16. 6. I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live I die for thee that thou mayest not die I am come that thou mayest have Life then the Blessing of these who were ready to perish are poured out upon the Ransomer Then as Mic. 7. 18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity The deeper thy Sense of Guilt be being joyn'd with some hope of Mercy thou art in the surer way for the rich Consolations of God they that Sowe in Tears shal reap in Joy the Lord hath appointed the Garment of Praise after the spirit of Heaviness Isai 61. 3. 6 And though thou has no fear of Wrath having ground to hope that thou art Reconciled to God by the Blood of Christ Yet come humbly because thy sins are against such Streams of Mercy runing upon thee and passing by others thou knowest that thou hast never lived Suitable to the Greatness of thy Mercy never fully payed thy Vows never Glorified God in body and spirit as it became one not his own but Bought with a Price much is required of thee because much is given thee let the Sense of this go deeper in thy heart for if hope of Pardon make thy sin easie thou has cause to suspect both thy self and thy hope There are no Convictions should be more humbling than foolish requiting of the Lord and no Grief more grieving than grieving of his Spirit who minded our griefs and knew our Souls in adversities Thou will not want Matter of humbling to take with thee to the Lords Table and need of Renewed Application of that Precious Blood If thou open thine eyes to see thy way Jer. 2. 23. 7. Come humbly in the Sense of thy sin that thou mayest value the least of Mercy and the very Crumbs that fall from his Table and if such a full Cup of Consolation be not poured out to thee as to others or as at other times to thy self yet to Justifie God in thy heart not thinking thou hast hard measure not wondering if he hide his face from thee but rather wondring if it shine upon thee considering thy Provocations This true Sense of thy unworthiness will make thee think O that I may have a Cup of Salvation when I go to his Table whether it be a Cup of present Consolation or not And that thou may'st approach with some humbling sense of thy sin Consider that there must be some more deadly poison in sin than we do apprehend when no less doth expiate the guilt than that Blood which is called the Blood of God that no other Sacrifice nor Offering could avail Study O Christian to know more of the demerit of sin the greatness of the Justice of God that would accept of no other Atonement and the greatness of thy deliverance if thou art now a Believer that the weight of wrath is not come upon thee And think with thy self thou by thy sins pierced him thou brought blessed Jesus to sweat these drops of Blood thou pressed on him with the weight of thy sins until he cryeth out My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken me Canst thou want a humbling sense of sin and think this was for thee Canst thou yet mind it and not mourn What hateful hearts have we that are not more pierced with the piercing of Christ and a wonder if many of us find an interest in that Death wherewith we are so little concerned 2. Be Particular and Impartial in searching out the Aggravations of thy Sin from thy Youth up and when convictions arise in thy Conscience choke them not but intertain them as a Mercy until they be ripened for gracious humbling Thou may'st soon lay aside thy convictions but not so soon take them up again it may be God gave thee the mercy of many Convictions but thy love to sin has mastered them all that now thy Conscience lets thee sin with ease being seared and thy heart hardned and no wonder for many wakenings of Conscience that still end in security makes our hearts as the Iron many heats and many cools makes the Iron harder 3. But when none of thy Meditations or Convictions can soften thy heart but thou can behold thy sin and not grieve and often confess it yet canst not mourn never get thy heart poured out to God except some weight of Affliction press thee and then thou wilt pour out a prayer when the Lord is chastening thee and when thy affliction is over the pouring out of thy heart is at an end I say when nothing prevaileth with thy obdured heart yet bless God that there is a promised spirit of mourning Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shal mourn Cry to God for this help that thou may'st go to this blessed Ordinance as is expressed Jer. 50. 4. going and weeping and verse 5. joyn thy self to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant CHAP. V. Communion with Christ should be known before Partaking The fourth Inference IF that the worthy Receiver at the Lords Table obtain the Communion of his Body and Blood then Communicants are obliged to understand what that is which is called Communion with Christ before they Partake lest they be found ignorant of it when they Partake Consider then that true Communion with Christ being the happiness and honour of all who obtain it meriteth the greatest seriousness to know how sinful Mortals partake of it And though it be wonderful yet the exceeding riches of free Grace hath made it sure for Believers have the priviledge of entering into the holiest by the blood of Jesus and so obtain a more gracious nearness to God than those who remain only in the outer Court and that this may appear for the incouragement of those who still retain a value for it but fears that this fellowship is reserved wholly for a better life I shal by the help of God shew first that Believers in this life partake a peculiar and intimate fellowship with Christ Secondly It 's preparatory Antecedents whereby they are brought unto it And Thirdly Wherein it consisteth and the way how it 's enjoyed so far as God giveth to understand it I can promise the Reader no more For the First This blessed Communion with the Lord is not only Commanded both in the Old and New Testament Micah 6. 8 walk humbly with thy God Joh. 15. 4. Abide in me I in you so is made the plain Duty of the People of God to seek after it but is also promised Psal 140. 13. The upright shall dwell in thy presence Joh. 14. 23. We will come unto him and make our abode with him So that Believers may expect success to their Prayers and endeavâ—urs after Communion with God For faithful is he who hath promised Heb 10. 23. Secondly The near Union that is between Christ and Believers doth undeniably prove this Communion he being the Head and Believers the Body supplied in every part by the Head
