others and derived a poysonful Nature even from them for though they themselves may be Gracious yet they begat not their Children as they were Gracious but as Men and Women the sinful Off-spring of Adam 't is Nature and Corruption and not Grace that is derivative A Man will never prize a Plaister that knows of no Wound nor Physick that knows not that he is Sick nor this Remedy till he know of the Disease The knowledge of this will make a man admire God's Goodness to himself and Children and to bewail the inward Distempers of the Soul and wrastle with God for the Pardon of this Corruption and for his Sanctifying Grace and Spirit when others little regard it and bless God that hath provided such a Remedy sent such a Saviour into the World and entred into such a Covenant not only with Believers but their Seed and given such a Seal to it for the confirmation of their Faith For though it abolish not Sin utterly as some Teach yet hath it a tendency to the Mortification and the weakning of it They should know also by what Right their Infants enjoy this Priviledge this should put them upon it to clear up their own Interest and improve it to renew their Covenant to Act Faith and suck sweetness from the Promises which are made to Believers and their Children and upon this Confidence that God is their God and the God of their Seed they should Offer up their Children unto God and Dedicate and Devote them to his Service as I said before List them into his Army and Enter them into his School desiring of him not only to allow them the external badge of Church-Members but also make them Members of the Invisible Church yea Living Members of Christ's Mystical Body And be earnest with God to Baptize them not only with Water but also with the Holy Ghost and lay claim to the Ordinances upon this Account and not only so but 't is their Duty to endeavour what in them lyes to make them his Servants by Training them up in his Fear and to Teach them their Duty both to God and Man For as Parents usually Covenant for their Children about the Affairs of the World and Interest them in Earthly Priviledges so do they here Enter them into the Covenant and Interest them thereby into the Blessings of the Covenant except afterwards they wilfully revoke it Parents neglect of this was formerly accounted a great Sin as we see in Moses Exod. 4.24 when God would have killed him for neglecting Circumcision and threatens such a Soul that is not thus Dedicated to be cut off from his People Gen. 17.14 And where God changed his mind or relaxed this Law is not easily found But alas how careless are most Parents of this Duty Some Scruple it and so neglect it but most bring their Children to the Ordinance as they themselves come to Church meerly for Fashion sake as they beg for nothing so they expect no benefit by it 't is more of Custom than Conscience and more of Ceremony than Service 't is blind Obedience they yield not knowing what God requires at their hands 3. Direct In this Duty aim at God's Glory the strengthening of thy Faith and the good of thy own and thy Childrens Souls Many a good Action is spoyled for want of a good End as I told you the Fasting Prayers and Alms of the Pharisees were Mat. 6.1,2 c. In this Ordinance God aims at the foresaid Ends his Glory is his ultimate End and should be ours He annexes this Seal to his Covenant to strengthen our Faith use it therefore to this End And by this our Children are Entered into Covenant As we Live and Move and have our Being from him so we should Live and Move and Act for him not only in this but in all other Duties This is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace and in this it excels all the Water in the World For our Baptismal water though not in regard of it's Essence yet in it's Use and Efficacy passeth all other though never so precious others may Comfort the Heart but cannot Sanctifie it Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus may be more beautiful to the Eye than the River Jordan yet cannot heal Naaman's Leprosie it had not that Sanctive virtue put into it by God So this Baptismal water is set apart and Sanctified to an Holy Use even to Seal the Covenant of Grace to Believers in which Covenant God offers Christ to be our Lord and Saviour and promises with him to give us pardon of Sin Regeneration Adoption Sanctification and Redemption yea Heaven and Glory and thereupon sets to his Seal in this Sacrament And Man on his part promiseth to take Christ as he is offered in the Gospel to be his Lord and Saviour and promises to believe in him to be Ruled by him to forsake all other for him and to be his Faithful Servant to his Death and thereupon accepts of the Offered Element and so puts to his Seal to the Covenant and by so doing devotes himself to his Service So that this Sacrament is an engaging Sign and Seal of the Covenant between God and Man All the Blessings of the New Covenant are included here for the Seal is of as large an extent as the Covenant it self and as a Seal accepted to an Evidence makes it Authentick much more God's Seal annexed to his Word is firm and sure Heaven and Earth may pass away but God's Word thus Ratified shall never fail We have God's Promise under Hand and Seal and if we perform on our part doubtless God will never fail on his he assures us hereby that he will be a Reconciled Father to us in Christ and we shall be his Adopted Sons and Daughters he will be our God which is more than can be expressed in words or conceived in mind Now from this Covenant thus ratified a Believer in the saddest Affliction may fetch Comfort and refreshing The Spirit it self being the Keeper of this Seal produceth it many times to a Christians Comfort and enables him to read his Name in the Covenant and shews him the Great Seal for it Thus David could fetch Comfort from his Circumcision when he was to Encounter with Goliath what is this Vncircumcised Philistine c. And why may not we from our Baptism in our Conflicts with the Goliath of Hell God is not a Man that he should lye nor the Son of Man that he should Repent Now that this is a Seal of the Covenant see Rom. 4.11 where Circumcision is Called the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith in which place Baptism succeeds See also Col. 2.11,12 wherein we see We are Buried with him in Baptism and with him also raised again And that all the Blessings of the New Covenant are Sealed by this is evident also Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Rom. 6.4,5 where the Benefits both of
