his Promises and covenant for our greater consolation and that we may with greater liberty apply them even as when a Prince offers peace to a Rebel and grants him a Pardon to make him â—he more suâ—e and to remove all doubts and jealousies there is a seal appended to the Pardon which confirmes it and consequen ly strengtheneth the Faith of the Rebel to rest upon it So this is a special end of the Sacrament to Seal and confirme God having graciously condescended to Covenant and Promise and to Swear to the truth of his Covenant and p omise That the Heirs of Promise may have strong consolation He also appends seals to his Covenant But Thirdly We are to consider how it effectuaâ—s these ends and thus we are to look on the Sacâ—amenâ—â— as exhibiting and applâ—ing Jesus Christ and his Benefits which must needs be a spiritual and Sublime thing holden out in these words Take ye eat ye this is my Body c. Where we have Jesus Christ giving over himself to the Believer so as he and the Believer become one and he ha h Christ to feed upon It s true there is no Physicall conjunction here Yet as in the word the offer and promises conveigh Christ holden out in the Promises to the Soul being received by faiâ—h there is an union thus made up betwixt Christ and the Person So in the right partaking of the Sacrament the Spirit goâ—ng along with the word and Seal and the believer receiving the Seal as given him of God for that end as well as the word Theâ—e results an union and Communion a mystical and Spiritual uniting and joyning of Christ and the believer together Which although it doth not alwayes necessarily presuppose Faith going before yet it supposes Faith necessarily to go along with it and in this there is most expresse covenanting and bargaining betwixt Christ and the Believer Jesus Christ not giving himself here indefinitly as he doth in the word and offer of the Gospel but particularly and thus the Believers Faith hath the most distinct ground and reason to make application of him and so the more distinct confirmation For the Third there is a right acting in reference to both the former to be looked to 1. There is something that our Judgement and memory would be taken up with which is as the key to what follows we are to remember the Lords Death the end of it the love he had in dying and his instituting of this ordinance when he died for this end that we might remember his death and love therein till he come again and have our minds meditating on these Secondly There would be the exercise of our Graces as of repentance from reflecting on our selves of love from looking to Christ and of continued spiritual mourning resulting from boâ—h especially there would be the exercise of Faith as being the main thing that on our part makes up the union and whereby our Communion is entertained and there is a threefold act of Faith called for in worthy Communicating 1. An act receiving 2. An act giving 3. A ratifieing act that knits both the acts together 1. I say an act of Faith receiving Christs word and ordinance and himself therein 2. An act of faith giving resigning or committing our selves to him the covenant being in this respect mutual And Thirdly a ratifieing act coupling or knitting these together viz. Christ giving himself to us and our giving our selves to him his ingagement to us and ours to him To clear these a little further First the receiving act of faith looks to the institution and covenant to which the Sacrament is appended and to Christ in the words of institution and in the Covenant making offer of himself Which is to be considered as in the word and covenant to which the Sacrament is appended and accordingly it welcometh him as it doth in the word for as there is a receiving act of Faith as to the Word So there is a receiving act of Faith as to the Sacrament That is when the Soul is put to dispute whether about the offer if it be made to it or about the Promise that supposes the condition if it may lay hold upon it The Believing souls taking of the Sacrament is the permitting and allowing of it self to be confirmed by vertue of Christs appointing that ordinance for its confirmation that the offer is made to it and that the Promise belongs to it in particular as when a penitent sinner comes to the Communion and that promise rolls in his thoughts Thy sins and thy iniquities will I remember no more and he would fain believe it the receiving act of Faith is to take the Sacrament as Gods putting his Seal to that word of p omise that he will make it good to the soul in particular Thy sins and thy iniquities will I remember no more Or when a Soul hath its secret longing after Christ and cannot dispense with the want of him and cryes out O! When wilt thou come unto me In the Sacrament it loâ—ks on the institution and takes it as a Seal of coâ—firmation to put it out of question that he that hath promised to come will come and will not tarry and it looks on Christ giving the Communion as if it saw him taking the pen and with his own hand Subscribing the contract and layes it up in its heart as in a Charter Guest as an evidence and confirmation of its right to Christ and indeed there is much need of being distinct in this for there are many who make conscieâ—ce of engaging to Christ in this Ordinance who look not on it as Christ engaging to them but the receiving act of faith looks on it Immediatly as his engaging to the Sâ—uâ— as a peâ—son that hath a hard heart looking on thaâ— promise I will take away the stony heart and give a heart of flesh and expecting the making out of it takes the Sacrament as a Seal that he will performe that promise because he aâ—ticles so with him to get that promise made good even as a man that would have some debateable clause in hâ—s right to such a piece of land created and put out of question brings it to his Superior to get it Sealed of new Now this receiving act of faith doth not only dispose and fit us to receive from God but as the hand takes oâ— receives the elements so Faith receives Gods offer of the Covenant and that which is represented and sealed up in that ordinance Secondly The act of faith giving is as I said that whereby we give our selveâ— away to Christ and so as we get one right we give as it weâ—e another or as we take on baâ—d we gave another we receive Ch i st engaged to us according to the Covenant and we engage and give our selves away to be His our very receiving suâ—pâ—seâ—h our câ—nsentiâ—g and faiths delivering and giving up it self or the peâ—son to Christ and taking Christ
is this in our hands This bread in some respect is not bread but Christ This cup is not Wine but the cup of the New Testament in his Blood and by this reflex act the Believer applies and confirmes himself having received the Sacrament whereby his union with Christ is signified and sealed up he applies and sayes within himself now Christ is mine and I am his and he confirmes himself in Christs love to himself and in his interest in him Now sayeth he I have gotten no delusion but the signe and Seal of his blessed Body broken and of his Blood shed for me If unbelief say have ye gotten Christ indeed Yes sayes the Believers faith having received this Pledge of his love I have gotten himself and I should Believe it and this is to act on Christ not only directly which is a thing common to the Sacrament with the word but to act on Christ reflexly and to perswade our selves of our union and Communion with him which is the end of this Ordinance else we take not up Christ as giving a seal Therefore the word is Take eat This is my Body broken for you there is more then a bare signe here and faith acts not only for receiving but for confirming it self that by receiving it hath an union and Communion with him who is holden out in the Sacrament For if it be a seal and exhibit Christ as a seal then faith should receive and act on it as such for attaining the end that a seal should have supposing the condition to preceed Fifthly it consists in an act of spiritual affecting when there is a Holy smacking to speak so and kissing of Christ The soul digesting him for the life of the inner man and thereon delighting rejoycing and exulting in him and so the faith confidence and hope of the Believer are strengthened which makes him that he is not ashamed and upon the back of this ordinarily the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart and though there should be little sensible feeling yet the believer finds himself oblidged to cheer himself in Christ and in the Covenant and in the benefits that he hath thorow his purchase and there is readily some warming of love to Christ and he is confirmed in the faith of the love of Christ to him and it is impossible where these two are but some Holy tickling of affections which flow from the Word and from this Ordinance thus rightly gone about as has been said will follow and if this be not That is if Christ be not thus discerned in the Sacrament 1. God gets not what he calls for Christs death is not rightly minded his Glory and our edification are not promoved Nor 2. Is the end of the Sacrament attained neither 3. Is our comfort furthered For it s not the Ordinance barely or Ordinary Bread and Wine set apart for a Holy use But Jesus Christ discerned and received in the Ordinance that comforts otherwise the ordinance in and by it's self will not promove our comfort and growth The Third Doctrine is that it is though a very common and rife yet a very great sin not to discern the Lords body as he is holden out in this Sacrament discernible The greatness of which may be easily gathered from what we have discoursed concerning the great priviledge of the discernibleness of the Lords body therein from the horridness of the guilt that it involves in even the guilt of the body and Blood of the Lord the greatest and most horrid of all Blood guiltiness and from the dreadful Judgements and Plagues that follow on it temporal or bodily and Spiritual Plagues yea even eternal Damnaâ—ion if Repentance through Grace prevent not But we must because of the shortness of time leave all that might be spoken in the more particular Prosecution of this Doctrine and shall only give you Two or Three Caveats wherewith I shall close to guard against mistakes in reference to what hath been spoken I know it will readily be said If this be discerning of the Lords body and if none other do discern it but such as go about these things it will be hard for any to discern it For answer to this I would have you to consider 1. That there is a more explicit distinct and perfect discerning and a more implicit confused and indistinct discerning of the Lords Body if we speak of perfection in discerning who come up to that but if we speak of an honest sincere way of aiming to discern though it be somewhat indistinct and confused that may be won at yea I would not think them in a good condition that rest satisfied with themselves as being distinct enough in all these things whereof we have spoken yet where there is as I just now said honest aiming at these things though in a confused and indistinct way where faith and love are in some measure acting with a sort of fear joy mixed together when there is a fear to profane the ordinance and yet the soul loves it so well that it cannot endure to want it nor Christ in it There is a discerning of the Lords Body that warrands to draw near 2. Consider that there is a general confusion and a particular confusion to speak so in going about this Ordinance The general confusion is this when persons are so very ignorant and confused that they know not at all what they are doing a Particular confusion is only in some respect that is when a Soul knoweth that Jesus Christ is in the Ordinance and knoweth its own condition to stand in need of him that it hath many Spiritual wants to be supplied and that there is much good and a Supply of all those wants to be had from Christ in this Ordinance but how to come at it thereby it knows not so well nor so distinctly A person that is confused in the generall cannot discern the Lords Body in the Sacrament But one that is confused in a particular may and thoughâ— such an one cannot it may be Pitch on a particular promise that suites his need yet he may fix on Christ and on the covenant in general which is one of the main things that Faith acts on and indeed unless himself be acted on by Faith his benefits fail and though a serious Soul cannot get a particular promise to settle on We say it should stick by the Covenant in general as including all particulars 3. Consider the discerning is not to be astricted to the very instant oâ— receiving but we would look well what is our aâ—m aâ— endeavour alâ—ngst the action and if habitually we bâ— indeed seriously seeking after and pursuing tâ—ese thingâ— we cannot have them all in our thoughts at once thaâ— is scarce if at all Possible but if the aime and straiâ— of your Souls exercise run this way and though theâ— be failing in many things yet this is not a neglectivâ— slighting and careless inconsideration In a word see 〈◊〉 there
