Wherefore, this especial communion with Christ, and participation of liim, is by faith. If it were not, unbelievers ought all to partake of Christ as well as those that believe, — which is a contradiction : for to believe in Clu'ist, and to be made partakers of him, are one and
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tlie same. We must, therefore, find this peculiar pa,rticipating of Christ in the special actings of faith, with respect unto the especial and jjeculiar exhibition of Christ unto us in tliis ordinance.
And these actings of faith are diverse and many, but maybe refeiTed unto four heads: —
1 . It acts itself by obedience unto the authority of Christ in this institution. This is the foundation of all communion with Christ, or participation of him, in any ordinance of divine worship whatever, that is peculiarly of his own sovereign appointment ; and that in and with such cncumstances (as unto the time or season and manner of it) as require especial actings of faith with respect thereunto; for the institution of this ordinance was in the close of his ministry or pro- phetical ofiice on the earth, and in the entrance of the exercise of his priestly office in offering himself a sacrifice unto God for the sins of the church. Between them both, and to render them both effectual unto us, he interposed an act of his kingly office, in the institution of this ordinance ; and it was in " the same night in which he was be- trayed," when his holy heart was in the highest exercise of zeal for the glory of God, and compassion for the souls of sinners. Faith hath herein an es2')ecial regard unto all these things. It doth not only act itself by a subjectioa of soul and conscience unto the authority of Christ in the institution, but respects also the exerting of his autho- rity in the close of his prophetical, and entrance of the exercise of his sacerdotal office on the earth; with all those other circumstances of it which recommend it unto the souls and consciences of believers. This is peculiar unto this ordinance, and unto this way of the partici- pation of Christ. And herein faith, in its due exercise, gives the soul an intimate converse Avith Christ.
2. There is in this divine ordinance a peculiar representation of the love and grace of Christ in his death and sufferings, with the way and manner of our reconciliation unto God thereby. The principal design of the gospel is, to declare unto us the love and grace of Christ, and our reconciliation unto God by his blood. Howbeit, herein there is such an eminent representation of them, as cannot be made bj'- words alone. It is a spiritual iinage of Christ proposed unto us, intimately affecting our whole souls. These things, — namely, the ineffable love and grace of Christ, the bitterness of his sufferings and death in our stead, the sacrifice that he offered by his blood unto God, with the effect of it in atonement and reconciliation, — being herein contracted into one entire proposal unto our souls, faith is exercised thereon in a jDeculiar manner, and so as it is not in any [other] divine ordinance or way of the proposal of the same things unto us. All these things are, indeed, distinctly and in parts, set before us in the Scripture, for our instruction and edification : but as the light, which
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"was first made and diffused unto the whole creation, did suffice to enhghten it in a general way, yet was far more useful, glorious, and conspicuous, Avhen it was reduced and contracted into the body of the sun ; — so the truths concerning Christ, as they are diffused through the Scripture, are sufficient for the illumination and instruction of the church; but when, by divine wisdom and institution, they are con- tracted into this ordinance, their taste and efficacy is more eminent and communicative unto the eyes of our understandings, — that is, our faith, — than as merely proposed by parts and parcels in the word. Hereby faith leads the soul unto a peculiar comnnmion with Christ; which is thereon made partaker of him in an especial manner.
3. Faith, herein, respects the peculiar way of the communication and exhibition of Christ unto us, hy symbols, or sensible outward signs of bread and wine. It finds the divine wisdom and sovereignty of Christ in the choice of them, having no other foundation in reason or the liglit of nature : and the representation that is made herein of him, with the benefits of his death and oblation, is suited unto faith only, without any aid of sense or imagination ; for although the spii- bols are visible, yet their relation unto the things signified is not discernible unto any sense or reason. Had he chosen for this end an linage or a crucifix, or any such actions as did, by a kind of natural and sensible resemblance, show forth liis passion, and what he did and suffered, there had been no need of faith in this matter ; and there- fore, as we shall see, such things are found out unto this end, by such as have lost the use and exercise of faith herein. Besides, it is faith alone that apprehends the sacramental union that is between the outward signs and the things signified, by virtue of divine institution ; and hereby the one [latter] (that is, the body and blood of Christ) are really exhibited and communicated unto the souls of believers, as the outward signs are unto their bodily senses, — the signs becoming, thereby, sacramentally, unto us what the things signified are in themselves, and are therefore called by their names. Herein there is a peculiar exercise of faith, and a peculiar participation of Christ, such as are in no other ordinance whatever. Yea, the actings of faith with respect unto the sacramental union and relation between the signs and things signified, by virtue of divine institution and piomise, is the principal use and exercise of it herein.