(1st.) Baptism, that our consent to depend upon God for the benefits of the new covenant, and perform the duties thereof, may be more solemn and explicit ; for all the sincerity of our after-obedience doth very much depend upon the seriousness of our first consent ; therefore it is meet that we should be strengthened with such a bond, that we should be baptized into the death of Christ : that act is an act of love, it may bind us to love him to the death, who hath loved us first, and in all temptations cleave to him, performing our covenant-resolution and consent with all fidelity all the days of our lives. And as it is the ground of our confidence and the price of our blessings, we may com- fortably depend upon God for the gift of the sanctifying Spirit, and that he will afford all necessary help to us in the use of those means which he hath appointed, that we may receive the grace and Spirit of God by virtue of this help.
(2d) The Lord's supper is necessary to confirm and strengthen both our resolutions and dependence; for nothing is more fickle and uncer- tain than the heart of man. Men are of several sorts and sizes ; three I shall mention. Good christians, who have a clear and undoubted right to the privileges of the new covenant ; yet they stand in need of the Lord's supper, that they may give Christ a new and hearty welcome in their souls by the solemn remembrance of his love, and also have their right solemnly confirmed and ratified, that their confidence and joy in the Lord may be quickened and increased. Acts viii. 39. Or else lapsed believers; these come by the solemn remembrance of Christ's death to be set in joint again, and restored to God's favour, whilst both they and God renew the promise of the destruction of sin, 1 Johnii. 1. Another sort are weak, wavering, doubtful christians, James i. 8, who come because of their imperfect estate, that they may be confirmed and strengthened, that the comfort of their Christianity may be more explicit, and their resolutions against sin fortified, that they may more glory in the death and cross of Christ, feeling the effects of it in their
170 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR. II.
ov/n souls, Gal. vi. 14, and look iipou Christ, not simply propounded as dead, but as dead for them, and themselves dead with him.
Use. Here is direction to us about the improvement of our com- munion with Christ, to look more to the effect and fruit of sacraments ; have we the communion of his death ?
1. Of your baptism. Do you live as one that is washed from his sins, that is baptized into the death of Christ ? What virtue have you to quell sin ? What likeness do you express ? Baptism is the best preparation for the Lord's supper ; if you have the fruit of that, you may more comfortably come to the other : John xiii. 8, ' If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.' We are utterly unqualified and unprepared for the Lord's supper if we be not washed. Now though no man can say his heart is clean, yet every good christian maketh conscience of his baptismal vow ; he purifieth himself as Christ is pure ; the work is a-doing. If this conscience be not in us, the whole action is lost to us, yea, will bring a judgment upon us. What do we come about but the destruction of sin ? Is it really your burden ? Have you not only a wish but a will to get rid of it ? If so you have been labouring in it, you desire solemnly to remember Christ's death, to strengthen your resolutions, and increase your dependence, that in these means you may meet with more encouragement; then come and see what Christ will do for you.
2. As to the Lord's supper, your great business here is to comme- morate Christ's death, who is evidently set forth, and as it were crucified before your eyes. Now you do not commemorate his death as a tragical story, but as a mystery of godliness, and therefore you are to look to the end of it, which is the destruction of sin. This is what man needeth, this is that which God oflfereth.
[1.] This is needed by man ; we are undone for ever if sin be not destroyed. We may take up the church's words: Lam. v. 11, * The crown is fallen from our head ; woe unto us, that we have sinned ! ' If we had a broken-hearted sense of what we have brought upon ourselves by sin, we would more prize our remedy : we come to be saved from sin, and so by consequence from wrath and hell. And shall we be cold in such addresses to God, while we have so much sin in us ?
[2.] This is offered by God. His great intention of sending Christ into the world was to be ' a propitiation for our sins ;' 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins ; ' and therefore he set him forth in the gospel : Kom. iii. 24, ' Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.' How is it ofi'ered ?