to it or to himself So making as it were an exchange O! wonderful exchange by which we receive infinitly more and better then we give when the Soul hath gotten him it gives it self to him to be changed and made better and renews its purposes resolutions and promises to that end and takes the Sacrament to make these sure and secure Thirdly The ratifieing act of Faith is this when we have taken Christs Promise by Faith and have given our promise to him and surrendered and delivered up our selves unto him and we go about the communion and exerâ—ise our faith to get both confiâ—med as we use to speak We will take our Sacrament on it we take the Communion to seal his part of the Covenant to us and to confiâ—m our selves as to the performance of that which we have engaged to him and thus that which was before a bond on Christs side and a bond and engagement on our side becomes now a mutuall contract and bargain both aâ—e put in one and complicated together Sealed with one seal and made use of for both these ends the believer thinks himself surer of Gods promise and himself more securely ingaged to God and though this engaging hath no new Promise wâ—th it yet thereby the more explicitely is our dutie brought forth and the promise more particularly becomes ours As for the Fourth and last thing It is a right manner of acting or a right way or suitable frame in our going about this ordinance which takes in several things as 1. Fear because it is a very difficult thing rightly to Communicat and we had need to fear least we mistake and miscarry 2. Distinctness and clearness which is a part of the result of self examination we would at least be so far clear in our condition as to know and be convinced that the generall strain of our way hath not been right as it should have been by very far when we cannot so well find ouâ— and condescend upon he particular evils that we have been given to or have done and though we know not all nor many of the particular Promises of the Covenant yet we would be clear in that general that in the Covenant God maketh over himself a God all-sufficient to the believer Thirdly faith in and dependance on God for preparation and for a suitable frame for gaining new ground of corruptions for more humility and tenderness for more thorow turning to the Lord Convert me sayes Ephraim Jer. 31. And I shal be converted there would be many Serious and Sincere resolutions engagements and purposes and much heart-melting and Prayer in the making of them as it was with Israel and Judah Jer. 50.5 Whose great desire and designe was to have the Covenant betwixt God and them so secured that it might hold perpetually and never any more be forgotten they desired to keep as we use to speak no bank in their own hand they allow of no reservations or exceptions and they go about this great work Praying and weeping This were a Sweet and suitable frame for a Communion and notably well becoming a people that Approach to the Lords Table and we seriously commend it to you and you to the grace of God in the Practise of these things which his own blessed self make forthcoming to you A Preparation SERMON for the Communion On 1 Cor. 11.29 Not discerning the Lords Body IT is a very great and grave a very Momentous and concerning work rightly to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it hath as many and great advantages attending the due and worthy Participation thereof and as many sad consequences following the unworthy Participation of it as any other of all the ordinances of Christ hath and therefore when the Apostle hath sharpely expostulated with the Christ an Corinthians for several abuses in reference to this Ordinance he proceeds after a full declaration of its institution to guard them against all after abuse thereof and to fit and prepare them for suitable and worthy communicating And the first direction that he gives them is in reference to preceeding Preparation Let a man examine himself and so let him eat The Second is in reference to the action it self teaching them to communicat worthily So as they may discern the Lords Body by holding out the danger of unworthy Communicating both which he knits together telling them that if any of these things be wanting it will bring on Judgement Whence in a word and but in passing we may Observe these two things 1. That a man will never Communicat worthily that doth not before hand indeavour to prepare himself for it And therefore he prefixeth this Let a man examine himself and then subjoins And so let him Eat 2. That a man that is not distinct in discerning himself in some measure after the examination of himself will never aright discern the â—ords Body in this Ordinance of the Communion He that takes not up himself will never take up Christ rightly In the words more particularly we have Three great things in reference to present Communicating The 1. whereof is the great and peculiar use of the Communion and that is that it makes the Lords body discernible It puts Christ in a capacitie to speak so to be taken up and discerned The Second is the great duty of a worthy Communicant and that is rightly to discern the Lords Body so holden forth The third is the great Sin that unworthy Communicants fall into and that is They do not discern the Lords Body but are like so many Dogs and Swine who not knowing what delicats are there they goe about the action not knowing what they are doing The First is clear That in the Sacrament Christ Jesus his broken body is made discernible to us else he would not find fault with them who come and do not discern it The words alâ—o before vers 24. clear it This saith he is my Body which is broken for you So Chap. 10 vers 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And the sharp Judgements that come on People â—oâ— not disâ—erning the Lords Body and so for being guilty of Communicating unwoâ—thily do shew that not only is our Lords Body really present but in a special manner discernible in this Ordinance To clear this a litle further we shal First Premit a two fold distinction and then Secondly answer a few Questions that serve for clearing the Doctrine and for better uptaking of this Ordinance First then we would distinguish betwixt these two viz Looking on the Sacrament as strictly taken and as contradistinguished from the word and looking on it as more complexly taken as including the word It is in the last sense that we consider the Sacrament here viz as taking in 1. Christ signified and represented by the elements 2 The word and Covenant to
ye that this was in your offer and on very free and easie terms and ye would not accept of it but would needs destroy your selves 2. If there be sin and a quarrell is there not a necessity to have it taken away Have ye laid your account and resolved not to be solicitous and carefull whether ye be friends with God or not And if ye will not say that why do ye not enter this Covenant 3. Is there any other way to get sin pardoned and the quarrell taken away but by making sure your Covenant with God David or any others that were saved were they saved any other way This Covenant was all his Salvation and all his desire 4. What will ye say in the day of the Lord when the Trumpet shall sound and he shall call you to an account for refusing his free and Gracious offer when there will be no more treating with you when he shall say and make your own Conscience say to you It was plainly told you that there was a quarrell standing betwixt me and you It was told you that I was willing to enter into a Covenant with you and to remove that quartell I sent my Messengers unto you for this end but ye made light of the matter Say to it O say to it ye must say something Yea or Nay ye are not left to be indifferent and to keep up your selves in this matter I tell you if ye say not Yea ye say Nay and as the Apostle speaks Acts 13 46. Ye pass sentence on your selves and judge your selves unworthy of Eternall life It 's interpretatively a saying that ye will not have Heaven and life thorow Christ and therefore as ye would not destroy your own Souls I beseech you nay I obtest you in the Name of the Lord and for his sake accept of this Covenant We tell you and as the Apostle hath it we say Be it known unto you that through Jesus Christ remission of sins is Preached to you He hath purchased life and Salvation to sinners And to you is the word of this Salvation sent Give O give your consent to the bargain and that is all we seek of you Now to Prosecute this a little and to put you yet further to it because it will ly before God whether we have put you to it or not and whether ye have accepted of this Covenant or not whether we were in earnest in Proposing it and whether ye were in earnest in closing with it Consider 1. The Persons whom we put to this and the things that we put you to 2. The terms on which 3. The grounds from which and. 4. The qualifications and directions whereby First As for the persons whom we put and press to this Covenanting with God It 's not those only who have gotten their tokens warranting them to come to the Table nor those only that are debarred and so have got no tokens but it 's all of you Those who are afar off and near hand but differently To the tender Soul we say come forward to the secure we say Humble your selves and then come and join in this Covenant The thing we call you to is to take the Lord to be your God and to give up your selves to be Gods we call you to take God to be your Master and your Father your Saviour your Head your Husband your Friend even your all and that is no ill nor small offer and we call you to give up your selves to God to forsake your Fathers house and all your kindred and to cleave to him to join your selves to the Lord as the Text hath it and as it is said The Prodigall Joyned himself to a certain Citizen So ye would joyn your selves to the Lord and be beholden to him for your life Secondly As for the Terms they are in short that Seeing God saith accept of my Sons Righteousness and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters ye would freely accept of it and take and put Christs Righteousness in the place and Room of self-righteousness which was in the Covenant of works found your plea before God on nothing that ye can do but on Christs doing and suffering for you which now by Faith ye resolve to adhere to and resigne your selves to him without any reservation to be guided and saved by him in his own way As for the Third How or from and by what grounds we put you to this or rather how doth the Lord put us all to it First Ye are put to it by his offer in the Gospel which in discretion cals you to give him an answer he cries Come unto me and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David And doth he not require an answer And is it not incumbent to us who speak to you in his Name to crave your answer We declare to you all that ye may if ye will come to be joined with God in Covenant and may be sure to be accepted of as his if ye come aright Now what say ye to it either ye must look on this as a cheat or cunningly devised fable or if ye dare not look on it so ye must accept of it and make it welcome Secondly Ye are put to it in this respect that the Lord brings you now and then under some conviction of the necessity of your peace with God something within you saith that peace with God is worth the having and needfull that this is a good bargain and that ye have need of it and there are now and then some raw resolutions to put it to a point and it may be there is something presently that puts you to it and if not so much the more ye would put your selves to it lest the Kingdom of God be taken from you Thirdly Ye are put to it by this same Sacrament is it possible that ye can take the Communion for a Seal and confirmation except ye Covenant with God before If ye will not Covenant ye prove your selves to be Treacherous dissemblers in going to the Communion and to be liars to God when he presents and offers his Covenant ye profess to take his offer and to close the Covenant with him but ye refuse as it were to take the Pen in your hand or do throw it away when he presents to you the Cup of the New Testament ye drink the Wine and spill the Blood and so become guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord when ye despise it and will not make use of it nor Covenant with God that ye may get the use of it And therefore Fourthly Know that ye are put to it presently and peremptorily that the Lord will take it for a refusall and for a scorning and despising on your part if ye do it not and do ye think it a litle matteâ— to have such a guilt lying on your score what knoâ— ye if ever God shall offer to Seal a Covenant with yoâ— again and
