earth bears or we are capable of in the flesh If there had been a more proper and better way we are bound to believe our Lord would have left it with us And since this is a token left with us to remember us of his dearest love in dying for us and washing us in his own blood let us receive and celebrate it with the liveliest affections and the heartiest acceptation we are capable of Still considering with our selves that tho' it be good to be here where much more of Christ is to be seen to day than many places of the earth can afford yet that it 's far better to be in heaven where the vail of our mortality shall be rent and the vail of this infirm flesh of ours shall be made spiritual and glorious the shadows of Sacraments fly away and the glass of all Gospel ordinances be removed as useless even the pitcher be broken at the fountain and the great Riddle of our salvation fairly unâ—olded to us all clouds and vapours of sin and darkness dispelled and patience and prayers and o edience we l rewarded And in a word where a more immediate and princely presence of Christ shall be intimately and constantly enjoyed without any oâ—lowing fears of parting Now the hope and assurance of all this we come to seal Trifle not with so sacred a thing but set your heart to the receiving of your Lord here with all his sanctifying quickning and comforting vertue which our sinful sinking souls need so much Now for this end he meets us here to day 4. Here is the staff of bread and wine that maketh glad the heart of man The Communion both of the body and blood of our Lord â—hrist Lo here is both a peace offering for you and an offer of peace to you under heavens broad Seal How many burdened and weary souls have unloaded at this port O let not weakness so much deterr as wants drive us hither for sense of wants and weakness and unworthiness and wrath all fit for him who hath all fulness strength worth and merit and who bare the wrath of God for them that flee to him for refuge And think it not enough to make your appearance here without some fitness for so solemn an action It is not so incongruous to sport and laugh at your Father's Funeral as to sit here restless and unconcerned at the commemoration of our blessed Lords death yea bloody death and bitter passion Shall we see the head wounded here and the members have no feeling That we see the bread broken which represents the breaking of Christs precious body for us and have no broken hearts Yea shall we be called to Contemplate the wrath of his provoked Father pour'd into his Cup and drinking the dregs thereof and crying out under the weight of our Sins which brake the very rock of our Salvation and made the Stones of the Temple to rend in sunder Was his Body broken to let out his Blood And shall not our Souls be broken to let in ☞ Look well to three things if you would be worthy Communicants viz. To have Grace ere you come to exercise Grace here and to increase it by coming Now for you that have Grace but it runs low and is not lively as you would have it to entertain your Lord withal Know there is smoaking Grace as well as flaming Grace and Christ will not quench the smoaking flax and what if he suffer thy Graces to keep low to day that thy Heart may be lowly for it ☞ But for them that are at high water and Spring-tide let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Sensible Enjoyments are but slippery things here Man in his best estate in this Life is altogether vanity but while the Lord allows them on us let us be careful to improve them well ☞ But what if all within lies still and an heavy heart stir not yet for all that is said Then look unto him that can remove Mountains and raise the dead The warm breathings of Heaven must be fetch'd in by believing Prayer Song 4. ult And when thou hast called on thy Soul to awake and work and yet nothing within thy rebellious Soul will obey then call on him whom Seas and Winds obey When we cannot fetch Life into our dead Souls then remember the Prince of Life quickens whom he will ☞ 5. A sight of sin and a sight of Christ who suffer'd for it are our fittest Objects at such a time and in the sufferings of Christ we see most of sin's evil The death of all the creatures under the Law for man's sin was nothing to the death of Christ for it As God looks on Believers through a dying Christ and loves them so let us look on sin through a dying Christ and hate it Thy sin is indeed the Object of God's hatred but thy misery that comes by it will God pity and so pardon sin and shew thee mercy if thou canst hate thy sin and in token of thy hatred of it flee far from it and cry to God mightily for grace and strength against it And if a poor soul hath been labouring last night and this morning for a more humbling sight of sin than yet hath been granted him he must never think to see sin so exceeding sinful as in seeing Christ a sacrifice for sin and if it had not been for our sin all the other enemies would never have slain the Lord of Glory And when the worst of sin is in Christ's sufferings for it we must not only make use of Christ as a Glass to see sin in but as a Physician too to cure it And when he hath shewed us our sin we must not go to King Jareb with our wounds but the same hand which broke us must bind us up And be your sins what they will if you can penitently and believingly plead pardon in the mediation of a broken Redeemer there will be found Balm enough to cure and Blood enough to wash yea drown them all in the depths of divine mercy tho we must not sin that grace may abound and go and sin to make work for the Blood of Christ and go about prophanely to pose his mercy for tho the Blood of Christ for fulness and efficacy be a Sea yet for tenderness it 's a Sea of Glass and mingled with fire to burn up our Lusts We come either to God as a Physician or a Judge for either we bring Souls full of sores to be cured or full of sins to be damned To meet with Christ and not to part with sin is sad and dreadful as Christ came into the world to destroy sin so should we come now to Christ for the same end O the sin of our natures that old man the ill habits the strong lusts the ill haunts our hearts have got venture to set Christ against them all to day We cannot speak good of Christ but ill of sin too How sad to see the
desires of sin obeyed and the commands of Christ slighted and yet these are the most common sights we see on earth O! what pride self conceit passion prejudice revenge worâ—dlynes spiritual sloath and slumbering about salvations work is there among us These we oppose not as the enemies of our souls who thinks that a sweet lust is the poison of his soul the disgrace of our nature the cause of our unhappiness bereaves us of true delight subjects us to Vanity and Satan tyranny and Gods wrath We hide and smother sins deformity and damnableness under the mask of pleasing and pitying our selves O might Christ prevail this day with our hearts to perswade us to be up and doing even acquitting our selves liâ—e men in this matter to assault our corruptions like them who are really allarmed from heaven against our mortal enemies O that ye would resolve to give your selves no rest till you be rid of them Except not against this counsel by saying that they stick too fast and are too good friends and the work too hard and they too strong I answer all hell can put in against mortifying of lusts with this one word viz. Where eternal salvation is concerned there is no excuse to be taken Rom. 8.12 It were better to pluck out your ey s yea bowels than spare your sins and perish Be not affraid of hurting your self by parting with sin no no could we fall upon our sins and cutt them off O what free lives might we live what noble Lords and brave conquerours were we And for their strength fear it not Go forth against them in the faith of this Lord you see crucified for them and invites you to partake of the life purchased by the death this ordinance calls us to remember It ill becomes us to complain of the strength of this enemy that Christ hath overcome All sin's strength consists in our cowardice Fight and ye shall overcome conquer and ye shall be crowned 6. If we eat of the sacrifice let us have faith that we may partake of the Altar and have Christ in it We may say to you in this sacrament as Philip to the Eunuch in the other if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest Act. 8.37 At all times we have need of faith for we must live and walk by faith but in no step more need than in this John 6.56 We cannot eat his flesh unless we dwell in him now Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 Faith is the eye to discern the Lords body here the hand to receive him the mouth to feed on him We do neither see receive nor feed here without Faith Now it 's an easier matter to look with a bodily eye on bread and wine than to behold the slain lamb of God bruised for us The world think it easy to believe who never had a true sight of their sins nor sense of Gods wrath nor were ever sifted or shaken by Satans temptations nor troubled with terrours of Conscience nor acquainted with natural weakness and Christian infirmities and our own insufficiency for so much as a right or good thought of God Is it easy for a proud heart to deny it self in the point of salvation And wholly to take a Righteousness from Christ heartily submitting to a Gospel salvation in saith and patience Is it easy to see Christs humiliation and look for exaltation out of it and to look for pleasure by his pain Riches by his poverty strength by his weakness and life by his death and a blessing by his curse There is a kind of bastard faith is easy to come by you 'll find every where too much