wine of Heaven and to Drink it new with Christ even to share in his Glory to have one feast and Glory with him And truly if there were no more to be said we may most confidently say that these are wonderful glad tidings which our blessed Lord Jesus hath left to be the great subject of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Scope of the Sacraments We shall 1. Open up the words a litle 2. We shall draw some Doctrines from them And then 3. Insist in the Application First Then for Explication From the 26. vers is set down the Institution of the Supper of the Lord wherein we have First What Christ did Secondly What he Commands the Disciples and us in them to do Thirdly He Explicats in these words what he hath been doing and Commande to be done This is my Blood saith he of the Neâ— Testament c. As if he had said would you knoâ— what it is that I am doing There was a Covenaâ— made long since betwixt my Father and me coâ—cerning the elect wherein I condescended anâ— transacted to take on mans nature and in that natuâ—â— to suffer and satisfie Divine Justice for their sinâ— this is the Commemoration of my Satisfactioâ— according to that Covenant and the exhibiting anâ— giving to you a confirmation of your interest in aâ— the blessings of that Covenant whereof Remissiâ—â— of sins is one and a main one He needed as wouâ—â— seem to have said no more but that he was goiâ— to suffer and to suffer for this cause Even to puâ—chase Redemption to sinners but he will furthâ—â— shew his Disciples and in them all Believers in hiâ— That this came not to pass by guess but accordiâ—â— to an old Covenant and Eternall transaction thâ— past betwixt Jehovah and Him and so adds the Sâ—crament to be a Commemoration and a more fâ— Confirmation thereof to Believers of all that purchased by it and Promised in it In the 29. veâ— He hath two words further one of warning anothâ—â— of encouragement 1. One of warning I say uâ— you henceforth I will not drink of the Fâ—uit of tâ— Vine As if he had said take heed what ye are dâ—ing make this Communion very welcome and 〈◊〉 it confirm and strengthen you against the tryals thâ— are coming for I will have no moe Communioâ— with you after this manner in this World 2. word of encouragement and consolation becauâ—e they might think and say Alace Lord what will become of us if we shall have no moe Communions with thee Be not saith he to them on the matter discouraged We shall yet have more and more intimat Communion then ever we had here on earth There is a day coming when we shall have a sweet Communion in the Kingdom of Heaven together when we shall drink it new when we shal have the thing signified Even Communion without the intervention of Ordinances in the full Harvest of joy in God in his Kingdon Then vers 30. As if he were going to a Triumph He and they sing a Hymn or Psalm Partly thereby to teach us to be chearfull and partly to shew that singing of Psalmes is not unsuitable for this action To make the former words and what we are to say on them a litle more clear We would in this Sacrament which here the Lord Explicats Consider Three or Four things First Christs Offer Wherein there are Two things viz. The outward and visible signes the Elements and the inward invisible thing signified by them Which is Christs Body Blood In the Offer then in short We have not only the Element or signe but the thing signified and represented by it Even as in the word of the Gospel there are these Two viz So many words made up of Letters and Syllables and the matter Contained in them Secondly Consider the receiving of Christs offer wherein there are Two things 1. The act of receiving the Element by the hand 2. The hearts receiving what is offered in and by the Elements Even as in hearing the word There is the giving or lending of the ear to the voice of words that they may be understandingly heard and there is the receiving what is spoken by Faith in the heart As Christ holds forth both in his offer so the Believer would both wayes receive by the hand the Element should be received and by Faith the thing signified should be received Thirdly Ye would consider this Application of the thing signified in a twofold respect 1. As it holds out the entering of us into the Covenant in order to the receiving of the Pardon of sin when the Sacrament is Considered complexly with the word 2. As it Applyeth Christ and the benefits that come by him for our consolation Christ is to be received in the former respect before he can be received in the Letter we must needs receive Christ in his offer ere we can receive any benefit that comes by him Therefore the word goes along with the Sacrament that we may get a gripe and catch hold of Christ by the Covenant for they that are without the Covenant are without Christ and all saving benefit by him But where Christ is received and Faith closeth with him as he is offered The Soul may warrantably make Application of him Not only for Pardon of sin The Particular benefit here expresly mentioned but for all the other benefits of the Covenant Whereas they who have not faith have nothing and receive nothing but are deeply guilty thorow their not receiving but rather rejecting and despising of Christ and his benefits Fourthly Ye would consider this Sacrament as it seals directly our warrant to receive Christ and his benefiâ—s or as it seals our Application of Christ and his benefits for it may be usefull for both and is actually so to believers In the First respect we offer to you a good security for your Salvation on condition of your receiving Christ But in the Second Respect the security is sealed simply as baving Gods seal appended to it to all who have received him Thus the tree of life was a seal of the Covenant of life by works to Adam if be stood but it was not a confirmation that he should have life by the Covenant except he fulfilled that which was called for in it So Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith to Ishmael and other visible Church Members as well as to Isaac in the First Sense that is that the security was good But to Isaac and Believers It was not only a Seal or a Confirmation that the security was good and sufficient in it self but a Seal of Confirmation that it should be good to them Therefore in coming to partake of the Sacrament We would premit alway our closing with Christ And then we have not only Gods word and Oath but also the Sacrament for his Seal of Confirmation of the Covenant In a word Christ doth offer here to all a Pledge that he will make
is to difference it from otheâ— things and in this respect a â—hing is said to be discerneâ— comparatively as 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to diffeâ— from another Thus to discerne this Sacrament anâ— Christ in it is to difference it from other things considering thaâ— it was once common Bread and Wine buâ— that now it is not so It is to put a difference betwixt thâ— Sacrament and common bread and wine and betwixâ— the Sacrament and the Word and Covenant yet with respect to the Covenant as the Seal differs from the Charter and to difference this Sacrament from other Sacraments In respect that it looks to a dieing Saviour and Communicats him and his benefits that way 3. To discern a thing is to have a high esteem of it such aâ— was the discerning of Meats dayes and Places So to discern Christ in this Ordinance is to have a deep impression and high estimation of Jesus Christ of his death and of his maâ—chless love shining therein To have much Spiritualitie Holy fear awe and reverence in reference to him Such a fear and reverence as mean men will have before a King or a great man who when they carrie not suitably before such a great person we wil say to them know ye where ye are So the right discerning and uptaking of Christ here is to have a high estâ—mation of him 4. There is a complex discerning of a thing in reference to its use and end or we may call it a Relative discerning which is Practicall when a man conforms himself Suiâ—ably to his diâ—cerning of the thing the want whereof ouâ— Lord reproves in the Jews Hypocâ—its sayes he Ye can diâ—cern the face of the Sky but ye cannot diâ—cern the signes of the times and in this respâ—ct also whâ—n a man carries unsuitably before a Magistrat it 's said to him by discerning Persons know ye where ye are And this being the main thiâ—g here implied we shall speak a litle more to it wherâ—in these two things are supposed 1. Some distinct up taking of our selves of our need and of our hazard 2. The right pâ—taking of Christ in this Ordinance as to the supply of those necessities and preventing of that hazard and this Doctrinal discerning goâ—th before that which is Practicall which is a mans suitable use-making of Christ or suitablâ— exercising himself in reference to his need and that ordinance appointed for supply of his need by Jesus Christ which is with a reflex look sometimes on himself sometimes on Christ And there are in this these five steps which follow one of them upon another 1. It consists in a suitable frame of heart as becomes such a poor sinful unworthy and needy person in the presence of so Holy a Lord going about such a Holy action another frame then is called for at our dinner or Supper or at ordinary hearing the word or at Prayer A holy humble cheerfull serious Heavenly and hungry frame Holy awe and respect to God making humble Faith of Gods goodness and rich Grace in Christ shining in this Ordinance making cheerful The conviction of need making Sober and yet very serious and eager in what he is about It 's a frame made up as it were of contrarieties ardent love and zeal and yet a calme and composed Spirit to hear what God sayes To take what he gives and to behold what he manifests 2. It consists in an exercise of the mind in meditation both in reference to our selves and to Christ Meditation in reference to our own sinfulness and misery and meditation on Christs love calling to mind all that he hath done thinking with delight on Christs suffering and on the end of it and again reflecting a look on our selves to keep life in this meditation what was I when he suffered and did all this for me and what am I now when he is offering this to me To have the picture of a loving Husband hanging by a wife to what purpose is it and for what use doth it serve if she never look on it to mind him whom it represents 3. It consists in an exercise of Graces It 's even as it is laid in the Song a making of all the Spices to cast forth their smell and the putting of all things in good order and studying to have them in good case It 's to have love warm to the giver and closing with the gift of a dieing Saviour and to have love warm to others of his people for his sake and because he hath taken us in with others to partake of the benefits of his love shining in his Death for love to the head and members go together It 's to have repentance lively stirred up sin made heart-pricking and Godly sorrow to flow the heart made to loath it and the mind exercised in forming hearty resolutions Purposes vows and engagements against it but it 's especially to have faith stirred up and in exercise and to have all the senses of Faith to speak so set a going as when the word comes out and sayes Take ye Eat ye this is my Body which is broken for you Faith beholds and gets as clear and satisfieing a view of Christs Suffering and dieing as if the man saw him with his Bodily eyes when the hand is stretched out to take Faith acts Proportionably in stretching out it's hand to take Christ and not only grips him but in this Ordinance and according to the end of it takes it as a pledge of Christ performing what he hath promised making use of him for the end appointed when the eye looks on what is done Faith is considering and taking a view of Christ and of the covenant and of the benefits purchased by him and sees another thing then the elements even the wakened up sword of the Fathers justice pursueing the mediator as the elects cautioner when the eye looks on the distribution Faith it sees Christ made as it were believers Common-good given among them and to every one of them when the hand puts the bread and wine to the mouth Faith hath a way of opening it's mouth and as it were chewing and feeding upon Jesus Christ and of strengthening refreshing and cheering it self in him counting it self well come to with him and secure in him and fastening it's engagements to him all which strengthen our Spirituall life as eating and drinking doth the natural life and then when it comes to the taste Christ relisheth most sweetly to the Believer so that no Wine doth cheer the natural heart so much as Christ in the Sacrament considered in his love and Covenant and in the benefits that come by him do the Soul of the believer Faith here considers Christ not only as communicable but as actually communicated The fourth thing wherein this discerning consists is a reflecting exercise when we have received the Sacrament we are to reflect and consider what we have done and what we are doing are we indeed feeding upon Christ What
good the Covenant And it 's the great guilt of many Professors of the Gospel that they close not with him in his offer so as to make use of it Which makes them guilty of the body and Blood of the Lord which they neither would nor could he guilty of if this were not in their offer but it 's more to Believers who have by Faith closed with Christ this Seal of the Covenant accreweth to their security who have taken Gods word and rested on it The Believer then is not only sure in this respect that he hath a good warrant to trust and leaâ—â— to that is a Sealed Covenant but also that it will noâ— fail him in Particular So that he may say I know iâ— whom I have believed And we would not divide thesâ— things that God hath so wisely and well conjoined viz Closing with Christ and the Covenant in the right way according to the terms thereof and taking this Seâ— of confirmation of it Now in the Second Place I come to give you a littlâ— view and short seâ—ies of the Gospel in several Observations from the words that we may hast to that which we more particularly aim at To wit the Use of all First Then Observe That all men and women eveâ— the Elect not excepted are sinfull and as such Considered before God So it 's said Isaiah 53.6 All we likâ— sheep have gone astray This is the Object of the Gospel sinners the Persons for whose behove Christ hatâ— made his Testament and to whom he hath left his legacies are sinners even sinfull men and women anâ— the more sin be in them the more Grace shines in Godâ— croosing of such and in Christs dieing for such and noâ— choosing nor dying for fallen Angels It 's sinners I say who are the Object of Christs Testament Secondly Observe That there is a grand designe laiâ— by God from eternity for the saving of many sinners anâ— for Procuring to them Remission of sins the fruit of thâ— ancient Counsell of the Blessed and glorious trinity And this is it which Christ aims at in all his Ordinances to get sinners pardoned and freed from the curse due to them for sin Reconciled Justified Sanctified and brought to drink the new Wine of Heaven This is laid down by Jehovah as the Basis and foundation whereon he hath reared up a Magnificent and Glorious Superstructure of the Riches of his most Soveraignly free Grace for making it to shine forth conspicuously and radiantly throughout all ages Thirdly Observe That there is a Covenant well ordered suited and fitted to promove this great and Glorious end and designe of saving sinners A covenant so contrived as it may well suit the saving of sinners and procure unto them the Remission of sins There is a transaction betwixt God and the Mediator a Surety and Cautioner is Provided to take on the debt of the elect and to satisfie Justice to the full for all their sins and this is one Article of the Covenant that the Mediator should undertake thy debt O Believer and Satisfie for it He was saith Isaiah chap. 53. Wounded for our Transgresions bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisment of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed Fourthly Observe That according to this Covenant and transaction our blessed Lord Jesus hath really actually and fully satisfied for the sins of Believers according to his undertaking So that as in the Counsell of God that great trust was put on him and he undertook the work of sinners Redemption So now it is Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do The covenant is exactly fulfilled on my part not one Article of it is unfulfilled all that was committed to me is now fully performed Hence it was his last word on the Cross it is finished Fifthly Observe That by the Application of the Blood of Jesus thorow a sinners closing with him and interessing himself in him He may and doth obtain Remission of sins and partake of the benefit of Redemption Purchased by his Blood even of all the benefits of the Covenant Therefore when he hath said This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for the Remission of thâ— sins of many He turns over the words 〈◊〉 â—hem and tells them that they shall drink the fruit of this Vine new with him in his Fathers Kingdom As it was made sure that Adam was to have life on the condition of perfect obedience so it is as sure to a sinner taking with his sin and betaking himself to and closing with Christ and his Satisfaction that he shall have Pardon of sin and all the Benefits of this Covenant even to eternal Glory secured to him Sixthly Observe That as our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ hath Purchased this Redemption and Remission so he is must willing desirous and pressing that sinners to whom the Gospel it offered should make use of his righteousness and of the Purchase made thereby for this end that they may have Remission of sins and eternal life For not only is the security good sufficient and sure in it self The Testament being confirmed But he is to speak so with reverence Passionatly desirous that sinner should endeavour on good ground to be sure of it in themselves therefore he kindly puts it in a Legacy makes serious offer of it and strongly confirms it to all that embrace it Seventhly Observe That It is to Testifie this his willingness that sinners should make use of his purchase and lay hold on his Righteousness on Remision of sins and life thorow him and to promove the acceptation thereof among sinners that he hath instituted this Ordinance of the Communion Take ye Eat ye c. For this is as if he had said the end of the institution of this Sacrament and the reason of it even to be a signe and Seal of confirmation to many of the Remission of sins thorow my Blood This was my designe in laying down my life to get many sinners Pardoned and this is the end of the institution of this Precious ordinance of my Supper to apply it to them and to confirm them in the Faith of it Eightly Observe That They who would partake aright of this Sacrament for their confirmation as to the Pardon of their sins and their sharing in the rest of the benefits of Christs purchase would first close with Christ in the Covenant and make that the way of their making use of this Sacrament to confirm the bargain Therefore is it called the Cup of the new Covenant in his Blood this is the sine quo non even closing with Christ in a Covenant else the Sacrament can do no good it 's the great thing that admits sinners to have right and access to Christs purchase the writing must first be Subscribed and then Sealed the bargain made and then confiâ—med Ninthly Observe That they who have the offer of the Gospel and are admitted to the Sacrament of
