,transcribed from the #ahdg ,j4         
,hatchard edition by ,david ,price1     
email  ccx#jgdpglaf4org4  ,many thanks  
to ,ramsgate ,library for allowing their
  copy to be used for this              
transcription4                          
,,the                                   
,,communion ,,and ,,communicant4        
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,by ,,the                              
,,rev4 ,,edward ,,hoare1 ,a4,m41        
,,incumbent ,,of ,,christ ,,church1     
,,ramsgate4                             
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,london3                    ,j4        
,,hatchard ,,and ,,son1 #ahg1           
,,piccadilly1                           
,,mdcccxlvii4                           
99 99 99 99 99          ,,by ,,the      
,,same ,,author4      ,,the ,,scriptural
 ,,principles of our ,,protestant       
,,church4  ,second ,edition4  ,price    
#cs4    ,,the ,,time of the ,,end2 or1  
,the ,world1 the ,visible ,church1 and  
the ,people of  ,god1 at the ,advent of 

the ,lord4  ,third ,edition4  ,price    
#as4 #f;d4    ,,baptism1 as ,taught in  
the ,bible and the ,prayer-,book4  ,no4 
#f4--,tracts for  ,churchmen4  ,second  
,edition4  ,price #b;d4          ,,the  
,,communion ,,and ,,communicant4        
,,there is no institution more          
delightful to the ,christian than the   
holy  sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 
,it is a touching remembrance of a      
,redeemer's love--a refreshing means of 
grace to the soul--a happy communion  of
 the ,lord's believing family--and a    
gladdening foretaste of the marriage    
supper of the ,lamb4  ,with what        
heartfelt gratitude should believers    
rejoice in such a feast6    ,but it is  
not to all a feast of joy4  ,some       
neglect it from a total want  of        
inclination2 some receive it in a       
careless1 worldly spirit1 and to  them  
it soon becomes an empty form1 like a   
vessel in which is no water2  while     
others regard it as an awful mystery--as
 something too high for such  as they   

are1 and1 like the holy of holies in the
 temple1 beyond the reach  of common    
men4    ,this sense of mysterious awe   
may be traced1 in great measure1 to the 
startling words of ,st4 ,paul in #a     
,cor4 xi44 #bi1 8,he that eateth and    
drinketh unworthily1 eateth and drinketh
 damnation to himself1 not  discerning  
the ,lord's body40  ,nor can there be   
any question1 that the  impression made 
by such strong and fearful language     
should be that of the  deepest possible 
solemnity4  ,st4 ,paul spoke by         
inspiration1 and that man  must indeed  
be a bold transgressor1 who does not    
feel awed and solemnized  when he reads 
such a caution from the ,holy ,ghost4   
,but yet the ,christian  is not right if
 he lays aside the subject under the    
first sense of solemn  awe1 or excludes 
himself from a delightful privilege1    
because he sees  solemnity in the       
ordinance1 and apprehends some possible 
danger in its  misuse4  ,he ought rather
 to take the ,word of ,god1 and study it

 carefully1  in order to ascertain the  
real nature of the service1 and the kind
 of  character to which the words refer4
  ,this is the course for sensible and  
right-minded men2 and to assist such in 
this investigation1 is the object  of   
the present tract4    ,there are five   
passages in the ,bible distinctly       
referring to the ,lord's  ,supper1 as an
 appointed institution in the ,church1  
namely1 ,matt4 xxvi4  #bf-bi2 ,mark xiv4
 #bb-be2 ,luke xxii4 #ac-bj2 #a ,cor4 x4
 #af-ba2 and xi4 #ah-cd4  #d  ,as the   
last of these is much the fullest1 it   
may be well to adopt it  as the basis of
 our enquiry2 and we shall be able to   
learn from it the  authority and nature 
of the ,lord's ,supper1 the danger of   
coming  unworthily1 and the character of
 those who do so4    ,i4  ,the          
,,authority4    ,it is not a scheme of  
man's contrivance1 or the result of     
merely human  wisdom1 but was ordained  
by our blessed ,lord himself1 and       
enjoined on his  people by his twice    

repeated words4    ,the first occasion  
was on the night before his crucifixion1
 when he was  eating the ,paschal       
,supper with his disciples4  ,he then   
gave them bread  and wine1 and said1    
8,this do in remembrance of me40  ,here1
 therefore1 is  his own plain           
command--and one command from him is    
enough for the  ,christian4    ,but ,he 
did not leave the subject there2 for    
after his ascension to the  right hand  
of ,god1 he was still mindful of his    
sacrament1 and repeated  his command by 
express revelation to ,st4 ,paul4  ,he  
had already spoken  plainly1 so that    
none could mistake him2 and three       
evangelists had left  his words in      
writing1 so that none could doubt as to 
his language3 but  yet1 as if to prevent
 the possibility either of forgetfulness
 or mistake1  when he called a new      
servant to his apostleship1 he made to  
him a second  revelation of his will2   
for on turning to verse #bc1 we find    
that ,st4 ,paul  did not receive the    

