Christ as may prevail with all that love themselves to make out after it and depart from sin which alone can keep them from it And that 's the second Consideration which the Death of Christ helps us to in order to the working of a kindly Repentance namely the great goodnesse of God hereby revealed to poor sinners 3. From all that hath been said will more clearly appear the hainous nature of sin as a farther motive to Repentance in that it is a contradiction to all this love of God and an undervaluing of the greatest mercy that was ever bestow'd upon the world being in effect a trampling under foot of the blood of the Lord Jesus whereby we should be sanctified And hereby I mean those sins which have been committed since men heard of the Gospel For as the evil of sin did appear in the greatnesse of those sufferings which Christ underwent to procure a pardon so these his sufferings doe exceedingly aggravate their sins who have continued in them after they have been told again and again what their Saviour hath done to make satisfaction for them if they would not undervalue and despise it Oh how have you made a shift so often to hear and read of the life and death of Christ and yet have done all that in you lies to crosse the end of his coming into the world and to make his Death of none effect to you whilst yet you pretend to believe that his design was wholly for your good Oh unthankfull wretches to make such a requitall for such unvaluable love As if you studied how you might most dishonour and displease him who thought not his own life too dear to lay down for you Could you see him upon the Crosse wounded torn and bruised for your sakes and could you think of no other recompence but to give him fresh wounds by your wilfull sins Did he once despise the shame and endure the crosse for you and could you find in your hearts again to put him to an open shame and as it were crucifie him afresh Did he indeed deserve such dealing as this at your hands Bethink thy self Reader whether this hath not been thy case Hast thou not liv'd in those sins which Christ died to deliver thee from And what hast thou thereby done lesse than proclaim That there is more to be got by thy lusts than by thy Saviour that its better to remain in thy polluted corrupt estate than to be washt in the blood of Christ whereby our consciences are purged from dead works to serve the living God And did they vilifie Christ more that contemn'd him jeer'd him and put him to death If thou take thy fleshly pleasures and worldly profits to be of greater advantage than any thing that can accrue to thee by Christs Death dost thou not think as basely of him as any of his Crucifiers did And hadst thou been there with this frame of heart is is not most likely thou would'st have joyn'd with them what ever thou maist now think As they hated Christ because he told them the truth and reprov'd them for sin and therefore did all they could to rid themselves of one whose preaching and presence was such a burden to them so dost thou appear in effect an hater of Christ his life and doctrine whilst thou walkest so flatly contrary thereto And what 's this lesse than desiring that there was no God nor Christ to govern and judge thee no such Rule as the Gospel to be thy guide Nay let me tell thee thou who hast profest thy self a Christian and yet hast behav'd thy self thus unworthily toward Christ thou art herein more guilty than the Jews themselves for what they did was very much out of ignorance but thou after thou hast known that he is the Son of God and that he laid down his life for our sins hast manifested all thy contempt of him and rejected him from being thy Saviour whilst thou would'st not be saved by him from thy reigning lusts which thou hast loved more than him as Judas loved the money for which he was hired to betray him After thou hast known of that friendship which by the Crosse of Christ was shewn to the ruined world yet thou hast been an enemy to this crosse whilst thou hast made thy belly thy God and minded earthly things whilst thou hast delightfully liv'd in the practice of any known sin What then were the Jews prickt to the heart when they were convinc'd that they had crucified that Jesus whom God had made Lord and Christ and shall it not have the same effect on thee to consider thou hast been guilty in some sort of the same wickednesse and hast shewn forth the very same spirit that was in them For think not thy self more blamelesse because thou never saw'st Christ nor hadst any hand in his Death nor didst joyn with his enemies in accusing condemning and reproaching him but criest out against them as monsters of men that persecuted the most spotlesse Innocence with such savage fierceness for all this while thy guilt may be as great as theirs whilst thou hast as great an enmity against the image of Christ and the Law of Christ as they had against his person And that thou dost not wound him and spit in his face is not from the goodnesse of thy nature but because he is out of thy reach for were he now before thee and could it gratifie thy lusts so to deal with him it s much to be feared thou would'st not stick at it Whilst the Pharisees condemned their fore-fathers for killing the Prophets they followed them in the very same sin And suppose a Father had two Sons the one at mans estate the other an infant and the elder of these by following wicked courses should break his Fathers heart and occasion his death and the younger when he was grown up should lead the very same life that the other did but yet should take on him very much to condemn his Brother for being so disobedient and hard-hearted as to bring his Father to the grave is it not plain for all this that had he been in his Brothers stead he would have done the same that he did since he also takes those courses which were so grievous to his Father Thus it is to be remembred that Sin was that which put Christ to death as well as the Jews and this Sin is it thou lovest though thou seemest to hate them And as those Jews put his body to pain by their cruelties so dost thou grieve his Spirit by thy wickednesse And know he takes it as hainously from thee that thou should'st thus displease him as he did from them that they should persecute him to the death Nor art thou like to get a pardon at any easier rates than they even no other way than looking on him whom thou by thy sins hast pierced and bitterly mourning for this thy bloodinesse and ingratitude What saist thou then after all
sons of men Let Plays and Fictions be hist off the Stage let Romantick follies be shamed into obscurity for here is that which alone deserves the name of Love here 's such Truth as commands our belief such worth and weight as calls for our regard and such stupendious greatnesse as may raise our wonder Here behold the power of love in the fairest display of it that ever was made to the world since its foundations were first laid beyond which imagination it self cannot ascend nay which falls vastly short of it how vastly short then doth expression fall but yet oh that we could feel as much as that little which we speak Was it ever before known that the Shepherd should lay down his life for his sheep not for innocent sheep but to reduce wilfull straglers to his Fold that he who was Lord of all should die for his Subjects not for obedient Subjects but for Rebels appointed to the slaughter Thus continue thy meditations till they have so good an effect upon thee that if Christ should appear to thee at this instant as thâ—u art got alone and should call thee by Name as once he did Peter and ask thee Soul Lovest thou me thou mightest be able truly to return his answer Lord thou knowest that I love thee And then to affect thee yet mâ—re consider of Gods saving love in Christ parâ—icularly revealed to thy soul that he was pleased to say to thee when thou wâ—â—st in thy blood Live Calling thee out of darknesse into his marvellous light laying hold on thee by his Spirit and recovering thee to himself when thou wast running farre away from him and many a tiâ—e preventing and restoring thee by his grace when otâ—erwise thou hadst utterly ruin'd thy self Oh praise him that he left thee noâ— in Satan's kingdome under the power of thy lusts but with a strong hand and outstretched arm brought thee out of that house of bondage and magnifie his name when thou beholdest that blood wherein thy sins were drowned as the Egyptians in the Red-Sea Oh blesse his name that he did not suffer thee to remain dead in trespasses and sins yea that he did not strike thee dead in them and sentence thee to the second death after which there is life no more This is a fit season for recollecting all the special mercies of thy life which God hath shewn either to soul or body to thy self or thine all which thou art to look upon as vouchsaft through Christ which makes the mercy infinitelie greater And when you have thus endeavoured to get your hearts brim-full with love and joy come and let them rise higher and boil over at the Table of the Lord. Let no sadnesse appear in your looks nor a tormenting thought by your good will seize upon your hearts this day Come loathing sin as much as you are able but come loving Christ as much Have as low thoughts of thy self as thou wilt and be as humble as thou canst in remembrance of all thy vilenesse but yet let thy Soul magnifie the Lord and thy Spirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour Thy gracious Lord will not upbraid thee with any former unkindnesse and neglect of his love which thou art heartily asham'd of and sorry for Wherefore though thou maist come blushing and weeping yet come not into his presence daunted and despairing He died on purpose to ease your souls of all those fears which make you all your life time subject unto bondage Will not you receive comfort for whom he hath shed his blood that it might be your Cordiall Let him see you then improve it this day to that purpose for your health and pleasure if it be solid is his delight And if he would have your joy at any time in this World full now it is If you must ever more rejoyce this I am sure is a fit season This is our most solemn Thanks-giving Feast Oh wonderfull That the commemoration of the Master's death should be the Servants Feast It is his pleasure to have it so and let us thankfully comply therewith Instead of his Vinegar and Gall he gives us Bread and Wine and better things than they Here he hath made according to his promise Isa. 25.6 A Feast of fat things a Feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow Wines on the Lees well refined And you may be sure the Master of this Feast who entertains his guests with an affection as great as their fare is costly would not have them sit there sad and dejected as if they liked not their provisions or thought themselves not welcome Would it please you to see your friends in such a posture at your Table Oh question not your welcome all yee lovers of Christ but when you are there assembled imagine that you heard him saying to you Eat oh friends drink yea drink abundantly oh beloved Here he hath brought you into his Banquetting-House and his Banner over you shall be love Here will he comfort you with Heavenly Manna and stay with Flaggons all you that are sick of love You Children of Abraham that come from the slaughter of your lusts here doth your Lord meet you as his type Melchizedeck met your Father Gen. 14.18 Setting before you the Bread and Wine for your refreshment And here will he blesse you He shall cause you to sit under his shadow and his fruit shall be sweet to your tast Here may you expect the most comfortable commâ—nion with Christ that is to be had in this lower World Here then believing in and loving him whom you have not seen but whom you may here see represented do you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 8. That your hearts may be more heavenly in this work and so more apt to be fill'd with joy and to break out in praise let me earnestly desire you here to have an eye to a glorified as well as a crucified Christ to remember not only his humiliation but his exaltation It was the minde of Christ that his Resurrection rather than his birth or death should consecrate a weekly thanksgiving to be observed by the Churh in all ages which should be call'd the Lords own day and be spent in his praise and service This being the accomplishment of his labours his finall victory over death and the grave and all Enemies that did assault his own person the memorial whereof must therefore needs be most rejoycing to his servants And as his Resurrection cannot be remembred without his birth and death which must of necessity precede it no more can his death be here rightly remembred without we also bear in mind his Resurrection and Ascension to Glory Can we remember what he was and not think what he is Sad meetings had we made indeed if our Lord had been held under the power of death if such a thing may be imagined All the World then might well be in the disconsolate posture of the two Disciples that were