to it or to himself So making as it were an exchange O! wonderful exchange by which we receive infinitly more and better then we give when the Soul hath gotten him it gives it self to him to be changed and made better and renews its purposes resolutions and promises to that end and takes the Sacrament to make these sure and secure Thirdly The ratifieing act of Faith is this when we have taken Christs Promise by Faith and have given our promise to him and surrendered and delivered up our selves unto him and we go about the communion and exerâ—ise our faith to get both confiâ—med as we use to speak We will take our Sacrament on it we take the Communion to seal his part of the Covenant to us and to confiâ—m our selves as to the performance of that which we have engaged to him and thus that which was before a bond on Christs side and a bond and engagement on our side becomes now a mutuall contract and bargain both aâ—e put in one and complicated together Sealed with one seal and made use of for both these ends the believer thinks himself surer of Gods promise and himself more securely ingaged to God and though this engaging hath no new Promise wâ—th it yet thereby the more explicitely is our dutie brought forth and the promise more particularly becomes ours As for the Fourth and last thing It is a right manner of acting or a right way or suitable frame in our going about this ordinance which takes in several things as 1. Fear because it is a very difficult thing rightly to Communicat and we had need to fear least we mistake and miscarry 2. Distinctness and clearness which is a part of the result of self examination we would at least be so far clear in our condition as to know and be convinced that the generall strain of our way hath not been right as it should have been by very far when we cannot so well find ouâ— and condescend upon he particular evils that we have been given to or have done and though we know not all nor many of the particular Promises of the Covenant yet we would be clear in that general that in the Covenant God maketh over himself a God all-sufficient to the believer Thirdly faith in and dependance on God for preparation and for a suitable frame for gaining new ground of corruptions for more humility and tenderness for more thorow turning to the Lord Convert me sayes Ephraim Jer. 31. And I shal be converted there would be many Serious and Sincere resolutions engagements and purposes and much heart-melting and Prayer in the making of them as it was with Israel and Judah Jer. 50.5 Whose great desire and designe was to have the Covenant betwixt God and them so secured that it might hold perpetually and never any more be forgotten they desired to keep as we use to speak no bank in their own hand they allow of no reservations or exceptions and they go about this great work Praying and weeping This were a Sweet and suitable frame for a Communion and notably well becoming a people that Approach to the Lords Table and we seriously commend it to you and you to the grace of God in the Practise of these things which his own blessed self make forthcoming to you A Preparation SERMON for the Communion On 1 Cor. 11.29 Not discerning the Lords Body IT is a very great and grave a very Momentous and concerning work rightly to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it hath as many and great advantages attending the due and worthy Participation thereof and as many sad consequences following the unworthy Participation of it as any other of all the ordinances of Christ hath and therefore when the Apostle hath sharpely expostulated with the Christ an Corinthians for several abuses in reference to this Ordinance he proceeds after a full declaration of its institution to guard them against all after abuse thereof and to fit and prepare them for suitable and worthy communicating And the first direction that he gives them is in reference to preceeding Preparation Let a man examine himself and so let him eat The Second is in reference to the action it self teaching them to communicat worthily So as they may discern the Lords Body by holding out the danger of unworthy Communicating both which he knits together telling them that if any of these things be wanting it will bring on Judgement Whence in a word and but in passing we may Observe these two things 1. That a man will never Communicat worthily that doth not before hand indeavour to prepare himself for it And therefore he prefixeth this Let a man examine himself and then subjoins And so let him Eat 2. That a man that is not distinct in discerning himself in some measure after the examination of himself will never aright discern the â—ords Body in this Ordinance of the Communion He that takes not up himself will never take up Christ rightly In the words more particularly we have Three great things in reference to present Communicating The 1. whereof is the great and peculiar use of the Communion and that is that it makes the Lords body discernible It puts Christ in a capacitie to speak so to be taken up and discerned The Second is the great duty of a worthy Communicant and that is rightly to discern the Lords Body so holden forth The third is the great Sin that unworthy Communicants fall into and that is They do not discern the Lords Body but are like so many Dogs and Swine who not knowing what delicats are there they goe about the action not knowing what they are doing The First is clear That in the Sacrament Christ Jesus his broken body is made discernible to us else he would not find fault with them who come and do not discern it The words alâ—o before vers 24. clear it This saith he is my Body which is broken for you So Chap. 10 vers 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And the sharp Judgements that come on People â—oâ— not disâ—erning the Lords Body and so for being guilty of Communicating unwoâ—thily do shew that not only is our Lords Body really present but in a special manner discernible in this Ordinance To clear this a litle further we shal First Premit a two fold distinction and then Secondly answer a few Questions that serve for clearing the Doctrine and for better uptaking of this Ordinance First then we would distinguish betwixt these two viz Looking on the Sacrament as strictly taken and as contradistinguished from the word and looking on it as more complexly taken as including the word It is in the last sense that we consider the Sacrament here viz as taking in 1. Christ signified and represented by the elements 2 The word and Covenant to
art the Lord our God When He sayes as he did to them returne ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings turn it over to him and say Behold we come unto thee Thirdly Are ye not content with your selves or with something in your selves Do ye indeed think and say that it is a good bargain and that the terms are very reasonable and easie and we have nothing to say against them but we have alas much to say of and against our selves The bargain pleaseth us wondrous well and so do the terms but we are not at all pleased with our selves I answer 1. May ye not then the better quit and deny your selves and take Christ in the room and place of self 2. I Ans Christ makes no such objection He bids the most Prophane the most Ignorant and Graceless wretch the most Hypocriticall dissembler that never knew what it was to be honest come and assures them that they shall be welcome if they will come indeed Object But I can do nothing I cannot keep a word word that I say to Christ I Answer Engage and consent to close with Christ on his own terms and doing and keeping shall follow to give thy consent is that which thou art now called to and he engages to help thee to perform Object But shall I take on an engagement presently to break it again I Answer If indeed thou consent thou mayest â—ail and break but the covenant will never be utterly broken nor dissolved yea thou shalt have surety for thy keeping of it Forasmuch as saith the Apostle Heb. 7.22 Jesus was made Suretie of a better Testament If ye Object and say that ye have much sin that ye are Lothsome and Abominable Subscribe this Contract and bargain and ye have a free and full discharge of all your debt I will sayeth the Lord Hosea 2 19 Betroth thee unto me in loving kindness and mercies He will pardon your iniquities There is no exact or severe seeking and searching out of the debt here where it 's ingenuously taken with but rather a covering of it He will also cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your Idols But it may be thou wilt Object And say I will rather purpose then engage because I fear I shall break it Answer But is it likely that thou wilt make good such a purpose who darest not engage Or will purposes and resolutions do the business without performing Purposes of Marriage make not the Marriage It is actuall consent and engaging which doth that But thou wilt Object And say alace I am not in a right frame I am very confused all things are wrong with me Answer What is this thou sayest Will your frame be amended without Christ will those swarms of Corruptions be beat out before thou take in the King of Glory who is strong and mighty in Battel But thou wilt Object I am not clear as to my interest Ans Wilt thou not consent till thou be clear that is as much as to say thou art doubting but that thou wilt not put it out of doubt if thou be unclear as to thy Subscription rather Subscribe write thy name over again if ye have not at all Subscribed take now the pen and do it say Lord Jesus I come to thee and will be thine Object Alace fain would I come to the wedding but I cannot come it will not do with me I would fain believe but my Faith is not Prompt and ready I Answer Is not the Covenant provided with an answer to that also It calls for nothing but for your Subscribing and if ye say ye cannot look well that it be not a shift it comes to this yea or nay and if ye say ye cannot say Yea in Faith which yet thou wouldest fain be at is there not a promise of Grace that though your hand be as it were withered if ye mint and essay you shall be enabled to stretch it forth Faith may come in the very essaying to grip him only essay it and it shall go with you Object I have essayed it often and it hath not gone with me Ans Essay it again and cast a new knot If your evidence be not clear Subscribe over again Object But it goes not with me when all is done I cannot believe I would Subscribe but I cannot writ as it were I cannot distinctly act Faith Ans What is that Our Lord stands not on that though you cannot write well do as ye can It 's strange to see how somes Subscription is almost like a scratching with Crow-toes yet it 's a valid Subscription some again will write down their mark in place of their name and that also where it is well known is admitted as valid if you cannot as it were write your name in fair and legible Letters set down some Mark if it were but two scores or lines in any form or figure If ye cannot act Faith so distinctly come on as you may if ye cannot to your satisfaction say Yea with the heart say it with the mouth striving and longing to have thy heart brought up force thy self If I may speak so to believing If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart that God raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Endeavour to make thy Mouth engage thine heart bind thy self fast to Christ even in a manner whether thou wilt or not act Faith with the understanding labouring honestly to bring up thy Will and affections and though ye win not now to a Faith that is distinct it shall come in a due time essay to set open the door and it shall go with you Object But my heart says all these are but fair words Ans Away with that blasphemy They are the truths of God essay then O! essay Seriously this way of Believing and ye shall find power meeting you The Pen is as it were lying by you and albeit ye cannot write well and be distinct take the Pen and Christ shall as it were lead your hand and guide it to write so as it shall Pass in Heaven for a Subscribed consent set your selves to give him a welcome and he shall account it to be a welcome Say now what more ye have to say lay out your scruples this word all things are ready will answer them all the garment is ready to be put on yea Jesus Christ is your Wedding Garment take and put him on He is the cure for all your diseases apply him for the cure of them all ye cannot certainly be clothed before you put on the garment neither can ye be Healed before ye apply the cure ye cannot by any means be rich till ye marry him But beside all these there are several other needlesly disquieting scruples there are many other shifts and alace that there should be such triffling if I may call it so such whining as it were and standing on Ceremonies to speak so