of it but the Faith of Gods elect peculiar to them even the spirit of Faith which purifieth the heart and worketh by love and maketh the soul live is not so common Now 1. this faith is never without heart humiliation for sin even a looking on him whom we have pierced with a tender sense of the dishonour and wounding of him by our Rebellions and Unbelief O! here the soul sees its baseness and weeps that so blessed a Redeemer should bleed for the sins of such a wretch and be still so insensible of this love 2 And then it wonders at infinit mercy and mourns more misery and mercy pierce the soul and make it even exceed in tenderness and tears to think of abuseing such inestimable treasures of grace 3. And it wonders at the glorious freedom of love that it should chuse such objects and this even confounds a sinful soul and makes it with a holy shame lye down in the dust and open its mouth no more Ezek 16.63 4. It renounceth carnal reason and a rebellious will and now gives up all to him who hath won its heart and payed its Ransom and therefore it 's called the obedience of faith 5. It abandons a vain world and tramples on all its glory Psal 119.96 6. And now resolves to trust in Christ for all other things since it sees a sufficiency in him for saving its soul 1 Tim. 4.8 Rom. 8.32 Luk. 12.32 7 I am affraid some come hither to seal a Covenant who never knew to make or keep a Covenant Isa 19.21 Even to enter into a perpetual Covenant with Christ to be wholly and unreservedly devoted and resigned to him in love and obedience and who have taken him to be all that the Father have given him to be to the souls of his Eâ—ect i. e. Not only to be a high priest to ransom their â—ouls from sin in hell and to appear for them before God in heaven but likewise for their great prophet to â—each them the wâ—â—le will of God and a King to conquer their lusts even a leader and commander to the people in all the ways of his revealed will Now whosoever comes hither short of this at best the seal is but set to a blanck and so stands them in no stead for they receive not Christ and carry none of his benefits with them yea it 's well if it seal not their damnation And I 'm likewise affraid of another sort that may come hither who formerly might have covenanted with Christ but for want of a lively and well exercised faith grow blind and see not astar off and have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins and so turn formal and customary And readily such Consuetudinaries who follow the drove can give little other account of their coming but that it 's the way other good people go in and it they should not come they might be missed by good neighbours and how could they keep up a name to live if they cast themselves out of good company It 's to be feared many such things are with us But if so such may eat and drink Judgment to themselves temporal Judgments in stead of spiritual enemies For such things many were weak some sick and others fallen asleep in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 11.30 And if such
mind for as Christ is now bodily in heaven so will he not be spiritually and sacramentally in any but a heavenly mind the doors must be list up before the King come in 10. Look on Christ your Passover Sacrificed for you and be humbled 1. That you were worthy to dye 2. That you live by the death â—f another 3. That your sin should Crucisy the Lord of â—â—ory What a humbling sight is it to â—ee Christ thy Sacrifice fall before the Altar and laid upon it and burn yea consumed by the Fire of God's wrath for thee O sigh and say alas Was not this for my sake should not I have lyen there suffering and satisfying for ever if he had not interposed and bore my Burden Shall he sweat and bleed for me and I not grieve for him But tâ— make the remembrance of Christ's Death for me the more affectionate consider first it was the Death of the humblest and worthiest person that ever appeared on the Earth the Son of God the Lord of Glory the eternal God the Heir of all things on Earth was never his like Secondly He was no greater than Good the innocent and spotless Lamb of God that Holy thing who knew no sin and yet he suffered Death In his Life was no spot and in his Death was no complaint or murmuring This Noble and Just One died for us was our ransom and attonement He who knew no sin made sin i. e. a sacrifice for ours our sin imputed to him who had none of his own our sorrows made his and by his stripes we are healed We live by his Death Gal. 2.20 He is taken and â—â—e â—â—ape If ye seek me let these â—o their way leâ—â—â—n â—eâ—â—r he charged on mine Elect My sâ—â—ep I lay down my life for tho they bâ— under a â—â—aw condemnation for breaking of it yet let them be acâ—â—â—â—d for my â—eeping of iâ— parâ—oned on my account and all their scores reckâ—ned for with me Look on the blessed Surety of the Covenant and be hold him obeying and dying for us For albeit the Law be not now a Covenant Believers are under yet the meaning is not that perfect Obedience is not required even of believers but not being sound in them it 's performed by our Surety the Second Adam for the exchange is only of the person not of the righteousness Thus was laid on him the Iniquities of us all and if it had been laid on us it had sunk us for ever But that love that deliver'd him up was unparallell'd Whatever Satan Sin Conscience or the Law charge upon you shew you here the Lord's Death 11. Every Sacrament is a Certificate of Christ's Death and hereby we tell the world we believe our Lord was cut off out of the Land of the Living Now to shew forth this death are we come hither he would not have his Death forgotten but to remember it as we often do without lively affections is next door to a total forgetting of it Without an affectionate remembrance of the death of Christ and a Soul inflamed with love to our Ransomer we partake not of his body we may be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord when we put forth polluted hands to take it and take all with unbroken is hearts And indeed the sweet of the Pasâ—ver is lost for want of the bitter herbs of godly sorrow for sin that slew the Lord of Glory Now let the remembrance of our Lord here not only affect us but change us into another temper and disposition to be his and for him to conform to him to carry a way better thoughts of him to live a life of remembring of him to give him alone the Glory of so wonderful a work as our Redemption by his death to love him that hath so loved us and to hate sin that so offended his Father and crucified him If we weep not over him we have no fellowship with his sufferings if we wash not here we have no part in him if we carry not away a better remembrance of him we come here but to mock him if we prefer the World to him we shew our selves unworthy of him and if we can go away and live in our sin we do but seal our own damnation by coming hither What is it to undertake a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and to weep a tear over the holy Grave but to return with a new heart and another life is the business And to affect you further with this Representation by his accursed but blessed death to us he seals the Testament and confirms a great Legacy to us that he may not only keep the condemned from going to prison but settle a Revenue on the poor and needy and make them rich for ever and set them wâ—th Princes even with the Princes of his people that had nothing but rags and poverty and now he lives for ever to see his Legacies bestowed 12. The Gospel-Proclamation is Christ's Invitation Whosoever is a thirst let him come Desires are the Soul's hunger after Christ they are the best sawce they add a sweetness to the bread of life A man that â—ath lost his stomach and can taste no sweetness in the choicest food is not fit to sit at this Feast who hath no desires after Vnion and Communion with Christ. He that is the desire of all Nations will be sought after and found of all that do desire him Not to desire him is to despise him Is 53.2 3. and to hide our face from him Will he disclose his Secrets to them who hide their face from him If we desire him not we shall never enjoy him The same thing that is the Saints desire now will be his satisfaction for ever Let us not think a desire of Christ a light thing In the Gospel a poor man's hunger is his blessing Mat. 5.6 in the world it is his misery God accepts of our appetite as much as if we pay'd ready money for his Graces and their hunger is insteaâ— oâ— a price Is 55.1 There was never Soul miscarried with longing after Grace O blessed hunger that ends always in fulnâ—sâ— The wooâ—e ife of Christian is but a holy desire saith Austin And the soul desires Christ absent but tâ—ese desires are raised in the Soul by Christ present We burn with a desire to settle our selves but mistake the way and build Castles in the air but the Sum of â—anctified desires is unutterable groans for the â—ull application of good things promised and eager thirâ—ting for a larger communication and before Christ hath perâ—ected his Gracâ— in the Desires of the Soul it will find it self so inflamed with them that if Hell should stand between its Beloved and it he would wiâ—lingly pass through its very flames to embrace his dear Redeemer And seeing it is to him we come to seal his Covenant by Soul-resignation let the matter admit of no dispute or deâ—ay but be dispatched with all haste and speed Ps
