A Goodly Heritage

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."—1 Corinthians 11:28. HERE ARE TWO symbolical ordinances in the Christian Church, and only two,—Believers' Baptism and the Lord's Supper. These have been so misinterpreted, perverted, and abused, that the wish has sometimes crossed the mind of spiritual persons that they had never been instituted. We do not wonder that there should be a denomination of Christians who have given them up, though we think that, in this matter, they have not acted according to the Word of God. We ourselves retain them, for this reason only, because we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ ordained them; and we desire to observe them exactly as Christ ordained them; and thus only shall we find them instructive and helpful to our souls. Baptism, the immersion of the believer in water, is the token of his death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. It sets forth the fellowship which he has with his Lord as th

"But let a man  examine himself  — and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." 1 Corinthians 11:28 The words which form the title of this paper refer to the subject of vast importance. That subject is the Lord's Supper. Perhaps no part of the Christian religion is so  thoroughly misunderstood  as the Lord's Supper. On no point have there been so many disputes, strifes, and controversies for almost 1800 years. On no point have mistakes done so much harm. The very ordinance which was meant for our  peace  and  profit  has become the cause of  discord  and the occasion of sin! These things ought not to be! I make no excuse for including the Lord's Supper among the leading points of "practical" Christianity. I firmly believe that ignorant views or false doctrine about this ordinance lie at the root of some of the present divisions of professing Christians. Some  neglect  it altogether; some completely  misunderstand  it; some  exalt  it

Therefore behold the  insufficiency of all duties to save us ; which will appear in these three things which I speak, that you may learn hereafter never to rest in duties:— First.  Consider, your best duties are tainted, poisoned, and mingled with some sin, and therefore are most odious in the eyes of a holy God, (nakedly and barely considered in themselves,) for, if the best actions of God's people be filthy, as they come from them, then, to be sure, all wicked men's actions are much more filthy and polluted with sin; but the first is true—"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" for as the fountain is so is the stream; but the fountain of all good actions (that is, the heart) is mingled partly with sin, partly with grace; therefore every action participates of some sin, which sins are daggers at God's heart, even when a man is praying and begging for his life; therefore there is no hope to be saved by duties. Secondly.  Suppose you could perform them

In the opening article of this series, ("The Law and the Saint") we affirmed that the unregenerate sinner is, in heart and practise, an Antinomian; that is, one who is opposed to the Law of God. Proof of this is furnished by  Rom 8:7 ,  which tells us, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be." It needs to be remembered that the "carnal mind" still remains in the believer. It is true that the Christian has a new mind ( 2 Tim 1:7 ), which is part of the new nature—a mind which "serves the Law of God" ( Rom 7:25 ); and it is this, alone, that explains the conflict waged daily within every saint. But the presence of the carnal mind within, reveals the urgent need there is for the "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" ( 2 Cor 10:5 ). This can be acc