for the living God as David saith his heart did Psal 42. Can tell what raw wishes were before and thaâ— the Grace of God works such desires as have another sort of edge on them and have a holily disquieting and restless hunger for the breasts of Gods Covenant and cannot rest nor be satisfied yea no not live without them Fourthly Observe That A people or person may have some sincere desires after Covenanting with God and yet have much weakness many infirmities and fears in the accomplishing of that their designe Many poor puzzled and perplexed souls may have this honest desire and yet not know well how to put the thing in Practice even like unto these mentioned here who are going toward Zion to join themselves to the Lord in Covenant and yet are asking the way they have covenanting with God in their eye as their great scope but are ignorant in a Considerable measure of the way yet they sit not still till they get the way as it were described on a Card to them but they rise and make forward as they may I nothing doubt the truth of this Doctrine is known in experience by some Serious though much tossed and puzzled Souls who have some honest and earnest longings after him and after Covenanting with him who yet know not well how to win at him or how to make this Covenanting Practicable thus the honest well meaning Daughters of Jerusalâ—m ask the Spouse Cant. 6. Whither is thy beloved gone that we may see him with thee There was a sincere desire after him and a fixed Purpose to be at him and to decline no Labour nor pains in order to coming by him yet they know not well whither to go for finding of him even like honest Mary who John 21. would fain have Christ and comes to the grave to seek him and missing him weeps and when the Angels speak to her to comfort her that will not do it She continues still weeping and tells the cause They have taken away my Lord and I know not wheâ—e they have laid him It was an evidence of the honesty of her desire that though she knew not where he was yet she could not be diverted by any thing from a mournfull restless and diligent Pursuit after his presence This may Proceed Partly in the First Place from believers their infirmity and their not being thorough in the knowledge of Gospel Mysteries from their ignorance of the Parties and conditions of the Covenant of the nature Properties and promises of it If they knew how kind and condescending the Lord is how near he brings his Word How litle he will take of their hand how solid the Covenant is how sure the cautioner is and how their Part of the Covenant is undertaken for as well as Gods they would not have such doubts and fears hence Rom. 14. They who are weak in knowledge are said to be weak in faith Because through their Ignorance they have many doubts This makes me to think that if many of you had sincerity and seriousness in the great concern of your Salvation ye would be much and almost inextricably Puzzled how to Rid your selves in many things ye would meet with in your condition because of the abunding of your ignorance ye cannot Alas tell what Repentance is what closing with Christ in the Covenant is what Christs offices are and what use should be made of them and therefore if ye were put inâ—o any strait or Dump through the sense of sin it needed be no great wonder that ye should be in much confusion and did not know what to do to get out of it It were good therefore that ye studied the knowledge of God and of the Covenant that if ever God do you good ye may have some clearness and distinctness in the way of the Remedy of your evils and of extricating you out of your difficulties But that which keeps many quiet is Alace their own Presumption grown to a great height and the devils rocking them fast asleep in the cradle of Securitie it 's a wonder to see so many very confident of Peace with God who yet know not how it is come at when God touches your Conscience ye will be put to cry what shall we do Because of your ignorance Secondly It proceeds partly from want of experience hence though some it may be have light and knowledge yet wanting experience of the thing they are at a stand and know not what to do in this or that case Just as if a man were to go to London and were informed of all the Towns and Posts in the way yet when he comes to advance in his Journey not having gone the way before he is often in doubt whether he be right So it is with many who from literall knowledge can tell what faith and Repentance is but when their Spirits are Jumbled to speak so confused and put through other the matter looks far otherwise upon them and they are like a man who coming to a shallow and safe foord of a River that is mudded yet fears to take it because he hath not ridden it before whereas another that hath gone thorow it can confidently hazard on it and indeed it is no Marvell to see much of this even amongst Believers A Third cause or ground whence this may proceed is prejudices at the way of God and of persons at themselves men have naturally a sort of Gospel of their own that they cannot go by till someway they be constrained and when God puts them to it they are at a stand as for instance there is this Prejudice in some that they think none can go and warrantably take hold of Gods Covenant till they be so and so humbled that they cannot go with Convictions Challenges till they get some more deep heart-work or be in a better and more tender frame Hence Peter saith to Christ Luke 5. very unreasonably Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord whereas David reasoned otherwise and much more Pertinently Psal 25. when he saith Pardon my iniquity for it is great and hence the question ariseth what shall we do and when they are bidden believe they Object Ah! we are sinners and have evil and hard hearts and are unhumbled look what Passed betwixt Peter and his heaters Acts. 2. He layeth out before them their horrid guilt in crucificing Christ they are Pricked in their hearts and cry what shall we do He bids them Repent and be Baptized which takes in Faith and vers 41. It 's said that such as were kindly touched Gladly received the Word Now I pray what if they had objected can we that have even now or a very liâ—le since had our wicked hands embrewed in the precious blood of Christ Believe on him Come away saith he on the matter for there is no other way to Pardon and Peace with God there was much of this in the Primitive times amongst the Christian Romans Corinthians
Depart from me I never knew you Yea suppose there were not such great ground of fear as to that as indeed there is can ye promise to your selves Gods hearing any of your Prayers the performance of any Promise or the accepting of any duty off your hand as service to him till ye be in Covenant with the Lord And think ye nothing or but litle of this Secondly Consider the great prejudice that follows on not Covenanting with God and that will attend many in the visible Church Many saith the Lord Luke 13. Will seek to enter who shall not be able The solid Faith of this would make many Congregations to tremble for it 's not only many profane persons but many of them that countenance Ordinances yea many of them that have preached and prayed to the Edification of others and many of them who have heard Christ preach in their streets and who have countenanced faithfull Ministers and furthered the work of God and who have had indignation at others that did not so who will not be able to enter this word with that other which we have Psal 78.34 where there is such a seeming seriousness and personating of many Graces of the Spirit and yet nevertheless it is but a flattering of God with the mouth and a lying to him with the tongue which is a very rife and common thing amongst professos amongst such as profess Covenanting with God should put us in fear And Thirdly Consider this â—hat ye have naturally such hearts as others have that aâ—e ready to beguile you and to back slide and slip ouâ— from God and are not those beguiles and disappointments of others written for our warning and advertisments And if any of you should say we hope there is no such ground of fear as to us That 's but a bewraying of your Ignorance and senselesness for those who are best acquainted with their own hearts will tell you thaâ— it is a ticklish and diâ—ficult business to deal truly and throughly with God Do ye not know that many take a counterfeit for grace And were ye noâ— heaâ—ing lately that many Hypocrites have personated almost if there be need to say almost every Grace surely many oâ— you will find it true one day that the heart is deceitfull above all things and desperatly wicked and that ye havâ— etred and played the fools egregiously and in nothing moâ—e then in trusting your own hearts for saith the wise man He that trusts his own heart is a fool Fourthly Consider that it is now come to a Nick and pincâ— with you that either ye must close the Covenant wiâ—h God or put your selves farther under his Curse and eat and driâ—k damnation to your selves because ye have mis-kent Gods Covenant and slighâ—ed Covenanting with him and so have come as enemies to his Table without making your friend-ship with him we declare to you that eâ—e the morrow at this time many of yoâ— will eiâ—her have a bit or a Miss of the greatest bargain a d of the greatest concernment that ever was made betwixt parties and although ye should not eternally incapacitate your selves for Covenanting with God which many may do and bring themselves under such a sad sentence that they shall never hencefoâ—th be quickened nor awaked any more yet ye may make your bands stronger and may make the business of your Covenanting with God far more difficult to your selves then now it might be The Second general Observation is this that a soft tender and melting heart is a good and suitable frame for Covenanting with God would ye then know what is a fit frame for Covenanting with God It 's even this a heart melting frame they shall go weeping as they go they have much seriousness inward stir and warmness of heart and that makes it to meâ—t and as iâ— were flow down before the Lord this is according to what we have Zech. 12.10 I will saith the Lord Pour upon the house of David and on the inhabitance of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplications and they shall look to him whom they have pierced and shall mourn and be in bitterness as one is for hâ—s first born even when they are coming home and asking the way to Zion with their faces thither ward and about to enter in Covenant they are mourning Hence Isaiah 44.3 4 5. And elsewhere even almost where ever entring into or renewing of the Covenant with God is spoken of the out-pouring of the Spirit is spoken of also a pouring water on him that is thirstie and flouds of the dry ground bringing Rivers out of Rocks c. for preparing a People for the Lord. And this will be the more clear if we consider that softness and melting of heart gives a man a right impâ—ession of himself and a right impression of God and of his free Grace and goodness and it makes the man to become folding tractable Pliant and yeelding to God and also makes way for much Spiritual sense and comfort and for Gods refâ—eshfull manifesting of himself to the Soul that is so pliable and tender thus the Lord saith Hos 2.14 I will allure her and bring her to the wilderness and speak comfortably to her or to her heart as the word is Alluring speaks pliableness that hath Gods Comfortable speaking to the heart following on it The First Use of this point serves to give you another Mark for Triall if things be right and in good case with you for Covenanting with God and as the upshot of all to commend such a desirable frame as thiâ— to you would ye know theâ— further what is a right frame for Covenanting with God Here it is even to have a heart melting within to have a soft tender and mournfull disposition of Soul and would ye know what this is We think that from the words it may be gathered to consist in these five or six things that concurre to it First There are some pricking challenges for sin and wrongs done to God they humbly acknowledge take with and are made sensible of these Secondly There is some missing and sensibleness of the want of Gods presence and of the want of Communion and Fellowship with him â—hey know not well where he is but they are a king after him Thirdly There is an ardent affection and serious desire to be at him and in Covenant with him a heart filled with love to God whereby it is softened and made to flow down as wax by the fire is melted and the hardest iron made soft Fourthly There is a Holy fear and carefulness whereby the heart is kept from growing cold and indifferent as to this condition and from settling and sitting down in it such a fear and trembling as old Eli had 1 Sam. 4. for the Ark whereby he was kept in a fright here is going and weeping with a Holy fear lest the Covenant be again broken Fifthly There is a self loathing kindly humiliation exercise of Repentance
it and we wot well it 's a plague in the Generation that we live in and hath much defaced Religion as to it 's beauty in the face of the Conversation of many Ah! how much are they in this conformed to the word And how Lamentably litle behave they like Pilgrims and Strangers in it as the Saints did of old As A Second Use of this point We have ground here to Commend to you the studie of a Soul-fixing fastening condition as ye would not make an unsure bargain with God endeavour to have this softness and melting of heart This thing is that which makes a man to sit alone and to keep silence before God Lam. 3.27 And so to be in a posture of meeting and covenanting with him such of you as know nothing of this and are not afraid of being hard cold and dead at such an occasion are in eminent hazard of losing a good bargain and wo to Security and hardness that hath that as the fruit of it and in the by we may say that there is a Wo abiding many of you who have no Serious thoughts of this frame and especially at such a time Therefore let me Exhort you to compose your selves as having to do with God and as having Gods love and favour and his hatred and wrath laid together in the ballance and as having life and death set before you and seriously to seek after such a soft and tender frame of Soul that fits for Covenanting for renewing the Covenant and for comfortable communicating But some may Object and say It is very sad if this be peremptory that persons who would rightly renew their Covenant and Communicat must be in a Soft and melting frame Answer It 's usefull and it 's needfull nay in some measure it 's Simply necessary What shall we then do that want it for Answer I wish many were asking the question from serious Minding prizing and longing after the thing for the want of Softness proceeds often from this that we do not seriously mind it otherwise the want of it would much affect and afflict us and would put us to ask after it and God would not fail to give them direction that were thus asking the way to Zion Yet for your help in this matter I would say these three Words 1. Once take a view of your case and labour to have a distinct look of it what lusts are up what challenges may be Tabled and keep a good count of them 2. Endeavour to have faith in Exercise on Gods Covenant and promises and be sure that the Promise is sicker that ye lay hold on and see that ye make Use of it according to the Covenant which is done when with your Souls ye take hold of it and that is not nor shall not be reckoned presumptiâ—n when ye bestir your selves from the Faith of Gods Covenant and Promises laying the weight of that which ye would be at on the Promise cleaving thereto for attaining of it and in time through Gods Blessing your unsuitableness shall piece meal wear away and ye shall become tender and any bit of softness and tenderness that ye win at cherish and watch over it 3. Make this a particular errand to God having your Eye on the Covenant of promises and on this Promise in it in Particular and on other promises of this Nature and to this purpose as concerning taking away the stonie heart and giving a heart of flesh of giving you a new heart of making you to loath your selves for all your abominations apprehending receiving and closing with Christ in the Covenant for attaining of it as a fruit of his purchase for it is not gotten but in the Covenant and therefore it 's remarkable that this Scripture is set down Promise-wise They shall come the Children of Israel and the Children of Judah together your Heavenly Father who knows that ye have need of this thing as it is Matth. 