Wherefore comes the Diseasâ—d to the Physitiâ—n but for health and â—ase 6 And wherefore comes the oppressed Subject to the King but for Relief against his Enemies I come for help against a hard heart I come for Power against a strong Lust a mighty Goliah that threatens the Life of my Soul 7. I am weary and heavy laden with sin and therefore I come for rest and Peace My sins are my greatest Burden my ignorance sloath â—nd slowness earthlyness and lukewarmness the indwelling body of Death pains my Heart and the guilt of Sin stings my Conscience and I come for purging and pacifying by Christ 8. I come for mutual Communication of Love-tokens to give and take I would have my Faith Confirmed my Love more Fervent my Heart more Enlarged more weaned from Earth and more set upon Heavenly Glory I come to condole with Zion and put in for Songs of Deliverance and for restoring of a decayed work of God among us that the right Arm of the Lord may put on strength and encounter his Enemies on their high places that Christ may be great in these Nations and the reproach of his People he may take away and prosper his Gospel in Conquering sinners and converting the Elect. Q. In what Posture or Condition must we come to Christ A. 1. In a praiseful posture must we come to meet our Redeemer We begin the new Song here that will never be ended in Heaven 2. As Subjects to pay our homage to our Prince Psal 45.11 He is the Lord and Worship him 3. As Servants to receive their Masters Orders and Commands Psal 123.2 Lord what wilt thou have me to do 4. As Schollars to their Masters to be taught 5. As Children to their Father for a blessing 6. As Beggars for an Alms poor and needy but think upon me 7. As Paâ—ienâ—s to a Physitian for Health and Cure Like a Malâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—ath pleaguâ—y sores needs a Physiâ—â—â— a 〈…〉 as â—â—ll as a Pardon 52. If the questâ—â—◠〈◊〉 asked what doest thou here or how camest 〈◊〉 hithâ—r A. The Master calleth come Q. But hâ—â—r knoâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—lleth thee A. 1. I. have exaâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 my self and 〈◊〉 â—re allowed to coâ—â— 2â—ly 〈…〉 â—â—eth his Call saying behold I come aâ—to thee 〈…〉 in my Heart thâ—t I am the â—erson called 〈…〉 from the call Whosoever will let him câ—me and drink of the Water of Life freely First A great latitude in 〈…〉 â—â—â—soever and why may not I be one among so maâ—y 〈◊〉 But 2ly whosoever will I find he hath made me one of his Willing ones my Heart is here and I never went to eat and drink for my outward man more willingly 3dly I am called to drink and truly I find my Soul a thirst and wants its refreshing â—ere 4thly It 's â—â—ater of Life that is offered and it 's the same my Soul câ—mes for that I may have life and have it more abundantly And 5thly I am called to take it freely and so do I take it as the sweetest gift of mâ— dear Redeemer withoâ—t any plea of my own righteousness But yet tho call'd let thy soul say He that calls must carry me too for no man can come except the Father draw O! be looking up for Divine drawing for heartâ— will faint and draw back if Christ draw not â—ear Our Sâ—vâ—â—ur said to Peter come but if he that called him had not bore him up he had sunk for all his call Learn to look to Christ for all without him we can do nothing Law not the great stress on thy coming hither but on Christ's coming to thee in the Ordinance for it 's our Lords own presence which is the master-wheel of all spiritual Mâ—tions I will come in that made the Feast Rev. 3.20 â—â—emeâ—ber John 11.28 when Martha told her Sister Mary fâ—â—retly the Master is come she arose quickly and came unto him All our inward motions to him depend upon his coming first unto us and therefore leâ— your heart be saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly until the day break and the shadows flee away We read of a deferred Christian after much sad Soâ—l exercise crying out he is come he is come Q. How may we know he is come A. 1. How did Elizabeth know that Mary brought Christ in her Womb when she came to see her but by some inward unusual emâ—â—ions thy heart will not be without its own transporting extasies of love and wonder saving with Elizâ—â—â—th Whence is it that the Lord of Glory should come and 〈◊〉 k on me and will not fail to â—â—ave iâ—superable ties upon thy â—â—art to entertain his fell â—ship and attend his service 53. Concerning the Jews hearing of John our Saviour asked What went you out for to see and else where to enquiring Disciples come and see You have been hearing but now come and see That will be the sense in Heaven that will be most saâ—â—â—fied when we shall see him as he is There a Glorified Christ and here a Cruâ—â—â—â—â—d one Here you maâ— sâ—e the true Isâ—â— laid on the blâ—â—k and the bloody knife at his throat Hâ—re is the Scaâ—â—â—â—â— over whose Heaâ— Isâ—ael confessed thei◠〈◊〉 â—â—nt into thâ— Wilâ—â—â—ness carring our sin inâ—o a lâ—nâ— of forgerfulnâ—ss â—â—â—e you sâ—e the Church of God purchased which 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 Here your sacrifiâ—â—d 〈◊〉 surety payiâ—â— your deâ—t 〈◊〉 â—ou must have been paying to all â—â—â—nity and 〈…〉 dâ—ne paying Here is the most high Go◠〈…〉 to â—â—ke our blows our Heave◠〈…〉 of his Hâ—â—â—our Healing by his Wounding 〈…〉 the â—nowleâ—g of sin shining forth in God's Holiness and hâ—â—râ—d of 〈◊〉 For all the threatnings of the Law and 〈◊〉 of thâ—m on others could never preach it foâ—th â—s exceâ—â—ing of them on Christ hath done And here new you see the treasure hid in the field Let none 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 because brought in earthen