(2.) One word for the act of remembrance, and I have done. How shall we remember? Remembrance in itself is a solemn calling over of what is true and past : and there are two things required in our remembrance; the first is faith, and the second is thankfulness.
[1.] Faith; so to call it over as to believe it. But who does not believe it? Why, truly, brethren, many believe the story of it, or the fact, who do not believe it to that advantage for themselves they ought to do. In a word, we are so to believe it as to put our trust for life and salvation in those things that we call to remembrance. Trust and confidence belong to the essence of saving faith. So re- member these things as to place your trust in them. Shall I gather up your workings of faith into one expression? — the apostle calls it, Rom. v. 11, the "receiving the atonement." If God help us afresh to receive the atonement at this time, we have discharged our duty in this ordinance; for here is the atonement proposed, from the love of God, and from the love of Christ, by virtue of the compact between the Father and the Son, through the sufferings and sacrifice of Christ, in his whole person, soul and body. Here is an atonement with God proposed unto us : the working of our faith is to receive it, or to be- lieve it so as to approve of it as an excellent way, full of wisdom, goodness, holiness; to embrace it, and trust in it.
[2.] Remember, that among the offerings of old which were ap- pointed to shadow out the death of Christ, there was a thank-offering;
SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES. 589
for there was a burning of the fat upon the altar of thank-offering, to signify there was thankfulness to God always, as part of the remem- brance of the sacrifice that Christ made for us. Receive the atonement, and be thankful. The Lord lead us into the practice of these things !
DISCOURSE XIV.
" For I have received of the Lord," etc. — 1 Cor. xi. 23-26.
The last time I spake to you on this occasion, I told you that the grace of God and our duty in this ordinance might be drawn under the three heads of recognition or calling over, of exhibition, and of profession. The first of these I then spake unto, and showed you what we are to recognise or call over therein.
2. The second thing is exhibition and reception, — exhibition on the part of Christ, reception on otir part; wherein the essence of this ordinance doth consist. I shall briefly explain it to you, rather now to stir up faith unto exercise than to instruct in the doctrine. And that we may exercise our faith aright, we may consider, — (1.) Who it is that makes an exhibition, that offers, proposes, and gives something to us at this time in this ordinance ; (2.) What it is that is exhibited, proposed, and communicated in this oi-dinance; and, (3.) How or in what manner we receive it : —
(1.) Who is it that makes an exhibition? It is Christ himself When Christ was given for us, God the Father gave him, and set him forth to be a propitiation ; but in this exhibition it is Christ him- self I say, that is the immediate exhibiter. The tender that is made, of whatever it be, it is made by Christ. And as our faith stands in need of directions and boundaries to be given to it in this holy duty, it will direct our faith to consider Jesus Christ present among us, by his Spirit and by his word, making this tender or this exhibition unto us. It is Christ that does it ; which calls out our faith unto an immediate exercise on his person.
(2.) What is it Christ does exhibit and propose to us?
[1.] "Not empty and outward signs. God never instituted such things in his church. From the foundation of the world he never designed to feed his people with such outward symbols. Those under the Old Testa- ment were not empty, though they had not a fulness like those under the New. They had not a fulness, because they had respect to what was yet to come and could not be filled with that light, that grace,
590 SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES.
that evidence of the things themselves, as the present signs are, which are accomplished. Christ doth not give us empty signs. Nor, —
[2.] Does Christ give us his flesh and blood, taken in a carnal sense. If men would believe him, he has told us a long time ago, when that doubt arose upon that declaration of his [about] eating his flesh and drinking his blood, John vi. 52 (though he did not then speak of the sacrament, but of that which was the essence and life of it), " How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" He told us, that eat- ing his flesh profited nothing, in that way they thought of eating it; for they apprehended, as the Papists do now, that they were to eat flesh, — body, bones, and all. Why, says he, " ' The flesh profiteth no- thing ; it is the Spirit that quickeneth ; ' that power that is to be com- municated to you is by the Spirit." So that Christ does not give us his flesh and blood in a carnal manner, as the men at Capernaum thought, and others look for. This would not feed our souls.