DISCOURSE XVI.

Second Part of the Homily on the fame Subject.

JOHN VI. part of 53d verse.

Then Jefus faid unto them, Verily, verily I fay unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye bave no life in you.

THE

HE remaining part of the difcourfe on this fubject, relates chiefly to the third qualification before mentioned, as neceffary to fit us for a due partaking of the facrament of the Lord's fupper.

Thirdly then, we fhould fhew fome proof of the fruit of our ufing this bleffed choice means of grace, by a change of life, and increafing in holiness, every time we receive this holy ordinance. In the words of the text, you see our Bleffed Mafter declares the abfolute neceffity of our cating his flesh and drinking his blood, in a fpiritual fenfe, in order that we may bave life; that is, a power within us, fo to live here, that we may be fitted for the enjoyment of eternal life hereafter; or as the third divifion of the fubject enjoins, that we may bring forth more fruit. To clear this paffage of all difficulty, (for many of Chrift's followers, from the blindness of their hearts, could not readily receive it) he informs them, that

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that the words he spake were spirit and life. They had no conception how it was poffible, or in what manner our Lord could offer his body and blood as food to them; but doubtless when he had enlightened their understandings, by the gift of the Holy Ghoft, vouchfafed to them after his afcenfion, they then perceived, that his words alluded to the facrament he instituted, just before his crucifixion; they then confidered the true nature of the left fupper, and that the signs of his body and blood therein received and offered in memory of his fufferings and death, and the benefits thereby derived to mankind, were defigned to direct their hearts to the Spiritual meaning of his body being meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed. And even to allay their fears, and remove their fcruples for the prefent, he condefcended, while he was with them, to inform them of the true meaning of his words; for knowing their ignorance, he faith, Doth this offend you? (that is, do you imagine I speak impoffibilities?) what and if you fall fee the Son, of man afcend up where he was before? Perhaps even this, is difficult for you to conceive, but obferve, I fpeak Spiritually. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing; the body is but the inftrument or means; the words I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit, and they are life. As though he had faid, When I talked to your of eating my flesh, and drinking my blood, I meant that you must receive a spiritual advantage by that facrifice for you, and that as effentially, as the animal body is nourished by animal food. And when you fhall fee this body afcend, it will then, by the power of God, be a glorified, or Spiritual body; there is nothing impoffible in either, but both muft actually come to pafs, or ye can have no life in you. If I do not give this body for you, and afcend with it into heaven, you will derive nothing from my death and refurrection.

The way being fo far cleared to your understanding the true fenfe in which this holy facrament is

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to be received, and as you have been told why it pleafed our Savior Chrift to inftitute this folemn memorial of his death and paffion, viz, that every one profeffing himself to be his difciple (that is, a true chriftian, who is not afhamed of his master) ought to celebrate it conftantly, in his own perfon, at his table; further, as you have been likewife informed, what fhare of needful knowledge in this great myftery is fufficient for you, and that the utmost reverence is due to the performance of this ceremony; and laftly, as you have heard that a pure and humble faith is the beft preparation, the true wedding garment we are to put on, to be fit and decent partakers of the benefits therein fignified to us; let us now proceed to a clofe examination of what the fecond part of this homily of our church declares upon the fubject of the third thing neceffary in all who would not eat of this bread or drink of this cup unworthily (in a dangerous fenfe) and that is, newness of life, and godliness of converfation.

That change of life, as a fure fruit of faith, iş pofitively required in thofe that come to this table, we may learn from its relation to the pafchal fupper, or paffover. And fhould it be here objected by any, when can we come safely, fince the first time we must come with many fins we had not power before to conquer? the reply is ready and clear: you you will always receive this holy ordinance with fafety, whenever you come SINCERELY, with a hearty defire and purpose to correct your finful ways; for in truth it is for this one chief end, that we are invited to it at all; for Chrift died, and rofe again, on purpose to restore, or amend our depraved nature; to prepare to himself a people zealous of good works, and by this particular means, to afford them grace to become his true difciples. And as in the paffover, no man was admitted to the eating of the pafchal lamb, (the type of Chrift) but he that was a few, that was circumcifed, that is before prepared, and

fanctified

fanctified according to the commandment; fo in the christian church, the previous qualification of the other facrament appointed by Chrift, is neceffary to the communicant at the Lord's table: but to prove that it was not enough to be a Jew outwardly, in order to profit by God's holy rites appointed for his people, St. Paul tells us, (1 Cor. x) plainly, that although the people were partakers of the facraments in form, under Mofes, yet because fome of of them were in their hearts idolaters, whoremongers, tempters of Chrift, murmurers, and greedy after evil things, God overthrew them in the wilderness ; and by the fame argument, and for our example, we that are Chriftians fhould not depend on the mere name, but be careful to receive this facrament with a pure defire to become Chriftians in deed and in truth, fhewing our increase in holinefs in confequence of the act; not trusting in the mere outward ceremony, and continuing at the fame time in ungodly courfes, and an uncharitable temper; for this fentence of God will always be juftified, I will have mercy and not facrifice. On this account, as one of the Fathers (St. Bafil) obferves, it behoveth all who come to the table, where the figns of Chrift's body and blood are prefented, in commemoration of his dying and rifing again, not only to be free from all filthinefs of flesh and fpirit, (that is not living in a wilful courfe of actual fin, but purpofing to lead a new life) left they eat and drink to their own condemnation; but it alfo concerns us to give good proof of our pure remembrance of him who died for our fins, and rofe again for our fanétification, by henceforth dying unto fin and the vanities of this world, and living unto God, in Chrift Jefus our Lord.

Farther, this exhortation includes both the outward teftimony, required of us in receiving these figns of Chrift's death, and an act of praife, at the fame time, to Almighty God, for all his bene

fits defigned for us, through the fufferings, death, and refurrection, of his dearly beloved Son. And to fhew that this laft-mentioned act of thanksgiving ought to form a confiderable part of the fervice, the holy Fathers of the church named it the euchariftia, a word that fignifies thanksgiving: As though they had faid, now efpecially, it is your duty to laud, and praife, and magnify your God, because in this fervice you are led to confider the true object, cause, beginning, and end, of all religious praife. If you difcover any flackness in giving thanks for fuch mighty mercy, you declare yourfelves most ungrateful, and that no other benefit can ever poffibly produce in you fincere thankfgiving to God, if you lightly regard so many, such wonderful, and fuch valuable advantages. Since, then, the name of this holy ordinance, no less than its effects, doth lead us to be most truly thankful for its inftitution, let us take the Apostle's advice in the xiiith Heb. 10. And through Chrift, let us, therefore, offer the facrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. For, as David also faith, in his lth pfalm, He who offereth God thanks and praise be honoreth him. But, alas, in this inftance of our Chriftian duty particularly, how few thankful perfons are to be found, comparatively with the disobedient to Chrift's call, and merecies here offered, who therefore must be accounted most unthankful. And, like as we read in the Gospel, though ten lepers were healed, and but one returned to give thanks for his cure, fo, of those who do communicate, it would be happy if we could find a favorable proportion giving unfeigned thanks; but, in truth, fo ungrateful, fo forgetful, fuch proud felf-fufficient fupplicants are the best of us, that we neither confider our own good as we should do, nor do we rightly understand our duty to God: but, above all, we do not humbly confefs what we receive at his hands, and what is due from us to

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