Preparation sermon, before receiving the Holy sacrament

by John Willison

A preparation

SERMON,

Before Receiving the

HOLY SACRAMENT.

By the late Reverend JOHN WILLISON,
miniſter of the gospel at Dundee.

Cor. 11. 27. Wherefore whoſever ſhall eat this
bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily,
ſhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

THE apoſtle having heard of ſeveral abuſes that had crept in among the Corinthians with reſpect ⟨to⟩ their partaking at the Lord's ſupper, does ⟨ſeverely⟩ rebuke them; and, for their amendment, lays ⟨down⟩ the platform of Chriſt's inſtitution to them, ⟨from⟩ the 23d to this verſe: and having done ſo, he ⟨comes⟩ to draw a concluſion or inference, from the ⟨doctrine⟩ he had been teaching them, in the text: Wherefore whoſoever ſhall eat this bread, &c q. d. ⟨Seeing⟩ it is ſo that this great ordinance is of Chriſt's ⟨appointment⟩, and he has left it behind him as a ⟨memorial⟩ of himſelf, ſeeing by it we ſhew forth the ⟨Lord's⟩ death then certainly the unworthy and ⟨unsuitable⟩ celebration of ſuch an ordinance, which is ⟨of⟩ ſo great concern, muſt be a very heinous crime, ⟨and⟩ a great reflection on the author of it, which he ⟨will⟩ infallibly reſent.

In the words we have two things:

1. The ſin itſelf propoſed Whoſoever ſhall eat ⟨this⟩ bread, and drink this cup of the Lord ⟨unworthiness⟩:——i. e Whatever man approaches Chriſt's ⟨table⟩, and partakes of theſe ſacred ſymbolsof Chriſt's body and blood, having an irreverent, irreligious, unworthy and unſuitable carriage of heart, is guilty of a great crime, as reflecting not on the elements themſelves, but vilipending that which they repreſent. And, To aggravate it, he calls it the bread and cup of the Lord. Tho' it were but common bread and wine, to use it unworthily were a crime; but it is the bread and wine of the Lord, inſtituted by him for his glory and our ſalvation; and therefore it is a far greater crime to uſe it unworthily. This unworthineſs reſpects not the perſon of the receiver ſo much as the manner of his receiving: the apoſtle ſpeaks not of a worthineſs of the perſon, but a worthineſs of the action; for he ſays not, Whatſoever unworthy perſon eats, &c for then he had excluded every man, for we are all unworthy. Moreover, the apoſtle words it thus, to be a caveat even to believers, and regenerate as well as natural perſons, that people do not partake of the Lord's super either in an unworthy ſtate or unworthy frame. So he inſinuates that even regenerate pervons may communicate unworthily, which here does note the want of a right goſpel frame and diſpoſition of ſoul:

2. The guilt of this ſin; ſhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord; i. e. ſhall either be guilty of an egregious profanation and contempt of Chriſts body, ſeeing any abuse of the king's picture is reckoned an abuſe of himſelf; or they ſhall be ranked in with the Jews who actually crucified him, pierced his body, and ſhed his blood.

Hence we obſerve, That unworthy communicating is a ſin of great guilt and hazard. And therefore in further discourſing on this ſubject, we ſhall endeavour to ſhow,