He is spoiled by Jesus â—hrist Col 2.15 2. More power is implo ed for Believers than can be against them 1. John 4.4 2 Kings 6.16 3. Victory oâ—er him is sure and near to Believers Rom. 16.20 Qu. But since we must be strong in the Lord and in the power oâ— his might if we wou d overcome may we not question with our Selves â—s once the â—hilistines with Dalilah concerning Sampson wherein lies the great strenth of a Christian This case Satan studies that he may know how to deal with us 1. The great strength of a Christian lies in his Covenant Relation to God and Union with Christ his head for tho weak in our selves yet a strong head have we in Heaven The Church is a weak Woman bâ—t hath a Redeemer miâ—hty to plead her Cause A Christians strength lies in his Confederated Friendship in Heaven the improvement of this is the laying out of that strength Psal 44 4. Tho Jacob was desâ—itute for outward help yet was he well befriended in Heaven and the blessed God whom he sought did his business for him against his Brother 2. In the gracious qualitieâ— brought into the Soul at Câ—nversion without which in a natural unrenewed State we are said to be without strength Rom. 5.6 So that Grace is a new party or Spiritual Power brought into the Soul for Christ to oppose sin and appear for God 3. In Divine Assistances for every Christian is weak or strong as â—ssisted as God girds or loosens us the girdle of his Loins wherefore we had need to keep in good terms with Christ that we fall not under his withdrawings of Gracious aids so needful for our Spiritual Warfare 4. In a careful retaining the impressions of Oâ—dinances O! pray that God â—ould stamp these glorious appreheâ—sions of himself on your minds that you have sometimes here and may not tâ—â—e in other Images to bow down unto Let the impression of these Ordinances of Word and Sacrament wear off and you are weak as others Peter had forgot Christ s work and so forgot himself Luke 22.61 and his M ster too Had Evah's thoughts been intent on the word the Lord hath said and not diverted to sensual Motions it had been sufficient to put by all the passes Satan could make against her O Christians be first sound that ye may be strong Job 17.9 The way of the Lord is strength only to the upright but the more a Hypocrite does in Reliâ—ion he is inwardly the weaker And for your encouraâ—ement let never a found heart despair of higher measures than â—ommon attainments â—or your helps viz. The love of Christ and hope of Heaven are greater than your hindrances can be 18. We say times of Trouble and great Afflictions are trying times but I say Sacrament seasons ought to be trying times with us Now in the trying of the truth of Grace we must labour to find out the habitual temper and disposition of hearts by the quality of their Acts. 1. If they be free and chearful not constrain'd or such as we had rather not do if we could help it Psal 119 108. 2. How frequent opportunity offering Psal 55.17 3. Thorough and serious else they prove neither habit nor disposition Rom. 12.11 4. We must try the Soul by the acts which make after the end as desire and love to God Christ and Heaven and this is more than to try our hearts by the Acts that make after the means only I know all gracious hearts would fain know their own sincerity 1 It is willing if sincere to know all its sin Job 13.23 even the worst of its own heart to câ—me to the light that it may be made manifest to its self yea had rather a l the World should know it than its rottenness should be hid from it sâ—lf it loves the most discovering Ordinances best but a Hypocrite had rather have a rotten Heart than be searched and repent 2. It 's willing to part with every sin it knows of it self when one is more willing to part with a sin than to keep it that puts the Soul out of danger by it 3. And then the best way to know our sincerity in this parting with sin is by serious indeavours in the use of all appointed means to oppose sin and carry on the spiritual Warfare against the Body of Death 4. And is obtaining some success and Victory The Spirit of God repeat that promâ—se to all the seven Churches of Asia to him that overcometh 0◠〈◊〉 vincenti every sincere Soul is in the way of overcoming the honest use of means gives some check to thâ— prevailing of Iniquity where no Conflicting with sin there can be no sincerity and every honest heart will be helped of God to some Victory and what ever men make now of other Victories this is that which you will have only cause of triumph in at the last as Valentinian the Emperour said on his Death-bed That of all his Victories one only comforted him and that was his overcoming his own naughty heart And that we may finish this Tryal we are upon in examining of our selves if we can find our sins and be humbleâ— for them and judg our selves with a righteous Judgment impartially and severely we may warrantably partake of the Body and Blood of Chriâ—t in the Sacrament tho we cannot discover our Graceâ— as we would For such examination as issues in self-judging hath the promise of not being judged of the Lord for unworthy receiving 1 Cor. 11.28 31. Now our sins which are the proper caâ—se of Self judging are the object of Self-examining rather than our Graces 19. Rom 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Obs 1. God's sending is a great Mistery It 's the Grandure of Earthly Princes that their Subjects send to them and a wonder if Rebels have access if they come in the humblest manner but he sends to us and sends for us that we may come anâ— be pardoned come and be saved 2. He sends his Son not an Angel 1 John 4.9 3. In the flesh he senâ—s his Son which is but gross in the state of Beggar to bring in the Blind and the Lame Heb. 2.16 4. In likeness of sinful flesh as like a sinner as might be not to be a sinner that he might save us from our sins i e. with infirmities and necessities that attend sinful man that no eye could descern a difference Isa 53 4. As the brazen Serpent was like a Serpent but had not the Venom of a Serpent This Incarnation of God is a Subject of the highest Admiration and fountain of the sweetest Consolation that the World affords O! the wonder of God's coming down to man to be handled seen and tasted of us a contract even for the wonder of Angels as the welfare of Man O wonder of wonders that ever it should be heard in Heaven or on Earth Let one of us become Man A Redeemer could never have suited
belong to God he will find out the way to awaken them and not let them sleep the sleep of death but will shew them wherein they have exceeded and a wake them to their work out of this Lethargy either by renewing some terrrors of Conscience or turning his hand upon them by some torturing tribulation And there is a third sort I fear may come who are almost well resolved never to come up to the terms of having Christ because of some beloved lust they are so loath to part with and go away with the young man in the Gospel sad from every discovering ordinance whereby he finds all must be left to follow Christ if he have treasure in heaven which his hypocritical heart could never yet comply with and so finds no sweetness in sacraments nor Sermons nor never can in this condition for the consolations of God are small because of some secret thing with him Job 15.11 But as ever you think to be happy be advised whatever it be hang up that Idol before the sun this day look but to Christ and see whither thou durst lay it in the ballance with him who is yet wooing thee to win tâ—y soul by parting with thy sin Let it wither under Christs curse for the many good days and far sweeter imbraces of a better beloved it hath kept thee from 8. Such a day will either be one of our best or worst days It will either further salvation and bring you nearer God or harden your hearts and heighten your Judgment A hot summers day ripens the corn so do these seasons of grace ripen faster than any thing can for Judgment when not improved but abused Would it not be sad that any of us should be worse at last than if we had never been here nor seen the Lord in these precious ordinances Neglecters of the great salvation are in a worse condition than if the new Covenant had never been made for they must answer not only for breach of Law but abuse of mercy Now that this Feaâ—t hurt â—ou not you must be careful that you be not unworthy partakers To eat and drink unworthily is to eat and drink unsuitably So that the best way to examine this matter is by a due consideration of the nature and use of this ordinance Here is bread that calls for hunger and wine for thirst and both for strength and refreshing Here is bread broken and wine poured out which calls for a broken heart and pouring out of our souls to him whom we pierced and put to pain Here 's consecrated Bread and Wine come as Consecrated Persons to Consecrated Elements Here is a Feast then come as confederated Friends to take a fill Here is a Seal of a Testament call'd the Cup of the New Testament in his Blood come and take a Legacy And as it 's full of Mysteries it calls us to come with a Piercing Eye to discern the Lord's â—ody and its worth under the meanness of outward Signs Now you see to come unsuitably is to come unworthily And may we not tremble to think on the doom of that Guest that came in without the Wedding Garment and that it is not one or a few that come so but very many appears from Matt. 22.11 and 1. v. compared In the application of that Parable they are said to be many that are called but sew chosen ones The King took no exceptions against his guests when he came to view them because of being poor halt or weak but offended with them that refused to come and with them who came without the wedding garment Many refuse to come that are utterly careless to be in any condition to meet Christ in this ordinance and make nothing of a life time of refusing an offered Christ therein For which so gross a contempt of his grace how