there is just cause of fear that such persons have not known the shining of his Face as on the other hand these who diligently observe the Lords withdrawing from their souls and are forthwith pained and wounded for his absence do thereby testifie their acquaintance with the blessings of his presence especially if their grief be that they have provoked him to withdraw that his withdrawing is not only as to comfort but as to the measure of strengthning Grace formercy allowed them the very fear of the Lords deserting doth often mix water in the best of their wine that until Christ and they be at home in their Fathers Kingdom their brightest and most serene days are often overcast with clouds and therefore when they do enjoy his gracious presence fearing some alteration though not of their fixed gracious estate yet of their present blessings cry out Stir not up nor awake my love till c. Cant. 2. 7. O that he would stay and not leave my soul destitute and when the Cloud covereth them O what a damp it giveth then Darkness Jealousies Fears arise as Job 29. 1. O that I were as in moneths past when his candle shined on my head ver 2 3 4. As I was in the days of my youth when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle when the Almighty was yet with me This godly mans desires were fulfilled for Job 4. 2. So the Lord turned the captivity of Job and ver 12. blessed his latter end more than his beginning But many now come to old age are almost hopless that they shal ever in this life be as in the days of their youth and decline so far that they tempt themselves to doubt if ever the Almighty was with them and his secret on their Tabernacle 8. Where true Communion with God is there its perfection is desired not only to have that measure continued which is here allowed but to be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 18. Here their Fellowship is but as seeing through a Glass there it 's often interrupted as to its comforts here a body of sin is still pressing them downward to this Earth that they get not their Affections staid and fixed on things Above here they are surrounded with snares and temptations such as have made strong Cedars to shake And therefore having already the first fruits of a better Countrey they desire to be where he is who hath taken up their hearts to himself For to be with Christ they sincerely think best of all and Heb. 11. 16. But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly It 's not some extraordinary persons only who are of this mind but all true Believers for Rev. 22 17. The spirit and the bride say Come Christ saith I come quickly and they agree even so come Lord Jesus The crown of righteousness is laid up for all who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. So that it 's dangerous for a Christian to want desires of this nature for they are consistent with submission to his appointed time but since the Crown is laid up for such as love his appearing every Christian is concerned to try whether the meditations of that day be his terrour or delight these being a few of the great blessings found in Communion with God there remaineth yet one difficulty which perplexeth some serious souls that is how to have this blessed Communion ordinary so as they may be said to walk with God knowing that this walking with him is more than to perform some stated Duties of VVorship the grounds whence this difficulty ariseth are First They hear and read of abideing in Christ Joh. 15. 4. Setting the Lord always before our eyes Psal 16. 8. of waiting on God continually Hos 12. 6. of resorting continually unto him Psal 71 3 When they think on such Scriptures and withal the regard God hath to such as remember him in his ways Isa 64. 5. And such as thought on his Name Mal. 3 16. And his Indignation against these who forget God Psal 50. 22. These and the like passages being laid to heart they think that God should be always actually remembred some few find great disquiet if any considerable portion of time be spent without thoughts of God On the other hand they find themselves concerned in worldly affairs or Reading Studying c. Which cannot be managed without serious and suitable thoughts to the work they are about God clearly calleth them to these other things it were sin in them to ruine their families and neglect the duties of their station some of which duties may require a considerable portion of time and seriousness in that time now their strait is how to manage these external necessary Duties without sinful forgetting of God Answ 1. Whatever weakness may be found in this difficulty yet it appears to flow from a good root of love to God and fellowship with him it 's a savoury kind of trouble yet 2. It 's not safe for a Christian to arraign himself for a forgetter of God when he is serving God in the duties of his station but 3. It will be found that the bitterest ingredient of this accusation is when there is opportunity for remembring God without obstructing any other duty that these opportunities are not improved and for the help of such who find trouble of this nature as I know some for many years afflicted with it I shal propose but these 4 things leaving their usefulness to the blessing of God 1. The continued exercise of the love of God 2. Performing our external Duties as obedience to God 3. Frequent retirements to God and 4. many ejaculations For the First The lively exercise of the love of God makes the remembrance of him delectable a Christian hath a great advantage when the desire of his soul goes to it for then he is so far from grudging that God have his affectionat thoughts that he cannot be easily kept from them this being one of the strong constraints of Love to think on the object Beloved you may observe the Spouse in the Book of Canticles cannot be kept long from the thoughts of her Beloved either seeking after him or delighting in his Fellowship or commending him to others Christs love is the surest Bond on the soul to prevent sinful forgetting and if it decay your thoughts and meditations will decay with it but vigorous love will make you both embrace and seek for opportunities of converse with him and the meditations of him sweet Psal 104. 34. For the 2d Even our external duties should be performed as obedience to God Therefore 1. Take nothing in hand but what is Duty 2. And present Duty for God hath appointed a season for every Work Eccl. 3. 4. 3. Do what is Duty because it 's Duty because God requireth it For a man may do that which upon the matter is Duty and yet not to do it because God requireth it and then he cannot