A TREATISE OF Sacramental Covenanting WITH CHRIST SHEWING The ungodly their contempt of Christ in their contempt of the Sacramental Covenant And calling them not to a profanation of this holy Ordnanice but to an understanding serious entire dedication of themselves to God in the Sacramental Covenant and a Believing Commemoration of the Death of Christ. By M. M. LONDON Printed for J. Sims at Gresham-Colledge-Gate in Bishops-gate-street 1667. TO THE READER Readers UPON the perusal of this Treatise I finde the Subject of it to be needful and seasonable the Design of it high and excellent the Stile exceeding plain and pressing purposely suited to the capacity of the Ignorant for whom it is written Concerning all which I think it meet to inform you at the entrance as foreseeing that in all these it is not unlike to be much mistaken 1. Some think that a Sacrament is a narrow and barren and not very necessary Subject to be treated of But such understand not that it is the most great and noble Subject as being the very Summary and kernel of all our Religion for it containeth in it the whole Covenant between God and Man wherein he giveth himself to us as our GOD our reconciled Father our Saviour and our Sanctifier and we give up our selves answerably to him and thankfully accept his gift upon his terms For the two Sacraments are the solemnizing of this sacred Covenant wherein we profess with seriousness resolvedness and fidelity to dedicate and devote our selves entirely to God our Father our Redeemer and our Regeneratour Which if we do sincerely the saving benefits of the Covenant are ours In which sense the Ancients truly taught That Baptism certainly washeth away all sin 2. Therefore this Doctrine must needs be seasonable at a time when our lamentable differences about Sacraments have with great numbers both of the consciencious and the careless brought them under abuses omission or contempt Many persons whose desires are to worship God according to his will beleive that it is their duty to hold the communion of Saints in Churches which have a more holy constitution guidance Discipline and administration than most of our publick Churches have from which because the Law restrains them some of them communicate now here but in secret and some so seldome there as is next to a total omission The more ignorant people seeing these shun the publick communion encourâ—ge themselves the more in their careless omission and contempt of it Some of them think that it is but a thing indifferent and a Ceremony which may well enough be spared without any danger to the Soul And others have some reverence for it and think that it is not to be approached without Repentance and great Preparation But they do the more negligently and quietly omit this preparation and the Sacrament it self when they see it omitted by so many whom they esteem above themselves But what Is it the design of this Treatise to drive all these men in their impenitency and ignorance to this Sacred work And to draw them to imitate such of the same Herd as do it only to avoid the penalty of the Law I know many that read but the Title of this Book will say Is it now a time to draw the ignorant multitude to the Sacrament Were it not fitter to seek that stricter discipline might keep them from it till they are prepared and know what they do 3. To this I answer That the design of this Treatise is not to perswade any to eat the Body of Christ and drink his Blood in an undiscerning profane or unworthy manner Nor doth it tempt men to Covenant with their lips and leave their hearts behinde them But it teacheth men to understand what the Sacrament is and what a holy and solemn Covenant is there to be renewed with God And how essentially knowledge Faith and Repentance and resolutions for a holy life are necessary for that Covenant And because most ignorant ungodly people are so strange to their own hearts that we cannot convince them of their sottish contempt of Christ and holiness by any proof but what is palpable and past denial therefore the Authour taketh advantage of their profane neglect of this Ordinance to convince them And while a superficial Reader will think he is but drawing them to the Lords Table the truth is he taketh this but as an advantage to draw them to the Lord himself The main design of the Book is to convince poor impenitent unholy souls of the absolute necessity of a speedy resolute faithful consent to the Covenant of Grace and a sincere devoting of themselves to God through Jesus Christ and then that they will solemnize and seal this Covenant in this holy Sacrament No one that Readeth the Book will think that there is any 〈◊〉 of sufficient warning against the profanation of the Sacrament Blame him not for drawing men to Christ and to Conversion and you will finde here no cause to blame him for immethodical drawing them to the Communion of the Church 4. And the great plainness and largeness of the style which to some will seem tedious must be imputed to the Authours earnest desire to save mens souls which makes him studiously condiscend to their capacities The more men understand already the fewer words will serve their turns and to such an accurate and sententious stile wil be most acceptable But the Ignorant must not only have plainness but copiousnesse and much Repetition and inculcating of the same things They understand not that which is briefly and accurately delivered though the terms be never so common and familiar and those that have due compassion on the Ignorant will best like that stile which most promoteth their information and conversion and will judge of the means by its aptitude to its proper end The Lord give the Reader the saving benefit and the worthy and faithful Author the comfort of these earnest exhortations in a plentiful success And O that the judgeâ—â—nt which hath turned so many thousand excellent Books of late into ashes may warn the negligent to use such holy instructions with faithful diligence while they have them in order to their preparation for the hastening day which will cast the earth and all its Glory into more terrible Flames Amen Come Lord Jesus Acton the Year and Month of Londons Flames Sept. 1666. Richard Baxter THE CONTENTS CHapter 1. The Introduction lamenting the ignorant vulgars contempt of their Salvation and shewing the design of this Treatise Pag. 1 Chap. 2. What it is to do this to celebrate the Communion in remembrance of Christ And I. That it includes the true knowledge of him Pag. 34 Chap. 3. II. A right remembring Sin the occasion of his Death Of Repentance with considerations to work and promote it Pag. 48 Chap. 4. III. A right remembring of the great end of the death of Christ to Redeem us from all iniquity and sanctifie us Of Faith and Covenanting with Christ.
to stay away But this is a Parable shewing what entertainment the most do give to the Gospel whereby we are invited not only to a wedding feast but to be even married our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ the everlasting Son of the Father And yet this message the matchless mercy whereof may astonish men and Angels I say this message is sleighted Men will not come to Christ that they may have life Adulterous souls go after other Lovers and will not be espoused to the Lord of glory They see no form nor comeliness in him why they should desire him They hear great commendations of him indeed what an excellent glorious person he is no less than the Son of God made man whose love was so great to mankind that he laid down his life for them but in the mean time What has he what 's to be got by him what estates will he settle on them what honours will he advance them to what why they shall through him have their sins pardoned and subdued their hearts sanctified and at length shall be receiv'd into everlasting glory Nay if this be all they have no mind to come on but when their consent is desired they have some excuse or other ready at hand and either they will not come at all or else not yet or not so thorowly and heartily as they are commanded and in such a wilful refusal of grace do thousands persist and perish And though I suppose this fore-mentioned Parable doth not directly and primarily belong to the Lords Supper yet it may by consequence be very well applied thereto Since here is a Marriage-feast of the Kings Son here are the great blessings and mercies of the Gospel held forth and offered and all who come duly prepar'd and sincerely dispos'd to accept the same shall be assur'd of them and hither do Gods Ministers exhort all to come in the appointed regular way And what 's the effect of their Message why the most make light of it Hither to this holy Table are people call'd to give up themselves to God to testifie the truth of their sorrow for sin and to renew their resolutions against it and so to receive a sealed pardon and a title to life everlasting but for their parts they have no such liking to these spiritual good things which are so freely tendered them The truth is their sins as yet they are loath to leave for they see no great hurt in them nay they think they find much good at present and do not use to trouble themselves much with the thoughts of that mischief they may hereafter do them and therefore they have no such high thoughts of Christ for his being able to mortifie and remove their lusts and so to save them from the misery these would bring them to They can very hardly be perswaded that there is any such excellency in an holy life that they should so speedily and solemnly resolve upon it And though they can like well enough to go to heaven when they must needs leave this world yet they look upon that day so far off that they are in no great haste of making sure their future happiness but think it may bee time enough to do that a great while hence And can any man wonder if those who are no more sensible of any benefit they have by Christ are very slack and negligent in a thankful remembrance of his death and of those benefits which thereby we enjoy and hope for which is the great end of Celebrating this Sacrament No marvel if such as these alwaies finde one excuse or other to keep away from that which they have no more love to and the necessity and advantage whereof they are no more acquainted with If there was but any matter of gain to be got by it any thing which made for the flesh wee should need no such ado to get them thither We may be sure if the King should but proclaim that he would give six pence a piece to all the poor throughout London that would repair to White-Hall there would need nothing but the knowledge of it to get them together Oh what running and crowding and craving would there be He need not send any Messengers to beseech and perswade them to receive his Charity But when the Soveraign Majesty of Heaven and Earth by his Heraulds Proclaims to all Ho every one that is willing let him prepare himself and come hither to receive an earnest of infinite and everlasting treasures there are few will accept the offer as if it was of no value and as if the Apostle was mistaken when hee prefers the blood of Christ before such corruptible things as silver and gold Nay I 'le warrant you in those Parishes where you shall find so few at a Communion did but any rich man amongst them make a feast and invite the whole Town to it you should finde but few stay at home But now when God himself calls them to his Table and there hath provided them food which came from Heaven true Spiritual Manna even the Body and Blood of Christ which is meat and drink indeed they finde no great appetite to this Banquet All the great words they hear of it work not with them For in all such cases 't is not other mens words and opinions that we judge by but our own relish and feeling And whilst men have got such corrupt dispositions and carnal affections that they savour onely those things which are grosse and earthly like themselves What wonder is it if they undervalue that which is so unsuitable to them and in which they can feel no more taste than in the white of an Egge A Swine prefers his own swill before the greatest dainties that can be provided And a voluptuous sinner that is wallowing in the mud of fleshly pleasures would not willingly exchange conditions with the glorious Angels that alwaies behold the face of God Oh whither is the Soul of man degenerated Into what a low and sad estate is it faln that it findes sweetness in any thing rather than in that which is truly pleasant How chearfully and contentedly can people set themselves to any thing rather than to that only work which God hath appointed them even the working out of their Salvation From morning to night they can follow their worldly business without complaining and yet know not how to spend one day in seven nor one half hour in a day in the service of God for the saving of their own Souls Oh what pains do many poor men take only to get a livelihood in the world and yet think everlasting life worth no regard or care at all They can bee content to spend their thoughts and strength and time upon vanity to lay out their money for that which is not bread and to labour for the wind but when God saith but give me your hearts he is denied If this careless generation had but Houses and Lands Money and Goods
to be faithfull and obedient Even thus hath it pleased the Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer of rebeâ—lâ—ous degenerate mankind to proclaim free and full pardon to all that will heartily repent of and turn from their wicked ways and take him for their Lord and Saviour and submit to his directions for their attainment of happinesse and withall he hath commanded all that will thus become his disciples first to be listed under him by Baptisme whereby they are visibly entred amongst the number of professing Christians and afterwards they who were baptized in infancy are to come to this Sacramental Feast and there to joyn with their fellow-believers in a personall profession of their willingness and resolution to stand to that Covenant whereinto they were engaged by Baptisme in testimony whereof they eat the Bread and drink the Wine whereby the Body and Blood of Christ is represented as I shall further shew anon Now would it not in like manner be a strange piece of folly and monstrous hypocrisie for any man to rest satisfied with his having been baptized or his receiving the Lords Supper and think himself therefore a Christian good enough without taking care to perform those promises which he then made but rather encourage himself in sin by the consideration of what he had done as if he might the more safely rebell against God because he had expresly vowed against all such rebellion Could there be a more desperate dangerous wickedness than to make such a wilfull mistake And yet I wish there be not thousands guilty of it Alas alas how few that have taken the earnest-peny and wear Christs Colours that ever think to any purpose what they are hereby bound to How many in effect renounce their Baptisme by their ungodly lives and either neglect the Lords Supper or come to it to pacifie their Consciences that they may sin the more freely rather than to strengthen and engage themselves against every sin As for Bapâ—isme I shall not insist on it though I grant that this is the leading Sacrament appointed for the testimony of our being first devoted to God which engagement we ought to call to remembrance and renew at the Lords Supper whereof according to my promise I now come to speak CHAP. II. What it is to doe this to celebrate the Communion in reremembrance of Christ. And I. That it includes the true knowledge of him AND being desirous to contribute some assistance to those that need it to bring them through Gods blessing to a conscientious performance of this great duty I observe there are two sorts of persons faulty herein either such as neglect it or that miscarry and fail in the manner of doing it Those that neglect it are either such that doe it out of meer wilfulness as the grossely vicious that will not come to this Sacrament because they think this would lay an obligation upon them to forsake those sins which they never intend to part with whatever come on 't and the stupid sensless ones that know not the worth nor see the need of this Ordinance or any other duties of Religion who live as heathenishly as if they had never heard of God and Christ and another world nor doe they care to be instructed in these points as if they were not at all concerned in them or else they are such that abstain from it out of