Covenant Now if thou perform thy part God will doubtless perform his Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one tittle of his Word shall pass especially that given and ratified under his Hand and Seal but if thou break with him and accept not of those Mercies upon the required Conditions God is not engaged to make good what is thus Conditionally promised in the Covenant unless thou canst prove it to be an absolute grant that all that are thus Baptized Live how they list shall be saved and then the Ministers Scriptures yea Spirit and all are of little use No no God will cashire and disband such Souldiers and cast out such Non-proficients out of his School and such unfaithful Servants out of his Family But alas how many of these may we find in the World That Vow Obedience to Christ and perform Service to the Devil If he bid them swear they will swear if he bid them be drunk they will Obey Yea many that though they would be loath to break their word with Man much more their Vow or their Oath yet make nothing of these Sacramental Vows But consider God will not lose by thee neither thy sin or Obedience can hurt or benefit him but the benefit or damage will accrue to thy own Soul 7. Direct Make a right Use of thy Baptism and improve it through the whole course of thy Life for the Efficacy of it is not limitted or bound up to any moment of Time but is a Flower that never loseth savour a Jewel that never loseth it's virtue 'T is a Fountain that never is drawn dry And breasts of Consolation where thou mayst suck and be satisfied Those that use it onely as an Idle Ceremony that never improve it or look after it when 't is once past and make no Advantage or Use of it are more foolish than those that take great care to have the Evidences of their Land Sealed and never make use of the Inheritance thereby conveyed Use it therefore for the best Advantage for thy Soul This is a needful though much neglected Duty The serious Consideration of the End and Use of Baptism and the benefits and priviledges Sealed up by it to us and ours and our own ingagements therein to God may be of great Use to us in the whole course of our Lives in many cases and conditions Baptism may be compared to the Marriage knot by virtue whereof the Wife lays claim not only to her Husband but whatsoever is her Husbands and 't is as a Seal to an Evidence which ratifies it and makes it Authentick and adds force and Efficacy to it Baptism though not to be iterated or renewed yet the Covenant thereby once Sealed remains Authentick for ever till we pluck off the Seal or renounce the Covenant This is a notable means to put us on to mourn for our Sins and therefore 't is called the Baptism of Repentance as it doth oblige us to Repent for the consideration of our Miscarriages towards God since we gave up our selves to him and the falling short of what we have promised and might have been and done may well keep us humble and penitent When we are tempted to sin and to break the Commands of God by sin we may look back to our Covenants to the contrary and the Vows which we have made and it may terrrifie us to think that we should break such a Covenant with God when we make some conscience of Promise to Man Think with thy self have I dedicated my self to God What Sacriledge is it What perfidious Treachery is it now to Serve the Devil his sworn Enemy Hast thou Vowed Obedience to thy Maker and promised to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh how then canst thou think to look God in the Face at the last day if now thou sidest with his greatest Enemies Was thy Body washed with water signifying the blood of Christ and shall thy Soul be still defiled Wilt thou return with the Dog to the Vomit and the washed Sow to her wallowing in the Mire How may the consideration of this fill thee with shame and sorrow Hence also thou mayst set Faith on work to fetch virtue from the Death and Resurrection of Christ to kill sin in thee and raise thee up to newness of Life for if thou be Buried with him in Baptism 't is thy Duty thus to do Rom. 6.3,4,5 When Corruption is strong fetch strength hence to weaken it when Grace is weak hence thou mayst strengthen it This is an excellent means to assure thee of thy Salvation of the Pardon of thy sins and the rest of the Mercies promised in the Covenant for the Covenant being ratified and Sealed what should hinder the performance God doubtless is real in his Promise and true in his Covenant he did not intend to deceive thee by an empty Ceremony or set his Seal to a blank No no nor if thou revoke not he will not revoke Is not this the Sacrament of Regeneration Is it not called the Laver of Regeneration Signifying the washing away of sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be Baptized and wash away thy sins Yea of Salvation 't is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 Hath not God given thee a