BY THE LATE REV. PROFESSOR JOHN DUNCAN, LL.D.,
EDINBURGH.
(Hitherto Unpublished.)
TABLE SERVICE NO. III.*
(Address before Distribution of Elements.)
JESUS, when He was risen from the dead, having finished transgression and made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness, before He ascended to His heavenly Father, whom He had designated to the apostles, “My Father and your Father, My God and your God,” gave this command, “Go ye into all the world, and proclaim the good news to every creature,” viz., the good news that “All power is given unto Me.” “Go ye into all the world, and proclaim this good news to every creature.” “Go ye and disciple all nations, baptising them into the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the consummation of the age.” And you having heard that word, having been discipled, having been taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ commanded, have found among the commands this one, which the apostles, having received of the Lord, delivered unto us, “That the Lord
* This Table Service was delivered at Free St. Luke’s, Edinburgh (Rev. Dr. Moody Stuart’s), on Communion Sabbath, 14th July, 1867.—ED.
Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread,” and so forth. You have, therefore, as discipled, and as taught to observe all things commanded, come to observe this one thing commanded, this peculiar and special thing commanded of the Lord. You have also heard what an apostle by the Spirit taught with regard to this, a command with regard to this command; “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.” You have heard, and I trust have obeyed the holy command; you have examined yourselves, that you might eat of that bread and drink of that cup. You have examined yourselves concerning your knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, and concerning your faith to feed upon Him, concerning your repentance, love, and new obedience.
And I think the felt result of examination as to some, perhaps all of you, has been, sad defect; sad defect of knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, sad defect of faith to feed upon Him, sad defect of repentance, love and new obedience; I say defect, I say not, absence.
Led and encouraged by the Spirit of God, notwithstanding of defect, in the grace of the Lord Jesus you have come forward; with defective knowledge, with defective faith, with defective repentance, with defective love, with sadly defective new obedience; defective, not absolutely awanting.
Now, as our Catechism teaches us, proof from Scripture, were this the time and opportunity, could be shown that “the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal or carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of Christ’s body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.” Yes, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace. Therefore true, but defective discerners of the Lord’s body, true but defective believers on Christ, true but defective penitents, true but defective lovers, true but defective obedient, are called to this Supper, for their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.
Ah, there is much defect in our knowledge. “If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” There is much defect in our faith, much that needs Christ, much that needs the ministering of which Paul speaks; “that we might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.” There is much defect in our repentance, love, and new obedience. There are, thank God, on earth just men that do good, but “there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.” Well, then, this Supper is for discerners of the Lord’s body, who discern it not so perfectly, so completely, as they ought. It is for believers who need still to cry, “Lord, increase our faith.” It is for penitents who need again to look upon Him whom they have pierced, and to mourn, I do not say, with another mourning, but with another intensity of mourning. It is for those who love, but who know that their love hath no adequacy of
correspondency either to the loveliness or the love of Christ. It is for those who know that they do not adequately realise their obligations or adequately fulfil them. Truth of grace, then, being presupposed, defect of grace is that which this ordinance, and every other, but this especially, is designed to meet.
For all defect, provision is made. For defect of faith there is Christ’s perfect faithfulness. He was faithful to Him that appointed Him. And in this ordinance, that is shown. Faith rests on Christ’s fidelity, and from this, faith daily is to be strengthened. He undertook to do the work, the great work, the arduous and painful work. How arduous and painful I do not know, He knows Himself. He undertook it, and He was faithful to Him that appointed Him; He undertook to save sinners, to do the work that was needful to save sinners, and He did it. On that faithfulness let us rest.
Let us go to Gethsemane. “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” All nature recoils; faithfulness recoils not. Nature recoils; faithfulness goes forward to do the Father’s will. It was He to endure it, or we to endure it, and it was a hard question, “Shall He bear it, or we bear it?” And he said, “I will bear it.” Then, “If ye seek Me, let these go their way.” Look at Him taking the cup, which was not His but ours, and was taken by Him only because it was ours, and was His because of His voluntary engagement to the Father. Salvation by grace is joyful, but oh, it is voluntary substitution that is the heart-breaking, heart-melting thing. I might speak of all the particulars; our time will not allow; let me speak but of one other.
For the defect of love, provision is made in Christ’s perfect love. And that is shown in this ordinance; “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” “Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee.” But if Christ had asked—He did not ask—but were it asked, and the soul that truly loves will ask itself the question, “Lovest thou Me as I deserve to be loved?” oh what a defect would be found there, what a feeble response to such love as that wherewith He loves, what a feeble spark encountering that infinite flame!