6.32 will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him as it is Luke 11.13 And ye would credit and trust him with the performing of that Promise to you and endeavouring to be Serious in having this for your task and work ye shal find it made good for you and to you Jeremiah 50. Vers 5. Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall noâ— be forgotten SERMON IV. IT is a most desirable designe and worthy to be driven vigourously by us all to the prosecution whereof it would very well become us to stir up and rouze our selves and one another according to the Laudable Practice of these here mentioned even to hasten towards a closure of the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and us to have it sounding loud in our ears and to have it as the Language of our hearts whetted to an edge in pursuit of the thing Come let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall never be forgotten It should be the great work and business of a Communion-Sabbath in a speciall manner as it is our professed designe this day to close and make sure this Covenant and blessed bond betwixt the Lord and us Having spoken somewhat formerly at several occasions to these sweet words I shall not now trouble â—ou either with the division or explication of them but shall instantly propose Six or Seven Observations from them and then speak a word to the scope and to the Application of them in the close and though it be but a short word from each of them that we have to speak yet they will be found to be very Concerning to us and therefore we would take the more exact notice of them The First Observation then is that There is such a thing as distinct Covenanting or mutuall engaging in Covenant betwixt God and a poor sinner This is clearly holden out in these words as their Scope It were to no Purpose for them to say Come and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Covenant if there were not such a thing as a Covenant union of God and sinners The Scripture is full to this Purpose and the treatie of ordinances is kept up for this end as we have it Isaiah 55.1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters c. Incline your ear and come unto me Hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covevenant with you even the sure mercies of David This is the Scope that the Ordinances aim at In Prosecuting of this a little further we shall First Explicat what covenanting is in generall Secondly What this covenanting with God is 1. In respect of the parties 2. In respect of the terms thereof And 3. In respect of the ground on which it is founded And Thirdly To the form of this Covenanting First then Covenanting in generall may be cleared from what-Covenanting among men is Which is a mutuall engaging of two parties on Mutuall terms the one Party offering such
is scarce any sort of sin but the Lord out faceth it in his Covenant as we may see Jer. 3. where the Lord saith Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers thou hast spoken aâ—d one evil as thou could'st yet wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my Father If we look to the grosness of sin were it like Scarlet or Crimson Isaiah 1.18 It shall be made white like Snow and wooll if ye be willing and obedient saith the Lord to close a Covenant with me ye shall eat the good of the Land In the propounding of the Covenant he will take away that exception of the grosness of sin which might stand in the sinners way were it even rotten Hypocrisy detestable indifferency and luk-warmness in the matters of God putting the Person in hazard to be spewed out of Christs Mouth yet he saith even to such if they will indeed take his counsell and be content to have their deadly evils removed and their wants supplied I counsel thee to come and buy of me Eye-salve Gold and Garments and Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man will open the door I will come in to him and Sup with him and he with me Only take this word of Advertisment here and then I shall clear and confirm the Doctrine further when then we speak of sinners access to God by this Covenant we mean that there is access only on Condition they take with their faults and come weeping heart-broken and someway suitably affected with their sin these only are the persons that may comfortably expect this accesse he seeks after such though he will find none such till he make them such For further clearing and confirming of it then we would consider these Four things 1. Gods end in the Covenant which will make out this that there must be access to a run-away sinner by this Covenant to union with God when he comes home to him in the way of Repentance and Believing because his end in the Covenant is to save Sinners often spoken of to Justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 To dwell with Rebels Psal 68.18 To get a Name and a Praise to himself of being gracious as it cannot admit of nor let in a sinner but on this Condition So it cannot but accept of a sinner having this condition 2. We would consider Gods contrivance of the covenant in making it suitable to such an end so as it may make the Riches of his Grace to shine and may be effectuall for the gaining of Souls and therefore 2 Sam. 23.5 It is said in this respect to be ordered in all things and sure and Jere. 31.33 compared with Heb. 8. The substance of it is set down compended in a few words I will Pardon their iniquity and remember their sin no more c. 3. We would consider the administration of the Covenant It 's not in an immediat way as that first Covenant made with Adam was wherein there was no mediator neither was there need of any but it is in a mediat way by a suretie and Mediator who hath taken on and engaged for the debt of the Covenanting sinner and hath under taken for his thorow-bearing now why is this administration and dispensation But because the Principall debtor is a bankerout and not able to Satisfie for himself therefore he hath access to come and get Pardon and to be friends with God thorow the Mediator 4. We would consider all the Properties of the Covenant especially the freeness of it and we will find that they speak out this It 's a Covenant of Sure Mercies Isaiah 55.3 And all the Promises and Articles of it respect sinners and hold forth this that there is a way laid down how a sinner at feud with God may get this Union made up by Covenanting wiâ—h him The fourth Observation is that Covenanting with God is a very short cut for the quieting peace and happiness of a treacherous back sliding sinner Therefore when these People here spoken of are in their Holy heat and warmness stirred up under the conviction and sense of their guilt as the short cut to come to peace and a happy condition they say Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a Perpetuall Covenant It 's the accepting of Gods offer and being content to be his on the account of Christs righteousness that they Propose to themselves as the ground of their calme quietness and happiness This Observation implies these Three things First That Covenanting with God doth fully make the Covenanter happie though formerly he hath been a miserable sinner and O! This is a good bargain that makes a sinner compleatly happy It makes him to say Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee Psal 73. I shall name a few Scriptures to shew the full happiness of a sinner that enters in this Covenant The first whereof is 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant well ordered in all things and sure and this is all my Salvation and all my desire It 's mensura Voti even all that heart can wish and these words being considered as David the sweet singer of Israel his last words when he is a dieing they clearly imply a commendation of this Covenant as full for the happiness of a sinner Another passage is Revel 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things How is that even thus I will be his God and he shall be my Son that is in substance I will declare my self to be in Covenant with him This is the compend of the compleat happiness of Glorified Saints in heaven and the begun happiness of Believers of Sojourning Saints here on earth in a less measure and lower degree for in Heaven God will be all and in all and is not this a good bargain good to sinners which commends it the more A Third Place is Rom. 8. Where it 's told us that nothing can be laid to their Charge But it 's answered in this Covenant They have a Cautioner to pay their debt and to strengthen them for their dutie I will saith he be their God and they shal be my People I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me I will pardon their iniquities all bygones and heal their back-slidings they shall not get leave to go from me would ye be pliable and yeelding to Gods Covenant I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and a new heart will I give unto them and will cause them to walk in my Statuts and to do them Secondly The Doctrine implies as it is a full Covenant or makes the Covenanter fully happy So it makes him sickerly surely happy 2 Sam. 25.5 It 's a Covenant well ordered in all things and sure who ever by Faith betake themselves to Christs righteousness and
Faith and how to get your selves given up and awaâ— to him because in this Covenant as I shewed before there is a Mutuâ—ll engaging God offers himself and all that is in him to be ours and to be made forth câ—ming for our good and we by Faith close wiâ—h the offer and give up our selves to him to be at his dispose have ye any serious thoughts of this But your selves to it and we in the Name of the Lord put you to it for we cannot well proceed any further till ye be at some point in this are ye in earnest Is this your errand in being here to day If not why are ye come hither Is it to see how the day goeth or is it only to get your Communion as ye use to speak Alace what 's that It 's to Covenant with God and ere ye depart this Place to put it to a point that it may be a closed bargain that should be your errand And therefore in the Second Place we tell you that the great God is content to Covenant with poor fectless and sinfull Câ—eatures whereat ye may wonder and say Is it so in very deed that God will dwell with men on earth Will he indeed Covenant with men with sinfull men with Treacherous dealing men with backsliders Yea we tell you that it is so he is content to be your God and that ye possess all things in him content to pardon you all your sins to give you Grace and Glory even every good thing to enter you heirs to a Kingdome and on good and easie terms to do it freely without Money and without Price If ye be but indeed content to accept of His offer on his easie and very reasonable terms and may not your very hearts laugh within you at the hearing of the glad tydings of this Covenant and that God is yet content to make it up with you O how sappie and Massie is this and that is a very sweet word to this Purpose which we have Psal â—7 6. God even our own God shall bless us which may make the Believer smile This relation of our own maketh the blessing double and it flows from this formal aâ— least real Covenanting and union with God and the Believer hath a right to this and all things He hath here an offer and another sort of right then he hath to his house and land or cloths it 's aright to God that giveth a right to these things I mean a Spirituall right for we speak not now of that which is civill let us therefore stay our selves and wonder and be stirred and affected with it that the infinit and alsufficient God is content to make this good bargain and even now to make it with us Sinners even with insignificant and unworthy us Thirdly We make Proclamation of this bargain to you and avouch that there is Salvation offered to sinners and to be had through Jesus Christ the Lord alloweth and warranteth us to make this Proclamation as well as he did Jeremiah when he saith to him Chap. 3.12 Go and Proclaim these words towards the North return thou back-sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee for I am merciful saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever He alloweth nay he Peremptorily Commandeth that ye should be put to it and therefore when we have laid the Covenant before you what say ye to it what will ye do We must have an answer from you ye have his word and Oath for confirmation of it O Believe and take hold of it and ye shall get the seal from us as his Commissioners who treat with you according to our Commission in his Name And here we must be particular and be ye particular with your selves take and receive what we say to you with a warrant as the word of the Lord for it is no less his Word now then it was when Jeremiah and the other Prophets spoke it when the Apostles spoke it yea When Christ spake it himself It 's the same Covenant and the same word that this day is preached to you The Lord cals us to stir up our selves and to say in good earnest Come let us joyn our selves to him in a Perpetuall Covenant 1. The party inviting is the Lord Jehovah in the Mediator and sure he is a most yea the most excellent Party thy maker saith he Isai 54.8 is thy Husband 2. There are in this Covenant excellent Promises God is content to be your God and to take you for his people and Spouse to Pardon your iniquity to heal your back-slidings to Sanctifie and save you and to make you eternally happy and are not these desirable 3. It calls you to give your selves up to him and indeed it is very reasonable that if the husband give himself to the wife she should give her self to him Are ye then content to treat with God in the Mediator and to be his on his own terms It is good to meet and treat with God in him Have ye any ground to except against this Doth it please or displease you say to it tell your mind For I declare to you that if ye get him to be yours you must needs be his I fear many of you stand and stick at this notwithstanding the high reasonableness of it is this think ye an evil disadvantagious or Prejudicial exchange whether is it better that the one and only true God reign over you then that Sathan and a multitude of strange Lords your Lusts taking the Throne as it were by turns should reigne over you It 's both sad and stupendious that ever this should be suffered once to come in question or debate and yet Alace it's this or some thing like this at which it will stand either ye will not take God for your God or ye will not give your selves to him to be his People on his own very reasonable and easie terms and I trow ye will make no better I would therefore yet again put you to it for it 's the very thing that ye are called to the great business of the day and it 's come even to the shock And therefore labour to be at a point whether ye will close with him or not If ye will sincerely say we take the Lord to be our God and give our selves to him to be his People and servants then we say to you and assure you in his Name that this Cup that by and by ye are to drink shall be according to his warrant The new Covenant in his Blood And to press you to the thing let me but Ask you a few Questions 1. Is there not need of Covenanting with God Are there not many sins on your score Is there not a quarrell betwixt God and you Is not this bargain meet and suitable for you which holds out remission of sins and peace with God are ye not urgently called to it And what ground of challenge will it be think