Vessels This offers injury to Divine Wisdom and Goodnâ—â—s who condescends to make such familiar râ—presâ—â—raâ—ions of our Redemption adapted to our infiâ—â—â—es here on earth who cannot conceive heavenly things but in an earthlâ— manner and the meaning is that the excellency may be of God and not of man Learn O Believer to glory in nothing but in the Cross of Christ whatever else we glory in will be our shame another day and why should we glory in any thing so much as in that whereby God hâ—th his greatest glory John 13.31 God's Glory and our happiness center in a Crucified Christ Q. What benefit have we by the Cross of Christ A. 1. Without it we must â—ave 〈◊〉 all that he suffered for us 2. â—o mercy for uâ— buâ— thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Christ's merit our surety was 〈…〉 of strict iustice that we manâ— be 〈◊〉 wâ—th on 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 3. Christ being â—ast iâ—â—o the Fâ—â—â—â—ce of 〈◊〉 Wâ—â—th â—â—â—ched the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—mas thâ— type being can inâ—o tâ—e raging Sea 〈◊〉 the storâ—â— he made his Soul an Offering for sin No maâ—â—◠〈◊〉 me dâ—â—â— be if
119.60 as all spiritual purposes are to be manag'd but yet leâ— it be done with greatest seriousness and fulness of consent it being a bargain never to be broken a covenant never to be forgotten and doing a thing never to be undone again If the desires after Christ you make this Covenant with be true they will make worldly desires in a good measure dye and run low Sometimes you desire a thing so that all other things are so little they scarce come into your thoughts for that same thing you love so â—uch Such a desire had Christ to redeem us that even Sufferings were desirable in order to its accomplishment I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished 13 â—o seal our covenant are we come even that Câ—venant he maâ—e with his Christ the everlasting Covenant the sure and ordâ—red Covenant wherein lies all our salvation hereafter and all our consolation here O let our hearts be carried out according to the loving kindness of the Lord shewed in it Consider all the mercies of this Covenant and labour to taste in every one of them that the Lord is gracious This is the Salt of the Covenant without which our Morâ—el will be unsavoury There is something in the Covenant better than Salvation better than Heaven and that is the Lord our Righteousness and Jehovah our God He is not ashamed to be called our God let not us be a shame but a praise to him To have him for your God is to have all in God for your good and O then let all that is in you be for God Christ is here sending us by the hands of his Commissionated Officers the Cluster of Grapes as the first fruits of the Land of promise and commanding you to take and eat the Bread of Life He is reaching unto the thirsty Soul the fruit of the Vine turning it Sacramentally into his Blood bidding you drink it in remembrance of him till he come and feasting you with his fullest Love and satisfying you with the pleasure and presence of his glory Great and glorious things are soâ—nd here under the plainest dress that the eye of faith may be most exercised The glory of their Ordinances under the Law was a stumbling block to them for they rested in the Cabbinet and over-looked the Jewels The meanness of our Ordinances are so to us for we look not for the Treasure in earthen Vessels The Types were rich and our Memorials poor they had finer Spectacles we better Eyes If their Tree had more shadow ours hath more fruit Christ in commanding us to do this in remembrance of him builds a Monument of himself before he dies plain and simple to the eye but firm and lasting to continue till he come again and all that is said of him in the Gospel is here to be seen in this Sacrament Here may we see him dying and paying our Ransom the Lamb of God lying bound on the Altar heated with his Father's wrath On the Table we have a fair prospect of the Cross with the sacrifice of the Son of God set before us And let us say Lord if thou remember our sins we will remember thy Christ For in remembring his death we must by all means mind that as our sins slew him so his death conquers sin and expiates guilt and this is the food of the sacrifice that our souls must live upon And if this be rightly apprehended you see the great benefit by Christ here represented confirmed and participated And it 's easy to perceive how far they forsake their own mercies that for the sake of sin come not up to the terms of the covenant Iâ— ye think good give me my price it not forbear Any that come hither thinking to â—old â—ast their sins receive not Christ in the â—acrament but Satan receiâ—es them as he did Juâ—as after he had received the Sop Such be all these who come not hither to repent of sin but to câ—ver it 14. When we look into our Bibles we fâ—nd the Death and sufferings of Christ represented here a far greater matter than many make of it bearing so great a part in the â—criptures and making so great a figure there â—or we find the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ the chief thing manifested by the Spirit of God to the Prophets together with the Glory that should follow thereupon to him and his redeemed ones 1 Pet. 1.11 which shews us their prime study was taken up in this And this was likewise the end of all the discoveries of sin and threatnings of God's wrath in the Law even to point out the necessiâ—y of his sâ—tisfaction Rom. 10 4. And lastly the very substance and signâ—â—â—â—â—m of all Typeâ— aâ—d sâ—crâ—fices was but to point out the sufferingâ— of Christ and the glorious effects thereof Heâ— 20.1 Now no hing we