There is scarcely one revelation of God in the Bible which does not involve mystery--which does not try, therefore, severely try, the submissiveness of our faith.
Notoriously is this the case with that revelation which was typified by the Passover. What connection, man asks, can be conceived of, between the Saviour’s crucifixion and the absolution of the sinner? What link of intelligible union can exist between the shedding of the life-blood of the Holy and sinless One, and the remission of the long and deep debt of the world’s, or of so much as one man’s, transgressions? And a thousand suppositions have been hazarded by human speculation, of which the aim and object is to lighten the weight of this doctrine--to make it less of a submission to receive it, by taking out of it the unexpectedness and the peculiarity. Thus we seek to make fewer and to make easier the submissions of faith--not by assuring ourselves more thoroughly of the Divinity of Him who speaks with us--not by a more implicit reliance upon the wisdom, truth, and love of Him who thus, and not otherwise, sends us salvation--but, by offering modifications which may palliate and dilute the difficulty, and in the same degree take from the revelation itself its very salt and life and virtue. There is something of the same trial in every ordinance of worship. What real connection can be dreamed of, we might ask, between the kneeling, elsewhere or here, on a little spot of earth, to think a few thoughts, to speak a few words, alone by myself, or in the congregation--and the influx of grace, or the supply of strength, or the ministry of consolation--not to mention any special outward or bodily relief--which those thoughts have desired, or which those words have asked, of an invisible God in a far-off heaven? The only answer is that which satisfied the man of faith here commemorated--faith, assured of the command, argues not, nor gainsays, “Hath He said, and shall He not do it?” is a self-answering question, when God is the subject. “By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood,” and the destroyer “passed over” the houses upon which the sign of faith was. (Dean Vaughan.)
Faith in observance of ordinances:
By Moses’ example we are encouraged
1. To obedience in the right use of God’s signs.
2. To confidence that God’s ends shall be obtained in the use of those instituted signs, and that the ordinances shall be effectual unto the ends for which God hath appointed them. Therefore waiving all other points, I shall insist upon this one alone. Doct.: That rightly to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, there is great need of the vigorous and lively work and exercise of faith. First, in general, whoever would have any commerce with God must have some faith. He must believe steadfastly those two primitive and supreme truths, God’s being and bounty, His essence and His providence; that there is a God, and that it is not in vain to serve God. Secondly, as this faith is necessary to religion in general, and all that respect we show to God, so all the duties of worship must be gone about in faith and obedience, otherwise they are not acceptable to God, for God accepts of nothing but what He hath appointed and instituted. Thirdly, there are special reasons why the work and exercise of faith is required in the use of these sacramental signs. I have hitherto showed you the necessity and use of faith to all acts of religion in the general, now I shall show it more particularly as to sacraments. There is faith in prayer, and faith in the Word, but especially in the use of the sacraments; and here they have a fourfold use.
1. To interpret the signs according to the use and end for which they were appointed, and to discern the mysteries represented thereby, namely, that God doth as effectually give Christ to the soul as He doth give bread and wine to the body; or, to use the apostle’s phrase, to help us “to discern the Lord’s body,” that the eye may affect the heart (1Co_11:25). It is such a discerning as stirs up suitable affections, a holy joy, and a delightful converse with Him. It is such a discerning as is not opposite to ignorance, but to irreverence and slightness; when a man doth not consider what he is about, he hath no true sight and sense of Christ in the duty.
2. Faith is necessary, that we may not be offended at the mean and despicable appearance in the sacraments. Here are excellent mysteries, veiled under the simplicity of a few outward rites that make no fair show in the flesh.
3. The nature of these signs is to excite and confirm faith. There are three uses of signs--to represent., to put in remembrance, and to confirm; and so signs are either significative, commemorative, or confirming and assuring. Now, since there are several sorts of signs, unto which of these shall we refer the sacraments? That must be determined by God’s institution; for mark, the sacraments are not natural signs, as smoke is a sign of fire, but instituted signs; bread doth not naturally signify the body of Christ, or wine the blood of Christ, but only by institution. Now, in all instituted signs we must look to the author and the end. Instituted signs in religion can have no author but God, therefore no creature can institute a sacrament, because they cannot give the grace that is signified thereby, nor bind God to give that grace by a sign of their own devising. But now to what end hath God instituted these signs? whether to signify or to admonish, or to certify and assure? I answer, In some sense for all these ends, but chiefly the latter.
