Christians. Christian charity doth not only forbid that which is any way
sure you remember this, that he is our peace, and that he died to slay all enmities.
2. We must bear good-will to all, with a particular affection to all good
Christians. Christian charity doth not only forbid that which is any way injurious, but it requires that which is kind and friendly.
The desire of our hearts must be towards the welfare of all. If we be indeed solicitous about the salvation of our own souls, we cannot but have a tender concern for the souls of others, and be hearty well-wishers to their salvation likewise; "for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved." True grace hates monopolies.
We must thus love those whose wickedness we are bound to hate; and earnestly desire their happiness, even while we industriously decline their fellowship.
But the "delight of our souls must be in the saints that are on the earth, those excellent ones," as David's was. They are precious in God's sight, and honorable, and they should be so in ours; they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: and therefore, by a sincere and affectionate love to them, we also should have fellowship with them. Our hearts will then be comforted, when they are "knit together in love." This love must not be confined to those of our own communion, our own way and denomination: then we love them for our own sakes, because they credit us; not for Christ's sake, because they honor him: but, since God is no respecter of persons, we must not be such. "In every nation, he that fears
God, and works righteousness, is accepted of him," and should be so of us.
Doubtless, there may be a diversity of apprehensions in the less weighty matters of the law, such as the distinction of meats and days, and diversity of practice accordingly, and yet a sincerity of mutual love, according to the law of Christ. Those who think it is not possible, should be content to speak for themselves only, and must believe there are those who have much satisfaction in being able to say, that they love the image of Christ wherever they see it, and highly value a good man, though not in every thing of their mind. He that casteth out devils in Christ's name must be dear to us, though he follow not us. The differences that are among Christians, though fomented by the malice of Satan for the ruin of love, are permitted by the wisdom of God for the trial of love, that they which are perfect therein may be made manifest. Herein a Christian commendeth his love, when he loves those who differ from him, and joins in affection to those with whom he cannot concur in opinion: this is thankworthy. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; they that have tasted of the bread of life, and the water of life, know it is not; but it is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost: he, therefore, that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God;" and therefore, though he esteem not our days, though he relish not our meats, he should be acceptable and dear to us.
Let us then, in our approach to this sacrament, stir up ourselves to holy love, love without dissimulation; let us bear those on our hearts, whom the great High Priest of our profession bears on his; and, as we are "taught of God to love one another, let us increase therein more and more." Christ's having loved us, is a good reason why we should love him: Christ's having loved our brethren also, is a good reason why we should love them.
"Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Christians to be kindly affectioned one towards another," of one heart, and of one soul! there the Lord commands the blessing, and gives earnest of the joys of that world, where love is perfected and reigns eternally.
Chapter 8. Some Account of the Affecting Sights that are to be Seen by Faith in this Ordinance. are being taken, by the grace of God, to compose ourselves into a serious frame of spirit agreeable to the ordinance, we must next apply ourselves to that which is the proper business of it. And the first thing to be done is, to contemplate that which is represented and set before us there.
This David aimed at when he coveted to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, that he might behold the beauty of the Lord; might see his power and his glory. To the natural man, who receives not the things of the Spirit of God, there appears in it nothing surprising, nothing affecting, no form nor comeliness; but to that faith, which is the "substance and evidence of things not seen," there appears a great sight, which, like Moses, it will, with a holy reverence, turn aside now to see. As, therefore, in our preparation for this ordinance, we should pray, with David, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wondrous things of thy law" and gospel; so we should, with Abraham, "lift up our eyes now and look."
When the Lamb that had been slain had taken the book, and was going to open the seals, St. John, who had the honor to be a witness in vision of the solemnity, was loudly called, by one of the four living creatures, to come and see. The same is the call given to us when, in this sacrament, there is a door opened in heaven, and we are bidden to come up hither.
I. In general, we are here called to see the Lamb that had been slain, opening the seals. This is the general idea we are to have of the ordinance.
We would have thought ourselves highly favored indeed, and beloved disciples, if we had seen it in vision, as John did; behold we are all invited to see it in a sacramental representation.