hear of his Sâ—ffâ—rings in the World or see thereof in Sacraments makes any saving impression upâ—n us till thereby siâ— bâ—comes exceeding siâ—fâ—l and Christ exceeding prâ—cious among the many things we have seen in the World and works we have done whâ—n shall we begin to see sin in its own colourâ— viz. To sâ—e it the only thing that breâ—ks the Law and so dishonoureth the Law giver Crucified Christ Grieves the Spirit gratifies Sâ—â—an debaseth human nature dâ—stracts the world and damos Souls And yet for all this men cannot hatâ— sâ—n becaâ—sâ— it 's oâ—r â—o k Hel 4.10 O monstrouâ— sinful sâ—lfishâ—ess that fâ—r all the inconceivablâ— evâ—l in sin yet cannot hate it because it 's ours whâ—n â—o tâ—â—t we should hate it more than all th◠〈…〉 the whole woâ—ld Now this due sense of Sâ—n 〈…〉 exâ—lt Christ and make him â—â—â—â—â—ous who is the â—â—â—ha and Omega â—n the busâ—â—â—ss of Relâ—giâ—n without him you câ—n do nothing and lok for nothing It'â— by hâ—s â—treâ—gâ—h 〈◊〉 muâ—t wâ—â—k and by his Righteousâ—ess you muâ—t be â—ccâ—pted Isa 45.24 For indeed we cannot for sin â—hink of any mercy till God turn our eye on Christ in whom he is gâ—acious And the end of all we see Christ to be for â—s is to oblige us to love and obedience We have new representations of the favour of God and grace of Christ daily in these Ordinances that our obedience may be new our hearts and livâ—s â—â—larged and consecrated to the service of such a Saviour who hath Redeemed us with the blood we come here to commemorate Iâ— Faith â—ake these things real to our minds we shall be affected now and reformed hereafter If unbelief reign and we abide under its Power we shall be dead still and worldly as we were But look to him for a share of Heavenly Grace to â—xcâ—te our minds aâ—d thoughts to a Holy Zeâ—l and higher â—ctings than we are usually acquainted with in the lower regions of our converse 15. Having given up our names to Christ in Covenant we are obliged often to renew it to shew the â—â—â—câ—ritâ— of our heart
against prevailing Iniquities and predominant Corruptions that your jea ous Lord and Husband may give Idols a deadly blow at such a time 4. For the 〈◊〉 â—pirit of Jesus to make Graces lively that 〈◊〉 â—piknâ—rd may send sorth the smell thereof and the Spices slow out 5. For growing in all grace that Gods own work in the heart may be sâ—t forward by our waiting on Christ in his so precious appointment 6. That he would suspend quarrels yea â—â—move the ground of all by forgiving grace and send away poor penitents comforted with a sealed senâ—e of it in their own bosomes 7. For further manifestations of God's Love and clearer Fâ—â—â—dences of an heavenly Interest 8. For a more fruitful Life of Godliness to the praise of the gâ—ory of his grace 9 For Families and Relations that it might please the Lord to bring ours hâ—me to Christ make them his by grace and build them up to glory 10. For poor Zion that he would pity her desolations heal her breaches plead her cause pardon her sins help her to improve her mercies and prepare her yâ—t for greater deliverances from Evil when â—er grâ—cious God shall see good to grant them 11. That God would pity the â—â—rk corners of the Earâ—â— and open the Eyes of bold and blind sinners among us Q. What he the Resolutions this solemn occasion should puâ—â—â—â— ponâ— 1 To love Christ â—â—re 〈◊〉 â—â—tly 2. To remember him more frequently 〈◊〉 we 〈…〉 to remember him here thâ—â— we may forget him when gone 3 To perform all duties more spiritually 4. To watch our hearts more narrowly 5. To walk more tenderly 6. To follow him more sully 7. To renounce and deny self more freely 8 To trust in Christ more intirely 9. To take his part more boldly 10. And to keep Covenants more faithfully 38. Here have we the most amazing Instance of love that ever was given in the world and when you have travell'd the Vniverse over to seek for Love here lies the richest and rarest manifestations of Love that God gave his Son and Christ gave himself This is the heighth depth length and breadth of the love of God that passeth knowledge So great a ransom so rich a purchase so great a one become so low to set thee on high make himself so poor to enrich thee empty himself to fill thee and to do all this yea God to lay out his All on such unworthy and undeserving ones others love for some worth or good quality but God loved us when lying in our blood Now what â—an we do less for all this but make heart returns of love again Love being the very heart of the new creature and he that hath most love hath most grace and 〈◊〉 the best Christian And to provoke your love to this Beloved you may assure your selves 〈◊〉 he would never have died for you if he had not loved the meanest of you better than the highest Angel in Heaven can love him And besides if you can but love him his love will breed you more delight and hearâ— ravishing pleasure than all the love of creatuâ—es can Read but that Song of Love between Christ and his Spouse and see the unparallell'd delights of divine love between Christ and his Church Well if you love him keep his Commandments be careful to please him be tender of his honour deny your selves for his sake account all loss to win Christ thirsting after his communion longing to be perfectly free from sin that grieves his good Spirit and keeping your selves in the love of God looking or the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life No such motive to love God as studying his love to us and surely he must love us that sent his Son from his bosom to fetch us thither But why should a little love of creatures affect us so much and the great 〈◊〉 God affect us so little Aâ—â— Meerly bâ—â—â—us â—e are