ye that this was in your offer and on very free and easie terms and ye would not accept of it but would needs destroy your selves 2. If there be sin and a quarrell is there not a necessity to have it taken away Have ye laid your account and resolved not to be solicitous and carefull whether ye be friends with God or not And if ye will not say that why do ye not enter this Covenant 3. Is there any other way to get sin pardoned and the quarrell taken away but by making sure your Covenant with God David or any others that were saved were they saved any other way This Covenant was all his Salvation and all his desire 4. What will ye say in the day of the Lord when the Trumpet shall sound and he shall call you to an account for refusing his free and Gracious offer when there will be no more treating with you when he shall say and make your own Conscience say to you It was plainly told you that there was a quarrell standing betwixt me and you It was told you that I was willing to enter into a Covenant with you and to remove that quartell I sent my Messengers unto you for this end but ye made light of the matter Say to it O say to it ye must say something Yea or Nay ye are not left to be indifferent and to keep up your selves in this matter I tell you if ye say not Yea ye say Nay and as the Apostle speaks Acts 13 46. Ye pass sentence on your selves and judge your selves unworthy of Eternall life It 's interpretatively a saying that ye will not have Heaven and life thorow Christ and therefore as ye would not destroy your own Souls I beseech you nay I obtest you in the Name of the Lord and for his sake accept of this Covenant We tell you and as the Apostle hath it we say Be it known unto you that through Jesus Christ remission of sins is Preached to you He hath purchased life and Salvation to sinners And to you is the word of this Salvation sent Give O give your consent to the bargain and that is all we seek of you Now to Prosecute this a little and to put you yet further to it because it will ly before God whether we have put you to it or not and whether ye have accepted of this Covenant or not whether we were in earnest in Proposing it and whether ye were in earnest in closing with it Consider 1. The Persons whom we put to this and the things that we put you to 2. The terms on which 3. The grounds from which and. 4. The qualifications and directions whereby First As for the persons whom we put and press to this Covenanting with God It 's not those only who have gotten their tokens warranting them to come to the Table nor those only that are debarred and so have got no tokens but it 's all of you Those who are afar off and near hand but differently To the tender Soul we say come forward to the secure we say Humble your selves and then come and join in this Covenant The thing we call you to is to take the Lord to be your God and to give up your selves to be Gods we call you to take God to be your Master and your Father your Saviour your Head your Husband your Friend even your all and that is no ill nor small offer and we call you to give up your selves to God to forsake your Fathers house and all your kindred and to cleave to him to join your selves to the Lord as the Text hath it and as it is said The Prodigall Joyned himself to a certain Citizen So ye would joyn your selves to the Lord and be beholden to him for your life Secondly As for the Terms they are in short that Seeing God saith accept of my Sons Righteousness and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters ye would freely accept of it and take and put Christs Righteousness in the place and Room of self-righteousness which was in the Covenant of works found your plea before God on nothing that ye can do but on Christs doing and suffering for you which now by Faith ye resolve to adhere to and resigne your selves to him without any reservation to be guided and saved by him in his own way As for the Third How or from and by what grounds we put you to this or rather how doth the Lord put us all to it First Ye are put to it by his offer in the Gospel which in discretion cals you to give him an answer he cries Come unto me and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David And doth he not require an answer And is it not incumbent to us who speak to you in his Name to crave your answer We declare to you all that ye may if ye will come to be joined with God in Covenant and may be sure to be accepted of as his if ye come aright Now what say ye to it either ye must look on this as a cheat or cunningly devised fable or if ye dare not look on it so ye must accept of it and make it welcome Secondly Ye are put to it in this respect that the Lord brings you now and then under some conviction of the necessity of your peace with God something within you saith that peace with God is worth the having and needfull that this is a good bargain and that ye have need of it and there are now and then some raw resolutions to put it to a point and it may be there is something presently that puts you to it and if not so much the more ye would put your selves to it lest the Kingdom of God be taken from you Thirdly Ye are put to it by this same Sacrament is it possible that ye can take the Communion for a Seal and confirmation except ye Covenant with God before If ye will not Covenant ye prove your selves to be Treacherous dissemblers in going to the Communion and to be liars to God when he presents and offers his Covenant ye profess to take his offer and to close the Covenant with him but ye refuse as it were to take the Pen in your hand or do throw it away when he presents to you the Cup of the New Testament ye drink the Wine and spill the Blood and so become guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord when ye despise it and will not make use of it nor Covenant with God that ye may get the use of it And therefore Fourthly Know that ye are put to it presently and peremptorily that the Lord will take it for a refusall and for a scorning and despising on your part if ye do it not and do ye think it a litle matteâ— to have such a guilt lying on your score what knoâ— ye if ever God shall offer to Seal a Covenant with yoâ— again and
therefore we put you to it peremptorily as to these Three 1 As to the thing that when he invites ye come when he offers ye receive and give thâ— Lord your answer not a nay say but a yea as ye wiâ— be answerable and upon your saying Yea to this Covâ—nant on his Terms we declare in his Name that 〈◊〉 says Yea in taking in the sinner that fleeth unto him 2. As to the whole of the thing for ye must not half Gods Covenant but as ye accept of God to be yours so ye must give up your selves to him to be his and as ye take Christ for paying of your debt So also ye must take him to help you to do your duâ—ie take all therefore and submit your selves intirely to him in this Covenant 3. As to the time ye must do all this presently for the Lord doth not allow us to give you an hour or to promise to treat with you one hour after this It 's now come and let us join our selves to the Lord It 's no difficult thing that ye are called to It 's to believe with the heart and to confess with the mouth our Lord Jesus Christ as it is Rom. 10.9 The Object is Christ the Condition is Faith whereby he is griped and taken hold of and which goeth out towards him in the word And so ye have no more ado but when the offer and Promise comes out to accept and subscribe and to say I am the Lords I will be his to be saved by his Righteousness and made Holy by his Grace both which are contained in the Covenant I am content to be beholden to him both for Holiness and happiness and it shall be a bargain The Lord himself perswade you to do so and that presently without delaying dallying or shifting and off putting Now it may be that some think this to be a good bargain but they know not how to make it sure and siker so as it may hold for ever And therefore this is the last thing that in the 4th Place we would speak a litle to viz. How shall a person Covenant with God and know that he hath done so in very deed for the Directions how to Covenant are so many evidences of Covenanting when performed For Directions then in this matter we would in generall in the First Place have ground to suppose and take it for granted that ye know what ye are even sinners and that Sin hath laid the Foundation of a quarrell betwixt God and you and that ye know what he is a designing and doing by this Preached Gospel even to bring sinners into this Covenant and to have an union made up betwixt him and them but ye will belike say I know not how to make it sure there is no answer to this but be doing till ye get it made suâ—e for your unsureness must flow either from something on Gods side or from something on your side ye dare not I suppose say that it flowes from any thing on Gods side or if ye should this is the way to make him sure to speak so and if it flow from something on your side he bids you return back sliding Children and he will heal your back slidings and make it sure But in the Next Place and more particularly consider 1. Your end and designe what yeâ— would be at ye may have some generall aim at something that is good in it self but that is not enough iâ— must be something more Particular and peculiar Is 〈◊〉 to get God to be your God Doth that fill your eyeâ— Is it to get your back slidings healed as well as pardoned That is right if your aim be to have God and Spâ—rituall good I mention this the rather because somâ— may love God and the Covenant for some temporaâ— good whereas others love him and his Covenaâ—â— mainly for a Spirituall good and think themselves weâ— come to and made up thereby Wherein lyes the dâ—ference will ye say I answer in a word to love Gâ—â— and the Covenant only or mainly for temporall meâ—cies is ill aod selfish but to love God and his Covâ—nant to be made thereby really happy in the enjoymeâ—â— of him and to be made conform to him in Holinesâ— is good and desirable and neither selfish nor servile aâ—â— mercenary as it is no unkindlie-like token in a wife to love her Husband to be delighted in him and to like well to enjoy his company so it is a kindly like Mark for a soul to love God on the account of the happiness and Holiness that are to be had in him and from him Love to God shoulders not out all regard and love to our selves simply but it shoulders out love to lusts and all inordinat love to self and to every Idol nay it 's inconsistent with true love to God not to care whether we be happy in the enjoyment of him or not 2. Consider how and by what means and on what terms ye seek to come at that end are ye secure and sensless of your sin misery without God It 's very like that ye make but a blind bargain whereof ye will have no reall advantage but have ye any kindly touch of your sin and misery and of your need of a Saviour and have ye recourse to him as one Able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God thorow him and who lives for ever to make intercession for them Ye may know somewhat of your sincerity in Covenanting with God by the way that ye come to him 3. What use make ye of the Mediator when ye are come to him Is your peace with God and your hope of holding by the bargain grounded on him Do ye lay the weight of all the good ye expect on his mediation on his Satisfaction and intercession on his purchase Do ye hold all thorow him That 's a good token 4. Are ye content to give to God as well as to take from him To devote your selves to him for Service as well as to enjoy him and Happiness in him This also is a good token as well as a direction 5. Are ye in much Holy fear and Jealousie of back-sliding and is it in your eye and aim purposely to Article this with the Lord to put his fear in your heart that ye may not depart from him many persons will sometimes in a warm fit or in a good mood as we use to speak come far on as Agrippa did but quickly fall off and return to their wonted byass câ—ldness and indifferency therefore in your Covenanting with God there would be much Holy fear lest it be not sound lest it bold not let your Soul say now I am absolutely and unreservedly given away to God not by Morgage or Wodset only to speak so but without reversion even for ever 6. Ye wouâ—d come to close actually with God himself in Covenant many come to the word and Sacramenâ— to get as they think some good but come