I. What we are to underſtand by unworthy communicating.

II. Wherein conſiſts the guilt and danger of it.

1. As the the first, negatively, I. The want of ⟨perfect⟩ purity and spotleſs or untained holiness does ⟨not⟩ make a perſon an unworthy communicant if ⟨theſe⟩ imperfections be regreted and mourned over: ⟨for⟩ what mortal can ſay that he has cleanſed his heart, ⟨and⟩ that he is pure from ſin? Prov. 20.7. Neither, (illegible text) does the want of great knowledge Tho' a man ⟨underſtand⟩ not the nice debates and abſtruſe ⟨scholastic⟩ diſputes in divinity yet, if he know the ⟨foundational⟩ principles of religion, he may be a worthy communicant. Nor, 3. doth some measure of ⟨weakneſs⟩ of faith, attended with many doubts and ⟨fears⟩, render one an unworthy communicant: for ⟨Chriſt⟩ ſays to his disciples, O ye of little faith, yet ⟨doth⟩ he not reject them; and he received that man, Mark 9 22. who had but a very weak weavering ⟨faith⟩, and ſoon after cried out with tears, I believe, ⟨Lord⟩, help my unbelief Nor yet, 4. doth the want of ſensible joy or comfort in or after communicating ⟨under⟩ a perſon from being a worthy partaker: for ⟨there⟩ may be a lively acting of the graces, while yet ⟨there⟩ is the great ſenfe of God's favour.

But, poſitively unworthy communicating at Chriſt's ⟨table⟩, is, I When a perſon communicates more for ⟨cuſtom⟩ than for conſcience ſake; when men come ⟨to⟩ the table of the land because it is the faſhion of ⟨the⟩ country where they live becauſe all their ⟨neighbours⟩ do ſo, and they must go along with them ⟨for⟩ company's ſake and that it would not be lucky ⟨for⟩ them if they got not their ſacrament with their ⟨neighbours⟩; but ſtill have no ſenſe upon their ſpirits ⟨of⟩ Chriſt's command nor of the deſigns, the ⟨uſefulneſs⟩ and comfort of this ſacrament. Let us ⟨tremble⟩ and confider their hazard

4. When a perſon conmmunicates without ⟨understanding⟩ his neceſſity of Chriſt, and the nature and ⟨ends⟩ of this ordinance; when a peſson knows not ⟨the⟩ need of a Redeemer to recoyer him out of his ruined natural ſtate, or of his blood to cleanſe and heal his wounds, and his righteouſneſs to cover his nakedneſs. This ordinance is a contract betwixt God and ſinners: you can never go about it worthily, unleſes you understand the nature of the covenant and the terns of which you engage: you muſt know yourſelves to be poor and naked, ſick and wounded, under the curſe of the law, the corruption of ſin, and the pomer of Satan, and Chriſt's fitneſs and suitableneſs to recover and help you, otherways you cannot diſcern the Lord's body aright.

3. When a perſon reſts on the bare ordinance without looking to Chiſt in it, and on the naked ſigns and elements for pardon and juſification.

How many are there who thus content themſelves with Elijah's mantle, without aſking for the God of Elijah? They take the ſhell for the kernal, and the ſhaddow for the ſubstance. Many think, if they get their communion as they call it, tho' it be nothing but a bit of bread and a ſip of wine, they are well, they are out of all danger of hell and the devil; and thus they make it a mere charm.

4 When a perſon continues in habitual and frequent breaches of known commands, unrepented of; or in the omiſſion of known duties, ſuch as family worſhip or fecret prayer; for thoſe who forget Chriſt all the year long are not likely to remember him aright at a communion-table: or yet when one continues in the commiſſion of known ſins, such as drunkenneſs, ſwearing, uncleanneſs, covetouneſs, ſabbath breaking, &c. or lyes in any fecret ſin unrepented of, ſuch as revenge, or malice at his neighbour. The heart that is a habitation for any of theſe kind of devils, is not a fit temple to receive Chriſt. O ſinner, wouldſt thou invite Chriſt into that chamber where all his murderers are lodged? Not, certainly, unleſs thou hadſt a deſign to crucify him over again.

5. It is to communicate without any previous preparation, and ſerious pains, by prayer and ſelf-examination. If you would communicate worthily, ⟨you⟩ muſt uſe all endeavours to train your hearts and (illegible text)ck your ſouls in order to entertain the maſter of ⟨the⟩ feaſt, Chriſt to every person who intends ⟨to⟩ partake of this a ſacrament as Samuel ſaid to Jesse's ⟨sons⟩, I Sam. 16 15. Sanctify yourſelves, and come with me to the ſacrifice. Remember what a rebuke chriſt gave to the man who came to the feaſt, and was not at pains before to put on the wedding garment, Matth. 22 II 12.