â—â—ore â—â—esh than spirit and have alâ—◠〈◊〉 sâ—nsâ— then faith Weak faith makes 〈◊〉 impressions of all spiritual things 〈◊〉 faith and better rooting would make â—â—â—â—â—â—ions â—aâ— more â—â—â—â—y Pet. 1.8 Now if we love Christ we will prize the â—â—ast token of his â—â—ve before all 〈…〉 can give us â—nd will thi◠〈…〉 sight of him 39. It s recorded of the Quâ—â—â— of â—beba that when she had seen the sitting of Solomon 's Servants there was no more spirit in her 1 King 10. How much more may this sight of our sitting confound and amaze us That Christs sinful servants should be set with himself at his Table considering 1. That he hath not a higher board on Earth than we sit at now and the Lord himself speak of stting with us Soag 1 12 Rev. 3.20 2 That tho it becometh â—s to stand when the King sitteth yet this glorious King came not to be ministred unto but to minister to us to gird himself as a Servant and mash the feet of his poor disciples 3. Wonder that we who deserved to lye in Hell should sit so high here 4. And the greatest wonder of all is that we should be fed at the King's Table with his own flesh allude to Job 31.31 Job 6. Shepherds use to eat the flesh of their flocks but here the good Shepherd gave his life for his sheep and feeds them with his flesh and blood And wonder also that we sit at peace a midst so many enemies that envies our feeding but it 's of the Lords great power â—nd bounty both that he prepares us a Table in this Waldernâ—ss and fills our cup in the presence of our enemies Now at this sacred so â—emnity is represented unto us the weightiest things of our Soul-concerns viz. Our sins and Christs sufferings we offending and he punished for our offences something in his Sufferings answering to our sin we a life of sinning and he a life of suffering we a load oâ— sin and he of suffering as our sin was God's provocation so is his suffering Gods satisfaction He was taken and we seâ—â—ree his death was our release Josh 20.6 there was no release nor returning in safety for the Man-slayer till the death of the High-Priest We have been light-hearted in suning but our Surcty groaning and heavy even unto death for our sin We contracted the debt and he taid the score sor us Now charge your Souls with Love Repentance Faith and Obedience with love to so friendly an â—ndeâ—taker who valued nothing whatever it cost him if he might but ransom thy soul and set thee â—â—ee◠〈◊〉 pâ—ntâ— ance for those bloody â—â—â—s that maâ—â— him sweat and weep Faith in that blood that made so perfect satisfaction and is so â—ull of Vertue to purge thy peâ—ssured and guilty soul And Obedienâ—e even a wâ—â—le Life of graceful Obedience to him that hath redeemed thy soul from Hâ—â—â— 40 The upper end of this Holy Table of the Lord is to get hearessâ—â— Chrish at the Kâ—s own Elbow when he 〈◊〉 tâ—â—â—â—â—t his Table Q
mind for as Christ is now bodily in heaven so will he not be spiritually and sacramentally in any but a heavenly mind the doors must be list up before the King come in 10. Look on Christ your Passover Sacrificed for you and be humbled 1. That you were worthy to dye 2. That you live by the death â—f another 3. That your sin should Crucisy the Lord of â—â—ory What a humbling sight is it to â—ee Christ thy Sacrifice fall before the Altar and laid upon it and burn yea consumed by the Fire of God's wrath for thee O sigh and say alas Was not this for my sake should not I have lyen there suffering and satisfying for ever if he had not interposed and bore my Burden Shall he sweat and bleed for me and I not grieve for him But tâ— make the remembrance of Christ's Death for me the more affectionate consider first it was the Death of the humblest and worthiest person that ever appeared on the Earth the Son of God the Lord of Glory the eternal God the Heir of all things on Earth was never his like Secondly He was no greater than Good the innocent and spotless Lamb of God that Holy thing who knew no sin and yet he suffered Death In his Life was no spot and in his Death was no complaint or murmuring This Noble and Just One died for us was our ransom and attonement He who knew no sin made sin i. e. a sacrifice for ours our sin imputed to him who had none of his own our sorrows made his and by his stripes we are healed We live by his Death Gal. 2.20 He is taken and â—â—e â—â—ape If ye seek me let these â—o their way leâ—â—â—n â—eâ—â—r he charged on mine Elect My sâ—â—ep I lay down my life for tho they bâ— under a â—â—aw condemnation for breaking of it yet let them be acâ—â—â—â—d for my â—eeping of iâ— parâ—oned on my account and all their scores reckâ—ned for with me Look on the blessed Surety of the Covenant and be hold him obeying and dying for us For albeit the Law be not now a Covenant Believers are under yet the meaning is not that perfect Obedience is not required even of believers but not being sound in them it 's performed by our Surety the Second Adam for the exchange is only of the person not of the righteousness Thus was laid on him the Iniquities of us all and if it had been laid on us it had sunk us for ever But that love that deliver'd him up was unparallell'd Whatever Satan Sin Conscience or the Law charge upon you shew you here the Lord's Death 11. Every Sacrament is a Certificate of Christ's Death and hereby we tell the world we believe our Lord was cut off out of the Land of the Living Now to shew forth this death are we come hither he would not have his Death forgotten but to remember it as we often do without lively affections is next door to a total forgetting of it Without an affectionate remembrance of the death of Christ and a Soul inflamed with love to our Ransomer we partake not of his body