Lords words but Confessest him before men then take comfort from what Christ saith Mat. 10. 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven and mind what followeth in the next verse But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny and though we have not often the occasion of such publick confessions as many Blessed witnesses had before us yet while we converse with men on Earth we shal still be found either confessing Christ his words and true godliness or ashamed and fainting great may be their Comfort who a vow Holiness in all companies This is the more to be adverted because if some Christians be permitted to keep their chambers or much retired from Converse with men then they obtain some measure of comfortable exactness in their Practice but no sooner engadged in Company but some fainting appears shrinking from their former exactness and failing of the Duties required in all company sinfully forgeting God whereby they often return with loss to their Souls and a condemning Conscience Therefore let the fear of being Denied by Christ still influence thy deportment more than fear of mens displeasure 7. When thou art helped in some sincerity to Obey thy Lord having a respect to all his Commands endeavouring to act all thy obedience by Grace out of Christs Fulness and taking delight to do his will yet art thou not of the same mind that Christ requireth Luke 17. 10. When ye shal have done all these things which are Commanded you say we are unprofitable servants though ye take comfort in obeying from the heart as an evidence of Gods grace and Favour yet dare not trust to it as a procuring Cause of the least of your Mercies thou thinkest in heart there is no more cause to boast of the best of thy performances than if a man should declare himself a fool by boasting of filthy rags then the Grace that helpeth thee to obey maketh thee also humble and of the poor in spirit who are rich and Blessed in Christs account CHAP. IV. Sense of sin necessary before Partaking The third Inference THis Blessed Ordinance of Christ being the Communion of his Body and Blood Then Communicants are to approach it with a humble sense of their sin as needing the Vertue of that Precious Blood And that this is necessary Consider First That if ye have not the Sense of your sin you cannot duely regard a Crucified Christ and so may mistake the whole work despising his Death as of no great use for you and so cannot and will not apply his Blood for purging away of Sin and Guilt for thou art not sensible of Guilt This of it self were there nothing else will make thee eat and drink Unworthily undervaluing that Life-giving Death for the Communicants work is humbly and thankfully to receive a Crucified Christ Represented in that Ordinance as knowing they perish without him 2. If there be no humbling Sense of sin thou shalt Partake as an hypocrite pretending before God and men that thou comest to Embrace Christ as the onely propitiation for thy sins and yet there 's no such thing on thy heart Thou doest not Judge thy self so Guilty or that ever thou provocked God to such wrath but that less might have served Thou felt no such a Burden of thy sin but such as thy self could bear with great ease thou wonderest there should be such a stirr in the World about sin thou never committed any sin but thou hadst a Covering of thy own to cast over it Thou couldest at any time after thy greatest abominations with the whorish Woman Prov. 30. 20. Wipe thy mouth and say I have done no wickedness If thus thou comest to the Lords Table thou wilt but receive Bread and Wine finding need of no more 3. If thy sin do nothing smart and wound thee thou wants the very best Qualification of a Communicant which is hungring after the Bread of Life For he satisfieth the longing soul Psal 107. 9. The Lord hath his Eye upon such more than all others â—sai 66. 2. But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit he findeth out such when others are passed by such as are so sensible of their Guilt that they wonder that he should look upon them any other way but to Consume them such as are ashamed to look up to him because of their Iniquities Psal 40. 12. And yet are Longing for a Favourable Look They cannot look up and yet cannot but look up necessity constraineth them to hang upon him for Mercy knowing they perish without him such as these will be Graciously Visited and Received Isai 57. 15. He will revive the spirit of the Humble and revive the heart of the Contrite ones But thou a Stranger to these Contritions of heart will be a Stranger also to these Revivings and no wonder for thou feelest no need of them and therefore Consider 4. That it 's the way of God first to wound and then to Heal Deut. 32. 