SERM. stance of benevolence that ever was: do

V.

you, or do you not, believe that Christ died for us, and left us this command? If you do not, there's an end of the matter; but if you do, how can you stand excused in your own eyes for refusing to comply with his so earnest request? You will not tell me it is too much trouble! what! to pass one hour in celebrating the goodness of that friend and Saviour, who spent all the hours of his life, and, lastly, sacrificed his life itself, in your service!

Besides, it is my duty to tell you that there is much reason to fear, that to those who will wilfully shut their eyes against what they ought to do in this particular, and absent themselves altogether from the Lord's table, all which he has done and suffered will have been in vain.

But you are afraid, perhaps, you will say; the threats of St. Paul, which are again repeated in the communion service, terrify

and

if

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and alarm you; you cannot flatter your- SERM. selves that you shall be worthy partakers of the Lord's supper; and you therefore think it safer wholly to abstain from it! You are then resolved still to continue in your sins; you are determined not to examine yourselves and repent; not to have hope in Christ, nor to be in charity with your brethren ;-for unless this be the case, you have but a desire to turn to God, and a wish to be in charity with your neighbour, with a firm purpose to endeavour both, you may with the greatest safety draw near unto the Lord's table. The threats of St. Paul are principally directed against those to whom he writes, the Corinthians, on account of some irregularities, of which they had been guilty in celebrating this sacrament: as we celebrate it in a different manner, the same irregularities are not now practicable; therefore the apostle's threats scarce seem

SERM. applicable to the Christians of these days;

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and even to the Corinthians, the punishment denounced is not so great as we may suppose it. There is one word, which has been too strongly translated in our Testament; in the original, the sense of the word evidently is not damnation," but "condemnation." "For he who eateth " and drinketh unworthily, eateth and "drinketh condemnation to himself;" and the word does not mean eternal, but temporal, condemnation; does not mean punishment in the next, but correction in order to amendment in this world: the very next verse explains it," For this "cause many among you are weak, and

sickly, and some sleep." Now this certainly can only relate to punishment in this life.

Not that I would be understood, that you should approach the altar with no preparation whatever, with no purposes at all

of

of repentance and amendment; indeed, I SERM. think that is scarcely possible, but I would

not have you think every little defect a sufficient reason to keep you away; I would persuade you to do what you can; and it may be, nay it will be, if you persevere, that you will acquire new grace and strength, you will grow in holiness and virtue; what you now look upon with terror, will become your delight; and finally, having finished your earthly course, you shall, from partaking of the table of your Lord here on earth, be advanced to the enjoyment of his blessed society in the mansions of his Father.

V.

SERMON