not to the Covenant to be really anâ— perpetually Joyned to the Lord himself 7. Ye woulâ— seek after some heart-warming by Gods Spirit withiâ— you and some lively exercise of your faith in him aâ— ye see to be in this Peoples case 8. Persons that arâ— in earnest will be much affected with bygone slips failings and unfaithfull dealings with God and are afraid oâ— falling back and of dealing loosly with the Lord anâ— this puts them on to be more Solicitous and carefull to take on the mo bands and to cast the knot the fasteâ— because the heart is deceitful Come say they here and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Câ—venant never to be forgott n They are not content wiâ— a Covenant except it be siker the heart protests against it self if it shall draw back and resignes and râ—nounces its liberty to do so any more if it may be caâ—â—ed liberty 9. A person would aim to have him seâ—â— sure and satisfied as to this that he hath really given hâ— consent that he may have quietness in the assurance 〈◊〉 its being so yet not laying the weight of his Peace oâ— his clearness and assurance but because his comfoâ—â— much depends thereon therefore he will endeavour 〈◊〉 have any blank filled up and the business put to a poiâ—â— he comes to this Covenanting with Holy fear self-suspition and jealousy and goeth from it with fear and as he is attended with this fear in Covenanting so in receiving the Sacrament the Seal of the Covenant Come say they and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten O! So sure as they would have it ye who shall thorow Grace come thus shall find the Lord Jesus waiting and reaâ—y to welcome you But it 's like ye will Ask how is the Sacrament made useful and helpful in this joyning to the Lord in Covenant I Answer in generall as to the Believer that all the Promises are his and it Seals all the Blessings of the Covenant to him Because the condition of the Covenant is found in him Even as a pardon given to a Rebell on condition he lay down his Arms when he doth lay them down and accepts of the Pardon the Seal is appended to it which makes it firm and sure But what if the persons doubt of their having entered into the Covenant Answer 1. They are either such as are meer strangers to God and have no desire after nor respect to the Covenant those are under Gods curse and shall get no good of the Sacrament because they resolve not to take Christ to fulfill the condition of the Covenant in them and are not in earnest to be in under the bond of the Covenant yet if even such would seriously resolve to fulfill the condition or rather to take Christ to help them to fulfill it they should be welcome or they are such as are doubting though they have some honest desire such would remember the bargain is Mutuall and they must engage to God if they would have God engaged to them and if ye have not done it before do it even now and the Sacrament shall be usefull and helpfull to you in these respects more Particularly 1. For sealing this general trutâ— If I believe in Christ I shall have eternal life In whicâ— respect it 's like a pardon offered to a Rebell on condâ—tion he lay down his Arms he would first see it iâ— writ and then he would have it Sealed well saiâ—â— the King ye shall get it Sealed 2. It 's usefull aâ— hath influence in a Moral waâ— to make you accept Pardon and to enter in the Covenant In which râ—spect it 's an argument as to allure the Rebell to acceâ—â— of the Pardon So to perswade and assure him that oâ— his acceptance he shall have it actually and certainlâ— when it 's holden forth Sealed for saith the Lord 〈◊〉 the Sacrament ye have my Covenant and here I aâ— ready to seal it 3. It furthers our joining in Covenanâ— In respect of its clear holding forth and manifesting thâ— blessings of the Covenant the word saith that ye aâ—â— Sinners and that ye will get nothing that is truely gooâ— but in and through Christ and that God is content 〈◊〉 Covenant with you and to Pardon your sins througâ— him and the Sacrament brings Christ and the blessinâ— of the Covenant to be some way visible and sensible 〈◊〉 you and the Goâ—pel tells how it is done 4. In thâ— Sacrament the Lord condescends in the most formaâ— way to Covenant for in it he saith take you my Souâ— blood to wash you who are guilty and filthy and youâ— taking is as it were a striking of hands with him anâ— a saying content Lord let this blood wash me and thiâ— looking to the word of institution which gives foot in to Faith and exercising Faith thereon as your warranâ— your Faith is helped to take hold of Christ by and 〈◊〉 the Sacrament 5. It helps to close with the Covenanâ— by letting you see the grounds of the Covenant wherâ—on it is bottomed and built If thou shouldst say Thougâ— God would Covenant with me I will not keep Thâ— Sacrament holds out Christ as Cautioner that hath put himself in our Room and engaged in our Name to make us forth-coming and if thou shouldst yet say will God indeed accept of the like of me It saâ—th here is a broken and bleeding Saviour and Mediator to lead thee to God a Saviour who hath made himself a propitiation for sin and hereupon the sinner may be strengthened to take hold of the Covenant because in the Sacrament he sees Christ himself laid as a bridge on which he may come over to God and his rent flesh as the Vaill through which he may as by a new and living way enter into the Holiest Jeremiah 50. Vers 5. Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall noâ— be forgotten SERMON IV. THere are Two main and Mighty uptaking Businesses to the People of God The one whereof is how to win to be in Covenant with God to be friends and in good terms with him The other is how to stand to and keep Covenant with him and to live as being made friends with him according to the obligation that lyeth on them This is the great designe of all preaching to bring them within the Covenant who are without and to make those who are within the Covenant to walk suitably to it and as these are never separated on the Lords side So should they never be Separated on our side therefore these People are brought in here Saying Let us Join our selves to the Loâ—d in a Covenant and not only So but there are Two words added by them to shew their earnest desire to keep and stand to the Covenant The one is A perpetuall Covenant the other a Covenant that shall not be forgotten the impression whereof may never wear
in the Lords strength the Performance of that which we are engaged to For there is a great difference betwixt mens failing and slipping of infirmity and their sinning with allowance the former sheweth a body of Death to be yet remaining and may consist with faithfulness in Gods Covenant but the latter speaks out a Slothful careless and neglâ—gent undervaluing of God and of his Covenant let never such a man cloke himself with the pretext of being in Covenant with God nor Palliat his palpably gross and voluntary breaches of Covenant with the pretext of infirmity who doth not seriously drive it as his great designe to be faiâ—hfull in Gods Covenant Now would ye know wherein this Seriousness in keeping and Performing Covenant consists Ye may take it in these Characters The man that is Serious in performing his engagement 1. His heart is taken up with it and there is an ardent longing to be answerable to the Covenant that he is entered into with God His greatest wish in all the world is as to be in it so to be faithfull in keeping it therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 119.5 O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statuts and this is given as a mark of the Blessed man who is undefiled in the way and saith he vers 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments which is a reason of the former and a confirmation of it he designes to be short in his obedience to no command and he does not allow himself in his short-coming even as to degree but is constant in pursuing his designe always even unto the end 2. Seriousness in performing appeareth by kindly acknowledging the impression of the weightiness of the eye and obligation that the Covenant lays on Persons it someway affects and burdens them so that they walk not so lightly as others do under the obligation debt of the Covenant though it be a friendly debt and also a Priviledge Their burden is not that they are under the obligation but how to get it performed thus saith the Psalmist Psa 56.12 Thy vows are upon me O God they take on vows to God and keep them on and walk as being under them this is a main thing to be looked to in keeping Covenant 3. This seriousness in performing appears in the fear that persons have of going wrong and Mis-carrying they are afraid to break to God neither are any so suspicious of them as they are of themselves knowing by sad experience that their hearts are deceitful above all things and this is a very native evidence considering what we heard of our sickleness which cannot be without the impression of fear 4. It appears in a Holy carefulness and diligence to prevent that which they fear lest at any time they let a buckle slip to speak so and lest that which they feared come on them their fear puts them to diligence to prevent the thing feared This makes them to fast and Pray and to be watchfull over themselves in loose and untender company and to eschew them as far as they can and to hazard some loss rather then to put themselves under a snare watching and praying lest they fall into the sin of dealing falsely in Gods Covenant 5. It appears in the sharpness of challenges when any thing miscarries in their hand They are soon challenged for the very first beginnings of a breach a wrong look will affect them therefore faith Job Chap. 31. I made a covenant with my eyes why then should I look upon a maid And the heart while tender will loath and scare at the least thing that hath the remotest tendency towards a breach were it but the appearance of evill Any the least guilt soon toucheth and smiteth them not only that which is their own but even that of others Thus good Ezra saith Chap. 9. Should we again break thy Commandments and Joyn in affinity with the People of these Abominations And he lyeth in the dust before God mourning because of this 6. It appears in respect of the exercise of a persons Faith as It 's an uptaking work and business to honest Souls to get their Faith founded rightly in closing the Covenant with God that they be well grounded in believing So it is no less an uptaking and exercising work to be improving their faith on Gods Promises to make them forth-coming according to their engagement and for keeping Covenanâ— which is the Apostles exercise Gal. 2.20 To live by Faith on the Son of God I am saith he Crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh is by Faith on the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and try it who will they shall find it to be an uptaking work rightly to exercise Faith for entertaining of Spiritual life and for preventing a Covenant breach with God It may be for as many Professed Covenanters as are here that but few of you know much if any thing at all what it is to be taken up with being Answerable to the Covenant according to your engagements this no doubt makes much unsound work that ye do not singly and seriously designe this that ye reach not forward that ye bear not down the bâ—dy and bring it under Subjection lest ye come short here If ye were suitably serious these Characters and evidences might be as so many directions to you there would be much watchfulness in doing ready entertaining of challenges and convictions much heaâ—t melting under the sense of wrongs done to God and the very appearances of evil would he scared at and appear terrible There is an evil readily incident to many Professours of Religion that they would fain be at marks of a good Spirituall state and of being in Covenant with God but such as would not disturb their carnal confidence ease and laziness nor put them on to painful diligence but we have no such marks to give neither dare we for the fear of God and because of the hazard of Souls assigne any such there being none such given or assigned in the word of God nay let me tell you that if there be not Painfull diligence and Faithfulness in keeping Covenant with Gâ—d it will darken the light of any other mark that can be given and no doubt it 's this negligence and unfaithfulness that makes many good marks clear in themselves dark to many Christians while they give not diligence to make their calling and election sure and give not all diligence to add one Grace to another and one degree of Grace to another It is also the cause of uncomfortable walking yea of uncomfortable Communicating but to be sincere serious in owning our Covenant-engagements and faithfully forth-coming in the Fruits thereof and in a corâ—espondent conversation is a mark that will give comfort and some quietness at least till Comfort come the Lord will comfortably confess
such as faithfully confess him The Third Observation is that It is and will be the great study of Persons really entered in Covenant with God to have it an abiding bargain a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten This is their designe as well as their duty that their Practice and walk may be suitable to the Covenant And it being the main thing implied in the words and that which we intend to insist on I shall in the prosecution of it speak a litle to these three 1. To what it is to aim to have Gods Covenant perpetual and never to be forgotten 2. To the reasons and the ground that there is to press this And 3. To some motives and encouragements for exciting to it For the First viz. What it is to study to have Gods Covenant Peâ—petuall and never to be forgotten We take it up in these particulars First That those entered in Covenant would drive the great designe of the Covenant which it Summed in these Two words To have God to be ours and our selves to be Gods It 's even that which we have in Answer to the first question of our excellent Catechism What is Mans chief end To enjoy God and to glorifie him to enjoy him as our own God and to glorifie him by acknowledging our selves to be his and by devoring our selves to his Service as being a People formed for himself to shew forth his praise This should be vigorously driven as the great designe of the Covenanter with Gâ—d and it would be a notable help to keep Covenant even to live and walk So as we may have Gods Company for what Use serves Gods Covenant unto us and our entering therein if we continue as great strangers to him as before If this be not driven as our designe we forget wherefore we Covenanted Secondly There would be a minding of our own obligation in the Covenant as the condition or mean by which the end viz. The enjoying of God is come at which is in a word to be his to walk before him as he willeth Abraham to do Walk before me and be thou Perfect God himself is that which the Covenanter should Principally aim at walking before him is the mean appointed for coming at that end in short what ever the Covenant saith in reference to our duty as to abandon Lusts To be Holy in all manner of Conversation to be watchful to glorifie God in our Bodies and Spirits which are his c. Is that which we are tyed to in the Covenant and which we would seriously drive at as our great designe Thirdly There be a minding and remembring of Gods engagement to us in the Covenant which is a part of it as well as our engagement to him and never to be forgotten by us Return saith the Lord Jer. 3. Back-sliding Children and I will heal your Back-slidings Return for I am Married to you I will be your God and guide even unto Death I will never leave thee nor forsake thee c. And this minding and remembring of Gods part of the Covenant is a crediting of his Promise Many Believers mind and remember their own part of the Covenant but forget that God is tyed to them which is to Remember not a Mutuall engagement such as the Covenant bears out but only our own Particular engagement which makes us have so many failings on our side and doth very much weaken our hands in dutie because we lay not the weight of our performances on God that hath Promised who is faithful and will also do it We will find it to be frequent and familiar to the Saints men ioned in Scripture to mind Gods part of the Covenant as well as their own and Particularly to David in the Book of Psalmes who saith Thou hast made a Covenant with thine anointed Thou hast laid help upon one that is Mighty art not thou from Everlasting our God Lord remember thy Covenant that is the Covenant that God hath made with his People and ofâ—en else where The great weight of a Believers life and consolation lyes here Alace what would our life or our engagement be and what would our Comfort and Hope be without his engagement to us in the Covenant And if this be not suitably minded and remembred it will prove but a very heartless bargain Fourthly It implies this Seriously to