doubting and fear not thinking themselves worthy or not knowing whether they are worthy or not Of this sort there are many excellent Christians who too much indulge to their own melancholy and despondent apprehensions and also many weaker but I hope honest well-meaning people who seem to have a great esteem for this Sacrament but having always heard what a dangerous thing it is to receive it unworthily dare not venture upon it not being well acquainted wâ—th the nature and reason of it and being doubtful whether they are fit to come or not being also I fear too languid and heartless in desiring after it or in making preparation for it and for such as these principally doe I intend my Directions By those that are guilty of miscarriage in the doing of this duty I mean such as rush upon it ignorantly and rashly not well weighing what they doe and who notwithstanding their customary attendance at the Lords Table continue their old sinfull course of life These also I hope may receive some benefit from the following Discourse together with the most profane and ignorant whilst I shall endeavour plainly to shew the intention of this Sacrament and perswade them to attend thereupon in a regular manner For since in behalf of those for whom especially I write this my great business is to shew who it is that is worthy to partake of this Ordinance and wherein this worthiness doth consist the method I will â—ake shall be this namely to shew for what purpose it was appointed by Jesus Christ and thence to discover those qualifications and graces which are required in the Communicants that they may receive it aright to those purposes for which it was appointed and after I have done this I shall lay down some arguments or motives to quicken all to come to and celebrate it in this due manner and then briefly direct those that intend to come As to the first what was the reason and end why this Sacrament was appointed I know not whence we should be better informed than by looking back to the time of its first appointment and to see what Christ tells us he did ordain it for and this we may find expresly set down Luke 22.19 when he had broke the Bread and distributed he addes This doe in remembrance of me And the same words he used also after the delivery of the Wine as appears by the Apostle S. Paul's relation who delivered unto them what he had received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.24 25. where after the giving of the Cup is added This doe ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me and so again ver 26. saith the Apostle As often as ye eat thâ—â— Bread and drink this Cup ye doe shew the Lords Death till he come that is you publish and represent it to the world you acknowledge and commemorate it So that by this it is plain that the great end of this Sacrament to which all others may be reduced is that by the celebrating thereof we may remember Jesus Chrâ—st and especially that we may keep up the memory of that inestimable mercy to mankind his dying for us a mercy which should never be forgotten by those on earth and shall never be forgotten by those in heaven Now hence it follows that they who are in a capacity and fitness rightly to remember Christ and his Death are worthy to partake of this Sacrament which was set apart for that purpose wherefore without going any farther I shall shew what is necessarily required to contained in or immediately flows from this remembrance of Christ that
takes Scripture to be the word of God and acknowledges that Christ is the Son of God and the promised Messiah of whom the Prophets all along in the old Testament foretold But though there are few who openly deny or seem to doubt of these things yet I fear there is a great defect and too common even in this part of Faith which consists in an assent to the truth of the Gospel For many there are who take little pains to settle their belief upon sure foundations which would bear a shaking if any assault should be made and can give little reason why they are of this Religion or opinion rather than any other except because this is that they learnâ— of their parents and is profest by their neighbours and set up and countenanced by the Laws of the Land and surely these are but weak arguments But here let me adde as before that granting you doe believe all that the Gospel reveals yet this is not enough except your belief prevail with you to doe what the Gospel requires in order to your salvation And this is indeed the surest way to get your Faith well strengthned and confirmed even by yielding obedience to the truth and trying by your own experience what benefit comes by conforming your selves to the will of God revealed in his Gospel whether you can find the promises made to such obedient ones in any measure fulfilled to you and when you have found this you will say with the Apostle You are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because you have begun to find it to be the power of God to salvation Our Lord himselfe tells us Joh. 7.17 That if any man will doe his will he shall know of his doctrine whether it be of God or not This is like a mans tasting of Honey which will give him more assurance of its sweetnesse than all arguments could doe and this will make him confidently to affirm it though the cunning'st Sophister should endeavour by subtle arguments to perswade him to the contrary his experience will confute them all This is the reason why great Wits and profound Schollars sometimes turn Atheists and Infidels whilst the honest weak Christian that hath relisht and well digested the truths of Religion holds them so firmly in his heart rather than brain that he can die for that which he cannot so well dispute for Thus far then I hope you see its manifest that to your right remembrance of Christ so to make you worthy Communicants its necessary that you know who this Christ is and what you have to doe with him and to believe that he is indeed the Redeemer of mankind and that all that Scripture speaks of him is true CHAP. III. II. A right remembring Sin the occasion of his death Of Repentance with Considerations to work and promote it IT may as easily be understood that if at the Sacrament you keep up a Remembrance of Christ and in an especiall manner shew forth his death till he come then you must needs Remember what was the occasion of his dying and that was the sins of the world Had there been no Sin we had needed no Saviour Had we continued in our first estate we had needed no Restorer Now hence it will naturally follow that no man can duely celebrate the Sacrament whose eyes have not been opened to see the exceeding great evil that is in sin and to be convinced of his own sins so as to lament and hate and resolve against them For is it possible for that man to to Remember Christs Death as he ought that sees no hurt in that which put him to death Nay that loves the very Nails and Spear that were thrust into his hands and feet and sides and intends to crucifie him afresh when he is gone away And all this doth he that never yet saw the odiousnesse of Sin and that is not heartily set against it but secretly retains and cherishes it Can he rightly Remember Christs death who sees no great need he stood in of it nor is sensible of any great advantage that comes to him by it but rather thinks Christ might have kept his bloud to himself and that it would be a disadvantage to him to attain the ends and benefits of his bloodshed And such wretched blasphemous thoughts in effect hath he that sees not his sad estate by reason of Sin and that thinks it would be to his losse to part with it Wherefore since it evidently appears that true Repentance is so absolutely necessary to qualifie and fit a man for this Ordinance where it is to be renewed and to which he must come with an humble broken heart let me desire thee to put the question to thy own heart whether thou know'st by experience what it is to repent of and be truly humbled for Sin And that thou maist the better know what I mean let me ask thee Didst thou ever yet seriously consider what thy condition is by nature and by reason of thy carelesse sinfull life And hast thou found thy self sensibly affected and stirred with this consideration so that thou hast been verily perswaded that thou art in thy self a lost creature and except there be a way for mercy art like to perish for ever And hast thou been convinc'd that Sin is the cause of all this misery and danger which thou art liable to And hast thou hereupon heartily griev'd for and bewail'd thy wretched miserable state Hast thou been humbled for the Sin thou broughtst into the world with thee and for all the sins which thou know'st by thy self and canst remember thou hast at any time committed Hast thou been carefull to search into thy heart and to look back upon thy life past that thou might'st find out what thy particular sins are that thou maist confesse them before God and forsake them And hast thou indeed been so sensible of the evil of Sin chiefly as it is rebellion against that God who made thee and hath sent his Son to Redeem and Spirit to Sanctifie thee and hath daily given thee so many mercies to engage thee to please him hast thou I say seen so much vilenesse and basenesse in thy dishonouring and provoking so good a God that this consideration hath melted and broke thy heart and wrought thee into a bitter hatred and loathing of every known sin so that thou hast earnestly desired to be delivered from it which is so odious in its self and so mischievous to thee And hast thou been therefore deliberately resolved by the help of God without any more delay to put away far from thee whatever is displeasing to God and to return to him from whom thou hast faln and to an obedience to those Laws which thou hast violated and contemned Examine thy self faithfully whether thou hast ever experienc'd such a change of thy mind as this I have described which may well be call'd Repentance unto life Or rather on the other hand dost thou not
find that thou art such a one still as ever thou wast as earthly and carnall as ever as hard-hearted and stupid and as mad of Sin as ever and know'st not what it means to have thy heart broken for thy offences committed against the great God of Heaven and Earth Nay it may be thou prid'st thy self in being of the very same mind and disposition that thou art now ever since thou canst remember Thou art one that hast always lov'd God and believed in Christ and bore a good conscience towards all men and then I fear all 's little better than stark naught with thee for though there may be multitudes of good people in times of light and having good education that cannot distinctly tell when they were in a more especiall manner wrought upon and brought home to God yet few if any but can remember that once they were much worse than they are even that they were too like the rest of the world but now they find they are washed and cleansed Perhaps when thou hast sworn or been drunk or committed any the like wickednesse thou could'st cry God forgive me and say thou art a great sinner but still goest on and remainest as bad as thou wast If this indeed be thy case if thou art yet a meer stranger to this work of Christ upon thy soul who is exalted in 〈◊〉 first place to give repentance thou art at present very unfit to drink of that Blood which was shed for and which seals the Remission of sins Now that I may proceed in the method I promised by directing to the attainment of those graces which are wanting in order to the breaking of thy hard heart and humbling thy soul for Sin I might advise thee in the first place to look back into thy heart and life to find out thy particular sins not being content in the generall to confesse thy self a sinner as all men are for this is not so likely much to work upon thee but to fasten upon thy most remarkable sins and dwell upon and bewail them and so all lesser evils and that body of death which thou carriest about thee continually which was born with thee and is the ground of all the rest In this method partly may you find David's confession Psal. 51. at the beginning to the 5. verse Further I might direct thee earnestly to beg of God to open thy eyes and shew thee what thy estate is and discover to thee more of the evil of Sin before thou feel its sad effects when repentance will come too late Moreover thou art to use all other means appointed for the working of a true and saving sorrow for Sin as to observe what God speaks against it in his Word and to attend diligently to the most searching and awakening Preaching and to be much employ'd in those considerations that have a special tendency to the begetting of this frame and of this sort I might name severall as for instance to think frequently how great and gracious a God sin is committed against and what particular reasons thou hast to serve and please him from the mercies and means thou enjoyest think how he stands related to thee as thy Creator Preserver and Ruler and therefore disobedience to him is most odious impudent and undutifull Withall its good to consider how much hurt Sin doth to the soul which is so excellent a Being how it defiles debaseth and disquiets it how it exposeth the whole man to all kind of evils and sufferings here on earth and to everlasting torments hereafter and deprives men of those unspeakable joys which are to be had with and from God But to avoid tediousnesse I shall passe over these and many the like considerations and keeping to the Subject in hand shall rather direct thee to fetch matter for humiliation and repentance from the Crosse of Christ the remembrance whereof at the Sacrament should still keep up and renew thy godly sorrow If then thou art one who never yet sawest any great hurt in Sin but for all the ill language which is given it canst quietly and lovingly entertain it let me beseech thee a while to fix thy thoughts upon a crucified Saviour and then remain of this wretched opinion if thou canst Behold the Son of God become Man a most innocent holy person whose whole life was spent in doing good who heal'd Diseases cast out Devils pitied all that were afflicted taught the ignorant pray'd and wept for poor Sinners after all behold this blessed Jesus who had never in all his life been guilty of the least sin in thought word or deed nor ever gave just cause of offence to any man living behold him I say in the Garden a little before his crucifying sorrowfull even to the death in such a bitter agony that he sweat great drops or clots of bloud and what inward pains and sorrows dost thou think must those needs be which put him into such an unnaturall sweat as this though his patience was as much greater than any mortall mans as his sufferings themselves were for we cannot imagine that he who so calmly bore all those indignities and cruelties which were offered and inflicted by insolent men should be lesse patient in regard of those sufferings which he underwent immediately from God but we may conclude that these were infinitely the greater Then after this beginning of sorrows and after he had been most vilely abused and set at nought by the Rulers the chief Priests the Souldiers and common people after he had in a jeer been cloathed in a purple Robe with a Crown of Thorns on his Head and a Reed in his Hand after he had been laught at spit on whipt and buffeted behold him brought forth to be stretcht upon the Crosse where his enemies stood gazing shouting and wagging their heads at him whilst his tender hands and feet are struck through with nails that fasten him to the wood and in his soul he felt that pain which wrung from him that doleful complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now let me beg thee to dwell a while upon this Subjâ—ct with the reason and bowels of a man and then tell me whetheâ— in thy Conscience thou think'st it was for a small matter that the Lord of Glory underwent such grâ—evous sufferings What was Christ so prodigall of his Blood as to shed it for a trifle or was God so cruel as to put his own dearly beloved Son to all this smart for an inconsiderable thing Certainly if thou art a Christian thou canst not harbour any such base thoughts Well then what was it that put Christ to all this sorrow and shame and smart Ah friend it was thy sin and mine and the rest of the worlds that was the cause and canst thou then imagine it an harmlesse thing If thou doubt of what I say hear the plain word of God Isa. 53.4 5 6. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we