doctrine of the sacrament from those who
 were  apostles before him1 but from the
 ,lord ,jesus ,christ himself4  8,i     
received of the ,lord that which also ,i
 delivered unto you1 that the ,lord     
,jesus the same night in which he was   
betrayed1 took bread3 and when he  had  
given thanks1 he brake it1 and said1    
,take1 eat2 this is my body which  is   
broken for you3 this do in remembrance  
of me4  ,after the same manner  also he 
took the cup1 when he had supped1       
saying1 ,this cup is the ,new           
,testament in my blood3 this do ye as   
oft as ye drink it in remembrance of    
me40    ,now1 to those who are anxious  
to know how they ought to act1 these    
twice  repeated words of ,jesus surely  
give a simple answer4  ,some persons    
think  it safer to abstain and wait2 but
 is it not the safest thing simply to   
obey the commands of ,jesus8  ,to follow
 your own judgment1 and to give way  to 
doubts and fears1 can never be so safe  
as to throw yourself like a  little     

child at the feet of your ,saviour1 and 
there say1 8,speak1 ,lord1  for thy     
servant heareth40   ,you wish to be     
,christ's disciple1 so begin at  once to
 do what ,christ commands4    ,,ii4     
,the ,,nature4    ,the sacrament of the 
,lord's ,supper is1    7#a47 ,an act of 
remembrance4  ,when our ,lord gave the  
bread and wine to  his disciples1 he    
said1 8,do this in remembrance of me30  
and when they are  given to us1 we      
receive them in remembrance of ,christ4 
,we know in common  life what a value we
 put upon any token of affection1 on a  
book1 ring1 or  picture1 which has been 
given as a memorial by some dear        
departed friend4  ,it becomes sacred in 
proportion to our love for those who    
gave it1 and  when that love is strong  
we care far more for it than for other  
things of  incomparably greater value4  
,this act is a memorial or remembrance  
of  ,christ2 an outward sign to show how
 much we love him4  ,he is in heaven at 
the right hand of ,god1 so that none can

 see him2 but1 while the world  rejects 
him1 we remember him2 and when we       
receive that bread and wine1 we  set to 
our seal that he is our soul's beloved1 
that we live on his grace1  and can     
never forget his mercy4    ,but we do   
not merely show our remembrance of his  
person and character2  the communion is 
especially a remembrance of his death4  
,it was appointed  on the very night    
before his crucifixion1 and the broken  
bread represents  his body crucified1   
while the wine is a figure of his blood 
so freely  shed for our sins4  8,as     
often as ye eat this bread1 and drink   
this cup1  ye do show the ,lord's death 
until he come40--,verse #bf4  ,now1     
there never  was an act so full of love 
as that2 the world's whole history      
contains  nothing like it2 the ,son of  
,god endured the curse of rebel man4    
,nor did  anything ever done so closely 
affect our deepest interests2 our whole 
hope of eternal life depends on what he 
then endured for us4  ,had he not       

suffered in our stead1 we had all surely
 perished2 but now1 because he  has     
borne that curse which we deserve1      
believing in him we are no less  surely 
safe4  ,never1 therefore1 must that     
death of ,christ be forgotten or        
disregarded by the ,christian2 it is our
 hope1 our life1 and only source  of    
peace2 and that man must have known     
little of a ,saviour's grace who  does  
not desire to 8bind it as a sign upon   
his hand10 and to let it be  8as        
frontlets between his eyes40  ,now1 when
 we take the bread and wine we  express 
before the world our thankful           
remembrance of his grace2 we  declare   
before men the deep fidelity of our     
grateful love4  ,we may show  our       
gratitude either by words or actions4   
,this is an action to denote  the deep  
affection of those who live by faith1 a 
visible utterance of  their unseen and  
unceasing gratitude4    7#b47  ,it is a 
means of spiritual food and sustenance4 
,the soul  requires to be fed as well as

 the body1 and without food the one will
 die  quite as quickly as the other1 for
 neither soul nor body has life in      
itself4  ,and as the body lives by      
outward food1 so the believing soul     
feeds on ,christ4  ,he is the living    
bread which came down from heaven1 the  
heavenly manna provided for his people  
throughout the wilderness4  8,i am  the 
living bread which came down from       
heaven3 if any man eat of this  bread he
 shall live for ever40  ,now1 the       
sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper  is a  
divinely appointed means whereby        
believers feed on ,christ4  ,we do  not 
mean that there is anything particular  
in the bread or in the wine1  anything  
remarkable or mysterious in the elements
 received which conveys  a blessing1 for
 they are nothing more than plain simple
 bread and wine1  which nourish the body
 and that only4  ,but when with the lips
 we receive  those elements in faith1   
the ,holy ,ghost within the heart is    
graciously  pleased to pour life into   