shall many answer And others come without the wedding garment and with these he is angry intimating that many weaknesses he could pass by provided we make conscience of preparation and putting on the wedding garment which I take to be a good state in Christ through his righteousness imputed and a spiritual frame lamps trimmed and in good fashion for feasting with Christ minds spiritual and graces active Repentance faith hope and love in exercise 9. I am affraid our familiar and frequent conversing with such sacrâ—d things do's great hurt to carnal hearts and hardens hypocrits in their sins and seares their consciences more to obduration Thus Judas received the sop and Satan entered Abuseing these sacred spiritual things with careless and carnal frames makes way for Satans entering and possessing men more strongly whereby they become twice more the children of wrath than before For who eat and drink unworthily eat and drink damnation i. e. Reprobates thereby bring eternal damnation to themselves and it brings to Gods own temporal punishments as 1 Cor. 11. Now to prevent this danger beware of Hypoctisy in sacred things Double dealing here will undo us I mean a heart and a heart or a sacrifice without a heart The work is the Lord's have you a heart for him I wish our case be not Jehu's who had a great pretended zeal for God but had no care of his heart in Gods ways 2. Kings 10.16 31. What sayeth God of this service did he accept and reward it No he avenged it upon his House Hos 1.4 Tho' he shed blood in Gods cause and quarrel yet he did it not with a right and sound heart O look to it that you reap not his reward for a rotten heart We say by our coming hither come and see my zeal but if the heart be not right with him the blood of Christ will be required at our hand it 's a great guilt to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ O take care that things be all right in our dealings with Christ and particulary in our sealing Covenants with him Isa 61.8 It 's a precious promise that in making an everlasting Covenant with them he will direct their work aright or in truth and that is when their heart is directed into the love of God 2. Thes 3.5 Now may we ask for love in this action If it have a root now is the season of its putting forth We may say as the Rulers of Israel spring up O well Let your love be carried out according to the vastness of his loving kindness that we may love him in our measure who hath loved us with a love that hath neither bounds nor bottom let their be some risings of love some returns of love an entertainment of love in this feast of love But when we have said all it 's the Spirit that quickens and giveth life and where its power is wanting there the word is a dead letter the Sacraments dead Elements and we dead creatures Now since the spirit worketh all in all grieve not the spirit resist it not but walk in the spirit and look to Christ for a heavenly
is nothingâ— for the unparralleled pattern and spring of all love is here represented to the life believe his love and let him have love again you may well believe it for he that loved us so as to lay down his life for us when enemies how will he delight in us when washed in his blood and renewed to his likeness and if Christ have his due he will have love again And if true love it longs to see him and can deny it self to please him it will desire to know his will and delight to do it We must prove our love as our Lord did his John 14. â—1 A soul in love with Christ reckons him chiefly worthy of his love endeavours the nearest Union with him and is still going out after him Hence spring Langour and melting to enjoy him and receive his impressions resignment of will to him and a concern for his interests Love the Lord all his Saints for he keepeth their souls Love him once and all he saith and doth will be more acceptable to you and all that you do in love will be pleasing to him Love him and you will be loath to offend him â—esirous to please him and satisfied in his love Love God and you are sure of love again Prov. 8.17 Now that you may love him contemplate his goodness and see him in the face of Christ and behold his love in the design of our Redemption in the person of our Redeemer in the promises of grace and in all the benefits of Râ—demption Yea if you would love him look to the sin he hath pardoned Luk. 7.47 the spots he hath washed the Covenant he hath made the Adoption he hath bestowed the Hell he hath redeemed you from the Heaven he hath appointed and prepared for you And now get some further preparations for him and it too by loving him better and loathing your selves more We might all love God more 〈◊〉 we could love our selves less Could holy Mr. Pradford sit and weep at dinner till the â—â—â—rs â—â—ll on his trencher because he could love Christ no more and we sit dry here at his own table with hearts void of Love to him 24. Here have we our gracious Redeemer with died garments glorious in his apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength staining his raiment with the blood of his enemies and ours trading the wine press of Gods wrath alone mighty to save ready to pardon This ordinance of the supper â—ives us the best occasion of airing our selves in the sweet and spacious field of our Lords sufferings And we cannot be good Christians if we do not hartily imbrace the opportunities the Gospel gives us of calling his Cross to remembrance The bent of every believers mind stands this way else how can we be said to live by the faith of the son of God who gave himself for us And if we be not led by a natural complacency to converse with a crucified Saviour how dwelleth the Love of God in us Or how can we clear an interest in his Death for us Hath he the heart of a Christian that cares not to meditate on the death of Christ Did the Apostle bear always about the dying of the Lord in his body and should not we do the same in our hearts Now since our great business here is about Christ crucified let us enquire a little what doth the Lord require of us The sum of all is in three words Behold me Receive me and Walk in me First observe how that great Gospel-invitation of the Gentiles Isa 65.1 15. is doubled Behold me Behold me 1. To shew how serious a suiter Christ is for our souls 2. to shew our natural aversness from looking unto Christ 3. To shew how much of a Christians work lies in looking unto Christ 4. To take in and comprehend all kinds of people and sorts of sinners 5. To hold out the delectably variety of sweet Sights a soul may have of Christ in his Natures Person Offices and Excel encies and Usefulness 6. To teach that tho' the first look of Christ should not please yet to look again and not to leave looking till we can find something in Christ to aâ—lure us Secondly Receive me rest in me and build upon me Receive him that is come so far to you and suffered so much for you When I was abundantly well with my Father always rejoycing before him and was daily his delight yet my delights were with the sons of men And down came I to be cloathed with your flesh a course garment for the Lord of Glory to go in â—â—at in your nature I might bear your curse and dy the death you deserved to dy and to redeem you from that misery you must have groaned under for ever And should such a Comer not be welcome Be summoning up all the powers of your souls to give him the hastiest Reception Lastly as you have received him so walk in him by a constant depending on him drawing vertue from him and keeping Communion with him yea farther we are to walk in Christ as we have received him i. e. with the same freshness of affections bent of will satisfaction in him and obsequiousness to him daily repeating that consent and renewing that Covenant we made at first with him Thus are we to behold him with an eye of faith receive him with a hand of faith and walk in him by a life of faith and so shall we have the blessed end of our faith the salvation of our souls 25. The sanctuary of the Lord may be profaned by us when we little think of it The truest notion of profaneness is a contempt of sacred things Heb. 12.16 Now we shew our contempt of them not only in keeping far from the things of Christ and salvation but by setting about them with an ordinary and common frame careless in preparing to meet our God in them with a broken heart becoming best an ordinance that shâ—ws forth a broken Christ for us In common providences we cannot know love or hatred by all that is before us But here is something before us whereby we may see Gods love to our souls and his hatred to our sins If we could by this Sight be stirred up to hate our vile lusts and love our dear Saviour more then were we fit guests for the table of the Lord. Let us not look off this precious attonment here represented till our hearts be turned against the sins that put our Lord to all the pain and shame he suffered for them Let never any of us love our selves till we can heartily loath our selves for sin and then Christ will love us and delight in us Next to our considering what sights shall we have of Christ our thoughts should be taken up with what a sight is he like to have of us We come hither to see Christ And be sure the King comes in to see his guests if there be ever a one that wants the wedding