6. It is to communicate without remembering Chriſt or his death, which is the great deſign of the ⟨ordinance⟩, Luke 22. 20. And this is not a bare ⟨speculative⟩ or hiſtorical remembrance, but a ⟨practical⟩ and a grateful heart affecting remembrance, ſuch ⟨a⟩ remembrance as a man hath when he ſees the ⟨picture⟩ of a dear friend who is deceaſed or abſent from ⟨him⟩: he not only remembers his perſon, but the ⟨mutual⟩ love that was betwixt them, and the many good offices his friend hath done for him. Well, if ye would communicate, aright, ye ſhould remember Chriſt's painful death and bitter agonies; how he ⟨hung⟩ on the croſs with his body torn and bleeding all over; how heaven, earth and hell, justice, men and devils, let upon him at once; how he was broken ⟨and⟩ bruiſed by his Father in the day of his great wrath, how the thorns pierced his temples, and drew deep furrows in his face: and how be ſuſſered all ⟨this⟩ for ſinners, and in the midſt of all ſtill ⟨maintained⟩ a vehement and conſtant love to them. He had ⟨no⟩ ſin of his own: and all his ſorrows, cries, groans, agonies, wreſtlings and ſtrugglings, were for us. O cumunicants, take a view of ſhese things ⟨tonight⟩, and ye will be fitter to remember them ⟨tomarrow⟩.

7. It is to approach without that awful dread ⟨and⟩ reverance of God which we ſhould have on ⟨our⟩ ſpirits. O careleſs ſinner, who can approach ⟨God's⟩ table as unconcernedly as if you were going to ⟨sit⟩ down at a common feaſt tremble, for you will ⟨eat⟩ and drink to unworthily. You muſt approach with ⟨a⟩ reverence of the holineſs and juſtice of God, ⟨who⟩ hated ſin ſo much, so vehemently, that he ⟨could⟩ ſtand by while his dear ſon was ſuffering for it, yea, and ſtruggling in the cruel pangs of death among ⟨the⟩ hands of bloody murderers. and that without any relenting of heart What earthly father but ⟨would⟩ account the ſufferings of his ſon as the rending of his bowes? Yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him and to put him to grief Isa 53. 10. This was a greater evidence of the inexorableneſs of his juſtice, than if he had forbid the whole world full of men and angels into hell Therefore, when we approach to eat and to drink at the table of the Lord, we ſhould be filled with a reverential adoration of the juſtice of God, and alſo of his purity, and of his all ſeeing and piercing eye that is beholding us at the time of communicating. If men had the recent impreſſions of this, would they eat and drink ſo unconcernedly and irreverently? They would touch this bread and this cup with the ſame awe and reverance that the woman with the bloody iſſue touched the hem of Chriſt's garment, and that was quaking and trembling, Mark 5. 33.

8 It is to ſit down with a cold heart, wanting love to Chriſt. O communicants, thus is a love-feaſt and it is with love you can entertain Chriſt. If you be an enemy to him you have nothing to do at his table; this is a feaſt for friends only, Cant. 5. 1. Eat. O friends; drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved. Whatever be wanting, love muſt not be wanting; for love is the spring that moveth all the graces, faith, repentance, delighit, &c. An extended Saviour requires an enlarged heart: and nothing is more becoming than that love ſhould be recompenced with love, O ſinner here you may ſee God bringing his Son from heaven to earth, from the earth to the croſs, from the croſs to the grave, and pouring out his blood to keep us from bleeding. Remember that without love there is no worthy communicating, ſo benefit by the ſacrament, no communication with God John 14. 21. He that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and ver. 23. We will come unto him, and make our abode with him. O ſinner, why therefore wilt thou not love Chriſt? Go home, and ſecretly take a view of Chriſt and his love, and regret your want of love, And ſay, "Lord, I have a cold heart; O do thou inflame it. How can I look on Saviour who had his hands nailed, his head picked, his ſides pierced, his heart grieved, for my ſins, and not love him? Can I behold the arms of the son of God open on the croſs, the spear reaching his heart, his affections ſtreaming out to us in blood. When we were enemies to him, and still be ſo cold and indifferent."