39. I wound and I heal If thou didst never know any Wounding of heart for sin what Healing canst thou either expect or value for no wounding and no healing no casting down and no raising up no sickness and no Physician For the whole need not the Physician but the Sick Thou hast no use for his coming with Healing under his Wings Thou has nothing to Heal he may spare his Visit until thou has more need of him and keep his Medicines for others Thus thou mayest sit down at the Lords Table with the Best but Christ and thy Soul have no Merciful meeting When the poor and needy are drawing out of Christs fulness getting their Diseases Healed and their Souls Restored Thou art sent away Empty neither art thou Disappointed for thou sought after no more Thou canst not complain of Christ for he Refused thee nothing thou sought Thou art like these Rev 3 17. I have need of nothing 5. Consider also that of all the meetings between Christ and poor sinners on this Earth this is the most Endearing and Comfortable when Sense of deep Guilt and deep Mercy meet together some times the poor sinner is ready to sink under the weight of Guilt it 's a Burden they cannot bear the Fear of Gods Wrath and Separation from him being intollerable The Soul chusing rather if possible to be Reduced to nothing and some times ready to Cry out O happy no Beings being compared with me they shal have no Anguish but my Anguish I can neither bear nor escape no Mountains can cover me from my Judge no Death will extinguish my Pain but if I die in my sins my pain shal never Die Death will flee from me when thus the the poor sinner is Bruised and can stand no longer how Gracious is that Message as Job 33. 24 Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom And Ezek.
Promises are yea and Amen Do ye know that all your Interest in this Covenant is by Jesus Christ who is given a Covenant for the people Isa 42. 6. 5. Do ye know that all your Salvation and all that ye should desire is in this Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. That it 's Ordered in all things for your good and sure hath the Lord showen you his Covenant Psal 25. 14. Do ye in heart believe it to be sure 6. VVere ye ever taught of God how to take hold of this Covenant and how to Subscribe your selves the Lords Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord If ye know nothing of it ye cannot perform it and if not performed the Seal is not yours for ye have not Subscribed to the Deed. Remember Christian thou hast no other Charter for thy part of Heaven but this Covenant of Grace and if thou art a Christian indeed it will be to the as a Fountain of Joys that he hath made with thee an everlasting Covenant thou wilt never think thy self safe till thou know thou art Savingly in it and therefore it will be the great concern of thy Soul how to Joyn thy self to the Lord especially before thou partake of it's Seal blessed is that hour wherein a man may say now I subscribed my self the Lords I have given my self to him and he hath received me graciously what has thou to do from thy Birth to thy Grave like this which can make thee sing in the face of Death 3. Try thy Knowledge of the Sacrament it self specially if thou canst Spiritually and believingly Discern the Lords Body for if thou Discernest no more than Bread and VVine thou wilt Receive no more and if thou Receivest no more thou hast not Received the Sacrament of Christs Institution thou hast but a shadow for the Substance besides the Guilt of profaning that Holy Ordinance The words of the Holy Ghost are carefully to be remarked 1 Cor. 11. 29. he eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body This Discerning of his Body is a Discerning Spiritually Christ himself as Crucified and if this one thing be wanting the Communicant will surely Eat and Drink unworthily Therefore put such Questions as these to thy self First I am perswaded that the Son of God did take unto him our nature and in due time did shed his Blood for the Remission of the sins of many 2. That this our Blessed Saviour did Institute this Ordinance of the Lords Supper to be Celebrated in Remembrance of him 3. That the Bread and VVine there presented and Blessed doth Represent his Body and Blood 4. That Christ who Offered himself to his Father doth in this Ordinance Offer himself to be Received by Believers 5. That in Offering himself to be Received by them he Offereth unto them also the Benefits purchased by his Death 6. That every partaker must so Discern him by Faith 7. And every Partaker is Obliged by Faith to Receive himself with all his Benefits when he Receiveth that Bread which Christ Requireth to take and eat and that no person should presume to eat of that Bread or drink of that Cup but with a full purpose of heart thankfully to Receive himself seek to be established in these before thou go to the Lords Table that thou mayest partake in Faith and not by eating and Doubting or Eating and Ignorant what thou art about many Souls are Guilty before God for taking so little pains to prevent their being Guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and some not of the very worst obstruct their own Comfort by indistinct Communicating there being no action under the heavens that Requireth more fixed ripe and distinct apprehensions than partaking at the Lords Table Secondly Our Faith must be Examined before we go to the Lords Table Consider first the Reasons why this must be done And 2. How to find out Saving Faith The Reasons 1. Christ himself is to be Received at his Table and this Receiving of him is Believing as is plain by John 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Therefore Christ cannot be Received without Faith and if he be not Received the Sacrament is profaned The Communicant should be a believing Believer having Faith not onlie in Habit but in Act. 3. Our Faith must be Examined because we are VVarned that there are manie sorts of Faith and yet but one kind of Faith Is Saving whereby the man is Justified we Read of a Believing which Devils have James 2. 19. Some wicked men also are said to Believe yet remaining in the bond of Iniquitie Acts 8. 