In this ordinance is showed us the Lamb as it had been slain. John the Baptist pointed to him as the Lamb of God, and called upon his followers to behold him;—a Lamb designed for sacrifice, in order to the taking away of the sins of the world, a harmless, spotless Lamb. But John the Divine goes further, and sees him a Lamb slain, now sacrificed for us in the outer court; and not only so, but appearing "in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and of the elders," as if he were newly slain, bleeding afresh, and yet alive, and "lives for evermore," constantly presenting his sacrifice within the veil;—the blood of the Lamb always flowing, that it may still be sprinkled on our consciences, to purify and pacify them, and may still speak in heaven for us, in that prevailing intercession which the Lord Jesus ever lives to make there, in virtue of his satisfaction.
In this ordinance, the Lord's death is shown forth; it is shown forth to us, that it may be shown forth by us. Jesus Christ is here "evidently set forth crucified among us," that we may "all with open face behold, as in a glass, the glory of God in the face of Christ." Thus, as Christ "was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," in the types and prophecies of the Old
Testament, and the application of his merits to the saints that lived then; so he will be the Lamb slain to the end of the world, in the word and sacraments of the New Testament, and the application of his merits to the saints that are now, and shall be in every age. Still he is seen as a Lamb that had been slain; for this sacrifice does not, like the Old Testament sacrifices, decay and wax old.
This is the sight, the great sight: we are here to see the bush burning, and yet not consumed; for the Lord is in it, his people's God and Savior. The wounds of this Lamb are here open before us. Come, see in Christ's hands the very print of the nails, see in his side the very mark of the spear. Behold him in his agony, sweating as if it had been "great drops of blood falling to the ground;" then accommodating himself to the work he had undertaken, couching between two burdens, and bowing his shoulder to bear them.
Behold him "in his bonds, when the breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits," and he was bound that we might go out free. Behold him at the bar prosecuted and condemned as a criminal, because he was made sin for us, and had undertaken to answer for our guilt.
Behold him upon the cross, enduring the pain, and despising the shame of the cursed tree. Here is his body broken, his blood shed, his soul poured out unto death; all his sufferings, with all their aggravations, are here, in such a manner as the divine wisdom saw fit, by an instituted ordinance, represented to us, and set before us.
In this ordinance is shown us the Lamb that was slain, opening the seals of the everlasting gospel: not only discovering to us the glories of the divine light, but dispensing to us the graces of divine love; opening the seals of the fountain of life, which had been long as a spring shut up; and rolling away the stone, that from thence we may draw water with joy; opening the seals of the book of life, that things hid from ages and generations might be manifested unto us, and we might know the things which are freely given us of God; opening the seals of God's treasures, "the unsearchable riches of Christ," which should have been sealed up for ever from us, if he had not found out a way to supply and enrich us out of them; opening the seals of heaven's gates, which had been shut, and sealed against us, and consecrating for us "a new and living way into the holiest by his own blood." This is a glorious sight, and that which cannot but raise our expectations of something further; this is the principal sight given us in this ordinance: but when we view this accurately, we shall find there is that in it which "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard."
II. In particular, we are here called to see many other things, which we may infer from this general representation of the sufferings of Christ. It is a very fruitful subject, and that which will lead us to the consideration of diverse things very profitable. When we come to this sacrament, we should ask ourselves the question, which Christ put to those that had been John's hearers, "What went ye out for to see?" What do we come to the Lord's table to see? We come to see that which, if God gives us the eye of faith to discern it, will be very affecting. Let this voice, therefore, be still sounding in our ears, Come and see."
(i.) Come and see the evil of sin. This we are concerned to see, that we may be truly humbled for our sins past, and may be firmly engaged by resolution and holy watchfulness against sin for the future. It was for our transgressions that Christ was thus wounded, for our iniquities that he was bruised; "know therefore, O my soul, and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts." That was a great provocation to God, which nothing would atone for but such a sacrifice; a dangerous disease to us, which nothing would heal but such a medicine. "This is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart."