TRUE TO THE END FIDES PROBATA CORONAT The Right honble Patrick Hume Earl of Marchmont Viscount of Blasonberry Lord Polwart◠〈◊〉 Polwarth c Lord High Chancelor of Scotland ◠1702. EX LIBRIS F.S. FERGUSON THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST And Of GRACE and GLORY In and thorow HIM Diligently Searched into Clearly Unfolded and Comfortably holden forth in Fourteen Rich Gospel SERMONS Preached on several TEXTS at Communions in Glasgow By the late pious and Powerful Gospel Preacher in that City Mr. JAMES DURHAM 2 Joh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10 16. The Cup of Blessing which we blesse 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 GLASGOW Printed by Robert Sanders one of His Majesties Printers 1685. THE Epistle Dedicatorie and Prefatorie To all Christians seriously pursuing Conformity unto Christ and panting after Communion with God in him Particularly the Inhabitants of the City of Glasgow that are such And in speciall to Mistress Durham the Famous Authors worthy Relict and my Sister in Law who hath had a singular care to preserve her deceased Husbands Lectures and Sermons that they might be made forth-coming for the Publick use and Edification of the Church Dear Friends ADAM in Innocency and Integrity was in a state of perfect friendship with God of beautifull conformity to His Image and of sweetly Comfortable Communion with him But alace he continued very short time in that excellent state for the entering in of sin by his Transgressing the Law and condition of the Covenant of works quite brake off the friendship utterly disfigured and defaced the conformity and altogether interrupted and put a stop to the Communion He having thereby run himself and his Posterity under a forfeiture of that desireable state and of all the Precious Priviledges annexed to it under which himself and they had lyen Eternally had not God in the depth of his infinit wisdom and in the exceeding and unsearchable Riches of his free Grace and Mercy devised and found out a way for taking off that forfeiture By sending his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law who according to the Covenant of Redemption treated and Transacted finally concluded and agreed betwixt Jehovah and him having made a most costly but a most Compleat Satisfaction to Provoked Divine Justice for the debt of the Elect In whose room for that end he did surrogat and substitute himself as their Surety and Cautioner hath reestablished the friendship restored the Conformity and recovered the Communion of which Glad tidings of great joy Publication is made in the Preached Gospel the Tabernacle of the Ordinances whereof is reared up amongst men that thereby God the Lord may dwell among them These Ordinances in their institution and nature being means of Communion and fellowship betwixt God and men Amongst which Divinely instituted Ordinances that of the Lords Supper beareth expressly the name of the Communion because often and ordinarily the greatest measures and highest degrees of Communion with God in Christ attainable by sojourning and militant Saints here on Earth are win at in the Participation of that Ordinance the great pledge and love-token of our dieing Lords dearest respect to his Disciples and followers calling and oblidging them in the use thereof to a Solemn Commemoration of him and of his love and to a Publick and avouched Declaration of his Death till he come again Therefore is it beyond all other Gospell Ordinances as it were railed about with such injunctions Cautions and warnings with such terrible threatnings with such intimations of Atrocious Guilt and with such denounciations of formidable Judgements against unworthy Communicants Thunder and Lightnings as it were being spoken against such The desirable deceased Author of these few following Sermons Preached at Communions used at such occasions to endeavour through Grace to rouse and work up himself to such a Divineness of frame as very much suited the Spiritual state and Majesty of that Ordinance greatly fearing lest himself or any of the People to whom he dispensed the same should fall under the grievous Guilt of the Body and Blood of the Lord then in a manner his face shone as being in the mount of Communion and fellowship with God and at some of those Solemn and sweet Occasions he spake some way as a man that had been in Heaven Commending Jesus Christ making a Glorious display of the Banner of free Grace holding forth the Riches of it very clearly and convincingly and bringing the offers thereof very low wonderfully low So that in hearing some of these Sermons Particularly that on Matth. 22. I was made to think that the Rope or Cord of the Offer of Salvation was let down and hung so low to sinners that those of the lowest stature amongst them all though but as Pygmees might have catcht hold of it who through Grace had any mind to do so and so home so vehemently and urgently pressed on so sweet and easie terms to be embraced that I have been sometimes made to wonder how the hearers could refuse or shift them But there is no saving Belief of this report made by Prophets Apostles Yea or by Blessed Jesus himself in his own Personall Ministrie but where the arm of the Lord is Revealed No man can or will invite beseech and Perswade who will if it were not only men but even Angels come to the Son except the Father that sent him draw him There is no moving here without a pull of Ommipotencie none are nor can be willing to yeeld themselves to Christ till the day of his Power Pass on their hearts till then they will sit the most pressing calls of the Gospel but then they can sit no longer they must they will rise then and run after him they will then as the word signifies make a free will Offering of themselves to thim however inexortable and inflexible they had shewed themselves before they will then make an absolute entire universall unexceptioned and Irreversible Surrender and Resignation of themselves to him to be at his dispose to be guided and saved by him in his own way I know the Remembrance of those Communion Sabbaths High Sabbaths and other ordinary Sabbaths and week days wherein you Sister and other Serious seekers of God in Glasgow in particular heard the joyfull sound walked in the light of Gods Countenance and Rejoiced in his Name all the day Living in a Holy croud of Precious Gospel-Ordinances and having as it were the Heavenly Manna of the Gospel falling abundantly about your Camp every day making you think and say that it was good to be there is this day sweet and Savoury to you and helps you in a good measure to keep up
or unbecomingly as the Apostle when he willeth the Christian Romans Chap. 16.2 To receive Phebe as becometh and is suitable to Saints he makes use of the word worthily for so it is in the Original and this being the opposite to that is to be understood unsuitably and unbecomingly to such a manifestation oâ— the love of Christ in giving himself to and for his people as in our common language when a man does a thing unsuitably we say he did it unworthily when it answers not the end proposed 2. Judgment or Damnation here takes in these three things 1. A Temporal stroke as v. 30 31. For this cause many among you are sickly and weak and many sleep 2 It may look to eternal Judgement as Damnation is often taken in Scripture 3. It may look to Spiritual Judgements for though a Believer be not capable of eternal Judgement yet by unworthy Communicating he may draw upon himself temporal stroakes and spiritual Judgements he may much wear out the life of Grace and bring himself under blasting and withering and unbelievers draw upon themselves not only those but eternal damnation and that with a higher degree of aggravation 3. That he is said to Eat and Drink this to himself as in the former verse a man is Câ—mmanded to Examine himself It may take in these two as aimed at by the Apostle 1. It is to provoke every man to his particular duty from his particular hazaâ—d He hazards his own soul 2. It s put here to shew the restriction of the Judgement according to the Sun and so if a man examine himself though others neglect it the Judgment shal not overtake him but if he examine not himself whoever escape Judgement he shal not escape it and thus it s an encouragement to a man to go about the duty of Self-examination as well as a motive of terror Corinth being corrupted with manâ— abuses one Person could not amend all well sayes he Let a man examine himself and so he shal escape the hazard if not he will fall under it We shal First draw some observations from the words and then speak a word for Use First it is supposed here that in this ordinance of the Lords Supper there is a special eminencie excellencie dignitie and worth or this Ordinance of the Lords Supper is of a singular Solemn nature and this I gather partly from this verse considered in it self He that Eats and Drinks unworthily implies that there is a special worthiness in it that a man should not offer indignâ—ty to and partly from the connexion of this verse with the former for it is made a reason why he presses particular and strict Self-examination which shews that there is a more singular excellencie in this ordinance then in others and partly from the context for every Circumstance speaks out a Solemnity in this Ordinance as 1. The night when it was instituted vers 23 The same night in which he was betrayed and when he was taking his goodnight of his Disciples 2. His jealousie of and his quarrelling and threatening for the abuse of this Ordinance Speaks out a speciall excellencie in the Ordinance that all who approach thereunto should be suitably affected with all the ordinances of the Lord are excellent for if all his works be excellent Then much more the Gospel-ordinances as being a step above those and yet this ordinance of the Lords Supper seems dignified with an eminencie and excellencie above them all 1. In reference to what it sets out and exhibits They all set out love but this sets out love in an eminent degree for it sets forth the Lords Death wherein the most eminent step and degree of his Love shines Yea this Ordinance sets out his actual dieing and so sets out his Love in its Liveliest Colours and as the great Master-piece of it 2. In respect of the excellent Benefits communicated in it It is true there is no other thing on the matter communicat in it then there is Communicat in the word and Baptisme Yet if we look to the words Take ye eat ye this is my Body They hold out Christ Jesus not so much giving any Particular gift as actually conferring himself in his Death and Suffering And the main scope being to conferr Christ and all that is in him to the Believer It holds out some way the excellencie of this ordinance beyond others 3. In respect of the manner how our Lord Jesus makes over himself whereby I mean not only the clearness of his making over himself for in this ordinance there is the clearest view of a slain Saviour and of Covenanting wiâ—h God and often the most comfortable manifestations of Love go alongst with it for which cause it s called eminently the Communion But also that there is here a clear glance of Heaven upon earth Jesus Christ and his People mixing to speak so and being familiar together he condescending not only to keep company with them but to be their food and refreshment and he giving them not only the word to their faith but himself as it were to their sense in so far as the mean whereby He communica eth himself is more sensible It is by his Spirit that the mean is made effectual and there is not only a fixedness of Faith on ouâ— Part but a sort of Divineness in the ordinance it self the very First fruits of Heaven being communicat as it were to the very senses of the Believer I say unto you sayes the Lord Matth. 