9. It is to communicate with unbroken hearts for ſin. O ſinner, a whole heart and a broken Chriſt will never ſuit together. This paſſover muſt be eaten with bitter herbs; ye can have no comfort in his ordinance without it; ye must sow in tears if ye would reap in joy. Therefore come humbly and mournfully acknowledging that all theſe all these strokes that were laid on Chriſt were due to us, and that the tragedy that was acted on him ſhould have been acted on us: we ſhould have been the mark of all the arrows of God's vengeacce; it is on us that all the vials of wrath ſhould have been poured out. When he was bruiſed for our iniquities, we ſhould have been bruiſed down to hell under the millſtone of God's wrath: wben he groaned on the croſs, it was we that ſhould have roared with the devils to all eternity. It is our ſins that have done all: O curſed ſin! If ye would not be unworthy communicants, ye ſhould come here with a great mourning for ſin, for all your by paſt ſins, and for your breaches of vows ſince the laſt ſacrament, for crucifying Chriſt over again, and cauſing his wounds to bleed afreſh O is your heart whole and hard, go home and regrete it, and cry to God, That you are afraid of unworthy communicating, and dareſt not approach his table with ſuch a heart. And endeavour to be as much affected in time of communicating as if you heard every piercing groan of Chriſt in the garden, and numbbred every drop of blood that trickled down from him, and had been preſent and ſaw the ſoldiers driving in the nails and stabbing in the ſpear. Did the rocks rend, the ſun vail himſelf, and the heavens mourn in black, and will your ſouls remain unaffected? Look upon him till your hearts be ſet mourning as one mourneth for his only ſon and be in bitter neſs as one is in bitterneſs for his firſt born, Zach. 12. 10. Let all the ſprings of ſorrow be opened and guſh out.

10. It is to communicate with looſe wandering hearts, that are thinking on the world when they ſhould be fixed on Chriſt's dying. Will any venture to come here and ſit down to-morrow with the world in their hearts, and their thoughts roving about it, and not to much as give any notice to Chriſt's dying groans, more than it were the death of ſome East-India prince they were hearing of. What have you to do with the world at Chriſt's table? It will make him abhor you. O go home this night, and take pains to cleanſe and empty your hearts of all the rubbiſh of vain imaginations; bring no worldly thoughts to this place to-morrow, but ſay to the world and all things thereof, as Abraham ſaid to the young men, Gen. 22. 5. Abide you here till I go and worſhip yonder. Endeavour to come here with as ſerious and ſolemn a frame as if thou wert going to lay down thy life. Call in all your affections, unite all your thoughts, contract all the beam of your ſoul, and let them be ſet on the object before you. Cry mightily to heaven this night, "Lord, pity my worldly heart O banish away the devil, who will be ready to caſt in vain thoughts, and let me think only on a dying Lord."

11. It is to communicate without any thankfulneſs of heart, or wondering at redeeming love. If we would communicate worthily, our hearts ſhould aſcend, like Manoah's angel, in the ſmoke of thankſgiving and elevation of fpirit Judg. 19 20 we ſhould have the high praiſes of God in our mouths, and be inviting the angels and all creation to aſſiſt in praiſing him. We ſhould bleſs God for feeding his Son, and Chriſt for his dying love, in drinking up that bitter cup that we thould have drunk forever. O ſinner, canſt thou not get a thankful admiring heart? Travel then into the mount of Olives where Chriſt prayed and wept. Enter into the garden, where he groaned and ſtruggled in an agony: see how humbly he went bearing his croſs; and will not your affections warm?