pledge in thine Hand of his Gracious meaning towards thee And what need hath he to dissemble with thee Doth he gain any thing by thee Yea though thou art relapsed yet look back to thy Covenant and return See God's Advice in such a case Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord. God will not depart till thou art willing to let him go And from hence also you may fetch Arguments for Brotherly Love among Saints we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one Body and therefore should sympathize each with other as the Members do Those are some of the daily Fruits you may gather of this Tree many more grow upon it CHAP. X. Directions in Receiving the Sacrament THE next Duty to be spoken to is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which is an Ordinance of God wherein by the External signs of Bread and Wine set apart and Sanctified to that End and Use and duly Administred by God's appointment the Lord signifieth and Sealeth up the Truth of his Covenant to his Elect and they Seal up their Covenant with him This Sacrament is a Sign to Represent a Seal to Confirm and an Instrument to convey Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul The principal Efficient Cause or Author of this Sacrament is the whole Trinity but especially Christ who is the Angel of the Covenant he it is that made the Covenant and ratified it with his Blood and therefore it must be he that adds the Seals he makes the Promises and must make them good The Essential parts or Matter of the Sacrament are either External or Internal the one perceived by our Bodily Eyes the other by the Eye of Faith The External is
the outward Signs or Symbols viz. Bread and Wine which though they are not changed into the Body and Blood of Christ as the Papists Teach yet are they not naked bare or empty things but such as really exhibit yea Seal Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul No other Bread nor Wine in the World though a drop a bit were worth a Kingdom are to be compared hereunto The Internal Matter is Christ and all his Graces these are signified resembled exhibited and applyed by the outward Elements The Form is that which gives a Being and perfection to the Matter without the which this Bread and Wine would be but Common Bread and Wine This also is External or Internal the External Form consists in the Lawful Administration and participation of it according to God's Word the Internal Form is the Union between the Sign and the thing signified Now this Sacramental Union is an Act of God's Spirit by whose virtue Christ his Merits and Benefits are not only resembled and presented to the mind but are really made one with the Elements yet this Union is not Natural according to place for there is no mutation of the Sign into the thing signified neither is the thing signified included or fastened to the thing signifying it cannot be a local Union that Christ's Body should be locally present with the Sign for Christ's Body though Glorified cannot be in all places at once Neither is it a Physical Union as if of two United losing their proper Forms should by a mixture make a third but 't is a Spiritual Union whereby the Lord Jesus is really conveyed to the Soul for besides his Divine presence and the presence of his Spirit he is present with his Body and Blood not locally but Sacramentally he is Symbolically present to the mind he is present Spiritually by the Eye of Faith Efficaciously present though absent in Place yet we find the fruit of his presence in our Spirits the Ends of the Sacrament are the confirmation of our Faith the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace and to be a Badge or Note of our Profession to be a pledge of our Obedience to and Communion with Christ and a Testimony of our Society with the Church and may seem as a Prospective Glass to view Christ afar off In the Covenant God promises to be our God and the God of our Seed and sets to his Seal and we Seal the Counterpane and ingage that we and ours will Serve the Lord and by virtue of this Covenant so mutually entred into all the Promises and Benefits of the Covenant are ours so that you see a right receiving of this Sacrament is of very great Concernment and the unworthy Receiving is very dangerous Here is Manna for a believing Soul but Poyson to an unworthy Receiver This nourished Peter but Poysoned Judas it feeds the good but kills the bad it makes some better and some worse some more Holy and some more Prophane it increaseth Grace where Grace is but increaseth Guilt where Grace is wanting 'T is like the Sun when it shines upon a Garden of Herbs it makes them smell more odoriferously when upon a Dung-Hill it makes it smell more fulsomly 'T is like the passing through the Red Sea safe to Israel dangerous to the Egyptians he that brings strange Fire he shall be burnt by it Lev. 10.3 God will be Honoured by those that draw near to him he that comes without a Wedding Garment shall go away not with Grace in his Heart but with Bolts upon his Heels Mat. 22.12 According to a mans preparation such is like to be his Entertainment He that Sows nothing shall Reap nothing and he that Soweth Vanity shall Reap Folly and he that Sows sparingly shall Reap little 2 Cor. 9.6 He that taketh most care and pains is like to have the best Crop Me-thinks there needs no more Motives to perswade you than the benefit of worthy Receiving and the danger of the contrary the one hath his Grace increased the other his sin the one hath his Salvation Sealed up the other without Repentance his Damnation He hath God's Curse under Seal and they Eat and Drink their own Damnation and are guilty of Christ's Death 1. Direct If thou wouldst partake of the Sacrament