Amazing mys bruised for our iniquities, that by his stripes we might be healed. (a) AMAZING spectacle! tery! Astonishing wonder! Here is justice demonstrated, here is justice satisfied! Here is love stronger than death. Here is redemption from the curses of the law, from the sword of justice, from the wrath of God, from the guilt, power and nature of sin; yea, from the power of the grave and from everlasting damnation! O'tis Christ crucified! To the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to all that believe, Christ the power of God, and Christ the wisdom of God. " 'Tis myst'ry all: th' Immortal dies! It is an amazing instance of human depravity that we need a means of this sort, to perpetuate the memory of so important a transaction; but at the same time it shews the amazing importance of the atonement made upon the cross; and in this striking ordinance we set forth the Lord's death until he come: thus should we discern the Lord's body, nailed to the cross, and taking (a), Isaiah liii. 5. away the sins of the world. Can any thing in the universe render sin more odious, or the world more contemptible, than our incarnate Jehovah making his soul an offering for sin, expiring in tremendous agonies upon the cross? 3. By eating of that bread, and drinking of that cup, we call our sins to remembrance; a very unpleasing meditation, but yet a necessary one, and what we find holy men very often engaged in. And it seems the great annual atonement under the law was to answer that end, and therefore the Apostle says, But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. (a) AND if that shadowy ordinance was to call sins to remembrance, much more this standing memorial, which testifies that Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Here then we are called to look back, and trace it to its polluted fountain. Thus we may see that by one man's disobedience many were made sinners-that through the offence of one, judgment is come upon all men to condemnation; so that we were shapen in iniquity, and in sin conceived. Having heard of him by the hearing of the ear, but now the believer's eye sees him, and seeing him, abhors himself in dust and ashes. (a) Heb. x. 3. CAN any thing shew the malignity of sin like the amazing offering for sin? And shall not that feeling sensibility drive us to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness? to that blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel? Some tell us that St. Peter could never hear a cock crow, without weeping, it bringing to him such a keen remembrance of the sin of denying his Lord and Master. We often find David mourning like a dove, and deploring in bitter sighs and deep groans, his past sins and follies. It was this painful reflection which brought that blessed declaration from St. Paul's heart and pen, It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (a) Precious saying! Worthy of all acceptation indeed! How well is it for us that there was a St. Paul? and that he felt himself a sinner? that it made him so amazingly skilful in pointing to the sinner's only refuge. This is a needful qualification in all the ministers of the gospel. I mean a heartfelt acquaintance with themselves and their Saviour; thus, while we view and receive the symbols of our Saviour's broken body, should not the remembrance of our sin be grievous, and (a) 1 Tim. i. 15. the burthen of it intolerable to bear? Yes, our feeling cry should be, "Ah, give me, Lord, my sins to mourn; "Thy last tremendous agony : "And mix my sorrows with thy blood." O MY fellow sinner, let thy pride, anger, lust, love to the world, unbelief, and in a word, a nature so polluted that it is altogether as an unclean thing, and thy very righteousness as filthy rags, I say, let all this be written, if possible, in tears of blood! Yea, and even let that blood be washed in the blood of thy dear Saviour ! But then, let the abhorrence of thy sin be manifested in forsaking of it; don't let thy confessing sin be a plea for living in it. Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. No, let the time past suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles. Surely you cannot indulge that which hath so mangled, rent and torn the Lamb of God! Surely you cry out, ""Twere you, my sins, my cruel sins, 4. WE eat that bread, and drink that cup, in remembrance that Christ died for us, and thereby strengthen our faith in him. But then, it is necessary to observe, that we must have faith in him. I fear a grievous mistake lies here; and that is, many think they have faith who have it not; that they draw a false conclusion from false premises: Many conclude themselves believers because they have been baptized, and because they give their assent to the being of a God, and some other articles which they have been accustomed to hear. And I fear the ceremony of baptism is adopted instead of regeneration. And I think the established form gives too much encouragement for this conjecture; only attend unto it. "We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy church." The same dreadful error is confirmed in the Catechism. "Who gave you this name? Answer. My godfathers and godmothers, in my baptism, wherein I was made a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.' 66 Now let any reasonable man consider this; and is it any wonder that so many thousands are resting without faith when they are here taught to do so? yea, confirmed herein? What is a fundamental error if this be not? This makes me say, We R |