There is this special exhibition of Jesus Christ; and it is given directly for this special exercise of faith, that we may know how to receive him in this ordinance.
1. We receive him as one that hath actually accomplished the great work (so he tenders himself) of making peace with God for
1 The reference is to Heb. x. 20, vrpotripurev, new (rrpos, <pa,a), newly killed. " The blood of other sacrifices was always to be used immediately upon its effusion ; for if it were cold or congealed, it was of no use to be offered, or to be sprinkled, Lev.
xvii. 11. But the blood of Christ is always hot and warm Hence the way
of approach which we have to God thereby is said to be £»«•« xa) rrp'ostpxroi, — always living, and yet always as neuly slain." — See Owen on the Holy Spirit, book iv. chap. v. — Ed.
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us, — for the blotting out of sins, and for the bringing in everlasting righteousness. He doth not tender himself as one that can do these things (it is a relief when we have an apprehension that Christ can do all this for us) ; nor doth he tender himself as one that will do these things upon any such or such conditions as shall be prescribed unto us : but he tenders himself unto our faith as one that hath done these things ; and as such are we to receive him, if we intend to glorify him in this ordinance as one that hath actually done this, actually made peace for us, — actually blotted out our sins, and pur- chased eternal redemption for us.
Brethren, can we receive Christ thus? are we willing to receive him thus? If so, we may go away and be no more sorrowful. If we come short herein, we come short of that faith which is required of us in this ordinance. Pray let us endeavour to consider how Jesus Christ doth hereby make a tender of himself unto us, — as one that hath actually taken away all our sins, and all our iniquities, that none of them shall ever be laid unto our charge ; and to receive him as such, is to give glory unto him.
2. He tenders himself as one that hath done this ivork by his death; for it is the remembrance of his death in a peculiar manner that we celebrate. What there is of love, what there is of efficacy, of power and comfort in that, what there is of security, I may have occasion another time to speak unto you. At present this is all I would offer: — that for the doing of these great things, for the doing the greatest, the hardest things that our faith is exercised about, — which are, the pardon of our sins, and the acceptation of our persons with God, — for the accomplishment hereof he died an accursed death; and that death had no power over him, but the bands of it were loosed, — he rose from under it, and was acquitted. Let us act faith on Jesus Christ as one that brings with him mercy and pardon, as that which was procured by his death ; against which lies no excep- tion. I could show you that nothing was too hard for it, that nothing was left to be done by it which we are to receive.
3. To be made partakers of him in this sacramental tender, by submitting unto his authority in his institutions, by assenting unto the truth of his word in the promise that he will be present with us and give himself unto us, and by approving of that glorious way of making peace for us which he hath trodden and gone in, in his sufferings and [death] in our stead; — to get a view of Christ as tendering himself unto every one of our souls in this ordinance of his own institution, as him who hath perfectly made an end of all differences between God and us, and who brings along with him all the mercy and grace that is in the heart of God and in his covenant; — to have such a view of him, and so to receive him by faith that it shall be life unto our
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souls, is the way to give glory unto God, and to have peace and rest in our own bosoms.
4. And lastly, in one word, faith is so to receive him as to enable us to sit down at God's table as those that are the Lord's friends, — as those that are invited to feast upon the sacrifice. The sacrifice is offered; Christ is the sacrifice, — God's passover; God makes a feast upon it, and invites his friends to sit down at his table, there being now no difference between him and us. Let us pray that he would help us to exercise faith to this purpose.
DISCOURSE VIII.1
" Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God ; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." —1 Pet. iii. 18.
You know I usually speak a few words to prepare us for this ordinance. You know it is an ordinauce of calling to remembrance : " This do in remembrance of me." There was, under the Old Testa- ment, but one sacrifice to call any thing to remembrance; and God puts a mark upon that sacrifice, as that which was not, as it were, well-pleasing unto him, but only what necessity did require, and that was "the sacrifice of jealousy/' Numb. v. 15. Saith God, "There shall be no oil in it " (a token of peace) ; " there shall be no frank- incense " (that should yield a sweet savour), " for it is an offering to bring iniquity to remembrance." This great ordinance of the Lord's supper is not to call iniquity to remembrance; but it is to call to re- membrance the putting an end to iniquity: God will make an end of sin, and this ordinance is our solemn remembrance of it.