did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us ver 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree Gal. 3.13 And at the institution of his Supper he acquaints us that his blood was shed for the remission of sins Mat. 26.28 When Man had rebell'd against his Maker and broke that Law which threatned destruction to him that should break it there was no other way that we are told of but either he himself must undergoe the punishment he had deserved or some one else on his behalf And therefore Man being spared there was found no way for the satisfaction and honour of offended justice but by these sufferings which the Lord Jesus our Surety underwent who being so glorious a person even the Son of God made Man he onely being made a sacrifice for sin could condemn sin in the flesh discovering to all the world that sin was a most hainous evil so hateful and displeasing to the blessed Majesty that he would not forgive to any man the least iniquity without satisfaction made and no other satisfaction would he accept but the Death of Christ who is become our propitiation and hath made an attonement for us And can there be possibly imagined any argument of greater weight to bring all considerative persons to detest and forsake that which hath been found so mischievous And give me leave to improve this consideration in two or three particulars that so it may be the clearlier discerned and the force of it more felt 1. Methinks it may be great matter of humiliation to us to think that we should be so hainously guilty in departing from God and living in rebellion against him that we could not by any means avoid his deserved wrath but by these bitter sufferings of the Lord Jesus Certainly Reader hadst thou been present when Christ was so abused by the cruel Jews and their Rulers it would have mov'd thee to compassion if thou hadst onely thought him innocent But if moreover thou hadst known he endured all that for thy sake would it not have affected thee much more If thou hadst seen him spit upon mockt and stricken with the palms of their hands if thou hadst beheld the blood running down when he was scourged or heard his groanings in the Garden or upon the Cross and then hadst thouâ—ht within thy self all this is for my sake this have I been the cause of would it not have moved and melted thy heart If thou should'st now see any of thy friends put to cruell tortures to free thee from them would it not make thy heart even bleed within thee And why then may it not have the same effect upon thee to set a dying Christ before thy eyes who as he became poor for our sakes that we through his poverty might be made rich 3 Cor. 8.9 So he was chastised that we might have peace received stripes that we might have healing as in that forequoted 53. of Isaiah But yet I remember what our blessed Lord when he was going to suffer said to the Women that followed him weeping Luk. 23.28 Daughters of Jerusalem weep nâ—â— for me but for your selves and your children so say I poor sinners weep not for Christ out of a kind of pity to him that he should unjustly as to men be put to so great smart but weep for your selves and your sins that were the cause And this is that I chiefly intend under this Head that seeing Christ hath bore such an heavy load upon thy account amongst the rest thou maist hence learn the true nature and desert of sin of thy own sins which thou art wont to make so light of Certainly the very torments of the damned doe not more plainly discover the evil of sin and Gods hatred of it than the sufferings of Christ doe For it is evident that the greatnesse of the punishment where the Judge is knowing and upright is a plain argument of the greatnesse of the offence if you should see a man by the way hung up alive in chains you would soon conclude it was for murther or some the most horrid wickednesse that he was so dealt with And as evident it is that the worth and eminency of the person who is punisht speaks the offence proportionably of an higher nature If we should hear that a King who is both just and mercifull had caused his own Son 's right hand to be cut off we might well conclude there was some more than ordinary cause but especially if he being guiltlesse himself had suffered this for another mans sake we should reasonably inferre that it was a crime of the highest nature for which was made so dear satisfaction Now what must we think when we see the Lord Jesus upon the Crosse who though he felt pain and sorrow onely as he was in our nature yet was that nature so nearly united to the Divine that it s said God purchased his Church with his own blood Acts 20.28 so 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us that is Christ who was God as well as Man laid c. the like to mention no more we find Phil. 2. 6 7 8. If then we consider one so far advanced above men laid so low one holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners suffering such grievous things may we not in all reason conclude that the sin which caused this was out of measure sinfull for that 's the worst word that can be given it its nature being so odious that nothing can be said of it sufficient to expresse its vilenesse Good Reader then let me perswade thee to judge of sin by this evidence and never more to hearken to thy own flesh or to the subtle Tempter or thy foolish Companions that would make the believe there 's no such hurt in those sins that please thee that thou need'st not be so carefull to avoid them or so deeply humbled for them That Devil who would perswade thee that it is such a matter of nothing to provoke God to anger knows and feels the contrary in himself So much hurt as there is in a Devil compared to an Angel in hell compared to heaven so much hurt he hath learnt there is in sin Beware least thou come to learn it by such sad experience thy self But that I may finish this let me once again ask thee whether thou dar'st say that Christ underwent greater sufferings than he needed to have done in order to make satisfaction for our sins or that God laid on him more then in justice he ought when he was become our Surety If
us all and with him freely gives all good things to his people Canst thou then find in thy heart to go on in provoking so good a God and in sleighting such matchlesse love If thou canst certainly thou hast banisht all gratitude and hast scarce one spark of common ingenuity left in thee yea thou hast put off thy manhood and art become little better than a senslesse bruit for what should sooner work upon a reasonable creature to love another than extraordinary and undeserved-kindnesse which he hath received from him Nay I might go farther and tell thee and that justly too the very beasts themselves have more good nature than such a stupid unthankfull sinner as thou For they have some sense of a good turn and some love to those that doe it they know those that feed them and keep them and use not to doe them any mischief The Dog does not use to bite his Master nor the Horse to kick at him that looks to him And so indeed God himself complains of ungratefull men that when the Ox knows his owner and the Asse his masters crib yet they did not know their Maker and Preserver But to be short let me tell the plainly if thou find'st thy heart nothing mov'd with all this love that God hath revealed in sending Christ to save us from wrath to come by his own sharp sufferings I can no way see but that thy case is full as bad yea rather worse than his who believes not a word of all I have said Nay how indeed can it be imagined that thou believest these things if they make no impression upon thee except thou never use to think of them after thou hast read or heard them but there 's the wonder if thou dost believe them how thou canst chuse but think on them and think again till at length they work some good effect upon thee But if thou hast hitherto been so strangely carelesse let me once again desire thee now at length to set upon the sober thoughts of this unconceivable mercy manifested in the Gospel that when thou hadst even destroy'd thy self God should make haste to thy help that he should send his own Son to undertake for thee who was also willing to this work and should upon him punish thy sins and now after all onely calls thee to cast away thy sin and to return to his love which if thou wilt doe he is willing to be reconcil'd to thee And see if there be not good cause that thou should'st hearken to these invitations and whether there can be given any just or tolerable excuse for thy disobedience If the bitterest enemy thou hadst in the world should but save thy life when it was in his hands much more if he should endanger himself or undergo any losse for thy safety I am confident this would soon take off thy spleen against him and make thee very ready to be restored to his friendship And why the goodnesse of God should not be as prevalent with thee I cannot imagine if it be but soundly believed and well thought on 3. I may farther adde to engage thee to return to the Lord from whom thou aâ—t faln another argument drawn also from the goodnesse of God shewn in the death of Christ as hereby it is most clearly discoverd That there is some unspeakable happinesse which was purchast by the Lord Jesus for those that come to God by him and to which he invites empty miserable creatures Thou canst not imagine that God makes all this adoe with men for nothing It was not upon any triviall errand that he sent his Son into the world nor are they any sleight inconsiderable things which he offers to as many as will receive him It s true the mercy had been rich and glorious if Christ had onely died to save us from misery and to have procured of God that we might have been reduced to nothing rather than to frie in everlasting burnings and no tongue can tell what a priviledge the damned in hell would account this But over and above we read of a Kingdome of glory which Christ will give to his followers And how great this is judge by the price that was paid for it not silver or gold or any such corruptible trifles but the precious Blood of the Son of God without price whose utmost value cannot be exprest by Men or Angels and no more can the glory hereby obtained For if the Merchant be wise the worth of his Jewel may be guest at by the price that he paid for it Precious is the Soul of Man and full dear did the redemption thereof cost more than the the whole world or ten thousand such worlds as this And is not think you the souls portion answerable to its own excellency And the purchased Possession answerable to the greatnesse of that cost that was laid out for it When a common Slave may be freed for a few shillings half a Kingdome will be thought little enough to redeem a captive Prince and we afterward see there is as much difference betwixt them when they have got their liberty the one sits on a dunghill the other on a throne For certain then Christ Jesus came into the world and laid down his life to exalt those that hearken to him to the highest joy and blisse of which the nature of man is capable in delivering them from all sin rendring them exactly conformable to God and placing them in constant full communion with him He that so loved his Church that he gave himself for it to sanctifie and cleanse it by all this design'd to present it â—o himself a glorious Church Upon this account therefore methinks thou should'st easily be perswaded to cast away sin which is thy misery and return to God who is thy onely life and happinesse and that no mean happinesse as I have told thee is evident amongst many other reasons by the infinite value of the price that was given for it Oh little doe any even the best and wisest on earth conceive what are the full fruits of Christs blood what miracles of divine love those are which through endlesse millions of ages will keep alive the admiration joy and praise of Angels and Saints and fill the mouths of Christs Redeemed ones with continuall thankfulnesse for that wisdome and mercy which contriv'd and wrought their delivery and exaltation So that you see laying these things together the death of Christ as discovering the mercy of God lays the greatest engagement that can be upon the sons of men to break off their sins and return to the obedience and love of God in that there is so much mercy procured and tendred as may beget hope and encourage to repentance which is not like to be rejected and as there is so great love exprest as may well call for the return of love and even soften the most stony heart and as it discovers so great a blessednesse to be had in God through