26 29. I will not Drink henceforth of the Fruit of the Vine until that day I Drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome where he seems to point out a more speciall way of keeping communion with his people in this Ordinance in resemblance to that which he will have with them in heaven There being here a more speciall union and communion betwixt the head and members sealed up a type of that which is to be in Heaven A taste whereof is sometimes given in this ordinance of the Communion hence it s not only called the Communion as in the foregoing Chapter but the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and the Table of the Lord. The first Use of it serves to let us see how much we are oblidged to Christ Jesus what could he have given more then himself And what mean could have been invented that could have mo e confirmed and warmed the hearts of his people then this which is so lively a representation and Commemoration of his Blessed Body very like we might come to dâ—scern His body better if there were a more high estimation of this ordinance not as if there were any efficacie in it of it self to communicat Grace Yet in respect of Christs institution it s a most lively mean of Grace and there is not a circumstance in all the action but it s to be wondered at as that it was instituted the same night he was betrayed and aâ—ter the
but generally there is a greater Ignorance Darkness and Blindness as to the right partaking of this Ordinance then as to most others either thorow the difficulty of it or through our Laziness that puts us not to study it better So that if it were asked at many of us who may have some affection what is a Communion And what is the right way of partaking of it there would be found but very little distinctness in the thing and many content themselves to live without clearness about it And this makes people incapable to go about it aright A Fourth reason is from Peoples loathness to bestir themselves in the wo k of Preparation for it There is some Self examination requisite for every Duty but there is a more Solemn Self examination injoyned in reference to this and how very reluctant are we to it And seeing examination of our selves is as the door and entry to this Duty is it any wonder that most Persons Communicat unworthily This exercise of Self-searching being so much slighted which is to the most part so very difficult and to many through their own fault impossible The First Use Serves for warning as to this matter It is easie to get a Token and to come to the Table but it is not so easie To Eat and Drink worthily not so easie to discern the Lords Body and to get Christ himself in the ordinance and in a word so to go about partaking of the Lords Supper as ye may have solid quietness of mind in reflecting on it Is it not a wonder then that the most part doe so securely and in a manner even desperatly rush upon it who have it may be lyen some Ten some Twenty some thirty years without trouble under this guilt We would think it a good piece of Preparation if ye were Seriously afraid to become guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord want of this holy fear breeds security and keeps from stirring up to dutie and from reflecting on our selves whereas if the heart were stirred and rouzed with such a fear there would be greater and more seiously sharpened diligence in all these duties whereof we heard from the foregoing words to which this is a strong and pressing motive The Second Use Serves for Tryal who among the great company gathered together here this day are afraid of siâ—ning against God and taking his Name in vain in so Solemn an Ordinance many think they are prepared but we think not that person the better prepared that is not afraid and holily jealous over himself Wo wo to many on the account of Communion-dayes that are past and gone without fear It were good that ye were afraid lest this day prove to be like many former dayes and lest any of you come short of what hath been attained in former communion dayes Thirâ—ly Observe That the sin of unworthy Communicating is a Wrath provoking and a Judgement-drawing-on-sin He that Eates and Drinks unworthily Eates and Drinks Damnation to himself There is hardly any sin that the Lord will more readily speedily and Sadly Plague and punish then this It s true the Lord haâ—h annexed haâ— Certification to the third Command That He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain but iâ— there any Ordinance wherein the Threatning is more expressed and in reference to which the Judgement hatâ— been more seveâ—ely some way indifferently inflicted As is clear whether we read before oâ— after the words of the Text And there is good reason for it For first If the duty be more Solemn if the presence in it be more gracious and the bounty that fl wes in it be more abundant then sure the sin of abusing or of unbecoming going about it must be the greater Secondly if we look to the sin not only in respect of its greatness in â—everal other respects but in respect of the Nature of it It s a more direct disrespect put upon and despight done in some respect even unto Christ It s to be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord It as if the Spear had been in such a mans hand that pierced Christs side and as if he had driven by his own hand the Nails thorow His Hands and Feet The reason is because Christ in this Ordinance brings himself and his death so very near that the sinâ—er is put to it in a speciall mâ—nner either to receive him or to refuse and reject him and when he refuses and rejects him he thereby Practically sayes that he makes but very litle or no account of him at all and that if he had been living in those dayes when He was crucified he would also have joiâ—ed with the Multitude and cryed away with him Thus such an one Crucifieth the son of God a fresh and puts him to an open shame O hainous and horrid guilt The First Use Serves to allarme you that if the fear of sin will not prevail with you the fear of Judgement of Gods curse and wrath and of the vengeance of the Mediaâ—o represented in this Ordinance very clearly as crucified and bleeding out his precious life or sinners Here and eternally hereafter may prevail with you to be serious in the work ye are now called to Let me which is a Second and more particular Use of the Doctrine advise you as to examine your selves seriously in reference to all your other wayes so to take a Speciall look of your bygone Communicating O! that many of you who are so whole at the Heart that there is no provoking nor wakening of you and who are so sensless that ye scare at nothing could be prevailed with to charge your selves with this horrid sin of being guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord That thereby ye may be awakened It will certainly one day awake you therefore in your Self examination take speciall notice if ye have not Communicated unworthily make Special addresses â—o God for removing of this dreadful Guilt and have a special eye for the time to come that ye fall not in it I say again take a speciall review of your bygone carriage in this Ordinance and say to your selves whether are we Guilty of this sin and whether are we in Hazard to â—all into it of new And to stirre you up to this Consider 1. What temporal strokes from God have come or may come for it who knowes but our outward captivity the Blood that hath been shed the many new and unheard of or but very little heard of diseases that are among us have in a great Part been for this Sin Secondly know that beside temporal Strokes on the outward man ye may fall under Spiritual Plagues the Lord may blast the Ordinances for the time to come that they shal do you no good and He may last any part and gift that ye have He may make your Ears dull of heaâ—ing and your Eyes blind and your Hearts fat And if ye quench any convictions that ye
which the Sacrament as a Seal is appended Therefore the cup is called The Cup of the New Testament 3. The seal of the Sacrament it self appended to the word and Covenant 2. We would distinguish betwixt Christs broken Body considered as discernible to our understanding only and the same considered as it is discernible to our very senses or as it is apprehensible when by feeling we may grip it as it were and not only look to it but take holâ— of it how this is shal be more Particularly explained and cleared afterward for preventing of mistakes it is in this last sense that we understand discernible here not excluding the former so that Christs broken body in the Sacrament is not only made discernible to the understanding of the right communicant but he is made Communicable and apprehensible and there is an union with him attainable in that Ordinance and what we said before proves this he holds out His Body to be received And He is received in it Aâ— for the Second to wit The Questions to be answered they are these Four 1. In what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament Secondly to what is he made discernible and Communicable Thirdly how the Sacrament makes him discernible and what way it holds him out as discernible to us Fourthly what may be the reasons why Christ holds out himself His broken Body as discernible to us in the Sacrament First then in what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament We answer first not simply considered as he is the Son of God nor in respect of any benefiâ— from him as mediaâ—or neither simply as Redeemer But he is holden out as incarnat and so this Sacrament differs from the Jews Passover which held him out as to come while this holds him out as come Secondly it holds him out not only as become man but as suffering as having his Body broken Thirdly He is made discernible in respect of the end for which He suffered and had his Body broken and his Blood shed This is sayeth he my Body which is broken for you This cup is the New Testament in my Blood shed for the remission of the sins of many to wit of all the Elect It holds out Christ Mediator God-man suffering for us Fourthly It holds him out as Communicable and in capacity to be participat of by us Therefore it s called the Communion of His body Chap. 10.16 To tell us that we may be united to him and made to share of him and we are bidden Take and Eat and all to drink of it These last two look to the Covenanâ— and hold out the Sacrament in reference to it