CONCERNING THE LORD'S SUPPER; WITH THREE DIALOGUES FOR THE MORE FULL INFORMATION OF THE WEAK IN THE SACRAMENT. BY THOMAS DOOLITTLE. This do in remembrance of me.-1 Cor. xi, 24. A NEW EDITION., ABERDEEN: GEORGE AND ROBERT KING, 28, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1844. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. CHRISTIAN REader, To get assurance of the love of God and eternal life, should be thy great work and business in this world, else how canst thou die with comfort, whilst thou art doubting whether thy departing soul shall be damned or saved-live with God or devils eternally. If, when thou must bid farewell to all things in this world for ever, and enter into an unchangeable, everlasting state of joy or torments, in another world, thou knowest not which must be thy portion-what then can all thy friends do for thee? What comfort can thy riches, honours, bring into thy heart at such a time as this, when thou hast not secured thy eternal happiness? For this end God hath given to fallen man his word, whereby he might understand his misery, and how he came into it: the remedy, and how he might get out of it, by making known the conditions and terms, upon which he is freely willing to receive sinners into his love and favour, and confer upon them gospel privileges here, and eternal glorious life hereafter; and hath set to his seal, for a firm conveyance of these great eternal blessings, upon such reasonable, 134159 free, and holy terms as are propounded in the gospel. But after such love and grace of God to man appeared, for his happiness and comfort, how great an enemy is man to his real happiness, and well grounded comfort? one to his happiness, when he will not come up to the terms of his salvation; another to his comfort, when he hath consented to, and accepted of the condition thereof, neglects the ratifying seal of the covenant of grace: a third to both, while he increaseth his sin, and false, deluding comforts, by a preposterous coming for the seal, before he hath performed the conditions of this covenant. And, indeed, the long absence of some believers from, and the careless hasting of all ungodly to, the Supper of the Lord, is much to be lamented: the former being straitly charged by the Lord, "to do this in remembrance of him,” yet will not; the latter threatened with damnation if they do, yet will. The former, whom God hath habitually prepared for it, and it for them, and yet will not come, are in danger of being cut off, because they do not; Num. ix. 13. the latter, being neither prepared for it, nor it for them, (while such) are in danger of being cut down by death, if they do; 1 Cor. xi. 30. The one neglects this means of their spiritual growth, and slights the love, and forgets the words of their dying Lord, as though they could thrive in grace while they do ne. glect their spiritual food: the other neglecting the means of their spiritual birth, forget the words of the apostle," Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup:" as though food converted into poison, could make a dead man live. The one dare not omit to pray, and lead an holy life, and yet will not come to wash their hearts: the other will not pray, nor lead a holy life, 1 and yet will come to imbrue their hands in the blood of Christ. Such is the unthankfulness of some, that should, but do not; and the wickedness of some that do, but should not, come unto the gospel feast. Now, to prevent these two great evils for the time to come, (as it might prove, at least I hope, to some that might peruse this little treatise,) in which something is said to provoke the one to their duty, and deter the other from their sin and danger. And because the best are too slight in their preparation for, and the weak unskilful in, and in some measure come short of living suitably to the sacrament; something is contained herein, to excite thy slothful heart to greater seriousness and diligence in preparation before thou comest, and how it should be done something for direction, how thou shouldst behave thyself when thou art there; and the manner how particular graces are to be acted for the better improving of this ordinance; and something to direct thee what thou art to do, when thou comest from thence how thou mightst know whether thou art the better or the worse; and what thou art to do, which of either be thy case. To which are annexed, Three Dialogues concerning the Lord's Supper, for the help of those that are the weaker sort of christians that do desire to partake thereof: the first, between a minister and a private christian, that desires to partake of the Lord's Supper: the second, between a weak believer, that dares not come to, and a strong believer, that dares not absent himself from the Lord's Supper: the third, between one believer that hath assurance, and another that hath hopes, and another that is under doubtings of the love of God, and of good by the sacrament, as they come away from the Lord's table. In all which, if thou findest |