we may be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord when we put forth polluted hands to take it and take all with unbroken is hearts And indeed the sweet of the Pasâ—ver is lost for want of the bitter herbs of godly sorrow for sin that slew the Lord of Glory Now let the remembrance of our Lord here not only affect us but change us into another temper and disposition to be his and for him to conform to him to carry a way better thoughts of him to live a life of remembring of him to give him alone the Glory of so wonderful a work as our Redemption by his death to love him that hath so loved us and to hate sin that so offended his Father and crucified him If we weep not over him we have no fellowship with his sufferings if we wash not here we have no part in him if we carry not away a better remembrance of him we come here but to mock him if we prefer the World to him we shew our selves unworthy of him and if we can go away and live in our sin we do but seal our own damnation by coming hither What is it to undertake a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and to weep a tear over the holy Grave but to return with a new heart and another life is the business And to affect you further with this Representation by his accursed but blessed death to us he seals the Testament and confirms a great Legacy to us that he may not only keep the condemned from going to prison but settle a Revenue on the poor and needy and make them rich for ever and set them wâ—th Princes even with the Princes of his people that had nothing but rags and poverty and now he lives for ever to see his Legacies bestowed 12. The Gospel-Proclamation is Christ's Invitation Whosoever is a thirst let him come Desires are the Soul's hunger after Christ they are the best sawce they add a sweetness to the bread of life A man that â—ath lost his stomach and can taste no sweetness in the choicest food is not fit to sit at this Feast who hath no desires after Vnion and Communion with Christ. He that is the desire of all Nations will be sought after and found of all that do desire him Not to desire him is to despise him Is 53.2 3. and to hide our face from him Will he disclose his Secrets to them who hide their face from him If we desire him not we shall never enjoy him The same thing that is the Saints desire now will be his satisfaction for ever Let us not think a desire of Christ a light thing In the Gospel a poor man's hunger is his blessing Mat. 5.6 in the world it is his misery God accepts of our appetite as much as if we pay'd ready money for his Graces and their hunger is insteaâ— oâ— a price Is 55.1 There was never Soul miscarried with longing after Grace O blessed hunger that ends always in fulnâ—sâ— The wooâ—e ife of Christian is but a holy desire saith Austin And the soul desires Christ absent but tâ—ese desires are raised in the Soul by Christ present We burn with a desire to settle our selves but mistake the way and build Castles in the air but the Sum of â—anctified desires is unutterable groans for the â—ull application of good things promised and eager thirâ—ting for a larger communication and before Christ hath perâ—ected his Gracâ— in the Desires of the Soul it will find it self so inflamed with them that if Hell should stand between its Beloved and it he would wiâ—lingly pass through its very flames to embrace his dear Redeemer And seeing it is to him we come to seal his Covenant by Soul-resignation let the matter admit of no dispute or deâ—ay but be dispatched with all haste and speed Ps
He is spoiled by Jesus â—hrist Col 2.15 2. More power is implo ed for Believers than can be against them 1. John 4.4 2 Kings 6.16 3. Victory oâ—er him is sure and near to Believers Rom. 16.20 Qu. But since we must be strong in the Lord and in the power oâ— his might if we wou d overcome may we not question with our Selves â—s once the â—hilistines with Dalilah concerning Sampson wherein lies the great strenth of a Christian This case Satan studies that he may know how to deal with us 1. The great strength of a Christian lies in his Covenant Relation to God and Union with Christ his head for tho weak in our selves yet a strong head have we in Heaven The Church is a weak Woman bâ—t hath a Redeemer miâ—hty to plead her Cause A Christians strength lies in his Confederated Friendship in Heaven the improvement of this is the laying out of that strength Psal 44 4. Tho Jacob was desâ—itute for outward help yet was he well befriended in Heaven and the blessed God whom he sought did his business for him against his Brother 2. In the gracious qualitieâ— brought into the Soul at Câ—nversion without which in a natural unrenewed State we are said to be without strength Rom. 5.6 So that Grace is a new party or Spiritual Power brought into the Soul for Christ to oppose sin and appear for God 3. In Divine Assistances for every Christian is weak or strong as â—ssisted as God girds or loosens us the girdle of his Loins wherefore we had need to keep in good terms with Christ that we fall not under his withdrawings of Gracious aids so needful for our Spiritual Warfare 4. In a careful retaining the impressions of Oâ—dinances O! pray that God â—ould stamp these glorious appreheâ—sions of himself on your minds that you have sometimes here and may not tâ—â—e in other Images to bow down unto Let the impression of these Ordinances of Word and Sacrament wear off and you are weak as others Peter had forgot Christ s work and so forgot himself Luke 22.61 and his M ster too Had Evah's thoughts been intent on the word the Lord hath said and not diverted to sensual Motions it had been sufficient to put by all the passes Satan could make against her O Christians be first sound that ye may be strong Job 17.9 The way of the Lord is strength only to the upright but the more a Hypocrite does in Reliâ—ion he is inwardly the weaker And for your encouraâ—ement let never a found heart despair of higher measures than â—ommon attainments â—or your helps viz. The love of Christ and hope of Heaven are greater than your hindrances can be 18. We say times of Trouble and great Afflictions are trying times but I say Sacrament seasons ought to be trying times with us Now in the trying of the truth of Grace we must labour to find out the habitual temper and disposition of hearts by the quality of their Acts. 1. If they be free and chearful not constrain'd or such as we had rather not do if we could help it Psal 119 108. 