worthily thou must Examine thy self whether thou hast those Habitual Qualifications which are requisite for so Holy a Duty There are several Graces that must be Exercised at this time but how can a Man Act Grace that hath it not He that comes to the Wedding Feast without a Wedding Garment is not like to be a welcom Guest Mat. 22.12 Without Grace in Exercise this Ordinance will do thee little good Thou mayst indeed eat the Bread and drink the Wine these are bodily Actions but without Faith thou canst not feed upon Christ in the Ordinance and what good will a bit of Bread or a sup of Wine do thee Faith is the Hand that receives him the Mouth that feeds upon him and the Stomach that digests him and sucks sweetness from him Try whether thou hast Spiritual Life a Man by Nature is dead in sins and Trespasses and without Regeneration he remains thus and what good will a Feast do to a Dead Man If you put Meat into a Dead Man's mouth what is he benefited by it Will it nourish him Can he eat it swallow or Digest it when he cannot Exercise any Act of Life without which Food will be in vain No more can this Sacrament nourish till a Man be Regenerated and new born and have a Principle of Spiritual Life put into him A wicked Man is a Stranger to the Covenant of Grace he hath not the required Qualifications neither doth he intend to keep the Condition and what then hath he to do with the Seal Or what hope can he have of the Priviledges If a Man hath Evidences for Lands mutually Signed and Sealed if he fail in the Covenants on his part how can he expect another should make good his A wicked Man is Uncircumcised in Heart and those that were not circumcised were not permitted to eat the Passeover to which the Lord's Supper Answers Exod. 12.43 Now these Habitual Qualifications are such as the Scripture requires and such as make up the Wedding Garment And a Man should have Evidences to shew before he lay claim to such an Ordinance he should be in Covenant before he receive the Seal of the Covenant This Ordinance is not for the begetting but for the strengthening of Grace The Apostle to this End bids a Man Examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup 1 Cor. 11.28,29 For he that eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cup of the Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body The word Examine signifies to take a strict Account of himself and make a diligent search into himself as whether he be Gold or dross whether he be chaff or Wheat
Church and Listed into his Company his School and Family and have all the Blessings and Benefits of the New Covenant Christ and all his Righteousness Merits and Graces Pardon of Sin Regeneration Adoption Sanctification and Glorification Sealed up to them for the Water as it is of a cleansing Nature signifies the Blood of Christ which cleanseth us from all Sin In this Sacrament there is a mutual Covenant made and ratified between Christ and the Soul the Soul gives up it self to Christ promising Obedience to his known Will and that he will Worship no other god but Father Son and Holy Ghost And God for his part promises Christ and his Benefits upon Condition that Man prove Faithful in his Covenant and no doubt God will not fail in his part if Man perform which that thou mayst do take these Directions 1. Direct Because some Scruples do arise about Baptism it seems necessary to speak something to them for those that Question the Ordinance it self are not like to use the Directions The very Essence of Water-Baptism is denyed by some and questioned by others whether it be a standing Ordinance in the Church but that which some question and others deny I think need not be questioned and cannot be denyed and for their Confutation I need say no more but search the Scriptures for he that reads the Scripture and believes what he reads cannot be Ignorant Baptism was given in Commission by Christ to his Disciples Mat. 28.19,20 and that it was to be done with Water see it in their Practice you find Philip Baptizing the Eunuch with Water Acts 8.38 And Peter Baptized Cornelius thus and his Family in both places Water is mentioned and they were both immediately Directed to do it by the Holy Ghost But the greatest Controversie lies elsewhere between us and the Anabaptists who it be that are Subjects capable of this Ordinance this therefore shall fall next under consideration I need not step so far out of my way as to tell you they ought to be rational Creatures such as are capable of being in Covenant and to have the Graces and Benefits of the Covenant bestowed upon them and so stand to reprove the foolish ridiculous Custom of the Papists in Baptizing Bells c. Neither need I tell you it must be a Living Creature and not one that is dead and so reprove the Custom of those which seemed to be Baptized for the dead or in their stead or in their Name a Custom which seemed to be crept into the Church in the Apostles days 1 Cor. 15.29 which Custom Ambrose and Tertullian speak of But to come nearer the Question in Controversie you may assure your selves that those and those only that are Members of the visible Church are to partake of this Ordinance Those that are in Covenant should partake of the Sign and Seal of the Covenant Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 Now these are the Godly and their Seed Acts. 2.39 The Promise is unto you and to your Children The seed of Faithful Abraham are either those that are of Riper Years or of Infants Those that are of Riper Years are such as being Converted to the Faith hold fast the Foundation and manifest Repentance for sins past and profess Obedience for the time to come and of those I think is no scruple made by any that own the