wrath which thou art treasuring up for thy self against the day of wrath Thou liest wholly at his mercy whom thou art daily provoking to fury In all thy ways which are so defiled the holy God beholds thee in anger and even loathes thee for thy filthinesse And he alone knows how short a while he is determined to wait on thee thy glasse is running his patience is expiring death and judgement are hasting hell is ready burning and thou canst not promise thy self a moments safety Whilst thou art sleeping or waking eating or working talking and laughing the heavy doom hangs over thy head and thou hast every day reason to expect the dreadfull vengeance of the Lord to seize upon thee nothing but meer mercy hath kept it off this while which will not always last At night when thou goest to bed it s a great hazard but thou maist awake in flames and never more see the comfortable light or when thou goest out of doors it 's a question whether thou maist not with Judas go to thy own place the infernall mansions before thou returnest home For ought I know or thou either this may be the last Book that ever thou maist read this may be the last warning that ever thou maist have Think a little whether this be a comfortable case for a man to continue in and what wise people they are that venture all upon a Repentance hereafter Moreover in all the troubles thou maist meet with in the world I know not what support what comfort can be administred to thee for there 's none to be given thee from God I am sure whilst thou art a resolved enemy to him What shift thou makest to get a little ease and relief at such a time I cannot but wonder onely the remnants of thy carnall comforts and the hopes thou hast of seeing things better its like may help thee to some false peace But alas poor man Death will shortly arrest thee Death that will strip thee of all that thy heart delighted and trusted in Death that will break the neck of all thy fond hopes and utterly frustrate thy expectations Death that will carry thee out of thiâ— beloved world into a place to which thou hast been a meer stranger not thinking of it at all or but coldly and seldome or with horrour and aversenesse this Death I say will shortly lay hold on thee and then whither wilt thou look for comfort who art a stranger to God and Jesus Christ Into whose hands wilt thou commend thy departing soul who would'st not whilst thou wast living resign thy self to the God who made thee bought thee with his Sons blood Canst thou expect Christ should now receive thee who would'st not be perswaded to receive him What receive a rebel into the kingdome of peace A filthy Swine into the communion of Saints No never expect it And if he will not receive thee who must If heaven may not hold thee what place will Thou canst easily answer these questions And when by a resurrection to condemnation thou art made with all the rest to stand in the presence of thy Judge how wilt thou then appear before him For the Lord's sake yea for thy own sake poor sinner thou that canst not be brought to like of Christ nor his holy Laws and ways not the sanctifying work of his holy Spirit put these questions as thou readest them close to thy heart What wilt thou then say to Jesus Christ for this thy contempt and dislike of his person and government Darest thou then justifie thy unbelief and impenitence when he calls thee to answer for it Or who wilt thou get to plead for thee when the onely Advocate shall condemn thee Who wilt thou make thy friend when he who alone could and would have been so is through thy own fault become thy greatest enemy Dare Angels or Saints speak a word for him against whom their Lord shall speak Or would they if they durst No they will approve his righteous sentence Will the Devil take thy part dost thou think Hath he any power there to secure his followers Why it 's he that is thy accuser and if need be would rather aggravate those faults which he drew thee to Wilt thou then hit him in the teeth with the large promises he made thee and call on him to make them good Alas he 'll but laugh at thee and scorn thee and make thee acknowledge that most justly are all they so served who would trust to the Devils delusions rather than to Gods promises Or dost thou expect relief from thy companions in torment Ah poor creatures they would rather help themselves if they could but cannot Oh then with what an heart with what a countenance wilt thou hear that last dolefull sentence Depart from me ye cursed when thou shalt look round about and see no help no hope but that down thou must lie in that burning lake which the breath of the Lord's fury like a stream of brimstone doth kindle what a posture will thy soul be in I can tremble to conceive it easier than I can expresse it And when thou hast lain some thousands of years in that place of torments what then will the workings of thy heart be when thou hast felt that tribulation and anguish which comes upon those that work evil what thoughts wilt thou have of the ways that brought thee thither what would'st thou not doe for the least dram of hope in that miserable despairing state for the least glimmering of light in that gloomy darknesse But there is none to be had no nor ever will be through a whole eternity the force of which word eternity and the meaning of Hell is now known and felt in another manner than when careless sinners could laugh at the mention of them or sleep whilst they were preacht on But what canst thou not perswade thy self that there are any such torments prepared for unbelievers If not it s to be feared thou art one of those unbelievers for whom they are prepared But if Scripture may convince thee read amongst other places 1 Thes. 1.8 9. Mat. 25.46 Joh. 3.36 and then tell me thy judgement Now indeed all this is but talk Hell 's out of sight and the most terrible words are but wind and therefore it is there is so little care in the world to make sure his favour who can save them from this misery which because it 's neither seen nor felt is sleighted and forgotten Should a King take a company of men out of prison who had committed some fault worthy of death and offer pardon to those that would be sorry for their crime and promise never to be guilty of the like but threaten Death to those that would not and withall should shew them pardons ready sealed and great hopes of money to be given to the penitent but racks and gibbets and fires ready kindled for the execution of the obstinate Doe you think this would not easily
it as a farther assurance from God that his promises of mercy shall be made good to thee CHAP. VII The second benefit is Sanctification 2. THe second great benefit purchast by the Death of Christ and held forth in the Sacrament is Sanctifying Saving Grace for the enlivening and strengthning the souls of Believers There is no truth more plain in the whole Gospel than that one great end of Christ's Death was to obtain from the Father that the holy Spirit should accompany the proclaiming of the Gospel to enlighten the minds and soften the hearts of those who should not wilfully resist his workings that they might entertain the truth in the love thereof and that on these greater measures of grace should be poured forth to make them in all things conformable to their Maker according to the capacity of their natures which was the great design of the Redeemer even to restore apostate creatures to the image of God wherein they were created that so they might be made meet for his service here and the fruition of him hereafter A most lamentable mistake it is to confine Christs death onely to the procuring of a pardon and keeping sinners out of Hell since this was but in order to a work of grace on their hearts and onely such who submit to this work shall at last have a share in the absolute pardon For suppose a company of prisoners were taken in Warre who being weak and wounded cannot return into their own Countrey but must presently be put to death by the King that took them and in the mean time comes their own Prince and pays a great sum to obtain that the execution of them may be put off for some time and that his Physician may use medicines and apply plaisters to as many as are willing and that all such when they are made whole shall be sent to their own homes and the rest who will not be ruled by the Physician but spit out his potions because they are bitter and throw away his plaisters because they make them smart they are to remain in their prison and be put to death as they were sentenced Here we see the ransome that was paid was first to stop the slaughter of the prisoners and to get liberty to use means for their recovery to health and soundnesse and secondly to obtain that the recovered should be set free to return to their own Countrey and not onely the contempt of the ransome but of the Physician would bring death Thus had we by the Fall both brought our selves into danger of present destruction and disabled our souls that we could not return to that state whence we fell but the Son of God undertaking our Redemption obtained for us that the sentence of condemnation should not speedily be executed and that there should be assured hopes of escaping destruction and returning to happinesse for all those who make not their condition desperate by continuance in sin and rejecting of the cure which his Spirit would work upon them now the work of his Spirit is to plant and encrease grace in their hearts to heal the diseases and remove the weaknesse which sin hath caused that they may be enabled to walk in the ways of holinesse to their everlasting rest and the sending forth of his healing Spirit was the fruit of his blood Now as it will assuredly damn men to despise the blood of Christ as if it was of no force to be a ransome nor to attain those ends for which the Gospel saith it was shed so is it as dangerous and damnable to resist and sleight the Spirit of Christ let them pretend what esteem they will for his blood A like mistake also it is flowing from the former to limit the notion of free grace to meer pardoning mercy whenas it includes sanctifying 〈◊〉 so for in the instance now given the Physick I hope was as free a gift to the prisoners as the ransome that was paid for them notwithstanding this was without them and the other to be taken into them And in like manner is the giving of the Spirit into us as purely from the grace and mercy of God though merited by Christ as the giving of his Son for us accepting of us for his sake This I was willing to hint least any when they hear or read of being saved by Free grace should dream of a salvation to be had by a meer pardon without being sanctified by the Spirit That the making men holy in their hearts and lives was a principall end of Christs Death without which no happinesse is to be attained is I say a truth so evident in the very tenour of the Gospel that it may seem needlesse to produce particular proofs yet amongst the rest read these few Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works c. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it c. and that it might be holy and without blemish 1 Joh. 3.8 The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Pet. 3.24 Who bare our sins that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse Tit. 3.4 5 6. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Read also Mat. 1.22 Luk. 1.75 Rom. 6.11 Galat. 1.4 Tit. 2.12 13 14. Heb. 9.14 Now though I acknowledge it is by the help of the Spirit that we are brought to believe for faith it self is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 yet I think we shall ordinarily find the promises of the Spirit to be made to those who are already Believers to advance and carry on the work of God upon their souls And to this end and of this nature is that Grace which is 〈◊〉 and given forth by the Sacrament even to refresh and nourish the souls of Believers to confirm and encrease those graces that are wrought in them and to bring them forward to farther degrees of perfection And this much the very elements themselves do teach us for as Bread is the support and stay of life and Wine that which makes glad the heart of man and both are needfull for the maintaining of life and encreasing our strength so are the Body and Blood of Christ alike necessary and usefull to our souls for he himself hath told us that his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed and that he who eats his flesh and drinks his blood dwelleth in him and hath eternall life with much more to the same purpose Joh. 6. The proper meaning whereof as will appear by the Context and the occasion of that Discourse I suppose is That they who believe in him having the same expectations of spirituall life from him that they have of temporall life from their food and accordingly receive digest and improve
hid but rather use all means to supply them whilst they are afforded And as there is required in all Receivers an earnest longing after sanctifying grace which is here vouchsafed so the other qualification suitable hereto I told you is a Resolution to improve this grace that is to lay it out and shew forth the fruit of it in an holy conversation This is an effect of the former and indeed necessarily flows from the nature of grace which is no way desirable but for use and exercise not is it possible that in should ordinarily lie still in the heart and not be brought forth into act and shewn in the life He that desires patience humility purity temperance to what purpose is it but to overcome the temptations which he meets with in the world to the contrary vices and to shew forth these fruits of the Spirit in all his converse Whence it appears that no man is worâ—hy to come to the Lords Table who is not resolved by the grace of God to live an holy life and to be led by the Spirit in all his ways He that hath got any sin which he is resolv'd to keep is not like to have any desire after that grace which should mortifie and quell his sin nor any mind to remember that Death which was to deliver us from this present evil world He 's like to be far from a right remembrance of Christ who will not be perswaded to imitate him for certainly that 's one end of our remembring his Death that we may thereby be drawn to follow his example which he gave us then as well as in his life by his constancy patience charity to his enemies and ready resignation of himself to his Fathers will As he walked so ought we to walk and from his very death may we fetch directions for our life This resolution for holinesse which I am speaking of is indeed one branch of our Faith in Christ being no other than our consent to take him for our King to guide and govern us in all our thoughts words and actions and therefore having said something to it under that Head as also the former of Repentance I shall at present passe it over CHAP. VIII The third benefit is eternall happinesse with God 3. THE last of those benefits which I named obtained for us by the death of Christ and to be remembred at the Sacrament is eternall happinesse It is by his resurrection from the dead and consequently by his death that Believers have a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens for them 1 Pet. 3.4 It was his blood that redeemed them to be Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5.9 