This is the substance of what might be of use to some in reference unto this duty of preparation for this great and solemn ordinance, which God hath graciously given unto any of you the privilege to be made partakers of.
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Have we failed in these things, or in things of a like nature? — let us admire the infinite patience of God, that hath borne with us all this while, — that he hath not cast us out of his house, — that he hath not deprived us of these enjoyments; which he might justly have done, when we have so undervalued them as far as lay in us, and despised them, — when we have had so little care to make entertainment for the receiving of the great God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who comes to visit us in this ordinance. We may be ready to complain of what outward concerns in and about the worship of God some have been deprived of; we have infinite more reason to admire that there is any thing left unto us, — any name, any place, any nail, any remem- brance in the house of God, considering the regardlessness which hath been upon our spirits in our communion with him. " Go away, and sin no more, lest a worse thing befall us/' If there be in any that have not risen up in a due manner in this duty, any conviction of the necessity and usefulness of it, God forbid we should be found sinning against this conviction.
DISCOUKSE VII.1
"He said, Take, eat."— 1 Cor. xi. 24.
I SHALL show briefly what it is to obtain a sacramental part of Jesus Christ in this ordinance of the Lord's supper.
It is a great mystery, and great wisdom and exercise of faith lie in it, how to obtain a participation of Christ. When the world had lost an understanding of this mystery, for want of spiritual sight, they con- trived a means to make it up, that should be easy on the part of them that did partake, and very prodigious on the part of them that ad- ministered. The priest, with a few words, turned the bread into the body of Christ; and the people have no more to do but to put it into their mouths, and so Christ is partaken of. It was the loss of the mystery of faith in the real participation of Christ that put them on that invention.
Neither is there in this ordinance a naked figure, — a naked repre- sentation : there is something in the figure, something in the repre- sentation ; but there is not all in it. When the bread is broken, it is a figure, a representation that the body of Christ was broken for us; and the pouring out of the wine is a figure and representation of the pouring of the blood of Christ, or the pouring forth of his soul unto death. And there are useful meditations that may arise from thence ; 1 Delivered July 7, 1673.
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but in this ordinance there is a real exhibition of Christ unto every believing soul.
I shall a little inquire into it, to lead your faith into a due exercise in it, under the administration of this ordinance : —
First. The exhibition and tender of Clwist in this ordinance is distinct from the tender of Christ in the 'promise of the. gospel. As in many other things, so it is in this : — in the promise of the gospel, the person of the Father is principally looked upon as proposing and tendering Christ unto us; in this ordinance Christ tenders him- self. " This is my body," saith he ; " this do in remembrance of me." He makes an immediate tender of himself unto a believing soul ; and calls our faith unto a respect to his grace, to his love, — to his readi- ness to unite and spiritually to incorporate with us. Again, —
Secondly. It is a tender of Christ and an exhibition of Christ under an especial consideration; — not in general, but under this considera- tion, as he is, as it were, " newly" (so the word is) " sacrificed;"1 as he is a new and fresh sacrifice in the great work of reconciling, making peace with God, making an end of sin, doing all that was to be done between God and sinners, that they might be at peace.
Christ makes a double representation of himself, as the great Me- diator, upon his death and the oblation and sacrifice which he accom- plished thereby.
He presents himself unto God in heaven, there to do whatever remains to be done with God on our behalf, by his intercession. The intercession of Christ is nothing but the presentation of himself unto God, upon his oblation and sacrifice.
He presents himself unto God, to do with him what remains to be done on our part, — to procure mercy and grace for us.
He presents himself unto us in this ordinance, to do with us what remains to be done on the part of God ; and this answers to his in- tercession above, which is the counterpart of his present mediation, to do with us what remains on the part of God, — to give out peace and mercy in the seal of the covenant unto our souls.