Here sin appears sin, and by the cross of Christ, as well as by the command of God, it becomes exceeding sinful. The malignity of its nature was very great, and more than we can conceive or express; for it had made such a breach between God and man, as none less than he who was both God and man could repair; none less than he durst undertake to be made sin for us, to become surety for that debt, and intercessor for such offenders. It was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin; the stain was too deep to be washed out so: "sacrifice and offering God did not desire," would not accept as sufficient to purge us from it; no, the Son of God himself must come to "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," or it will for ever separate between God and us.
Here sin appears death, and in the cross of Christ shows itself exceeding hurtful. Behold, my soul, and see what mischief sin makes, by observing how dear it cost the Redeemer,, when he undertook to satisfy for it; how he sweated and groaned, bled and died, when the "Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all;" look on sin through this glass, and it will appear in its true color, black and bloody! nothing can be more so. The fatal consequences of sin are seen more in the sufferings of Christ, than in all the calamities that it has brought upon the world of mankind. O what a painful, what a shameful thing is sin, which put our Lord Jesus to so much pain, to so much shame, when he bore our "sins in his own body upon the tree!"
See this, my soul, with application: it was thy sin, thy own iniquity, that lay so heavy upon the Lord Jesus, when he cried out, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." It was thy pride and passion, thy worldliness and uncleanness, the carnal mind in thee, which is enmity against God, that crowned him with thorns, and nailed him to the cross, and laid him for a time under the sense of God's withdrawing's from him. Is this so? And shall I ever again make a mock at sin? ever again make a light matter of that of which Christ made so great a matter?. God forbid! "Is it a small thing to weary men, but have I by my sins wearied my God also?" "Have I made him thus to serve, and thus to suffer by my sins?" and shall I ever be reconciled to sin again? or shall I ever think a favorable thought of it any more? No: by the grace of God I never will. The carnal pleasure, and worldly profit that sin can promise, will never balance the pain and shame to which it put my Redeemer.
Meditate revenge, my soul, a holy revenge, such a revenge as will be no breach of the law of charity; such a revenge as is one of the fruits of godly sorrow. If sin was the death of Christ, why should not I be the death of sin?
When David lamented Saul and Jonathan, who were slain by the archers of the Philistines, it is said, "He taught the children of Judah the use of the bow," that they might avenge the death of their princes upon their enemies.
Let us thence receive instruction.—Did sin, did my sin crucify Christ? And shall not I crucify it? If it be asked, Why, what evil has it done? say, It cost the blood of the Son of God to expiate it: and therefore, cry out so much the more, "Crucify it, crucify it." And thus all that are Christ's, have in some measure crucified the flesh. As Christ died for sin, so we must die to sin.
(II.) Come and see the justice of God. Many ways the great Judge of the world has made it to appear that he hates sin; and, both by the judgments of his mouth in the written word, and the judgments of his hand in the course of his providence, he has revealed "his wrath from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." It is true, that he is gracious and merciful; but it is as true, that "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth."
God, even our God, is a consuming fire, and will reckon for the violation of his laws, and the injuries done to his crown and dignity. The tenor of the Scripture, from the second of Genesis to the last of Revelation, proves this, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." In many remarkable punishments of sin, even in this life, it is written as with a sunbeam, so that he that runs may read, That the Lord is righteous.
But never did the justice of God appear so conspicuous, so illustrious, as in the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ set before us in this ordinance.
Here his "righteousness re like the great mountains, though his judgments are a great deep." Come and see the holy God, showing his displeasure against sin in the death of Christ, more than in the ruin of angels, the drowning of the old world, the burning of Sodom, and the destruction of Jerusalem: nay, more than in the torments of hell, all things considered.
God manifested his justice, in demanding such satisfaction for sin, as Christ was to make by the blood of his cross. Hereby he made it to appear how great the provocation was which was done him by the sin of man, that, not only such an excellent person must be chosen to intercede for us, but his sufferings and death must be insisted on to atone for us. Sin being committed against an infinite Majesty, seems by this to have in it a kind of infinite malignity, that the remission of it could not be procured, but by a satisfaction of infinite value. If mere mercy had pardoned sin, without any provision made to answer the demands of injured justice, God had declared his goodness; but, when Jesus Christ is set forth to be a propitiation for sin, and God is pleased to put himself to so vast an expense for the saving of the honor of his government in the forgiveness of sin, this declares his righteousness; it declares, "I say, at this time, his righteousness." See what an emphasis the apostle lays upon this.
