The Hundred and Eighth Sacrament, February 4, 1739
The leading subject of our meditation was that text in Micah, (having been preaching on God’s promise of giving to his sheep eternal life,) “He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.” Micah v. 4. In which words I observed — 1. A view of the diligence and piety of the Redeemer; “He shall stand and feed:” intimating, that he shall be a watchful Shepherd, and take care of his flock; and he shall do so “in the strength of the Lord,” and “in the majesty of the name of his God;” implying a dependence on Divine assistance. This Christ showed in all his ministrations. “I honour my Father; — I seek not my own glory, but his that sent me; — The works which my father has given me to do; — This command received I from my Father “&c. — 2. The glorious display of the Divine power in him: “He shall stand in the majesty of the name of his God.” Christ’s works were very majestic; much of God appeared in them. Were a man to cure only one blind or lame person, to raise op only one dead body to life, what a glory would it reflect upon him! The miracles of Christ, for number, for excellence, were unparalleled. — 3. The perpetuity of his interest: “They shall abide;” that is, in Christ, and as his flock in all ages. Accordingly, it is so. In vain the terrors, in vain the learning and wit, of the world are armed against him: and it is observable, that most of the writers against Christianity have been left to dishonour themselves by vile immoralities. — 4. The extent of it: He is “great unto the ends of the earth.” Accordingly, we see it. We live in a country then almost unheard of, yet He is great among us. Perhaps idolatrous worship was paid on the very spot of ground on which we now are; yet we honour him; and we are gathered as into his fold. He makes us to lie down in green pastures. Blessed be his name, that we are not in dry and withered pastures, under dead ordinances. We lie down by the still waters, and are not troubled by persecutors; we are not. obliged as our fathers were, to disguise our sacred table with common meat, that, in case of a sudden surprise, it might not be known.
In breaking the bread, I observed. Lord, we are unworthy of a thought, of a word, a tear of thine, much more of a drop of thy blood; yet all is given for us! Let us, then, be deeply humbled before thee.
On drinking of the wine, I said, Christ our Forerunner has entered within the veil. Joyful news, if on his own account: but not only on that — he has entered for us; has entered as our Forerunner, intimating our quickly entering also; therefore shall we be raised up, and made to sit together in heavenly places. I congratulate you on this. Look up to Christ as your Head, and enlarge your desires for the propagation of his kingdom. Would you not, then, receive the cup which is the communion of the blood of Christ? Have you not need of it? Would you not thankfully submit yourselves to it, and to that way of saving grace in the gospel?