The Fifty-Sixth Sacrament, February 2, 1735

This Sabbath was very remarkable on account of the extraordinary pleasure that I had, both in attending on the sermon in the morninor and on the Lord’s supper in the evening; nor can I forbear observing the connexion between them. Mr. Wilkinson had preached in the morning, perhaps the best sermon I have ever heard, undoubtedly one of the best, on the duties and privileges of the children of God; a subject from which I had preached a sermon that I thought laboured: but when I saw the vast disproportion between the two discourses, and the great advantage on his side; and, indeed, considered how much superior it was to almost any thing I ever produced, it shamed and humbled me; and yet I bless God that it did not grieve me. If any stirrings of envy moved, they were immediately suppressed; and as soon as I came home, I solemnly returned my acknowledgments to God for having raised up such a light in his church, and for having honoured me with his education; and recommended him to the Divine blessing with meltings of the tenderest affection, leaving myself in the hand of God, acquiescing in the thought of being eclipsed, of being neglected, if God should so appoint: at the same time adoring him, that, with capacities inferior to a multitude of others, I had been led into services superior to many of those in comparison with whom my knowledge is but as that of a child.

In the prayer I had much communion with God; in the sermon, little or none; but so much in the sacrament, that my very heart was almost swallowed up. A variety of plain, solid, and natural thoughts sprung in upon my mind, like water from a fountain, and gave me unutterable pleasure. Many of them are vanished away; some few remain, the substance of which were as follow.

I introduced the ordinance with some meditations on these words, “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men.” Psalm lxviii. 18. We are met to commemorate the death of Christ, but not only his death. There was a sacred pleasure, afler his resurrection, in beholding the place where the Lord lay. But had he never risen, what a grief would it have been, on the fourth day, to have seen Christ still lying there! In succeeding days and ages, what a reproach to Christians — if such existed in succeeding ages — to have said to them, “Behold the sepulchre of your Lord!” But now the reproach of the cross and of the tomb has ceased. He has risen; and that is in itself a pleasant thought. He has ascended on high; and that is one still more delightful. Had he risen and dwelt on earth, we might have rejoiced and gloried in him, though we had seen him in the same humble form in which he appeared to Mary Magdalene, or to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. But he has gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God. Let us look after him there. When Elijah was taken away, Elisha smote his hands and exclaimed, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!” 2 Kings ii. 12. But is there reason thus to lament an ascended Saviour? We should rather rejoice. The disciples stood gazing up into heaven; but wherefore? One would rather have thought that they should have recollected it as a matter of joy, on principles of gratitude and interest. Of gratitude! how pleasant to think of the triumph of our friends! If a kind and generous friend had exposed his life for us, and, instead of perishing in the attempt, had found his own advancement in it, surely it would have given us peculiar joy; perhaps even greater than our own preferment could have done. Is it not, then, a matter of congratulation that Christ has ascended on high, and sat down at the right hand of God; especially when we consider how our interest is concerned, both as he has led captivity captive, and given gifts to men? He has led captivity captive, that is, he has triumphed over those who would have triumphed over us. Over our enemy, when he thought to have the greatest advantage. Even on the cross he triumphed over death, so that he has abolished it, and quickly will it be swallowed up in victory. We view death here as a conqueror; — he has made late depredations, for within the last ten days two of our members have died, (that is, Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Cook;) but yet we triumph over him by faith in Christ. Arise, arise, and lead captivity captive, O Son of God. We should raise our hosannas to thcc from earth. Especially considering the gifts received for men; the extraordinary endowments of the apostles and the evangelists, the benefits of which we now receive, and other spiritual gifts which are given us in conversion, in quickening, and in carrying us on thus far. Why have we not fallen as by former difficulties? We had never got thus far without support. Had we seen them, we should not, perhaps, have had the courage to encounter them. And He will impart more comforts, so that we may now consider ourselves as risen and ascended with him. In the mean time, let us go to the throne of grace.

In breaking the bread, I remarked. How highly should we have thought ourselves indebted to Christ, if in the days of his flesh he had invited us to sup with him! — Lord, if thou hadst given me a crumb of bread, or a cup of cold water, as a token of thy love, it had been better to me than wine; better than a feast of fat things: but thou givest me this bread; thou comest to sup with me, and invitest me to sup with thee!

In pouring out the wine, I added, Christ “suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring lis to God.” It is not said, to heaven, but to God, to intimate, that those who share in salvation by Christ are reconciled to God, and reinstated in his favour; his love is shed abroad in your souls, and they shall be brought to the eternal enjoyment of him. In the mean time, in this dependence let us go to God. To him that has loved us! Pleasing gradation; loved me — gave himself for me. But when I look around me at his table, what then? Could I, then, see all Sion, an assembly of all men in every nation, of every kindred and language; above all, could I look within the veil, how delightful! O what a joyful universal hosanna will arise when all are thus assembled together!

Such as these were the workings of my heart at this most delightful and edifying ordinance. O that it may not prove only as a transient blaze of the spirits! but that the happy consequences of it may go along with me into all the devotions, and into all the services, that lie before me this month; and that I may be prepared for all the will of God.