ASEEMON ON THE ENDS OP THE SACRAMENT. 495
of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' God, who is our father, will give us temporal things so far as is for our good ; but chiefly he showeth himself a father in Christ, to make us heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Therefore we must make heaven our great end and scope : 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' While we look not to the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal ; ' and the great motive which must dwell in our minds, and govern our choices, and direct all our motions and actions. Heart and mind must be in heaven before we be there.
4. It is the sign, means, and pledge of our communion with Christ : 1 Cor. X. 16, ' The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the com- munion of the blood of Christ ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ ? ' God giveth you this bread and this wine in token of your union with Christ, as these things become one with us, and are turned into our substance. Before conversion, there was a separation between God and us, Isa. lix. 2 ; but at conver- sion, and as soon as we do believe, there is a union ; we are united to Christ, and by Christ to God ; but we solemnly come and take pos- session of him in the sacrament. This is one of the instruments of ap- plication and conveyance. Here is Christ, and all his benefits made made over to you. Christ is the remedy of all evil and the fountain of all good. So we come solemnly to receive him out of God's hands, that our conjunction with him may be more close and sensible; that he may live in us by his Spirit, and we may live in him by faith, as the branches do in the vine, and the vine in the branches, John xv. 1, 2. Our conjunction with him is intrinsical and spiritual, but yet real. By virtue of this union we are made one spirit with the Lord : 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' And one body ; ' Eph. i. 23, ' Which is his body, the fulness of him thatfilleth all things ; ' and Eph. iii. 6, ' That the gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body.' This conjunction is partly by faith : Gal. ii. 20, ' 1 live by the faith of the Son of God ; ' and Eph. iii. 17, ' That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.' God hath put our life into his hands ; he is our root : ' And because he liveth, we shall live also.' Faith, or a constant dependence upon Christ, is a means of his dwelling in us by his Spirit. And partly by love ; that maketh a conjunction of minds : 1 Sam. xviii. 1, ' And the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and he loved him as his own soul.' Christ loveth us, and we love him. None can unclasp these mutual embraces : Rom. viii. 39, ' Neither height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ' From this union resulteth a communion of righteousness and sanctification.
[1.] Of righteousness : 2 Cor. v. 21, ' For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.' We have the effects of his righteousness, as he suffered the effects of our sin. As we are partakers of Adam's sin by natural generation, so by regeneration we are made partakers of Christ's righteousness : Eom. v. 19, ' As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.'
496 A SERMON ON THE ENDS OF THE SACRAMENT.
It is as effectual for pardon and salvation as if believers themselves had performed it,
[2.] God giveth us his Holy Spirit to sanctify us, which is the best and choicest gift which God can give, as it is also the greatest which the saints desire ; for what greater gift can there be than to be par- takers of a divine nature, to love God, and be like him, and be made fit for him ? Now Christ is not only made righteousness, but sancti- fication to us : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' But of him ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.' And it is said, this spirit of holiness ' is shed upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Lord,' Titus iii. 6, for the renew- ing and healing of our natures. In short, the favour of God and image of God are the two great benefits which we have by virtue of our union and communion with Christ.
5. It is a means of our spiritual growth and nourishment. As bread and wine are the principal means of corporal nourishment : Ps. civ. 15, ' Wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth the heart of man ; ' so is Christ the food and nourishment of the soul : John vi. 56, ' He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.' His flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed. We are planted into Christ by baptism, and we are nourished in the Lord's supper. There must first be life, and then food ; and where there is life, food is necessary to preserve it. So in spiritual life, because of frequent decays and constant employment ; we need food for the soul as well as for the body. This ordinance supposeth implantation into Christ, that the covenant is made and initiated, that our new birh is passed, that now we come to strengthen it ; therefore we are baptized but once, l)ut we communicate often. 'OadKc<; implieth iroWaKi'; ; ' As often as ye eat this bread,' &c., implieth that we should be frequent ; for by the frequent performance of this duty the Holy Ghost doth confirm our faith, excite our love, quicken our hope, and helpeth us more fully and sensibly to be made partakers of the righteousness and spirit of Christ, and rooted in our union with him unto a continual persever- ance.