CHAPTER III.

ON FAITH IN CHRIST'S ATONEMENT.

THE Lord's Supper is manifestly an institution designed only for Christians, for sincere believers in Jesus Christ. It is well known that the primitive churches were very particular in exercising a strict discipline, to keep the unbelieving from that holy table. Indeed, our attendance there without faith in Him, would be a mere act of hypocrisy.

Hence it becomes important for us to understand the nature of faith. The idea is in itself so simple, as rather to be obscured than elucidated by definition. Faith in God's word is the same as faith in man's word, a sure belief of what is said. * True faith is a practical belief of the word of God, and especially of the record which he hath given of his Son. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

* The scriptures accurately describe it to be the substance (VπUσтασis, confidence,) of things hoped for; the evidence (eλeyxos, conviction,) of things not seen. Heb. xi. 1.

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The Holy Scriptures illustrate the nature and effects of this faith in a variety of ways, describing it as a coming to Christ, looking unto him, receiving him, putting him on, trusting in him, living upon him, and the like. These figures very strikingly exhibit the inward workings of the believer's heart.

Repentance and faith are most intimately connected in the Holy Scriptures. Matt. xxi. 32. Mark i. 15. Acts xx. 21. There is no repentance without faith, and no lively faith without repentance. It has been observed, that repentance and faith are only two branches of the same vital root, of the new creature in Christ Jesus.

The object in this chapter is not, however, to explain the nature of faith in general, or faith in Christ, (which is a believing all that the scriptures say of him as a divine Saviour, and so receiving him in all his offices, as our Prophet, Priest, and King,) but to bring before the reader the nature and importance of faith in his blood. Rom. iii. 25. There is in the Lord's Supper, when duly received, a special act of faith in the atonement of Christ. This is a point of the utmost importance, as it regards our individual salvation. Our holiness too, and our comfort, as well as our duly partaking of this ordinance, are closely connected with right views on this subject.

There are some expressions in a discourse recorded in the 6th of John,* which have often been referred to the Lord's Supper, and which will assist

*It is observable, that this evangelist, who omits the mention of the appointment of the external ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, dwells most at large on the spiritual import of those ordinances, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and faith in the atonement of Christ.

us to understand the nature of this faith. The circumstances of that discourse were these. The miracle of feeding the multitude with bread, and their thence following our Lord, having led him to exhort them to labour for the meat which endureth to everlasting life, they ask him, What shall we do that we might work the works of God? His reply was, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. The Jews ask for a proof of his mission, and tell him of the manna which Moses had given. This leads our Lord to show them a better food; I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. He farther explains himself, when he says, The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews were stumbled at this; but our Lord only the more solemnly asserts, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

To prevent any misunderstanding of these words by giving them a mere literal interpretation, our Lord afterwards told his disciples, It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.

The great subject inculcated in this discourse, is such a faith in Christ as leads the soul to rely on his giving his flesh for the life of the world. The discourse does not directly refer to the Lord's Supper, for there is not in the whole statement the slightest mention or hint of that appointment, nor could his

hearers have had any clear understanding of his words, if he were supposed to be speaking of an ordinance never appointed, nor even intimated before. In such a case, would not our Lord's words have wanted that distinctness and precision which usually characterize his discourses?

Our Lord here takes occasion from what had previously passed, to illustrate the nature of faith in him, by food received for the support of the body. By the flesh of the Son of Man and his blood, he means his becoming man and dying for us; (Heb. ii. 14.) by his flesh being given for the life of the world, he points out the atonement which he would by his death make for mankind; and by eating that flesh, and drinking that blood, he shews how we partake of this blessing. Faith is to the mind, what partaking of food is to the animal frame. We know that before food can nourish us, it must be received, eaten, and digested: and so before any sentiments or statements can benefit us, we must believe them and dwell upon them; or, (as in the same allusion the Collect expresses it,) we must “inwardly digest them." The truths of scripture, and the doctrines of salvation by Jesus Christ, can only influence us, and produce in us corresponding affections, as they are received, as they are credited and thought upon.

Thus the doctrine of the atonement may be known in a general way; we may be able to state it accurately, and prove it strongly, without our being influenced by it, or having any interest in it; in order to obtain the blessing ourselves, we must receive the atonement, Rom. v. 11, 17. Saving faith has a special reference to this doctrine. The faith by which

Christians under the gospel dispensation, are justified and accounted righteous before God, is such a persuasion of the truth of the divine declarations respecting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as makes the soul cleave to him, and produces a sure trust and reliance upon his obedience unto death, as our only and all-sufficient ground of hope for the pardon of sin, peace with God, the gift of eternal life; and makes us apply to him for his Holy Spirit to purify us, for strength and every spiritual blessing. When we are "enabled thus to believe and come to God with our load of guilt and misery, not trusting in our own righteousness, but in his manifold and great mercies, as flowing to sinners through the sacrifice and atonement of Christ, then we find peace of conscience, and a quiet mind." Our souls are satisfied and strengthened, and our hearts are set at liberty to love and serve God with gratitude and entire devotedness.

The Church of England speaks very decisively on this subject. "The right and true Christian faith, is not only to believe that Holy Scripture, and all the foresaid articles of our faith, are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence in God's merciful promises, to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ; whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments."

Only conceive the state of mind of one awakened to a true knowledge of the law of God in its reasonableness, its purity, and its extent: and a true sense of his own exceeding sinfulness. He sees that he is justly condemned, heaven is forfeited, divine wrath

*See Homily on Salvation.