appointed to an eternity mind where it shall be whither with Christ or with Devils a little more time will discover it and time is precious on this very account that we are as yet called into fellowship with the Son of God and may have hope of such a beginning of it here as nothing present or to come shall separat 1 Cor. 1. 9. Blessed Jesus Christ hath opened a door for it by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his flesh Heb. 10. 10. He hath opened his door and standeth knocking knocking at our doors for this fellowship He hath a desire to use his Followers as Friends and to admit them unto a comfortable Communion with him Joh. 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Which is not so to be understood as if they were no more to serve him for when they are at their best his servants shall serve him and see his face Rev. 22. 3. and well may it serve the best of them at their best But the matter is that Believers are admitted to more than the ordinary priviledge of Servants which is to have great Mysteries and Secrets communicated to them for so our Lord explaineth it the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have made known to you c. He sometimes openeth the very secret counsel of God to them the Father himself loveth you Joh. 16. 27. and Psal 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him This leadeth me to the second thing proposed That Believers are made active in entertaining this communion wherein Christ and the Believer do intimatly converse together as Friends tho' with a due distance on their part this communion is the very life of a Believer Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me this only maketh the Believer fruitful Joh 16. 4. Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine for the better understanding of this actual fellowship with Christ I shall premit these few things First That tho' the Infinite and Immense Divine Majesty be not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Yet as to his gracious presence some are said to be far off Ps 73. 27. They that are far from thee shall perish and we are required to draw nigh to him Jam. 4. 8. and these who were far off are made nigh Eph. 2 13. So that these Expressions of being near unto or far from God are Scriptural and therefore should not be mistaken or stumbled at by any on the account that God is every where present 2. There is no special and gracious communion with Christ where there is not first union with him by faith some wonder they have not that communion with Christ that they read and hear of but consider not the reason that they are not agreed and so cannot walk together How confidently and I fear ignorantly do some speak of communion with God as if it were due to them who as yet are uncapable of it until they be reconciled to God there being no entering into the holiest but by the blood of Jesus 3. After a poor sinner is united to Christ by faith he is never altogether deprived of some communion with him Joh. 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also and Christ dieth no more and vers 23. We will make our abode with him And he that believeth shall never die Joh. 11. 26. 4. Yet every Believer is not admitted to the same degree of nearness as to the manifestations of Gods gracious presence every believer getteth not his face to shine with that glory as Moses Exod. 34. 29. Yet he manifesteth himself to all who firmly love him Joh 14. 23. 5. The best of Believers obtain not in this life that degree of nearness which sometimes they desire when Moses got his face to shine yet was he covered with the hand of God and did see but his back-parts after he had beseeched God to shew him his glory Exod. 33. 18 22 23. 6. Nor doth one and the same Believer enjoy the same degree of this nearness at all times Moses had fellowship with God before that time his face did shine so the Disciples who were on the Mount must come down and take share with other Believers of that which was ordinary you may be sitting under Christs shaddow with great delight this day and in a little time crying out saw ye him whom my soul loveth my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone Cant. 5. 6. 7. Sometimes Believers do not discern in the very time how near they are unto God and he to them Gen. 28. 18. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And sometimes he maketh them know distinctly that they have fellowship with him Cant. 5. 1. and and themselves can give an account of their fellowship Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him c. 8. There is sometimes strengthning communion with Christ when their comfort is not so great as at other times Psal 138. 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul Here is prayer and an answer to it which is blessed communion with God and is made out by the strengthning of the soul so Paul 2 Cor. 12. 8. He besought the Lord thrice and obtaineth a strengthning answer vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee this the Lord said to him giving it him as his answer this also was true communion and sometimes there is great delight in this fellowship the Lord is free to dispose of it as he will Cant. 2. 3. I sat under his shaddow with great delight Ps 63. 7. Because thou hast been my help therefore in the shaddow of thy wings will I rejoyce Who can but rejoyce when they know they are admitted to such an habitation the wings of the Almighty spread about them It s also seriously to be observed that when the Children of God make mention of their great joy in communion with him they are found usually clearing the soundness of their joy by the gracious help that their souls partake of so in this Scripture because thou hast been my help I find it was true communion I had by the help I got and therefore it is allowed joy Psal 28. 7. My heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth Here is communion with the Lord for his heart trusted and the Lord helped and finding this help he greatly rejoyceth It s necessary for the people of God to try any joy they have in holy dutiâ—s whence it ariseth because some may have delight
