THE PREFACE.

ALTHOUGH It cannot be denied, that there are

many excellent books written, and fermons delivered, concerning the Lord's fupper; yet it is fadly to be regretted, that there remains ftill a lamentable ignorance among many, of the nature of this holy ordinance, and the principal acts required in communicating. Which confideration chiefly hath moved me to handle this fubject (of which too much cannot be written or preached, feeing it is the Epitome of the whole Chriflian religion, both as to doctrine and practice) in a plain catechetical method, and have ftudied the eafieft words and expreffions that I could devife, to make the nature of the co venant of grace, and the feals thereof, plain and intelli, gible to every vulgar capacity.

As I do not know much that is written upon this fubject, in this method, fo I have obferved, in treatises of the Lord's fupper, that generally there is but little faid of the nature of the covenant of works with the first A dam, or of the covenant of redemption with the fecond Adam, or of the covenant of grace with the elect, to which this facrament is annexed as a feal: And that yet lefs is faid of the facrament of baptifm, the first feal of the covenant; which certainly fhould, in the first place, be confidered and understood by every man, before he adventure to partake of the fecond feal of the covenant, which bears a fpecial relation to the first. Wherefore have thought fit, in this Catechifm (for the better undarftanding the nature of this facrament) to give a fuccinct view, of the Gofpel fcheme, and method of man's falvation, by opening up the nature of the forefaid divine covenant, and of the facrament of baptifm, before come to treat particularly of the Lord's fupper.

All Chriftians should study to have diftinct uptakings of the gospel-covenant, and of this ordinance, which is the compend and feal of it: And, in a fpecial manner, young perfons before their first admiflion to it, when they are hereby, in a folemn and explicit manner, to re

new

new their baptifmal bonds, and give their voluntary confent to the covenant. O young people, take heed to your firft communicating, for very much depends upon it; you are, as it were, about laying the foundation-ftone of your falvation-work, which ought to be done with much fpiritual skill and knowledge, if you would have a fure building; if you approach to this holy table in ignorance, you ftumble in the threshold; nay, you will furely be unworthy communicants, and fo may provoke God to fmite you with the plagues of judicial blindnefs, heart hardness and formality, which may cleave to you all your lives, and fo you are undone for ever. Wherefore, as you regard your immortal fouls, pray for knowledge and fpiritual illumination; apply to your great prophet Jefus Chrift for it; improve the means and helps which he af fords you, and ferioufly rerufe this Catechifm, before you first communicate; that fo you may have fome right uptakings of the nature of the covenant of grace, and feals thereof; and particularly, of the obligations you already lie under by the first feal; that you may with knowledge, ferioufoefs and folemnity go, and perfonally renew your baptifmal covenant with God, and get it ratified by receiving of the fecond feal thereof. For this cause it is, that our General Affembly, by their act, Aff. 1706. Sef. 12. do recommend to all minifters, "diligently to inftruct perfons, efpecially before their admiffion to the Lord's fupper, particularly as to the covenant of grace, and the nature and end of this ordinance as a feal thereof; and charge, upon their confciences, the obligations they lie under from their baptifmal covenant, and feriously to exhort them to renew the fame." And, accordingly, I have known fome minifters at very much pains with young perfons before their firft communicating, inftructing them as above directed, telling them, that they were now to enter into the ftate of adult church memberfhip, to be taken into Chrift's family, and fhare of the childrens privileges, fealed to them in baptifm; that therefore they muft now make a choice for themselves, ratify their parents deed, and become Chriftians by their own voluntary confent, as well as by their parents dedication, and renew their baptifmal covenant, with judg ment and understanding. And after much pains taken' upon them in private, they have called their young communicants together in a public manner, catechifing them,

and

opening up the nature of the gofpel-covenant, and their baptifmal engagement to them; and with fome folemnity, afking each of them their confent thereunto, and taking them engaged perfonally to renew covenant with God in fecret, and make choice of God for their God, and Chrift for their Saviour and husband, before they should approach to his table; and upon thefe terms giving them their tokens. Unto all which they joined fuitable directions and encouragements, concluding all, by giving up and recommending these young communicants to God in folemn and fervent prayer. Which method I have known accompanied with great tenderness, and many tears, among the young people; one of them helping to affect another, yea, and make very moving impreffious upon the whole audience; and I doubt not, but fuch occations have been, to fome, the time of their efpoufals to the Lord Jefus Chrift, which they are to remember with thankfulness and praise.

Moreover, I entreat young communicants, to beware of contenting themselves with a literal knowledge of the doctrine of the covenants, and of the facraments; but O prefs and pray hard for the inward teaching of God's Spirit, that light in your heads may be joined with heat in your hearts. And pray for the firm and folid belief and fincere love of all these truths which you know; and that your knowledge may be a fanctified and practical knowledge, and increafing like the morning light.

Again, I beseech you to beware of refting upon your purposes, prayers, or tears, your perfonal covenanting, or any performance of yours whatsomever; let none of thefe come in Chrift's room; be not fatisfied with a form of godliness, without feeking after the life and power thereof. Be never eafy till you get your hearts opened to close with Jefus Chrift in the gofpel-offers, and get an inward change wrought upon your fouls, by the regenerating grace and fpirit of God, and grace excited in you to a lively exercife; and then you may approach with holy confidence to your Redeemer's table, and expect welcome.

Sacrament days in Scotland have been folemn and fealing days, yea, days of heaven to many; at fuch occafions many have had their trysts, and Bethel meetings with God, which they will never forget. O let us all then beware of formality creeping in among us in our prepa

ration for and partaking of this folemn ordinance for then God will withdraw himself from our affemblies, and our folemn feafts will be melancholy and heartlefs. How fad will our cafe be, if communicants and profeffors of religion, turn eafy about this matter, and be satisfied with the fhadow without the fubftance; with pure ordinances and facraments, without Chrift's prefence in them; with communion days, without communion with Chrift the Master and maker of the feaft. O communicants, how ever frequently you approach to the Lord's table, yet still make confcience of fecret, ferious, and folemn preparation for it; prefs always for a token of Chrift's love at his ta ble. There is nothing fo fupporting to poor believers, in this wilderness, yea, and when under the greatest trials and difficulties, than the believing views they have fome times got, of a well ordered covenant of grace, made o ver and fealed to them by this facrament: Thefe have been the cordials of many, when they have been stepping in over the threshold of eternity. Let us then be providing fuch cordials against that critical time,

At first, when I fell to compofe this book, I thought to contain it in a fmall compafs; but having a defign to inftruct, and direct, confirm fome; confute, reprove, and reform others; the book fwelled to this bulk, before I could in any measure reach my end.

, My defign is, to inftruct the ignorant, in the knowledge of the gofpel way and method of falvation, thro the mediation and fureryfhip of Jefus Chrift; and therefore I was obliged to give fuch, as clear a view as I could, of the covenants of works, of redemption, and of grace, with the feals thereof.

adly, I intend to direct and affist all fincers young communicants, that defire to be rightly guided in this weighty work, fo as they may not wound Chrift nor their own fouls, but please Gody and get a gracious meeting with their Saviour; and, for their fakes, I have fully dif played the nature, parts, ends, and ufes of the Lord's fupper, fhewed what is required of them before they come, what is incumbent on them when they come, and what is incumbent on them when they go from the Lord's table; and alfo have fubjoined to this book fome fuitable materials for meditation and prayer, both before and af ter partaking.

3dly, My end is, to fupport and encourage thofe trou bled and exercifed fouls, who dare not neglect this ordi

nance,