13. VVe have an account also that some Believed for a while Luke 8. 13. It 's Lamentable that men stand not in awe of such Scriptures and so few moved with fear least their Faith be no better we Read also of some mens Faith raised so high as thereby to work Miracles and yet their last Sentence Depart from me Matth. 7. 21 22. It appears these men did mistake true Saving faith thinking such as they had would cary them to Heaven for they make it a plea for their Admissions did we not cast out Devils in thy Name doubtless this made them Christians of great Fame in the VVorld but how easie is it even for men of great Gifts to mistake Faith and go to Death without a Discovery of that Mysterie VVe are warned also of a dead faith James 2. 17. Such a faith as found men and leaveth them dead in their sins It cannot therefore be safe after such warnings for any man to Conclude that because in the general he belleveth therefore he shal be Saved and hath a Right to the Lords Supper except the nature of his faith be instructed and made out to be such as thereby he is united to Christ and so shal be Justified 4. This Danger of mistaking Faith being so great it 's our Mercy that there is a particular Command to Examine our Faith as we would be Secured we are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. So that if this be still neglected we not only endanger our Souls by Delusion but shal be found sinfully disobedient to a merciful Command 5. That which is said Heb. 11. 6. That without faith it 's impossible to please God should of it's self engage us to Examine our Faith what Regard can we have to God and be contentedly in that State wherein it 's impossible to please him or be ignorant whether in that State or not can ye look up to God and think it not worth the while to enquire whether ye be pleasing or displeasing to him Dare ye sit down at his Table not knowing but it may be said of you in particular it 's impossible for this man to be pleasing to me and no wonder he cannot be accepted as not
took bread and blessed it Thirdly after it 's blessed it remaineth still bread the Apostle doth not say the Body which we break but the Bread which we break now the Bread is not broken before but after it 's blessed for he took bread and blessed it and brake and the Apostle saith expresly it's Bread which is broken but if after the blessing or consecration the bread were transubstantiated into the natural Body of Christ then the Apostle had said the Body which we break sure the Apostle knew what name to give it having received of the Lord what he delivereth and what can be more plain than that it 's still Bread when it 's broken which is after it's consecration this breaking of the bread is so material a part of the institution that the whole of the Sacrament bears its name called the breaking of bread Acts 2. 42. The breaking of Christs precious Body being thereby signified Christ requireth this discerning of his Body broken saying this is my body which is broken for you 1 Cor. 11 24 and the breaking of the bread must be Sacramentally and publlckly performed in sight of the Communicants for their instruction as in the first Celebration And in the last place the sincere Believer in eating of this bread according to Christ's institution doth by Faith receive himself hath special Communion with him and partakes the benefits and purchase made through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Heb 10 10 This is the Sacrifice he came to give when no other could do and therefore it's memorial should be always fragrant Many pertinent Doctrines may be here observed both from the scope and words of this Text but I shal name only this one Doct. The worthy receiver at the Lords Table hath Communion with Christ in partaking the benefit of his precious blood and broken Body From this great and comfortable truth these ten inferences following appear native which shal be the subject matter of the ensuing Discourse First inference the celebration of the Lords Supper being an holy transaction between Christ and Believers wherein they have the Communion of his Body and blood then the Doctrine of Christ concerning himself what he is what he hath done and suffered should be firmly believed as a foundation for our partaking of this blessed Communion 2. Inference the Lords Supper being the Communion of Christs body and blood to the believer then all who partake are obliged to prepare for so great a blessing particularly to examine themselves before they eat 3. This blessed Ordinance of Christ being the Communion of his body and blood Then Communicants are to approach it with a humble sense of their sin as needing the vertue of that precious blood 4. The worthy Receiver obtaining the Communion of Christs body and blood Then Communicants are obliged to understand what that is which is called Communion with Christ before they partake 5. Seing such blessed near Communion with Christ may be obtained at the Lords Table then Communicants should prepare for entertaining communion with him in the very time of that Solemnity 6. This blessed Ordinance of the Lords Supper being the communion of Christs body and blood then believers are obliged to have a sincere desire to partake of so great a mercy 7. This holy Ordinance being the Communion of Christ body and blood Then believers should approach it with Faith and expectation