Advice to Communicants For necessary preparation and profitable improvement of the great and comfortable Ordinance of the Lords Supper That therein true spiritual Communion with Christ may be obtained and the eternal enjoyment of God Sealed By Robert Craghead Minister of the Gospel in L. Derry Acts 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer 1 Cor 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. verse 31. For if we would judge our seâ—ves we should not be judged EDINBVRGH Printed for William Dickie Book-seller in Glasgow and are to be sold at his Shop in the Saltmarket 1695. To the Right Honourable The Lord Provost The Bailiffs The Dean of Gild The Deacon Conveener and remnant Members of the Council of the City of Glasgow c. And all the Inhabitants thereof THe unquestionable duty of all men who cannot pay just Debt is at least to acknowledge it specially where the Debt is so great that the Debitor is not responsable when I remember the good hand of God upon me in bringing me to such a refuge as Glasgow through so many difficulties and dangers having stayed in Derry until the second day of its Siege could not get out of the Gates without great difficulty and forced to leave the half of my Family within the Walls by the violence of Souldiers and the next day was taken and Robbed by the Enemies yet coming unto you in grief for the lamentable State of this Nation and particular relations found no less affectionat tenderness and care than if I had come among so many near Relations being suffered to want nothing necessary for this life Many others also of this Nation do and have reason to remember gratefully your labour of love in their destitute condition I can see no reason why such seasonable compassions should be buried in oblivion but rather should be published according to many Scriptural precedents rendering fragrant and perpetuating the memory of such Christian Sympathy And though in point of modesty some find it difficult to commend Benefactors to their face yet find no less dissicult to be ungrate Your friendly reception of me at first was not all for after ye were pleased to call me for a season to labour in Gospel-work your acceptance of my poor labours was yet a greater comfort and the testimonies I had of affection from Magistrats Ministers and People were really surprising being conferred on so worthless a Creature and that which added yet more to render my lot comfortable at that time was the exemplary conversation of many Christians whose knowledge and experience in godliness was such as gave occasion for my own edification every day Pardon this confidence of perfixiâ—g your honourable Names to so mean a Work which I the rather hope to obtain because experience of your former indulgence hath made me thus presume to hope for acceptance of an affectionat and obliged testimony of gratitude though it be but as a mite where so many Talents are due And that ye may continue of one heart and way exemplary as hitherto in appearing for and promoting the Kingdom of Christ that your labour of love may be fruit abounding to your account that the Countenance of God may be lifted up and his face shine on your assemblies and that upon all the glory a defence may be created to continue from generation to generation is the desire of Right Honourable Your obliged Servant in the Lord ROB CRAGHEAD L. Derry Feb. 26. 1694 5 TO THE Christian Reader REason requireth that the ensueing Discourse appear with an Apology in the entry for troubling the World with any thing new on the Lords Supper by so unpolished a Pen after so many elaborate and profitable Treatises on this subject but for thy satisfaction know that though I presume not to offer any thing near so excellent as others yet having occasion to converse with many in soul-distress on the account of the Lords Supper some doubting if they should Partake others troubled because they did Partake and some afflicted because they did not Partake Finding also some objections from their own mouths that have not been usual and because they have not occurred to others are therefore not discussed by such as have written Learnedly and Piously on this Sacrament and being peculiarly concerned with some who are thus troubled found it Duty to endeavour their relief by a few particular instructions not presuming a Treatise on the Lords Supper so Divine and profound a Subject as giveth work sufficient if not more tâ— the most able and choice of men if all thingâ— be considered that natively belong to thaâ— Ordinance The Lords Supper is a largâ— and fertile Field where diligent Reapers may yet find more and more for the gathering both for the comfort of Believers anâ— seasonable warning to the presumptuous As for Believers First There is an appointed meeting between Christ and them the desire of all Nations is there to be received He who is our all the one peaâ—â— for which when the richest of men sell theiâ— Earthly all yet have him freely and for nothing the light and glory of Heaven cometh down to us to be the hope of Glory in us He cometh with Garments rolled in Blood to make us know what we cost him and through these Garments Eternal and overcoming love shineth warmeth and attracteth the hearts of Believers 2. Christ cometh in this Ordinance to give Believers a hearty taste of that intimate Communion which shall hereafter be the fulness of their joy their Crown and their Glory and though now they see him but darkly yet they know it to be himself and not another and when he and they shall meet again in another manner when he shal come to receive them without a Vail on his glorious Face they shall know it 's the same blessed Face which they beheld before but as in a Glass How sweet to think on that meeting with Hope Where the hope is sure as an Anchor already entred within the vail at the first Celebration Christ willed the Communicants to raise up their hearts to the Meditations and joyful Expectations of that blessed Communion to come by putting them in mind that he and they shal drink together of the new Wine in his Fathers Kingdom 3. Believers admitted to true Communion with him in this Ordinance receive with himself grace to love his fellowship grace to hate what offereth to separat grace to love the means of its continuance grace to long for its perfection when he who is full of grace and truth comes near to a poor sinner the savour of his Oyntments goeth to the poor mans heart Christ bringeth him near not that he may look at him and get nothing but look and be saved behold and be transformed into the same image eat and be satisfied Christ's fulness of Grace overfloweth yielding
