the purifying efficacy of grace. To apply water to the subject, whether infant or adult, whether by immersion or sprinkling, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy Ghost, is to signify our belief in the one true God, distinguished, as now stated; our subjection to him; and our adherence to whatever is revealed by him. For to baptize in the name, or into the name of another is openly to denote our following him, belonging to him—our subjection to him, to his will and cause. Thus, when the Apostle Paul thanks God that he had baptized butfew: when the Corinthian converts were so divided about Preachers who ministered to them, he assigns this reason, not that the ordinance was unnecessary or unprofitable, or not divinely appointed,but lest any should say he baptized in his own name or into his own name,which must mean that he was to be their head; and they wholly devoted to him as followers. To baptize, therefore, into, or in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, is to denote an entire consecration to the Trinity, to the love, fear, and service of God, and a full renunciation of all other Religions—of all Idols, and the vanities of the world—that we take God, for our God and portion, Jesus Christ for our only Redeemer, and the holy Ghost for our sanctifier. By Christian baptism we signify our duty to be God’s, and to declare it to all the world; we declare in a more solemn manner than words can do, that we need the washing of regeneration—and that we are defiled in our nature by sin. All Christians should see that they understand the nature, use, and intention of baptism. And how reasonable, that by some outward rite, our need of being sanctified, should be exhibited!—When, therefore, we call the sacrament of baptism, a positive Ordinance, we do not mean that it has no moral uses, or is not beneficial in Religion, or reasonable: we only mean that it is an Ordinance which we should not have known, or been obliged to attend upon, except it had been expressly appointed by the Author of the Christian dispensation, who has the sole and exclusive right to legislate in his own kingdom, and to appoint what ordinances of worship he pleases. He is king in his Church.Referring to the Messiah, and to his kingly office, Jehovah says,Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.—