and how our Lord Jesus First by his sufferings was to purchase a People to himself and Secondly that he was to be Communicable to his People therefore the Cup is called the New Covenant in his Blood The Cup and the Covenant go together For though we may consider Christ without the Sacrament yet we cannot so well consider the Sacrament without Christ and the Covenant Secondly To what is Christ made discernible and Communicable We answer First he is not discernible nor present after a corporal manner to the bodily eye though he be really and truely present The bread that he gives is his Body and the Cup his Blood and yet it was Bread and wine which was given and not his Body and Blood corporally Secondly he is not present and Communicable by any local mutation by taking us up to heaven to him or by bringing his Body out of Heaven to us But he is these three wayes present and Communicable First to our Spirituall senses to an enlightned understanding which considers Christs Body broken and his Blood shed Secondly To the Faith of his people he is present in his own ordinance when his spirit goes along and quickens their hearts and their faith is in exercise They are made to apprehend Christs Body and to have an union with him sitting in Glory as really as they partake of the elements with their hand and feed upon them with their mouth and stomach an union as reall as is betwixt the head and the members and betwixt the root and the branches These two the Spirit on Christs side and Faith on our side make up a reall union and therefore though this presence be real yet it 's Spirituall Faith looking and going thorow the elements takes up Christ according to the end appointed and this makes the union even as faiâ—h will look and go thorow the word and crediting the word takes up Christ in it and makes an union with him so by vertue of this ordinance there is a Spiritual presence of and union with Christ Jesus Thirdly A presence to sense not so much in respect of inward feeling as in respect of the powerful effects of his presence though often inward feeling goes alongst with it and therefore it s called the Communion of his Body and the wine of Heaven And in respect of the mean and way he manifests himself therein to the eye to the touch to the taste and to the ear and there is a colour sensible which is more then is in any other ordinance where there is but the exercise of one sense for the more of the outward senses he makes use of he brings with him a proportionable blessing to the inward senses of the soul Thirdly How doth the Sacrament hold out Christ as discernible to us For answer I shal offer these Four wayes How he may be present to the faith of the Believer in the Sacrament all which wayes he is made discernible 1 In respect of the institution for Christ is here represented by the Minister as giving himself his authority and warrand is here therefore himself is here This though it be common to all Christs ordinances yet it belongs in a peculiar way to this ordinance for in it he is presenâ— in a special manâ—er making over himself and his sufferings to us Secondly He is made discernible in the Sacrament in as far as it represents him and though the word hold him out yet the Sacrament doth so more fully clearly and sensibly by such and such signes by bread and bread broken representing his Body broken by Suffering by wine and wine poured out representing his Blood shed and by wine distinct from the bread to shew a most true and reall death In which respect it 's said Do this in remembrance of me and as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords Death till he come again Every Sacrament represents Christ but this represents him in his suffering and dieing and in the end of it and makes it over to the worthie communicant Thirdly he is made discernible by this Sacrament in this respect as it 's a seal appended and affixed to the Covenant serving to ratifie and confirm the Promises contained in the Covenant and so the Bread and wine considered
is this in our hands This bread in some respect is not bread but Christ This cup is not Wine but the cup of the New Testament in his Blood and by this reflex act the Believer applies and confirmes himself having received the Sacrament whereby his union with Christ is signified and sealed up he applies and sayes within himself now Christ is mine and I am his and he confirmes himself in Christs love to himself and in his interest in him Now sayeth he I have gotten no delusion but the signe and Seal of his blessed Body broken and of his Blood shed for me If unbelief say have ye gotten Christ indeed Yes sayes the Believers faith having received this Pledge of his love I have gotten himself and I should Believe it and this is to act on Christ not only directly which is a thing common to the Sacrament with the word but to act on Christ reflexly and to perswade our selves of our union and Communion with him which is the end of this Ordinance else we take not up Christ as giving a seal Therefore the word is Take eat This is my Body broken for you there is more then a bare signe here and faith acts not only for receiving but for confirming it self that by receiving it hath an union and Communion with him who is holden out in the Sacrament For if it be a seal and exhibit Christ as a seal then faith should receive and act on it as such for attaining the end that a seal should have supposing the condition to preceed Fifthly it consists in an act of spiritual affecting when there is a Holy smacking to speak so and kissing of Christ The soul digesting him for the life of the inner man and thereon delighting rejoycing and exulting in him and so the faith confidence and hope of the Believer are strengthened which makes him that he is not ashamed and upon the back of this ordinarily the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart and though there should be little sensible feeling yet the believer finds himself oblidged to cheer himself in Christ and in the Covenant and in the benefits that he hath thorow his purchase and there is readily some warming of love to Christ and he is confirmed in the faith of the love of Christ to him and it is impossible where these two are but some Holy tickling of affections which flow from the Word and from this Ordinance thus rightly gone about as has been said will follow and if this be not That is if Christ be not thus discerned in the Sacrament 1. God gets not what he calls for Christs death is not rightly minded his Glory and our edification are not promoved Nor 2. Is the end of the Sacrament attained neither 3. Is our comfort furthered For it s not the Ordinance barely or Ordinary Bread and Wine set apart for a Holy use But Jesus Christ discerned and received in the Ordinance that comforts otherwise the ordinance in and by it's self will not promove our comfort and growth The Third Doctrine is that it is though a very common and rife yet a very great sin not to discern the Lords body as he is holden out in this Sacrament discernible The greatness of which may be easily gathered from what we have discoursed concerning the great priviledge of the discernibleness of the Lords body therein from the horridness of the guilt that it involves in even the guilt of the body and Blood of the Lord the greatest and most horrid of all Blood guiltiness and from the dreadful Judgements and Plagues that follow on it temporal or bodily and Spiritual Plagues yea even eternal Damnaâ—ion if Repentance through Grace prevent not But we must because of the shortness of time leave all that might be spoken in the more particular Prosecution of this Doctrine and shall only give you Two or Three Caveats wherewith I shall close to guard against mistakes in reference to what hath been spoken I know it will readily be said If this be discerning of the Lords body and if none other do discern it but such as go about these things it will be hard for any to discern it For answer to this I would have you to consider 1. That there is a more explicit distinct and perfect discerning and a more implicit confused and indistinct discerning of the Lords Body if we speak of perfection in discerning who come up to that but if we speak of an honest sincere way of aiming to discern though it be somewhat indistinct and confused that may be won at yea I would not think them in a good condition that rest satisfied with themselves as being distinct enough in all these things whereof we have spoken yet where there is as I just now said honest aiming at these things though in a confused and indistinct way where faith and love are in some measure acting with a sort of fear joy mixed together when there is a fear to profane the ordinance and yet the soul loves it so well that it cannot endure to want it nor Christ in it There is a discerning of the Lords Body that warrands to draw near 2. Consider that there is a general confusion and a particular confusion to speak so in going about this Ordinance The general confusion is this when persons are so very ignorant and confused that they know not at all what they are doing a Particular confusion is only in some respect that is when a Soul knoweth that Jesus Christ is in the Ordinance and knoweth its own condition to stand in need of him that it hath many Spiritual wants to be supplied and that there is much good and a Supply of all those wants to be had from Christ in this Ordinance but how to come at it thereby it knows not so well nor so distinctly A person that is confused in the generall cannot discern the Lords Body in the Sacrament But one that is confused in a particular may and thoughâ— such an one cannot it may be Pitch on a particular promise that suites his need yet he may fix on Christ and on the covenant in general which is one of the main things that Faith acts on and indeed unless himself be acted on by Faith his benefits fail and though a serious Soul cannot get a particular promise to settle on We say it should stick by the Covenant in general as including all particulars 3. Consider the discerning is not to be astricted to the very instant oâ— receiving but we would look well what is our aâ—m aâ— endeavour alâ—ngst the action and if habitually we bâ— indeed seriously seeking after and pursuing tâ—ese thingâ— we cannot have them all in our thoughts at once thaâ— is scarce if at all Possible but if the aime and straiâ— of your Souls exercise run this way and though theâ— be failing in many things yet this is not a neglectivâ— slighting and careless inconsideration In a word see 〈◊〉 there