Sin hath wronged God in his honor, for he cannot otherwise be wronged by any of his creatures. In breaking the law, we dishonor God; we sin and come short of his glory. For this wrong, satisfaction must be made: that which first offers, is the eternal ruin of the sinner; let the sentence of the law be executed, and thereby God may get him honor upon us, in lieu of that he should have had from us. But can no expedient be found out to satisfy God, and yet save the sinner? Is it not possible to offer an equivalent? "Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall we give our firstborn for our transgression, the fruit of our body for the sin of our soul?" No; these are not tantamount: no submissions, sorrows, supplications, services, or sufferings of ours, can be looked upon as a valuable consideration for the righteous God to proceed upon, in forgiving such injuries, and restoring such criminals to his favor. The best we do is imperfect; the utmost we can do is already owing. Here, therefore, the Lord
Jesus interposes, undertakes to make a full reparation of the injury done to God's glory by sin; clothes himself with our nature, and becomes surety for us, as Paul for Onesimus: "If they have wronged thee, or owe thee aught, put that on mine account; I have written it with mine own hand, with mine own blood I will repay it." He was made sin for us, a curse for us, an offering for our sin. He "bore our sins in his own body on the tree;" and thus the justice of God was not only satisfied, but greatly glorified. Come and see how bright it shines here.
God manifested his justice, in dealing as he did with him who undertook to make satisfaction. Having "laid upon him the iniquity of us all, he laid it home to him; for it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief. He was not only despised and rejected of men, who knew him not, but he was stricken, smitten of God and afflicted." The ancient way in which God testified his acceptance of sacrifices, was by consuming them with fire from heaven. The wrath of God, which the offerers deserved should have fallen upon them, fell upon the offering; and so the destruction of the sacrifice was the escape of the sinner. Christ becoming a sacrifice for us, the fire of God's wrath descended upon him, which troubled his soul, put him into an agony, and made him cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
"Come, then, and behold the goodness and severity of God." "Christ being made sin for us, God did not spare him." "By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, he was delivered to them who, with wicked hands, crucified and slew him." "Awake, O sword," the sword of divine justice, furbished and bathed in heaven!—awake "against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts; smite the Shepherd."
Let us look on the sufferings of Christ, and say, as he himself hath taught us, "If this be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" What was done to him, shows what should have been done to us, if Christ had not interposed, and what will be done to us if we reject him. If this were done to the Son of God's love, what shall be done to the generation of his wrath? If this were done to one that had but sin imputed to him, who, as he had no corruptions of his own for Satan's temptations to fasten upon, so he had no guilt of his own for God's wrath to fasten upon, who was as a green tree, not apt to take fire; what shall be done to those who have sin inherent in them, which makes them as a dry tree, combustible and proper fuel for the fire of God's wrath? If this were done to one that had done so much good, what shall be done to us that have done so little? If the Lord Jesus himself was put into an agony by the things that were done to him, was sorrowful, and very heavy, "can our hearts endure, or can our hands be strong, when God shall deal with us?" "Who would set the briers and thorns against him in battle?" From the sufferings of Christ, we may easily infer what a "fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God."
(III.) Come and see the love of Christ. This is that which, with a peculiar regard, we are to observe and contemplate in this ordinance: where we see
Christ, and him crucified, we cannot but see the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. When Christ did but drop a tear over the grave of Lazarus, the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" Much more reason have we to say, when we commemorate the shedding of his blood for us, "See how he loved us!" Greater love hath no man than this, to lay down his life for his friend. Thus Christ hath loved us; nay, he laid down his life for us when we were enemies. Herein is love—love without precedent, love without parallel. Come and see the wonders of this love.