the soul4  ,according to the language of
 the  #bhth ,article1 8,the body of     
,christ is given1 taken1 and eaten1 in  
the  supper1 only after an heavenly and 
spiritual manner4  ,and the mean        
whereby the body of ,christ is received 
and eaten in the ,supper1 is  faith40   
,that there is no actual change in the  
bread and wine is perfectly plain  from 
the single fact1 that they are always   
called 8bread0 and 8wine0 in  ,scripture
 after their consecration in the        
sacrament4  ,in this and the  preceding 
chapter there are no less than four     
passages in which the food  which       
communicants receive1 is called by the  
simple name of 8bread40          x4 #ag4
  8,we are all partakers of that bread40
       xi4 #bf4  8,as often as ye eat   
this bread40           #bg4  8,whosoever
 shall eat this bread40           #bh4  
8,so let him eat of that bread40    ,and
 so also with the wine4  ,our ,lord said
 of it1 after the  consecration1 7,matt4
 xxvi4 #bi17 8,i will not drink any more

 of this fruit  of the vine until that  
day when ,i drink it new with you in my 
,father's  kingdom40  ,the bread1       
therefore1 is still bread1 and the wine 
still  wine--unchanged in all respects2 
the same in substance1 and the same in  
property1 as before their consecration  
to the ,lord's service in the           
sacrament4  ,they are set apart for a   
holy use1 and therefore should be       
treated reverently1 like the house of   
,god itself4  ,but they are no more     
changed in nature than were the stones  
and woodwork of the building1 when  it  
was solemnly consecrated to be a church 
for the ,lord4    ,what1 then1 is the   
meaning of our ,lord's words1 8,this is 
my body10 and  8,this is my blood80     
,that they did not mean that the bread  
and wine were  changed into body and    
blood is evident1 for such an           
interpretation would  contradict the    
plain language of the ,bible3 and that  
they do mean1 that  the bread and wine  
were signs1 emblems1 or figures of his  

body and blood1  is equally plain from  
the language of our ,lord2 for in ver4  
#be1 we read1  8,this cup is the ,new   
,testament in my blood40  ,now these    
words must be  figurative1 for none     
suppose that the cup was changed into   
the ,new  ,testament2 and their only    
possible meaning is1 that the wine in   
the cup  was a figure or emblem of the  
blood of the covenant4  ,so1 also1 must 
it  be with the bread4  ,the words are  
quite as plain and positive in one case 
as in the other4  8,this is my          
body10--8,this is the ,new ,testament20 
and as  they were spoken by the same    
person1 on the same occasion1 to the    
same  company1 and with the same object1
 it is clear that they mean the same    
thing1 namely1 that the bread is a      
figure of the body1 as the wine is a    
figure of the blood4    ,if a person    
were showing a gallery of pictures1 he  
might say1 8,this is  ,st4 ,paul10      
8,this is ,st4 ,peter10 and 8,this is   
,st4 ,john20 and he would mean  thereby1

 that those pictures on the canvass were
 representations of the  persons whose  
names they bore4  ,so1 again1 when our  
,lord said1 8,i am the  vine10 and 8,i  
am the door10 he did not mean that he   
was a real vine1 or a  real door1 but   
that the vine and door were figures and 
emblems of his  offices4  ,so also in   
the ,lord's ,supper1 when he said1      
8,this is my body10  and 8,this is my   
blood10 he did not mean that the bread  
and wine were  changed into real flesh  
or real blood1 but that they were signs 
and  emblems of his blessed work1 of his
 body broken1 and his blood so freely   
shed for man4    ,it is not1 therefore1 
from any mystical property in the bread 
and wine  themselves that we expect a   
blessing1 but from the act of receiving 
them  in obedience and faith4  ,in the  
way of his judgments1 we then wait on   
,christ1 and trust to him to nourish our
 souls with grace4  ,we do not  expect  
to feed in any literal1 carnal1 or      
material manner1 but we do  expect1 that

 while with the body we receive the     
bread in faith1 our souls  will receive 
,christ2 and when with the lips we drink
 the wine1 the heart  will be made by   
the ,holy ,ghost partaker of his blood4 
,thus1 to hungering  and thirsting      
souls1 the communion becomes inestimably
 precious4  ,when we  feel our weakness1
 we rejoice to come before him that we  
may be  strengthened with might by his  
,spirit in the inner man2 when we know1 
that without ,christ we must perish1 we 
count it our highest joy to wait  on his
 love as he has told us1 that the       
fainting soul may feed on him by  faith4
  ,and he does strengthen and refresh   
the souls of his people2 he  meets and  
communes with them from the mercy-seat2 
he grants to each the  needful grace1   
and oftentimes sends them back rejoicing
 to their homes1  and saying1 8,it has  
been good for me that ,i have been      
there40    7#c47 ,there is a third point
 of view in which the ,lord's ,supper is
  presented in the passage1 viz41 as a  