endeavour to conform our Practice to the many great Obligations that we ly under to him and which Gods offer and Covenant do on many accounts call us to This is a short hint of what it is to keep and do the Covenant of God and to Perform it alway even unto the end to have his Covenant Perpetual and never to be forgotten As for the Second To wit the grounds and reasons of this and whereby it may be pressed First We would think of and believe the reality of Gods Covenant the reality of the promises in it and of all that is spoken of it and would put our selves to it if indeed we look on it as such The truth is it is the Language of our unbelief that we scarcely think God to be in earnest as if all that is spoken of this Covenant were but a cunningly devised Fable If we really believed that by his Blessed Covenant we may be brought to enjoy God and to be made conform to his Image in Holiness to have our vile bodies at last made conform to his Glorious Body c. And that as certainly we shall be possessed of such great and glorious priviledges by keeping this Covenant as we a e certain that this world is yet standing such a Faith would prove to us the evidence of things not seen and the Substance of things hoped for and would be a notable inciâ—ment and sharp Spur to Holy activitie in and to quick dispaâ—ch of called for duty O! But it be a good and reall â—argain and will have wonderfull following to all that keep it and whether this be now Believed or not it will be found a litle hence that this bargain was one of the best that ever was heard tell of in the world Secondly We would seriously bethink our selves what will come of it in case there be Grosly unfaithfull dealing and unstedfastness in Gods Covenant I shal only name these five things that will follow on it 1. Much sin 2. Much shame 3 Much reflection on God 4. Much wrath and. 5. Much want of peace and much anxiety in the Conscience that is guilty of this sin 1. I say much sin better there had never been a Covenant in your offer and that ye had never protest your entering into Covenant with God It 's better saith the wise man Eccles 5.5 not to vow to God then to vow and not to perform It had been better that many of you had been crushed in your Mothers belly or that ye had been born Turks and Pagans and had lived and died so then to be found among them that deal falsly in Gods
come ashore all tears shall be wiped from your eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flee away and ye shall meet with that word O warm word Come ye faithful Servants enter into the joy of your Lord ye will not always fight and wrestle neither will ye be alwayes tempted and troubled rest and repose is a coming it 's even at hand then one ray of his Counâ—enance will be infinitly more heartsome refreshing and satisfieing then all these things that ye are now called to abandon and part with can possibly amount to Christs first welcome to his Fathers house will eternally banish the remembrance of all the sad things that ye meet with in this world The Fourth and last Observation is that The great mean of securing a Covenanter making him stedfast is Faith exercised on God or adhering to him by Faith by vertue of this Covenant It is not to lay weight on or trust to our own strength but seeing God hath made a promise of thorow-bearing to undertake the duties that we are called to in his strength trusting to his Faithfulness and to his furnishing of us according to the Covenant As when poor sinners are Summoned to appear before God and they have no righteousness of their own they are to step forward trusting to Christs righteousness So when they are called to dutie and they have no strength of their own to enable them to a suitable discharge thereof they are to consider that God is faithfull who hath promised and who will also do it and indeed Believers have found in their comfortable experience that when they have adventured on dutie with a believing look to Gods Covenanted strength they have found it go sweetly surprisingly well with them Thus it is said of those worthies mentioned Heb. 11. That through faith they wrought Righteousness as well as they did all other things thereby This also is it which the Lord inculcateth John 15. abide in me saith He and ye shall bring forth much fruit as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me for without me ye can do nothing Where it is clear that it 's not enough that we be in Christ but that we must abide in him and have continuall dependance on him for the influences of life and strength derived from him Ye then that would be faithfull in Gods Covenant would have it Perpetuall never to be forgotten must especially make use of this mean make Conscience of all other appointed means Watch and pray that ye enter not into Tentation but see that ye neglect not this mean which if ye do the Watchman will watch in vain and your grip or hold will be unsiker if ye make not use of him to make it sure and to keep it so And therefore 1. Mind seriously and constantly what ye are in and of your selves even fickle fectless weak feeble and unconstant creatures not daring to undertake any thing in your own strength 2. Remember what God is and that ye have a worthy able and responsall Cautioner 3. Remember that ye are engaged in a Covenant never to be forgotten forgetting is the first rise of unfaithfulness 4. Remember the Promises that God hath made for your thorow-bearing and let faith be exercised on them Joyn with diligence and watchfulness a suitable exercise of Faith 5. Take a serious look every day when ye go to pray of your resolutions and engagements renew them frequently and seriously in his own strength and be casting the other knot and put the heart distinctly to say this was my bargain and I will through Grace abide by it and then go and pray over it that ye may be made faithful in your thus Covenanting with God that ye may be enabled to pay your vowes and make your honest resolutions Practicable levelling at this as your Scope and designe in all duties I have said such a thing and have not kept my word Lord forgive it for Christs sake I am engaged in this and that and the other duty Lord help me to perform And for your furtherance in humiliation and soft walking before God look on all your sins as aggravated by this unfaithful and treacherous dealing in Gods Covenant and on all duties as those which your Covenant with God binds you to depend on him for strength to be Communicated to you according to the Covenant for going about them suitably and acceptably and within a litle while ye shall get a fair pass to be gone and a full discharge of all that ye were trusted with according to the Covenant And the Lord help you to be faithful so that it may be betwixt God and you in very deed A perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten A SERMON Preached Immediatly before the Communion On Matth. 26. Vers 28.29 For thiâ— is my Blood of the New Testament whâ—â— is shed for many for the Remission of sins But I sâ— unto you I w ll not drink henceforth of this fruit 〈◊〉 the Vine untill that day when I drink it new wâ— you in my Fathers Kingdom ALthough we had no more to do at our meeting together in this place to day but to Read and heâ— these same wonderful words If our hearts were in suitable spiritual frame knowing and considering whâ— we are about and doing we would be in a Divine Raâ—ture and Transport of Admiration at His love aâ— kindled into a flame of Holy zeal for his glory by then O What sweet and happy words are these from our diâ—ing Lord Jesus Christ his mouth Eye hath not seen eâ— hath not heard Neither hath it entered into the heart 〈◊〉 Man to conceive what things the Lord hath prepared fâ—â— them that wait for him And indeed there is a sum oâ— them in these words they being a Compend of tâ— Testament and legacy which our Lord hath left to hâ— friends O Sinners be of good chear there are gooâ— news and glad tidings of great joy here Here is tâ— new Covenant and all that is in it and Remission 〈◊〉 sins in Particular as the Legacy Here is Christ whiâ—â— maketh this Covenant Savoury and it is confirmed 〈◊〉 his Death who is the Testator thereof Which makes it sure Here is Heaven and Eternall glory and what would you have more This is saith he my Blood of the New Testament Whiâ—h is shed for the Remission of the sins of many Which holds forth the Promises and the convey of them the Legacy and how it comes to us I will not saith he Drink of this fruit of the Vine untill I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome There is Heaven the heartsome up shot of all Remission of sins comes to sinners Covenant wise thorow Christs Blood and by closing with Christ and making Application of this Blood sinners come to get Remission of sins and all the benefits of the Covenant and are brought at last to Drink the new
lay hold on this Covenant may expect Communion with God as certainly as Adam before the fall had it for it's the same God that promiseth who is as faithfull as ever he was Hence it is called a word tryed as silver in a furnace seven times a pure word that cometh out of the furnace alwayes as massie and weighty as it went in and the ground of the Covenant being Christs satisfaction it makes it Sure Therefore he â—s called a tryed Corner stone a sure foundation Thirdly It implies that as it is a Sure So it is a compendious and speedy way to happiness of deliverance to the Sinner which maketh much for Gods praise He is a very present help in time of trouble or a speedy help Psal 46. So Psal 32.5 I said saith Davâ—d I would confess my trangression and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Immediatly as if he had said upon my confession without longer delay and Rom. 4.7 This Psalm is made use of to demonstrat the Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ The fifth Observation is That sinners who are lying under a quarrel with God and have the offer of a Covenant should betake themselves to it and without delay pâ—t a close to the bargain betwixt God and them Come say they here and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant whereby is holden out that when a sinner hath access to the Covenant with God he should flee to it take hold of it quickly In this respect covenanting with God is compared to fleeing in to the City of Refuge Heb. 6. That which I mean is first that a sinner who hath this Covenant in his offer should take no other way for Justification and freedom from sin and wrath but hold to this only and seek to be Justified by it 2. That he should do it speedily when the word of the Gospel saith Come he should answer Lo I come unto thee when God by the Preaching of the Gospel maketh a gracious declaration that he will accept of lost sinners that come to him and saith This is the day of Salvation this is the accepted time as it is 2 Cor. 6.3 and when by his ministers he waiteth on you inviteth and wooeth you ye should presently without delay or demurr close with the offer and accept oâ— the invitation The sixth Observation is that Those who are convinced that they have sinned and would fain be in Covenant with God should endeavour to have it throughed and made sure to have it an absolutely closed and ended bargain This is very clear in this peoples practice who concernedly say Come let us Join our selves in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten they think they cannot get it made sure enough and therefore they joyn never to be forgotten to perpetuall they Judged that it could not Possibly be made too sure which manifestly saith that when God giveth an opportunity to enter into or renew a Covenant with him we should be Holily solicitous in very good earnest and greatly concerned to have it made sicker as the words is Nehemiah 9. vers last We make a sure Covenant and write it and our Princes Levits and Priests Seal unto it that word Isaiah 44.5 Is remarkable to this Purpose One shall say I am the Lords and an other shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord That it might stand as it were over his head as being formally and explicitly engaged in with heart and hand and they that know how fickle and inconstant their hearts are and how prone to deal loosely and unfaithfully in Gods Covenant have good reason to look to this that all be sure work that they get not the shell for the Kernell and go not down to the grave with a lie in their right hand The Seventh Observation is That There are sometimes beside other times wherein some People beside others have it pungently Put to them to enter in and to renew their Covenant with God These here spoken of who say having Gods pressing call to it before they said it oâ—e to another Come and let us join to the Lord in a Covenant are put to it more then others and at this time more then at another in a word People are then put to it in a moâ—e especiall manner 1. At such a time when the Gospel is clearly convincingly and powerfully Preached unto them Preaching of the Gospell being Gods way of meeting and treating with sinners and tâ—e Ministers and Preachers thereof being as his ambassadours Commissioned and sent forth by him to treat and close a treaty with sinners on the terms câ—nâ—ained in their Commission which when they with suitable concernedness and earnestâ—ess do their hearers are the more put to it 2. They are thus put to it when some stirring and warmness of affection towards Covenanting wiâ—h God is wrought in them or when their own frame through Grace Presseth them on to it as we may see it did in this People 3. When the Lord oâ—tener then once or twice in frequently renewed opportunities of thi kind Puts People to it and more especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the very fight and offer of the elements in the Communion speak plainly on the matter to the Communicants are ye indeed in earnest in the great business of covenanting with God Since ye are now to receive the Seal of it If ye be not ye notably Profane the Ordinance by setting a Seal to a blank charter It is therefore called the Covenant This is the Cup of the New Covenant Because it puts you in mind of the Covenant and puts you to it whether ye will really engage in it It is like the Kings appointing a day for sealing of Paâ—dons to Rebels his Proclamation first Puts them to it to accept of the Pardon Next the heraulds put them to it and then Lastly the set and fixed time or day of the sealing puts them Most of all to it and so it is with you in this Ordinance that we are by and by to be about We come now to the Application of all wherein we shall not insist on all things that these Doctrines Minister ground for but shall Pitch on some most Usefull and which are the great Scope of the Text and of the day And in the First place I would Beseech you to endeavour to gather and compose Your selves and gravely to ponder what it is that this day ye are Pressingly called to It is even this Come and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten Know and Believe that there is such a thing as Covenanting with God That God is dealing with you to Covenant with him and that it is a good bargain To you is this word of Salvation sent And ye should be very Seriously thinking how to get it accepted and made use of how to receive this offer by