2. How frequent opportunity offering Psal 55.17 3. Thorough and serious else they prove neither habit nor disposition Rom. 12.11 4. We must try the Soul by the acts which make after the end as desire and love to God Christ and Heaven and this is more than to try our hearts by the Acts that make after the means only I know all gracious hearts would fain know their own sincerity 1 It is willing if sincere to know all its sin Job 13.23 even the worst of its own heart to câ—me to the light that it may be made manifest to its self yea had rather a l the World should know it than its rottenness should be hid from it sâ—lf it loves the most discovering Ordinances best but a Hypocrite had rather have a rotten Heart than be searched and repent 2. It 's willing to part with every sin it knows of it self when one is more willing to part with a sin than to keep it that puts the Soul out of danger by it 3. And then the best way to know our sincerity in this parting with sin is by serious indeavours in the use of all appointed means to oppose sin and carry on the spiritual Warfare against the Body of Death 4. And is obtaining some success and Victory The Spirit of God repeat that promâ—se to all the seven Churches of Asia to him that overcometh 0◠〈◊〉 vincenti every sincere Soul is in the way of overcoming the honest use of means gives some check to thâ— prevailing of Iniquity where no Conflicting with sin there can be no sincerity and every honest heart will be helped of God to some Victory and what ever men make now of other Victories this is that which you will have only cause of triumph in at the last as Valentinian the Emperour said on his Death-bed That of all his Victories one only comforted him and that was his overcoming his own naughty heart And that we may finish this Tryal we are upon in examining of our selves if we can find our sins and be humbleâ— for them and judg our selves with a righteous Judgment impartially and severely we may warrantably partake of the Body and Blood of Chriâ—t in the Sacrament tho we cannot discover our Graceâ— as we would For such examination as issues in self-judging hath the promise of not being judged of the Lord for unworthy receiving 1 Cor. 11.28 31. Now our sins which are the proper caâ—se of Self judging are the object of Self-examining rather than our Graces 19. Rom 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Obs 1. God's sending is a great Mistery It 's the Grandure of Earthly Princes that their Subjects send to them and a wonder if Rebels have access if they come in the humblest manner but he sends to us and sends for us that we may come anâ— be pardoned come and be saved 2. He sends his Son not an Angel 1 John 4.9 3. In the flesh he senâ—s his Son which is but gross in the state of Beggar to bring in the Blind and the Lame Heb. 2.16 4. In likeness of sinful flesh as like a sinner as might be not to be a sinner that he might save us from our sins i e. with infirmities and necessities that attend sinful man that no eye could descern a difference Isa 53 4. As the brazen Serpent was like a Serpent but had not the Venom of a Serpent This Incarnation of God is a Subject of the highest Admiration and fountain of the sweetest Consolation that the World affords O! the wonder of God's coming down to man to be handled seen and tasted of us a contract even for the wonder of Angels as the welfare of Man O wonder of wonders that ever it should be heard in Heaven or on Earth Let one of us become Man A Redeemer could never have suited
is nothingâ— for the unparralleled pattern and spring of all love is here represented to the life believe his love and let him have love again you may well believe it for he that loved us so as to lay down his life for us when enemies how will he delight in us when washed in his blood and renewed to his likeness and if Christ have his due he will have love again And if true love it longs to see him and can deny it self to please him it will desire to know his will and delight to do it We must prove our love as our Lord did his John 14. â—1 A soul in love with Christ reckons him chiefly worthy of his love endeavours the nearest Union with him and is still going out after him Hence spring Langour and melting to enjoy him and receive his impressions resignment of will to him and a concern for his interests Love the Lord all his Saints for he keepeth their souls Love him once and all he saith and doth will be more acceptable to you and all that you do in love will be pleasing to him Love him and you will be loath to offend him â—esirous to please him and satisfied in his love Love God and you are sure of love again Prov. 8.17 Now that you may love him contemplate his goodness and see him in the face of Christ and behold his love in the design of our Redemption in the person of our Redeemer in the promises of grace and in all the benefits of Râ—demption Yea if you would love him look to the sin he