Ordinance if there be see Mark 16.15,16 Acts 37.38 Now Infants that are within the Covenant are such as have one or both Believing Parents that is such as profess Faith in Christ and Obedience to him and Live accordingly that the Children of those are in the Covenant and have right to the Seal by a Birth-priviledge many able Divines have largely proved both by Scriptures and Arguments the Scriptures they make use of are such as these Gen. 17.7.9 1 Cor. 7.14 Gal. 3.9.14 Col. 2.11,12 Acts 2.38,39 Rom. 4.11,12 Mat. 28.19 Mark 10.13 c. Luke 18.15,16 Rom. 11.16 and many others Now you must know that Godly Parents are under a two-fold Consideration as they are Men and the sinful Off-spring of Adam so their Children are the Children of wrath by Nature but as they are Believers and the Sons of Faithful Abraham and ingraffed into Christ the second Adam so they and their Children also are in Covenant This might be Evidenced by Arguments but my Discourse being practical and not polemical I shall refer you to those that have purposely Treated of it Yet lest any should be at a loss consider Children of Believers in the Time of the Law were Members of the Visible Church and in Covenant with their Fathers and received the Seal and Sign of the Covenant for such was Circumcision Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 and that by God's own Command Deut. 29.10,11,12,13 c. And I conceive it will not be proved where they were ever taken out of Covenant or lost this their Birth-priviledge or what they have in lieu of it or that our Priviledges are straitned by Christ's coming and therefore we conceive they are still in Covenant and therefore being every way as capable of the seal of the Covenant Baptism as the Jews Children were of Circumcision it ought to be Administred besides it was for unbelief the Jews were broken off Rom. 11.20 and that both Root and Branch How then came the Believing Jews to lose this priviledge for their Children Yea the Promise is made to them that Believe and to their seed Acts 2.39 And Believers Children have been long in Possession let their Enemies disprove their Right 2. Direct I 'le take it for granted at present that Infants of one or both Believing Parents are within the Covenant and Members of the Visible Church upon their Parents Account It is their Birth-priviledge and therefore 't is requisite that they receive the sign and seal of the Covenant which is Baptism that being the initiating sign whereby Members are Orderly entred into the Church Souldiers are Listed into Christ's Company and Scholars into his School and therefore 't is the Parents Duty to present them and to Enter them into the Covenant and bring them timely unto this Ordinance and Dedicate them unto the Lord even in their Infancy as Hannah did Samuel even when he was a Child But because the Child claims this not as he is an Infant but as he is the Child of such Parents 'T is necessary that the Parents one or both be rightly qualified they should be such as own God in sincerity For though a serious Profession not contradicted by a vicious life may and must satisfie the Church who cannot search the Heart yet it will not satifie God who tryeth the Reins and the Heart 'T is necessary also that they have a competent measure of Knowledge as well as Faith and the other Graces of the Spirit that so they may perform the Duties required 'T is requisite they should know in what condition their Children are in by Nature that they are born the Children of Wrath as well as
his Death and Resurrection are promised as also Remission of Sins Mark 1.4 Yea Salvation also Tit. 3.4 By this Ordinance we give up our selves unto Christ Rom. 6.34 Now what are the Ends thou aimest at in this Ordinance when thou presentest thy Child to be Baptized Is it the Duty as well as the Priviledge thou regardest Dost thou Enter him into the Covenant with an intent to Dedicate him to the Lord and Train him up in his fear to bring him into God's Family and make him a Member of his Mystical Body 1 Cor. 1â— 13 For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body to make him a Member of the Church Gal. 3.27 That he may be Holy to Marry him unto Christ c 't is well If only Custom not Conscience move thee thy Ends are bad and thy Actions Sinful 4. Direct Rest not in the Common Priviledges of this Sacrament take not up with Common favours but lay hold by Faith upon the main Benefit What priviledge will it be to be Listed into Christ's Army when we neither fight his Battles nor receive his Pay Or to be entred into his School if we be not Taught nor Instructed by him to be of the Number of those that Worship God when it is not in Truth and Sincerity To make a visible Profession without the practice to have a Name to Live and be dead or to have a Name to be a Child of God without the priviledges of Children To be a Member of the visible Church and no Member of Christ's Mystical Body To adhere to the Vine and not be Planted in it To be distinguished from those without the pale of the Church as Jews and Heathens and not from rotten Members as Hypocrites and Dissemblers To have a form of Godliness without the power and practice of Holiness Alas these things are common to good and bad as Circumcision did difference the Jews from all other People yet most of them were strangers yea Enemies to God for all are not Israel that are of Israel But 't is the Circumcision of the Heart that differenceth them from the World So 't is here Baptism differenceth Christians from others but 't is the Baptism of the Spirit that differenceth the good from the bad Yet these External Priviledges ought not to be sleighted as the Apostle Argues at large Rom. 3.1,2 c. yet ought they not