garment The best sight Christ could see of us here were to see us as once he saw Nathaniel sitting under the fig-tree an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Joh. 1.47.48 Or as once he saw Mary and so taken with that sight that he points her out for others to see Luk. 7.44 weeping for sin and exceeding all the company in shewing love to Christ As the people would not eat till Samuel the Prophet came to bless the sacrifice unto them 1 Samuel â— 13 We can have no better proof of our High Priest's coming and blessing a Sacrament unto us than to be found with Mary at Christ's Feet in Penitential Tears of Love towards our Pardoning Redeemer But alas how dead lye we by the Ark of the Lord as is said of Vzzah 2. Sam. 6.7 whom God struck in his Anger with Death for a wrong touch of the Ark at a Time Here was God's severity shewed on a Man who meant well but gave the Ark a touch that he should not Now what wonder of God s Patience is it that some remarkable Judgments are not more frequently upon us for our untender touching of his most Holy things on Earth How often take we and touch we the Body of Christ with hard Hearts and unclean hands O! let us lament over our insensible Souls and say with David till better prepared How shall the Ark of the Lord come to me 2 Sam. 6.9 26. Luke 23.48 And all the people that came together to that sight smote their breasts and returned That sight that strange sight that sight of Christ on thâ— Cross Bleeding and Dying such another sight was never seen in the World Creatures Murdering their Creator The Church of God purchased with his own Blood no wonder then all the people returned amazed They smore their Breasts O! that it might break our hearts for that is the heart-affecting sight we come to see this day O! the Heart-humbling sight of Christs Sufferings the Son of God suffering for the sin of Man And as the Death of Christ is held out as the most wond rful Object â— that sight so is it recommended to us as the most excellent Subject to be Discoursed of not only as it was the great Subject of the great Apostles Preaching 1 Cor. 2.2 but as it is the only Subject mentioned of Conference between Christ Moses and Elias Luke 9.30 â—1 A Subject most wâ—rthy of the most excellent persons that can appear on Earth And our Saviour recommends the sayings of his Sufferings to a deeper impression on their Hearts than all the Miracles he wrought to their amazement who beheld them Luke 9.43 44. Now if Wisdom hath furnished her Table with the representation of so rare a thing yea with the Bread of Life from Heaven and the Cup of Salvation even the Cup of the New Testament in Christ's Blood let not so rich a repast be received as a common thing Our blessed Lord comes not with an empty offer but a full-hand and a free-heart to confer all his benefits and purchases the dispising of which by continued unbelief will be the worlds greatest condemnation It was charged on the Israelites as the great aggravation of their sin that they provoked God at the red sea even at the red sea the place where their miraculous salvation was wrought But how will it aggravate our sin to provoke God with a hard unprepared heart at the red Sea of his precious blood here represented by which we are Redeemed Let us never be friends with our own hearts till we can love our Saviour bet er and hate our sin more If Namaan when cured of his Leprosy went away resolved to serve no other God but the God of Israel what should we do whom Christ hath cured of many fâ—r more desperate and dangerous diseases Labour to be that ground which drinketh in the rain which cometh upon it and brings forth herbs meet for him that dresseth and receiveth blessing from God Heb. 6.7 Now what rain comparable to a showre of Christs blood in a sacrament Where we either receive great blessing or are brought nigh unto cursing 27. The Persians had a Festival day in the year they called Vitiorum interitum whereon they slew all Serpents and Venemous Creatures And suffered them to swarm till that day of year came about again It 's to be feared some do so at sacrament times who by some Confessions and formal humblings think to clear old Scores and then go away and take on new ones but if so such may look the unclean spirit will return with 7 worse and take a stronger Possession than he had formerly And sinners must know their Confessions and humblings are hypocritical if one Lust or known sin be left As 1 Sam. 16 11. Samuel said to Jesse are here all thy Children So when we leave some sins Christ says are here all Jesse answered There was one more says Samuel â—ill that one come I will not sit down So says Christ as long as there is one be â—ind I will not sit down with thee sit where thou wilt It 's dangerous to boast with the moral young Man in the Gospel I have done this and tother thing and yet one thing be lacking To have our door lock t up still to keep Christ and salvation out as a Covetous heart for the world a sensual heart for the flesh a proud heart for the Devil will marr all cannot be fit for heaven if the door were open would not go in where no fuell for such a lust And therefore let us make a diligent search and take great care ere you come to ransack well all the corners of a deceitful heart and truely repent of all sin viz. when our sorrow springs from the root and are affected with the seed of all sin even our corrupt nature and inclinations and when we repent of all known sin on the common account of sin as contrary to Gods holy Law and Nature And tho the heart be not always affected with a high degree of sorrow intensively yet is Repentance true if it be appretiative accounting sin the only thing to be sorrowed for and it we be displeased with our selves that the heart is not answerable to our light and convictions in the exercise of Repentance And think not that all your sorrow for sin without Faith in God through Christ will suffice The weeping eye must look upon Christ whom thou hast pierced with thy sin We must look for all good from him against whom we have sinned take up our rest in him and it 's faith and hope in God must purify our heart for him make our soul despise the world desire heaven loath self love the Lord and venture all on a word of promise trusting God with all the most dangerous like events of providence and consequences of duty 28 Two things had need be minded about this business viz. to prepare diligently Take pains with a dull heart cleanse a polluted
like Lions against sin and Satan 3. Hath he not past his promise for feeding his own yea to eat and be satisfied Psal 22. 6. Psal 111.5 Prov. 10.3 4. Hath he not made them worse than Infidels that feed not their own Family 5. Did he feed the multitude because he had compassion on their Bodies and wi l he not have compassion on the Souls or his own 6. Doth he feed young Ravens and will he starve Believers 7. Have we not his own invitation to the Feast and will the Master of the House make it a Fast 8. Shall we ear of the Tree of Life and hidden Manna in Heaven Surely he n ver meant to starve such by the way but allow t â—m sâ—me cauâ—â—r of the first ripe Grapes to refresh them in the Wildâ—rness 9 May we not plead with our loving Lord thus Lord I hear thou keepest a good House having bread enough to spare give me such a Portion as may commend it unto me and I will commend it to others 10. We may say How many hast thou refreshed of thy poor and needy Hast not thou said Whosoever will let him come and Drink freely upon thy call I come to drink of Wisdom's spiced Wine of this consecrated Cup that I may here and hereafter remember thy Love more than Wine 11. I plead my own necessitiâ—s and wants where should the poor be filled and the hungry feed but at the gates of the Rich and Full If thou hast not enough send me away empty but I make a Vertue of Necessity I must live by my Food as other Creatures do and is not Christ the food of a hungry Soul 12. I plead thy Glory for my feeding here will this commend thy bounty and compassion to send away from thy Fulness a starving Beggar without supply Let us cast an eye on that Miraculous Feast Christ made the Multitude Luke 9.17 And they did eat and were all filled and the fragments gathered up far exceeded the poor provision it was made of O! but it had Christ's blessing and that made much of a little And when we are Christ's Guests we should not only eat but look to be filled And gather up the Fragments incomes and expences of Divine Love and Favour Now that we may take this Feast up aright it is not a Sacrifice but a Sacrifical Feast or Covenant Feast of Peace and Friendship a Feast after a Sacrifice and by our eating here is declared our interest in that Sacrifice of Christ's Flesh offered to reconcile us to God even as they under the Law did â—â—t of the Sacrifice and so partake of the Altar to shew it was theirs that the Priest offered as if they had been at the Altar with the Priest And further this is a Feast of God's providing as Abraham to Isaac God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt Offering and therefore was the Sacrifice accepted because it was of his providing for known unto him alone it was what would satisfy his own Justice And strâ—ngâ— it was that this Sacrificeing of his Son should be a sweet smelling Savour a more wonderful word was never written Eph. 5.2 How dear must our Salvation be unto God that made the greatest Sufferings of Christ so pleasing to him which other wise the Lord would have abhorred Wherever the Sacrifice is said to be a sweet Savour its â—aid to be made with Fire Num. 28. and 20 chapters shewing that nothing but Christ s Sufferings can Satisfy for our sin For all the Sacrifices only signified Christ but could not satisfy God 36. Our proper exercise here consists of Meditation Petition and Resolution For Meditation the thoughts of the righteous are right it 's no small part of our work to have right and proper thoughts at present 1. Think how unworthy I am to appear here and have place among them that stand by tho I were not admitted to sit down with my Lord himself I who to