Let me beg of you to read 1 Cor. x. and xi. I do not pass over, and therefore I come back to those chapters which give the account of the express institution of the ordinance in the three first gospels. St. Luke's is supposed to have been written under the review of St. Paul. And it is remarkable that the account given by St. Paul in 1 Cor. xi, as that which he received from the Lord himself, does expressly correspond with the account given us in St. Luke's gospel. But I wish you to read 1 Cor. x. as well as xi. You will find much of most important matter with reference to this subject there.

And now for what do I especially refer you to them? Because there is nothing too barefaced for the devil to assert, or too ensnaring to insinuate into the minds of men. Now I believe the devil has asserted many times, and certainly has insinuated into the minds of men many times, that this ordinance is nothing to us. And that is not confined to the quakers. The quakers of course hold it so; but with others. When

I say "with others," I cannot assert the precise number or proportion of those who hold this opinion. But so it is, persons have got the notion that this ordinance is nothing to us. Now if it were possible to interpret the ordinance as given by the Lord himself in the three first gospels into an exclusive direction to the apostles,which I deny; observe, I deny that, I deny that thoroughly; but if it were possible to appropriate exclusively the ordinance of the Lord's Supper to the

apostles,—say, if you please, to their representatives and successors in after ages, what is to be said,-here again I pass over Acts ii,-but what is to be said to 1 Cor. xi? We not only see there a distinct recognition that this ordinance was in constant operation in the Church at that time, else why did he give instruction about it? why did he complain of abuse in the administration of it, and give directions respecting this abuse? not only does that of itself,-the entering into the subject of this reproof,-make it evident that such an ordinance was in operation in the Church of Christ; but his directions are such as not only to leave it as an inference, but distinctly to affirm, that we ought to eat that bread. "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." Then does that excuse the man from eating and drinking? does it leave it as matter of private will and choice whether a man will eat it or not? "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread." You see it at once takes the argument out of the devil's mouth,-that it is a particular and an exclusive ordinance. It is an ordinance which belongs to the Church, "until," according to the expression used in that passage, “As often as ye eat of that bread and drink of that cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come;" "you do make annunciation of the Lord's death until He comes." And therefore it is just a glance at the fact of his coming; there is a testimony to his coming; but this ordinance is to be in operation, and is to be observed

by every member of the holy visible catholic Church, until He comes.

God, give us grace that we may so partake of that ordinance as to be announcers indeed, not to ourselves only, but unto men in this infidel age, that Thou art in deed and in truth coming "to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

February 3, 1828.

SERMON VIII.

LUKE xi. 1-4.

AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT, AS HE WAS PRAYING IN A CERTAIN PLACE, WHEN HE CEASED, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY, AS JOHN ALSO TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES. AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHEN YE PRAY, SAY, OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, hallowed BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE, AS IN HEAVEN, SO IN EARTH. GIVE US DAY BY DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS; FOR WE ALSO FORGIVE EVERY ONE THAT IS INDEBTED TO US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION; BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

ACCORDING to the purpose which I announced to you some weeks ago, I am designing now to enter into the consideration of the several parts of the Communion Office, which I consider to be a suitable exercise as preparatory to the administration and reception of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

I trust enough has now been said to you in many sermons to certify you of the nature not only of a sacrament generally, but of that sacrament in particular : that you understand a sacrament to be "an outward

and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given to us, which hath been ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof;" and that you also understand that, as Baptism is the sacrament of the resurrection, so the Lord's Supper is the sacrament of the life which is consequent upon the resurrection. It is then an act of communion with God, unto which you are called, as often as you are called to the Lord's table. Beloved, do you understand what communion really is? It is joint mutual participation; by "mutual participation" I mean, God partakes of us and we partake of God; by "joint mutual participation" I mean, that not only does each individual so partake and present himself to be partaken of, but that it is an act in which he is joined by others, even by all who communicate with him, and it may truly be said unto the enlargement of our hearts, by all who are at the same time throughout the whole earth partaking of the same ordinance. Now, if this be the nature of the sacrament, let me put together the two representations I have given you, which may seem to require some bond of union, namely, that it is the sacrament of life, and that it is a joint mutual participation, and then proceed to my subject.

We enter by Baptism into the condition of oneness in body, and consequently in soul, with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the form of every baptized person,one in body, and consequently in soul, with the Lord