good the Covenant And it 's the great guilt of many Professors of the Gospel that they close not with him in his offer so as to make use of it Which makes them guilty of the body and Blood of the Lord which they neither would nor could he guilty of if this were not in their offer but it 's more to Believers who have by Faith closed with Christ this Seal of the Covenant accreweth to their security who have taken Gods word and rested on it The Believer then is not only sure in this respect that he hath a good warrant to trust and leaâ—â— to that is a Sealed Covenant but also that it will noâ— fail him in Particular So that he may say I know iâ— whom I have believed And we would not divide thesâ— things that God hath so wisely and well conjoined viz Closing with Christ and the Covenant in the right way according to the terms thereof and taking this Seâ— of confirmation of it Now in the Second Place I come to give you a littlâ— view and short seâ—ies of the Gospel in several Observations from the words that we may hast to that which we more particularly aim at To wit the Use of all First Then Observe That all men and women eveâ— the Elect not excepted are sinfull and as such Considered before God So it 's said Isaiah 53.6 All we likâ— sheep have gone astray This is the Object of the Gospel sinners the Persons for whose behove Christ hatâ— made his Testament and to whom he hath left his legacies are sinners even sinfull men and women anâ— the more sin be in them the more Grace shines in Godâ— croosing of such and in Christs dieing for such and noâ— choosing nor dying for fallen Angels It 's sinners I say who are the Object of Christs Testament Secondly Observe That there is a grand designe laiâ— by God from eternity for the saving of many sinners anâ— for Procuring to them Remission of sins the fruit of thâ— ancient Counsell of the Blessed and glorious trinity And this is it which Christ aims at in all his Ordinances to get sinners pardoned and freed from the curse due to them for sin Reconciled Justified Sanctified and brought to drink the new Wine of Heaven This is laid down by Jehovah as the Basis and foundation whereon he hath reared up a Magnificent and Glorious Superstructure of the Riches of his most Soveraignly free Grace for making it to shine forth conspicuously and radiantly throughout all ages Thirdly Observe That there is a Covenant well ordered suited and fitted to promove this great and Glorious end and designe of saving sinners A covenant so contrived as it may well suit the saving of sinners and procure unto them the Remission of sins There is a transaction betwixt God and the Mediator a Surety and Cautioner is Provided to take on the debt of the elect and to satisfie Justice to the full for all their sins and this is one Article of the Covenant that the Mediator should undertake thy debt O Believer and Satisfie for it He was saith Isaiah chap. 53. Wounded for our Transgresions bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisment of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed Fourthly Observe That according to this Covenant and transaction our blessed Lord Jesus hath really actually and fully satisfied for the sins of Believers according to his undertaking So that as in the Counsell of God that great trust was put on him and he undertook the work of sinners Redemption So now it is Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do The covenant is exactly fulfilled on my part not one Article of it is unfulfilled all that was committed to me is now fully performed Hence it was his last word on the Cross it is finished Fifthly Observe That by the Application of the Blood of Jesus thorow a sinners closing with him and interessing himself in him He may and doth obtain Remission of sins and partake of the benefit of Redemption Purchased by his Blood even of all the benefits of the Covenant Therefore when he hath said This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for the Remission of thâ— sins of many He turns over the words 〈◊〉 â—hem and tells them that they shall drink the fruit of this Vine new with him in his Fathers Kingdom As it was made sure that Adam was to have life on the condition of perfect obedience so it is as sure to a sinner taking with his sin and betaking himself to and closing with Christ and his Satisfaction that he shall have Pardon of sin and all the Benefits of this Covenant even to eternal Glory secured to him Sixthly Observe That as our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ hath Purchased this Redemption and Remission so he is must willing desirous and pressing that sinners to whom the Gospel it offered should make use of his righteousness and of the Purchase made thereby for this end that they may have Remission of sins and eternal life For not only is the security good sufficient and sure in it self The Testament being confirmed But he is to speak so with reverence Passionatly desirous that sinner should endeavour on good ground to be sure of it in themselves therefore he kindly puts it in a Legacy makes serious offer of it and strongly confirms it to all that embrace it Seventhly Observe That It is to Testifie this his willingness that sinners should make use of his purchase and lay hold on his Righteousness on Remision of sins and life thorow him and to promove the acceptation thereof among sinners that he hath instituted this Ordinance of the Communion Take ye Eat ye c. For this is as if he had said the end of the institution of this Sacrament and the reason of it even to be a signe and Seal of confirmation to many of the Remission of sins thorow my Blood This was my designe in laying down my life to get many sinners Pardoned and this is the end of the institution of this Precious ordinance of my Supper to apply it to them and to confirm them in the Faith of it Eightly Observe That They who would partake aright of this Sacrament for their confirmation as to the Pardon of their sins and their sharing in the rest of the benefits of Christs purchase would first close with Christ in the Covenant and make that the way of their making use of this Sacrament to confirm the bargain Therefore is it called the Cup of the new Covenant in his Blood this is the sine quo non even closing with Christ in a Covenant else the Sacrament can do no good it 's the great thing that admits sinners to have right and access to Christs purchase the writing must first be Subscribed and then Sealed the bargain made and then confiâ—med Ninthly Observe That they who have the offer of the Gospel and are admitted to the Sacrament of
That was broken for you Open your mouth wide and I will fill it I will be thy God That is the comprehensive Article of the Covenant and the great Gift the Gift of gifts and we may very safely say that as he could not swear by a greater then himself So he could not give a greater giâ—t then himself would God there were suitable conceptions and apprehensions of this non-such Gift and that he in whom the fulness of the God head dwels bodily were looked upon as being thus in our offer and were Cordially closed with by Faith that 's a great word which we have Revel 20.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and how is it performed and fulfilled I will be his God this is all and without this there is nothing Fourthly Having this Gift is there any thing that can be added the Text says Heaven not that Heaven is more then Christ but this is it that Christ enjoyed in Heaven is more then Christ enjoyed here on earth I will drink it new with you saith he in my Fathers Kingdom The floud gates are there as it were opened and the heart enlarged and made capacious to let in the fulness of God to the filling of the Glorified Believer even to the very brim Therefore is Communion with Christ said to be Now in Heaven We may have Christ here and Believers have him but this is an addition when we have our husband not only in right but have access Immediatly and most intimatly to converse with him and he to converse with us When the Queen shall be brought unto the King in Raiment of needle work and takâ—n into the Kings Palace with gladness and with joy and the Virgins her Companions with her When there shall be a putting of unbelief to shame and an Eternal Banishment of it and a Compleating of Believers Satisfaction the eye of the most profoundly exercised and experienced Believers never saw their ear never heard neither were they ever able to conceive the thousand part of these abundant consolations and heart ravishing joys that shall flow from the Presence of the Lamb and of him that sitteth on the Throne When there shall be no interveening Ordinances nor Temple in that higher House but the Lamb shall be the light thereof and yet all this is offered to sinners and put in Christs Testament to them to the end it may be made sure And Lastly As all these other things do Concurr to make out the excellency of the Bargain So doth this in a special manner that the price is payed that they have nothing to lay down but may come and take all freely without money and without price Secondly For furthering and strengthening the consolation ye would consider that the Believer who receives Christ as he is offered in the Gospel though he be a sinner yet he hath a most sufficient excellent and unquestionable security for and right unto all these good things that our dieing Lord Jesus hath comprehended in his Testament Believing sinners what security would ye have ye have Christs word I say unto you c. Ye have Christs Covenant and Testament This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood and now the Testament is Confirmed and Sealed so that neither man nor Angel can annull nor alter it Our Lords Testament being Sealed it stands legally registred in the Court Books of Heaven and it stands legal on these terms that a sinner who takes with his sin disclaims his own righteousness and betakes himself to Christs Righteousness putting it in the room of his own for his Justification before God may be sure of Christs legacy and of Heaven as it 's sure that Christ suffered and Instituted this Sacrament for his Confirmation in the Faith of it the accepting of Christ the submitting to his righteousness the yeelding to the Covenant and closing with him on his own terms gives him a right to Heaven and all the Riches contained in his Testament To make out this as being the very thing of the Comfortable Application of all that hath been said and of what we are further to say I shall offer these four grounds The First whereof is some clear Scriptures that hold forth so much viz. That as really they shall have life who rake Christ and his offer and close with him as he really suffered and Satisfied the Justice of God for their sins The First of these Scriptures is Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him He is an able Saviour able to the uttermost and there is not a point of Latitude longitude or altitude beyond the uttermost He is able to save them all and what all All that will come and make use of him and give him the credit of his Offices all that will come unto God by him A Second is Rom. 5 20. Where the Apostle out-reasons sin for holding forth the triumph of free-Grace Where sin abounded saith he Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death Even so and indeed it is an excellent So might Grace Reigne through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord though we would endeavour to our utmost to unfold these words we could not unfold all that is infolded in them did sin make sinners lyable to death and Triumph over them So Grace hath erected a Throne by Christs Righteousness not by inherent Holiness and hath Triumphed over sin the way how Grace gives out its orders and obtains its end Is not by our Righteousness but by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith in him Justice to speak with reverence is off the Throne and Grace orders and sways all in making Application of Christs Purchased Righteousness to believers The Third Scripture is Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethâ—en that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenness of sins and vers 26. To you is the word of this Salvation sent O glad tidings to the greatest sinners Thorow the man Christ is Preached to you Remission of sins and by him all that Believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses What are ye owing Or what can the Law Justice or Satan claime ye are Justified from all these things and when he speaks thus to despisers with a Be it known unto you That the offer is made to them we may on good ground turn it over to you and say Be it known unto you that thorow Christ Jesus ye may have Remission of sins and be Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses According to the terms of the Covenant Let your libell be as long as it will Grace is on the Throne and will receive you Secondly Consider that the great designe which the Lord drives in the business of Redemption and publishing of it in the Gospel Is that Remission of sins and