Natural Corruption have added such a heap of actual Transgressions inward enmity and outward contrariety to God Ignorance unbelief apostasy despising of grace and abusing of patience have so filled up my measure and made so great a part of my wretched days and unworthy Life 2. Think how worthy and honourable is Christ to whose holy Table I presume to approach He who is the Fathers dorling and delight the light of Heaven and the great Blessing of all Nations who hath obtained a name above every name at whose name every knee must bow and whom the Angels of Heaven all do Worship He whose Table I am now sitting at on Earth sits highest in Heaven at this very moment 3. Think again how good it is to sit here with a sound Heart we cannot be better set on Earth But if a Hypocrite how ill I am set having not on a Wedding Garment I mock God harden my own heart heap up wrath eat and drink damnation by Crucifying the Lord afresh 4. Think what is my business here but to meet the Lord Chriâ—t by his own appointment that I may get more acquaintance and grow more in Love with him and to be more obliged to him by a new sight of my Redemption by him and receiving some Spiritual gift 5. Think what is prosered me here His Love his Grace his Peace his Pardon his Covenant and Kingdom 6 You have never a right thought here if you think not of a bleeding Christ a suffering and satisfying Redeemer hanging on the Cross and all your sins hanging on him For what else could ever bring him there having no sin to suffer for of his own and all power to avoid suffering by any And think again how he was dealt with on terms of Justice that we might be dealt with on terms of Mercy And â—â—â—t which would have been in so many drops of an Eternal Hell to us was made to meet on him in one great Sea drinking up Dregs and all O! think ransomed Saved Sinner if Christ had not drunk thy Cup of Wrath to free thee thou must had such a Cup put to thy head as if brought to a great Sea fill'd with Gall and Wormwood and Justice say to thee Now sinner thou that likedst so well the Cup of sin â—o here is the Cup of wrath drink and never leave Drinking while one drop is left Now see your obligation to Christ and despise him if you can And see how sad it had been to be without him 37. As for Petition and Resolution that belongs to this purpose in hand Q. What Petitions are here to be preferred A â— For much of Christs gracious and powerful presence a clear day without clouds that he would not hide himself at such a time and disappoint the Expectation of the needy but so countenance his owâ— work as we may comâ—â—â—dâ—â— unto others 2. For a heart humbling look of your dear dying Lord O how should it humble us to see how my sins humbled the Lord of glory 3. Put in
against prevailing Iniquities and predominant Corruptions that your jea ous Lord and Husband may give Idols a deadly blow at such a time 4. For the 〈◊〉 â—pirit of Jesus to make Graces lively that 〈◊〉 â—piknâ—rd may send sorth the smell thereof and the Spices slow out 5. For growing in all grace that Gods own work in the heart may be sâ—t forward by our waiting on Christ in his so precious appointment 6. That he would suspend quarrels yea â—â—move the ground of all by forgiving grace and send away poor penitents comforted with a sealed senâ—e of it in their own bosomes 7. For further manifestations of God's Love and clearer Fâ—â—â—dences of an heavenly Interest 8. For a more fruitful Life of Godliness to the praise of the gâ—ory of his grace 9 For Families and Relations that it might please the Lord to bring ours hâ—me to Christ make them his by grace and build them up to glory 10. For poor Zion that he would pity her desolations heal her breaches plead her cause pardon her sins help her to improve her mercies and prepare her yâ—t for greater deliverances from Evil when â—er grâ—cious God shall see good to grant them 11. That God would pity the â—â—rk corners of the Earâ—â— and open the Eyes of bold and blind sinners among us Q. What he the Resolutions this solemn occasion should puâ—â—â—â— ponâ— 1 To love Christ â—â—re 〈◊〉 â—â—tly 2. To remember him more frequently 〈◊〉 we 〈…〉 to remember him here thâ—â— we may forget him when gone 3 To perform all duties more spiritually 4. To watch our hearts more narrowly 5. To walk more tenderly 6. To follow him more sully 7. To renounce and deny self more freely 8 To trust in Christ more intirely 9. To take his part more boldly 10. And to keep Covenants more faithfully 38. Here have we the most amazing Instance of love that ever was given in the world and when you have travell'd the Vniverse over to seek for Love here lies the richest and rarest manifestations of Love that God gave his Son and Christ gave himself This is the heighth depth length and breadth of the love of God that passeth knowledge So great a ransom so rich a purchase so great a one become so low to set thee on high make himself so poor to enrich thee empty himself to fill thee and to do all this yea God to lay out his All on such unworthy and undeserving ones others love for some worth or good quality but God loved us when lying in our blood Now what â—an we do less for all this but make heart returns of love again Love being the very heart of the new creature and he that hath most love hath most grace and 〈◊〉 the best Christian And to provoke your love to this Beloved you may assure your selves 〈◊〉 he would never have died for you if he had not loved the meanest of you better than the highest Angel in Heaven can love him And besides if you can but love him his love will breed you more delight and hearâ— ravishing pleasure than all the love of creatuâ—es can Read but that Song of Love between Christ and his Spouse and see the unparallell'd delights of divine love between Christ and his Church Well if you love him keep his Commandments be careful to please him be tender of his honour deny your selves for his sake account all loss to win Christ thirsting after his communion longing to be perfectly free from sin that grieves his good Spirit and keeping your selves in the love of God looking or the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life No such motive to love God as studying his love to us and surely he must love us that sent his Son from his bosom to fetch us thither But why should a little love of creatures affect us so much and the great 〈◊〉 God affect us so little Aâ—â— Meerly bâ—â—â—us â—e are â—â—ore â—â—esh than spirit and have alâ—◠〈◊〉 sâ—nsâ— then faith Weak faith makes 〈◊〉 impressions of all spiritual things 〈◊〉 faith and better rooting would make â—â—â—â—â—â—ions â—aâ— more â—â—â—â—y Pet. 1.8 Now if we love Christ we will prize the â—â—ast token of his â—â—ve before all 〈…〉 can give us â—nd will thi◠〈…〉 sight of him 39. It s recorded of the Quâ—â—â— of â—beba that when she had seen the sitting of Solomon 's Servants there was no more spirit in her 1 King 10. How much more may this sight of our sitting confound and amaze us That Christs sinful servants should be set with himself at his Table considering 1. That he hath not a higher board on Earth than we sit at now and the Lord himself speak of stting with us Soag 1 12 Rev. 3.20 2 That tho it becometh â—s to stand when the King sitteth yet this glorious King came not to be ministred unto but to minister to us to gird himself as a Servant and mash the feet of his poor disciples 3. Wonder that we who deserved to lye in Hell should sit so high here 4. And the greatest wonder of all is that we should be fed at the King's Table with his own flesh allude to Job 31.31 Job 6. Shepherds use to eat the flesh of their flocks but here the good Shepherd gave his life for his sheep and feeds them with his flesh and blood And wonder also that we sit at peace a midst so many enemies that envies our feeding but it 's of the Lords great power â—nd bounty both that he prepares us a Table in this Waldernâ—ss and fills our cup in the presence of our enemies Now at this sacred so â—emnity is represented unto us the weightiest things of our Soul-concerns viz. Our sins and Christs sufferings we offending and he punished for our offences something in his Sufferings answering to our sin we a life of sinning and he a life of suffering we a load oâ— sin and he of suffering as our sin was God's provocation so is his suffering Gods satisfaction He was taken and we seâ—â—ree his death was our release Josh 20.6 there was no release nor returning in safety for the Man-slayer till the death of the High-Priest We have been light-hearted in suning but our Surcty groaning and heavy even unto death for our sin We contracted the debt and he taid the score sor us Now charge your Souls with Love Repentance Faith and Obedience with love to so friendly an â—ndeâ—taker who valued nothing whatever it cost him if he might but ransom thy soul and set thee â—â—ee◠〈◊〉 pâ—ntâ— ance for those bloody â—â—â—s that maâ—â— him sweat and weep Faith in that blood that made so perfect satisfaction and is so â—ull of Vertue to purge thy peâ—ssured and guilty soul And Obedienâ—e even a wâ—â—le Life of graceful Obedience to him that hath redeemed thy soul from Hâ—â—â— 40 The upper end of this Holy Table of the Lord is to get hearessâ—â— Chrish at the Kâ—s own Elbow when he 〈◊〉 tâ—â—â—â—â—t his Table Q