It was free love.—Christ gave himself for us; and what more free than a gift? It was free, for it was unasked: nothing cried for this mercy, but our own misery; when no eye pitied us, of his own good will he relieved us, "said to us, when we were in our blood, Live; yea, he said to us, Live." That was a time of love indeed. It was free, for it was unmerited: there was nothing in us desirable, nothing promising; the relation we stood in to God as creatures, did but aggravate our rebellion, and make us the more obnoxious. As he could not obtain any advantage by our happiness, so he would not have sustained any damage by our misery. If there was no profit in our blood, yet for certain there would have been no loss by it; no, but the reasons of his love were fetched from within himself, as God's love of Israel was. He loved them, because he would love them. It was free, for it was unforced: he willingly offered himself. Here am I, send me. This sacrifice was bound to the horns of the altar, only with the cords of his own love.
It was distinguishing love.—It was good-will to fallen man, and not to fallen angels. He did not lay hold on a world of sinking angels; as their tree fell, so it lies, and so it is like to lie for ever: but on the seed of Abraham he taketh hold. The nature of angels was more excellent than that of man, their place in the creation higher, their capacity for honoring God greater; and yet they were passed by. Man that sinned, was pitied and helped; while angels that sinned, were not so much as spared. The deplorable state of devils, serves as a foil to set off the blessed state of the ransomed of the Lord.
It was condescending love.—Never did love humble itself, and stoop so low as the love of Christ did. It was great condescension, that he should fix his love upon creatures so mean, "man that is a worm, the son of man that is a worm;" so near akin to the brutal part of the creation, especially since the fall, that one would think he should rather be the scorn than the love of the spiritual and purely intellectual world: yet this is the creature that is chosen to be the darling of heaven, and in whom Wisdom's delights are. But especially that, in prosecution of this love, he should humble himself as he did: humble himself to the earth in his incarnation; humble himself into the earth in the meanness of his life; humble himself into the earth, when he went to the grave, the place where mankind appears under the greatest mortification and disgrace.
It was expensive love.—His washing the feet of his disciples is spoken of as an act of love to them; and that was condescending love, but not costly like this. He loved us, and bought us, and paid dear for us, that we might be unto him a purchased people. Because he loved Israel, he gave "men for them, and people for their life, even Egypt for their ransom." But because he loved us, he gave himself for us, even his own blood for the ransom of our souls.
It was strong love, strong as death, and which many waters could not quench.—This was the greatness of his strength, in which the Redeemer travelled, who is mighty to save; it was strong to break through great difficulties, and trample upon the discouragements that lay in his way.
When he had this baptism of blood to be baptized with, it was love that said, "How am I straitened till it be accomplished!" It was love that said, "With desire have I desired to eat this passover," which he knew was to be his last. It was the strength of his love that reconciled him to the bitter cup which was put into his hand, and made him wave his petition, "that it might pass from him:" which, for ought we know, if he had insisted upon it, had been granted, and the work undone.
It was an everlasting love.—It was from everlasting in the counsels of it, and will be to everlasting in the consequences of it, Not like our love, which comes up in a night and perishes in a night. He loved to the end, and went on with his undertaking till he said, "It is finished." Never was there such a constant lover as the blessed Jesus, whose gifts and callings are without repentance.
(iv.) Come and see the conquest of Satan. And this is a very pleasing sight to all those who through grace are turned from the power of Satan unto
God, as it was to the Israelites, when they had newly shaken off the Egyptian yoke, to see their task-masters and pursuers dead upon the seashore. Come and see our Joshua discomfiting the Amalekites; our David, with a sling and a stone, vanquishing that proud Goliath, who not only himself basely deserted, but then boldly defied the armies of the living God.
Come and see, not Michael and his angels, but Michael himself; Michael our Prince, who trode the wine-press alone, entering the lists with the dragon and his angels, and giving them an effectual overthrow; the seed of the woman, though bruised in the heel, yet breaking the serpent's head, according to that ancient promise made unto the fathers. Come and see the great Redeemer, not only making peace with earth, but making war with hell; dispossessing the strong man armed, "spoiling principalities and powers, making a show of them openly, and triumphing over them in his cross."
(v.) Come and see Christ triumphing over Satan at his death. Though the war was in heaven, yet some fruits of the victory even then appeared on earth. Though, when Christ was in the extremity of his sufferings, there was darkness over all the land, which gave the powers of darkness all the advantage they could wish for; yet he beat the enemy upon his own ground.
