Next Part 5 1The Lord's Supper

II. That the sacrament may be effectual to us, there must be a right participation of it, which consists in four things.

[1] A right participation of the supper is, when we draw near to God's table in a humble sense of our UNWORTHINESS. We do not deserve one crumb of the bread of life; we are poor indigent creatures, who have lost our glory; and are like a vessel that is shipwrecked! We smite on our breasts, as the publican, "God be merciful to us sinners." This is partaking of the ordinance aright. It is part of our worthiness—to see our unworthiness.

[2] We rightly partake when at the Lord's table we are filled with breathing of soul and inflamed desires after Christ, which nothing can quench but his blood. "Blessed are those who thirst." Matt 5:6. They are blessed not only when they are filled—but while they are thirsting.

[3] A right participation of the supper is, when we receive it in FAITH. Without faith we get no good. What is said of the Word preached, it "did not profit them, not being mixed with faith," is true of the sacrament. Heb 4:2. Christ turned stones into bread; unbelief turns the bread into stones—which do not nourish. We partake aright when we come in faith. Faith has a twofold act, an adhering, and an applying. By the first we go over to Christ, by the second we bring Christ over to us. Gal 2:20. This is the grace we must set to work. Acts 10:43. Philo calls it, "the eye of faith." It is the eagle-eye that discerns the Lord's body; it causes a virtual contact, it touches Christ. Christ said to Mary, "Touch me not," etc. John 20:17. She was not to touch him with the hands of her body; but he says to us, "Touch me," touch me with the hand of your faith. Faith makes Christ present to the soul. The believer has a real presence in the sacrament. The body of the sun is in the sky—but the light of the sun is in the eye. Christ's essence is in heaven—but he is in a believer's heart by his light and influence. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." Eph 3:17. Faith is the palate which tastes Christ. 1 Pet 2:3. It causes the bread of life to nourish. "Believe and you have fed." Augustine. Faith makes us one with Christ. Eph 1:23. Other graces make us like Christ; faith makes us members of Christ.

[4] We partake aright of the sacrament when we receive it in LOVE.

(1) Love to Christ. Who can see Christ pierced with a crown of thorns, sweating in his agony, bleeding on the cross—but his heart must needs be endeared in love to him? How can we but love him who has given his life a ransom for us? Love is the spiced wine and juice of the pomegranate which we must give to Christ. Canticles 8:2. Our love to this superior and blessed Jesus must exceed our love to other things; as the oil runs above the water. Though we cannot, with Mary, bring our body ointment to anoint his body, we do more than this, whence bring him our love, which is sweeter to him than all ointments and perfumes.

(2) Love to the saints. This is a love-feast. Though we must eat it with the bitter herbs of repentance—yet not with the bitter herbs of malice. Were it not sad if all the food we eat, should turn to our hurt? He who comes in malice to the Lord's table, turns all he eats to his hurt. "He eats and drinks damnation to himself." 1 Cor 11:29. "Come in love." It is with love, as with fire which you keep all the day upon the hearth—but at special times, you make larger. We must have love to all; but to the saints, who are our fellow-members here, we must draw out the fire of our love larger; and must show the largeness of our affections to them, by prizing them, by choosing their company, by doing all offices of love to them, by counselling them in their doubts, comforting them in their fears, and supplying them in their needs. Thus one Christian may be an Ebenezer to another, and as an angel of God to him. The sacrament cannot be effectual to him who does not receive it in love. If a man drinks poison and then takes a cordial, the cordial will do him little good, so he who has the poison of malice in his soul, the cordial of Christ's blood will do him no good; come therefore in love and charity.

Use one. Learn how precious this sacrament should be to us. It is a sealed deed to make over the blessings of the new covenant to us. A small piece of wax put to a parchment is made the instrument to confirm a rich conveyance or lordship to another; so these elements in the sacrament of bread and wine, though in themselves of no great value—yet being consecrated to be seals to confirm the covenant of grace to us, are of more value than all the riches of the Indies.

Use two. The sacrament being such a holy mystery, let us come to it with holy hearts. There is no receiving a crucified Christ but into a consecrated heart. Christ in his conception lay in a pure virgin's womb, and, at his death, his body was wrapped in clean linen, and put into a new virgin tomb, never yet defiled. If Christ would not lie in an unclean grave—surely he will not be received into an unclean heart. "Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord." Isa 52:11. If those who carried the vessels of the Lord were to be holy, those who are to be the vessels of the Lord, and are to hold Christ's blood and body, ought to be holy.

Use three. Christ's body and blood in the sacrament are a most sovereign elixir or comfort to a distressed soul. Having poured out his blood, God's justice is fully satisfied. There is in the death of Christ enough to answer all doubts. What if sin is the poison—the flesh of Christ is an antidote against it! What if sin be red as scarlet—is not Christ's blood of a deeper colour, and can wash away sin? If Satan strikes us with his darts of temptation—here is a precious balm out of Christ's wounds to heal us. Isa 53:5. What though we feed upon the bread of affliction—so long as in the sacrament we feed upon the bread of life? Christ received aright sacramentally, is a universal medicine for healing, and a universal cordial for cheering our distressed souls!

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