12. It is to eat and drink without ſpiritual hunger and thirſt. You cannot partake of this feaſt without an appetite. It will be a ſhame to you to come to this full feaſt, and leave your ſtomachs at home. The hearts of many are glutted with the world; and the full ſoul lothes the honey comb. It ⟨is⟩ only the hungry and thirſty ſoul that Chriſt will make welcome. When the earth is ſore parched with drought, it greedily ſucks in the rain; ſo will you very eagerly embrace the mercies offered in this sacrament, if you ſuitably diſpoſed. Can ye ſit down at a communion table, and have no hunger for the bread of life, no panting for pardon of sin and for a sight of Chriſt's face? Will ye not be saying, "Will Chriſt indeed come to this feaft? Sad will it be for me if I miſs him." When deſires opens the heart wideſt, then God opens his hand largeſt. Pſal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. O go home and cry for a hungry heart; "Acrumb, Lord, from thy table, elſe I ſtarve and die."

13. It is to communicate without exerciſing Faith, and saying hold on Chriſt by arms of faith. If you communicate aright, you ſeal a marriage covenant and bargain with Chriſt. And you muſt take Chriſt intirely on his own terms. You are unworthy comunicants if you think of halving it with Chriſt. Embrace him not only as a prieſt, but as a king; not only to be ſaved by him, but to ſerve him, and live for him, and cleave to him, come death, come life. Do all this with full deliberation and reſolution, ſo that all the threatnings of devils, the pleaſures of ſin, the allurements of the world, ſhall cover periwade you to part with your precious Chriſt again. O go home this night, and take another view of this bargain and covenant, and the vaſt priveleges of it; and come to-morrow fixedly reſolved to embrace it and adhere to it.

14 Thoſe communicate unworthily who do not communicate with ſtrong and unalterable reſoluti- ons againſt ſin as the mortal enemy of Chriſt and of their precious ſouls. There are many that caſt by their groſs ſins, ſuch as drunkenneſs and ſwearing, and reſolve to be holy, and to pray, for the time of a ſacrament; but when it is over, they become juſt as they were. If there be any ſuch here, I warn you of your danger, that you will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. O it is a ſad thing, to appear as Chriſtians at a communion table, and to live like divels utterwards. I tell thee, O, man, to come with a heart reſolved to go on in impenitency, is to be worse than Judas, who was ſtruck with remorſe at the begining of Chriſt's ſufferings. Did that vile traitor's heart relent for his treachery when he ſaw Chriſt ready to ſuffer, and ſhall we have thoughts of ſin and betraying of Chriſt, when we fee his ſufferings fully executed? O what is this but to be murderers of Chriſt, and to turn the table of the Lord into a ſhambles and an Aceldama? Let us therefore come with deep conſiderations of the curſed nature and demerit of ſin, firmly reſolved to fight againſt it to our laſt breath, and to revenge the blood and death of precious Chriſt on it. If we have been drunkards, ſwearers, ſabbath-breakers, neglectors of prayer, &c. ye muſt reſolve to be ſuch no more.

II. I proced to the Second place to ſhow wherein conſiſts the guilt and danger of unworthy communicating. It is to be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. A great guilt and indeed! A dreadful charge, to be reckoned among the Jews and soldiers who embrued their hands in the blood of Chriſt

I. It is a mocking of Chriſt. Your coming to his table is a pretence of love to him, that you come here to remember his death and unparalled love, and to proclaim what obligations ly on you to love him, and to hate ſin that used him ſo; and therefore when you come away to embrace temptations as readily as ever, you plainly declare that you was (illegible text)ſting with Christ when you came to his table. It ⟨is⟩ a ſolemn mocking of him You act Judas's part, and ſay, Hail, maſter, while you are playing the traitor; the soldiers part, faying, Hail, king of the Jews, when you deſign to crucify him. O what a guilt this muſt be?