to be trusted to or rested in The main thing intended in this Ordinance is that Christ and all his benefits be Sealed up unto the Soul therefore lay hold by Faith upon these things or thy Labour will be lost This Sacrament is the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 The sign of the Covenant Gen. 17.11 Lay hold therefore upon Christ in the Ordinance yea upon whole Christ as he is offered in the Sacrament for Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and with him Grace and Glory is to be had But if thou take up any thing under Christ the Ordinance will be of little worth to thee When thou bringest thy Child therefore to the Ordinance take not up with Common Benefits lay out for Christ and satisfie not thy self without him The Ordinance of it self is but a dry and empty Husk Christ is the Kirnel 't is as a Well Christ is the Water and what good will a dry Well do thee 'T is but a broken Cistern if trusted to it can hold no Water What is a little cold Water applyed to the Body if the Water of Life be not applyed to the Soul Be thou Real in thy Dedication of thy Child to God and really Act Faith upon the Promise that God may bestow his Son upon him Thou mayst find in Scripture footing for thy Faith many Divine and precious Promises made by God Consider such Scriptures as these Rom. 6.38 As many as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his Death c. And if we be dead with Christ we believe we shall also Live with him 1 Pet. 3.21 The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us c. Mark 3.11 Heb. 1.9 John 3.5 Heb. 10.22.24 Gal. 3.16 Luke 3.3 Acts 12.16 22.16 Eph. 5.26 Titus 3.5 1 John 1.7 The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sins which Blood is here signified by this Baptismal Water Here thy Faith may find a Foundation sure and stedfast take up with nothing short of Christ bring the word of Promise along with thee to the Ordinance press God with his Word he cannot deny it but without the Promise the Ordinance is of little Efficacy But thus doing thou wilt find it a refreshing Ordinance Christ and all his Benefits may be found in this Baptismal Water yea whatsoever is necessary for the Soul Perswade thy self therefore that seeing such Scripture expressions hold forth the Sacrament to be the Laver of Regeneration and the New Birth to wash from sin and is Instrumental to our Salvation and Sealeth up the Covenant yea Christ and all his Benefits to the Soul No doubt it will be so to thee and to thy Children if the failing be not on your part When thou seest the Minister apply the Baptismal water to the Body of thy Infant do thou by Faith behold God the Father applying Christ his Merits his Blood and Benefits to the Soul and as verily as thou seest the one done Sacramentally so verily do thou believe the other to be done really and truly 'T is the coming to the Sacrament without Faith and without the word of Promise that makes it seem so empty and vain but doubtless there is a rich supply to be had If we suck we shall be satisfied the Well indeed is deep and Faith is the Bucket If we have no Bucket we are like to have no Water 5. Direct That this Sacrament of Baptism be rightly Administred it is necessary that it be done agreeably to the mind and will of God expressed in his Word for God will have his own work done in his own way he hath not left it to Man to use his own will in his Worship But we must follow the Pattern and Example he hath left us and Obey the Precept and Command he hath given us and be directed by Scripture Light and perform the Duty in a right manner and form as well as to a right End 'T is necessary therefore in the first place that it be Administred by a Lawful Minister 't is the work of those that are in Commission and we find not any Commission Sealed unto any other than the Apostles and their Successors the Ministers of Christ set apart by God and the Church for this and other Holy Duties for the work of the Ministry that this is part of their Commission we may read Mat. 28.19,20 Go Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I Commanded you and loe I am with you always even
it may be it is a Metaphor taken from a Goldsmith that try their Gold whether it be pure and the dross purged out and consumed or from those that try their Coin not superficially but by the weight by the sight by the sound by the touch stone that so they may not be deceived with what is bad and counterfeit and so must we in this case Especially considering the Devil hath much counterfeit coin goes abroad for currant and most Men are deceived and 't is easie to be deceived especially when our own Hearts are the greatest Cheats Try thy Evidences for Heaven whether thou art Regenerated or not otherwise thou art not for Heaven John 3.3.5 Whether thou art an Adopted Child of God For none else ought to eat at his Table Christ will not be Food to nourish any other he will not have the Devils Brats Dine at his Table none ought to sit there but those that shall sit with him in the Kingdom of Heaven Hast thou those Graces that always accompany conversion For these are necessary in this work as Sanctified and Sanctifying knowledge without which thou canst not discern the Lord's Body or know God or thy self or the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace the Nature of the Sacrament or the state of thy own Soul c. Faith also is necessary to lay hold upon Christ in this Ordinance and feed upon him c. Repentance for sin past and new Obedience for the time to come Love also to God to his Word and to his Children with a longing desire after Christ in the Ordinance for what shall we do at a Feast without a stomack The Trial of these Graces I shall now wave