marrie thee and to be for thee and for none other and may not I add was there ever such security and confirmation given of any marriage it's confirmed by the death of the Bridegroom he hath sealed his Testament with his Blood and there is no annulling nor altering of a mans Testament when he is dead and our Lord Jesus who was once dead is now alive and lives for evermore he will never die again nor make another Testament O! beloved hearers all this is to let you see that our Lord is in earnest and very willing to espouse you and indeed it shall not be his Fault iâ— it be not a bargain and if it be indeed a bargain betwixt your souls and him it 's a very raâ—e and rich one O! the many rare excellent noble notable and non-such Priviledges and advantages that attend this marriage and are to be enjoyed by the soul espoused to Christ even God and Christ Grace and Glory and all that is comprehended under these belongs to thaâ— soul We must here be silent lest in speaking of â—hem we darken them by our words here is an abyss and bottomless depâ—h ready as it were to swallow up words we confess we can tell you our very litle whaâ— they are nay if all the ablest and holiest Ministers on earth all the Angels in Heaven were joyned together they could not to the full by very far tell what an excellent match and marriage this is even to be matched with the Son of God and yet this priviledge and honour have all the saints all Believers to whom he is wonderful and Precious though alace not as he ought to be there is a day coming when we shall know to satisfaction that the Father is in the son and the son in the Father and that believers are in Christ and he in them We shall then know the now in expressible and inconceivable advantages of this marriage When He shall come to be glorified in His Saints and wond'red at in all them that believe and till that day the one half will never be told us The third Observation was that there are many things to be removed out of the way and to be done many things to be made ready before this marriage can be made up 1. There is a naturall distance between the Parties that must be removed God cannot be one flesh with us and betwixt Parties to be married there must â—e some Suitableness of nature therefore to remove this distance and to bring abouâ— the marriage the Son of God becomes Man that he may be Immanual God with us God iâ— our nature aâ—d so in capacity to be closed with Secondly there is a sinfull distance w ich also must be removed before this marriage can be made up For God is a câ—nsuming fire to sinners He and they neither will nor can unite in â—hat posture The efore â—efoâ—e an offer or marriage can be made to any Purpâ—se â—e must give himself for his Church that he may Sanctifie and cleanse it with the Washing of water by the word and heâ— iâ— fâ—llâ—ws that he presents her to Himself a glorious Church without spot and wrinkle or any such thing He â—ould not have access to marry his Bride she was so uâ—câ—mly fiâ—thy and lothsom lying in a most pityful condition in her blood as Ezekiel sets it forth â—o â—he life and at great length Chap. 16. Therefore to cleanse her he gave himself for her Thirdly ere all this could be doâ—e there behâ—ved a ground to be laid for peace with God the offended party who was to be father in law and here comes in the Covenant of Redemption Psal 40 6 7. Sacrifice and Offâ—ring thou didst not desire then said I lo I come c. For taking away the curse and reconciling the elect to G d the Father sayes as it were I must needs be once in friendâ—hip with them ere I can admit them to my house and Son if thou wilt Satisfie my Justice and Pay their debt I shal give them to thee for a seed and to be thy Bride and wife well says Christ the mediator Father I accept of the bargain Lo I come to do thy will O my God Whereupon it comes to pass as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 5. last That he is made sin for us who knew no sin and we are made the righteousness of God in him For it was as really agreed in the Covenant of Redemption that he should be made sin for us as it came to pass in the actual execution of it and thus way is made for the marriage Fourthly when this is done the marriage must be proclaimed through the world by the Preached Gospel the contract must be opened up and read and sinners consent called for We are told therein that the Word is made flesh and dwelt amongst us and because No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he declares him as it is John 1.14 15. He comes and reveals more clearly the contract first in his own Person and by his own Ministerie and then by sending his servants and telling that all things are ready Fifthly the last thing to be removed is the uncircumcision and stupidness of our hearts naturally we are given to slight him in his offers to refuse to open to him and to let him in when he knocks to make excuse to delay shift and put him off nay to refuse to entertain his proposal of Marriage and to give him a repulse therefo e he comes by his Spirit and puts in his finger by the hole of the door and lets some Myrrhe drop on the handles of the lock and powerfully but sweetly inclines the heart to cast it self open to him and then he performs the promises of Sanctification Circumcising the heart to love him with all the heart and with all the Soul as it is Deut. 30.6 And all these promises are contrived framed and provided to meet with difficulties in us we are told John 6 44. That no man can come to Christ except the Father that sent him draw him and Psal 110.3 It is Promised that in the day of his Power His people shal be willing and whoever being made willing cometh shall in no wise be cast out John 6.37 The Fourth Observation is That by the Preaching of the Gospel whither so ever it cometh and by the great things made offer of therein all things are made ready Obstructions and what ever might hinder the closing of the Marriage are removed the Father is ready having declared his willingness to give his consent This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Matth. 3. I am well satisfied with him take him to you for your head and husband the Son is ready to take all by the hand that will embrace him Pardon of Sin Peace with God Sanctification the mansion c are ready to be bestowed the feast
Faith and how to get your selves given up and awaâ— to him because in this Covenant as I shewed before there is a Mutuâ—ll engaging God offers himself and all that is in him to be ours and to be made forth câ—ming for our good and we by Faith close wiâ—h the offer and give up our selves to him to be at his dispose have ye any serious thoughts of this But your selves to it and we in the Name of the Lord put you to it for we cannot well proceed any further till ye be at some point in this are ye in earnest Is this your errand in being here to day If not why are ye come hither Is it to see how the day goeth or is it only to get your Communion as ye use to speak Alace what 's that It 's to Covenant with God and ere ye depart this Place to put it to a point that it may be a closed bargain that should be your errand And therefore in the Second Place we tell you that the great God is content to Covenant with poor fectless and sinfull Câ—eatures whereat ye may wonder and say Is it so in very deed that God will dwell with men on earth Will he indeed Covenant with men with sinfull men with Treacherous dealing men with backsliders Yea we tell you that it is so he is content to be your God and that ye possess all things in him content to pardon you all your sins to give you Grace and Glory even every good thing to enter you heirs to a Kingdome and on good and easie terms to do it freely without Money and without Price If ye be but indeed content to accept of His offer on his easie and very reasonable terms and may not your very hearts laugh within you at the hearing of the glad tydings of this Covenant and that God is yet content to make it up with you O how sappie and Massie is this and that is a very sweet word to this Purpose which we have Psal â—7 6. God even our own God shall bless us which may make the Believer smile This relation of our own maketh the blessing double and it flows from this formal aâ— least real Covenanting and union with God and the Believer hath a right to this and all things He hath here an offer and another sort of right then he hath to his house and land or cloths it 's aright to God that giveth a right to these things I mean a Spirituall right for we speak not now of that which is civill let us therefore stay our selves and wonder and be stirred and affected with it that the infinit and alsufficient God is content to make this good bargain and even now to make it with us Sinners even with insignificant and unworthy us Thirdly We make Proclamation of this bargain to you and avouch that there is Salvation offered to sinners and to be had through Jesus Christ the Lord alloweth and warranteth us to make this Proclamation as well as he did Jeremiah when he saith to him Chap. 3.12 Go and Proclaim these words towards the North return thou back-sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee for I am merciful saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever He alloweth nay he Peremptorily Commandeth that ye should be put to it and therefore when we have laid the Covenant before you what say ye to it what will ye do We must have an answer from you ye have his word and Oath for confirmation of it O Believe and take hold of it and ye shall get the seal from us as his Commissioners who treat with you according to our Commission in his Name And here we must be particular and be ye particular with your selves take and receive what we say to you with a warrant as the word of the Lord for it is no less his Word now then it was when Jeremiah and the other Prophets spoke it when the Apostles spoke it yea When Christ spake it himself It 's the same Covenant and the same word that this day is preached to you The Lord cals us to stir up our selves and to say in good earnest Come let us joyn our selves to him in a Perpetuall Covenant 1. The party inviting is the Lord Jehovah in the Mediator and sure he is a most yea the most excellent Party thy maker saith he Isai 54.8 is thy Husband 2. There are in this Covenant excellent Promises God is content to be your God and to take you for his people and Spouse to Pardon your iniquity to heal your back-slidings to Sanctifie and save you and to make you eternally happy and are not these desirable 3. It calls you to give your selves up to him and indeed it is very reasonable that if the husband give himself to the wife she should give her self to him Are ye then content to treat with God in the Mediator and to be his on his own terms It is good to meet and treat with God in him Have ye any ground to except against this Doth it please or displease you say to it tell your mind For I declare to you that if ye get him to be yours you must needs be his I fear many of you stand and stick at this notwithstanding the high reasonableness of it is this think ye an evil disadvantagious or Prejudicial exchange whether is it better that the one and only true God reign over you then that Sathan and a multitude of strange Lords your Lusts taking the Throne as it were by turns should reigne over you It 's both sad and stupendious that ever this should be suffered once to come in question or debate and yet Alace it's this or some thing like this at which it will stand either ye will not take God for your God or ye will not give your selves to him to be his People on his own very reasonable and easie terms and I trow ye will make no better I would therefore yet again put you to it for it 's the very thing that ye are called to the great business of the day and it 's come even to the shock And therefore labour to be at a point whether ye will close with him or not If ye will sincerely say we take the Lord to be our God and give our selves to him to be his People and servants then we say to you and assure you in his Name that this Cup that by and by ye are to drink shall be according to his warrant The new Covenant in his Blood And to press you to the thing let me but Ask you a few Questions 1. Is there not need of Covenanting with God Are there not many sins on your score Is there not a quarrell betwixt God and you Is not this bargain meet and suitable for you which holds out remission of sins and peace with God are ye not urgently called to it And what ground of challenge will it be think