What shaâ—â— we do to get this appâ—â— end A. 1 Love 〈◊〉 an inâ—â—â—â—â—ing â—hing He that Loves most gets â—â—â—â—st Christ John 14.23 And if we Love God dâ—â—eâ—â—eth in us It was the be oved Discipie that leaned on Christ's Bosom 2. The farther we keep from sin the nearer we get to Christ 3. Faith and Hope in their lively actings bring us near to God It 's said That by the better hope the Gospel brings in we draw near to God Heb. 7.19 It hinders â—â—r approaches much to keep off from Christ by estranging unbelief and keeping the Affairs of our own Soul unsetled 4 To have Zion much on our Hearts might bring us nearer sometimes than all our own affairs can even when Abraham became an Intercessor for Sodom he drew near much more we for Zion If the things before us here rightly understood work not upon us we may conclude nothing will or ever can that comes from Heaven If God's good word and Christ's Seals of Love left with us make not Hearts stir towards him there is no hopes of Life in our case tho one should be sent from the Dead to Preach and Administer among us To get the Heart above to God by his Ordinances blessed of God is to have part in the first resurrection that the second Death may have no power over us Look to it that ye be none of them to whom Christ will say I never knew you even when you have pleaded by your eating and drinking in his presence For many may never come to tast of thâ— Supper of the Great King at last for all their â—â—ting here And that you may not miss of the blessed Entertainment of that Supper take heed that in Sealing Covenants here with the Lord you be truly devoted unto Christ and see the danger by Ananias and Saphira of keeping baâ—k any thing from God that is so solemnly once made his let heart and life be his and for him since the Lord Jehovah makes himself yours and all he is for you And after you have Covenanted to be his let your great care be to be meet for his Communion and fruitful for his Service even to abound in the work of the Lord. And let never your Heart grudg any pains in preparing to meet your God since one lock of God's reconciled Face by Ch i st Sacrificed for â—s will abundantly compence all the pains of your Preparation and charge of Service Lev. 9.4 where God's gracious appearing to his people is made their encouragement of costly service 41. Luke 22.20 This is the New-Testament in my Blood The Old was the Blood of Beasts the New is the Blood of God Acts 20.28 The Church of God purchated with his own Blood Nothing without Blood can profit us in the New Covenant No remission nor purging and washing without Blood no converse with God nor access to Heaven without it Heb. 9.12.10.19 For Christ enters in by his own Blood or he could make no entry for us All is done by Blood but no worse Blood could serve than God's which shews our loftness and his Love We lay in our Blood and Filthiness Christ brings his tâ— wash us other Blood defiles this makes white Rev. 7.14 O! Precious Blood and rich love it's strange that this â—east of Fat things should in some respect be a Banquet of Blood We know that in the Treacherous and cruel Worlds Banquets and Feasts of pretended Kindness have been finisned with the Blood of the Guests themselves but no such thing here it 's the Master of the Feast entertains the Guests with the purchase of his own Blood Moses's Wife said to him in a pet A Bloody Husband hast thou been to me because of the Circumcision but a Bloody Wife hath the Church been to Christ by â—eason of sin Redeeming us from it with his own Blood Now that Advice Acts 20.28 belongs to us Take heed to the Church of God purchased with his own Blood Now if the Ministers the Shepherds aâ—e to take heed to the Flock because purchased with â—hrists Blood then 1. Let us take heed to our own Souls for the same reason because they weâ—e so dear bought I neâ—lect them not let them not live to sin be estranged from God nor guilt lye upon them and drop into Hell at last 2 Take heed unto the Souls of one another that were purchased with this precious Blood Do nothing that may tempt them to sin and think light of Christ 3. Take heed to this Ordinance for the Blood of Christ is in it 4. Take heed to Christ himself for the sake of this Blood shed for your Sins to purchase your Souls Hear ye him that hath redeemed you turn not away from following and hearing him who justly might have turned you into Hâ—ll for your sins but hath blessed every one of you in turning you away from your Iniquities and to take you away into Heaven Now this great sight of this precious Blood are we come hither to behold in the Glass of this solemn ordinance Great Solemnities call for great Preparation and Observation especially what is represented and for what end come and behold the Works of the Lord Psal 46.8 even the glorious work of your Redemption by the Death of Christ A work greater than that of making the world yea the greatest work that ever was done in the World nay more one great end of making this goodly Fabrick of Heaven and Earth was that it might be a stage upon which that glorious work of our Redemption should be Acted a work wherein Mans happiness lies wherein Gods attributes are Glorified to the height and for which the Church Triumphant shall think Eternities leasure little enough to sing forth their Heavenly Hall â—llujah's 42. Many things commend this Ordinance of the Supper above all others 1. It 's setled in the Church for all Christians to remember Christ unto the world's end even till he come again while the Sun and Moon endure will Christ have the kindest commemoration in this Ordinance 2. It was that wherein Christ had his last Fellowship with his Church on Earth Now we please our selves by calling to mind our last meetings with our dear deceased friends their last words and actions have their special remarks most commonly â—et Christ's last entertainment have the best impression It was this shut up all his sweet converse with his own before his death 3. Divine Wisdom hach suited this Ordinance to our weakness and capacities accommodating heavenly things to our outward and natural senses for as we hear of a Saviour in the Word so here we see taste and handle him in the same meat Mary was forbid to touch our Lord as not ascended but now this ascended Lord allows us to touch taste and handle him in those appointed figures of him 4. It hath the greatest fitness and advantage of awaking our affections representing his dearest love in dying and redeeming us in suffering and satisfying for us
I who have sate so long at the Table of Devils by feeding my Lusts and serving Satan should be advanced to feast it with the Lord of Glory Even I who deserved the lowest place in Hell should here be sate in the highest place on Earth Let the thoughts of such wonderful love lead you into his Banqueting-house and suffer your Souls to be overcome with this Banner of his love that unparallell'd love that loved you and washed you in his own blood Again consider it is the Supper of the Lord he setteth us down unto This is that we eat and drink even our Lord's Last Supper on Earth This was the parting-Cup after which he was not to drink till he drunk it new in the Kingdom of God For preciousness Cleopatra's Cup was nothing to this tho filled with dissolved Pearls O the love that lay at the bottom to sweeten this Cup to us tho the bitterest to him that ever was put to the head of any Mortal and the more Gall and Wormwood to him the more Love and Good Will to us for whom he drank it This Last Supper on Earth is a Emblem of an after-Supper in Heaven And truly that large and long sumptuous Supper of the Lamb 's preparing above may make a Saint sit down satisfied with a short Dinner on Earth Let the Heirs of Glory never grumble at a dish of green herbs the poorest and meanest Morsel wiâ—h a Cup of cold water since the finest of the Wheat and Honey out of the Rock are too low expressions of thy Heavenly Commons a coming And for what our blessed Lord allows you here you have it with the heartiest welcome Christ sayeth to none of you Eat and drink and his heart is not with you That you are forbid to eat of for it 's the â—â—eâ—d of him that hath an evil eye Prov. 23.6 7. But this you are commanded to eat we offer it in his Name take it in obedience and believe a blessing 47. My sighing come before my eating says Job So must ours doâ—â—w before we can comfortably eat and drink here many a sigh and groan the body of death will cost us many a sad heart for sin Sigh saith the Lord to the Prophet to the breaking of thy Loins 1. That thou shouldst have been so unhappy as to have hand in cutting off the Messiah and slaying this Lamb of God that thy sins nailed him to the Cross and pierced his siâ—e yea his hands and his feet wounding the Son of God even to death with thy sins 2. That his Love hath been neglected so long and so much that the offers of his redeeming Grace hath met with so little hearty entertainment that his sufferings for our sins have been so faintly resented that we have carried so strangely to him that was so deeply concerned for us 3. That he hath had so little honour by us for whom he hath made so rich a purchase that we have laid out our selves so sparingly for him that spared not to pour out his blood for us yea that we should ever prove treacherous to him that was so true to our Interest 4. That now we can love him no more when his Banner of Love is so fairly displaved over us in this Ordinance of his own Supâ—er this Feast of fat things Oh that such choice entertainment should meet with so sorry welcome and such dull affections That our ordinary food should more refresh us than this heavenly Manna That we can meet our suffering Lord with so little remorse for sin and so little delight in his Love But tho grief preceed and go before yet let Joy take its own place and enter his Courts with praise Let transports of heavenly joy fill our redeemed souls that ever the glad tidings of the great salvation sounded in our ears that ever we heard of that great gift of God Jesus Christ and that he hath been at any time recommended