having in another Treatise partly handled it 't is called The Souls Looking-Glass or a Spiritual Touch-stone to which I refer you because I will not Actum agere do a thing that is done before 2. Direct Though Habitual preparation and a gracious disposition of which we have Treated before be absolutely necessary without which a Man cannot be a welcom Guest to this Marriage Feast as we see in the Foolish Virgins Mat. 25.1,2 c. who notwithstanding they had Lamps in their Hands yet for want of this Oyl of Grace in their Hearts were not admitted but the door was shut against them I say though this be necessary yet it is not sufficient 't is not enough to have a Marriage Garment but we must have it on and made clean and handsom if we would Honour the Wedding 'T is not enough to have Faith and Knowledge and Love and Obedience c. in the Habit but we must have them in the Exercise what good will they do us if we use them not 'T is not enough to have Lamps in our Hands yea and Oyl in our Vessels though most go without but we must have our Lamps always burning we must rise and trim our Lamps When we go to meet the Bride-groom Christ in such a Duty we must snuff our Candles that they may burn bright 'T is not enough for a Musician to have an Instrument but he must have it in Tune or it will yield bad Musick nay he must have skill to use it or it will not do nay he must be in a capacity to make use of his skill which is not if his hands be cold or numb'd or otherwise out of Order The Souls Musick is quickly spoyled if it be out of Tune 'T is not enough for a Carpenter or Joyner to have Tools and Matter to work upon but he must often by grinding or whetting put an edge upon them or they are not fit for his purpose 'T is not enough to have Houshold stuff in abundance but it must be set in Order not on a confused heap yea and scoured and made bright if we would use them to adorn the House And in like manner 't is not enough for a Christian to have the fore-mentioned Habits and Qualifications but he must reduce them into Art and Exercise he must scour them up against such a good Time as this and rub off the rust and make them fit for use yea make use of them for to this End they were given And a Christian notwitstanding the Habits may and will be an unworthy Receiver if they be not in Exercise 'T is necessary that some Vital Operations co-operate to the Receiving Digesting and Concocting our Meat or it will not nourish and so that this Spiritual Food may prove Refreshing to the Soul 'T is necessary that there be a principle of Spiritual Life and the Actings of Grace concur with the Receiving and Digesting of it A Godly Man may sometimes be in an Appoplexy and have a stupifyed Soul and a benumbed Conscience he may have his swooning Fits when Life is scarce discerned to appear It may seem David sometimes was in this Condition or some other great Distemper Now you know though there be Life yet in such case 't is not safe to give Food stir up therefore thy Graces and get them in Exercise 't is the best way to procure heat and digestion Consider seriously what thou art about and with whom thou hast to do and what is the danger of unworty Receiving and the benefit of the contrary Consider thou hast a price put into thy Hand O let not an Heart be wanting to get wisdom In this Ordinance all thy wants may be supplyed here thy Graces may be strengthened and thy Communion with God renewed Thy Covenant with God is here ratified and Christ and all his Benefits made over to thy Soul Here thou mayst have the pardon of thy sins and whatever else is requisite for thy Soul if thou come preparedly and Act Faith upon the Promise and improve thy Interest in the Covenant come therefore with a Thirsting desire of Christ in the Ordinances this is a Qualification required Isa 55.12 John 7.37 Rev. 22.15 Long after this Bread of Life for this Longing shall be satisfied Come with Confidence to have thy needs and wants supplyed and to this End Exercise Faith on the Promise this Grace is all in all in the Duty 't is both the Hand and the Mouth Exercise Repentance for sin past and resolve to Obey for the time to come But if thou come unprepared thou eatest and drinkest thy own Damnation and becomest guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ let such such Considerations as these move thee 3. Direct If thou wouldst worthily partake of this Sacrament propound right Ends to thy self in so doing the End as I have said as in other Duties so in this either makes or marrs the Action Now the End though last in the Execution is first in the Intention 't is the first mover What is it that a man will do but is for some End this like the weights on a Clock or the Spring in a Watch sets all the Wheels on work and is the cause of the Entrance and continuance of the Motion Who is it that Builds an
the Sacrament but without Faith they cannot be laid hold upon 6. Direct Having shewed you what Preparation is necessary and also what Qualifications and how thou shouldst stand affected when thou comest to this Ordinance I shall next shew thee how to demean thy self in the very Act of Receiving For thy External behaviour or outward demeanour it should be such as is suitable to the Ordinance and to the presence of the Great God Reverent Grave Seemly and such as bespeaks Humility and self-abasing not Light and wanton and gazish but such as becomes a Guest at such a Table yet beware of such Voluntary or Superstitious Humility such as the Papists and some others use which hath no Footing in the vvord of God the surest way is to take the Scripture for our Guide But for thy Inward Carriage which is most to be regarded be sure thy Heart be not wanting for God cannot endure