But for all defect provision is made. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends.” Christ laid down His life for His friends, and only for His friends. But when? Not when they were His friends, but when they were enemies. “God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us.” “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” That is, “when we were in mortal disease which would have ended in eternal death, Christ died for the ungodly.” But His love is to His friends at His table, though it was to His enemies when He died. He hath brought you there reconciled by His death, but you are remembering the love wherewith He loved you when you were enemies.
And you may judge of the one thing by the other, of His love to His friends now by His love to them when they were enemies. “For if, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” The emblems of that death, the pledge, as it is the price and the proof of the life, I now put into your hands. “Ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come.” This is the region of death, but among all deaths there is no death like one death; there are the deaths of sinners; this one death is the death of the Lord of glory, of the Prince of life; of the Eternal Life; of the Eternal Life as Mediator. The fountain is deeper than that; of the Eternal Life as the only-begotten Son of the Father, the Father having life in Himself, so He having life in Himself.
(Address after Distribution of Elements.)
Believing communicants, “My God shall supply all your need,” all your wants.
They are very great. The world could not supply all your wants; the world could supply none of them, at least, none of the greatest of them. All that supply would leave you poor and destitute. You have learned, defectively learned, but learned, that it would profit you nothing, though you were to gain the whole world, and lose your own soul. You have learned that the world is a poor world, and that it is not only poor, but that “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” You have lost it; you should realise that you have lost it. If it was counted gain for you, it is among the things which you have counted loss, the all things which, that you might win Christ, and be found in Him, you have lost. It passeth away, and the fashion thereof. Transitory world, let it go! World that is not of the Father, let it go! Count it loss; count the loss of it gain. “Ye are not of the world, even as I am not of the world: Because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Christ’s choice, the world’s hate; put these together, cleave to them in faith. Hate the world, yet hate not the world’s men. The lust of the flesh, that is not a man; the lust of the eyes, that is not a man; the pride of life, that is not a man. These are the things that are in the world. “I have chosen you out of the world.” Ye were worldlings when ye were in it; but Christ loved you when you were in it to take you out of it. Love them that are in it, that they may be brought out of it. Love men, love sinners; not their sin, but sinners. The foundation of your faith is the faithful saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners. Save sinners, save sinners as you can. You cannot as He can, but save sinners in your own way; pluck them as brands out of the burning, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Go ye into the world and save sinners. “To whom now I send thee: To open their eyes, and to turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” Can Paul do that? Christ bids him do it, and Paul can do it through Christ strengthening him. Only, Paul proclaims that he cannot do it, but that Christ can; Christ does it, and in his own way under Christ, Paul does it. Mind you have got the sinner’s gospel. That was the foundation of your faith; faith rests on the sinner’s gospel. There you began; there you must end; there you must end, for this among other blessed purposes; “Holding the beginning of your confidence steadfast unto the end.”
You have a good gospel for everybody. If you had only a saint’s gospel, what would that do for sinners? But you are everybody’s debtor, because you have got the sinner’s gospel, and salvation in the sinner’s Saviour. You can tell sinners that you are not more welcome to Christ than they are, that you have got no better gospel than they have got. Oh, therefore, mind that, being saved by the sinner’s gospel, you are made an evangelist to the world of the sinner’s gospel, for which you are responsible to all sinners.
“Christ loved us, and gave Himself for us.” The sum of God’s Law is, “Thou shalt love”; the sum of God’s gospel is “God so loved.” Wherefore, let the law of love be in your heart and your life. Love, love, love, love, the fulfilling of the law.
Now, may “the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ,” and come that ye may abound in love more and more one toward another and toward all men, to the end He may establish your hearts unblameable and unprovable before Him in love.
The late John M’Gillivray,
GORTHLECK, STRATHERRICK, INVERNESS-SHIRE.
A FRIEND has kindly sent us the following sketch, which we have pleasure in inserting:—
In these years, when the Most High is speaking so loudly to us in His providence, as a generation, those who have the cause of Christ at heart, have much reason to mourn the loss of so many of the great cedars of Lebanon who have been called home by Him, and who in their day proved so faithful in maintaining His testimony in the land. Among these, we have to mourn the loss of a humble saint of God, in the person of the late Mr. John M’Gillivray, farmer, North Lyne, Stratherrick, who was born there, and who passed peacefully away on Sabbath, the twenty-fourth day of November, 1918, at the age of sixty-eight years.