of this blessed Communion with Christ 8. Seing so great a benefit as the Communion of Christs body and blood may be had in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Then Christians are obliged to endeavour the removal of all objections and stumbling blocks that stand in the way to obstruct their partaking of this benefit 9. This holy Sacrament being the Communion of Christ's body and blood Then after partaking Communicants are obliged to try if they have obtained that blessed Communion 10. This holy Ordinance being the Communion of Christ's body and blood Then Communicants are obliged to live suitable to so great a benefit and testifie their gratitude by an holy walk and conversation CHAP. II. The Doctrine of Christ Crucified must be believed by Communicants The first Inference THe celebration of the Lords Supper being an holy transaction between Christ and Believers wherein they have the Communion of his body and blood then the Doctrine of Christ concerning himself what he is what he hath done and suffered should be firmly believed as a foundation for our partaking of this blessed Communion For if the Doctrine unto which this Sacrament belongeth and whereupon it dependeth be doubted such also will our partaking be not in faith but doubting therefore all concerned who have a due value for their Souls are to labour for fixedness in the great Gospel truths concerning Christ and the way of obtaining Communion with him I shal God willing make this appear in this Chapter and conclude it with a few words of advice to such Communicants as have most need of greater establishment in the truth Consider first that mens professing of Gospel truths is not sufficient proof that they believe these truths for many profess that which they do not believe having no firm perswasion of these truths in their own minds but stand yet in need of being taught which be the first principles of the oracles of God even after such profession and opportunities of knowledge that they might have been teachers of others Heb. 5 12. 2. Nor is want of doubts concerning these truths sufficient evidence that they are firmly believed for the want of doubts doth not always proceed from fixedness in Faith but sometimes from being unconcerned whether the Doctrine be true or false not being so serious as either to believe or doubt 3. Nor is it sufficient that people have an implicite Faith in what concerneth their Salvation because their teachers instruct them so and they so receive having nothing against it because men may be easily shaken out of that sort of Faith and therefore we are to receive the Doctrine of Christ 1 Thes 2 13 not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God Particularly first if we do not believe there was and is a Christ we cannot converse with him for who can seek Communion with one of whose very being they doubt Would to God all professed Christians believed in heart firmly that there is a Christ as our merciful God hath given us full evidence for our belief 2. If we do not believe that he is God and man God manifest in the flesh we cannot have Communion with him as such and if we have not Communion with him as such then we have not Communion with the true Christ the Mediator and sent Saviour of the World 3. If we do not believe that he really died then we can have no Communion of his Body and Blood Not believing that his Blood was shed 4. If we do not believe that this his Death
Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness This therefore should be carefully tried if the course of our life he serious to the Lord if we be indeed his Servants he will make us eat but others shal be hungry his Servants shal eat of the hidden Manna ye shal have his Company when others are far from any Fellowship with him John 12. 26. And where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father honour As ye would enjoy all these the verie choisest of Mercies 1. To eat the best of Soul Foodâ— 2. To be accepted into near Communion with Christâ— 3. The Father to put honour upon you 4. As ye would Sing for Joy when others houl for vexation of Spirit and 5. As ye would at length serve him and see his Face together Rev. 22. 3. 4. Labour to have it Secured that ye are entred into his service and let it not Discourage you from this search into your serving and obeying of him that ye find great failings for he whose servant ye desire to be hath the tongue of the learned and is able to furnish you with such distinctions as that ye may be found faithful though not perfect Servants he saw it necessary to have that recorded for encouraging all the sincere in heart Matth. 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak And that some persons of many failings yet their heart was perfect all their days as Asa 2 Chron. 15. 17. The Lord knoweth how to manage his own peoples heart so as these condescensions shal not be perverted into a Latitude for sinning but only to strengthen when they are under fears that their Service is not accepted this the Apostle Paul Comforteth himself that though he found a Law hindring him from the good he would yet he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7. 