4. There is this peculiar to sacraments above other duties, that they imply a closer application.
First, What to do before the supper.
1. Before we come to remember Christ, we must first consider ourselves, and reflect upon our own state.
2. For the manner in which you ought to come.
(1) Come judging and condemning yourselves, and humbled under the sense of your own vileness and unworthiness, that Jesus Christ may be more sweet to you.
(2) They must come with hunger and thirst after sacramental benefits, the comforts and saving graces of the Spirit, God invites such, whatever discouragements they have upon them (Isa_55:1).
(3) They are to bewail their unbelief, and to make what application of Christ they can; when they cannot apply Christ to themselves, they must apply themselves to Christ. They must go to Christ with that faith they have, and say (Mar_9:24).
(4) Renew thy consecration, and consent to surrender and give up thyself to the tuition and service of Christ; for the more we mind our duty the more ready is God to prepare our comfort for us. Secondly, What we are to do in the supper of the Lord. Oh, look that you excite and stir up faith! It is not enough to have it, but it must be exercised; ay, and that in a lively and vigorous manner (Son_1:12). There is a twofold faith to be exercised--a faith that respects the whole duty, and a faith that is more specially terminated on the person of Christ. Thirdly, What we are to do after the Lord’s Supper. Examine what exercise and increase of faith there hath been. Have I acted faith in this duty? How shall I know it? If you have in the acting of faith been waiting upon God for the blessings of the institution, the effects will show it.
The effects are these
1. It will stir up joy and thankfulness; you will find it will increase both Act_8:39).
2. It will produce a longing to meet with God another time, that we may be thus kindly refreshed, and have another good meal from God, and be feasted in His house (Psa_63:2).
3. There will be resolution to serve the Lord the more faithfully, and walk with Him in all the ways of holiness. You have been with God, and you go aside and say (Psa_116:12-14).
4. For the present the heart should be more warm and serious, and all those things omitted, for a time at least, which rather savour of the flesh than of the spirit, which, though they do not directly belong to the flesh, yet they border on it. And those things will be omitted which do not well agree with the lively sense and fervour of godliness, which should be stirred up in us in an action so important. (T. Manton, D. D.)
Faith securing deliverance from the destroyer
I. THE HISTORICAL FACTS CONNECTED WITH THE PASSOVER.
1. The hopeless bondage of the people (Exo_10:28).
2. The Divine method of deliverance.
3. This method a singular type of Christian redempiion.
II. THE FAITH BY WHICH MOSES KEPT THE PASSOVER.
1. Faith was manifested in believing that the judgment was about to come.
2. Faith was manifested in expecting deliverance through the simple means God appointed.
3. Faith was manifested in the assurance that this would be the means of their deliverance from Egypt.
III. THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THIS FAITH AND THAT NECESSARY FOR SPIRITUAL REDEMPTION.
1. The requirements of faith in each case are similar.
2. The ground of faith in each case is the Word of God.
3. The difficulty of faith in each case is the mystery of the method.
4. The result of faith in each case is a new and blessed life. (C. New.)
The best security against the day of wrath
I. SHOW WHAT IS THAT BELIEVING. MANAGEMENT OF THE SACRAMENT OF CHRIST’S BODY AND BLOOD, WHICH IS THE BEST SECURITY FOR A SINNER AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH. We will be helped to a view of this by considering the ordinance pointed at in the text.
1. The Christian and communicant that would manage this ordinance so as he may be secured against the day of wrath, must have his bunch of hyssop ready; that is, he must have faith, by which alone that blood can be sprinkled on the soul.
2. He must believe his own desert of wrath, that he himself deserves to fall amongst them that fall.
3. He must, with an eye of faith, discern the sacrifice and the virtue of it, seeing that in the ordinance which a carnal eye cannot. And here faith will say two things
(1) Faith will look in through the ordinance, and seeing Christ in it, will say, “There is a hiding-place from wrath (Joh_1:29).
(2) Faith will look more narrowly yet, even through the hiding-place itself; and where the fearful unbeliever sees many faults the believer will see none, but say, “He is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb_7:25). In a word, he will believe
(a) That Christ is the appointed: Refuge against wrath; and
(b) That He is a safe Refuge, and that there is no other.