hath pardoned Luk. 7.47 the spots he hath washed the Covenant he hath made the Adoption he hath bestowed the Hell he hath redeemed you from the Heaven he hath appointed and prepared for you And now get some further preparations for him and it too by loving him better and loathing your selves more We might all love God more 〈◊〉 we could love our selves less Could holy Mr. Pradford sit and weep at dinner till the â—â—â—rs â—â—ll on his trencher because he could love Christ no more and we sit dry here at his own table with hearts void of Love to him 24. Here have we our gracious Redeemer with died garments glorious in his apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength staining his raiment with the blood of his enemies and ours trading the wine press of Gods wrath alone mighty to save ready to pardon This ordinance of the supper â—ives us the best occasion of airing our selves in the sweet and spacious field of our Lords sufferings And we cannot be good Christians if we do not hartily imbrace the opportunities the Gospel gives us of calling his Cross to remembrance The bent of every believers mind stands this way else how can we be said to live by the faith of the son of God who gave himself for us And if we be not led by a natural complacency to converse with a crucified Saviour how dwelleth the Love of God in us Or how can we clear an interest in his Death for us Hath he the heart of a Christian that cares not to meditate on the death of Christ Did the Apostle bear always about the dying of the Lord in his body and should not we do the same in our hearts Now since our great business here is about Christ crucified let us enquire a little what doth the Lord require of us The sum of all is in three words Behold me Receive me and Walk in me First observe how that great Gospel-invitation of the Gentiles Isa 65.1 15. is doubled Behold me Behold me 1. To shew how serious a suiter Christ is for our souls 2. to shew our natural aversness from looking unto Christ 3. To shew how much of a Christians work lies in looking unto Christ 4. To take in and comprehend all kinds of people and sorts of sinners 5. To hold out the delectably variety of sweet Sights a soul may have of Christ in his Natures Person Offices and Excel encies and Usefulness 6. To teach that tho' the first look of Christ should not please yet to look again and not to leave looking till we can find something in Christ to aâ—lure us Secondly Receive me rest in me and build upon me Receive him that is come so far to you and suffered so much for you When I was abundantly well with my Father always rejoycing before him and was daily his delight yet my delights were with the sons of men And down came I to be cloathed with your flesh a course garment for the Lord of Glory to go in â—â—at in your nature I might bear your curse and dy the death you deserved to dy and to redeem you from that misery you must have groaned under for ever And should such a Comer not be welcome Be summoning up all the powers of your souls to give him the hastiest Reception Lastly as you have received him so walk in him by a constant depending on him drawing vertue from him and keeping Communion with him yea farther we are to walk in Christ as we have received him i. e. with the same freshness of affections bent of will satisfaction in him and obsequiousness to him daily repeating that consent and renewing that Covenant we made at first with him Thus are we to behold him with an eye of faith receive him with a hand of faith and walk in him by a life of faith and so shall we have the blessed end of our faith the salvation of our souls 25. The sanctuary of the Lord may be profaned by us when we little think of it The truest notion of profaneness is a contempt of sacred things Heb. 12.16 Now we shew our contempt of them not only in keeping far from the things of Christ and salvation but by setting about them with an ordinary and common frame careless in preparing to meet our God in them with a broken heart becoming best an ordinance that shâ—ws forth a broken Christ for us In common providences we cannot know love or hatred by all that is before us But here is something before us whereby we may see Gods love to our souls and his hatred to our sins If we could by this Sight be stirred up to hate our vile lusts and love our dear Saviour more then were we fit guests for the table of the Lord. Let us not look off this precious attonment here represented till our hearts be turned against the sins that put our Lord to all the pain and shame he suffered for them Let never any of us love our selves till we can heartily loath our selves for sin and then Christ will love us and delight in us Next to our considering what sights shall we have of Christ our thoughts should be taken up with what a sight is he like to have of us We come hither to see Christ And be sure the King comes in to see his guests if there be ever a one that wants the wedding