upon as an uncertain may be Remember Christian and believe in thine heart what Christ saith Joh 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him If thou dost believingly receive at his Table doubt not thy strength seing Christ dwelleth in thee and what have ye to desire like an indwelling Christ And that thou mayest desire be sure to believe his Words thou shalt dwell in him how desireable is it to have him so near and how encourageing against all manner of assaults when we can say as 1 Joh. 4 4. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world 6ly By sincere Communicating ye may warrantably expect to be confirmed Christians by the Seal of God for a blessed Eternity and therefore the desire of the Soul should be to partake of this blessed Communion For this Ordinance is designed for securing Believers of a Title to all the benefits of the new Covenant for which cause these pledges are given by Christ have ye pondered the greatness of that mercy to have a Charter for Heaven ratified with Gods own Seal And that thou shalt be preserved unto that heavenly Kingdom Is not thy poor soul many times ready to faint by reason of thy Doubts that thou has no interest in Gods special Favour that thou never received the mercies of his Chosen that though thou hast received many mercies yet thou knowest not but an Hypocrite may have all that sort of mercies conferred on thee Art thou not sometimes afraid that if death should now seize thee thou may'st have no better than the Hypocrites portion Would not some solid perswasion of God's love be a great relief to thy poor soul to know that Christ is come to dwell in thee from whose love thou shalt never be separate Who shal make thee live because he lives Then consider what Christ the truth saith Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shal live for ever He well knoweth that our eternity is our great concern and tâ—erefore taketh pains to secure those who depend on him that if they receive him they shal have no cause of fear he is so deeply concerned with the Believers certainty and comfort of his Eternal well-being that in this 6. of Joh. He poureth out Arguments to secure it ver 50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven That a man may eat thereof and not die and ver 51. Is an man eat of this bread he shal live for ever and continueth to inculcat the certainty thereof to ver 59. Trust then what he saith that if thou eat of this Bread of Life at his Table which the believing Partaker doth then thou shalt not die but live for ever This should raise thy desires for this enriching Ordinance that thy Doubting may be turned into rejoycing in God thy Saviour I might add here that our desire for this holy Communion should be so sincere and strong that Believers should endeavour frequent Communicating But having occasion elsewhere to speak a little of frequency in partaking I shal now only put you in mind that some Celebrating this Sacrament much more frequently than others should both be charitable one to another where neither precipitancy can be charged on the one side nor sinful negligence on the other There is no doubt but many godly Ministers celebrate the Lords Supper very frequently by principles of Conscience and Love to that Duty and should not be otherwise Judged of by these who celebrate more seldom And other gâ—dlâ— Ministers cannot have this Ordinnce so frequenâ—ly Celebrâ—ted â—ho by their principles judge it necessary to examine most of the Communicants before Celebration that they may the better know the state of their flocks which requireth a considerable portion of time for its performance ther 's no cause of stumbling on either hand when it 's known that in both ways there is a conscientious and affectionat regard to that great Ordinance of Christ the Scripture mentioning often but not how often yet because it mentioneth often and because of the love we should have to frequent Fellowship with Christ in that way of his own appointment frequency should be endeavoured and if people cannot frequently partake in in the place of their residence other opportunities should be improved as God giveth occasion in his providence which is now frequently offered and embraced also by the most serious It may not be improper in this place to enquire why some that profess a desire to partake of the Lords Supper nevertheless may be warrantably debarred Answ 1. The desire of partaking simply of it self cannot quâ—lify a person for the Lords Supper except this desire be qualified by a right principle for a good end and due preparation endeavoured otherwise a profane Ruffian Apostate or Atheist might pretend a desire and so be admitted if a proâ—essed desire were a sufficient qualification and so that holy Ordinance profaned 2ly These who are appointed stewards of the mysteries of God are required to be faithful 1 Cor. 4. 2. For they must give an account to their Master and therefore cannot dispose of what is his but by his own direction 3ly His express direction is Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs And therefore the Gospel priledges wherewith they are entrusted must be dispensed only to those who have a right to them As none were to partake of the Passeover but such as were clean and sanctified 2 Chron. 30 17. Jer. 15 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth 4ly Seing these holy mysteries are to be administred to those only who have a right to them then the Stewards without presuming on Gods Prerogative to know the hearts of men and who have a right in Gods sight they are to dispense these Mysteries according to ordinary Rules given them by their Master and recorded in the holy Scriptures wherein we find some actually deprived of the priviledges of others and cast out from the Communion of Believers 1 Cor. 5. 4 and 5. ver and verse 13. Put away from among your selves that wieked person 5ly When men are thus deprived of these Benefits according to the rules of Gods Word Subjection and Obedience should be yielded unto those who are set over them in the Lord Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account 6ly When it 's apparent that some who press to be at the Lords Table have no knowledge of the Covenant of Grace unto which the Lords Supper is a Seal nor any competent measure of the knowledge of Christ himself nor how to discern the Lords Body or Secondly Are so obstinate that they will subject to no trial whereby Ministers may know to whom they Administer that holy Ordinance such as will give no