In the absence of other supply, he, along with his late godly brother, William, whose Memoir appeared in the Free Presbyterian Magazine for June, 1912, usually conducted the services in connection with our Church, and that with much acceptance to the people of the district.
The subject of this Memoir was one who, from his early youth, was considered an Israelite in whom was no guile. He was a Christian who passed through much soul-anguish and trouble, and on many occasions would be laid very low in his own estimation by the fiery darts and devices of Satan. He would, however, be enabled through grace to overcome in these conflicts, which gave him, by the Spirit, a near access to the throne of grace, and to have his anchor firmly established in a glorified Saviour. On account of his great experience in matters spiritual, and his ability to express himself very clearly and intelligently—especially in the Gaelic language—his discourses were most edifying and savoury to old and young alike. He was much appreciated as a Friday speaker at Communion seasons, and his clear, sharp, and honest way of treating the subject at issue was alike interesting and beneficial to ministers and people. In prayer he had an access to the mercy seat, to which few could approach, with that calm, humble, and reverent spirit which is common only to those who have nearness to their Master. Godly people who lived at the time of his birth found on their spirit a favourable impression as to his future, and as he grew up as a young man the discerning Christians in the district looked upon him as one above many.
In these days of forty odd years ago there lived in Stratherrick that eminent man of God, the late Angus Cameron, who, as an elder in the then Free Church, expressed the wish that John would succeed him in the eldership and as an upholder of the truth in the parish. This afterwards came to pass, and when, in 1893, a stand was made for the truth, John heartily cast in his lot with, and helped greatly to form, the Free Presbyterian Church. What was said of Angus may also be truly said of him, viz., “That he was deeply spiritual and experimental in his teaching, and his knowledge of Scripture doctrine was wide and accurate.”
He married in 1898, and was left a widower in 1900, with one daughter, who survives him to mourn his loss. He felt keenly his brother William’s death, which took place in 1912, so that it considerably undermined his health thereafter, until that Sabbath day when his Master called him home, to do Him never-ending service.
To his daughter (and surviving brothers and sisters) we would extend our sincere sympathy, with the hope that she may make choice of her father’s God as her God and Saviour.
Litir do ar Luchd-leughaidh.
BHO’N AN URR. E. MACCUINN.
A CHAIRDEAN GRADHACH,—Tha sinn a nis air tighinn gu toiseach bliadhn’ eile. ‘S iomadh nì a ghabh aite air a bhliadn’ a chaidh seachad. ‘S iomadh doigh anns an do labhair Dia ruinn le smachdan agus tròcairean mar shluaigh ‘s mar riogh-achdan, ach tha e na aobhar bròin cho beag buaidh a thug na cuisean uaimhinneach troimh ‘n d’ thainig sinn air cridheachan agus b’eusan dhaoine. Tha spiorad aimhreiteach air seilbh a ghabhail air sluagh an t-saoghail air chor is nach ‘eil fhios gu de gus am faod cuisean teachd ann an cearnaidh sam bith ann an ùine ghearr. Tha boil ann an daoine air nach cuir ach Dia clos. ‘S e Spiorad nan gràs air am beil sinn a cuir feum gu bhi ‘g oibreachadh annain aithreachas a thaobh Dhe agus creidimh a thaobh an Tighearn Iosa Criostd. ‘S e sin a bheireadh a nuas cridheachan ard agus iosal. Tha feum air an urnuigh uaigneach, cha’n e ‘mhain airson ar ‘n anamaibh fhein ach airson na riogh-achd agus an t-saoghail uile.
Ghabh ni oilteil aite air cladach Leodhais air maduinn là na bliadhn’-ùire. Ged a dh’fhuing sluagh an eilein sin iomadh nì cruaidh ri linn a chogaidh fhuileachdaich a tha ‘nis air teachd gu crìch, cha do thachair ni idir cho brònach ris an ni a ghabh ait’ air a mhaduinn sin, gum biodh ceudan do dh’ anamaibh priseil, air an robhfadachd gus an coinnicheadh iad ri ‘n cairdean, air an sguabadh a steach do ‘n t-siorruidheachd, gun long-chogaidh ‘g an ruagadh, na long-ghrunna ‘g an tolladh, ach a’ dol air na creagan na spealgan. Gun deònaicheadh an Tighearn, mu’m beil e sgriobhta gur h-e fear-tighe nam bantrach agus athair nan dilleachdain, gliocas a thoirt do na bantraichean gu ‘bhi ‘g amhairc ris agus gu ‘bhi ‘cuir an dochas ann; gun dionadh e na dilleachain, agus gu’n ulluicheadh e dhoibh airson an cuirp ann an tìm agus gu ‘n ulluicheadh e iad fein airson an tigh nach d’ rinneadh le lamhan, siorruidh anns nan neamhan.
