Imperfect Views of the Ordinance

Some persons seem never to acquire a di&- tinct notion of the Lord’s Supper in its essential nature. There are certain things implied in it, and flowing from it, which nevertheless are not its grand peculiarity and characteristic. These confused are encouraged by some of our familiar phrases. For example, few expressions are more common, in reference to the communion, than that of “joining the Church;” but this is only incidental, and indeed baptism and not the eucharist is the rite of initiation. We do, in fact, join ourselves to the Lord’s people: but this is not the primary idea. In like manner, it is a “profession of religion/ and so of a purpose to lead a holy life; but this also is secondary, and nut included in the rite as such. Again, though itseals to believers the benefits of the Covenant of

Grace, the Lords supper is not itself a covenant. The notion of vow or compact does not enter into the original idea. Great evils will be avoided, if you fix your thoughts first on that view which is first in the institution itself. It is a remembering of Christ — a showing forth the Lord’s death — a feeding on his body and blood — and a communion with his jpeople; and while the other aspects, properly guarded, are not to be rejected, these should be the precise object of our contemplations,