foretaste of the marriage supper of  the
 ,lamb4  8,for as often as ye eat this  
bread1 and drink this cup1 ye do  shew  
the ,lord's death till he come40  ,the  
line of sacraments forms1 as  it were1  
the long chain connecting the first and 
second advents1 and each  celebration   
has a reference both to the present1    
past1 and future2 to the  present1 for  
we cast the sins and burdens of the day 
before the footstool  of a present      
,advocate2 to the past1 for the heart is
 full with the  thankful recollection of
 his death2 and to the future1 for our  
present  delightful communion is a      
faint1 but true image of the blessedness
 of  that glorious hour1 when the whole 
company of ,god's elect shall be        
gathered in to the marriage supper of   
the ,lamb4  ,the sacraments are very    
peaceful1 but they are not to last for  
ever2 they are to be observed for  a    
given time1 till the ,lord come4  ,then1
        8,faith will be sweetly lost in 
sight1      ,and hope in full supreme   

delight         ,and everlasting love40 
,we now bow down to hold communion with 
,christ1 but then we shall behold  him  
as he is1 in all his love and all his   
majesty2 we now meet with ,god's  people
 in the affectionate sympathy of a      
common faith1 but then we shall  reign  
with the vast multitude of ,god's chosen
 saints in the triumphant  fellowship of
 a common glory4  ,and to those who long
 for the reality1  there is delightful  
encouragement in partaking of the       
figure4  ,they then  lay hold on the    
chain that reaches heaven2 they take to 
themselves ,god's  emblems1 and receive 
them in faith as pledges and tokens of  
the final  fulfilment of his promises4  
,there is1 therefore1 every inducement  
to partake of this delightful           
sacrament2 and whether we regard its    
high authority1 viz41 the ,lord's       
express command1 or its sacred nature1  
as a service of remembrance1 a  means of
 spiritual nourishment1 and a foretaste 
of the marriage supper of  the ,lamb1 we

 may well wonder how any true believer  
can forego the  enjoyment of such a     
privilege4  ,but yet we must not suppose
 that the  simple act of coming to the  
,lord's ,supper can secure these        
blessings1  for1 as we read in ver4 #ag1
 we may 8come together1 not for the     
better1  but for the worse40  ,nay1     
more1 it is expressly declared1 in ver4 
#bi1 8,he  that eateth and drinketh     
unworthily1 eateth and drinketh         
damnation to  himself1 not discerning   
the ,lord's body40  ,these are solemn   
and most  important words2 enough to    
startle inquirers1 and to make all mere 
professors tremble2 nor can any man who 
fears ,god presume to read them         
lightly4  ,they suggest two most        
important subjects of inquiry1--,what do
  they mean8 and1 ,to whom do they      
apply8    ,,iii4  ,,what ,,do ,,they    
,,mean8 ,,or1 ,,the ,,danger ,,of       
,,eating ,,and ,,drinking  ,,unworthily4
    ,in endeavouring to ascertain what  
the passage really means1 our best      

course will be to refer at once to the  
context2 for1 however valuable be  human
 explanations1 there is no expositor of 
the ,bible so good as the  ,bible       
itself4  ,the word rendered 8damnation0 
in the text1 is translated  8judgment0  
in the margin of our ,bibles1 and for   
the following reason4  ,there are two   
sorts of judgments mentioned in the     
,scripture1--the  chastisement of ,god's
 children1 and the final punishment of  
the wicked4  ,of these1 the chastisement
 is laid on those whom ,god loves2      
8,whom the  ,lord loveth he chasteneth0 
7,heb4 xii4 #f72 but the final          
punishment is on  the unbelieving4      
,chastisement is limited and            
proportioned to his  people's strength1 
whereas the final punishment is an      
unmixed cup of  horror4  ,chastisement  
is for the improvement and              
sanctification of those  who are to     
reign with ,christ2 the final punishment
 is for the vindication  of ,god's      
righteous law4  ,and chastisement takes 

place here in the form of  sickness1    
suffering1 and sorrow2 whereas1 the     
final punishment is in  eternal fire4   
,now1 it must be allowed that the word  
8damnation0 conveys  the idea of this   
most awful and final punishment1 and    
many minds have  been thereby unduly    
alarmed upon the subject4  ,but the     
context seems to  teach us that the     
leading idea in the apostle's mind was  
chastisement for  he proceeds to        
say--8,for this cause many are weak and 
sickly among you1  and many sleep4  ,for
 if we would judge ourselves we should  
not be judged4  ,but when we are judged 
we are chastened of the ,lord that we   
should not be  condemned with the       
world40  ,it is plain that he here      
speaks of  chastisement4  ,he says      
expressly1 8we are chastened20 he       
describes it as  temporal affliction in 
this present life2 and he teaches that  
it is sent  for the express purpose of  
saving us from final ruin1 8that we     
should not  be condemned with the       

