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the table of the Lord, by carrying the emblems of Christ's body and blood, the bread and cup to the people, that they look to it that the table of the Lord be not polluted. And every individual communicant should be careful so to come hither, as to answer the end and design of Christ herein; to the intent they may enjoy fellowship with him, and with each other, as being all partakers of that one bread.

I proceed, thirdly, to consider the evil of unworthy receiving, which brings this guilt upon such, the profaning that means which Christ hath ordained for the remembrance of his death.

"Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Which words are alarming, tremendous, awful, and solemn.

And I think as they respect us, they imply thus much, that whosoever approacheth the Lord's table, without a due consideration of the dignity of that which is represented by "the bread and cup of the Lord," dishonours that which is represented thereby; makes himself guilty of

profaning this means of grace, and vilifies, and, as it were, reproaches the body and blood of Christ,

Such sin, in treating this ordinance with contempt, which is a symbol and representation of Christ. For what reflects dishonour upon the ordinance, reflects dishonour upon the body and blood of Christ, signified and expressed thereby.

From which we should learn, to walk at all times as in Christ's presence, and when we are about to come before him at his holy table, it becomes us well to invoke and pray the Holy Spirit, to fill our minds, and engage our thoughts with the love and sufferings of our Lord Jesus, that when we sit at his table, we may reflect spiritually, properly, and profitably, upon the divine mysteries of grace there recorded. May we, feeling the influence of our text, treat with reverence, and approach with divine solemnity this sacred board, that Christ may be glorified by us, and that we may enjoy his heavenly presence and blessing. Amen.

78

SERMON V.

DELIVERED PREVIOUS TO THE CELEBRATION OF THE

IM

LORD'S SUPPER.

MEAN beloved, to fill up our present exercise, by taking into consideration, and drawing some suitable observations as pertinent to our present solemnity, from the 28th and 29th verses of the eleventh chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians:

“BUT LET A MAN EXAMINE HIMSELF, AND SO LET HIM EAT OF THAT BREAD, AND DRINK OF THat cup. FOR HE THAT EATETH AND DRINKETH UNWORTHILY, EATETH AND DRINKETH DAMNATION TO HIMSELF, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY."

THE apostle having spoke concerning the evil of unworthy partaking of this ordinance, how that such are guilty of, vilify, and reproach the body and blood of Christ; passes on to inform them, that previous to a participation of it, a man should examine himself, seeing unworthy communicants bring condemnation upon

themselves, not having spiritual judgment to discern the Lord's body in the ordinance.

In which words we have the following particulars:

Here is first a duty exhorted to, selfexamination. "Let a man examine himself."

Secondly, the punishment which falls upon an unworthy receiver: "he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself: " which is not meant of eternal damnation, as is evident from the instances of the punishments recorded in the following verses, 30th, 31st, 32d, but temporal judgments; such as weakness, sickness, and death, for which see verse 30.

Thirdly, the sin of unworthy eating and drinking at the Lord's table pointed out, as consisting in "want of spiritual discernment to apprehend the Lord's body." Of these things in their order.

It is observed by Dr. Owen, that as the apostle is here rectifying abuses about the administration of the Lord's Supper, so he applies particular direc

tions to all their particular miscarriages, and he gathers up all directions into this one general rule: "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."

In which words we have an exhortation, backed and enforced strongly and solemnly.

The duty exhorted to is self-examination "Let a man examine himself."

You may remember that the apostle described the sin of unworthy receiving in the 27th verse; and here he points out the means of avoiding it in this 28th verse: from which it may be most safely pronounced, and most justly declared, that it is every man's duty, who comes to the table of the Lord, to examine himself, with respect to his personal interest in Christ, and his right to this ordinance, before he comes to partake of it. By which also it clearly appears, that all persons who are incapable of this duty of self-examination, are not to be admitted, but stand excluded from this sacred feast. And that to the end we may rightly and worthily partake of the Lord's Supper, it

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