We give thee, sacred Spirit, praise, Thus God the Father, God the Son, Without a bottom or a shore. Watts. CHAPTER XI. THE DUE IMPROVEMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE design of this chapter is to furnish such hints as may assist the communicant to obtain practical advantage from his observance of this institution, in his subsequent course. The state of mind which is fostered at the Lord's table, the feelings there excited, and the blessings there enjoyed, should be brought into practical application, and maintained by watchfulness and prayer. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things that we have wrought. 2 John 8. Some seem to think, that if they have received the outward elements in a serious manner, abstained from their worldly business before and after, restrained their tongues from rough and unkind remarks, and behaved with sobriety for the day, that then they have done an acceptable service to God. But, Christian reader, let our aim be higher and better than this. Seek duly to profit by the ordinance, so that it may be a fresh spring to a holy life. In attending to the due observance of the Lord's Supper, it may be expedient, first to review what is past, and then to notice the duties to which the faith ful communicant is specially called. Such a work necessarily calls for retirement and reflection. Selfrecollection, and communion with God in secret, should therefore succeed, as soon as we have opportunity, to our more public employments.* Suppose, then, the Christian to have retired to his closet, one of his first duties will be, TO REVIEW THE STATE OF HIS MIND during the past solemnity. In order to ascertain whether it has been such as we may have reason to hope will, on the whole, through the merits of the Redeemer be acceptable to God; (Rom. xiv. 18.) let us make a few practical inquiries, with reference to the exercise of those graces which we have before shown to be necessary to receiving the Lord's Supper with benefit; such as repentance, faith, gratitude, and charity; (see chap. i. part ii.) and with reference to those directions which have been before given for the employment of the mind during the communion service. See chap. iv. part ii. The chief thing is, have you duly remembered Christ at his table? You may know this by the holy tempers and dispositions which such a remembrance is calculated to produce and increase. A due remembrance of Christ will increase PENITENCE and sorrow for sin. The contemplation in a right spirit of the only-begotten of his Father, wounded It is recorded of the pious Bonnell, "When he returned from church, he immediately retired to the closet, and spent a considerable time in his own private prayers and praises. And as his wife was still his fellow-communicant, so with her he prayed before dinner; blessing God for that happy opportunity given them both of commemorating our Saviour's sufferings, and receiving the pledges of his reconciled favours, and praying for all those who had been partakers with them that day, or at any other time, of those blessed means of grace which they had then received." See Hamilton's Life of Bonnell, for our transgressions, is evidently calculated to produce fresh convictions of the evil and guilt of all sin; and contrition and compunction for our many, our wilful, and our repeated transgressions. When with the eye of faith we look on him whom we have pierced, then it is we mourn for sin, and our hearts rise in holy indignation against ourselves. Have we, then, felt at the Lord's table any thing like a deeper and more lively sense of our shameful ingratitude, our cold affections, and our base rebellions? Has this produced in us any feeling of godly sorrow, and truly humbled us before our heavenly Father? If Christ be duly remembered, FAITH will be increased. We shall with more confidence look to Christ, as our only Saviour, and feel that we may safely leave our everlasting interests with him. We shall repose with a more stedfast and unshaken reliance on his unchangeable love, and his complete salvation. Faith will be growing to the full assurance of hope, that since we believe on the name of Jesus, (John i. 12.) we are children of God, and may look up to him as our heavenly Father, and thus our hearts will be filled with joy and with peace. If Christ be duly remembered, assurance of an interest in him will increase. There is a striking passage in the Homily on the sacrament, showing how assurance is connected with the reception of the Lord's Supper. After giving the high expressions of the Fathers upon this ordinance, and guarding against resting in the outward elements, the Homily proceeds "always holding fast and cleaving by faith to the ROCK whence we may suck the sweetness of everlasting salvation. Thus much more the faithful see, hear, and know, the favourable mercies of God sealed, the satisfaction by Christ towards us confirmed, and the remission of sin established. Here they may feel wrought the tranquillity of conscience, the increase of faith, the strengthening of hope, the large spreading abroad of brotherly kindness, with many other graces of God; the taste whereof they cannot attain unto, who are drowned in the deep dirty lake of blindness and ignorance: from which, beloved, wash yourselves with the living waters of God's word, whence you may know both the spiritual food of this costly supper, and the happy trustings and effects that the same brings with it. Now it follows, to have with this knowledge, a sure and constant faith not only that the death of Christ is available for the redemption of all the world, for the remission of sins, and reconciliation with God the Father; but also that he has made upon his cross a full and sufficient sacrifice for thee, a perfect cleansing of thy sins, so that thou acknowledgest no other Saviour, Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, but Christ only; and that thou mayest say with the apostle, that he loved thee, and gave himself for thee. For this is to stick fast to Christ's promise made in this institution, to make Christ thine own, and to apply his merits unto thyself." If Christ be duly remembered, GRATITUDE will be a prevailing sentiment in our hearts. You cannot consider aright your obligations to him without some emotions of love in your bosom. You will be ready to say, Surely I ought to love Christ. He made me, and died for me; he whom I have slighted and neglected, and who yet intercedes daily in my behalf, justly demands my warmest affections, and my whole heart. What friend have I so powerful, so wise, so |