world40 #ac    ,this1 then1 we are bound
 to regard as the accurate and literal  
meaning of  the text2 and1 although     
there cannot be the slightest doubt that
 a man  may1 by the repeated abuse of   
holy things1 and by approaching the     
,lord's  table in a worldly and carnal  
spirit1 so sear and harden his          
conscience1  that he may be truly said  
to eat and drink his own damnation in   
the most  awful sense of the words1 we  
venture to believe that such is not the 
meaning of this present passage1 but    
that it describes the chastening of     
,god's children in this present life1   
not as the commencement of final  ruin1 
but as a correction sent in mercy to    
prevent their falling into the          
irrecoverable condemnation of the       
wicked4    ,but whatever be the         
character of the judgments1 the awakened
 conscience  must tremble at the thought
 of 8eating and drinking unworthily40   
,to be  8guilty of the body and blood of
 the ,lord10 is a sin so grievous1 that 

if  there were no judgment of any kind  
connected with it1 the broken heart     
must shudder at the possibility of its  
heinous guilt4  ,if there be any  love  
of ,christ in our souls1 we shall not   
require the fear of judgment to  awaken 
grief and horror at the most distant    
thoughts of such a sin4  ,converted men 
think more of sins than punishments4    
,we must inquire1 therefore1    ,,iv4   
,,to ,,what ,,characters ,,the ,,words  
,,apply8    ,for the answer to this     
question we must again refer to the     
passage  itself1 and we shall find that1
    7#a47 ,they apply to those who are  
living in strife and schism4  ,as       
members of the ,church of ,christ1 we   
are children in ,god's family1 and at   
the ,lord's communion we meet as        
brethren around the ,father's table4    
,it  is plain1 therefore1 that love     
should reign there4  ,we should be knit 
to  each other in holy love1 as each one
 is knit to ,christ by faith2 and       
whoever breaks the bond of love         

dishonours ,christ1 and comes unworthily
  to the communion4  ,nor is this said  
on man's authority1 for this was one  of
 the very sins committed and condemned  
at ,corinth4  8,for first of all10  says
 ,st4 ,paul1 v4 #ah1 8when ye come      
together in the church1 ,i hear that    
there be divisions among you2 and ,i    
partly believe it40  ,of these          
divisions it is important to remark that
 they were not such as led to any       
outward and visible separation1 for they
 came together to the same  church1 and 
knelt together at the same table2 but   
they did not love each  other2 there was
 strife and party temper amongst them2  
an inward spirit  of unkindness combined
 with the outward act of love2 and so   
they came  together not for the better  
but for the worse4  ,here1 therefore1 we
 have  a simple answer for inquirers4   
,if they are living in strife or enmity1
  harbouring the spirit of revenge1     
unable to forgive some offending        
brother1 or giving way to a party       

spirit1 they will then eat and drink    
unworthily1 and they had better refrain 
till they can obey their master's       
precept--8,first be reconciled to thy   
brother1 and then come and offer thy    
gift40    7#b47 ,a second character to  
which the words apply is the man who can
  receive the sacrament of the ,lord's  
,supper without regard to the sacred    
nature of the service4  ,such characters
 are clearly described in v4 #bj1       
#ba3--8,when ye come together therefore 
into one place1 this is not to eat  the 
,lord's ,supper4  ,for in eating every  
one taketh before other his own  supper3
 and one is hungry1 and another is      
drunken40  ,in the present day  it is   
quite impossible that any person should 
commit the actual sin here  described4  
,the mode in which the sacrament is     
administered and the laws  of society   
alike prevent all risk of such an       
outrage4  ,but the state of  heart which
 led to it is perfectly possible1 and1  
rightly to understand  the meaning of   

the passage1 we must consider not so    
much the outward  acts1 which were      
peculiar to the ,corinthians1 as the    
inward motives and  dispositions1 which 
by nature may be common to us all4  ,now
 these are  described in ver4           
#bi3--8,not discerning the ,lord's      
body40  ,they ate and  drank without    
regarding the deep solemnity of the holy
 sacrifice which  the communion was     
appointed to commemorate2 nor did they  
come there with  any desire1 as         
hungering and thirsting souls1 to feed  
upon their ,saviour  by faith4  ,they   
lost sight of his grace and sufferings  
in the pursuit of  their own ends1 and  
the gratification of their own          
appetites4  ,when1  therefore1 persons  
come to the ,lord's table in a light1   
frivolous1 or  careless spirit2 either  
that they may not appear less religious 
than  their companions2 or because it is
 the habit of the family1 the wish of   
their masters1 or a becoming act in     
their rank and station2 but without  any