22. nor was this Comfort only Paul's but remaineth to be a great Encouragment to every Christian who can say without delusion or dissimulation that he findeth his heart inclined and set upon Obedience to God in all things Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always even unto the end 3. The Lords Table should be approached in obedience to his Command A Communicant should be engadged to that Ordinance not only because of the rich benefites he may expect there if he be seâ—king Christ but because of his Command Do this in remembrance of me and therfore should Examine if a Principle of Obedience â—eadeth â—â—m to that work and for your help to find out the sincerity of your Obedience Examine First if thou seekest the Lords precepts that not only thou endeavourest to perform what thou already knowest but lest any Duty be omitted thou searchest for thy Duty this was a comfort to the man of God Psal 119. 45. I will walk at Liberty because I seek thy precepts Thus we find the man of God so often praying that he would teach him his Law and not hide Commandments from him Psal 119. 19. 2. When Duty is discovered to you and that it 's the present season for such a Duty Dare ye not deferr it conferring with flesh and blood to darken a clear Duty as many do who have no minde to obedience taking pains that it may appear no Duty which once was made clear Disputing their Light into darkness whch becometh a snare to their Souls putting Light for Darkness and darkness for Light Isai 5. 20. But if the Laws of God be so written in thy heart that thou makes haste and delayes not to keep his Commandments as Psal 119. 60. Then thou art in the way to the same Comfort expressed verse 57. Thou art my portion O Lord. 3. Is it not the desire of thy Soul to be always in some obedience to God Psal 119. 44. I will keep thy Law continually art thou afraid to be out of path of Duty at any time never thinking thy self safe but when thou art obeying God even in thy worldly concerns or whatever thou hast to do And canst thou go from one Duty to another willingly as the Lord directeth though thou be engadged in a Duty very pleasant to thee yet if the Lord call thee to another thou goest not grudgingly to it not wishing in thy heart that God had not Commanded it but judging all his Commandments to be Right Psal 119. 128 Thou dare not carve out thy own work thou dare not be wiser than thy Lord saying such a piece of work would do better than that he requires for to be a follower of God is sufficient to thee this is the Principle of his children as Eph. 5. 1. 4. Hath God made thee serious and frequent in Prayer that he would teach thee to do his will not only to know it but do it Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will Dost thou improve the Promise of the new Covenant for new Obedience I will write my Laws in their heart Heb. 8. 10. and drawest grace out of Christs fulness for doing of his will John 1. 16. Go then and get more where he Offereth himself 5. Is it the Rejoycing of thy heart when God helpeth thee to obey with Spiritual cheerful Gospel obedience when he maketh thy feet as Hinds Psal 18. 33. So that thou runnest and dost not weary and if thou find thou hast not Obeyed God from the heart in any Duty though men should give thee applause and be saying God appeared in such a performance yet thy heart is heavy and ready to sink within thee for want of the Testimony of a good Conscience knowing thou didst not serve God in Spirit Dost thou frame thy duties for Gods Eye and not for mans Is pleasing of him thy Study canst thou safely averr it with any confidence in the sight of God that notwithstanding of many failings yet it is thy constant endeavour to please him then thou mayest have Confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3. 21 22. Beloved if our heart condemne us not then have we confidence toward God And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight And for thy Comfort whom God hath made sincere compare this with the words of the same Apostle 1 John 1. 8. If we say that we have nâ— sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Here you may see how these 2. Things consist in the same persons 1 The sense of remaining sin and imperfections and yet 2. The certainty of doing these things that please God whereupon the Conscience is comforted and Holy Confidence ariseth but let that still be remembred that what we do can only be acceptable and our selves accepted in the Beloved 6. Dost thou take care not to be ashamed of thy
thy Soul when all other things fail thee Psal 22. 26. The meek shal eat and be satisfied Can ye with peace keep your selves out of the way where such an Offer is made know ye not that the Receiving of Christ is your begun Eternal happiness which neither Death nor any thing else shal deprive you of if thou say thou hast received Him already in another manner dost hope to be Blessed in Him for ever though thou never Receive Him at the Lord's Table I would Answer that thou art the more Ingrate who doest not desire to Receive Him afresh in the manner He hath appointed Art thou weary of Receiving Him didst thou get such a fill of Him before that thou desirest to Receive Him no more this is ground sufficient to make thee suspect thou didst never yet Receive Him if thou be wearied of it for thy heart should be still open to Christ 3. Is it not Communion with Christ thou art dayly Praying for and if thou prayest in sincerity then it should Elevate thy heart to hear of His appointments for obtaining it when he saith in such an Ordinance I am to be present in a peculiar manner allowing you a most intimate fellowship as near as you can expect in this Life there thou mayest expect the return of thy Prayers and if thou hast no regard to it thou rendrest thy self and Prayers suspicable of meer Hypocrisie wilt thou not be ashamed to call thy self a praying Christian for fellowship with Christ and yet have no desire to be there where thou mayest meet Him and have Him dost thou not often say O that I knew where I might find him Job 23. 