10. He gave his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6.51 By Jesus Christ God calls us to eternall glory 1 Pet. 5.10 He opened the entrance into Paradise which sin had shut up It was his will not onely that they who believe in him should be kept from the place where Satan was but that they should also be with him where he is Joh. 17.24 This he pray'd for this he died for and is gone before to prepare a place for them and keeps them here to prepare them for that place and being ready they shall enter into the Kingdome He receives their Spirits when they die and will raise up their bodies at the last day Now their life is hid with Christ in God and when he appears then shall they also appear with him in glory Coll. 3.3 4. Be we sure then this Death of Christ cannot be remembred as it ought if the glory purchast thereby be forgotten How can we remember a dying Christ but withall we must call to mind that he vanguisht this death is risen again and ascended into glory whither in due time he will exalt his people Moreover that Covenant which is sealed to by this Sacrament promiseth an everlasting Kingdome to Believers and can any man forget such a benefit even whilst he is receiving a confirmation of his right to it Again here is that grace given out which is the pledge the seed the beginning and forecast of glory here is the meat which endures to everlasting life and who can forget his Journeys end whilst he is taking food to strengthen him for his travell To conclude here 's a communion of Saints which does in some measure shadow out and signifie that perfect communion which they shall have one with another when all the Elect shall be gathered from the four corners of the earth and with Abraham Isaac and Jacob shall sit down and for ever remain in the Kingdome of God Now hence it appears that the worthy Receiver must be one who hath taken the heavenly glory for his portion who hath got a treasure above and there placed his heart and his hopes for none but such a one can with any life and raisednesse remember this glory which is to be revealed He that is wont to solace himself with the contemplation thereof will rejoyce in every thing that hath a relation to it much more in the remembrance of that price that was paid for it But how can the earthworm whose soul lies groveling upon the dust bring himself to any affectionate thoughts of hidden treasures which cannot be got into his bags not coffers which he cannot so much as get a sight of Nor can the swinish voluptuous sinners that feed upon none but the muddy delights of sense take any comfort in the forethoughts of pure and spirituall pleasures such as are prepared for exalted purified souls Any whoever they be that place their chief conâ—entment on earth are not like with any pleasure to think of that time when they must leave this earth and enter upon another state where are no such sensuall enjoyments as here they blest themselves in Ignorant narrow souls have no heart to think of what shall be thousands and millions of years to come These poor sordid spirits are so glewed to the little trifles of the world that they look not so high as after Crowns and Scepters which Christ hath in store for his faithfull followers And they who never took much pains to secure or clear up their evidences for heaven but have taken it for granted that they must needs go thither at last or counted it an indifferent thing whether they doe or not will be farre from those lively apprehensions of the greatnesse of that love which purchast it and of the excellency of the blisse it self which are necessary for him who can rightly remember either Now to bring those who are yet strangers hereto to such an apprehension of the glory to come by Christ that they may chuse it as their portion and so be joyfully taken up in the expectations thereof in one word I would desire thee whoever thou art that hast but so much common reason as to distinguish between good and evil to consider well whether thou hast not
a souâ— as well as a body and whether this soul must not remain in being and alive when thy body is rotting in the earth and whether then it doth not as much yea infinitely much more concern thee to seek out for somewhat that may at that time make thy soul happy than for what may now please thy senses Yea since thou must live somewhere for ever think whether it is not more worthy thy care to provide for an everlasting well-being than for the comforts of a frail short life If thou art thus farre convinced then make an impartiall search whether there be any thing here below that 's able to make thee perfectly happy Thy houses and lands thy pleasures and honours will any or all of these give in all that felicity which thou desirest or needest Are they of the same nature with thy soul or will they last as long as it will last must not all thy merry days at length come to an end And wilt thou be ever the better for all thou hast enjoy'd when once it 's over will the remembrance give thee any satisfaction In that night wherein thy soul will be required of thee what advantage wilt thou have from the goods thou hadst laid up for many years yea or from those goods thou hadst liv'd upon the years before When the earth and all its works shall be burnt up where will all thy possessions and treasures be If thou hast nothing to live on but what will be turned into flames what wilt thou then fix upon At that day when there shall be no marrying or giving in marriage no wives or children no relations or friends whose society will afford any such comfort as here it did when the interest of Princes and great ones whose favour was here thy shelter and thy pride shall all be vanisht what will thy confidence in men avail thee Examine these or any other outward prop whereon thou leanest and see whether it be not a broken reed And if so except thou art resolv'd against thy own happinesse methinks thou should'st now onely make choice of that which will never give thee cause to repent what thou didst as all things will but the eternall glory which God hath promised to those that love him But he that can once upon good grounds say This heaven is mine I shall see the face of God with joy and live in his love for ever may now lead a serene and chearfull life in the midst of all occurrences and need not be daunted at Death it self but rather rejoyced as it takes him to the possession of his treasure wafts him to his own home Wherefore if thou love thy life be perswaded to aim at this highest glory let nothing short of it content thee think no condition hard to get it rest not till thou hast made it as sure as thou canst that it 's thine and then having thus fixt thy end thou maist travell on with alacrity and speed and take abundance of comfort in the fore-thoughts of thy future blisse in using all helps afforded in thy journey to it and in the remembrâ—nce of that precious blood which was shed to purchase it and by consequence wil be fitted to celebrate the Sacrament CHAP. IX V. It must be a thankfull Remembrance IT is not possible that the death of Christ can be remembred as it ought without the most hearâ—y and unfeigned thankfulnesse to God for so great and glorious a mercy Hath he the heart of a man that can coâ—template the sufferings of Christ and the infinite unspeakable benefits thereby procured for poor sinners and not find himself raised to return thanks and praise to God for his gracious dealings with mankind This duty is so proper to the Lords Supper that hence it antiently obtained the name of Eucharist a return of thanks Since then every man who partakes thereof ought to be thus truly thankfull to God for his love revealed in Christ this again acquaints us what kind of persons Communicants must be namely such who are capable of rendring acceptable praise to God which doth but give farther evidence of the necessity of those qualifications before laid down None but such as have been made sensible of the evil of sin and of the danger they were thereby liable to will be heartily thankfull for that mercy which preventâ— this misery by purchasing and vouchsafing the forgivenesse of their sins How formall and hypocriticall are his thanks like to be for Christ who never yet saw what need he stood in of him Will he thank you for a plaister who never felt himself wounded Can he have any gratefull sense of the love that plucks poor sinners as brands out of the fire who never perceived himself in any such danger Can he be thankfull for ease and rest who never felt his strong lusts nor the curse of the Law and wrath of God as any load or burden upon him Nor can he be thankfull for the grace that is given by Christ who had farre rather keep his sins than be renewed and sanctified Little thanks will he return for the light who is but disturbed and troubled with it and so far shamed by it that he cannot pursue his wicked designs with that freedome and eagernesse as he could before whilst he was more in the dark where he had still rather remain How can he thank God for grace who rejects and despiseth it For being taken out of the snares of the Devil who wilfully fastens himself into them Will he praise God for liberty and ability to serve him who saith of his service what a wearinesse is it and thinks it would be better for him if he might live as he list and never be put upon so much trouble as godlinesse brings along with it Nor can he be thankfull for the glory to be had by Christ who hath not a sound perswasion of the certainty and excellency of it and who hath not firmly resolved to take it for his portion He that knows nothing better than bodily enjoyments and would think himself undone was he stript of these is like to be very cold in giving thanks for spirituall blessings In a word he that is sensible of no great benefit he shall have by Christ either here or hereafter cannot be expected to have any great measure of thankfulnesse for this mercy which he so little understands And this is the case of all unhumbled unsanctified ones to whom the Gospel is hid their minds being darkned by the God of this world And if these poor senslesse creatures should with a few feigned words pretend to give God thanks for Jesus Christ yet would it be but the sacrifice of fools a meer lip service and therefore no way acceptable to the most holy God Yea indeed they would hereby but very solemnly mock the Divine Majesty whilst they thank him for those mercies which they will not accept at his hands praising him for Jesus Christ and the benefits
you imagine this one duty to be an exception from all the rest as having nothing in it which may make it worthy our performance Hath not he backt his commands with promises that we might have all kind of encouragement to his service Hath not he told us that to those who keep his Commandments he will manifest himself Doe you think then that when Christ first set up this Sacrament he hereby intended any advantage to those who should celebrate it If not he appointed them a meer piece of drudgery in some respect worse than the Jewish Ceremonies for they had their use to the spirituall and even as bad as thoâ—e buâ—densome ridiculous Ceremonies which make up so great a part of the Popish Religion but if you dare not affiâ—m this then I would know whether the same advantages doe not still continue to this Ordinance which were first intended to be communicated by it to the worthy Receiver Again did the Apostles and their companions get any good by it think you if not it 's strange they should be so exact and frequent in it iâ— they did fain would I know why the same good is not still to be got by serious diligent Christians Certainly Gods treasures of grace are not spent his fountain is not drawn dry no nor ever will be He that will be the everlasting portion of his people when this world is ended hath enough sure in himself for the supply of all their necessities whilst they are travelling through the world When millions of Saints have received that grace which leads them to glory there is not a jot the lesse for those that come after And as his graces are not exhausted so neither is the way of giving them forth changed in the same manner that his Spirit accompanied the word and Sacraments at any time since the Gospel was publisht in the same manner it accompanies them still for ought that any man living can shew to the contrary Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever He who will be with his Ministers till the end of the world will be with his Ordinances till then with his people in the conscientious use of them Why should the first Christians be tied to that which we in after-ages may neglect Is not our case the same with theirs Are not our necessities as great And may not our profitings also if the fault be not our own To prosecute this a little farther as I promised Is not the Death of Christ as great a mercy to us in these latter days of his Church as it was to them in the first Have not we the same pardon offered to us the same promises given the same heaven prepared and the same sanctifying Spirit to bring us thereto Have we not then the same cause to be frequently mindfull of and thankfull for these mercies and the Death that purchast them in all ways prescribed to that purpose Are not we still of the same nature that men were then Such whose affections are much raised and quickened by sensible things by the help whereof we can with greater clearnesse and power conceive of thâ—ngs spirituall and can more affectionately remember what 's past when we see it represented and acted afresh before our eyes Is it not therefore our wisdome and duty to accept of such assistances as our Lord himself in his care of us hath afforded whereof the Sacrament of his Supper is a principall one every way fitted for that end Were they more dull than we that they should need such quickning means which we judge our selves past the use of Had not we as much need as they to be frequently renewing our more solemn repentance for sin and covenantings with God that so the consideration of those renewed engagements we lie under may the more overpower us to faithfulnesse and perseverance in his service Are not our wants of grace as great as theirs And therefore ought we not to wait in all those ways whereby these wants may be supplied which are the same now as formerly Is it not as rich a mercy now as ever to have all the blessings and priviledges of the Covenant of grace whether temporall spiâ—ituall or eternall not onely represented but made ovâ—r and assured to us in such a familiar manner Is not the exercise and strengthning of mutuall brotherly love by the maintaining of the most endearing Christian communion still a most pleasant and profitable duty now especially when all men have learnt to cry out how cold charity is grown