There is nothing to be conversed with in the lower world that may compare with this to stir up dead hearts to serve a living God It 's by beholding a bleeding dying Christ for us that we become a ready obedient and zealous people for him Tit. 2.14 5. Here have we the best occasion for exercising every Grace Love Faith Hope Patience Prayer Praise forgiving injuries and bestowing kindnesses 6. Herein get we the best advantages against sin by seeing what sin cost Christ and by sealing most solemn Covenants against it 7. This is all the Picture Christ hath left of himself no Image or Crucifixes 8. It offers Christ and conveys him with all his Treasures most expresly Take eat take drink 9. There being so much of Christ in it and nothing but Christ shewing forth nothing but his Mercy and Grace his Merit and Fulness his Love and Pity his Grace and Righteousness 10 It 's a feasting it with God at a heavenly Table on Earth where he bids all his children welcome and gives the best entertainment in the whole world Rev. 3.20 Song 5.1 43. Our great business here being to remember Christ our suffering Saviour and Redeemer Qu. What in particular are we called to remember at this Table of the Lord A. 1. That love that laid the first Foundation-stone of our Redemption by a dying Christ and let us here praise the Lord from the Fountain of Israel even for electing Love chusing us in Christ 2. Let us remember how the heart of God was set on man's Redemption who like one that dearly loves the purchase says I 'll rather give more than it's worth than go without it God says I 'll give my All for the redemption of my Elect. Christ says I 'll give my best blood Shall the Father and the Son be so zealous for my Redemption and my Soul be so little affected with my own Salvation and my Redeemer's Service 3. Remember here the difficulty of man's Salvation none but God could do it Isa 45.21 It 's no easy matter to save a soul If any other in Heaven or Earth could have done it as well as Christ it 's reasonable to think that God would have spared his dear Son but such a High Priest became us and best suited our circumstances as was separated from the whole creation for divine qualities and perfections I have found a ransom said God There was nothing could be thought on to any purpose by Angels and Men for our relief Only Divine Wisdom contrived Divine Love bestowed and Divine Power did effect and execute this whole work and of all the People there was none with him 4. Bear in mind how gloriously God's Grace is advanced by our Redemption and what Honour and Glory redounds to the wise and gracious contriver of it never such a rent of praise was raised as this brings him in This is that Glory of praise that is said to be above the Heavens The Glory of making and beautifying and enriching of Heaven and Earth is nothing to this Glory that excelleth of Saving Sinners by such a Saviour 5. Nor is there any thing more pleasing to god in all the World than a due Remembrance of the Death of Christ in this Ordinance which may be gathered from his Displeasure against a Church that did it but unduly 1 Cor. 11. Now all Duty must take its rise from this Principle and Motive of loving God for Christ and acknowledgments of Divine Goodness in giving his Son O! never think he hath dealth hardly with you in keeping or taking any thing from you if he hath given you a part in Christ And this is a point of such Affinity with the Vitals of Christianity and of Graces thriving in the Church of God that even here should we desire to dwell viz. To learn and look on all things in Christ Eph. 4.21 To be taught the truth as it is in Jesus There is nothing rightly taught or known but as it is in Jesus 1. The Types and shadows of things to come are all opened in Jesus 2. The Prophesies and Predictions are all accomplished in him How dark are many Prophetical passages of the Old Testament till they face Christ and then the Vail is taken away as Calvin Expounds that of 2 Cor. 3.16 3. We must see our sin as he did bear it on the Cross as a most accursed thing that laid such load on his blessed back 4. And you must see your Soul in Jesus as he hath purchased it from Hell with his own Blood O! then how precious is my Soul that was so dearly ransomed 5. See your Selves in Jesus your new Covenant-state in Christ You never see your safety nor dignity till in him 6. And all the great and precious promises of God to you must you see yea and Amen in Christ all made to Christ our Head first and in Jesus unto us 7. And lastly You must see your good conversation in Christ Pet. 3.1 Aâ—l your performâ—nces in the reâ—â—â—â—â—ce to him and for him and by him 〈◊〉 to the Lord Christ as grateful recorâ—â— to your Redeemer And Christians ought to labour after this feeing all things in Jesus Christ For 1. This is to see all thinâ—s in the trâ—e light wherebâ— much contuâ—â—on is cleared and many shadows fly away We are bid come to Christ and he will â—ive us light Eph. 5.14 And in his Light we shall see light 2. The great Gospel-Command and Invitation is Behold me behold me Isa 65.1 3. The Father is no further pleased than all iâ— seen and done in him 4. This makes all sweet and easy when we see all his yoke we bear and his work we do and his purchase we shall possess that is one so tender of our concerns as to pay our Debts and undergo our Curse And now shew your selves worthy partakers by resolving on this That you 'll meddle with nothing in Religion but in Christ you 'll walk in his Steps you 'll pray in his Name you 'll Suffer for his sake In a word you 'll to Christ's Cross for all you want you 'll take Life from his Death Hope from his Resurrection Pardon from his Merit and expectation of all good from that Love that parted with Christ And on these Terms I am sure Christ is well contented to give you a kind meeting at his Table and to Seal his everlasting Covenant with your immortal Souls 44. Q Why are we generally so little affected with â—â—e great concerns of God and our Souls here represented A. I because of Unbelief which turneth all the precious concerns of Salvation to a romantiâ—k Story The greatest matters you can speak of do no more affect than they are believed Isa 53.1 1 Pet. 2.7 2. We want a lively sense of our Natural Bondage Sin and Misery are not laid to Heart and therefore what signifies Christ and his Sacrifice 3. God Mammon blinds our Eyes and corrupts our Hearts The cares pleasures and profits of this