4. It is a federal ordinance, wherein God confirms the covenant unto us, and wherein he calls us to make a recognition of the cove- nant unto God. The covenant is once made; but we know that we stand in need that it should be often transacted in our souls, — that God should often testify his covenant unto us, and that we should often actually renew our covenant engagements unto him, God never fails nor breaks his promises ; so that he hath no need to renew them, but testify them anew : we break and fail in ours ; so that we have need actually to renew them. And that is it which we are called unto in this ordinance ; which is the ordinance of the great seal of the covenant in the blood of Christ.
Upon all these accounts have we special communion with Christ in this ordinance. There is none of them but I might easily enlarge upon, but I name these heads: and my design is, to help my own faith and yours from roving in the administration of this ordinance, or from a general acting of itself, — to fix it to that which is its parti- cular duty ; that we may find no weariness nor heaviness in the admi- nistration. Here in these things is there enough to entertain us for ever, and to make them new and fresh to us. But while we come with uncertain thoughts, and know not what to direct our faith to act particularly upon, we lose the benefit of the ordinance.
For the use, it is, —
1. To bless God for his institution of his church; which is the seat of the administration of this ordinance, wherein we have such peculiar and intimate communion with Christ. There is not one instance of those which I have named, but, if God would help us to act faith upon Christ in a peculiar manner through it, would give new strength and life to our souls. Now, in the church we have all this treasure. We lose it, I confess, by our unbelief and disesteem of it ; but it will be found to be an inestimable treasure to those that use it, and improve it in a due manner.
2. Doth God give us this favour and privilege, that we should be invited to this special communion with Christ in this ordinance? Let us prepare our hearts for it in the authority of its institution ; let us lay our souls and consciences in subjection to the authority of Christ, who hath commanded these things, and who did it in a signal manner the same night wherein he was betrayed : so that there is a special command of Christ lies upon us; and if we will yield obedience to any of the commands of Christ, then let us yield obedience to this. Prepare your souls for special communion with him, then, by subju- gating them thoroughly to the authority of Christ in this ordinance.
SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES. 529
3. It will be good for us all to be in a gradual exercising of our faith unto these special things, wherein we have communion with Christ. You have heard sundry particulars: here is an object of your faith, that is given to be represented unto you in this ordinance, — that God hath prepared Christ a body, that he might be a sacrifice for you ; and that this body was afterward distinguished into his body, strictly so taken, and his blood separated from it ; and this in a design of love from God, as procuring the pardon of our sins, as tending to the glory of God, and the establishing of the covenant. Train up a young faith in the way it should go, and it will not depart from it when old. And new things will be found herein every day to strengthen your faith, and you will find much sweetness in the ordi- nance itself.
DISCOURSE III.1
" The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"— 1 Cor. x. 16.
I have been treating somewhat about the special communion which believers have with Christ in the ordinance of the Lord's supper. There remains yet something farther to be spoken unto, for our direc- tion in this great work and duty ; and this is taken from the immediate ends of this ordinance. I spake, as I remember, the last day to the specialty of our communion, from the consideration of the immediate ends of the death of Christ : now I shall speak to it in reference unto the immediate ends of this ordinance ; and they are two, — one whereof respects our faith and our love, and the other respects our profession : which two make up the whole of what is required of us ; for, as the apostle speaks, Rom. x. 10, "With the heart man belie veth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Both these ends — that which respects our faith and love, and that which respects our profession — are mentioned by our apostle in the next chapter. Verse 24, there is mention of that end* of this ordinance which respects our faith. Now, that is recognition. Recognition is a calling over or a commemoration of the death of Christ. "This do," says he, " in remembrance of me." That which respects our profes- sion is a representation and declaration of the Lord's death. Verse 26, " As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show" — ye