 deep feeling of the love and work of   
,christ ,jesus2 there is too much       
reason to fear that the text applies in 
all its awful force to them4    ,and    
this suggests the extreme caution with  
which individuals should be  urged to   
become communicants4  ,masters will1    
sometimes1 show great zeal  in          
persuading servants to attend the       
sacrament1 and parents will bring  their
 children thither as a matter of course1
 on their attainment of a  certain age4 
,yet such children or servants may be   
unconverted persons1  not discerning the
 ,lord's body2 in danger1 therefore1 of 
coming  unworthily to the table4        
,begin1 therefore1 at the right end1 and
 strive  first for their conversion to  
,christ4    7#c47 ,so1 also1 it applies 
to those what are living in presumptuous
  sin1--drunkards1 fornicators1 unclean 
persons1 dishonest men in trade1  and   
such like4  ,by allowing themselves in  
such practices1 they crucify to         
themselves the ,son of ,god afresh1 and 

put ,him to an open shame4  ,in  coming 
to his table they profess that they know
 him1 but in the allowance  of their    
lust they by works deny him4  ,in       
coming1 therefore1 to the  ,lord's      
table1 they do but dishonour his holy   
name2 nor can we avoid the  sad         
conclusion that they come there         
unworthily1 and according to the        
language of the text1 8are guilty of the
 body and blood of the ,lord40  ,we     
dare not1 therefore1 advise such        
characters to become communicants1 for  
they cannot do so without imminent peril
 to their soul4  ,according to the      
language of our ,church1 8,if any of you
 be a blasphemer of ,god1 an  hinderer  
or slanderer of his word1 an adulterer1 
or be in malice1 or  envy1 or in any    
other grievous crime1 repent you of your
 sins1 or else  come not to that holy   
table40    ,but we must not here leave  
the case of those unhappy men4  ,they   
cannot  come worthily to the communion4 
,for what1 then1 are they worthy8  ,to  

pray8 to die8 to appear before the ,lord
 at his coming8  ,how will that  angry  
temper1 or that darling sin1 appear     
before the heart-searching ,god  of     
,glory8  ,will it be less deadly then   
than now8  ,if it now excludes you  from
 his communion1 how will it then fare   
with you in his kingdom8  ,if ye  be now
 so in love with sin that ye cannot     
commemorate redemption1 what  interest  
do ye suppose ye have in ,christ's      
atonement8  ,if ye know so  little of   
the cross of ,christ1 what can ye expect
 in his coming kingdom8  ,we do not say 
that none can be saved who do not attend
 the ,sacrament of  the ,lord's ,supper2
 but we do say1 without the smallest    
hesitation1 that  none will be saved who
 are found so wedded to their sins that 
they cannot  receive it worthily4       
,but there are many tender consciences  
in the ,church of ,christ1 and many     
hopeful persons who are apt to write    
hard things against themselves4  ,such  
persons will sometimes so deeply feel   

the solemnity of the warning1  that they
 tremble at the thoughts of communion1  
and because they see in  themselves     
great defects1 are afraid lest possibly 
they should come  unworthily to that    
sacred feast4  ,such a conscientious    
spirit must be  respected greatly1 and  
treated tenderly2 it is much more       
hopeful than  when persons regard the   
thing without a fear4  ,it is1          
important1 however1  to avoid a mistaken
 dread1 and great care is needful lest  
such characters  should be debarred from
 that which is designed for their       
especial  benefit4  ,it may be well1    
therefore1 to examine a few of those    
cases to  which the words are sometimes 
applied in practice1 though not in      
,scripture4    7#a47 ,they do not apply 
to persons actively engaged in the      
business of  life4  ,it has pleased ,god
 to place us in a world in which we are 
surrounded by various cares and duties4 
,some are in business1 and have  their  
minds constantly occupied by its        

management2 some are servants1 and      
required to work hard throughout the    
week2 and others have so much to do  in 
the maintenance and management of their 
families1 that their hands are          
completely full1 and their thoughts     
engrossed by the necessary  engagements 
of the day4  ,in such cases persons     
often feel that they had  rather wait   
until they are more at leisure4  ,they  
have little time for  meditation2 they  
find that their pursuits tend to make   
their minds  secular1 causes of         
irritation frequently arise1 and they   
are led1 it may  be1 into conduct which 
they fear might be unbecoming the       
communicant of  the ,lord4  ,they1      
therefore1 postpone the communion in the
 hope of greater  leisure2 the usual    
result of which postponement is1 that   
one delay  follows another till the     
whole desire becomes extinct within the 
soul4  ,the servant1 for example1 waits 
till she is settled2 she then waits     
again  till she is less harassed with a 

small and increasing family2 and then   
she waits till freed from the cares of  
providing for their entrance into  life2
 till at length the infirmities of old  
age creep rapidly upon her1  and she    
goes to her grave having spent her whole
 life in waiting4  ,now  all this       
waiting is founded on a wrong           
principle1--a principle often           
strengthened by a misunderstanding of   
the words of ,st4 ,paul4  ,if it were   
wrong to attend to life's engagements1  
there would then be some force in  the  
objection4  ,but the ,scripture says    
that diligence in business as a  duty1  
8,not slothful in business1 fervent in  
spirit1 serving the ,lord40  ,it is     
plain1 therefore1 that attention to a   
lawful calling can form no  barrier to  
the means of grace4  ,thus many of the  
holiest saints of ,god  have been       
engaged in active life4  ,enoch had his 
family2 ,moses was the  leader of       
,israel2 and ,david had the charge of a 
nation's government4  ,there1 is1 we    