showers of Blessings to the dry and parched Ground we cannot so much as touch him by Faith but vertue proceedeth for healing the poor sinner 4. Here also is the Seal of Christ's Testament securing the Believer he shal be preserved unto the Heavenly Kingdom and be forever witb the Lord he hath given himself to them and they bave received him Therefore now no Sin no Death no Devil no ensnaring World nothing present or to come shall separate from his Love The believing Receiver may and should conclude this because the honour and regard that is due to Christ's Seal and therefore together with dependance on the Spirits sealing the Believer is not to be idle waiting only if assurance will drop down upon him but is to endeavour the assuring of his own heart by the Seal of God On the other hand the danger is great if this Ordinance be profaned for the more of Christ's Love shine in any Ordinance the nearer he cometh with the offers of his Love the more heinous is the profanation Now of all Gospel Ordinances Christ offereth to come nearest to us in the Lords Supper preaching is to bring us near to Christ but in the Lords Supper the Believer directly acteth Communion with Christ and therefore this Ordinance doth in a peculiar manner bear this name of Communion There is no cause then of judging it great severity when it 's said he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation or Judgement to himself some are ready to say these were monsters of men who imbrued their vile hands in that precious Blood they would not have been guilty of it for all the Kingdoms of the Earth who yet forget that the Lord chargeth the same guilt on themselves for profaneing that holy Ordinance being thereby guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. The danger of this hath made me insist the more largely on that head of Self-examination before partaking at the Lords Table which perhaps some may think tedious but if it may conduce as a mean to prevent the guilt of one poor soul I shall not think any pains too much as for others who find no need of so many and particular Examinations they may pass them by and leave them to others Some may be apt to Object the same against so long discoursing on Communion with God but whosoever Objecteth this let him Consider First That Communion with Christ is the very Text and Subject in haâ—d 2. If Men know nothing of the Nature and Way of Communion with God how shall they seek after it in the Sacrament 3. If true Communion with Christ be obtained at the Lord ' s Table then it ought to be Cherished and Entertained in a Believers Walk for Christ being Received we are to Walk in Him It were great Ignorance if not Ir-religious profaneness to say that Communion with Christ being Obtained at His Table we are to be no more concerned with it until the next Communion for such as are of this Opinion have just cause of Fear they never yet had Communion with Christ any where 4 The very Happiness of men consisting in Communion with God this being the Believers only help and Comfort it's interruptions his great loss grief disquiet finding that without it he is as nothing for nothing but evil I therefore wish this little hint of it may be serviceable were it for no more but to excite others better Qualified Blessed with more experience to write on this Subject of Communion with God by it self in a more full and particular manner than I have yet seen or such a weak Person as I am able to perform Some also will probally Object against the many Objections here Published especially these Temptations mentioned that it might be Prudence rather to conceal some of them To which I answered First That many Horrid Temptations are Recorded in the Holy Scriptures as also the Mercy of God's delivering from them Published to His Glory Therefore His Gracious support under such Temptations and granting frequently a Comfortable Victorie is not to be concealed 2. It 's necessary that People be Warned and Armed for the worst of Temptations that so they may be fixed by the Armour of God before they be assaulted 3. Many conceal their Temptations too long until they are ready to sink and are sâ—ill silent for this very Reason that they hear so little of the Temptations of others and therefore think there is no sorrow like theirs which addeth to their Affliction whereas some particulâ—ar Instructions Pertinent to their distressed Case ready at hand might by the Blessing of God be Vseful especially in the beginning of their Temptations 4. This requireth the more Publick consideration because such distressed Souls under grievous Temptations and Suggestions are more Numerous than is commonly Apprehended and these not only of our Perswassion for I can give Instances of several sober Persons now living and of another Perswassion Afflicted in like manner 5. Let it be Considered that their is nothing in the following Discourse for Indulging any manner of Temptations but what is said is to resist them in a Christian manner The last thing I am to acquaint thee with is that this little Treatise being wholy practical and designed only to for help to the weaker sort of Christians it 's stile is fitted for the meanest for though Controversies cannot be Mannaged without words dificult to the Ignorant yet it hath sometimes grieved Me to see some Excellent practical Books Thrown away by some Readers for no other Reason but that the Words were above their reach which I Humbly Conceive should be conscientiously prevented for knowing Readers can understand the plainest but the Ignorant cannot understand words for which they had no Education That this Essay notwithstanding it 's Manifold Imperfections may Obtain thy candide reception and that it may prove by the Blessing of God in some Measure Servicable to to thy Souls great Interest is the desire of Thy Souls well wisher and Servant for Christ's sake R. C. CHAP. I. 1 Corinthians 10. 16. The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ COmmunion with God is justly the wonder of all that obtain it who can do little more while here but wonder not understanding it's value untill the shaddows flee away and they see His Face in a greater brightness This dignity and mercy must be exceeding great seing the blood of him who is God was shed for it's Purchase The just suffering for the unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. But when his servants shal serve him and see his Face and thereby themselves be made to shine in their Fathers Kingdom then shal the glory of that love which contrived and the glory of that love which purchased this Communion be celebrated in another manner Yet this Communion