not to the Covenant to be really anâ— perpetually Joyned to the Lord himself 7. Ye woulâ— seek after some heart-warming by Gods Spirit withiâ— you and some lively exercise of your faith in him aâ— ye see to be in this Peoples case 8. Persons that arâ— in earnest will be much affected with bygone slips failings and unfaithfull dealings with God and are afraid oâ— falling back and of dealing loosly with the Lord anâ— this puts them on to be more Solicitous and carefull to take on the mo bands and to cast the knot the fasteâ— because the heart is deceitful Come say they here and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Câ—venant never to be forgott n They are not content wiâ— a Covenant except it be siker the heart protests against it self if it shall draw back and resignes and râ—nounces its liberty to do so any more if it may be caâ—â—ed liberty 9. A person would aim to have him seâ—â— sure and satisfied as to this that he hath really given hâ— consent that he may have quietness in the assurance 〈◊〉 its being so yet not laying the weight of his Peace oâ— his clearness and assurance but because his comfoâ—â— much depends thereon therefore he will endeavour 〈◊〉 have any blank filled up and the business put to a poiâ—â— he comes to this Covenanting with Holy fear self-suspition and jealousy and goeth from it with fear and as he is attended with this fear in Covenanting so in receiving the Sacrament the Seal of the Covenant Come say they and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten O! So sure as they would have it ye who shall thorow Grace come thus shall find the Lord Jesus waiting and reaâ—y to welcome you But it 's like ye will Ask how is the Sacrament made useful and helpful in this joyning to the Lord in Covenant I Answer in generall as to the Believer that all the Promises are his and it Seals all the Blessings of the Covenant to him Because the condition of the Covenant is found in him Even as a pardon given to a Rebell on condition he lay down his Arms when he doth lay them down and accepts of the Pardon the Seal is appended to it which makes it firm and sure But what if the persons doubt of their having entered into the Covenant Answer 1. They are either such as are meer strangers to God and have no desire after nor respect to the Covenant those are under Gods curse and shall get no good of the Sacrament because they resolve not to take Christ to fulfill the condition of the Covenant in them and are not in earnest to be in under the bond of the Covenant yet if even such would seriously resolve to fulfill the condition or rather to take Christ to help them to fulfill it they should be welcome or they are such as are doubting though they have some honest desire such would remember the bargain is Mutuall and they must engage to God if they would have God engaged to them and if ye have not done it before do it even now and the Sacrament shall be usefull and helpfull to you in these respects more Particularly 1. For sealing this general trutâ— If I believe in Christ I shall have eternal life In whicâ— respect it 's like a pardon offered to a Rebell on condâ—tion he lay down his Arms he would first see it iâ— writ and then he would have it Sealed well saiâ—â— the King ye shall get it Sealed 2. It 's usefull aâ— hath influence in a Moral waâ— to make you accept Pardon and to enter in the Covenant In which râ—spect it 's an argument as to allure the Rebell to acceâ—â— of the Pardon So to perswade and assure him that oâ— his acceptance he shall have it actually and certainlâ— when it 's holden forth Sealed for saith the Lord 〈◊〉 the Sacrament ye have my Covenant and here I aâ— ready to seal it 3. It furthers our joining in Covenanâ— In respect of its clear holding forth and manifesting thâ— blessings of the Covenant the word saith that ye aâ—â— Sinners and that ye will get nothing that is truely gooâ— but in and through Christ and that God is content 〈◊〉 Covenant with you and to Pardon your sins througâ— him and the Sacrament brings Christ and the blessinâ— of the Covenant to be some way visible and sensible 〈◊〉 you and the Goâ—pel tells how it is done 4. In thâ— Sacrament the Lord condescends in the most formaâ— way to Covenant for in it he saith take you my Souâ— blood to wash you who are guilty and filthy and youâ— taking is as it were a striking of hands with him anâ— a saying content Lord let this blood wash me and thiâ— looking to the word of institution which gives foot in to Faith and exercising Faith thereon as your warranâ— your Faith is helped to take hold of Christ by and 〈◊〉 the Sacrament 5. It helps to close with the Covenanâ— by letting you see the grounds of the Covenant wherâ—on it is bottomed and built If thou shouldst say Thougâ— God would Covenant with me I will not keep Thâ— Sacrament holds out Christ as Cautioner that hath put himself in our Room and engaged in our Name to make us forth-coming and if thou shouldst yet say will God indeed accept of the like of me It saâ—th here is a broken and bleeding Saviour and Mediator to lead thee to God a Saviour who hath made himself a propitiation for sin and hereupon the sinner may be strengthened to take hold of the Covenant because in the Sacrament he sees Christ himself laid as a bridge on which he may come over to God and his rent flesh as the Vaill through which he may as by a new and living way enter into the Holiest Jeremiah 50. Vers 5. Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall noâ— be forgotten SERMON IV. THere are Two main and Mighty uptaking Businesses to the People of God The one whereof is how to win to be in Covenant with God to be friends and in good terms with him The other is how to stand to and keep Covenant with him and to live as being made friends with him according to the obligation that lyeth on them This is the great designe of all preaching to bring them within the Covenant who are without and to make those who are within the Covenant to walk suitably to it and as these are never separated on the Lords side So should they never be Separated on our side therefore these People are brought in here Saying Let us Join our selves to the Loâ—d in a Covenant and not only So but there are Two words added by them to shew their earnest desire to keep and stand to the Covenant The one is A perpetuall Covenant the other a Covenant that shall not be forgotten the impression whereof may never wear
which he subjoyns partly for warning partly for Consolation these now read But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine till I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom as if he had said though now we be sitting here at the Communion-Table heartsomely together I tell you that I and ye will have no mo Communions here on earth The particle But is to give them a watch-word and yet according to his blessed manner and wont he hath the best word hindmost and tells them glad news on the back of it For they might say Wo's us sweet Master will we never meet again at a Communion think not so saith he we shall yet meet again and have a sweet Communion in Heaven This then is a very heartsome dismiss though he sends them away advertising them of a storm coming and though they knew not well what was before them yet he heartens and encourages them with a Promise that they shall have this Wine new or the thing signified by it with a far other relish in Glory and that then he and they should have good days of it I shall say no more to the exposition scope or Division of the words Take this one Doctrine from them and then a few things on the Connexion for Use The great Doctrine Then implyed is this That Believers will have a sweet Communion in Christs Fathers Kingdom in Heaven This is Expresly in the Text and confirmed by other Scriptures as namely Luke 22.29 Ye are they that have continued with me in my Temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and Drink at my Table in my Kingdom This is that Communion even a partaking of Christs Glory in his Fathers Kingdom and with him in it and John 17. vers 22. The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them and vers 24. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me to Behold my Glory which thou hast given me which words set forth not only the certainty of the thing a glorious place and day and the excellency of the Feast but also a sort of Peremptoriness in reference thereto Father I will saith he when he Prayed that the Cup might depart from him he does it Conditionally and with submission but when he prayes for Communion in Glory to him and his followers there is no Submission to speak so because it was according to the Covenant of Redemption and therefore he is absolut and Holily peremptory in it And the Father hears him alwayes So in the Epistles written to the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 2. and 3. It is Promised by our Lord to him that overcometh that he will give him the hidden Manna the white stone and New Name to sit with him on his Throne Let all Believers on earth be gathered together they cannot tell what this is what a Manna what a Communion this will be it quite transcends all experience all expression and conception Only in the Text ' its called 1. Wine which is a very cordiall thing 't is Meat indeed and Drink indeed 2. It 's called new Wine we taste of it here but it 's new and hath another relish there 3. 