Use 2. Is it so ? It serveth then to press us to see whether we do perform duty aright or no. Do we do it as it is written ? Here is a mark to try it by, whether we make the word of God both the rule and the ground of our obedience. Everybody will answer, Yea, to the question. And therefore 1 must a little amplify and take abroad the trial. And therei'oi-e, that you may not deceive yourselves, and think that you do no otherwise than is written, I shall lay down a few marks by which you may discover it whether you make the word the ground and rule of your duties. If you do so, then —
1. You will use the ordinances in faith and obedience. This is a principal rule to try yourselves by. And certainly if men would deal impartially with themselves in it, they might know whether they have had a due recourse to the word or no.
But you will say — What is it to use the ordinances in faith and obedience ?
For answer, you must know, that every ordinance of God hath a word of institution, which word of institution hath two parts — a com- mand, and a promise ; as the Lord's supper, the word, i)rayer, ever you shall find it hath a woi'd of institution : and eveiy word of institu- tion hath a command and a promise. Now we use the ordinances in faith and obedience when we give obedience to the command and
35 G SERMONS ON THE SACRAMENTS.
credence to the word of promise ; when we look to the grounds of an ordinance, and the ends of it ; that God hath instituted it, and to what end ; what benefit we receive thereby, that we may have the com- raandraent for our rule, and the promise for our comfort, and to encourage us with hopes of good success. I shall handle them a little severally, and then give you the drift of the mark.
[1.] We must do it in obedience to the command ; that is, when we set about the duty, because the Lord hath required it of us. So that if it be asked why we do this, and observe that service, as it was said concerning the passover, 'Why do you observe this?' Exod. xii. 26, you may give this for a reason — Because God hath commanded us. If you sliould ask your souls why you do come to the sacrament, your hearts may answer — Because the Lord hath appointed this ordinance for the strengthening of my faith ; because it is a part of the homage that I owe to my creator ; he hath commanded me thus to remember the Lord's death, 1 Cor. xi. 25.
[2.] We must do it in faith. Look to the promises, that God will make them good unto us, that we shall feel the fruits of the ordinance in our own souls. The acts of faith are three —
(1.) To make us confident that the Lord can make good what he hath promised ; that his body shall be meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed, though we see but the plain outward elements. The heart must be constrained to acknowledge God's power to work by the sacraments ; and say, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean : Lord, it is thy pleasure to appoint this ordinance, for the sealing of the pardon of my sins, the strengthening of my faith, and for the effectual remembering of the death of Christ to my poor soul ; and if thou wilt, thou canst make good all these things unto me.
(2.) It must kindle a desire in our hearts after the accomplishment of the promises, that the Lord would make good to our souls the mercies conveyed by this ordinance. There must be an holy thirst and longing after the benefit of them
(3.) It must stay the heart, and make it wait the leisure of God until he doth make it good unto us. Though we do not see the Lord working as yet for the sealing of the pardon of our sins, the spiritual nourishing and strengthening of our souls, yet there is a command to keep up our obedience and faith, to keep up our expectation. Just as Peter in the Gospel, when Christ bid him let down the net at such a side of the ship, and thou shalt take some fish, Luke v. 5: the com- mand and the promise is there : ' Master,' saith he, ■' I have toiled all night, and caught nothing ; yet at thy command I will let down the net.' So, brethren, when you have toiled a great while in expectation of the benefit of the ordinances, and cannot sensibly find any, yet if then at Christ's command — = howbeit at thy command ' — that shall keep uj) 3'our obedience (and because of Christ's promise that he should catch fish, he would believe still, and desire that the Lord would accomplish his promises) ; so, because of the Lord's promise annexed to the duty, you doubt not but the Lord will work for you good in his due time ; for you are confident he is able, and you have desired that he would. This is to do it in faith and obedience. Thus in any duty, as of hearing of the word ; as Isa. Iv. 3, there is a word of institution