Satan, some think, terrified Christ into his agony; but then he kept possession of his own soul, and steadily adhered to his Father's will, and to his own undertaking: so he baffled Satan. Satan put it into the heart of Judas to betray him; but in the immediate ruin of Judas, who presently went and hanged himself, Christ triumphed over Satan, and made a show of him openly. Satan tempted Peter to deny Christ, desiring to have him, that he might sift him as wheat; but, by the speedy repentance of Peter, who, upon a look from Christ, went out and wept bitterly, Christ triumphed over Satan, and baffled him in his designs. Satan was ready to swallow up the thief upon the cross; but Christ rescued him from the gates of hell, and raised him to the glories of heaven, and thereby spoiled Satan, who was as a lion disappointed of his prey.
Come and see Christ triumphing over Satan by his death; the true Samson, that did more towards the ruin of the Philistines dying than living: having by his life and doctrine destroyed the works of the devil, at length by his death "he destroyed the devil himself, that had the power of death." In him was fulfilled the blessing of the tribe of Gad: "A troop shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last;" and "through him that loved us we are conquerors, yea, more than conquerors."
Christ, by dying, made atonement for sin, and so conquered Satan. By the merit of his death he satisfied God's justice for the sins of all that should believe in him; and if the judge remit the sentence, the executioner has nothing to do with the prisoner. We were ready to fail under the curse, to be made an anathema, that is, to be delivered unto Satan; Christ said, Upon me be the curse: this blotted out the handwriting that was against us, took it out of the way, nailed it to the cross; and so Satan is spoiled;—Who shall condemn? It is Christ that died. When God forgives the iniquity of his people, he brings back their captivity. If we shall not come into condemnation, we are saved from coming into execution.
Christ, by dying, sealed the gospel of grace, and purchased the Spirit of grace; and so conquered Satan. The Spirit acting by the gospel as the instrument, and the gospel animated by the Spirit as the principal, are become "mighty to the pulling down of Satan's strong holds." Thus a foundation is laid for a believer's victory over the temptations and terrors of the wicked one. Christ's victory over Satan is our victory, and we overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb." Thus kings of armies did flee apace, and even they that tarried at home, and did themselves contribute nothing to the victory, yet "divided the spoil." Christ, having thus trodden Satan under our feet, calls to us, as Joshua to the captains of Israel, "Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings." "Resist the devil and he will flee from you," for he is a conquered enemy.
(VI.) Come and see the worth of souls.—We judge of the value of a thing, by the price which a wise man that understands it gives for it. He that made souls, and had reason to know them, provided for their redemption, not "corruptible things as silver and gold, but the precious blood of his own
Son." It was not a purchase made hastily, for it was the contrivance of infinite wisdom from eternity; it was not made for necessity, for he neither needed us nor could he be benefited by us; but thus he was pleased to teach us what account we should make of our own souls, and their salvation and happiness. The incarnation of Christ put. a great honor upon the human nature: never was it so dignified, as when it was taken into union with the divine nature in the person of Immanuel. But the death and sufferings of Christ add much more to its value, for he laid down his own life to be a ransom of ours, when nothing else was sufficient to answer the price. Lord, what is man that he should be thus visited, thus regarded!—that the Son of God should not only dwell among us, but die for us!
Now, let us see this, and learn how to put a value upon our own souls. Not so as to advance our conceit of ourselves,—nothing can be more humbling and abasing, than to see our lives sold by our own folly, and redeemed by the merit of another; but so as to increase our concern for ourselves, and our own spiritual interests. Shall the souls, the precious souls, upon which Christ put such a value, and paid such a price for, debase and undervalue themselves so far as to become slaves to Satan, and drudges to the world and the flesh? We are bought with a price; and therefore we not only injure the purchaser's right to us, if we alienate ourselves to another, but we reproach his wisdom in paying such a price, if we alienate ourselves for a thing of nought. It is the apostle's argument against uncleanness, and against making ourselves the servants of men. Christ having purchased our souls at such a rate, we disparage them if we stake them to the trifles of the world, or pawn them for the base and sordid pleasures of sin. Shall that birthright be sold for a mess of pottage, which Christ bought with his own blood? No; while we live, let our souls be our darlings, (Ps. 22:20,) for his sake to whom they were so dear. If Christ died and suffered so much to save our souls, let us not hazard the losing of them, though it be to gain the whole world.