2. It is a baſe undervaluing and contempt of the body and blood of Chriſt yea, a regarding it as the ⟨food⟩ of a malefactor It is impoſsible that an unworthy communicant can reward it as the blood of ⟨an⟩ innocent man, tho' this were bad enough, in denying the efficacy of it, but he muſt needs regard ⟨it⟩ as the blood of the higheſt malefactur that ever was in the world. If ye do not own it and accept it ⟨as⟩ the blood of God ye charge Chriſt as a greater criminal than Judas, as the greatest cheat and impoſture that ever was, in the declaring himſelf to be the Son of God. By diſregarding the ſacrament ye are guilty of the greatest affront to Christ that can be offered. What greater aftrent can be offered than to throw the picture of a prince into a nasty jakes or dungull? Can you disparage the covenant of grace more than by unworthily using the seals of it? Can you affront Christ more than by coming to his table covered over with your sins? Should a beggar who was wallowing it a puddle intrude himself in that filthy condition into a prince's company, sit down at his table, and dip his besmeared hands into the same dish with him? It is as if ye should say that the body and blood of the Redeemer was only fit food for dogs and swine.

3. It is an implicite consent and approbation of the Jews murdering of the Lord of glory. He is supposed to conſent to the death of an innocent perfon who set light of it, and is no ways affected by it, or entertains and abetts the murder. So who soever hath slight thoughts of Chriſt's death, and is not grieved for his sins that were the cauſe of it or lodges them still with delight in his heart, is accessary to the murder, and so is guilty of the blood of Christ. O my friends, is this a small guilt? To be guilty of the innocent blood of any perfon is dreadful crime: but what must it be to be guilty of the blood of the Son of God? O profane sinner who had not a-mind to leave thy sins, come not to the table of the Lors; thou wilt embrue thy hand a-fresh in the blood of Christ, the glorified Son of God, thou will be his executioner, and not his guest. Therefore part with all your sins this night, and bid Chriſts traitors adieu for ever. You may as well profeſs openly Chriſt's table to-morrow your love to the nails that pierced him, and the ſpear that ran into his ſide, and adore them for ſuch an action, as come here with a love to theſe ſins which were more bitter to him than the nails and ſpear. The Jews or Romans had no more power over him, had it not been for our ſins: yea, I may ſay, this will exceed the ſin of the Jews in ſome reſpects; they crucified Chriſt ignorantly, but you wittingly, they reckoned him guilty and a blasphemer, but you do it to an innocent and your Redeemer; they did it in his ſtate of humiliation, while in the form of a ſervant, but you do it when he is exalted at his Father's right-hand. O tremble at ſuch aggravated guilt.

4. The occaſion whereat unworthy communicants crucify Chriſt makes it a heinous guilt: it is while he is diſplaying a banner of love to you; it is while he is making a rich feaſt for you, yea, and offering his fleſh and blood to save your poor ſouls from perishing. Would it not be counted a horrid monstruous crime, in a poor beggar, who is lying ſtarving by the way ſide, if ſome hoſpital man should be moved with compaſsion to him and take him in, and make a great feaſt for him, and in the mean time, while he is entertaining him, and beſeeching him to eat heartily, that he ſhould ſtab the maſter at the feaſt! And will you come to Chriſt's table, where he has prepared all ſpiritual and heavenly dain(illegible text)s for you, and in ſaying to you, Eat, О friends; drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved; and yet all ye cruelly ſtab and murder the Maſter of that bleſſed feaſt? Lord, ſave any of you from ſuch dreadful wickedneſs and barbarity. To be guilty of blood (illegible text)errible; but O what muſt it be to be guilty of (illegible text)t blood which is inconceivably more precious than the blood of all the kings or men that ever lived, more precious than the life of all angels and the sole creation!