'T is in a sweet place not in any Earthly house or upper Chamber not in a material Temple made with hands but in Christs Fathers Kingdom that new Jerusalem that Tabernacle of God where God dwelleth with Angels and Glorified Saints the City paved with pure Gold the Gates whereof are Pearl the foundations of the Wall whereof are garnished with all manner of Precious stones which hath no Sun but the Glory of God and of the Lamb is the light thereof O Believers who have some of you but Cot-houses smoky holes here ye shall have Mansions of Glory there admirably good accomodation it is with excellent non such company even with Christ For he says that He will drink this wine new with us in his Fathers Kingdom It 's a great matter to get leave to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob David and the Prophets Elijah Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel and the rest of them with John the Baptist with Paul John Peter and the other Apostles and with the whole Congregation of the first-born but it 's more to drink the new wine with Christ himself in heaven who is to say so the very heart of Heaven This Communion hath in it these Five notable qualifications First It 's immediat all our Communion here is mediat Ordinances and Ministers interveen and come betwixt us and him and there is need of Faith in order to it but in that Communion above there is no intermediat mean there we shall see his face as it 's said Rev. 22.4 There is no Temple no Ministers no Preaching no light of candle or Sun there but the Lamb and the Lord God who enlightens it the Tabernacle of Ordinances will then be taken down every thing which is in part will be done away when that which is perfect is come The Lord shall feed and the Lamb shall lead us by these living waters Secondly There is in it a sharing of the same Glory with the Mediator He and we shall drink of one Cup sit at one Table and sit on one Throne Rev. 3.21 We shall partake of Christs Glory I will saith he John 17.24 that they Behold my Glory there we get eminently The new Name and the Name of the City of Christs God Rev. 3. there his Name will be in our fore-heads Rev. 22.4 And our vile bodies will be made conformable to Christs Glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Our spirits will be made pure as he is pure when we shall be raised in incorruption we shall bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam and our bodies shall be made Spiritual It cannot be told what this will be to be made Partakers of Christs Glory when the fulness of the God head shall be Communicated to us Ojectively and when God shall be all in all Thirdly It 's a Communion satisfieing compleatly If Christs Communion be full ours shall be full in this Communion none shall complain of desertion none shall desire more of the Spirit or more consolation for it shall be full then shall we Satisfieingly know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge and be filled with all the fulness of God this water of Life will Satisfie to the full the greatest thirst of such as long for Christ there shall not be to speak so an empty Corner in the most capacious Soul thou Poor hungry and thirsty Empty and indigent Believing Soul shalt then be full and keeped full according to Creature capacity to the very Brim and thy heart that is now narrow and straitned shall be widened end enla ged then to take in this sweet and Satisfieing there shall not be one vessel in Glory but it shall be filled brim-full with the new Wine of these strong
above or of that Cup of the unmixed Wine of the wrath of God having no rest day nor night O Profane Atheist unbeliever hollow hearted Hypocrite and slighter of Christ all thy dayes what a bitter draught will that be when God shall put into thy hand the Cup of his Iâ—dignation which shall be for ever poured out unto thee and shall never come from thy head O drunkard tippler and belly God be think thy self how that draught will go down with thee The Lord with his one foot on Earth and the other on the Sea with an uplifted hand to Heaven hath Sworn that within a litle time shal be no more Ye that are young People may if ye will follow the sight of your eyes and the way of your own hearts and may take you Pleasure in the dayes of your youth but know and remember that God will bring you to Judgement Your time is wearing away and ye will wear away 't is but a litle and ye will hear no moe Preachings and get no moe warnings O take them in time if ye be wise and the Lord perswade you so to do In the Third place The scope both of the advertisment and consolation is observable when he was giving them the Cup and told them that 't is the Cup of the new Testament in his blood He subjoins but I say unto you I will not drink henceforth c. This he doth First because he would send them away advertised and assured that There is a father Ben to speak so a more inward room in Religion then the most lively and comfortable Ordinance here on earth doth afford a higher more intense spiritual Practice then any outward part of Religion He would have them to go away thinking with themselves that all is not done that may be done that all is not win at which may be had that they are not yet Holy enough nor happy enough O place not for Christs sake Place not your Religion here I was at the Sacrament or I got my Communion Wo to that empty sound and to them who lean all their weight on it ye may come and abide here for a time and go away leaving the marrow of the matter behind you all is not yet done A Second Reason is Because he would have them parting and going from the Communion wiâ—h some thoughts of death of their approaching change and passing out of time and of Eternity it s quickly Marching upon them And indeed it were good going from the Communion and from every other Ordinance with such thoughts as these Death is fast coming on me and I will be soon gone saith our Lord on the matter to the Disciples and ye will ere long follow me and it is not these Ordinances that will be your life in Eternity It were good that we came to the Lordâ— Table to Preaching and Prayer and went away as dieing Men and Women this would lay much of our Pride deaden us to the world and make us endeavouâ— to hold a loose gripe of all things in it and would keeâ— us under the kindly sense of the changeableness uncertainty and short continuance of them all and might be of more use and worth to us then Twenâ—ie thanksgiving Sermons Labour then to go from every Ordinance as if ye were not to enjoy another A Third Reason may be that our Lord would lead in his followers 〈◊〉 look after some stamp of Heaven and of the Glorious Communion that is a coming on their Spirits and would have them going from the Ordinances with such thoughts Alace we have very few such thoughts Our conversation is very litle or not at all in Heaven Believers think and think often that these rags will be rent off us and we shall be set down on the Throne with Christ in that Rayment of needle work It is a good token wheâ— a person goes from a Cummunion from Preaching and Prayer more Divine and Heavenly making every Ordinance the step of a stair as it were to ascend upward having a high esteem of Heaven and a heaâ— Holily eager and bent on it content nay desirous 〈◊〉 be gone when ever He shall see it meet and till theâ— putting on and keeping on the whole armour of God making for one assault of temptation afâ—er another Heavenly in his whole walk in his actions words and thoughts As ye would not O Believers interrupt your Communion with God in Christ study to be Heavenly in your Conversation for saith the Apostle Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour Lay aside as if be had said your earthly mindedness away with that and be Heavenly in your conversation for our Conversation is such and Believers are described to be such as Love Christs appearing A Fourth Reason May be that our Lord would hearten Comfort his Disciples and send them away refreshed Yea it is to Root out their unbelief and to arm them against approaching tryals So then First our Lord Jesus Allows Believers to go from the Communion and proportionally from every Ordinance rightly come to cheerfull and Comforted and therefore he leaves them with this word telling them that they will have hard and sad days but withall bids them cheer themselves in the assured expectation of a day coming when He and they shall drink the Wine new in Heaven Our Lord would have Believers humble thinking on Death and making ready for it dayly yet be would not have them tortured with the thoughts of it but cheerfull as having his joy for their strength though he would not have their joy carnal but Heavenly And it is the Token of a right Communicant and of a good hearer of the word when a Person goes away from it more Spiritually cheered and more Heavenly minded Secondly There is nothing that can be more heartsome cheering and refreshing to the Believer then the lively hope of Communion and of a seat on the Throne in Heaven with Christ and it is the mark and Character of a believer to have no lower designe Alace for the sensless way of hearing the word and of Communicating customary to many who have no other nor higher designe then to partake of the outward Ordinance 't is a heart some thing to go from the Table of the Lord with this sweet and Heavenly Meditation Christ and I will meet again ere long at a table in Heaven Thirdly The thoughts of Heaven and the hope thereof may well sustain a Believe were there never so many BUTS and wants in their present condition here We will not be long together saith He there will be a scattering but this may keep you from weeping and mourning as those who have no hope that the day cometh when we shall meet again and never part asunder It is really a wonder that we have so few serious and solacing thoughts of coming to Heaven there are none who look for a Rich loading coming home by Sea but they will comfort themselves in the expectation of it why do we not then comfort our selves in the thoughts of Heaven since we profess to have a hope of being there even because we are carnal and earthly and it sayes that we either think Heaven litle worth or that it is an insufficient and unvalid right that is to be had to it or that we do not really believe it all the silver and gold in the world comforts not a poor body because he hath no hope to come by it So there are not a few hearers of the Gospel who bear much of Heaven and of the hope of it that never refresheth them A Fifth Reason may be to waken up longing desires and to sharpen and put an edge upon an appetit in his followers after Heaven and to teach them not to place their happiness in any thing on this side Heaven otherwise he would never have put their Satisfaction to a term so far off but he over-leaps to speak so with reverence all the brave days that they had and were to have here and gives them this for their full satisfaction that the day is a coming when he will drink the Wine new with them in his Fathers Kingdom and would have them in their flight never resting nor sitting down till they be there For he sends them away hungering for that Communion-Table And we would yet again exhort and beseech you to study to be in case to go from the Communion and from every Sermon having some serious thoughts of Heaven and longings for it believing that the day the joyfull day is coming when Christ and ye will meet and never shed or separat again when ye shall be with him where he is and be set with him at his Table and on his Throne never to rise off it any more again Blessed be God that that desirable day is coming Believers in Christ cheer your selves in the hope of it If there be any of you as Alace I fear there be very many that relish not this blessed change there is a sad and Sorrowful change before you O be busie very busie to have your interest in Christ and the hope of Heaven well secured by Union and Communion with him here that so ye may have the well grounded hope of Heaven and may frequently draw Comfort from it And O that we could sunder so The litle inch and moment of time that we have will soon and very quickly wear away and be at an end Go then my dear friends wiâ—h this well fixed resolution that ye must needs in Gods own way have Heaven and be eternally happy in the Soul-satisfieing and ravishing enjoyment of that fullest and sweetest never to be interrupted Communion that will be there And thank God and Christ the Mediator for the least measure of the well grounded hope of it and make it your business to have your Conversation suited to and smelling strong of that blessed hope FINIS