Heartless Service if this Instrument be not in Tune the Musitioner is bad here if any where God calls Son give me thy Heart and nothing else will serve turn but the Heart and the Heart broken and bleeding Come with the Heart humbled God cannot endure a proud Person especially in an Ordinance that hold forth that which may humble thee here is Christ Crucified and his Blood shed for thy sin thou wast the Traytor that betrayed him the Judge that Condemned him and the Executioner that put him Death and will not this work upon thee Is it nothing to have Blood lying upon thee the Blood of the Innocent the Blood of a Friend the Blood of a King yea the Blood of the Son of God What ingenious Spirit but would melt at such a Consideration Every Sacramental Action of the Minister may further thy Meditation and help thee up to Heaven in thy Contemplation When thou beholdest the Minister who stands in the place of God setting apart and Consecrating the Bread and Wine by the Word and Prayer will not this bring to thy Mind the Love of God to thy Soul Who from Eternity set apart his only Son Jesus Christ to be thy Mediator and Advocate thy Surety and thy Saviour well may it be said God so Loved the World c. May not the thoughts of this furnish thee with Heart-raising Heart-warming Meditations And when thou seest thee Bread broken and the Wine poured out doth not this Lively represent the bitter Death and bloody Passion of the Son of God Jesus Christ thy sweet Saviour and Redeemer his Body was broken his precious blood was shed for the Remission of thy sins which otherwise could not have been forgiven Ah! what a wicked thing then is sin when nothing would satisfie Divine Justice but the death of the only begotten Son of God When the Bread and Wine thus separated thus set apart from common use are held forth to thee apprehend God himself giving Christ yea Christ offering himself with all his Treasures to be thy Husband thy Surety thy Mediator and thy Saviour Ah! what Soul-refreshing thoughts may this produce Well mayst thou say with David Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him Or rather Lord what am I that thou regardest me and hast provided such a Feast of Fat things for me with Wine on the Lees When thousands are laid aside as good as I by Nature And when thou receivest the Elements at the Ministers hand let thy Faith lay fast hold and clasp fast about the Lord Jesus Christ and take him as given by God to be thy Husband and Resolve that the Devil and all his Instruments shall never draw off thy Affections from him but thou wilt all others being forsaken prove his faithful Spouse And when thou Eatest and Drinkest the Bread and Wine let thy Faith feed upon those Spiritual dainties hereby represented upon this Nectar and Ambrosia this Bread and this Water of Life Receive him and all the Benefits of the New Covenant by Faith and in the whole Action let thy Heart Close with God Father Son and Holy Ghost and let the whole bent of thy Soul be set upon him and by such Meditations stir up thy Heart to bless God and praise him for his Mercy and to Love him above all and to vow Obedience to him and as thou lookest upon thy sin with one Eye to hate and abominate it so look upon Christ with the other to keep thee from despair as he is offered up in the Sacrament a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice and beg of God humbly yet believingly that he will accept of this Sacrifice as satisfactory for thy sin and pardon what is past and give thee power against Sin for the time to come Consider also the giving and receiving of this Sacrament is a further ratification of the Covenant as I said before wherein God offers Christ and all his Benefits and promises to be thy God and the God of thy Seed And thou promisest that thou and thine will Serve the Lord. Let this strengthen thy Faith in his Promises for he will never break his word and let it strengthen thy Resolution that thou wilt never break with him then this will be to thee an Happy Ordinance 7. Direct If thou wouldst receive Benefit by the Sacrament behave thy self well after thou hast received it All thy work is not done nay most is to be done when thou hast turned thy back upon the Congregation 't is not the making a Vow but the making it good the fulfilling of it that is the most of the work 't is not the preparing for the Duty or carrying thy self well in the Act of Receiving though this be necessary that is sufficient God expects some after-work A Servant that is refresht with wholsom meat and drink ought not to be Idle nor to spend his time vainly there is a greater tye lyes upon him to diligence and pains taking So he that comes from such a Feast and is refreshed with such Dainties should be more Active Lively Quick and Disposed to Spiritual Exercises plung not thy self too suddenly into worldly business distract not thy thoughts about things here below for as in sweats 't is dangerous to cool over-suddenly So 't is here when the Affections are raised to Heaven let them not suddenly grovel upon the ground when they are heated let not the cold wind of the World suddenly benumb them And when thou dost set about Worldly business remember there is a business of greater concernment lyes upon thy Hands and therefore do all in Subordination to God Redeem some time for Divine Meditation to consider what thou hast been about and with whom thou hast had to deal Thou hast been renewing that Covenant between God and thy Soul which was made in Baptism and therefore look to it that thou make it good It is better not to Vow than to Vow and not perform Consider whether God makes good his Promise Sealed by this Sacrament if not doubtless the fault is thine own God