Transcribed from the 1854 J. Dunn and Co. edition by DavidPrice.
CHRIST REMEMBERED AT HIS TABLE.
AN ADDRESS
TOTHE
Churches of the NottinghamshireAssociation,
ASSEMBLED AT THE LORD’SSUPPER IN FRIAR
LANE CHAPEL, NOTTINGHAM,
ON MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 20th, 1854.
BY JOHN ALEXANDER,
MINISTER OFPRINCE’S STREET CHAPEL, NORWICH.
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
NOTTINGHAM:
PRINTED BY J. DUNN AND CO., SOUTHPARADE
1854.
p. 3ANADDRESS.
We have come together in this oneplace, Christian brethren, for the purpose of celebrating a verysimple yet instructive and impressive ceremony, which has beenappointed to us by Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. “This do, said he, in remembrance of me.” Toeat of this bread, and to drink of this cup, is that which herequires us to do. But we are directed to do it, not as ifit were a common meal, nor to satisfy hunger and thirst, for“we have houses in which to eat and to drink,” but asa memorial of Him by whom it was ordained. “This do,in remembrance of me.”
What is it then that we are now to remember respectingChrist? We are, no doubt, to remember what he ispersonally, as possessing in himself a divine and human nature;as being at once the Son of God and the Son ofman—“the great God and our Saviour, JesusChrist.” But, in connection with this sacred supper,we are more especially to remember his death. Thatone event is selected out of the many and marvellouscircumstances which distinguished his wonderful history, as theonly event which is to be celebrated by a religiousceremony. Though he triumphed over Satan, when he wastempted in the wilderness; though he wrought superhuman anddivine miracles, by which he healed the sick and raised the dead;and though he was transfigured on the holy mount, when his faceshone as the sun, and his raiment became white and glistering,and Moses and Elias appeared p. 4to him in glory; yet none of thesecircumstances, splendid and important as they were, are selectedfor commemoration at this supper. It is his death, hisdeath by the shedding of his blood, which he has required hischurch perpetually to celebrate. This bread denotes hisbody which was broken, and this wine denotes his blood which wasshed.
There must therefore be a peculiar degree of importanceconnected with his death which does not belong to any eventof his previous life. And this importance is attached, bythe scriptures, not merely to the mode of his death, or to thedegree of suffering which he endured in dying, agonizing andmysterious as his sufferings were, but more especially to thestate of mind with which he suffered, and to the moral purposeswhich his sufferings were intended to accomplish. His bodywas broken, but it was broken “for you.” Hisblood was shed, but it was “the blood of the NewCovenant,” “the blood that was shed for many, for theremission of sins.” His death is to be rememberedtherefore, not only as a fact, but as a doctrine