Thus you see there are very many and those no small advantages that accrue to such as carefully manage this weighty duty and all of them continue still the same that they were in the time of the Apostles And let there be any other ground of their practice assigned or any other benefits which they hereby enjoyed and I question not to prove that we have the same or the like grounds and are capable of the same benefits with them Thus have I shewn you that to come in a due manner to the Lords Table is both your duty and your interest there is a command given by your Lord obliging you to what is good for your selves and indeed so doe all other his commands if well weighed And what more can be said to work upon men that have any Conscience or any self love to give obedience Wherefore if you be Christians yea if you be Men if you have any sense of Gods authority or of your own necessities make all possible hast out of that dangerous woefull estate which makes you unfit for and unwilling to this so profitable a duty and your souls being made ready let them bring your bodies hither Having been larger in these I shall be brief in those that follow 3 Is it not much to be feared that whilst yâ—u sleight the Sacrament you sleight those blessings which hereby are represented and assured to Believers You your selves would judge so by others in cases like this If the King should proclaim that he will give Estates in some of his Plantations to all that will come to the Court and take Patents from him and subscribe their nâ—mes to a Bond which onely ties them to acknowledge they had their Estates from his bounty and to live there accor-to his Laws is it not a sign that they who will not doe thus much doe very little care for the Estates that are offered them And doe not they manifest as little regard of heaven it self and all the promises of the Gospel who are loath to be at so much pains as to go to the Sacrament there to have all these confirmed to them being unwilling to bind themselves hereby to thankfulnesse and obedience to that God who makes them such large and bounteous offers He that refuseth a cheap and easie medicine which being duly taken may recover him from his sicknesse may well be said to undervalue his health Thus is it too apparent that
and think your selves secure enough if you come not hither in this evil mind If these be your thoughts pray answer me these two things 1. How can you desire of God the forgivenesse of your sins whilst you refuse to forgive others Have you the impudence to doe it Or the ignorance and presumption to think such desires would be granted See where the contrarie is expresly told you in that forementioned place Mat. 6.15 Nay tell me plainlie How dare you so much as say the Lords Prayer wherein you beg of God to forgive your trespasses as you forgive those that trespasse against you What do you pray that he would remember your iniquities and charge them upon you and take vengeance of you For thus it seems you deal with those that offend you Or do you think to make your case somewhat the better by never saying this Prayer or by leaving out this Petition Can you imagine this will hinder God from dealing with you according to the tenour thereof Methinks you should not be so weak No be you sure God will make good his word that if you forgive not you shall not be forgiven whether you give your consent or not If you say you do forgive your enemies then I ask you again why upon account of any differences you should neglect the Sacrament But if you dare not forgive them you see it 's as dangerous to say your Prayers whilst you are in this mind as to come to the Communion 2. But again If through these differences with your neighbours you are unfit for the Sacrament pray bethink you well whether upon the same account you are not as unfit for death And dare you continue in such a desperate condition as this Do you not believe that the charity which is required to make you fit for the Communion of imperfect Saints here on earth is as necessary for your admission into the communion of Saints in glory Are you not fit to go to the Lords Table and are you then fit to appear before his Tribunall Take this for an undoubted truth that if you so farre allow your self in malice or any other sin that you are according to the Gospel rule unworthy of the Sacrament if you die in this condition you will be thought unworthy of everlasting life Methinks then you should never dare to live in such an estate wherein you dare not die You take it to be a dangerous thing to die out of charity with any and is it safe think you to live out of charity or in any other sin for those that are liable to death every moment Wherefore to conclude my advice to you is that you would without any longer delay go to your brother and if you have wrong'd him acknowledge it and make all due reparation and do what in you lies to be reconciled to him but if he prove obstinate or have wrong'd you see that you heartily forgive and clear your breast of all spight or desire of revenge so being carefull in all other respects duly to prepare your selves come to the Lords Table there to receive a confirmation of peace betwixt God and your own souls And thus I have done with the severall objections that are made against this duty CHAP. XVI Directions for a due Preparation and right Receiving IN the last place according to my promise I come to give some Direction to those who are willing to addresse themselves to this work to instruct them for their immediate preparation to their behaviour in and after the same And though I have already at large shewn what the design of this Ordinance is that so we might the better know how to behave our selves thereat and have thence discovered what kind of persons Communicants ought to be yet I shall in a few words premise a repetition of the same that you may the better apprehend and remember it Know then that it pleased our blessed Lord Jesus in the evening of that night wherein he was betrayed to appoint this Sacrament of his Supper partly for the present comfort of his Apostles who began to be cast down upon the knowledge of his sufferings and removall from amongst them but principally for the benefit of them and all other Christians in the times that were to follow even till he should come to Judgement till which time it never ought to be laid down in the Church The great end of it was as I have said to preserve fresh in the minds of all Christians the memorie of their Lord and Master and especially of that unvaluable mercy shewn in his dying for them his Death being very clearly held forth by the breaking of the Bread and pouring out of the Wine But we must not think that it was for an idle uneffectuall Remembrance of him that he commanded this duty but for such a Remembrance as might tend to the great advantage of our souls even that by Remembring our Redemption we might be brought to have low mean thoughts of our selves who were lost and undone but recovered by Free-grace that we might keep up a sence of the exceeding great evil of sin which made us liable to those miseries whence onely his Death can deliver us and so might be stirr'd up to a greater sorrow for hatred of and resolutions against sin the occasion of his Death and that by the Remembrance of his love we might be the stronglier engaged to him and here in a visible and expresse manner might solemnize our Covenant with him and frequently renew our promises of faithfulnesse Moreover here Christ hath made a familiar representation of the blessings he hath obtained for Believers that hereby we might be quickned to earnest desires after them and so being at present fitted for the communications of grace to our souls might receive the same and might here also receive a confirmation of our faith that we shall in due time enjoy those priviledges that are invisible and yet to come And farther he hath ordained that his Death should in this lively manner at set times be represented to us that having it fresh in our thoughts we may be the more powerfully moved at such seasons as these to celebrate and adore that wisdome and goodnesse which hath so wonderfully appeared in the contrivance and accomplishment of our Redemption and that Fellow-Christians meeting together for this work may be the more endeared to one another and quickned to long after a perfect communion in the praises and love of God and their Redeemer in that future glory whereof they have here a shadow and forecast Now as the ends for which this Ordinance was appointed inform us what kind of persons they that frequent it ought to be as to their habituall qualifications so do they also teach us what ought to be the workings of our soul in our approches to it since here we are to exercise and put forth those graces which are before required to be wrought in us but yet for your plainer
travailing to Emaus crying out We trusted this had been He who should have redeemed Israel Luk. 24.21 Then would our faith be vain we should be yet in our sins But we may now comfort our selves and use the Apostles gradation Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It 's Christ that died yea rather that 's risen again and is even at the right hand of God And now with joy let this Resurrection and Glory be remembred as being the fore-runner of yours When in your thoughts you have descended as low as his Grave and there stand weeping to think how your sins have slain him imagine you heard some Angel bespeaking you in almost the same language that he did the Women at his Sepulchre Mark 16.6 7. Fear not yee for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified He is not here for he is risen as he said and is gone before you not into Galilee but into Heaven there shall you see him When therefore you shall in this Ordinance see Christ crucified before you think with your selves This is the Lamb that was dead but is alive and lives for ever By the celebrating of this Sacrament you are to shew forth the Lords death till he come Remember then he is to come for this second coming would Christ have you keep much in your thoughts as well as his first He left not this pledge of his love with his Church as a dying Man leaves some gift with his friends to put them in minde of him whom they shall never see more but as one who goes a long journey leaves his Pâ—cture with his Wife that she may be mindfull of him in his absence and be quickned to long after his return And good reaâ—on have you to be mindfull of the Glory of our Lord since you your selves will be sharers herein and so at once you remember both Here I told you you take an earnest of the everlasting treasures and the consideration thereof is exceeding necessary to raise your value of that which will otherwise appear but worthlesse and mean And conceive of your selves as in a journey to that Kingdome having here taken in by the way to refresh your selves as travellers are wont to tuâ—n in and bait And like the Prophet 1 King 19.8 In the strength of this meal you are to go on toward the Mount of God These are provisions sent by your Joseph to serve you by the way till you come home to himself Yet a few more Sacraments and you shall be past the need of all Here are some fragrancies and drops of sweetnesse for the refreshment of Pilgrims till the day breaks and the shadows flee away when we shall get up after our Lord to the Mountains of Myrrhe and the Hill of Franckincense Here a Table is spread for us in the Wildernesse and some clusters of Grapes prest into our Cup till we shall come to Canaan and enjoy the vintage Behold in this transaction at the Lords Table an emblem and shadow of the future glory and let your thoughts take advantage from what is here presented to ascend to the joyfull contemplation thereof yet within a while and you who are here his welcome guests shall sit down with your Master at his Table in his Kingdome and there shall taste of the fruit of the Vine new with him and shall eat of a Manna that is yet hidden to you and shall exchange your present company for the society of innumerable Angels and perfect Saints And let this something quiet your mindes though not take off the quicknesse of your desires all you holy souls who are acted by so noble and strong a passion that you are imâ—atient of that distance at which you yet finde your selves from him whom you love and are even weary of the World where you cannot fully enjoy him much more of your own hearts that are so estranged from him comfort your selves for within a very short while your eies shall behold him and you shall be fully satisfied in your most intimate accesse to and abode with him You may look back with joy on the Redemption Christ hath wrought for you and may look before you and lift up yâ—ur heads with joy as knowing the day of full and finall Redemption draws nigh Only see that you now thirst ardently after that spiritual communion with him which is here attainable in being possest by him and closely uniâ—ed to him that being joyn'd to the Lord you may become one spirit This is the blessed and only possible transubstantiation to be transformed into the likenesse of Christ which is of infinitely more advantage to the believing soul than if according to that monstrous Popish fiction he should chew the very gross flesh and swallow the raw blood of Christ For by this means his body would only be changed into ours but by the change I speak of our Spirits become like to his And if now you hold but this fellowship with Christ in the spirit shortly you shall have a real presence even to the satisfaction of sense it self Then shall you see him as he is for you shall be made like to him in that day of his appearance Then indeed shall Sacraments vanish as useless shadows you having got the substance Christ himself You need then no more behold him in a Glass but shall see him face to face and be perfectly changed into his Image Oh the difference that will be betwixt that clear sight and this dark alas through our own fault too dark remembrance Oh that 's the comfort we shall then have laid by all that stupidity and dulnesse which here attends us whatever we are about That full view of our blessed Lord will for ever cure us of all coldnesse and unbelief and ravish us into one eternall affectionate admiration of divine love If that joy which arose from faith and love whilst he was not seen was unspeakable and full of glory how inconceivable how transcendently glorious must that be which shall arise from his immediate sight If it be such a precious priviledge to have a right to Heaven here solemnly given us what will it be to enter upon actual possession Oh then Christians whilst you are remembring Christ at his Table let it rejoyce your hearts to consider that he is remembring you at his fathers right hand and thither will shortly exalt you All you whom the King of Glory now espouseth to himself as it were by Proxie as Princes take Wives by their Embassadours remember that the day is hastening when your marriage shall be more publickly and triumphantly solemnized when all you blessed ones shall be call'd to the great Marriage-Supper of the Lamb. Yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry And do you now get your souls mounted as high as you can climbe by all the means that are afforded you and stand ever wishly looking and diligently preparing for his appeearance and