to our heart with power that the holy Trinity hath so well contrived our Redemption in that ancient Covenant wherein the Father gave his Elect to Christ to be redeemed and the Son most readily undertook the Work and went through all its steps with such heroick and hearty resolution and good acceptation Rejoice O righteous ones that the Father laid help upon one so mighty able to answer all his demands and to pay our debts Rejoice that Heaven sent to the Earth by so sure a hand and hath made with us so sure and well-ordered a Covenant in all things we can be concerned in for life and Godliness that the Gates of Paradise which our sins shut are now so open unto us that sinners through their High Priest in Heaven have so free and bold access to this exalted Throne of grace but alas for our bruitish stupidity and unbelief that have carnal minds much more taken with a vain World and empty dying comforts than with all the Treasures of Grace and Mansions of Glory 48. This Feast of fat things here presented who can feed upon it Do we know the entertainment of this Table Here is represented the singular and wonderful love of a dying Saviour The great Mystery that Angels desire to look into The Lamb of God Sacrificed for sinners Can we behold it with dry eyes and dead hearts Qu. What impressions should it make upon us and leaves us under Ans 1. I 'll never give sin a good look again thro the grace of God that cost my loving Lord Jesus so dear 2. I 'll despise the love of creatures never lay it in the ballance with Christs Whether they smile or frown I 'll be little affected For her 's a love puts all love down A love who can comprehend in It 's matchless adventures and transcendent exceedings 3. My love should be a constant careful study of some answerable returns of love again 4. I 'll never like my self again Farther than I may be serviceable and suitable to this loving Lord that bled for me My members shall all be servants of righteousness unto Holiness my soul shall ever magnify the Lord my thoughts shall be captivated unto him I shall know no Friends nor Enemies but his My prayers shall be to him My Joy and my delight shall be in him My faith shall firmly rest in his righteousness and satsfaction my patience shall be imployed to bear his Cross my heart shall stand ever open to his Calls The zeal of his house shall eat me up My life shall be a transcript of his Laws and my death a desired dissolution to be with him In a word the Covenant I now renew with him at his own holy table I am willing should be laid against me for Conviction Accusation and humiliation in all my departings from him But knowing that without him I am nothing and can do nothing all my expectation is from him and amidst my best purposes sensible of my sin and weakness I do with holy David say O Lord when wilt
thâ—s Scripture Canon Besides a vessel of Honour in respâ—ct of 〈◊〉 â—â—râ— and fashion may bâ— fit foâ— uâ—e â—ut in râ—gâ—rd â—f â—â—â—ness contracted may not be immediatly 〈◊〉 for some â—oole service â—ill a new scâ—uring Q. But â—â—y such preâ—aâ—ation and examination before Celebrâ—tiâ—n and Participaâ—ion A. 1. The greatness of the Soâ—emaâ—â—â— calls for â—â—iâ—'s the Table of a great K. and the greatest Festivâ—l the Gâ—â—pâ—l knows Let none presume to come to so holy a â—able witâ— their common habits And therefore â—hâ—t iâ— may be seen â—hat we make sâ—me account of the Master of â—he Feaâ—t and of the food set before us let us be câ—reful to grace this Table with a wâ—dding-garment 2. Without consciâ—nâ—â—o◠〈◊〉 pâ—raâ—ion there is seldom lâ—fe in Celâ—bâ—atiâ—n 〈…〉 â—ruâ—â—s in the Conversation after 3. Nâ—ne are called to 〈◊〉 without this qâ—alification 1 Cor. 11.28 anâ— if we come without Christ's Call we may go without his blessing so that much of the beneâ—it and comfort of Communicaâ—ing may depend upon a due preparation for it Job 11.13 14 15. Ezra 6.21 22. 4. The danger is gâ—â—aâ— to come unprepared and rush rudely unto the Table of thâ— Lâ—â—d he receives unworthily thâ—â— commâ—s unpâ—eparedlâ— it will be a bâ—â—â—er breâ—k-fast to eat and dâ—ink our own damnation bâ— beiâ—g guilty of the Bâ—dâ— and Blood of Christ Matt. 22.12 13. 5. The â—â—â—â—d Jesus hath a very jealous eye upon us at thâ—t action aâ—d thâ—refore we had need kâ—â—p a strict watch and jâ—â—lâ—us eye upon our selves he comes down how to sâ—e hâ—w the Vine sâ—â—uriâ—heth how the Spikenard s n â—â—â—h forth iâ—s smell and whâ—ther there be any without his Wedding garment among us He is come to see his Guests and if there be but one in his rags he finds him out and judgeth him for coming unworthily 6 None can be so fit to help others in preparing work as they who are sanctified and prepared themselves first Sanctify your selves and prepare your brethren go together in Josâ—ah's Passoâ—er 2 Chro. 35. 6. And the Lamb for the Passover wâ—◠〈◊〉 be taken out of the Flock three dâ—ys before it was â—o be sacrificed that so the People â—â—ght â—e â—â—eparing themselves in that tiâ—e Ex. 12.3.6 57. Q. 〈◊〉 must we exâ—mine our selves in for a right receiving of the Lord 's Sufer 〈◊〉 1. We â—ust â—â—â—ndue our knoâ—lâ—dg of Spiritual things â—â—mâ—ly in discerning the Lord◠〈◊〉 i.e. the worth and prâ—ciousâ—â—â—â— of that Sacrifice 〈◊〉 over and lapped up â—n the Elâ—ments of Bread and Wiâ—e And our knâ—wledâ— in 〈◊〉 pâ—inâ—â—n uâ—â— be tried 1. Whâ—â—â—â—â— it be appropriaâ—â—ng i e. â—â—â—king â—n iâ—terest in the things kâ—â—wn â—â—b 15 27. 2. If â—â—â—retiatin◠〈…〉 well as approving Rom. â— 18 3. If pâ—â—ctâ—cal 〈…〉 order to and peâ—fected by practice Ps 119.34 2. 〈◊〉 â—xamine our sâ—ns whâ—ch is the principal point of our â—xâ—mination in thâ—s business 1 Cor. 11 2â— coâ—p with 31. where we are bid to judg our selves fâ—r our sâ—ns Espâ—cially find out what be yâ—ur predominatâ—â— sins and wheâ—â—er you be freed from sâ—ns dâ—â—inion 3. We must exaâ—ine our spiritual state whither wâ— bâ— in Chrâ—st fâ—r oâ—ly in him is God wâ—ll pleased with us 1. All in Christ through illuminaâ—ing grâ—ce hâ—ve got a fâ—ght of sins lâ—athsonâ—ness and dâ—nger 2 To pâ—â—â—â—â— Câ—â—â—st â—â—ove â—ll the worlds dross Phil. 3.8 â— Thâ—â—â—â—ve hâ—â—â—â—irit to â—â—â—â—â—ll in them 4. They 〈…〉 5. 〈…〉 from Chrâ—st their liâ—e is â—â—d â—iâ—â— hiâ— and tâ—â—ir 〈◊〉 depend on his appeâ—â—â—â—g 〈◊〉 3.3 4. We must â—â—â—â—â—e our Graces 1. If they bâ— true and â—oâ— countâ—â—â—â—â— Coâ—â— for this Feast â—ust not 〈…〉 â—itâ— the 〈◊〉 of Hypocrisâ—e but with the unleavened breâ—â— of â—â—nceriâ—y aâ—d trutâ— 2. Whether Grâ—ce â—e strong and God's work and Vâ—ne-yard in a flourisâ—ing and â—â—riving conâ—iâ—ionâ— 5. We must examine our duâ—iâ—s and pâ—â—forâ—â—â—â—es as â—o their â—onstancy Fervency Communion 6. And our Conversation how regulâ—r uniform and hâ—â—vâ—nly Q. What Diâ—â—â—â—â—iâ—nâ— may be given fâ—r prâ—m ting this great work â—f self-examination 〈◊〉 1. â—et not the search be slight and supâ—rficiâ—◠〈◊〉 dâ—liâ—ent 〈◊〉 and acâ—urat as we seâ—rch for Eâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 lâ—t uâ— sâ—â—râ—h for Sin with such a câ—râ—sâ—l disâ—â—â—â—itio◠〈◊〉 64. â— as the righteous Judg will search Jeruâ—aâ—em with Candâ—es so let us Zeph. 1.12 And as David did Ps 57.6 2. Take you heâ—rt in one hand and your Bible in the other making God's Word the Test by which all is tried judg reject or approve as the Word does 3. Be not soon satisfied in the search and give not over for what you find at first for the heart is a great deep but turn in again and see yet greater abominations than these Ezek. 8. 4. Call in help from Heaven for so great and difficult a work Pf. 139.23 He rests not on the single testimony of his own Conscience in v. 22. without God's help he seeks not in this matter 5. Inure thy self to a greater frequency of the work custome would make it more easy and bring us to better skill about it Be very thankful for any discoveries God graciously makes to you in time of your selves For what if God had hid our own hearts from us uâ—tâ—l he had revealed us to all the world In 1 Cor. 1 〈◊〉 25. we have the Convert falling down and worshipping God out of thankfulness that the Secrets of his heart were made manifest Self-searching might prevent dreadful discoveries which God is put to make of us by falling into some soul and scandalous sins because we were backward to know our selves better in the use of Gods appointed means 2 Chr. 32.31 7. Let Memory be active in the search and be calling to mind old reckonings 8. Let examination be in order to execution Rest nâ—t in the discovery but let seeking to find out Grace and Corruption be in order to the cherishing the one and destroying of the other If we examine let us also judge pass sentence and execute upon the hidden up Idols of a base heart The Voice said to Peter Arise kill and eat Truly we must not eat here unless we arise from our humblings and searchings and kill Lusts and not spâ—re Q. But upon examination how may we be helped to make a right Judgment of our selves Ans 1. Consult seriously with Conscience and let it have liberty to speak its own Language for what mâ—n knows the things of a man sâ—ve the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 2. Observe well what Verdiâ—t the Word gives of thy condition â—nd discovâ—ry it mâ—kes in its most powerful outgoings and most spiritual dispensings and let that be well remembred and made much use of under after darkness desertions and Temptations We must not look that the beams of Divine Light will always with the same lustre and brightness shine 3. Try not thy self so much by some extraordinary motions and good mood after or at a powerful Ordinance as by the more constant