APPLICATION.

1. Hence ſee what a malignant deviliſh nature ſin hath. It turns wholeſome food into poison, the waters of the sanctuary into the waters of Mara, a cup of ſalvation to a cup of damnation. How stupid and inſenſible does it make the heart! who could think that ſinners could ever become so barbarous and hard hearted as to ſtab and murder the Lord of glory, who hath already, to the astoniſhment of men and angels, laid down his life to ſave them?

2. Hence he altoniſhed at God's patience and long ſuffering that he ſhould suffer ſuch horrid and barbarous murderers to live ſo long: that he ſhould ſuffer to many wretches to approach his table, and ſtab him over and over again, when he hath flames and vengeance at command to conſume and destroy them. O wonderful patience! O riches of forbearance! O ſinners, bleſs God that ye have yet an offer of that blood which alone can cleanſe you from the guilt of ſhedding it?

But have not all of in reaſon to lament our unworthineſs? Who among us can ſay, that he never contracted any thing of this guilt of the body and blood of Chriſt? Did we never ſit down at Chriſt's table with our minds wavering, our hearts cold, our affections languiſhing, our ſpirits, that ſhould have been in heaven, ſunk in the earth? Alas! alas! Deliver me from blood guiltineſs may be the cry of every one of us, as it was David's Pſal. 51. 14 How often have we wounded him who delivered us, and killed him who ſaved us, trampled on that blood which muſt ſprinkle and cleanſe us? O we have all of us reaſon to weep over a crucified ſlain Lord, and to make this a place of Bochim

3. What care ſhould we all take of preparing ourſelves to come to Chriſt's table with the wedding garment, that we be not unworthy communicants, and ſo be guilty of the body and blood or the Lord? Venture not to come without examining yourſelves, your ſins, your graces, your wants and your deſigns: and let this be a praying and wreſtling night with you O careleſs ſinner, dareſt thou approach Chriſt's table without prayer and repentance, and thus be guilty of Chriſt's blood? Thou runneſt great risk of it; and it will be a wonder if you eſcape God's vengeance. What if God break out upon you, as in Nadeb and Abibu? What if he could ſtrike you dead with a thunder-bolt on the very ſpot, and make you a monument of his wrath to all around? You will be only obliged to God's patience if it be otherways: but ſure I am thou wilt draw down vaſt loads of wrath on thy ſoul, and it will be a ſad reckoning in the long run. O remember what became of the moſt unworthy communicant, (if Judas was one): he was immediately given up to the poſſeſion of the devil, who entered into him with the sup. If the devil were let looſe, what havok would he make aamong unworthy communicants? He would ſoon revenge the blood of Chriſt, and make the communiion table a Golgotha. O ſinners, will you be guilty of ſhedding the blood of a dear Saviour, who is longing to ſave you; will you offer to make a new attempt on his life? If you dare be ſo barbarous, (illegible text) you, heaven and earth will be a witneſs againſt you; that very blood which you profane and ſpill ⟨will⟩ cry aloud to heaven for vengeance upon you: ⟨and⟩ will be a witneſs againſt you. The ſaints and angels, who behold you profaning his blood, will be ⟨evidences⟩ against you, the communion table and cups (illegible text) witneſs againſt you.

Are there any among you trembling and fearing ⟨that⟩ you communicate unworthily, and so be guilty (illegible text) Chriſt's body and blood? To ſuch let me ſay, (illegible text) ⟨we⟩ would receive worthily, O come with your hearts burning and your ſouls thirſting: abhor curſed ſin, which was the cauſe of Chriſt ſufferings; caſt yourfelves in the areas of a crucified Redeemer; waſh your ſouls in his blood; humbly plead his merits before God, and believingly apply them; and he will ſatisfy your ſouls as with marrow and fatneſs, and your mouth ſhall praiſe him with joyful ſips.

 

FINIS.