Tha na nithean sin cruaidh agus gèur air fuil is feol, ach tha nithean eile a gabhail aite ‘tha trom air inntinn sluagh an Tighearn, agus a tha toirt amghar air Ioseiph. Tha e soilleir gu’m b’e miann an t-Satàn anns na h-uile linn, daoin’ a thoirt air falbh bho bhi ‘leantuin na firinn agus bho bhi ‘gleidheadh greim air steidh fhallain, agus tha e ‘cleachadh innleachdan gu leoir anns an la ‘s am beil sinne beo chum na criche sin. Faodaidh am fear a ruitheas leughadh gu bheil a dol leis ann a rathad a tha ro-chianail. Cha’n ann ri focal Dhe no ri steidh fhallain a tha a chuid a’s mo a tha ‘g aideachadh diadachd ag amharc, ach ri ainm agus ionmhas anns an t-saoghail. ‘S e sin an ni ‘tha gu tric air a thilgeadh air minsteirean diadhaidh agus air luchd-aidichidh, “Seallaibh am fear ud, ‘s am fear ud eile a bha re ùin’ araich ro-eudmhor mu chreud fhallain, agus iad a nise a dol an deigh nam builionnan mar mhuinntir eile!” A
chairdean; tha sin a toirt rabhadh dhuinne gur firinn am focal ‘tha ‘g radh
“Na earbaibh is na deanaibh bun
a prionnsaibh làidir tréun.”
Ach ged a thainig atharrachadh air cuid do dhaoibh a bha aon uair eudmhor mu’n a steidh, cha’n ann ri na daoine a tha e air iarraidh oirnne amharc, ach ris a steidh fhein a tha do-atharraichidh. ‘S e Iosa Criosda, clach-chinn na h-oisinn, an Ti ceudna an dè, ‘n diugh, agus gu siorruidh. Leanamaid esan, a chairdean ionmhuinn; tilgeamaid sinn fein airsan, agus cha treig e sinn. ‘S e ‘ghealladh, “Dealaichidh na sleibhtean ri ‘m bunaitean, agus atharraichidh na beanantan as an aite, ach cha dealaich mo chaoimbheas riutsa, agus cha’n atharraichear coimbcheangail mo shìth, deir an Tighearn aig am beil truas dhiot.” Bha facal aca ‘s an Eilein Sgiathanaich, “Nuair a’s teinne an gad-guailinn, ‘s ann is dualaich dha briseadh,” agus mar is mo ‘tha sinne air ar feuchainn, ‘s ann is dualaich gu’n gabh an Ti ard agus uasal truas dhinn. “Bheir an Tighearn gràs agus glòir; cha chum e maith air bith uatha-san a ghluaiseas gu h-ionraic.”
Tha cuid do ar ‘n ogridh a bhios gun dàil a tighinn dhachaidh, a thainig troimh nithean cruaidhe anns na bliadhnaibh a chaidh seachad, agus tha sinn an dochas gun iarr iad da rireadh an inntinn a bhiodh math dhoibh, gun iarr iad am brathair is sine a rinn e fein a thoirt seachad na iobairt-rèitich an aite ‘s a ruim na thug an athair dhasan ann an cumhnanta mairionn. Na creidbh an Satan a ‘tha gu brath airson sgaradh na h-ogridh o ghaoil-san a tha saor agus tairis. Cha’n’eil ni a bheir uamhasan cogaidh na Frainge, agus blàr Shalonica, agus tiormachd tir Phalestin, fiabhrusan Mhesapotamia, agus baghaidhean nan Dardanelles, air falbh bho ur ‘n inntinn ach sealladh creidimh dhe bhuaidh-san a chaidh suas le buaidh-chaithream, a thug bruid ann am braighdeanas, ‘s a fhuair tiolacan do dhaoine ceannairceach.
‘S mise, le mor-dhèidh, bhur caraid dileas,
EOGHAINN MACCUINN.