3. He answereth in this Ordinance I will be present giving my Self and my Loves if thou regard not this and yet has no desire to be where He is what can thy self judge of thy Prayers but as words of course and flattering God with thy lips beware of bewraying thy estrangement to Christ as one that has never seen Him in any part of His Beauty lest thou be of these who say as Isai 53. 2. There is no beauty that we should desire him 4. The Love we owe to the Glory of our Blessed Redeemer oblidgeth to this desire of shewing it forth in the manner He hath appointed yet on this account also many are Guilty by the neglect of this Ordinance for these Dangerous mistakes are too much rooted in many thinking because they receive Christ at any time when they Believe therefore they need not be solicitous for Receiving Him at His Table and because they may Render Him Glory at other times for His Love in Dying therefore they need not go to the Lords Supper to perform it but these thoughts involve you in great Guilt for however frequent thy praises be at other times why would thou presume to wiser than thy Lord who hath appointed this Publick Solemn manner of performing it Darest thou say in His face Lord I think this way of shewing forth thy Death needless I think a more privat way may serve wilt thou Impudently advance thy own wisdom as above His whether doth He or thou know best which way He is to be Glorified whether art thou to give Him Rules or to be Ruled by Him if thou wilt be so arrogant as to plead that thou knowest better how to do thy Duty than he can teach thee it 's no wonder thou have no desire for the Lords Supper but rather if thou canst regard any Gospel Ordinance since thou art wise enough to teach thy self Think with thy self I must once compear before my Judge the same blesed Redeemer who requires his Death to be shewed forth what shal I answer when thus charged by him the just died for the unjust I submitted to agony in my soul and torments in my body to relieve poor sinners from eternal torments thus my Death was the reconciliation of the whole Elect World who thereby now stand upright in Judgement I required that this my Death should be shewed forth unto this day that I am come again But here is a man that thought it not necessary to render me that publick honour What can be thy answer but speechless consternation Think also with thy self if I expect reconciliation with God by that precious Death how can I refuse Nay should I not rejoyce to publish that love especially in so comfortable a manner as in Communion with Christ and his Saints on earth and contribute my mite to keep its memory fresh and fragrant in the world It 's great ingratitude to have no longings for this Ordinance yet it appears that if some were placed in such circumstances as no occasion offered it would be no great grief of heart to them or if occasion offer but it may be at some distance occasioning bodily trouble in attending they can easily forego it though perhaps performing longer journeys at the same time to other places or if opportunity offer in the place of their residence yet it cometh undesired and a very triffle shal detain some from partaking and all this because there is no love and desire of soul after it I speak not this of all but it 's shameful to be found in any professing Christian and so much the more because our blessed Redeemer testified so great regard to this Ordinance that when he was immediately to engage his deepest sufferings yet even then he would have this Feast of Love celebrated and fixed for after generations Shal our Saviour testifie so great desire for our good and we have no desire to receive it Shal we so undervalue that Love which can neither be overvalued nor duely valued Luke 22. 15. And he said unto them with desire have I desired to eat this passeover with you before I suffer Appointing this Communion of his Body and Blood to continue until he come again 5ly If thou be a Christian indeed then thou art duely praying for grace to strengthen thee for the Duties thou must perform for Strength against thy secret or open sins for strength against Temptations from thy own heart or from Satan and his Instruments for strength to bear thy afflictions and grace to carry Christianly under thy trials therefore thou should desire to be there where he is to be received who shal be the strength of thy heart Art thou not often fainting both in thy Duty and Trials Then believe in thine heart that Christ is that true bread of life Joh. 6. 48. Hereby thou shal be strengthned for Duties far above thy own strength hereby thou shalt be enabled to cut thy way through the greatest difficulties Thy Redeemer is thy strength Psal 19. 14. Thou art to receive that which will make thee a lively Christian for the honour of thy Lord. refusing nothing he commandeth and sinking under no burden he layeth on thy back Great is the mercy to believe this strength and great is the loss of our souls when that strength is but thought