Of the Nature of a Sacrament.

sign of the Son of Man in the clouds; how soon we shall in our flesh see God, and with our eyes behold him, even that very body which the nails tore, and the spear pierced; shall see him, but now brighter than the sun when it shineth in its strength, coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, accompanied by hosts of heaven which no man can number: coming to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired of all that believe. And this will be a remembrance most comforting to those, who, by the present ordinance sealing to them all the promises of God, are assured, that when he shall appear, then shall they also appear with him in glory.

Such are the views which are included under the remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ; which lead,

Secondly-To the consideration of the benefits we receive thereby. These are great and manifold. In general, Jesus Christ makes over his whole self to every believer, and therewith all the blessings of grace and glory, which, by his obedience unto death, he hath purchased for us. God, in giving us his Son, doth also with him freely give us all things; and of these the following are the most remarkable:

1. The pardon of sin. This is the first and grand purchase of the sacrifice of Christ; his blood was shed for the remission of sins. Sin made the great breach between God and us; its guilt condemned,

Of the Nature of a Sacrament.

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whilst its power enslaved us; we lay under a curse which we could neither remove nor endure but Christ, by his undertaking for us, hath opened to us a door of hope, a way in which God is righteous and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; whilst he accepts our surety, and exacts from him the immense debts with which we stood chargeable..

In the Gospel the glad tidings of free salvation are brought to us, and we are called to embrace them; and here, for the confirmation of our faith, God condescends to put his seal to his covenant of grace, ratifying to us the purchased pardon, and assuring us thereby that he will be merciful to our unrighteousness, and will remember our sins and iniquities no more; and we testify our consent and hearty desire of its accomplishment, by coming to receive the free gift of God in Jesus Christ, and casting our souls upon the promise. How high the gift! how great the benefit! pardon of sin! a free pardon, without money and without price! a pardon for the chief of sinners, for a world of sinners! though dearly purchased by Christ, freely given to us!—a pardon that removes condemnation, silences fear, begets boldness! Doth the law accuse? we point to this sacrifice, and say, There is my satisfaction.-Doth conscience tremble? Looking to Jesus, how can we fear?-Are we weighed down with our guilt peculiarly heavy, or lying under a burden intolerable as an ephah of lead? This blood cleanseth from all sin, unbinds every burden, sets the prisoner free, sends him forth from the pit of

Of the Nature of a Sacrament.

sin and death, to partake in the glorious liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Come then, ye guilty sinners! whose black crimes cover you with confusion; come, ye leprous souls! who want to wash, and be clean; come, ye burdened consciences! and lay down your load at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. He hath purchased all you want, and invites you to come and take of the water of life freely, to wash your crimson sins away in the fountain of his blood, and to be restored to the full enjoyment of God's favour, just as if you had never sinned. Here is a pardon for you, written in blood, and sealed in blood, confirmed by the word and oath of God, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us.

2. Adoption of children is another benefit of Christ's passion. We who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the cove nant of promise, are brought nigh through the blood of Christ, and made fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. His obedience to death not only removes guilt, but confers favour upon us. We are hereby reinstated in all the forfeited rights of children, which by our fall we had lost; and receive the adoption of sons, as well as are delivered from the curse of the law. In this ordinance God the Father promises to be a father to all those that come unto him by Jesus Christ; that he will give them a place in his family upon earth, and an inheritance among the joint heirs with Christ in heaven; that he will take greater

Of the Nature of a Sacrament.

care of them than the most tender parent, and love them with an everlasting love. He gives them this pledge, as the father gave the prodigal son the ring, whereby they are sealed to the day of redemption; and withal sheds abroad in their hearts his love, begetting theirs; because we are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts, whereby we cry, Abba, Father! Thus the children, coming to their Father at the table where their elder brother hath provided a feast of love for them, receive increase in every filial temper and disposition, and grow up into him in all things, who is their head, even Christ. Here, then, behold the precious purchase of a Saviour's blood; that we, the heirs of wrath, and children of darkness-that we, dust of the earth, vile as men, abominable as sinners—that we, aliens and enemies in our minds by wicked works, should be brought nigh, not merely permitted, as the prodigal asked, to be put among the hired servants, but robed in the Saviour's righteousness, placed among his children, seated at his table, blessed with his favour, partakers of the provisions of his house below, and looking for an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, which fadeth not away, reserved for us in heaven. Well may we cry out with astonishment, Behold, what manner of love is this which the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!

3. Another benefit is the consolation and joy which are herein dispensed. To rejoice in Christ Jesus, to have peace with God through faith, to be filled with comfort and joy of the Holy Ghost, in

Of the Nature of a Sacrament.

the present earnest, and sure prospects of glory to come, is in a peculiar measure the case in this ordinance, where all things visibly tend to beget confidence in God. Here we often get Pisgah-views of the promised land; here the mourning saint finds joy the weary, rest-the dejected, encouragement-the strong, increasing confidence; here the spirit of faith applies the atonement, and the sense of reconciliation often fills our souls with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Christ intends his people should be comforted, should abound in all spiritual joy, and come as to a feast where" gladness is sown for the upright in heart." Here we

should dry our tears at least, if they fall, they should be tears of joy; we should put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness," and not sit mournfully before the Lord of Hosts," nor cloud the joy of the festivity with sorrow on our brow, unless such a sorrow as St. Paul mentions, sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: whilst, though mourning for our sins, we believe the greatness of the gift bestowed on us; and the Spirit witnesses with our spirit, to the work he hath wrought in us, and gives us a present taste of our inheritance, before we are actually put in possession of the purchased glory in heaven.

What a delightful ordinance! How many thousands of real Christians have experienced the comforts of it, and daily continue to do so!-Real Christians, I say! not mere ceremonious visitors; they feel, taste, and handle nothing of the word of life; the bread and wine are to them barren elements, dry breasts which afford no consolation ;