The Communicant's Companion by Matthew Henry

Author:Matthew Henry
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Classic Literature
ISBN: 9781932474954
Publisher: Solid Ground Christian Books
Published: 2005-06-19T22:00:00+00:00

5. Yet let us come to this ordinance with a gracious confidence, as children to a father, to a father's table ; not with any confidence in ourselves, but in Christ only. That slavish fear which represents God as a hard master, rigorous in his demands, and extreme to mark what we do amiss ; which straitens our spirits, and subjects \is to bondage and torment, must be put off, and striven against; and we must come boldly to the throne of grace, to the table of grace, not as having any thing in ourselves to recommend us, but as having a High Priest, who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. As a presumptuous rudeness, is

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a provocation to the master of the feast, so a distrustful shyness is displeasing to him ; which looks as if we questioned either the sincerity of the invitation, or the sufficiency of the provision.

This is the fault of many good Christians; they come to the sacrament rather like prisoners to the bar, than like friends and children to the table ; they come trembling and astonished, and full of confusion. Their apprehensions ot^ the grandeur of the ordinance, and the danger of coming unworthily, run into an extreme, and become a hinderance to the exercise of faith, hope, and love; this extreme we should carefully watch against, because it tends so much to God's dishonour, our own prejudice, and the discourage* nient of others. Let us remember we have to do with one who is willing to make the best of sincere desires, and serious endeavours, though in many things we be defective; and who deals with us in tender mercy, and not in strict justice, and who, though he be out of Christ a consuming fire, yet in Christ is ,a gracious Father ; let us, " therefore, draw near with a true heart, and in full assurance of faith." It is related of Titus the emperor, that when a poor petitioner presented his address to him with a trembling hand, he was much displeased, and asked him. Dost thou present thy petition to thy prince, as if thou were giving meat to a lion ? Chide thyself for these amazing fears: " Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me ?" If the Spirit undertake to work all my work a in me, as the Sun hath undertaken to work all my works for me, both the one and the other shall be done eifectu^ ally; therefore^ " hope thou in God ; for I shall yet praise him."

6. Let us come to this ordinance with earnest desire towards God, and communion with him. It is a feast, a spiritual feast; and we must come to it with an appetite, a spiritual appetite ; for the full soul loathes even the honeycomb, and slights the offer of it; but to the hungry soul, that is sensible of its own needs, every bitter thing is sweet, even the bitterness of repentance, when it is in order to peace and pardon.

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