know1 a tendency in the cares of this   
world and the  deceitfulness of riches  
to choke the word1 that it becometh     
unfruitful4  ,but this should rather    
draw a man to the means of grace than   
keep him  from them4  ,if we are exposed
 to great temptation1 then we need great
  strength2 and if harassed by the      
world's influence1 we need the more     
peculiar help1 that we may not be       
infected by its spirit4  ,the question1 
therefore1 comes to this1 ,do you intend
 to abandon yourself to the spirit  of  
the world8  ,if you do1 by all means    
abstain from the communion4  ,but  if it
 is your heart's desire1 in the midst of
 the world1 to walk with  ,god2 then    
neglect no means of seeking him1 but in 
the way of his  judgments wait on him1  
that he may give you grace to overcome1 
and by his  own mighty ,spirit set you  
free from its snares4    7#b47 ,the     
words of ,st4 ,paul do not apply to     
young and inexperienced  believers4     
,there is sometimes a tendency in       

devoted persons to  discourage          
beginners1 and hold them back from the  
communion until they  reach a certain   
point in spiritual attainment2 until1   
for example1 they  are able to recognise
 a full and experimental knowledge of   
the great  principles of the ,gospel4   
,so young ,christians of a tender spirit
 are  often ready to fall in with such  
advice2 and because they know they would
  come1 to a certain extent1 ignorantly1
 they fear they might therefore  come   
unworthily to the sacrament4  ,what1    
then1 is the most scriptural  course for
 such persons to pursue8  ,our ,lord's  
command says plainly1  8,come20 and we  
must not allow his supreme authority to 
be checked or  impeded by any artificial
 standard of our own creation4          
,especially in  this instance1 when we  
have his example to illustrate his      
command4  ,for  consider those to whom  
he himself administered the first       
communion4  ,there was not in the whole 
company one advanced believer4  ,peter  

was then  so ignorant of the ,gospel1   
that he had just dissuaded him from the 
cross1  and so weak a follower1 that    
that same night he denied him thrice4   
,thomas knew so little1 that he could   
not believe the resurrection1 even  when
 he saw his risen ,lord2 and the other  
apostles were still so far from  what   
they afterwards became1 that1 without   
one single exception1 they all  forsook 
him and fled4  ,do not these facts prove
 clearly that he did not  intend his    
sacrament for advanced believers only8  
and that none must  check the first     
yearnings after better things8  ,it is  
milk for babes as  well as strong meat  
for those who are of full age2 and by   
deterring  beginners1 we may rob them of
 the portion which ,god has provided for
  their growth in grace4  ,if we do not 
perceive a full knowledge of the        
,gospel1 let us at least rejoice in the 
desire to do the ,saviour's will2  and  
let us never forget that the desired    
knowledge is more likely to be  gained  

in obedience than neglect4  ,and if     
there be any poor and  uninstructed     
person1 who is no scholar1 and has      
little knowledge even of  the things of 
,god1 who has still the desire to act as
 ,christ appointed1  let not such an one
 be for a moment discouraged by his     
ignorance2 the  feast is for him2 the   
invitation to him2 and the welcome sure 
when he  kneels as a guest at the       
,father's table4    7#c47 ,still less do
 the words apply to the person of tender
 conscience1  who knows and mourns the  
burden of his sin4  ,there are those in 
the  ,church of ,christ whose earnest   
desire it is to be ,god's servants1 but 
who  are so conscious of deep           
corruption1 that they can scarcely hope 
they  have an interest in their         
,saviour1 and can therefore scarcely    
venture on  the enjoyment of his        
sacrament4  ,they have felt their sin1  
but their  sorrow is that they have not 
felt it more2 they hope they believe1   
but  are obliged to confess their       

unbelief2 they have known something of  
repentance1 but yet it has been so      
feeble1 that they can scarcely think  it
 real2 and the longing of their soul has
 been fixed upon their ,lord2  but still
 there has been such apathy and         
coldness1 that they cannot  presume to  
call that longing by the holy name of   
love4  ,now1 how should  such persons   
act8  ,should they wait till their      
repentance has become  deeper1 their    
faith stronger1 and their love more     
worthy of a ,saviour's  grace8 or should
 they come at once as poor1 guilty1     
helpless creatures1  and so cast        
themselves for a full and free salvation
 before the ,lamb of  ,god8  ,the       
question involves the whole doctrine of 
,christ's ,gospel4  ,if he  had required
 preparatory fitness before the sinner  
could be pardoned  through his blood1   
then we must have answered1 8,wait till 
you are  better40  ,but since1 on the   
other hand1 he grants a pardon first1   
and  then adds holiness as its          

