THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture XIV. ON THE CONDUCT OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD AFTER A COMMUNION SABBATH. IN the two preceding lectures, we have spoken at large on the great fubjects of preparation for an acceptable and profitable approach to the table of the Lord, and of the deportment of the people of God, on a communion fabbath. We fhall, in the present lecture, enquire, how they ought to conduct themfelves, after an occafion fo folemn;-or, in other words, what duties a Christian must engage in, that his foul may be benefited by the ordinance. In doing this, we propose to obferve the following method: 1. To fhew that believers are under the strongest obligations of expreffing their gratitude to God, by a holy walk. 2. To point out the duties which they are under obligation to perform, after having been permitted to occupy their feats at the table of the Lord. 3. To attempt an answer to fuch queftions as weak believers may propofe, relative to certain points contained in this and in the two preceding lectures. 4. To make an application of the subje&. FIRST. It is neceffary for a child of God, after having attended the Lord's table, to exprefs his GRATITUDE to God. The arguments which fupport this propofition are the following, viz. 1. All the bleffings which God bestows, even those of a temporal nature, demand from us the exercise of gratitude. They are difpenfed from his bountiful hand, without any merit in us, and they are bleffings which none but God can bestow. Hence it is faid, He giveth us all things richly to enjoy. Do the favours, which God in his providence beflows, require of us to be thankful? most certainly then, this great, this unfpeakable benefit, which he hath conferred upon us as the God of grace, muft obligate us to make grateful returns. He hath permitted us, worms of the duft, to fit down at his table with himself, the God of heaven and earth, that there we might hold most intimate communion with him; that there we might have put into our hands the pledges of his everlafting love, for the confirmation of our faith; and that there we might folemnly and publicly renew our covenant with him. Now 2. Confider alfo the object of the Lord's Supper. It was inftituted to keep in remembrance the death of Chrift, and to fhew it forth until he come. how are we to fhew forth the death of Chrift?-not only by a pious calling it to our minds, whilft we are at the table, but by a conftant, fincere, and faithful acknowledgment of the love which he hath manifested to finners, by a return of love to him on our part, which is evidenced by words and actions, in the whole tenour of our walk and converfation. As we have received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo we must alfo walk in him, Col. ii. 6. Hence this ordinance is emphatically styled a bleffing or thanksgiving. See 1 Cor. x. 16. . 3. The fame thing was reprefented in the ancient facrament of the paffover, in the room of which the Lord's Supper was inftituted. In that ordinance, the goodness of God, manifefted to Ifrael in graciously delivering them from the deftroying angel which flew all the firft-born in the houses of the Egyptians, must be remembered and acknowledged, agreeably to the command of Mofes, Exod. xii. 27. Befides, there was a cup of bleffing, which was diftributed by the fathers of their familics, which cuftom the Lord Chrift appears to have alfo adopted, and the whole folemnity was clofed with a fong of praife;-which hymn Chrift alfo fung with his dif ciples, after he had administered the Supper to them. All this was with a view to teach us, that after the ufe of the facrament, in which spiritual benefits are brought into remembrance, we are alfo bound to give glory unto God. Hence has arifen the practice which obtains in our churches, that as foon as the ordinance is adminiftered, the folemnity is clofed by the minister, who pronounces the words of the 103d Pfalm, 1ft to 13th verfe.-Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy difeafes, who redeemeth thy life from deftruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercies. Hence too has arisen the practice of delivering thanksgiving sermons, in which the congregation are excited to engage in duty, and to the exercife of gratitude. 4. We may also add all thofe paffages of Scripture, which admonish us to praise, to cxalt, and to be thankful to God. As, Pf. cxvi. 12, 13, What fhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of falvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. See again, Pfalm xcv. 1, 2, O come, let us fing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our falvation. Let us come before his prefence with thankfgiving, and make a joyful noife before him with pfalms. Also, Pfalm cv. 1, 2, 3, O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people: fing unto him: fing pfalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works: glory ye in his holy name.- -And many others to the fame purpose. 5. On a pious and fuitable conduct after communion, depends our DERIVING real advantage from the use of this facrament: for if, immediately after leaving the table, we return to the world, and our walk be irregular, we certainly could not have been nourished with this fpiritual meat, any more than our bodies can receive nourishment from the immoderate use of food. By living in a becoming manner after a communion fabbath, we become as it were prepared to make a profitable approach to the next facrament. When we live habitually near to God, it will not be a difficult thing to have our hearts fuitably difpofed for this particular duty. The true reason why we find fo much preparation neceffary, is, because we are not more faithful unto God. Hence we become eftranged from God, and meet with much difficulty in recovering our filial confidence. Having proved how neceffary it is for communicants to conduct themselves piously after a communion fabbath, we proceed, www. SECONDLY, To enquire what duties are particularly incumbent upon them. First, There are duties to be difcharged upon the facramental fabbath itself. It is It is proper for Chriftians to attend the public fervice in the after-parts of that day, that with the affembly of the faints they may exprefs their gratitude to the Lord, praise his name, and be taught the duties which devolve upon them, in consequence of that renewed inftance of the favour of the Moft High conferred upon them. Upon leaving the houfe of God, they should endeavour to keep their hearts in a calm and composed frame, as much as poffible to avoid all kinds of company and converfation which will not tend to edification, and to retire in fecret, with prayer and thankfgiving. Thus did pious David: when God made to him fuch precious promises relative to the establishment of his house and kingdom, he did not wait long, but as foon as Nathan had withdrawn, before any thing intervened, whilft his heart was fo much affected and taken up with those promised bleffings, he goes into the presence of the Lord, and in the fulness of his heart he exclaims in these words: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my houfe, that thou haft brought me hitherto ?-As if he had faid, " Lord, I am filled with astonishment! Thou furroundest me with fo many inftances of thy goodnefs, that I cannot find words to exprefs my holy fatisfaction. Wilt thou do fo much to fuch a worm of the duft? Is this the manner of man, O Lord God? The word that thou haft fpoken concerning thy fervant, eftablish for ever, and do as thou haft faid," 2 Sam. vii. 18, 27. O beloved! thus muit we alfo do. Like David we muft, in faith and affection, commune with God, Vol. II. E e |