Let us see this, and learn how to put a value upon the souls of others. This forbids us to do any thing that may turn to the prejudice of the souls of others, by drawing them to sin, or discouraging them in that which is good.
The apostle lays a great stress upon this argument, against the abuse of our Christian liberty, to the offence of others—"Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died." Shall not we deny ourselves and our own satisfaction, rather than occasion guilt or grief to them for whom Christ humbled himself, even to the death of the cross? Shall we slight those upon whom Christ put such a value? Shall we set those with the dogs of our flock, whom Christ purchased with his own blood, and set among the lambs of his flock? God forbid.
This also commands us to do all we can for the spiritual welfare and salvation of the souls of others. Did Christ think them worth his blood? and shall not we think them worth our care and pains? Shall not we willingly do our utmost to save a soul from death, and thereby hide a multitude of sins, when Christ did so much, and suffered so much, to make it possible? Shall not we pour out not prayers for them for whom Christ poured out his soul unto death, and bear them upon our hearts whom Christ laid so near his?
Blessed Paul, in consideration hereof, not only made himself the servant of all, to please them for their edification, but was willing to be "offered upon the sacrifice and service of their faith," and so to fill up what was behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake. And if we be at any time called upon even to lay down our lives for the brethren, we must remember that in that, as well as in washing their feet, Christ has left us an example.
(VII.) Come and see the purchase of the blessings of the new covenant.— The blood of Christ was not only the ransom of our forfeited lives, and the redemption of our souls from everlasting misery; but it was the valuable consideration upon which the grant of eternal life and happiness is grounded. Christ's death is our life; that is, it is not only our salvation from death, but it is the fountain of all our joys, and the foundation of all our hopes. All the comforts we have in possession, and all we have in prospect; all the privileges of our way, and all those of our home, are the blessed fruits of that accursed tree on which our Redeemer died.
See the blood of Christ, the spring from whence all the blessings of the covenant flow. That is the price of all our pardons, "we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" without the shedding of blood, that precious blood, there had been no remission. That is the purchase of the divine favor, which is our life; we are made accepted only in the beloved. Peace is made, a covenant of peace settled, and peace secured to all the sons of peace, by the blood of his cross, and not otherwise. That is the price paid for the "purchased possession, that they which are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Christ was made a curse for us, not only to redeem us from the curse of the law, but that we through him might inherit the blessing. Thus, "out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness." Behold, he shows us a mystery.
See the blood of Christ, the stream in which all the blessings of the covenant flow to us. The blood of Christ, as it is exhibited to us in this ordinance, is the vehicle, the channel of conveyance by which all graces and comforts descend from heaven to earth. "This cup is the new testament in the blood of Christ," and so it becomes a cup of blessing, a cup of consolation, a cup of salvation. All the hidden manna comes to us in this dew. It is the blood of Christ speaking for us, that pacifies an offended God: it is the blood of Christ sprinkled on us, that purifies a defiled conscience.
As it was the "blood of Jesus that consecrated for us the new and living way," and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers; so it is by that blood that we have boldness "to enter into the holiest."
(viii.) Come and see how much we owe to the death of Christ, the rich purchases he made for us, that he might cause us to inherit substance, and might fill our treasures.—Let this increase our esteem of the love of Christ, which was not only so very expensive to himself, but so very advantageous to us. Let this also enhance the value of covenant blessings in our eyes. The blessings of this life we owe to the bounty of God's providence, but spiritual blessings in heavenly things we owe to the blood of his Son. Let these, therefore, be to us more precious than rubies,—let these always have a preference,—let us be willing to part with any thing, rather than hazard the favor of God, the comforts of the Spirit, and life eternal, remembering what these cost,—let us never make light of wisdom's preparations, when we see at what rate they were bought in. To them who believe they are precious, for they know they were purchased by the precious blood of Christ, which we undervalue as a common thing, if we prefer farms and merchandize before heaven and the present earnests of it.
