Now profession consists in these two things: — (1.) In an abstinence from all things, with reference to God and his worship, which Christ has not appinted. (2.) In the observation and performance of all things that Christ has appointed.
Men are apt to think that abstinence from the pollutions that are in the world through lust, the keeping themselves from the sins and defilements of the world, and inclining to that party that is not of the world, is profession. These things are good ; but our profession consists in the observation of Christ's commands, what he requires of us. " Go, teach them." What to do? "Whatsoever I have com- manded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, unto the end of the world." There is an expression, John xiv. 24, wherein our Saviour puts a trial of our love to him upon the keeping of his sayings : " He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." To keep the sayings of Christ, is to observe the commands of Christ ; which is the perfect trial of our love to him.
2. There is in this ordinance a special profession of Christ. There is a profession of him against the shame of the world ; a profession of him against the curse of the law; and a profession of him against the power of the devil. All our profession doth much centre, or is mightily acted, in this ordinance.
(1.) The death of our Lord Jesus Christ was in the world a shame- ful death, and that with which Christians were constantly reproached, and which hardly went down with the world. It is a known story, that when the Jesuits preached the gospel, as they call it, in China, they never let them know of the death of Christ, till the Congrega- tion " De Propaganda Fide" commanded it; for the world is mightily scandalized at the shameful death of the cross.
SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES. 543
Now, in this ordinance, we profess the death of Christ, wherein he was crucified as a malefactor, against all the contempt of the world. It was a great part of the confession of the Christians of old, and there is something in it still: here we come solemnly before God and all the world, and profess that we expect all our life and salvation from the death of this crucified Saviour.
(2.) In our profession we show forth the death of the Lord, in the celebration of this ordinance, in opposition " to the curse of the law ;" — that whereas the curse of the law doth lay claim to us because we are sinners, here we profess that God hath transferred the curse of the law to another, who underwent it. So they did with the sacri- fices of old : when they had confessed all the sins and iniquities of the people over the head of the goat, then they sent him away into de- struction. So it is in this ordinance : here we confess all our sins and iniquities over the head of this great sacrifice, and profess to the law, and all its accusations, that there our sins are charged. " Who shall lay any thing to our charge? and who shall condemn? It is Christ that died." We confront the claim of the law, shake off its autho- rity, as to its curse, and profess to it that its charge is satisfied.
(3.) We make a profession against the power of Satan; for the great trial of the power and interest of the devil in, unto, and over the souls of men, was in the cross of Jesus Christ. He put his king- dom to a trial, staked his all upon it, and mustered up all the strength he had got, — all the aids that the guilt of sin and the rage of the world could furnish him with. " Now," saith Christ, "is your hour, and the power of darkness;" — " He comes to try what he can do." And what was the issue of the death of Christ? Why, saith the apostle, "He spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over them in his cross:" so that, in our celebration of the death of Christ, we do pro- fess against Satan, that his power is broken, that he is conquered, — tied to the chariot wheels of Christ, who has disarmed him.
This is the profession we make, when we show forth the Lord's death, against the shame of the world, against the curse of the law, and the power of hell. This is the second general end of this ordi- nance ; and another means it is whereby we have especial communion with Christ in it: which was the thing I aimed at from the words I had chosen. And now I have gone through all I intend upon this subject.
A word or two of use, and I have done : —
1. It is a very great honour and privilege, to be called of God unto this great work of showing forth the death of Christ. I think it is as great and glorious a work as any of the children of men can be engaged in, in this world. I have showed you formerly, how all the acts of the glorious properties of God's nature centre themselves in