consequence2 since the pardon promised  
under  the ,gospel is immediate and     
free1 granted because ,christ ,jesus was
 the  sinner's perfect substitute upon  
the cross1 and because the work he then 
wrought was perfect1 it follows thence  
as the sure and certain  consequence1   
that the broken-hearted sinner must not 
wait till he is  better2 but as he is1  
and without a moment's delay1 must throw
 himself  before an ,all-sufficient     
,saviour1 and cry1 8,heal me1 ,o ,lord1 
and ,i shall  be healed2 save me1 and ,i
 shall be saved3 for thou art my        
praise40    ,it forms the very essence  
of the ,gospel2 that as 8they that are  
whole  need not a physician1 but they   
that are sick10 so ,christ 8came not to 
call the righteous1 but sinners to      
repentance40  ,as sinners1 therefore1   
we trust his grace1 and as sinners come 
to his communion1 longing for  holiness1
 but yet not waiting till we gain it2   
striving to love him  better1 and       
therefore not standing distant from his 

mercy-seat1 but  rather keeping close to
 it1 that we may gain a fuller knowledge
 of his  love2 earnestly praying for a  
greater fulness and strength of faith2  
but  meanwhile commemorating his work   
with what we have1 in the earnest and   
humble hope that he may perfect that    
which is lacking1 and fulfil the  work  
of faith with power4    ,there is a     
great difference between coming         
unworthily and being unworthy  to come4 
,the pharisee and publican were both    
unworthy2 but the pharisee  alone went  
unworthily to the temple4  ,the halt and
 the lame and the  blind1 who were      
gathered out from the streets of the    
city1 were all  unworthy of the marriage
 supper2 but the man without the wedding
 garment  was the only one who sat down 
unworthily4  ,so the noblest saint that 
ever  joined in heaven's happy hymn1 was
 utterly unworthy of the blessed feast  
of his ,redeemer's love1 and could best 
appreciate the heart-stirring  language 
of our ,liturgy1--8,we are not worthy so

 much as to gather up the  crumbs under 
thy table20 but the careless man1 who   
knows nothing of the  broken heart1 who 
is living in strife1 and does not       
discern the ,lord's  body1 he is the    
person that comes unworthily4  ,if this 
be your character1  stay not to the     
communion1 but go home and repent4  ,but
 if1 on the other  hand1 you know your  
sin1 and hate it2 if you know your      
,saviour1 and long  to love him2 if you 
are looking to him as your only hope of 
life eternal2  then1 as a guilty sinner 
redeemed by blood1 remain1 believe1     
rejoice1  obey2 and may the ,god of all 
grace fill your heart with overflowing  
peace6                                  
99 99 99 99 99       ,just as ,i        
am--without one plea1     ,but that thy 
blood was shed for me1     ,and that    
thou bid'st me come to thee1        ,o  
,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6       ,just as  
,i am--and waiting not     ,to rid my   
soul of one dark blot1     ,to thee1    
whose blood can cleanse each spot1      

,o ,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6       ,just  
as ,i am--though tossed about     ,with 
many a conflict--many a doubt2          
8,fightings within1 and fears without10 
,o ,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6       ,just  
as ,i am--poor1 wretched1 blind1        
,sight1 riches1 healing of the mind1    
,yea1 all ,i need in thee to find1      
,o ,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6       ,just  
as ,i am--thou wilt receive1     ,wilt  
welcome1 pardon1 cleanse1 relieve1      
,because thy promise ,i believe1        
,o ,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6       ,just  
as ,i am--thy love unknown     ,has     
broken every barrier down2     ,now to  
be thine1 yea1 thine alone1        ,o   
,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6                 
99 99 99 99 99                          
,macintosh1 ,printer1 ,great            
,new-street1 ,london4                   
,,footnotes      #d  ,the sixth chapter 
of ,st4 ,john is not mentioned in the   
list1 because1  although it contains a  
description of the inward and spiritual 
grace1 of  which the sacrament of the   

,lord's ,supper is a sign and mean1 it  
cannot  refer to the sacrament itself2  
for that was not appointed when the     
words  were spoken2 and the persons our 
,lord was addressing were unconverted   
and  unbaptized ,jews1 who were         
following him simply for the loaves and 
fishes4  ,it would1 indeed1 have been   
unintelligible1 had he said to such     
characters1 at such a time1 8,except ye 
receive the sacrament1 ye have no  life 
in you40  ,the passage refers1          
therefore1 to the spiritual grace1 and  
not to the outward sign--to the feeding 
upon our blessed ,lord by faith1  and   
not to the act of communion in the      
sacrament4    #ac  ,this is yet more    
evident in the ,greek than in the       
,english4  ,the  word for chastisement  
is 1 that for final judgment 4  ,but    
the word in ver4 #bi is 1 and the only  
verse in which 1 or  its equivalent verb
 occurs1 is the latter part of the      
#cb;d4