Chapter 9. Some Account of the Precious Benefits Which are to be Received by Faith in this Ordinance. n the Lord's Supper, we are not only to "show the Lord's death," and see what is to be seen in it, as many who, when he was upon the cross, stood afar off beholding;—no; we must there be more than spectators—we must eat of the sacrifice, and "so partake of the altar." The bread which came down from heaven was not designed merely for show-bread, bread to be looked upon; but for household bread, bread to be fed upon, bread to strengthen our hearts, and wine to make them glad; and wisdom's invitation is, "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled."
Christ's feeding great multitudes miraculously, more than once, when he was here upon earth, was (as his other miracles) significant of the spiritual provision he makes in the everlasting gospel, for the support and satisfaction of those that leave all to follow him. If we do not all eat, and be not all filled abundantly with the goodness of his house, it is our own fault.
Let us not then straiten and starve ourselves, for the Master of the feast has not stinted us; he has not only invited us, and made provision for our entertainment, but he calls to us as one that bids us hearty welcome—"Eat, O friends! drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved!"
All people are for what they can get: here is something to be got in this ordinance, if it be rightly improved, which will turn to our account infinitely more than the "merchandize of silver, or the gain of fine gold."
Christ and all his benefits are here not only set before us, not only offered to us, but settled upon us, under certain provisos and limitations; so that a believer, who sincerely consents to the covenant, receives some of the present benefit of it, in and by this ordinance, both in the comfortable experience of communion with God in grace, and the comfortable expectation of the vision and fruition of God in glory.
Gospel ordinances in general, and this in particular, which is the seal of gospel promises, are wells of salvation, out of which we may draw water with joy; breasts of consolation, from which we may suck and be satisfied; golden pipes, through which the oil of grace is derived from the good olive, to keep our lamps burning. We receive the grace of God herein in vain, if we take not what is here tendered—gospel blessings upon gospel terms. We are here to receive. Christ Jesus the Lord, and since "with him God freely gives us all things," we must with him by faith take what he gives—"all spiritual blessings in heavenly things by Christ Jesus."
I. Here we may receive the pardon and forgiveness of our sins. This is that great blessing of the new covenant, which makes way for all other blessings, by taking down that wall of partition which separated between us and God, and hinders good things from us: it is the matter of that promise which comes in as a reason for all the rest—I will do so and so for them, "for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness." This is that great blessing which Christ died to purchase for us: his blood was shed for many, for the remission of sins; and perhaps he intimated this to be in a special manner designed by him in his sufferings, when the first word we find recorded that he spoke, after he was nailed to the cross, was, "Father, forgive them;" which seems to look not only to those that had an immediate hand in his death, but to those that are remotely accessary to it, as all sinners are, though they know not what they do.
The everlasting gospel is an act of indemnity—an act of oblivion we may call it, for it is promised that our sins and iniquities he will remember no more: it is indeed an act of grace; repentance and remission of sins is by it published in Christ's name to all nations. It is proclaimed to the rebels, that, if they will lay down their arms, acknowledge their offence, return to their allegiance, approve themselves good subjects for the future, and make the merits of him whom the Father hath appointed to be the Mediator, their plea in suing out their pardon, the offended Prince will be reconciled to them, their attainder shall be reversed, and they shall not only be restored to all the privileges of subjects, but advanced to the honors and advantages of favorites. Now it concerns us all to be able to make it out that we are entitled to the benefit of this act, that we are qualified, according to the tenor of it, for the favor intended by it; and if we be so indeed, in the Lord's
Supper we receive that pardon to us in particular, which in the gospel is proclaimed to all in general. We do here receive the atonement, as the expression is. God hath received it for the securing of his honor, and we receive it for the securing of our happiness and comfort; we claim the benefit of it, and desire to be justified and accepted of God for the sake of it.
This sacrament should therefore be received with a heart thus lifting up itself to God: "Lord, I am a sinner, a great sinner, I have done very