The reason, therefore, why the life of faith does consist in its exer- cise on the death of Christ, is, because the death of Chiist is the immediate, proper object of faith, as the ordinance of God for the salvation of sinners ; and because the glorious properties of the nature of God, which are manifested in the death of Christ, are the ultimate object of our faith, wherein we give glory to him, and find rest to our own souls.
Let us, then, be called on and be stirred up to this exercise of faith upon this present occasion. And to that end, —
1. We might consider the deplorable condition of all our souls without this blessed provision and ordinance of God for our deliver- ance by the death of Christ. We had been in a deplorable condi- tion, the wrath of God abiding on us, had not God made this a blessed way for our deliverance.
2. If you would be found acting faith in this matter, labour to come up to a firm, vigorous assent of your minds, not only that Ihese things are true, but that this is the way wherein God tuill be glorified to eternity. The truth of it is, that person who is firmly satisfied and heartily pleased that this way of the death of Christ for the salvation of sinners, by the forgiveness of sin, is the way where- by God is and will be glorified ; I say, that person is a true benever. Now, let not your assent be only to this thing, — that it is true that Christ came into the world to save sinners; but to this,— that this is the way whereby God is and will be glorified. He will be glorified in pardoning such guilty creatures as we are, in imputing righteous- ness to such sinners as we are. He is glorified in laying all our iniquities on Christ. By this way, his righteousness, his love, grace, and wisdom, are all manifested ; this is God's being glorified. If our souls come up to a free close with these things, that all these pro- perties are manifested in this way, — that is an act of faith ; and may the Lord help us unto it!
3. Let us gather up our minds to this institution, whereby these
60 G SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES.
things are represented to us. Here is represented the death of Christ, the immediate object of our faith, as God's ordinance. If the Lord help us to see it so represented to us, as that divine righteous- ness and wisdom, love and grace do all centre therein, and appear eminently to our souls, we shall have communion with God in this ordinance.
DISCOURSE XX.1
You have been minded of, and instructed in, the nature and benefit of our love to God ; and I shall take occasion thence a little to mind you of the love of Christ unto us, the love, in an especial manner, which he showed in dying for us; which is that we are here gathered together to remember and celebrate ; not barely the death of Christ, but that which is the life of that death, — the love of Christ in his death. And I would ground it on that which the apostle speaks in
IIom. v. 5, — '; The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us."
This is that which I know you all long for, and prize above life : " The loving-kindness of God is better than life." Why so? " For," says he, " when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
An apprehension of the love of Christ, as dying for us ungodly creatures, is that which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Do not let your minds go upon uncertainties. When the Holy Ghost gives you a due apprehension of Christ's love in dying for ungodly sinners, as we are, then is this love shed abroad in our hearts. The apostle there proceeds to show how great this love was, in that Christ died. He died, not for good men, and righteous men, and for friends; but he died for the ungodly, for sinners, and for enemies. This was great love, indeed. We are here to remember that love of Christ wherewith he gave himself to death for us when we were enemies, and would have continued so to eternity, had he not loved us, and given himself for us.
Brethren, if we barely remember the love of Christ in the way of an ordinance, and our hearts be not powerfully affected with it, we aie in danger of being disadvantaged by our attendance. Pray re- member it; you know how plainly I use to speak on these occasions: I say, we have frequent opportunities of remembering the love of 1 Delivered September 3, 1676.
SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES. 607
Christ in dying for us, in this ordinance representing of it ; but if our hearts be not powerfully influenced and affected by it, we shall be losers by the frequency of ordinances.
I will add one word more. According as our hearts are affected with the love of Christ, so will be our love to Christ, and no otherwise. And truly, even that faith which discovers too much selfishness is very dangerous. If we come here to act faith, to look for no other effect of it but what evidence and sense we have of the pardon of our own sins, — how our consciences may be quieted and cleared, — -faith ends in self; it is dangerous, lest it should be only a branch from, and commensurate with, convictions. True faith, acting itself on Christ in this ordinance, will work by love unto Christ : I would not say, principally, or in the first place, — I know poor creatures are apt to look after themselves, and their own relief; but it will so work also. And truly, brethren, this it will not do, we shall not have faith working by love towards him, unless we have some sense of the love of Christ on our hearts.