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SHORT INTRODUCTION

TO THE

Lord's Supper,

STATING

THE NATURE OF THE ORDINANCE, AND THE
NECESSARY PREPARATION FOR IT1.

THE Church in the Catechism informs us, that + Christ has ordained only two sacraments, as generally necessary to salvation; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Baptism was instituted by Christ, to be the rite of admission into his Church', and is answerable to circumcision among the Jews. The Lord's Supper was ordained as a memorial of the sacrifice of the

1 See note at the end of the preface.

2 Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them. Matt. xxviii. 19. Then they that gladly received the word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts ii. 41.

3 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Col. ii. 11, 12.

B

death of Christ, and appointed by Him instead of the Jewish passover 5. These sacraments are both necessary to salvation. Baptism is necessary, being the ordinance whereby we are regenerated, that is, are translated from our natural state into a state of grace, and born again to a title to all the privileges of the Gospel covenant. The Lord's Supper is necessary, because it conveys. that spiritual food by which we are nourished to everlasting life. The former is to be only once, the latter often received.

These ordinances the Church considers as only generally, and not absolutely necessary to salvation. She does not take upon her to exclude all hope of God's mercy in those extraordinary cases, where the want of opportunity or capacity, or the force of involuntary error prevents men from receiving the sacraments. But as the Jews were obliged, under the severest penalty, to be circumcised',

4 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. 1 Cor. xi. 23-25.

5 For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. 1 Cor. v. 7. 6 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John iii. 5. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body. 1 Cor. xii. 13. Saved by the washing of regeneration. Titus iii. 5.

7 And the uncircumcised man-child, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant. Gen. xvii. 14.

and keep the passover; so our guilt and danger will be proportionably great in not observing, when it is in our power, these two more easy institutions, which are not only of a higher authority, but also the distinguishing badges of a more excellent profession1.

By the word SACRAMENT the Church informs us is meant an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof. In order, therefore, to constitute a sacrament there must be, first, something discernible and apparent to our senses; secondly, this external sign must represent some spiritual grace and favour vouchsafed us by God; thirdly, the outward symbol must be of Christ's own institution; and, fourthly, it must be appointed by Him as a means of conveying to us the inward grace, and as a seal and pledge to

assure it to us.

The parts of which a sacrament consists are two, viz. the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace. Outward sensible things can, by the institution of God, be means to convey, and pledges to assure to us, divine grace and favour.

8 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from his people. Numb. ix. 13.

9 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. Heb. xii. 25.

1 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John i. 17.

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