4. He must dip his bunch of hyssop in the bason where the blood of the Lamb is. Christ is our Paschal Lamb (1Co_5:7); the covenant is the bason wherein the blood of the Lamb is poured (Heb_13:20), and the cup the New Testament. The believing communicant will lay hold on the covenant made by sacrifice, that he may be safe in the day of wrath (Psa_1:3-5).
5. He must sprinkle this blood, make an effusion of it; apply it by faith, and receive the atonement.
6. He must sprinkle it on the lintel and side-posts, only not on the threshold. Look with an eye of faith on it as precious blood, and sprinkle it over your whole man, above you, on every side; only not under your feet. Despise it not (Heb_10:29).
7. He must not sprinkle it only on the back of the door, but on the outside, the lintel and side-posts, that the angel may see it. The Lord is coming to call the land to a sad account, and to examine every one. On with your mark this day, on your foreheads.
8. He must feed on the body and blood of Christ.
(1) On a whole Christ--Christ in all His offices.
(2) With the bitter herbs of repentance and sorrow for sin.
(3) Ye must eat in a departing posture; turning your backs on the world and your lusts, and setting your face stedfastly to Immanuel’s land.
II. SHOW WHAT SECURITY THIS WILL BE AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH.
1. Thus ye will be secured from eternal wrath.
2. In a day of wrath upon the land; though the storm blow never so hard, ye shall have a manifold security. Though ye must not promise yourselves security from trouble, yet
(1)Ye shall be kept from mixing with the generation under God’s wrath. Build ye the partition-wall, and God will build the protection-wall (Psa_12:7).
(2) “It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger” (Zep_2:3).
(3) Ye shall not be straitened for provision, though it be a scarce Psa_142:5).
(4) Though the weight of common calamity should bruise you, yea, and crush you, “there shall no evil touch you” (Job_5:19).
(a) No evil that is an only evil; mercy shall always be predominant in thy cup.
(b) The evil shall be taken out of the evils that come on thee.
(c) The evils that may come on thee shall be turned to good Rom_8:28).
III. COMFIRM THE DOCTRINE.
1. He that thus manageth this ordinance, unites with Christ, the Peace-maker. Christ is his; his security is in Him, for Christ is in him Gal_4:19), He cannot die. His blood is sprinkled on His people, and that marks them for the Lord.
2. He gets all this sealed under the broad seal of Heaven in this ordinance. Herein the covenant of peace between God and sinners is sealed in both hands; and all these, and much more, are promises and articles of the covenant. And what greater security can ye imagine in this world?
IV. THE APPLICATION.
Use 1. For information.
(1) The slighters of this ordinance are great fools and despisers of their own mercy.
(2) The mismanagers of this ordinance are great fools, who sit down at the Lord’s table but communicate not believingly. They do the outward work, but it is not in faith; they bring no faith, no discerning, &c.; and so instead of securing themselves against the day of wrath, do mark themselves out for wrath.
Use 2. Of exhortation.
(1) Ye that are not communicants, ye are in hazard of the day of wrath as well as others, though ye sit not at the table. Will ye by faith embrace the sacrifice exhibited there; receive and sprinkle the blood, the covenant sealed there.
(2) Communicants, manage this work so as ye may be secured against the day of wrath. All of you, flee into Christ Jesus as the city of refuge; and make sure work, and lay down your measures for time and for eternity.
(a) Let not the thoughts of wrath prevail to darken your view of the love of Christ in the gospel and in this ordinance. Particularly assure yourselves if ye be willing to be the Lord’s, and take Him for your God, the white side of the cloud is to you; and that though God were to destroy the whole land from off the face of the earth, if there were but one soul who would take shelter in the covenant of peace, he should be welcome.
(b) As ye give yourselves to the Lord, so give your families too. Take all yours that way, and lay them over on Him, and leave them with Him for the evil day.
(c) Let it be your main concern to get strength to be carried cleanly through; that ye be not led away with the sins and snares of the evil time, and so fall from your stedfastness.
(d) Be not peremptory and particular as to what otherwise may be your portion of common calamity; but leave that on the Lord. (T. Boston, D. D.)