lay his head It 's like you think if Christ was on Earth you 'd follow him though but in the company of poor Women and Fisher-men and though the most of the World should laugh at you for so doing why know hee 'l take it as well at your hands if you will but tread in his foot-steps and adhere faithfully to his interest though it should cost you the losse of all you had and of life it self And let the death of Christ be much in your thoughts let the love of God which was herein shewn be your daily delightfull study and ever leave a sweet tincture upon your spirits that by the power of love you may be moved and carried on in the whole of your duty Let this shame and drive you from sin let this make you laborious and unwearied in his service When you are set upon by a temptation stay so long as to set a bleeding Saviour before you and think how you have much such a case now before you as the Jews once had to wit whether Christ or Barabbas should be prefer'd whether your lust should be subdued or your Lord crucified afresh If you approve of the Jews choice in this case you had best imitate them If that which would murder your soul deserve to be spared rather than he who dyed to save it then go on give Christ a stab and sin boldly Consider further how Christ by his death hath acquired a title to you so that you must glorifie him both with body and soul as being not your own but bought with a price Bought you are not out of the hands of the Father that you should now have liberty to sin against him but out of the hands of Satan that being free from sin you may become subject to God and the servants of righteousnesse How wilfully blinde are they who take the more liberty in sin from the consideration of that death which was undergone to redeem us from a vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Where 's that Man's reason and ingenuity who when he was fallen into his Masters displeasure and brought into favour again by the great industry of the Son should think he might now safely disobey his Master Though the Son pittied the servant so much that he was loth to see him perish yet he loves his Father so well that hee 'l never purchas'd an allowance for his disobedience and indeed the servants disobedience is his destruction Christ died once to save the penitent but hee 'l never die more to save those that remain willfully disobedient Consider also Christ by his death hath purchast abundant grace for the supply of all your wants and now being at the Fathers right hand hath full power to give out of this store wherefore make use of him to obtain the same Even as the Egyptians received food from Pharaoh by the hands of Joseph so must you receive all you have from the Father by his Son Jesus Let then the very life you live in the flesh be by faith in the Son of God By earnest desires vented in fervent prayers be ever deriving virtue and vigour from him your head Be as desirous and craving as you are necessitous as hungry as you are empty that the good God accoâ—ding to the riches of his grace may furnish you with all plenty of spiritual blessings til you shall come up to the measure of the stature of Christs own fulnesse Eph. 4.13 3. If you would thus grow in grace Be diligent in the use of all the means of grace which Christ hath afforded and let them be used and improved as means You must I have told you be much in earnest Prayer to God in the name of Christ for what ever you are wanting in Let not one day pass without the practice of this duty you that have Families call them together and pray with them morning and evening If you neglect this how little do you differ from those Heathens who call not upon God and upon whom he will pour out his wrath Be diligent in attending to the publick preaching of the Word and prepare your selves before-hand with a resolution to obey what shall be made known to you to be the wil of God and beg his blessing on what you hear Consider when you come home wherein you are particularly concern'd in what you have heard and accordingly follow it Setting against that sin or upon that duty that you are thereby convinc't of When you can get time spend it in reading Gods Word and good Books which may explain and enforce that Word Especially you that have not much time on the week-days spend the remainder of the Lords day after publick worship in some such good employment and waste it not in idlenesse no nor an hour at any other time Read also to and with your Family and ponder of it afterwards that it may be more profitable to you Often discourse one with another about the matters of your souls soberly and seriously that you may afford each other what help you can It would be exceeding well if when you sit with your neighbours you would be thus employed in holy savoury conference to the use of edifying rather than in idle chatting and talking of persons and things that concern you not But especially they who are of the same Family and are more neerly relaâ—ed have more opportunity and engagement hereto and should be admonâ—shing one anoâ—her daily and provoking to love and good woâ—ks For the Lord's Supper I have already directed you at large and I hope you will practise answerably and be frequent therein not ordinarily neglecting any opportunity when you are call'd to it But as I desire you not to neglect these exercises of Religion so on the other hand as earnestly I would wish you to beware of resting in them as thinking all Religion is confin'd to them and so becoming lesse carefull of your carriage as to justice temperance inward piety and all vertuous actions Methinks the wretched error of those Sects that throw off all external duties of worship and crie up themselves as above Ordinances may teach this wholsome lesson to all professing Christians to beware of resting in these things and framing to themselves a Religion out of them These I grant are parts of obedience to God for he hath commanded them and they are waies for the exercise and encrease of our graces and to be as helps to godlinesse but to think that they give any discharge from the practice of godlinesse and make amends for sins we are loath to leave for which we do as it were compound with God by these formalities making sin our pleasure and his service a pennance for it these are conceits so gross that methinks none but a Papist or one willingly ignorant should entertain them Religion is no road of performances but a new nature attended with a new life It is the subjâ—ction of the soul to the will of God expressing it self
your time and do all actions as in his sight You may easier run from under thâ— heavens than out of his eye And consider he do's not onely look on you but narrowly regard yoâ— and concerns himself with you being highly displeased when you run into sin and takes delight in your holy conversation In whatever company you are be not drawn away by them in a kind of flashy humour as if the generall loosness and jollity did engage you to conform to them but remember God is in the midst of you who never gives you a dispensation to be wicked and whom it more behoves you to please than all the world beside though avoid all ensnaring company as much as possible Let this keep you from fear or shâ—me when you are call'd to speak against Sin or for God and Holinâ—sse He 's near that will justifie you you may therefore set your face as a flint When you are alone think not you may sin the more securely for God is with you and eyes all your moâ—ions as if he had none but you to mind In your addresses to God a sense of his neaâ—nessâ— will much awaken and affect you and is one of the best helps against wandâ—ing thoughts that you can have Beware of ever being so farre swallowed up with the noise and hurry of businesses or pleasures as not to attend to him that stands over you He that is present every where should be remembred at all times Read to this purpoâ—e Psal. 139. Such a powerfull habituall sense of a present God should you work into your minds that you may walk as before him even when you do not actually think of him as a Servant is all day doing that work which his Master would have him though he may not half that time be thinkâ—ng of him So though it be needfull that you should often actually think of God yet above all see that you never so forget him as to do that which is displeasing to him And to conclude this in any doubtfull action let this be one rule that you go by not to do that which whilst you are about you dare not boldly think of Gods presence 6. The last thing I shall say to you for the carrying on of an holy life to which you are bound by the Sacrament is That you be much in serious meditation of the last things Death Judgement and Eternity The frequent and lively thoughts of these will have a mighty influence upon your whole course To consider your latter end is both a discovery of and the way to wisdome Live every day as he that knows not whether he hath another day to live Think often What if I had but another monâ—h or year to sâ—end in the world how strictly and holily should I then live that time How carefull should I be of my thoughts words and actions How thrifty of my time How serious and affectionate in all my approaches to God How ready and willing to do or receive good Why let me now live after this exact manner since it may be I have not so much as a month or year to come however very much I am sure I have not and my preparations be they never so soon will not be lost Let others funâ—ralls put you in mind of yours and flatter not your selves with the hopes of long life because you are young and healthfull but see to get your souls in such a condition that a long life may not be so much the matter of your hopes nor death the cause of your fears And remember you are always going on to the Judgement seat of Christ where you must have a triall of ten thousand times greater concernment than those that use to come before Earthly Princes and Judges when the case must be decided where you must live for ever whether in the highest joys or the sorest torments Had you not need then now to be getting a good cause for according to the life you led here in the flesh will that sentence passe The wicked must go into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternall The God who sees you now will Judge you then by Christ the Redeemer Think what a life you shall wish you had led when you come to the end of it and must be Judged for it and lead such an one now When the sugred baits of sin are presented and you have much ado to hold off them then think what bitternesse it will be in the end compare the honey with the gall the present delight which is vanisht in a moment with the sting and pain which endures eternally and then judge and act like reasonable creatures But above all let your thoughts be even steept and swallowed up in the pleasant contemplations of that glory which shall be revealed in and bestowed upon all that love the Lord Jesus Whenever you are ready to faint and give out remember the joy that is set before you and let that remembrance cheer and revive you Consider what that goodnesse is which God hath laid up in himself for them that fear him till you find your love enflamed towards him and let that love put you upon more frequent thoughts and earnest longings after him Onely see to fill up all your time with suitable actions and then let it even please you to see your days post away so fast Alwaies keep it on your thoughts that you are in a journey to a glorious Kingdome and be often saying Now I am one day or month or year nearer than I was before Stretch out thy self with a longing look towards thy Fathers house Shortly I shall be in the arms of my dear Saviour and shall be joyning with Saints and Angels in the triumphant praises of Jehovah and the Lamb. And remember this happinesse consists chiefly in being made perfectly holy and therefore here must that grace be sown and grow up that shall then be ripened into glory And the more holy you are the nearer to heaven will you get whilst you stay on earth and the meeter for it will you be when you are taken off from the earth Ever keep up such a sense of the excellency of this future blessednesse as may blast all other things in your esteem and deaden the temptations that are taken from pleasures riches and honours Oh think how perfectly provided for must he needs be who shall have God for his portion How mad are they that would lose the least hope of this happinesse for the whole world And they that look for such great things what manner of persons ought they to be in all holy conversation and godliness Oh let nothing weary you or turn you out of the way Hold out awhile longer and you shall be plac'd out of the reach of all temptations for ever Fasten upon nothing on this side heaven with any great delight or long stay But still tell your selves it's time enough to be happy when God shall take you to himself so he will but here vouchsafe you that converse with him whereof we in this state are capable Let every thing you meet with be as a step toward Mount Sion and raise you nearer to heaven and make you more desirous of it And when you have been thus meditating and preparing waiting and desiring a while you shall assuredly find that your labour was not in vain Wherâ—fore let such considerations as these make you stedfast unmoveablâ— alwaies abounding in youâ— Lords work till at length you shall be translated into his Joy And thus I have dispatcht those Directions I promised for the promoting of holinesse whâ—ch was the last thing I had to do It now remains that we set our selves resolvedly and sincerely to the practise of what God hath revealed to be our duty which if we do we need not doubt of his assistance and blessing but upon our perseverance in well-doing to which we have obliged our selves may through our Mediatour confidenâ—ly expect his gracious acceptance and his glorious Câ—own Now â—he Gâ—d of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of his sheep by the bâ—ood of the everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good work to do his will wâ—rking in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesâ—â— Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13.20 21. FINIS